Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 13 January 12:30 pm

Good day, let’s look at the latest sports news and scores:

# We start off with Tennis: Jannik Sinner launched his Australian Open title defence with a battling straight-sets win as Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff also powered into round two. Italian world number one Sinner is playing under a cloud after twice testing positive for traces of a steroid in March. He denies wrongdoing and was cleared by tennis authorities, but the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed and is seeking to ban him for up to two years. Sinner was warmly welcomed on Rod Laver Arena before defeating Chile’s Nicolas Jarry 7-6, 7-6 and 6-1.

Meanwhile in more Australian Open news, Frances Tiafoe admitted it was touch and go whether he would carry on after vomiting on court during a testing five-set win. The American was sick at a crunch moment in the Open at 5-6 in the fourth set against Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech. He managed to continue and came through 7-6, 6-3, 4-6, 6-7 and 6-3 in 4-hours-8-minutes. Tiafoe was playing in the middle of the day in hot weather, but he blamed being over-hydrated rather than the heat.

# Soccer: Orlando Pirates have secured their place in the CAF Champions League quarterfinals with a game to spare in Group C, following a two-one win over Algerian side CR Belouizdad in Soweto. Goals by Relebohile Mofokeng and Thalente Mbatha were enough for the Soweto giants to bag maximum points. Pirates coach, Jose Riveiro, says they played with an intention to win from the beginning of the match:

# Cricket: Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood have been named in Australia’s squad for the Champions Trophy which begins on the 19th of February in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. Cummins will captain the side. Allrounders Aaron Hardie and Matthew Short have also been included in the 15-player squad, as well as Nathan Ellis as the fourth pace bowler. Australia is grouped with England, South Africa and Afghanistan.

# And finally, Golf: Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald says the Team Cup has been a worthwhile preparation for Europe’s Ryder Cup defence at Bethpage in September. Tommy Fleetwood claimed the winning point as Great Britain and Ireland completed a convincing 17-8 victory over Continental Europe in the Team Cup at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club on Sunday. Donald, who led Europe to a convincing win to regain the Ryder Cup in Italy in 2023, says the Team Cup has been a learning experience, especially for the young players.

Stay tuned for more news………….