06/06/2025

FRIDAY | JUNE 6, 2025

31

SPORTS

Early exit for world No. 3 Danes send Aaron-Wooi Yik packing at Indonesia Open J UST days after securing the Singapore Open 2025 title, national men’s doubles pair Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik were handed a surprise first-round defeat at the hands of Denmark’s Rasmus Kjaer-Frederik Sogaard at the Indonesia Open 2025 in Jakarta yesterday. after the game, Wooi Yik admitted that their opponents played much better than them and vowed to comeback stronger in future tournaments.

TOUCHLINES ASTON VILLA have become the latest club to show an interest in signing England winger Jadon Sancho, 25, from Manchester United following his loan at Chelsea. NEWCASTLE UNITED have made Burnley and England goalkeeper James Trafford, 22, their top target this summer. LIVERPOOL are not looking to sell Colombia winger Luis Diaz, 28, and have received no offers, despite reported interest from Barcelona and Saudi side Al-Nassr. BUT should Diaz leave, Newcastle’s £80m-rated (RM460m) England winger Anthony Gordon, 24, is being seriously considered by Liverpool as a replace ment. ARNE SLOT’S Liverpool could also compete with Arsenal to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig, with the 22-year-old Slovenia striker the subject of a £67m (RM385m) bid from the Gunners. HARVEY ELLIOTT is most likely to join a Serie A club if the English midfielder, 22, leaves Liverpool this summer. EVERTON would have to match Thierno Barry’s release clause of £33.7m (RM194m) to sign the French striker from Villarreal. CHELSEA are unwilling to pay the £25m (RM144m) AC Milan want for their 29-year-old France goalkeeper Mike Maignan. BRENTFORD will look to appoint Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna if cur rent manager Thomas Frank leaves to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham. According to him, the Turtles will only consider any transfer offers if the player is not in the coaching staff’s plans for the 2025/26 season. – Bernama TFC deny talks to release Akhyar TERENGGANU FC (TFC) have denied allegations that the club is currently in negotiations with Duli Pengiran Muda Mahkota (DPMM) FC of Brunei for the transfer of their agile winger Muhammad Akhyar Abdul Rashid. Terengganu Football Club Sdn Bhd (TFCSB) Acting Chief Executive Officer, Mohd Syahrizan Mohd Zain said that so far, no party has come forward with an official request, including the invited Super League team DPMM FC. He said the Kedah-born player is still under contract with the Turtles until 2027 and remains in the team’s main plans for the upcoming Malaysian League (M-League) season. “The player (Akhyar) is still contracted until 2027. We have not received any official letter, let alone engaged in negotiations with DPMM FC regarding the player’s transfer. “We consider the matter to be mere rumours and speculation on social media. Our focus is on building the team for the new season,” he said when contacted yesterday. However, Mohd Syahrizan said that if any party is interested in acquiring a TFC player, they must go through the correct channels and procedures as stipulated by the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) and the Malaysian Football League (MFL).

2021 world champions from Japan, Takuro Hoki Yugo Kobayashi, 13-21, 9-21 while Yew Sin-Ee Yi lost to fourth seeds from China, Liang Wei Keng Wang Chang, 21-23, 20-22. National top women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan M. Thinaah cleared the first round hurdle beating Sung Shuo Yun-Yu Chien Hui of Taiwan, 21-16, 21 17 on Wednesday. In the round of 16 yesterday, the fourth seeds overcame a game down to beat local pair Lanny Tria Mayasari-Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti 21-18, 16-21, 17-21 in 59 minutes. In the mixed doubles, Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei are through to the quarterfinals. The world No. 4 pair defeated Denmark’s Mats Vestergaard-Christine Busch Andreasen 21-9, 21-12. Ee Wei admitted they are still working on their on-court chemistry. “We’re still finding our rhythm as a pair,” she said. “But we just kept believing in each other during the match, and that helped us pull through.”

Last Sunday, Aaron-Wooi Yik were crowned the Singapore Open 2025 champions, their third title this year, with a hard-fought rubber-set victory over South Korean duo Kim Won Ho-Seo Seung Jae, 15 21, 21-18, 21-19. Meanwhile, it was the end of the

During the Super 1000 tournament held in Istora Senayan, the third seeds got off to a shaky start, losing the first game 13-21, but bounced back to take the second set 21-19. Despite leading 11-7 in the decider, a string of unforced errors saw Kjaer-Sogaard rally to a 21-18 win, sealing the match in 59 minutes. This marks the Danes’ second win over the Malaysians in five encounters. Speaking to the Badminton World Federation

road for two other men’s doubles pairs namely Choong Hon Jian Muhammad Haikal Nazri and Ong Yew Sin-Teo Ee Yi. Hon Jian-Muhammad Haikal Nazri were outplayed by

Earlier, Goh Soon Huat-Shevon Lai do not deny that the biggest

challenge they are currently facing comes from young players who are increasingly aggressive and energetic. The husband and wife couple were still able to overcome the pressure when they advanced to the quarterfinals in Jakarta yesterday after defeating the local pair, Amri Syahnawi-Nita Violina Marwah 21-12, 21-17. – Bernama

Aaron Chia (left) and Soh Wooi Yik. – BERNAMAPIC

Malaysia aiming for IPC slot, says MPM president

MALAYSIA is aiming to secure a slot in the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), which is scheduled to convene this September in Seoul, said Malaysian Paralympic Council (MPM) president Datuk Seri Megat D Shahriman Zaharudin. He said it is to strengthen Malaysia’s role in the development of para sports at both national and global levels. He noted that the intended role is to ensure Malaysia is directly involved in policy-making and setting the direction of the Paralympic movement at the international level. “…perhaps, Insya-Allah, I myself will contest for a position in the IPC. At present, we only hold a portfolio at the Asian level. In the IPC, we don’t have one yet. But we are working on it.

arrival in August 2023. A source with knowledge of the negotiations last week told AFP that the “first option” for Cristiano Ronaldo, who has signalled he is leaving rival club Al Nassr, could be a move to Al Hilal. Inzaghi’s Inter slumped 5-0 to Qatar-funded Paris Saint-Germain in Saturday’s Champions League final. His departure was confirmed on Tuesday. The former forward guided Inter to one Serie A title and two Italian Cups since joining in 2021. He took them to two Champions League finals in three seasons but lost both. On track to repeat the treble heroics of 2010 just a few weeks ago, Inter ended the season trophyless after falling away in each competition. Inter, PSG, Real Madrid and Manchester City are also among the 32 teams at the expanded Club World Cup, which starts on June 15. – AFP level exposure, with Megat D Shahriman acknowledging that there is still much to be learned from South Korea’s management of Paralympic sports. In another development, he emphasised that national para-athletes deserve equal attention based on their outstanding performances at the international level. Commenting on the disparity in coverage between para-athletes and able-bodied athletes, Megat D Shahriman said it is time that fair attention is given, as para-athletes often demonstrate their capabilities despite receiving less media spotlight. “We are working closely with the new director of para sports at the National Sports Council (MSN), and I believe the direction now taken aligns with our aspirations,” he said. – Bernama

“God willing, with the help of strategic partners including South Korea, we hope to join the IPC with them and open up space for a Malaysian representative,” he told reporters after receiving a visit from South Korean Paralympic Committee president Jung Jinowan at MPM in Kampung Pandan yesterday. Meanwhile, he said the visit by the South Korean Paralympic Committee president to Malaysia is aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and implementing joint development programmes.

The programmes will see Malaysia and South Korea sending athletes to each other’s countries for training and international

‘Italian genius’ Inzaghi

to coach Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal

FORMER Inter boss Simone Inzaghi was revealed as the new coach of Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal yesterday, days before they take part in the new look Club World Cup. The Italian, who led Inter to a heavy defeat in Saturday’s Champions League final, had earlier played down rumours of a two-year deal worth €50 million (RM242m). “I am Simone Inzaghi and

footballing acquisition for oil-rich Saudi Arabia, which will host the World Cup in 2034. “The Italian genius is here,” Al Hilal posted. “Welcome, Simone Inzaghi.” Inzaghi joins the likes of Ruben Neves and

Aleksandar Mitrovic at Al Hilal, which let injury-hit Neymar go in January after just seven appearances since his

today begins my story with Al Hilal,” he said in a slickly produced video posted on X , in which he sips Arabian coffee and pins an Al Hilal lapel badge on his suit. Inzaghi, 49, becomes just the latest high-profile

Simone Inzaghi