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Thursday November 30, 2017

CHINESE star Ding Junhui crashed out of the U.K. Cham-pionship in the fi rst round Tuesday, dropping the last fi ve frames in a shock 6-5 loss to Leo Fernandez.

Ding is a two-time U.K. Cham-pionship winner, but the world number three won’t be adding to that haul this year after his dismal collapse in York.

Fernandez, the world number 130, had not won a match in four tournaments since return-ing from a 15-month ban after admitting to playing a foul shot to facilitate a betting sting in a World Championship qualifi er last year.

The 41-year-old Irishman refused to surrender after fall-ing 5-1 down and, with Ding losing his rhythm, Fernandez leveled the match before pot-ting the pink and black to edge a tight deciding frame.

“When I was 5-1 down I was thinking about having to get the train home, but I hadn’t played badly,” Fernandez said.

“It’s an amazing feeling to beat a player as good as Ding.”

Elsewhere in the fi rst round, Hong Kong’s Marco Fu beat veteran Nigel Bond 6-2, while Mark King was a 6-0 winner over Boonyarit Keattikun of Thailand. (SD-Agencies)

Ding Junhui reacts during his match against Leo Fernandez at the U.K. Championship on Tuesday. SD-Agencies

Ding Junhui suffers shock exit from UK Championship

GARETH BALE came off the bench to help Real Madrid qualify for the last 16 of the 2017 Copa Del Rey on Tuesday. Bale, who was returning from injury, provided two assists as Los Blancos drew 2-2 with Fuenlabrada to complete a 4-2 aggregate victory.

Borja Mayoral turned both of Bale’s assists into goals after Real suffered an early shock. They were one down in the fi rst half when Luis Milla scored, prompting Bale’s introduction as a substitute 17 minutes after the break.

Alvaro Portilla got a late

equalizer for the visitors, but it wasn’t enough.

Real welcomed goalkeeper Keylor Navas back into the starting XI. He was joined by squad players such as Dani Ceballos and Mateo Kovacic.

Fuenlabrada’s bold start was rewarded on 25 minutes when Milla struck a shot from distance. Navas tipped it on to the bar, but the ball hit him on the back and still rebounded over the line.

Stunned by the early defi cit, Real’s changed lineup strug-gled to create chances. Cebal-los blazed a shot over from a

promising position, but there was a general lack of pace and intuition to the home side’s approach play.

Being one down at the break still didn’t push Real manager Zinedine Zidane to bring Bale off the bench.

Without Bale, Los Blancos remained sluggish early in the second half. At the other end, Navas was drawn into a fi ne save and the visitors also hit the bar.

The narrow escape was enough to fi nally get Bale on to the pitch. He replaced Franchu on 62 min-utes and soon took the tie away from the visitors. (SD-Agencies)

Bale back to help Real survive Copa scare

Gareth Bale of Real Madrid CF tries to shoot against Fuenlabrada during their match at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday. SD-Agencies

CAVALIERS star LeBron James was ejected for the fi rst time in his 15-year career during Tues-day night’s 108-97 win over the Miami Heat.

James, playing in his 1,082nd career game, was tossed with 1:59 remaining in the third quarter and the Cavs leading 93-70.

After getting a steal, James dribbled upcourt and missed a layup, then argued with ref-eree Kane Fitzgerald that Heat forward James Johnson fouled him on the attempt. Fitzgerald assessed James with a single technical foul and ejected him from the game.

“I got fouled all the way up the court, from the time that I stripped him, all the way until I got to the rim,” James said of the sequence leading up to his ejec-tion. “I said what I had to say and then I moved on, but he decided I should get ejected. It is what it is. We got the win, and that’s what’s most important.”

Fitzgerald explained the ratio-nale behind his decision to a pool reporter after the game.

“It was a culmination of a couple different acts,” Fitzgerald said. “Immediately after the no-call, he turned and threw an air punch directly at me, and then he aggressively charged at me, and then he used vulgarity in my ear a few times.”

Asked if anything happened between him and James before the third quarter that fed into the ejection, Fitzgerald said, “Nothing at all, nothing that I’m aware of.”

At the time of the ejection,

LeBron ejected for first time in career

James had 21 points on 10-for-16 shooting, 12 rebounds and 6 assists but had attempted only one free throw.

“I think I’m one of the league leaders in points in the paint. I drive just as much as anybody. At this point, it’s almost like they’re trying to turn me into a jump shooter,” James said.

Coming into Tuesday, James’ 5.6 free throw attempts per game were a career low, and his 19.3 fi eld goal attempts per game were his most since 2009-10.

James also came into the

night ranked third in the league in fi eld goal attempts behind James Harden and Damian Lil-lard. But while Harden and Lil-lard rank fi rst and second in the league in free throw attempts, respectively, James is just 14th.

As for paint attempts, James entered Tuesday with 176 shots within 3 feet of the basket, behind only Milwaukee Bucks star forward Giannis Antetok-ounmpo, who averages nearly three free throw attempts more per game than James.

Last season, several Cavs

teammates spoke out on James’ behalf when he wasn’t receiving the calls they felt he deserved.

Asked about arguing with an offi cial when the Cavs were up by 23, James said, “I’m trying to win every possession. I don’t care if we’re up 23 or we’re down 23.”

According to ESPN Stats & Information, the only active players who have played more games than James without being ejected are San Antonio Spurs players Tony Parker (1,144) and Pau Gasol (1,139).

(SD-Agencies)

Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (C) reacts with Dwyane Wade after he was ejected by referee Kane Fitzgerald (R) in the third quarter against the Miami Heat at Quicken Loans Arena on Tuesday. SD-Agencies

MONGOLIAN grand champion Harumafuji has decided to retire from sumo after allegations that he assaulted a lower-ranked wrestler and tarnished the image of Japan’s national sport.

“I have caused much trouble to society,” Harumafuji said at a packed media conference on yesterday. “I want to apologize to various people in the sumo federation who have supported me. As a grand champion, I have done something that shouldn’t be done.”

The news dominated Japanese television talk shows and evening news-papers for weeks as the nation expressed shock at claims against a yoko-zuna grand champion, whose behavior in sports and society is expected to be exemplary.

Harumafuji was accom-panied by his stablemaster Isegahama, who made a tearful apology and said Harumafuji, as a yokozuna — the highest level in

sumo — must accept the consequences of his actions.

Harumafuji alleg-edly struck compa-triot Takanoiwa with his palms, fi sts and a karaoke machine remote control at a drinking party in late October, fractur-

ing his skull and causing other injuries.

“As a senior wrestler, I felt it was my responsibility to teach

him the proper behavior,” Har-umafuji said of the encounter in October.

Harumafuji reportedly became aggravated when Takanoiwa repeatedly checked his mobile phone while the two were conversing.

The Japan Sumo Associa-tion, which imposes strict rules on wrestlers, is conducting an investigation, but Harumafuji decided to retire ahead of the probe.

(SD-Agencies)

Sumo wrestler Harumafuji retires over assault allegations

Harumafuji