Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal won on Saturday to set up an Italian Open final meeting, while British number one Johanna Konta booked a final clash with Karolina Pliskova. World number one Djokovic overcame Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman 6-3 6-7(2) 6-3 and will face second seed Nadal for the 54th time on Sunday, ahead of this month’s French Open. Spain's Rafael Nadal celebrates after winning his semi final match against Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas - ATP 1000 - Italian Open - Foro Italico, Rome, Italy - May 18, 2019. (Photo: Reuters) The Serbian triumphed in last week’s Madrid Open and has a chance to win back-to-back clay-court titles after overcoming the spirited Schwartzman in two hours 31 minutes. Schwartzman, playing in a Masters 1000 semi-final for the first time, fought back from losing the first set in 36 minutes to take the second after a dominant tiebreak, but Djokovic got the crucial break in the sixth game of the deciding set to clinch victory. … [Read more...] about Djokovic and Nadal to meet in Rome final, Konta faces Pliskova
Sports & Entertainment
China to host 2023 Asian Cup after Korea withdraw bid
South Korea have abandoned their bid to stage football's Asian Cup in 2023, authorities said, leaving the sole other bidders China with a free run to become hosts. Qatar's players kiss the trophy as they celebrate their win during the 2019 AFC Asian Cup final football match between Japan and Qatar at the Zayed Sports City Stadium in Abu Dhabi on February 1, 2019 The Korea Football Association (KFA) said in a statement it had pulled out to "strategically focus" on a joint bid with North Korea to host the Women's World Cup in the same year. The KFA announced the joint bid in March, but diplomatic contacts between Pyongyang and Seoul have since dwindled with North Korea-US nuclear talks deadlocked. "For the Women's World Cup, FIFA and the South Korean government will provide active support so that the joint hosting by South and North Koreas can be materialised," the KFA's head Chun Han-jin said in the statement late Wednesday. Seoul's Asian Cup withdrawal means that … [Read more...] about China to host 2023 Asian Cup after Korea withdraw bid
VFF fined VND40,000 for AFC U23 Championship flare incidents
The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) has been fined USD39,500 after local fans set off flares at two AFC U23 Championship qualification matches. The Asian Football Confederation issued a USD13,750 fine for the match between Vietnam and Indonesia at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi on March 24, with the remainder for the match against Thailand. Vietnamese fans burn flares at the match between Vietnam and Indonesia This is the fourth time the VFF has been fined. If the problem continues, the VFF would be more strictly punished. The VFF was previously fined USD11,000 after a match at the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers against Cambodia at the Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium. In August 2018, the AFF had to pay a fine of USD12,500 as fans set off flares at the Asian Games (ASIAD) in Indonesia after a match with South Korea. In 2016, VFF was also penalised USD38,000 after local football fans threw stones through the windows of a bus carrying the Indonesian football squad to their hotel in Hanoi. … [Read more...] about VFF fined VND40,000 for AFC U23 Championship flare incidents
Music academy rejects ties with convicted UK paedophile
Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Academy of Music, Bui Cong Duy, has just claimed that the British trombonist Christopher Trinnaman is not working at the academy. British trombonist Christopher Trinnaman plays in an orchestra in Vietnam. Photo by Mirror Speaking with Dantri/Dtinews Newspaper on May 13, Duy said that Trinnaman plays for a private orchestra who hire a room at the academy to work. "The orchestra had also performed at the academy and some other stages," he said. When being asked about a photo posted on The Mirror on Sunday in which Trinnaman posed with some Vietnamese children at the academy, the official confirmed that the photo was taken at the academy. "But this does not mean that he works for the academy," he said. On Sunday, the Mirror published an article about Christopher Trinnaman, saying that the 41-year-old convicted paedophile who was released in 2015 now lived and worked in Vietnam. Christopher Trinnaman posing with some children … [Read more...] about Music academy rejects ties with convicted UK paedophile
Dispute over Miss Earth tourism
The southern province of Ben Tre and a Hanoi-headquartered company are in dispute over their co-operation contracts with Miss Earth 2018 Nguyen Phuong Khanh. Under a communication contract signed with her home town, Ben Tre, on April 10 this year, Phuong Khanh would act as the province’s Tourism Ambassador until December 31, 2021. She would help to promote provincial tourism activities inside and outside the country. Miss Earth 2018 Nguyen Phuong Khanh However, recently, the province’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism received a petition from Queen Zone JS Company proposing to withdraw Phuong Khanh’s Tourism Ambassador title.According to Queen Zone, the company and Phuong Khanh had signed a contract in which the firm is the sole unit to use her images on mass media as well as her representative to sign other co-operation agreements with a third party.Queen Zone JS Company also requested Phuong Khanh to make a public apology to the firm on mass media for … [Read more...] about Dispute over Miss Earth tourism