Today, August 9th: Liberty Pip secures their third consecutive WNBA victory; Pakistan clinches victory over West Indies in the first ODI.
In the world of sports and chess, there's been a flurry of activity over the past few days. Here's a summary of some notable developments:
Tennis
Paula Badosa, the Spanish tennis player, has withdrawn from the US Open due to a back injury, leaving a gap in the women's draw. Meanwhile, Victoria Mboko, a Canadian player, has risen from world no. 85 to 25 after defeating Naomi Osaka in the Canadian Open.
Cricket
Shreyas Iyer, an Indian cricketer, is expected to be selected for the Asia Cup squad. However, Chris Woakes, an English all-rounder, is racing against time to be fit for the Ashes, with the possibility of needing surgery on his dislocated shoulder.
In cricket action, Pakistan won the first ODI against West Indies by five wickets, while India 'A' Women opted to bowl first against Australia 'A' Women in the 2nd T20 of their three-game series.
Chess
Li Haoyu, a chess player from China, has been sanctioned by FIDE for intentionally losing matches to lower his Elo rating for tournament advantage. This practice, known as sandbagging, is considered unethical and can lead to sanctions, as seen in Li Haoyu's case.
In a positive development, OpenAI's chess AI, o3, has won a tournament by defeating Elon Musk's AI, Grok, in the final.
Football
Inter Milan came from behind to beat Monaco 2-1 in a pre-season football match. Chelsea beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-0 in another pre-season encounter. In the Durand Cup, Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Diamond Harbour FC will face off at Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata, with a win by Mohun Bagan guaranteeing them the top spot.
Raksha Bandhan
In India, it's Raksha Bandhan today, a festival that celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters. Shreyas Iyer and Double Olympic medallist Manu Bhaker, among others, have posted pictures on social media celebrating the occasion.
WNBA
In the WNBA, the New York Liberty beat the Dallas Wings 88-77, and the Las Vegas Aces defeated the Seattle Storm 90-86.
As always, stay tuned for more updates from the world of sports and chess!
- Despite her back injury, Paula Badosa pulled out of the US Open, leaving an opening in the women's draw, while Victoria Mboko rose from world number 85 to 25 after defeating Naomi Osaka in the Canadian Open.
- In the cricket sphere, Shreyas Iyer is anticipated to be picked for the Asia Cup squad, but Chris Woakes is facing hurdles to be ready for the Ashes due to a dislocated shoulder.
- Li Haoyu, a Chinese chess player, has been penalized by FIDE for intentionally losing games to manipulate his Elo rating, a practice known as sandbagging.
- OpenAI's chess AI, o3, clinched a tournament by beating Elon Musk's AI, Grok, in the final.
- In football action, Inter Milan overcame a 1-0 deficit to defeat Monaco 2-1 in a pre-season match, while the New York Liberty triumphed over the Dallas Wings in the WNBA.
