
Jane in the right lane
PETALING JAYA: The Triple Crown was not Sin Li Jane's to wear just yet, but the national bowler remained upbeat after settling for second place at the USBC Queens on Tuesday.
The 33-year-old was just one win away from capturing one of bowling's rarest achievements, but her efforts were cut short by American top seed Josie Barnes as the home favourite won 211-198 at the Suncoast Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

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The Star
4 hours ago
- The Star
Tennis-Boisson goes from crowdfunding to bumper pay day in Paris
FILE PHOTO: Tennis - French Open - Roland Garros, Paris, France - June 2, 2025 France's Lois Boisson in action during her fourth round match against Jessica Pegula of the U.S. REUTERS/Gonzalo Fuentes/File Photo PARIS (Reuters) -French Open semi-finalist Lois Boisson will earn at least 690,000 euros ($789,636.00) from her fairytale run at Roland Garros which means the local favourite will no longer have to rely on crowdfunding in a bid to boost her finances. The French wild card came into the tournament having earned about 20,000 euros this year but even if she loses to American Coco Gauff in the semi-finals on Thursday, the world number 361 can expect endorsements and sponsorships to come flooding in. If Boisson beats the second-seeded American and reaches the final she will receive a cheque for 1,275,000 euros, while if the 22-year-old wins the title she will pocket 2,550,000 euros. Boisson started a crowdfunding campaign a year ago, asking for help to "get back to the highest level and make it to the four Grand Slams this year" after suffering a serious knee injury just before Roland Garros, where she got a wild card. Boisson received another invitation from the French tennis federation to play at the tournament again this year and has not disappointed, beating world number three Jessica Pegula and Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva in the two previous rounds. Boisson only got 100 euros in crowdfunding in a year before that jumped above 1,000 just before the semi-finals but the talented youngster won't need to seek donations now. ($1 = 0.8738 euros) (Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Ken Ferris)


The Sun
7 hours ago
- The Sun
Iranians' World Cup dream crushed by US travel ban
A year out from kick-off, Iranian football fans are watching their World Cup dream slip away after a US travel ban barred them from entering the land of 'Great Satan' to cheer on their team. The 2026 tournament will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, but most matches, including the final, are scheduled to be played on American soil. Many in Iran had clung to hopes of cheering from the stands until Wednesday when US President Donald Trump rolled out a new travel ban on 12 countries including Iran, which will take effect from Monday. 'My friends and I have been waiting for years to watch Team Melli (a nickname for the national team) play in a World Cup on US soil, and when they qualified, it felt like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,' Sohrab Naderi, a real estate agent in Tehran, told AFP. 'Now with the new travel ban, that dream is shattered because of politics that we don't care about and have no control over,' said the 46-year-old who attended the 2022 World Cup in Qatar which saw the US side defeat Iran 1-0 in the group stage. The prospect of Iran competing in a US-hosted tournament comes against the backdrop of a decades-long enmity, with diplomatic ties broken since the 1979 Islamic revolution. The two sides are currently engaged in high-stakes talks over Iran's nuclear programme, with the United States threatening military action if no deal can be reached. - 'Degrading to all Iranians' - Trump said the new travel ban was prompted by a makeshift flamethrower attack on a Jewish protest in Colorado that US authorities blamed on a man they said was in the country illegally. The ban will not apply to athletes competing in either the 2026 World Cup or the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the order said. Nonetheless, supporters who had dreamed of crossing the Atlantic to cheer on their team will no longer be able to make the trip. 'Every Iranian has the right to support their team, just as much as any other country, whether the game is in America or in any other country,' said Hasti Teymourpour, a 16-year-old football fan. Since his return to office in January, Trump has reinstated his 'maximum pressure' policy of sanctions against Iran and vowed that 'something bad' would happen unless the Iranians 'move quickly' towards a nuclear deal. Naderi, who called the ban 'inhumane' and 'degrading to all Iranians', still hopes the Iran-US nuclear talks will yield a deal that might persuade Trump to reconsider. The outcome of the US-Iran talks that began in April remains unclear, and many fans worry that even if they result in a deal, it may be too late for them. Some Iranians have refused to give up hope, however, seeing in the World Cup an opportunity to thaw relations. 'Sports diplomacy can act as a strong catalyst and bring the efforts of political diplomats to fruition sooner,' said political commentator Mohammad Reza Manafi. It could be 'a great opportunity to help advance diplomacy between the two countries'. - Friendly? - In a memorable 1998 World Cup clash, Iranian players handed flowers to their American adversaries and posed together for photos -- a rare public gesture of goodwill between the nations. Iran won 2–1, a victory celebrated in Tehran as a source of both sporting and political pride. With the 2026 draw expected in December, it remains unclear whether Iran and the United States will face off again, but anticipation is building. 'The two countries are not hostile to each other, this political discussion is for the governments,' said 44-year-old day labourer Siamak Kalantari. Another fan, Mahdieh Olfati, said: 'If we face the US again, we'll definitely win.' 'Ours are real players,' the 18-year-old added. Manafi, the commentator, said a friendly before the tournament, possibly hosted by a third country, could help ease tensions. Such a game, he said, could help 'achieve what politicians from both sides have not managed to do for years'.


The Sun
9 hours ago
- The Sun
Rangers appoint former Southampton boss Martin as new head coach
SCOTTISH Premiership club Rangers on Thursday confirmed the appointment of former Southampton boss Russell Martin as their new head coach on a three-year deal. The 39-year-old guided Southampton to promotion to the Premier League last year but was sacked in December following one win from their first 16 games. The club were subsequently relegated. Rangers finished last season under the caretaker management of former captain Barry Ferguson, having dismissed Philippe Clement in February. Ex-Scotland defender Martin, who had a short loan spell as a player at Rangers in 2018, faces the daunting task of challenging Celtic, who have just won a 13th Scottish title in 14 seasons. 'From my time here, I had a taste of how special this club is, the expectation, the passion and the history,' he told the club's website. 'Now, as I return, I'm determined to bring success back, for the supporters, the players, and everyone inside this club. 'There's a lot to be done, but the goal is clear -- win matches, win trophies and give Rangers fans a team that they can be proud of.' Martin's arrival is the latest in a series of major changes at the club. An American consortium led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises secured a majority shareholding on Friday, while new sporting director Kevin Thelwell officially began work on Monday. Rangers chief executive Patrick Stewart, who led the recruitment process alongside Thelwell, said: 'Our criteria for our next coach were clear: we wanted a coach who will excel in terms of how we want to play, improve our culture, develop our squad, and ultimately win matches. Russell was the standout candidate.'