NAGOYA - Philippines tennis star Alexandra Eala made a flying start at the Asian Games on Monday, powering into the quarterfinals as persistent rain disrupted competition and added to organisational concerns at the Nagoya Games. The 21-year-old, ranked 18th in the world and among the favourites for gold, produced a commanding 6-1, 6-0 victory over Thailand’s Lanlana Tararudee. The match was delayed by bad weather and eventually moved indoors to a smaller court. Eala, the top seed, will next face Taiwan’s eighth seed Joanna Garland, who was born in the United Kingdom. Last month, Eala became the first Filipino player to win a WTA Tour singles title, further raising expectations around her Asian Games campaign. In boxing, Taiwan’s Olympic champion Lin Yu-ting secured at least a bronze medal after defeating North Korea’s Won Un Gyong in the women’s 60kg quarter-finals. The victory sent the 30-year-old into the semi-finals as she continues her bid for a second Asian Games gold. Lin attracted global attention during the Paris Olympics after becoming embroiled in a gender-eligibility controversy. She and Algeria’s Imane Khelif had been disqualified from the 2023 world championships by the International Boxing Association after the organisation said they failed unspecified eligibility tests. The International Olympic Committee subsequently allowed both boxers to compete in Paris, where they won gold medals. Organisers faced continued scrutiny over event logistics.

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Weather remained one of the major challenges in Nagoya, with persistent rain affecting athletics, softball and cricket, while wet conditions also disrupted golf practice ahead of its scheduled start on Wednesday. China continued its strong performance in diving, maintaining its unbeaten record in the sport, while also extending its overall lead in the medal standings. Hosts Japan remained second, with South Korea third.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan canoeist Pavel Eygel became the fourth athlete at the Games to be provisionally suspended following a positive doping test. He tested positive for trimetazidine, a prohibited heart medication, ahead of his scheduled competition.

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PAKISTAN VOLLEYBALL CAPTAIN RAISES CONCERNS OVER ARRANGEMENTS

Pakistan volleyball captain Murad Jehan has raised concerns over logistical arrangements at the 2026 Asian Games, claiming his team faced difficulties with transport and food ahead of their match against Uzbekistan.

Murad said the team bus was taken to the wrong venue about an hour before the match, leaving players with limited time to prepare and warm up. He described the situation as disappointing and unacceptable in a social media post. He also alleged that the team faced food-related difficulties, claiming hotel restaurants were sometimes closed when players returned from training. Despite the off-court issues, Pakistan maintained their winning run, defeating Uzbekistan 3-0 on Monday after opening their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Kazakhstan. The result moved Pakistan to the top of Pool A. They will face hosts Japan.

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RAIN SENDS PAKISTAN INTO CRICKET SEMIFINALS

Pakistan advanced to the Asian Games men’s cricket semifinals after their quarterfinal against Hong Kong, China, was abandoned without a ball being bowled due to persistent rain at Korogi Sports Park on Monday. Pakistan progressed under the tournament’s rules as the higher-ranked side, ending Hong Kong’s campaign. Pakistan had received a direct quarter-final berth as one of the competition’s top-ranked teams. Their semifinal opponent will be determined after the remaining quarterfinals are completed, with the last-four matches scheduled for Thursday.

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