LALITPUR: Mahika Rana and Samrakshyan Bhushan Bajracharya won the U-16 section titles at the first Parents’ Cup Junior Tennis Championship here on Friday. Rana defeated Bijisha Shrestha 6-3, 6-0 in the girls’ singles final, while Bajracharya beat Pranav Khanal 6-2, 6-2 in boys’ section final. Khanal, however, won the U-14 section title with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Adit Subedi, while Ira Raut outplayed Abhilasha Bista 6-1, 6-0 in girl’s final. Likewise, Subedi beat Samyak Bhushan Bajracharya 6-4, 7-5 in U-12 final, whereas Aryan Giri claimed the U-10 category title with a 8-6 win over Aditya Subedi. Likewise, Akriti Shah and Mayanka Rana entered the U-18 girls’ final of the tournament. Subedi defeated Laxmi BK 6-3, 6-1, while Rana outplayed Phura Sherpa 6-1, 6-0.

Karatekas off to UK

KATHMANDU: Karate players Sunil Lama and Parsuram Bastola on Friday left for the UK to participate in the England Karate Championship slated for July 5-6. The 11th SA Games and 13th Asia Pacific gold medallist, Lama will take part in the men’s 67kg kumite bout, while Bastola is scheduled to participate in men’s singles kata. Bastola, the 11th SA Games medallist, was also a member of the Nepali team in the Incheon Asian Games and World Championships in Japan. Nepal Karate Federation President Dawa Gurung, Secretary Om Krishna Prasai and coaches Deepak Shrestha and Kushal Shrestha among others bade farewell to players.

India beat Nepal

KATHMANDU: India defeated Nepal in the first match of the fourth SABA Championship at the Kanteerava Indoor Stadium in Bengaluru on Friday. In the opening match of the regional basketball tournament, India dominated from the first quarter and recorded a thumping victory. Nepal scored 10 points each in the first three quarters and managed seven in the final period, while India scored 29, 21, 23 and 18 in the four quarters. Yukta Mathema top scored for Nepal with 10 points, while Narender Grewal netted 17 for the hosts. In another match, India again register a victory over Bangladesh 122-39.

Burns to go to Tokyo

WELLINGTON: Wellington Phoenix striker Nathan Burns will move to Japan’s FC Tokyo following an exceptional season that saw him named A-League player of the year, the New Zealand club said Friday. The 27-year-old Australia international scored 13 goals for the Phoenix last season, receiving the Johnny Warren Medal for the league’s best player. Phoenix general manager David Dome said Burns had left for Tokyo to undergo a medical that will seal his transfer to the Japanese capital. Burns has regained form since joining the Phoenix last year, earning a recall to the Socceroos and playing a part in Australia’s Asian Cup triumph this year.

Chelsea sign Falcao

LONDON: Chelsea have signed Colombia striker Radamel Falcao on a season-long loan from Monaco, the Premier League champions said on Friday. The 29-year-old spent last season on loan at Man United, scoring four goals in 29 games. Falcao previously played for River Plate, Porto and Atletico Madrid.