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Snooker: Ronnie O’Sullivan (picture) recovered from a faulty cue tip to beat Marco Fu 6-4 at Alexandra Palace in London and reach the Masters final for the 12th time in his career. O’Sullivan was allowed to take an early interval as he trailed 2-1 to get his tip replaced and returned to produce some brilliant snooker, which included a break of 122 to level the match at 3-3 and then a further break of 95. The Londoner claimed afterwards it had been one of the best wins of his career in the circumstances. He had earlier looked on as the in-form Fu compiled breaks of 110 and 141, levelled it up again at 4-4 with two more half-century breaks and then clinched the next two with successive scores of 82 and 69.
Alpine Skiing: Irrepressible Lindsey Vonn won the women’s downhill at Garmish-Partenkirchen yesterday in only her second race since returning after an 11-month injury layoff. The four-times World Cup overall champion, and 2010 Olympic downhill champion, was fastest at every intermediate stage on the Kandahar course as she finished 0.15 seconds ahead of Switzerland’s Lara Gut. Germany’s Viktoria Rebensburg was third.
Basketball, NBA: Having already delivered convincing statements earlier this week by drubbing the Cavaliers and Thunder, the Warriors were quick to send the message on Friday that exacting revenge for a previous loss was a pressing priority. While All-Star Game starters Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry split responsibility orchestrating the offense, the Golden State Warriors’ collective length dominated defensively in a 125-108 victory over the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. The Warriors (37-6) stretched their winning streak to six games by overwhelming the Rockets (33-13) on both ends of the court.
Cricket:: Wicketkeeper-batsman Jonny Bairstow will replace the injured Alex Hales in England’s squad for three-match Twenty20 series against India, the country’s cricket board said yesterday. Opener Hales has been ruled out of today’s third and final one-day international and the T20 series, starting on Thursday, against the hosts after breaking his right hand during the second ODI in Cuttack on Thursday. Hales, who was injured as he attempted a catch in the outfield and jarred his hand on the ground, would see a surgeon upon returning home, the England and Wales Cricket Board said.
Cycling: Australia’s Richie Porte all but sealed the Tour Down Under title after finishing as runner-up in the last two years, when he clinched the fifth stage to Willunga with a brazen attack about a kilometre from the summit finish. The 31-year-old BMC leader finished the 151.5 kilometre stage from McLaren Vale to the summit of Willunga Hill 20 seconds ahead of compatriot Nathan Haas with Colombian climber Esteban Chavas in third. Porte leads Orica-Scott’s Chavas by 48 seconds ahead of the 90-kilometre final stage around the streets of Adelaide today.