AsiaLogue - Women's Sports

Women's Sports

Oct 4, 2026

Fernandes hails Portugal's 'greatest symbol' Ronaldo, calls for unity

PORTO, Portugal — Portugal playmaker Bruno Fernandes said Cristiano Ronaldo remains the country's greatest footballing icon despite walking out on the squad this week after finding out he would not start a match. The 41-year-old superstar said Wednesday he had left the team after coach Jorge Jesus said Ronaldo would not start against Denmark in the Nations League, a match Portugal won 4-2 without him. Former Real Madrid and Manchester United attacker Ronaldo's future with the national team, for whom he is the leading goalscorer and most capped player, is in doubt after his walk out. "Regarding Cristiano, I had a conversation with him, and what I told him, and what I repeat here, is this -- the most important thing is that, regardless of what happens, Cristiano Ronaldo will never cease to be the greatest symbol of our national team, of our football, and of the country, for what he has done not only in Portugal but throughout the world," Fernandes told reporters Saturday. Manchester United midfielder Fernandes called for unity after a tumultuous few days in which Portugal fans' opinions have been split over Ronaldo's decision. "He has a reserved place not only among the best of all time, but also in the hearts of all Portuguese people, and the most important thing is that we stop dividing things," said Fernandes. "There are no divisions in the national team, it is one and will remain so, despite any noise that may come from outside... "We are outside of this controversy, but what I ask is that the country does not divide itself, does not make choices, that it respects all sides, but, at the same time, Cris is and will be the biggest icon of our national team, he deserves everyone's respect, regardless of who likes him more or (who likes him) less." Portugal beat Norway and Denmark away from home without Ronaldo starting and face Norway again on Sunday. Coach Jesus said Ronaldo was a "symbol of Portugal" and said there would be time to speak about him after Sunday's game in Porto. "I'm going to focus on the team, on the opponent which is Norway, one of the five best teams in Europe. That's the problem right now," said the 72-year-old coach.

Oct 4, 2026

Performing under pressure helps produce record-setting gold, medal totals for Hong Kong

There has been a common theme running through Hong Kong’s Asian Games gold medallists when it comes to talking about the pressure of being on top: Siobhan Haughey and James Christie both referred to it as a privilege, and it would not be a surprise to discover it is an entirely alien concept to Coleman Wong Chak-lam. Before Saturday, Hong Kong had never won a medal in men’s tennis at the Games, let alone gold. Faced with making history, adding another title to the city’s growing collection and...

Oct 3, 2026

Rybakina's first match as world number one ends in China Open defeat by Charaeva

Three-times Grand Slam champion Elena Rybakina crashed out of the China Open with a shock 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 defeat by unseeded Alina Charaeva in the second round on Saturday, marking a disappointing start to her reign as world number one.

Oct 3, 2026

LeBron puts on a show in 76ers' scrimmage debut

PHILADELPHIA — The 76ers' public address announcer ended a brief retirement over the summer in large part to get behind the mic and do what he did for the first time ahead of the team's annual scrimmage. Matt Cord introduced LeBron James in the Sixers' starting lineup. "At 6-9, from St. Vincent-St. Mary’s, No. 23, LeBron James! James!' Close to 10,000 fans who plunked down $10 a ticket on Saturday to essentially witness a glorified practice at the Sixers’ home arena went wild for James' debut. No, James didn't wear No. 23. He historically wore No. 6 over his career in practice gear but with that number retired in Philadelphia because of Julius Erving, James went with No. 9. No, the dunks and 3s and assists didn't count in any official capacity. And no, James wasn't even introduced last. That honor remained reserved for Joel Embiid. What the new 41-year-old on the block did do was give — along with Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and VJ Edgecombe — a sneak preview that maybe, just maybe, the long underperforming Sixers might finally rise to the moment this season and meet their championship expectations. “It was a great first step in a direction we're trying to go,” James said. “It was great to hear some cheers from our fans.” Sixers fans that crammed aisles and stairways trying to catch a first glimpse or a snapshot of James were shooed back to their seats. Vendors hawked James merchandise outside the arena and told fans they could own the first pieces of his merchandise. Sixers fans that inched near the court screamed and outright begged James to stop and turnaround and pose for pictures. They also crammed into team stores buying No. 23 jerseys. The Sixers started the scrimmage early with what they hope is a familiar sight: Maxey in transition hit James for an alley-oop dunk. James hung and swung on the rim for a few seconds. James made a nifty behind-the-back pass to Edgecombe (who missed a corner 3) and even squared up and buried a long 3 from about Caitlin Clark range. James did it all — he even bounced Maxey's baby daughter, Marvel, on his knee for a moment on the bench. No word yet on James' hourly babysitting rate. Not a bad first week in Philadelphia for the NBA’s career scoring leader. “Everybody's been super welcoming,” James said. “I've been able to implement some things with my voice and just my command of how I play the game and my experience playing the game. I'm still getting more and more comfortable off the floor, with travel and without my family and things of that nature. That's going to be a little bit of a challenge, but everything's been good so far. Great first week." The Sixers traditionally hold the scrimmage in Delaware on the home court of their G League team. The Sixers donated 5,000 tickets to local community groups and Sixers Youth Foundation grantee partners and more than $80,000 was raised for the Sixers Youth Foundation. The $10 tickets were a deal. They are hovering around $1,000 a ticket for the 100 level on the secondary market for the Sixers' Oct. 22 home opener against Cleveland. James was expected to play Monday in the first of four preseason games and mark the start of his record 24th NBA season. “It’d be good to get out there with some of our guys to just get a rhythm," James said. “At the same time, also not overdo it. We're putting a lot into our practices right now. We're fine-tuning what we want to do once the game comes. I think there will be opportunities once we get out there in the preseason." Philadelphia opens the season Oct. 20 in New York against the NBA champion Knicks. James and the rest of the Sixers were encouraged that the oft-injured Embiid has been a full participant in camp and seems to be in leaner, lighter shape. Embiid pulled off a driving left-handed dunk in the scrimmage and later joked; it was “probably the last dunk of my career.” Jerseys flew off the racks, Sixers flew through the air, and excitement swirled around the team and for all that James brings to the city. “They've welcomed me with open arms,” James said, “and I'm getting more and more comfortable every day.”

San Antonio Is Coming for Everyone

Oct 3, 2026

Preseason power rankings are basketball’s annual exercise in wishful thinking. Every contender believes this is the year. Every superstar is leaner, healthier and more motivated. Every front office is convinced its summer moves solved last season’s problems. They didn’t. With opening night approaching, five teams stand above the rest: the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics. Most rankings place those teams in some variation of the top five. But they are not equals. One looks like the future. One looks like the favorite. One carries the crown. One is a science experiment. One refuses to go away. 1. San Antonio Spurs - The Spurs lost the Finals to the Knicks. That is exactly why they should be No. 1. Championship contenders are supposed to arrive after years of playoff scars. San Antonio skipped the line. Led by Wembanyama, the Spurs reached the Finals while their core remains years away from its peak. That is the frightening part. The league already knows what Oklahoma City is. It knows what New York, Boston and Philadelphia are. Nobody knows what the Spurs will become. Not even San Antonio. Victor Wembanyama is already a dominant two-way force at 22; Dylan Harper is 20 and Stephon Castle 21. All three are still years from their prime. The Spurs did not win the title. They won something more dangerous: proof they are ahead of schedule. A lot of teams are chasing a championship. San Antonio looks like it is building an era. 2. Oklahoma City Thunder - The Thunder may be the NBA’s most complete team. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander remains an MVP-caliber force, while Oklahoma City continues to overwhelm opponents with depth, versatility and precision. But championship basketball is not always about completeness. Sometimes it is about who possesses the most unstoppable player. The Thunder feel like a finished masterpiece. The Spurs still feel like a project with unlimited upside. Oklahoma City might own the regular season. The question is whether it can own June. 3. New York Knicks - For the first time in decades, the Knicks enter a season as defending champions. Jalen Brunson delivered a title, Madison Square Garden erupted and New York finally got the storybook ending it craved. Now comes the hard part. Desperation disappears after a parade. Every opponent will treat beating the Knicks like a championship game. Every slump will become front-page news. Winning a title is difficult. Defending one may be harder. 4. Philadelphia 76ers - The Sixers have assembled enough star power to break the internet. They also possess enough personalities to break a locker room. The additions of LeBron James and Jaylen Brown raise both the ceiling and the volatility. Who sacrifices touches? Who sacrifices ego? Who stays healthy? Philadelphia’s ceiling is a championship. Its floor is a documentary featuring dramatic music and anonymous sources. There is no middle ground. 5. Boston Celtics - Boston lacks the intrigue of the other contenders. There is no shiny new superstar, no blockbuster storyline and no offseason drama. Just basketball. That is precisely why dismissing the Celtics remains so dangerous. While everyone debates San Antonio, Oklahoma City and Philadelphia, Boston continues doing what Boston always does: winning games, defending and waiting for mistakes. The Knicks are champions. The Thunder are brilliant. The Sixers are combustible. The Celtics are proven. But San Antonio is the team that should keep the rest of the league awake at night. Because contenders chase championships. Dynasties arrive before they are supposed to. The Spurs are arriving now. [email protected]

Oct 3, 2026

Yape named PH flag bearer for Asian Games closing

TAEKWONDO gold medalist Jeus Gabriel Derick Yape has been named the flag bearer for Team Philippines during the parade of athletes at the Aichi-Nagoya 20th Asian Games closing ceremony on Sunday. Philippine Olympic Committee president Abraham Tolentino praised the selection ahead of the event scheduled for 5 p.m. (Manila time) at the Nagoya City Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium. “He’s deserving of that honor,” Tolentino said on Saturday. “It will be a recognition not only for Jeus but also for taekwondo, which finally won its first Asian Games gold medal since 1994, when the sport became a medal event in the games.” Yape secured the top spot in mixed virtual taekwondo—an open-gender event combining combat sports with virtual reality and motion-tracking technology—on Friday. His victory highlighted a record 1-3-1 gold-silver-bronze haul for the Filipino jins. He also earned a bronze medal in men’s individual poomsae. Joining Yape in the closing ceremony are fellow taekwondo medalists Juliana Mykhail Candelaria, Tachiana Keizha Mangin, and Kurt Barbosa, alongside boxing silver medalist Carlo Paalam. Paris Olympics boxing bronze medalist Aira Villegas and world junior weightlifting champion Albert Ian de los Santos previously served as the country’s flag-bearers during the opening ceremony on September 19. Meanwhile, the future is bright for Alas Pilipinas women’s beach volleyball after collegiate players Khy Progella and Sofiah Pagara brought the Philippines to the Asian Games podium for the first time. Progella and Pagara turned heartbreak into history, rallying from a semifinal loss to capture a historic Asian Games bronze medal—they fought back to stun China’s Cao Shuting and Dong Jie, 13-21, 23-21, 15-13, on Friday at Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court. Alas Pilipinas beach volley coach, Brazilian Joao Luciano Kioday, relished the rise of Philippine beach volleyball, with the pair from University of Santo Tomas proving that the program is in good hands after giving the country its best Asian Games finish in beach volleyball since the sport was introduced at the 1994 Hiroshima Games. “I think results are always a reference, right? So I think we’ve improved a lot with the beach volleyball that we deserve a spot on the mix, right? I know Philippine is a country very passionate for the indoor volleyball,” Kioday said. “A lot of things going on about the indoor volleyball that I think they deserve it what they have it. But don’t forget beach volleyball also deserve it,” Kioday added. “This is for the PSC, POC, PNVF. So we do have a lot of possibilities. I always told them when I have a chance,” he said. “The potential we can have it, so I think this is the time we take the flow and use this medal in a good way, not just for one team, but for the whole program.”

Oct 3, 2026

Enriquez snags silver in Asian Games jiu jitsu

ALEXANDRIA Luz Enriquez spearheaded the Philippine fight in the 20th Asian Games jiu jitsu competitions, taking a silver medal in the women’s -63kg on the final day of the continental meet in Japan on Saturday. With world champions Annie Ramirez and Kimberly Custodio suffering early exits, Enriquez rose as the gold medal contender for the Filipinos by reaching the final. Unfortunately, Enriquez bowed to Orapa Senatham of Thailand in a tightly-contested bout at the Aichi Prefectural Martial Arts Hall Mat 2. Despite a 0 scorecard, the Thai won over the Filipino as she scored an advantage for a near-pass or near-sweep. Senatham almost held Enriquez down, but she rolled over and scrambled out before getting a point. In jiu-jitsu, a player must hold their opponent down for at least three seconds to earn a point from the judges. Enriquez started her campaign with wins over Palestinian Dania Obaid and Kazakh Marian Zhuravleva in the round of 16 and quarterfinals, respectively. The 27-year-old then defeated Mongolian Narakhishig Baasanjargal in the semifinals to enter the gold medal round. A gold medalist at the Asian Beach Games, Enriquez increased the Philippine jiujitsu team’s medal haul this Asian Games to two after Kaila Napolis’ bronze on Friday. Napolis defeated Mongolian Tsagaanbileg Altangerel, 2-0, in the women’s 52kg division battle for third place. Meanwhile, another Filipino bet Andea Lois Lao finished just outside the podium after a 0-2 loss to Baasanjargal. Other Philippine jiujitsu artists Vito Luis Luzuriaga and David Miranda suffered early exits on Saturday, falling to Mongolian counterparts. Luzuriaga yielded to Altangerel Bayarkhuu in the men’s 85kg round of 32, while Miranda bowed to Batbayar Batsukh also in the round of 32 in the same weight division.

Oct 3, 2026

PBA expects crop of talent

DESPITE the exodus of Filipino cage talents who now play overseas in Japan and South Korea, PBA commissioner Willie Marcial remains optimistic that the pro league’s next rookie draft in Jan. 2027 will welcome a fresh influx of talents from the collegiate ranks. Marcial said the pro league will be holding the annual PBA Rookie Draft on Jan. 17, 2027. “I’ve heard from many of our basketball friends that the coming draft will be talent heavy, especially those coming from the UAAP and the NCAA since the tournaments are already done by December,” Marcial told The Manila Times in Filipino. Even players from the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League are expected to join the draft, which could bring in young blood for Asia’s first professional league. Geo Chiu, who helped the Abra Weavers win the 2025 MPBL championship, in fact, emerged as the top pick in last year’s rookie draft. The talent depth could potentially attract former Ateneo big man Kymani Ladi, recent Asian Games Gilas 3x3 player Nic Cabanero, former Adamson forward Cedrick Manzano, Forth Padrigao, along with Fil-Americans DJ Fenner and Remy Martin, who recently played for Strong Group in the Williams Jones Cup. While the pro league has significantly lost major Filipino basketball talents, as some have opt to sign and play in the Japan B. League and Korean Basketball League, Marcial welcomed the competition from overseas. The league chieftain also maintained that the PBA remains unique, in that, it continues to provide a solid path for players who used to play overseas to continue their careers in the Philippines. “(Playing overseas) It has been there to provide livelihood for the players. That’s fine with us in the PBA. And they (Japanese and Korean pro leagues) are not threats,” he said. “We also know some of them will still come back and play in the PBA.”

Oct 3, 2026

Alex Eala shifts focus back to WTA Tour

ALEX Eala is quickly turning the page after her gold-medal bid fell short at the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, shifting her full attention to her upcoming return to the WTA Tour. The Filipina netter must swiftly move past her disappointing campaign as she prepares to compete in the Wuhan Open in China from Oct. 12 to 18, followed immediately by the Ningbo Open, also in China, from October 19 to 25. “I’m going to Wuhan and continue the Tour,” Eala said after her impressive run was halted in the semifinals. Eala suffered a tough 6-3, 3-6, 2-6 defeat against China’s Wang Xiyu, settling for the bronze medal. Despite the setback, she expressed deep gratitude to those who supported her, emphasizing that she gave her absolute all on the court against her Chinese opponent. Reflecting on her stint, Eala remains positive about the experience, highlighting the valuable lessons learned and the specific areas of her game she plans to refine moving forward. “Happy that I was able to have this experience,” she shared. The exit was particularly heartbreaking as Eala entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed and highest-ranked player, making her a strong favorite for the championship. Furthermore, she opted to skip the WTA 1000 Beijing Open—a mandatory WTA event—putting her at risk of penalties. However, Eala has no regrets about her decision, holding her head high over the privilege of representing the Philippines in a prestigious event held only once every four years. With her national duty complete, her sights are now set entirely on her upcoming professional schedule on the WTA Tour.

Oct 3, 2026

Marcial echoes Paalam’s Asian Games heartbreak

TWO-TIME Olympic medalist Carlo Paalam’s split-decision loss in the 2026 Asian Games gold-medal bout struck a familiar chord with fellow Olympic boxer Eumir Marcial, who experienced a similar defeat against a host nation. Paalam was poised to end the Philippines’ 16-year Asian Games boxing gold medal drought on Friday at the Nishio Gymnasium in Aichi, Japan. However, he fell short in a narrow 3-2 decision against Japan’s Rui Yamaguchi in the men’s 52-kilogram division. The outcome mirrored Marcial’s run at the 2022 Hangzhou Games (held in 2023), where he claimed silver in the men’s 80-kilogram division after a tight final against China’s Tanglatihan Touhetaerbieke. Both Filipino boxers lost their respective gold-medal bouts to fighters competing on home soil. Following the match, Paalam voiced frustration with the officiating, claiming the referee repeatedly disrupted his rhythm. “I was performing well, but the referee kept intervening. It wasn’t a good decision. Every time I gained momentum, he stopped me. It felt like he was focusing entirely on me,” Paalam said in Filipino via the Philippine Olympic Committee. Reflecting on the match, Marcial shared a message of solidarity on Facebook, recalling his own experience in Hangzhou. “Back at the 2023 Asian Games, I felt I was robbed in the finals as well. I believed I won and was bringing home the gold,” Marcial posted. “Losing to the host country isn’t new. But whatever the decision, we have to accept it, move forward, and keep chasing the dream. Congratulations, brother. Salute.” Marcial opted out of the 2026 Asian Games following a recent professional bout in the United States, where he secured a knockout victory over Omar Ulises Huerta. The Association of Boxing Alliances of the Philippines (ABAP) and Marcial mutually agreed to skip the tournament to avoid the physical risks of rapidly transitioning back to the amateur format.