The fixture list for the 2018-19 season of the Italian championship was announced on Thursday with all eyes on where the superstar attacker, signed for 100 million euros from European champions Real Madrid earlier this month, would begin what he called “a new adventure”.

Juventus are strong favourites to further cement their domestic dominance following the superstar attacker’s arrival, with the league’s other big hitters in a transition period.

Napoli, who finished four points behind Juve last year, will be a different prospect from the free-flowing purists of recent years after replacing new Chelsea coach Maurizio Sarri with Carlo Ancelotti, a double winner with the Premier League club in 2010.

Ancelotti begins his new job with a tough away trip to Lazio, who were top scorers last season with 89 goals and only missed out on Champions League football on the final day after a dramatic defeat to Inter Milan.

Three-time Champions League winner Ancelotti follows that up with the visit of AC Milan, themselves hoping to rebuild after being taken over by American hedge fund Elliott Management earlier this month.

Lazio will host Juventus in the second week of the upcoming season, the first proper test for the reigning champions and 33-year-old Ronaldo and the second of two tough opening matches for coach Simone Inzaghi.

Roma, who begin at Torino, have already brought in 11 new players after finishing third and reaching the Champions League semi-finals last season, but doubts remain after they sold fan favourite Radja Nainggolan to Inter and goalkeeper Alisson to Liverpool for a record-busting 72.5 million euros ($84.4 million).

Boosted by their qualification for Europe’s top competition and the signing of Nainggolan, Inter are nonetheless not expected to trouble all-conquering Juve’s charge for the title.

However Massimiliano Allegri’s side are unlikely to have it their own way, after a draw that gives them trips to both Luciano Spalletti’s Inter and Roma in the final five weeks of the season.

Juve’s opening day opponents Chievo were let off from being deducted points from last season and relegated after a legal technicality meant charges that they deliberately inflated the figures of transfer dealings with now-bankrupt Serie B club Cesena were thrown out.

The 31-year-old — yet to record a win on the LPGA Tour — took to the sun-baked course, holing nine birdies at the same Gullane club where less than a fortnight ago South African Brandon Stone shot a men’s course-record 60.

Joh, who was diagnosed with melanoma in January last year and had the cancerous area on her head removed, returning to the Tour just four months later, has a four-shot lead over a trio of South Koreans — Jenny Shin, Amy Yang and reigning British Open champion Kim In-kyung.

However, Joh, who is known as one of the jokers on the tour, appeared to have her eyes set on an alternative form of entertainment at the weekend, should she be able to fit it in — surfing the waves off the east coast.

“I’ve been doing a little research and I heard that there’s a place called Pease Bay that might be pretty decent,” world number 177 Joh told reporters.

“I have a little magic sea app and it tells me the nearest surf breaks and if there’s any surf forecasted.

“Today and tomorrow it didn’t look like there was anything very good, but it looked like this weekend there might be a little swell in the water.”

Kim says her and her fellow Koreans may not have the habit of playing links golf but they have taken to it with alacrity.

“I mean, we play in very windy conditions and we play in rainy conditions (in Korea) and everything, but this is very different,” said Kim.

“I think we’re just kind of looking at the view and like we’ve never seen it before so it’s exciting.”

After the men let down their Scottish fans last weekend at the British Open with just amateur Sam Locke making the cut, the women are aiming not to disappoint in equal fashion.

Kelsey MacDonald rose to the challenge admirably with a 67, while compatriot Catriona Matthew — who lives locally — is another two shots back and had the rare privilege of her two daughters being able to come and watch her play.

Ariya Jutanugarn, with five birdies against a bogey, opened with a 67 which was the best score among Thais in the tournament.

“It was pretty tough today because the wind start to like pick it up like pretty strong, especially yesterday was like to wind at all. Totally different course,” said Ariya.

Asked what she liked most about her game on Thursday, she said: “I’m going to say my irons pretty good. I missed some tee shots and I missed some short putts, but irons helped me a lot.”

The 28-year-old from Prachin Buri relied on his red-hot putter to sprinkle his error-free round with seven birdies and take a one-stroke lead in Pattaya.

“The key were the putts. I shot scores on difficult par-four holes and saved several pars from tough positions. It was a fantastic round for me,” said Raththee, who is considering changing his caddy in the second round because he is worried the friend who carried his bag on Thursday might distract him from his game.

“I had to keep telling him to stand still,” the one-time ADT Tour champion in Nakhon Ratchasima said with a laugh. “Today it was OK as I was playing well … but tomorrow I need someone who is calmer.”

Raththee had to retire from the third round of the Queen’s Cup on the same course two weeks ago due to a right hip injury.

Further mishaps, including a cut on a little finger and a neck problem, could not stop him from entering the field this week.

“I just want to test myself and see how I can perform despite all this stuff. I’m not 100 per cent but I want to give it a fight,” added the amiable, whose best Asian Tour attempt was a tie for 11th at the Royal Cup last December.

A stroke behind in joint second were the in-form South African Justin Harding, who just celebrated his maiden Asian Tour victory in Indonesia a fortnight ago, and Naoto Nakanishi of Japan.

Australian Josh Younger was a further stroke back in fourth after a 65.

Defending champion Shiv Kapur of India kicked off his campaign in style, carding a 66 to have a share of fifth place with several players, including Taiwanese Lu Wei-chih, Argentine Miguel Carballo, little-known local  Chaiphat Koonmark and three-time Asian Tour champion Chinnarat Phadungsil.

The 29-year-old from Chanthaburi, the youngest Asian Tour winner when he won the Double A International Open in 2005  at 17 years and five days, sank six birdies against two bogeys which put him among the strong contenders on the tour for the first time in several years.

He said one wrong decision had robbed him of confidence in his swing.

“When I was younger I went to play in Europe and tried to adapt some techniques being used by good European players which weren’t right for me. When I wanted to get back to my own style, it was not the same, especially my confidence,” said Chinnarat, whose last win was the 2009 Queen’s Cup in Samui.

“I still have the shots but the confidence is not there. I’m getting better slowly and hopefully I will dare to go for my shots again,” he added.

Chaiphat , 24 from Ubon Ratchathani , whose best result was joint 4th in the All Thailand Tour at the Burapa Golf Course in Chon Buri last year, had butterflies in the stomach to be so highly placed.

“Of course I’m so excited but I feel so happy at the same time. I will enter the second round and play as if it’s the final round,” said Chaiphat, who changed his name from Thammanoon last year in the hope it would bring him good luck.

Former Asian Tour No 1 Thongchai Jaidee fought back from two over par to card an even-par 70.

Tamarine,  who will be returning as a WTA Finals Legend Ambassador in Singapore this October, shared her experience with the next generation saying, “It has been great working with the WTA to promote tennis in Thailand through the WTA Future Stars programme over the last few years. Each time, we are able to reach out to a new group of children and introduce them to tennis, and I really enjoy being able to share my experience with them. It would be great to see more children take up tennis in Thailand and hopefully we will see some Thai stars in future!”

“Over the last four years, the WTA has built a strong foundation in the Asia-Pacific through the WTA Future Stars initiative, which has been an integral part of raising awareness on tennis and the WTA Finals in the region. The WTA Future Stars was launched alongside the first edition of the WTA Finals held in Singapore in 2014, and we have since gone on to conduct clinics and masterclasses in China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore. Working closely with our WTA legends like Tamarine Tanasugarn, the WTA Future Stars outreach is aimed at highlighting how sport is great way for young boys and girls to develop beneficial life skills that will help them to achieve whatever goals they may set for themselves,” said Melissa Pine, Vice President of WTA Asia-Pacific and Tournament Director of the WTA Finals.

Speaking after assisting Tammy during the clinic, the 2017 WTA Future Stars Under-14 finalist from Thailand, Pimrada Jattavapornvanit, said, “It was a wonderful experience to be able to represent my country at the WTA Future Stars tournament in Singapore last year, and I am glad to be able to attend the clinic today to share my passion for tennis with other local children. Tamarine Tanasugarn is our role model and being able to stand next to her to encourage more children in Thailand to play our sport is a very special experience for me.”

Kitsombat Euammongkol, President of the Lawn Tennis Association Thailand (LTAT), said, “This is the second year that the WTA has worked with the LTAT to host the WTA Future Stars at our national tennis centre, and it has been a great success. We look forward to more opportunities in the future to work with the WTA to promote tennis in Thailand. I would also like to wish our 2018 WTA Future Stars representatives from Thailand all the best at the tournament in Singapore in October.”

The WTA Future Stars Clinic is part of a regional platform to promote tennis among children throughout Asia-Pacific and includes the WTA Future Stars Tournament where each country sends two representatives to compete in the U14 and U16 categories respectively.

Launched in 2014 when the WTA Finals was first hosted in Singapore, the WTA Future Stars tournament started with 12 countries, and in 2018 will bring together players from 21 markets in the Asia-Pacific region.

The WTA Finals, which is the crown-jewel of the WTA calendar, will take place in Singapore from October 21 – 28 2018 where the best in women’s tennis will compete for the year’s biggest prize purse of US$7 million. Players accumulate points throughout the season and the top eight singles players and doubles teams on the Porsche Race to Singapore Leaderboard then compete in the season finale at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

After numerous incidents in last season’s Europa League in games against RB Leipzig, Salzburg and even in the final with Atletico Madrid, governing body UEFA have put the club on a two-year probation period.

If similar incidents occur again, “Marseille (will be excluded) from participating in the next UEFA club competition for which it will otherwise qualify”.

Marseille were sanctioned for crowd disturbances, acts of damage, setting off of fireworks and throwing of objects in last season’s European campaign, said UEFA in a statement.

The club, who have also been fined 100,000 euros ($116,925), will play in the Europa League in the forthcoming season.

However, one home game at their Stade Velodrome will be played behind closed doors while the subsequent home match will see northern and southern ends of the stadium closed.

“It would be good if we are not excluded so we will have to be on our toes,” said Marseille coach Rudi Garcia.

“We know that UEFA are very severe, rightly. But we need our supporters, if we do not have them for the first match of the Europa League, that is already very negative.

“Everyone will have to take responsibility so that we can play in a full Stade Velodrome.”

The club have spent £174 million ($229 million) on midfielders Naby Keita and Fabinho, winger Xherdan Shaqiri and, perhaps most crucially, Brazil goalkeeper Alisson.

But while fans are relishing the prospect of a genuine title push, Klopp is focusing on the final two weeks of pre-season.

“For me these last two weeks are the most important two weeks of the whole pre-season,” he told LFC TV.

“My job is not to be excited. I realise the mood is really positive. We played a (Champions League) final — we did not win it but it was still positive.”

Klopp warned against complacency, adding: “We need to be ready for the big challenges, the big goals. We have to be this angry, aggressive, greedy team full of desire that wants to win each game.

“All the other teams have quality as well so we need to be ready for fights, not celebrating signings and stuff.”

Klopp, whose side finished fourth in the Premier League last season, has been impressed by Daniel Sturridge’s pre-season form and is prepared to give the striker another chance.

Last summer the Reds were prepared to offload the 28-year-old as his poor injury record had made him unreliable and largely unusable.

Sturridge went to West Brom on loan in January but was injured early on and managed just six appearances.

With 12 months left on his contract it appeared Sturridge’s Anfield career was over but he has looked sharp in friendlies and Klopp, who became frustrated by the player’s unavailability last season, is prepared to hand him a lifeline.

“We’re not in doubt — and nobody was ever in doubt — about his quality,” he said. “In this moment he looks really good to be honest. That’s cool – really cool for him and cool for us.”

Sturridge could be in line to start the Premier League campaign at home to West Ham on August 12, with Roberto Firmino and new goalkeeper and fellow Brazil international Alisson only rejoining the squad at next week’s training camp in France.

Liverpool are currently taking part in the International Champions Cup in the United States.

Thailand are still in Group B along with Qatar, Uzbekistan and Bangladesh as the draw was fixed yesterday with Palestine being added into Group A which consists of Indonesia, Hong Kong. Taiwan and Laos and the United Arab Emirates into Group E which comprises South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia and Bahrain.

“The goal is to get four points in the group stage at least. Then we have to see for the draw of the knock-out stage,” said Worawoot.

Thailand will play the Alpine Cup, a friendly event in Mandalay, Myanmar as a warm-up tournament before Asiad. Thailand will face Bahrain on August 1, South Korea on August 3 and the hosts on August 5.

The news of the srecret engagment between the boxer and his new lover known only as “Noo Lek” (28) from Chumporn broke out on Tuesday’s afternoon when pictures of their ceremony were shared on social media.

However,  no details about the engagement were revealed while Srisaket’s manager Surachart Pisitwuttinan insisted he has not been informed by the fighter about the ceremony.

Click here for Srisaket’s break-up story http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30345029

On Saturday Srisaket just beat South Korean Young Gil Bae by TKO in less than three minutes in a warm-up fight in Bangkok. He is due to defend his title in Bangkok on October 6.