The world No 2 team stayed top of Pool 12 after being briefly tested by the South Americans before handing them their 16th head-to-head defeat, 25-20 25-23 25-21. The world champions, after beating the Netherlands 3-1 and losing to Turkey 2-3 in their first two matches, have since won six matches in a row without conceding a set.

The US continued their domination in the 16-nation standings with seven wins from eight matches.

USA Head Coach Karch Kiraly said: “ Dominican Republic played a great game last night against Thailand and they pushed us very hard today. They’re honestly improving.  We know each other very well because we’re from the same zone. If you look at our line-ups, we have been trying lots of different combinations; we tried another one today, and we will try a different one tomorrow.”

The two sides were neck and neck at 10-all in the first set before the league leaders upped their gear to take a 13-10 lead with a fast attacking game. After failing to convert several set points, Kelly Murphy blasted a smash to win the opener 25-20.

In the second set, the US started strongly building a 10-6 lead before the Dominicans rallied back to 9-10 thanks to impressive serves from Niverka Dharlenis Marte.

Dominica took advantage of a rare US wobble to lead for the first time at 18-17 and seemed poised at 21-19, but USA’s Michelle Bartsch-Hackley levelled to 21-all with a spike and powerful serve. At 23-all, USA came up with two solid blocks to wrap up the second set. The third set was a repeat, with Dominica taking the lead several times only to succumb to the USA surge that left Dominican Brayelin Elizabeth Martinez with an impossible-to-handle ball from her teammate on match point.

Thailand went into last night’s game against Germany ready to make amends for below-par play that saw them lose 3-0 to Dominica on Tuesday. However, fans were again disappointed as the local side lost in five sets.

A full house is expected for the final game in today when Thailand take on the US  before the series resumes in Nakhon Ratchasima on Tuesday.

Former police chief Somyot said the FA finances and accounting room was broken into but no items of value were missing.

However, security cameras had been tampered with to prevent recording, raising suspicion that an insider was involved in the incident.

Somyot believes the intruders had not found what they were looking for.

Somyot Poompanmoung

“Money is never kept there. I also keep the match-fixing evidence elsewhere since I’m very concerned about its security,” he said.

Last year the FA joined police in launching a serious crackdown on match-fixing in the Thai League. Somyot said he knew the names of more people involved in match-fixing and would reveal them at a later date.

Related story on match-fixing http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30332202

Related story on Somyot urges all sides to stop match-fixinghttp://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/sports/30340859

Gangjee finished second on the 2017/2018 Panasonic Swing rankings after sensationally winning his long-awaited second Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open Championship in Japan in April.

The bubbly Indian, who is currently ranked third on the Habitat for Humanity Standings, hopes to get off to a fast start in the latest Panasonic Swing race when he tees it up at the Thailand Open which will be played at the Thai Country Club from June 7 to 10.

Gangjee will be joined at the Thailand Open by nine-time Asian Tour winner Scott Hend of Australia and defending champion Rattanon Wannasrichan, who finished a notable third on the 2017/2018 Panasonic Swing ranking.

Newly-crowned Asian Tour winners John Catlin of the United States and Sweden’s Malcolm Kokocinski will also feature in the prestigious event alongside local hopes Pavit Tangkamolprasert, who won his sixth Asian Development Tour (ADT) title last week, and the talented Jazz Janewattananond.

Gangjee ended a 14-year title drought on the Asian Tour at the Panasonic Open Championship in April which also concluded the 2017/2018 Panasonic Swing and was won by his close friend Shiv Kapur.

The victory last month was a huge relief for Gangjee, who prior to the win had uncharacteristically missed several cuts. He also had to fight tooth-and-nail in the 2017 season to narrowly retain his Asian Tour card by finishing 60th on the Asian Tour Order of Merit.

“It has been 14 years. I’ve been in such situations a few times but obviously have not been able to convert my chances. It has been a very hard 14 years and the thing that surprises even myself is my will to keep going,” said a delighted Gangjee after his win in Japan.

Gangjee earned a x1.5 multiplier of Panasonic Swing points at the Panasonic Open Championship and his second place finish came with a bonus of US$50,000 while the winner Kapur took home US$70,000. Rattanon earned US$30,000 after he finished third on the Panasonic Swing.

The Panasonic Swing, which was launched in 2017, is based on an aggregate points ranking earned by players at selected tournaments across Asia. The top-three finishers in the Panasonic Swing final ranking, which ends at the 2019 Panasonic Open Japan, will earn US$70,000, US$50,000 and US$30,000 respectively via a bonus pool reward scheme.

Williams defeated Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 to register her first victory at the majors since her 2017 Australian Open triumph.

Bur as well as her performance, the 36-year-old’s black outfit was making headlines with the American insisting it was “fun as well as functional” in a nod to the severe health problems she suffered after giving birth to daughter Alexis Olympia in September.

“I call it like my Wakanda-inspired cat suit. It’s really fun,” she said in reference to the fictional African nation which features in the Marvel comics and was the centrepiece of the Black Panther movie blockbuster.

“I feel like a warrior princess. I always wanted to be a super hero.”

But having revealed that she suffered from blood clotting, which required life-saving surgery after her daughter’s birth, she says the suit should not be dismissed as just another fashion gimic.

“God, I don’t know how many blood clots I have had in the past 12 months. So the suit has definitely a little functionality to it.

“I have been wearing pants in general a lot when I play so I can keep, you know, the blood circulation going. It’s a fun suit, but it’s also functional so I can be able to play without any problems.”

Williams, bidding to go level with Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 majors, was watched on Court Philippe Chatrier by husband Alexis Ohanian, the Reddit founder.

But Olympia was not present, leaving Serena to admit that the urge to get home to see her daughter was giving her a fresh perspective on a career which has spanned three decades.

Being a tennis-playing mother is also radically different from being a tennis-playing dad on the tour.

“Well, first and foremost, you have to get your core back, which is hard, because it literally spreads when you have a baby.

“That’s difficult. And just coming back from the physical impact of having a baby, at my age is never easy.

“I actually breast fed for a really, really, really long time, and so I just had this real connection with my daughter.”

“But I’m a super hands-on mom. Maybe too much!”

Williams, the 2002, 2013 and 2015 champion in Paris, was on Tuesday playing a claycourt match for the first time since she finished runner-up to Garbine Muguruza in the 2016 final in Paris.

“I missed Roland Garros so much, I missed the battle.

“I couldn’t play last year. It’s been two years since I played here. It wasn’t easy but I have been training really hard. I feel good and just so happy to be back here.”

Williams had arrived at Roland Garros with just four matches under her belt in 2018.

The last time she had been spotted on a court was in a first-round loss to Naomi Osaka in Miami in March.

Whatever happens over the next two weeks, Williams insists her family priorities have eased the expectations on her as a player.

“I have given tennis so much, and tennis has actually given me a lot, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

“But she’s ny priority, and I work everything around her. I really try to put her first in my life.”

Next up for Williams is a clash against Australian 17th seed Ashleigh Barty.

Reigning ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion “The Burmese Python” Aung La N Sang of Myanmar will defend his middleweight title against Ken Hasegawa of Japan.

Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, stated: “Whenever Aung La N Sang steps foot on Myanmar soil, he is greeted by throngs of screaming fans. He truly is Myanmar’s biggest star, and is a great representative of the country’s strength and resolve. Our ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion is ready to face a tough new opponent in Japan’s Ken Hasegawa, and I am super excited for another action-packed evening in Yangon. ONE: SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR is shaping up to be one of the biggest nights in Myanmar’s martial arts history, and fans will not want to miss what goes down at the Thuwunna Indoor Stadium.”

33-year-old Aung La N Sang is Myanmar’s most successful athlete in history, whose impressive submission skills have earned him the moniker of ”The Burmese Python”. Born in Myitkyina in the mountainous Kachin State, he belongs to an ethnic minority known as the Kachin. Aung La N Sang captured the ONE Middleweight World Championship with a unanimous decision victory over Vitaly Bigdash in June of 2017. In his most recent bout, he defeated Brazil’s Alexandre Machado to be crowned the new ONE Light Heavyweight World Champion. Next up, Aung La N Sang will defend his middleweight title against Ken Hasegawa.

31-year-old Ken Hasegawa of Kanagawa, Japan is a martial arts veteran set to make his ONE Championship debut. The middleweight contender has finished three of his last five opponents, showcasing the undeniable submission skills and thunderous knockout power that he has become known for competing in Japanese martial arts promotions Deep and Rizin. With a professional record of 16-2-1, which includes four submissions and six scintillating knockouts, Hasegawa will step into the ONE Championship cage for the first time at ONE: SPIRIT OF A WARRIOR. He is set to challenge Aung La N Sang for the ONE Middleweight World Championship.

Aung La N Sang, ONE Middleweight and Light Heavyweight World Champion, stated: “It is always a pleasure and a privilege to share my skills and talents to everyone back home. As champion, I am willing to take on all comers. It is an honor to represent the country of Myanmar on the biggest global stage of martial arts competition. This world championship means a lot to me, to those who have been behind my career from the very beginning, to my family, and to my friends. I will do everything in my power to defend this title against the hungry lion that is Ken Hasegawa.”

Ken Hasegawa, ONE World Title Challenger, stated: “After eight years of excellence as a professional, I have reached the next stage in my career, and I can’t be any more excited for what is in store for me. I am grateful to ONE Championship for giving me the opportunity to showcase my talents to the world. It is an honor to face Aung La N Sang for the belt. I respect him and what he has accomplished, but I am confident of victory, and my hand will be raised as the new middleweight champion.”

The 36-year-old downed Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 to register her first victory at the majors since her 2017 Australian Open triumph.

“I missed Roland Garros so much, I missed the battle,” Williams, the 2002, 2013 and 2015 champion, said after playing her first clay court match since finishing runner-up to Garbine Muguruza in the 2016 final on the same Philippe Chatrier Court.

“It’s been two years since I played here. It wasn’t easy but I have been training really hard. I feel good and just so happy to be back here.”

As Williams — and her eye-catching outfit — grabbed the headlines, there were wins but a few scares for 10-time champion Rafael Nadal and two-time winner Maria Sharapova.

Nadal racked up his 80th win in Paris by seeing off Italian lucky loser Simone Bolelli 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (11/9).

Sharapova, playing the tournament for the first time in three years after missing 2016 through a doping ban and last year when she was refused a wildcard, battled from a 0-3 deficit in the final set to beat Dutch qualifier Richel Hogenkamp 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.

Williams, the winner of an Open era record 23 Grand Slam titles, had arrived at Roland Garros with just four matches under her belt in 2018, the last of which was in Miami in March.

Having been off the tour to give birth to daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian in September, many in the sport wondered if she would still be a contender at the majors especially with her ranking at 451.

However, she gave a stinging response to the doubters on Tuesday even if her win over the 70th-ranked Pliskova tested the American.

Arriving on Philippe Chatrier Court in a black catsuit, offset with a pinkish-red waistband, Williams trailed 0/3 in the first-set tiebreaker.

The three-time champion champion then fell 0-2 behind in the second set and was forced to retrieve another break to level at 4-4.

She saved three break points in an eight-minute-plus 10th game before taking victory, setting up a second-round clash with Australia’s Ashleigh Barty.

The only consolation for Pliskova, the twin sister of world number six Karolina, was finishing with 15 aces, the most hit against Williams since such records began to be kept in 2008.

– Nadal ‘suffered’ –

World number one Nadal had been two sets up but 0-3 down in the third to Bolelli when rain caused the tie to be suspended late Monday.

He quickly levelled at 3-3 on Tuesday, saved four break points in the eighth game before saving four set points in the breaker.

The top seed eventually claimed victory on a third match point when Bolelli dumped a forehand into the net.

Nadal, bidding for an 11th title in Paris and his 17th major, next faces Argentina’s Guido Pella for a place in the last 32.

“I really suffered today but it was a good test,” said Nadal who had been in danger of dropping his first set at Roland Garros since his 2015 quarter-final loss to Novak Djokovic.

Sharapova also survived a serious scare to claim a 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 victory over Hogenkamp, ranked 133.

Sharapova, the 28th seed, will face Croatia’s Donna Vekic in the second round.

“I love the challenge of being in a Grand Slam draw and figuring out a way to win,” Sharapova said after a match that was pushed back from Monday due to thunderstorms.

The 31-year-old, five-time major champion, took just 24 minutes to win the first set of a match which was delayed from Monday due to thunderstorms, but threw away a 3-1 lead in the second.

Sharapova was staring down the barrel of falling at first hurdle in a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since the 2010 Australian Open when trailing 3-0 in the third, but the former world number one dug deep and reeled off six straight games to edge into round two.

The Russian, who was Paris champion in 2012 and 2014, fired 35 winners in her victory on Court Suzanne Lenglen.

Third seed Marin Cilic reached the second round with a 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) win over Australia’s James Duckworth.

Fellow former US Open champion, and Argentine fifth seed, Juan Martin del Potro, a semi-finalist in 2009, recovered from a poor first set to beat Frenchman Nicolas Mahut 1-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4.

Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov eased to a 7-5, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Australian John Millman in his first ever main-draw French Open match.

Third seed and 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza defeated 2009 winner Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-6 (7/0), 6-2.

World number one Simona Halep, twice a runner-up, had her opener against Alison Riske, the 83rd-ranked American, put back to Wednesday.

The tournament, previously known as the World Grand Prix, came to the third of its five week period and the US team still proved in splendid form, beating Germany 25–18 25-17 25-17 to rock up a 6-1 win-loss record in the tournament.

“We have had great relationships with the German staff for a number of years but also go into each match trying to show great respects to our opponents and execute our game plan. It doesn’t matter who is across the net as we try to play clean volleyball,” said American head coach Karch Kiraly.

German coach Felix Koslowski said: “They are really showing attractive volleyball. It’s s not so much fun playing against them but so much fun to watch. They are our idols.”

Next up for Germany in today’s night session are Thailand, who were playing the Dominican Republic at press time last night.

Louisa Lippmann of Germany 

Heading into that match Thailand had two wins and four losses from the first six of their 15 matches and were in 12th place among the 16 teams.

“Thailand has good teamwork with good serves and defence. They really deserve to play at this level,” Koslowski said.

The competition is taking place from May to July 2018 and the final round will take place in Nanjing, China.

The 16 teams are competing in a round-robin format, with every one hosting a pool at least once.

The teams are each week divided into 4 pools of 4 and play a total of 120 matches over the five weeks.

The top five teams after the round-robin will join the hosts of the final round to compete in the knockout stages.

The relegation takes in consideration only the 4 challenger teams.

The lowest-ranked challenger team plays a promotion playoff against the Challenger Cup winners. The winners of the playoff will qualify for the next edition as a challenger team.

The 2015 Pan American Games bronze medalists bombarded the home team with thundering smashes and fast pace to win the match 25-21 25-22 25-20.

Thailand has won only two out of seven matches. They will play Germany on Wednesday and face a tough encounter with the US in the last match of Pool 11 on Thursday.

Thailand ‘s national coach said: “Dominican succeeded in blocking and digging. That made it hard for us to win. We had to fight hard for every point but we made too many errors.”

Dominican coach Marcos Kwiek said: “It’s important that we win three points. We have good services and defences.”

Domnican have beaten Thailand three times in a row. They also beat Thailand in last year’s World Grand Prix in the Netherlands and in Bangkok.

Brazilian international Fabinho, 24, had agreed at the end of last year’s title-winning campaign to remain one more season in the Principality.

But agreement has now been reached with the Premier League club that will see Fabinho join the Reds after the finals in Russia.

No financial details were given by either club, although some reports claim the deal is worth £44m ($58m US).

“AS Monaco has reached agreement with Liverpool for the transfer of Fabinho to the English club on July 1,” said a statement on http://www.asmonaco.com.

Usually deployed as a defensive midfielder, Fabinho has scored 31 goals in 233 appearances for Monaco since arriving at the club in 2013 from Real Madrid, winning the French league title in 2017.

Liverpool, looking to bolster their squad following a great season in which the Anfield giants reached the Champions League final, only to suffer a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid, confirmed the deal on their website.

“Liverpool Football Club can confirm a deal has been agreed for the transfer of Fabinho from AS Monaco,” said a statement.

“The Brazil midfielder will formally seal a switch to the Reds on July 1 after successfully completing a medical and finalising terms on a long-term contract at Melwood.”

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was quick to show his excitement at the signing.

“We have signed a fantastic player, but someone who is an equally fantastic person I think,” the manager told Liverpoolfc.com.

“His reputation as a character in the dressing room and his attitude in training has come through from everyone we speak to.

“He has the ability and mentality to play at the highest level in a number of positions. He can play ‘6’, ‘8’ and ‘2’. This is cool.

“He is tactically very strong and football smart. I think he improves our squad and there aren’t that many players you can say that about in this moment, because the quality we have already is so high.

“I like that he is young yet experienced also, with a high number of games at a club that compete to win. Also, international caps for Brazil tells you something about him.

“This signing gives us new opportunities and for that I am excited. I’m sure our supporters will make him very welcome and at home at our wonderful club and in our amazing city.”

Fabinho told Liverpoolfc.com: “I am really excited about this move.

“This is something that I always wanted – this is a giant of a team. The infrastructures of the club look exceptional.

“A football club of this size coming after my services, I didn’t have to think that much about coming over.

“I will try to create my own history at this football club. Hopefully, on a personal level, I’m able to win titles with this club.

“I will try to grow and learn and improve myself, and to be part of the club’s history.”

Fabinho, who has four caps for Brazil, becomes Liverpool’s first signing of the summer transfer window.

The 36-year-old last played a major tournament in a victorious 2017 Australian Open campaign while two months pregnant, before taking time out of the game to give birth to her daughter.

Serena has since crashed to 453 in the world as a result, although she was able to use her protected ranking to enter the French Open.

The former world number one briefly returned for the American hardcourt season, but suffered early losses to sister Venus and Naomi Osaka in Indian Wells and Miami respectively.

A run to the title at Roland Garros so soon into her comeback may be unlikely, but Serena can never be ruled out and victory would draw her level with Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles.

Should she get through the first couple of rounds, Serena appears to have been handed a good draw, although may have a potential last-16 clash with Kristyna Pliskova’s sister and sixth seed Karolina, who reached the semi-finals last year.

There has been controversy surrounding the decision by French Open organisers not to give her a seeding, with Wimbledon likely to do just that for their tournament in July based on her grass-court pedigree.

But fellow former Grand Slam champions Petra Kvitova and Victoria Azarenka have both backed Roland Garros, saying that Serena shouldn’t get special treatment.

Azarenka herself wasn’t given a seeding at Wimbledon last year after returning to the game following the birth of her son.

“This conversation was not on the table last year when I was coming back and I was not seeded in Wimbledon,” the Belarusian said after her first-round loss to Katerina Siniakova on Monday.

“And Wimbledon has the choice to do that. And this year they are going to be seeding Serena.

“So if we talk in terms of rule, the rule has to be for everybody.”

Azarenka did call for the rules to be changed to differentiate between injury absences and spells on the sidelines due to pregnancy.

Serena’s long-time rival Maria Sharapova and US President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka have been among those to call for the rule to be changed, but world number eight Kvitova doesn’t agree.

“I don’t really think so,” said Kvitova who was off the tour for six months last year after suffering knife wounds fighting off a burglar at her home in the Czech Republic.

“I know from my perspective that when I came back I didn’t really feel like a player who is top 20.”

Elsewhere on Tuesday, Rafael Nadal will resume his bid to get his campaign for an 11th title off to a winning start.

Heavy rain halted the champion’s progress on Monday evening with him leading 6-4, 6-3, 0-3 against Italian lucky loser Simone Bolelli.

Two-time Sharapova makes her return to Roland Garros having been refused a wild card last year following her doping suspension.

Sharapova was to have started on Monday against Dutch player Richel Hogenkamp but rain caused her match also to be postponed.

World number one Simona Halep will start her latest bid for an elusive Grand Slam title against Alison Riske of the US.

The Romanian, runner-up in Paris in 2014 and 2017, has lost three major finals in total after her defeat by Caroline Wozniacki at the Australian Open earlier this year.

The men’s tournament sees rising Canadian star Denis Shapovalov play his first French Open main draw match against Australian John Millman, while third seed Marin Cilic faces world number 1,072 James Duckworth.