Romania in shock after far-right populist enters presidential runoff with most votesNEW YORK , Dec. 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Report on how AI is redefining market landscape - The global medical gas blenders market size is estimated to grow by USD 582 million from 2024-2028, according to Technavio. The market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.42% during the forecast period. Growing geriatric population and rising prevalence of chronic diseases is driving market growth, with a trend towards increasing use of respiratory gas blenders in nicus. However, stringent regulations on design and manufacturing of medical gas blenders poses a challenge. Key market players include BioMed Devices, DEHAS Medical Systems GmbH, EKU Elektronik GmbH, ESAB Corp., Genstar Technologies Co. Inc., Guangdong Pigeon Medical Apparatus Co. Ltd., Halma Plc, HVS Oliver Hornla GmbH and Co. KG, Inspiration Healthcare Group Plc., MCQ Instruments, medin Medical Innovations GmbH, Ningbo David Medical Device Co. Ltd., Precision Medical Inc., S S Technomed P Ltd., Scanatron Technics AG, SHANGHAI AMCAREMED TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd., TG Eakin Ltd., Weyer GmbH, WITT Gasetechnik GmbH and Co KG, and Zhengzhou Dison Instrument And Meter Co. Ltd.. AI-Powered Market Evolution Insights. Our comprehensive market report ready with the latest trends, growth opportunities, and strategic analysis- View Free Sample Report PDF Forecast period 2024-2028 Base Year 2023 Historic Data 2018 - 2022 Segment Covered End-user (Hospitals, Ambulatory surgical centers, Pharmaceuticals, Homecare settings, and Academic and research institutions), Product (Dual flow and Tube flow), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW)) Region Covered North America, Europe, Asia, and Rest of World (ROW) Key companies profiled BioMed Devices, DEHAS Medical Systems GmbH, EKU Elektronik GmbH, ESAB Corp., Genstar Technologies Co. Inc., Guangdong Pigeon Medical Apparatus Co. Ltd., Halma Plc, HVS Oliver Hornla GmbH and Co. KG, Inspiration Healthcare Group Plc., MCQ Instruments, medin Medical Innovations GmbH, Ningbo David Medical Device Co. Ltd., Precision Medical Inc., S S Technomed P Ltd., Scanatron Technics AG, SHANGHAI AMCAREMED TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd., TG Eakin Ltd., Weyer GmbH, WITT Gasetechnik GmbH and Co KG, and Zhengzhou Dison Instrument And Meter Co. Ltd. Key Market Trends Fueling Growth The Medical Gas Blenders Market is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing number of surgical procedures, driven by diseases such as cancer in the elderly population. Anesthesia delivery machines require a precise flow of gases like oxygen and nitrous oxide for controlled anesthesia during surgery. Manual handling of gases is being replaced by automated handling and electronic control systems. The gas blending system, breathing system, ventilating system, and gas exhaust system are essential components of anesthetic devices. Oxygen, nitrous oxide, and other anesthesia gases are in high demand in hospitals and Ambulatory Surgical Centers. The VMR industry report provides forward-looking analysis and actionable data on gas flows, automated processing, and information management systems. Electronic gas mixing and gas monitoring ensure patient safety and respiratory monitoring. Self-inspection and data systems facilitate efficient gas source management. Outpatient surgeries, hernia operations, hip replacements, and knee replacements are common procedures that utilize medical gas blenders. Chronic conditions, heart surgeries, brain surgeries, lung surgeries, orthopaedic surgeries, gastrointestinal surgeries, inhalable anesthetics, intravenous anesthesia, and cosmetic procedures all require anesthetic devices. Emerging economies and the geriatric population's adoption of these technologies are key growth drivers. Electric power is a critical factor in the functioning of these devices. The market pitches, business plans, presentations, and proposals highlight the importance of these trends in the medical industry. Sample VMR reports are available with discounts. The medical gas blenders market is witnessing significant growth due to the increasing demand for respiratory gas blenders in healthcare facilities. Neonates and infants, particularly those born prematurely, require additional oxygen to breathe properly after birth. The use of medical gas blenders ensures the delivery of precise oxygen mixtures to these patients, preventing potential brain damage or even death. Vendors, such as Ohio Medical, provide reliable and advanced gas blenders, including the NEO2 blend and low-flow models, designed for Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), ensuring accurate gas mixing for optimal patient care. Insights on how AI is driving innovation, efficiency, and market growth- Request Sample! Market Challenges Insights into how AI is reshaping industries and driving growth- Download a Sample Report Segment Overview This medical gas blenders market report extensively covers market segmentation by 1.1 Hospitals- The hospital segment led the global medical gas blenders market in 2023, driven by the increasing patient population and subsequent demand for medical gas blenders. These devices are essential for delivering precise oxygen concentrations and flows to patients with hypoxic conditions. Medical gas blenders play a vital role in hospital care by enabling healthcare professionals to administer oxygen safely and accurately. With patient safety being a top priority, medical gas blenders are indispensable tools for ensuring optimal oxygen level monitoring. Consequently, the growing need for medical gas blenders in hospitals will fuel market expansion throughout the forecast period. Download complimentary Sample Report to gain insights into AI's impact on market dynamics, emerging trends, and future opportunities- including forecast (2024-2028) and historic data (2018 - 2022) Research Analysis The Medical Gas Blenders Market refers to the production and supply of devices used for blending and delivering anesthesia gases for surgical procedures. These gases, including oxygen and nitrous oxide, are essential for controlled anesthesia during surgery. Manual handling of gases using knobs on anesthesia delivery machines has evolved to electronic control and automated handling for improved precision and safety. Gas blending systems ensure accurate mixing of anesthesia gases from various gas sources. The breathing system delivers gases to the patient, while the ventilating system assists in breathing. Gas exhaust systems remove waste gases, and data systems monitor gas flow, oxygen levels, and patient vitals. Electronic gas mixing and gas monitoring ensure safe and efficient delivery of anesthesia gases. Regular self-inspection is crucial to maintain the functionality and safety of medical gas blenders. Market Research Overview The Medical Gas Blenders Market is a critical segment of the healthcare industry, supplying essential gases for various medical applications, including surgical procedures and anesthesia delivery. Diseases such as lung cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, and chronic conditions necessitate surgeries, leading to an increased demand for medical gases. Elderly populations in emerging economies and the growing number of outpatient surgeries in Ambulatory Surgical Centers and Hospitals are significant factors driving market growth. Medical Gas Blenders are used to blend and deliver anesthesia gases, including oxygen, nitrous oxide, and other anesthetic gases, in controlled quantities. These systems consist of a gas source, gas blending system, breathing system, ventilating system, gas exhaust system, data system, and electronic gas mixing with gas monitoring and respiratory monitoring. Manual and electronic control options are available, with automated handling and self-inspection features. The VMR Industry Report provides forward-looking analysis, actionable data, and pitches, business plans, presentations, and proposals for investors and industry professionals. The report covers gas flows, automated processing, air/oxygen, melting gas, and various types of surgeries, including hernia operations, hip replacements, knee replacements, heart surgeries, brain surgeries, lung surgeries, orthopaedic surgeries, gastrointestinal surgeries, inhalable anesthetics, intravenous anesthesia, and cosmetic procedures. The adoption of electronic control and automated handling in medical gas blenders is increasing due to their advantages over manual handling, including improved accuracy, safety, and efficiency. The market is expected to grow significantly due to the increasing number of surgical admissions, electric power usage, and the geriatric population's rising healthcare needs. OECD statistics indicate that surgical procedures accounted for over 50% of all healthcare spending in 2019. In conclusion, the Medical Gas Blenders Market is a vital sector of the healthcare industry, providing essential gases for various medical applications, and its growth is driven by demographic and technological factors. Table of Contents: 1 Executive Summary 2 Market Landscape 3 Market Sizing 4 Historic Market Size 5 Five Forces Analysis 6 Market Segmentation 7 Customer Landscape 8 Geographic Landscape 9 Drivers, Challenges, and Trends 10 Company Landscape 11 Company Analysis 12 Appendix About Technavio Technavio is a leading global technology research and advisory company. Their research and analysis focuses on emerging market trends and provides actionable insights to help businesses identify market opportunities and develop effective strategies to optimize their market positions. With over 500 specialized analysts, Technavio's report library consists of more than 17,000 reports and counting, covering 800 technologies, spanning across 50 countries. Their client base consists of enterprises of all sizes, including more than 100 Fortune 500 companies. This growing client base relies on Technavio's comprehensive coverage, extensive research, and actionable market insights to identify opportunities in existing and potential markets and assess their competitive positions within changing market scenarios. Contacts Technavio Research Jesse Maida Media & Marketing Executive US: +1 844 364 1100 UK: +44 203 893 3200 Email: media@technavio.com Website: www.technavio.com/ View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/medical-gas-blenders-market-to-grow-by-usd-582-million-2024-2028-driven-by-aging-population-and-chronic-diseases-with-ai-impacting-market-trends---technavio-302327898.html SOURCE TechnavioWARRINGTON, Pa., Nov. 27, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Windtree Therapeutics, Inc. ("Windtree" or "the Company") WINT , a biotechnology company focused on advancing early and late-stage innovative therapies for critical conditions, today reported financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2024 and provided key business updates. "The third quarter of 2024 was marked with significant progress. We were very pleased with the SEISMiC B study results in early cardiogenic shock showing significant improvement in many measures of cardiac function and blood pressure along with a favorable safety profile in patients with heart failure and cardiogenic shock. There have been four positive Phase 2 studies with over 300 patients treated with istaroxime resulting in a consistent, unique and attractive drug profile across a wide range of severities," said Craig Fraser, Chairman and CEO. "With trial execution and active operations comes the need for capital and we successfully completed transactions providing resources for our near-term needs as well as secured an equity line of credit to potentially support future requirements," Mr. Fraser added. "Looking forward, we plan to accelerate enrollments in the istaroxime SCAI Stage C cardiogenic shock study with a planned interim data read out in early Q2 2025 as well as providing guidance on our strategy and planned activities with our oncology preclinical aPKCi inhibitor assets. Given what we believe to be strong data and market need, the Company is turning attention to business development activities to secure additional licenses and partnerships for our multi-asset cardiovascular platform with the objective to secure non-dilutive capital and partner resources to advance the assets to potential commercialization." Key Business Updates Announced positive Phase 2b topline clinical results with istaroxime significantly improving cardiac function and blood pressure in heart failure patients with early cardiogenic shock. The study met its primary endpoint in significantly improving systolic blood pressure over six hours (SBP AUC) for the combined Part A and Part B SEISMiC istaroxime group compared to placebo as well as for SEISMiC Part B alone. The improvements in SBP AUC at 24 hours were also significantly increased by istaroxime and the improvements were sustained through 96 hours of measurement. Cardiac output (the amount of blood pumped by the heart over a minute) and filling pressures in the heart significantly improved as did measured kidney function. Heart failure severity as assessed by the NYHA classification decreased significantly up to 72 hours compared to placebo. A favorable safety and tolerability profile, including risk for cardiac arrythmias, was also observed. The clinical study data was presented in a late-breaker session at the Heart Failure Society of America conference and the Company reviewed the clinical results along with the program strategy and plans at a virtual Investor Meeting which has been posted to the Company website. Completed two private placements in July 2024 for aggregate proceeds of approximately $13.9 million, which consisted of approximately $4.4 million of new funding (with $2.3 million of net proceeds) and a $9.5 million payment through the full cancellation and extinguishment of certain holders outstanding senior notes, including secured notes, and shares of the Company's Series B Convertible Preferred Stock. Entered into a Common Stock Purchase Agreement with an equity line investor, whereby the Company has the right, but not the obligation, to sell such investor, and, subject to limited exceptions, the investor is obligated to purchase for up to $35 million of newly issued shares of the Company's common stock. Announced initiation of the SEISMiC C study of istaroxime in SCAI Stage C cardiogenic shock to complete Phase 2b and advance the transition to Phase 3. This is a global trial including sites in the U.S., Europe and Latin America. It is a placebo-controlled, double-blinded study with istaroxime being added to current standard of care with inotropes and/or vasopressors. The effect of istaroxime in addition to these therapies will be assessed for 6 hours and based on the patient's condition, the ability to remove standard of care therapies while on istaroxime will also be assessed. The primary endpoint of the study is assessment of systolic blood pressure (SBP) profile over the first 6 hours of treatment. Expanded patent estate with new patents with istaroxime in cardiogenic shock and acute heart failure. Cardiogenic shock national phase filings were completed for patent applications around the world, including in the United States, Germany, France, Italy, Japan and China. A patent was issued for istaroxime for Japan entitled, "Istaroxime-containing intravenous formulation for the treatment of heart failure and it has been accorded Patent No. 7560134. A patent was issued for istaroxime for Hong Kong, and it is entitled, "Istaroxime-containing intravenous formulation for the treatment of heart failure (AHF)." The claims are directed formulations comprising istaroxime, pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, and methods of use, alone, or in combination with other agents useful for the treatment and management of acute heart failure. Select Third Quarter 2024 Financial Results For the third quarter ended September 30, 2024, the Company reported an operating loss of $4.7 million, which was comparable to an operating loss of $4.7 million in the third quarter of 2023. Included in our operating loss for the third quarter of 2024 is $2.2 million related to the change in fair value of our common stock warrant liability and $0.7 million in expenses related to the two private placements completed in July 2024 which were allocated to the warrants issued in those transactions and expensed immediately. Research and development expenses were $2.0 million for the third quarter of 2024, compared to $2.1 million for the third quarter of 2023. Research and development expenses for both periods primarily relate to the SEISMiC Extension trial of istaroxime for the treatment of early cardiogenic shock which completed enrollment during the third quarter of 2024. General and administrative expenses for the third quarter of 2024 were $2.8 million, compared to $2.6 million for the third quarter of 2023. For the third quarter of 2024, general and administrative expenses include $0.7 million in expenses related to the two private placements completed in July 2024 which were allocated to the warrants issued in those transactions and expensed immediately. The Company reported a net loss attributable to common stockholders of $3.8 million ($4.23 per basic share) on 0.9 million weighted-average common shares outstanding for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, compared to a net loss of $4.4 million ($15.47 per basic share) on 0.3 million weighted average common shares outstanding for the comparable period in 2023. As of September 30, 2024, the Company reported cash and cash equivalents of $2.3 million and current liabilities of $14.4 million, which includes an $8.6 million warrant liability. Included in prepaid expenses and other assets as of September 30, 2024 is $0.7 million in receivables related to ELOC Purchase Agreement gross proceeds for sales made during the quarter for which we had not yet received the cash payment. The related net proceeds after the redemption of the Series C Preferred Stock was $0.5 million. In addition, subsequent to September 30, 2024 and through November 22, 2024, we sold an additional 4.3 million shares of Common Stock under the ELOC Purchase Agreement for net proceeds of $2.4 million following mandatory redemption payments on our Series C Preferred Stock. Following these financings, we believe that we have sufficient resources available to fund our business operations through January 2025. Readers are referred to, and encouraged to read in its entirety, the Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended September 30, 2024, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 26, 2024, and includes detailed discussions about the Company's business plans and operations, financial condition, and results of operations. Nasdaq Update On November 21, 2024, the Company received a letter from the Nasdaq Listing Qualifications Staff ("Staff") of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC stating that it was not in compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) as a result of it not having timely filed its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q ("Form 10-Q") for the quarter ended September 30, 2024 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Based on the November 26, 2024 filing of the Company's Form 10-Q and a subsequent letter received from Nasdaq on November 27, 2024 stating the Staff has determined that the Company complies with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1), this matter is now closed. About Windtree Therapeutics, Inc. Windtree Therapeutics, Inc. is a biotechnology company focused on advancing early and late-stage innovative therapies for critical conditions and diseases. Windtree's portfolio of product candidates includes istaroxime, a Phase 2 candidate with SERCA2a activating properties for acute heart failure and associated cardiogenic shock, preclinical SERCA2a activators for heart failure and preclinical precision aPKCi inhibitors that are being developed for potential in rare and broad oncology applications. Windtree also has a licensing business model with partnership out-licenses currently in place. Forward Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The Company may, in some cases, use terms such as "predicts," "believes," "potential," "proposed," "continue," "estimates," "anticipates," "expects," "plans," "intends," "may," "could," "might," "will," "should" or other words that convey uncertainty of future events or outcomes to identify these forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on information available to the Company as of the date of this press release and are subject to numerous important factors, risks and uncertainties that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from the Company's current expectations. Examples of such risks and uncertainties include, among other things: the Company's ability to secure significant additional capital as and when needed; the Company's ability to achieve the intended benefits of the aPKCi asset acquisition with Varian Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.; the Company's risks and uncertainties associated with the success and advancement of the clinical development programs for istaroxime and the Company's other product candidates, including preclinical oncology candidates; the Company's ability to access the debt or equity markets; the Company's ability to manage costs and execute on its operational and budget plans; the results, cost and timing of the Company's clinical development programs, including any delays to such clinical trials relating to enrollment or site initiation; risks related to technology transfers to contract manufacturers and manufacturing development activities; delays encountered by the Company, contract manufacturers or suppliers in manufacturing drug products, drug substances, and other materials on a timely basis and in sufficient amounts; risks relating to rigorous regulatory requirements, including that: (i) the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or other regulatory authorities may not agree with the Company on matters raised during regulatory reviews, may require significant additional activities, or may not accept or may withhold or delay consideration of applications, or may not approve or may limit approval of the Company's product candidates, and (ii) changes in the national or international political and regulatory environment may make it more difficult to gain regulatory approvals and risks related to the Company's efforts to maintain and protect the patents and licenses related to its product candidates; risks that the Company may never realize the value of its intangible assets and have to incur future impairment charges; risks related to the size and growth potential of the markets for the Company's product candidates, and the Company's ability to service those markets; the Company's ability to develop sales and marketing capabilities, whether alone or with potential future collaborators; the rate and degree of market acceptance of the Company's product candidates, if approved; the Company's ability to maintain compliance with the continued listing requirements of Nasdaq; the economic and social consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the impacts of political unrest, including as a result of geopolitical tension, including the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan), and the evolving events in the Middle East, and any sanctions, export controls or other restrictive actions that may be imposed by the United States and/or other countries which could have an adverse impact on the Company's operations, including through disruption in supply chain or access to potential international clinical trial sites, and through disruption, instability and volatility in the global markets, which could have an adverse impact on the Company's ability to access the capital markets. These and other risks are described in the Company's periodic reports, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, filed with or furnished to the Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov . Any forward-looking statements that the Company makes in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. The Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date of this press release. Contact Information: Eric Curtis ecurtis@windtreetx.com WINDTREE THERAPEUTICS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES Consolidated Balance Sheets (in thousands, except share and per share data) September 30, 2024 December 31, 2023 (Unaudited) ASSETS Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 2,300 $ 4,319 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 1,628 1,060 Total current assets 3,928 5,379 Property and equipment, net 128 183 Restricted cash 9 150 Operating lease right-of-use assets 1,133 1,444 Intangible assets 25,250 25,250 Total assets $ 30,448 $ 32,406 LIABILITIES, MEZZANINE EQUITY & STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities: Accounts payable $ 2,054 $ 809 Accrued expenses 1,650 1,618 Operating lease liabilities - current portion 468 436 ELOC commitment note payable 317 - Derivative liability - ELOC commitment note 347 - Common stock warrant liability 8,621 - Loans payable 444 233 Other current liabilities 525 900 Total current liabilities 14,426 3,996 Operating lease liabilities - non-current portion 784 1,161 Restructured debt liability - contingent milestone payments - 15,000 Other liabilities 3,800 3,800 Deferred tax liabilities 4,887 5,058 Total liabilities 23,897 29,015 Mezzanine Equity: Series C redeemable preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 18,820 and 0 shares authorized; 15,719 and 0 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively 2,142 - Series B redeemable preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 5,500 and 0 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively - - Total mezzanine equity 2,142 - Stockholders' Equity: Preferred stock, $0.001 par value; 4,975,680 and 5,000,000 shares authorized; 0 shares issued and outstanding at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively - - Common stock, $0.001 par value; 120,000,000 shares authorized; 2,340,429 and 333,145 shares issued at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively; 2,340,428 and 333,144 shares outstanding at September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively 2 - Additional paid-in capital 856,267 851,268 Accumulated deficit (848,806 ) (844,823 ) Treasury stock (at cost); 1 share (3,054 ) (3,054 ) Total stockholders' equity 4,409 3,391 Total liabilities, mezzanine equity & stockholders' equity $ 30,448 $ 32,406 WINDTREE THERAPEUTICS, INC. AND SUBSIDIARIES Consolidated Statements of Operations (in thousands, except per share data) Three Months Ended Nine Months Ended September 30, September 30, 2024 2023 2024 2023 Expenses: Research and development $ 1,968 $ 2,110 $ 14,084 $ 5,288 General and administrative 2,773 2,580 6,514 7,292 Loss on impairment of goodwill - - - 3,058 Total operating expenses 4,741 4,690 20,598 15,638 Operating loss (4,741 ) (4,690 ) (20,598 ) (15,638 ) Other income (expense): Gain on debt extinguishment 71 - 14,591 - Change in fair value of common stock warrant liability 2,166 - 2,166 - Interest income 12 112 62 264 Interest expense (51 ) (13 ) (174 ) (38 ) Other (expense) income, net (446 ) 166 (530 ) 275 Total other income, net 1,752 265 16,115 501 Loss before income taxes (2,989 ) (4,425 ) (4,483 ) (15,137 ) Income tax benefit (expense) 240 - (71 ) - Net loss $ (2,749 ) $ (4,425 ) $ (4,554 ) $ (15,137 ) Extinguishment of Series B Preferred Stock 572 - 572 - Deemed dividend on Series C Preferred Stock (1,573 ) - (1,573 ) - Net loss attributable to common stockholders $ (3,750 ) $ (4,425 ) $ (5,555 ) $ (15,137 ) Net loss per share attributable to common stockholders Basic and diluted $ (4.23 ) $ (15.47 ) $ (8.64 ) $ (80.95 ) Weighted average number of common shares outstanding Basic and diluted 887 286 643 187 © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
After rough start under coach Mike Macdonald, the Seahawks' defense has become a strengthAs far as giants go, they do not come taller in the badminton women’s singles circuit than India’s 1.79m P. V. Sindhu, who has a 2019 world title and an Olympic silver (Rio 2016) and bronze (Tokyo 2020) to match her stature. For five years since their first encounter in 2019, Sindhu has towered over Singapore’s Yeo Jia Min in their head-to-head record, earning four wins without conceding a game. That all changed on Nov 21, when world No. 13 Yeo put aside her 16cm height deficit and produced consistently high-quality badminton to break the hoodoo. She won 21-16, 17-21, 23-21 after a 69-minute match in the US$1.15 million (S$1.55 million) China Masters round of 16 at the Shenzhen Arena. Showing how much the victory meant to her, Yeo screamed and slumped to the ground clenching her fists as she progressed to the Nov 22 quarter-finals, where she will meet Thailand’s world No. 10 Supanida Katethong. “I’m happy to have another breakthrough for myself. Sindhu is tall and has a good smash, so I have to be wise with my shots to restrict her as much as I can, while I attack as well,” said the 25-year-old Singaporean, who had beaten Hong Kong’s Happy Lo 21-7, 21-18 in the first round on Nov 20. In her first win against Sindhu, Yeo seized the initiative from the start to put her more illustrious rival on the back foot with some delicate net shots and disguised drops. She was 12-7 up in the opening game, before the 29-year-old Indian fought back to 15-15. Loh Kean Yew’s coach Kelvin Ho to take over national training squad But with sparring partner Vega Nirwanda in her corner to motivate and remind her “to be brave and not to follow certain habits”, the Singaporean remained calm to take six of the next seven points to clinch her first-ever game against Sindhu. The roles were reversed in the second game as Sindhu raced to a 10-5 lead before Yeo levelled at 16-16, only to lose five of the next six points as the match went to a decider. Putting her long reach to good use, Sindhu built a 13-9 advantage as it looked like normalcy had resumed. But Yeo had other ideas, changing her strategy to include body shots in her repertoire. She also rode her luck, as Sindhu was up 13-10 when she used up her challenges after two unsuccessful attempts. Yeo then won five straight points, and was successful in her own challenge by a whisker for a cross-court net shot. That gave her a fourth match point, which was finally converted after a tight net shot set up a smash which her 19th-ranked rival returned into the net. While she has not won a title in 2024, Yeo has been consistent since the agonising three-game loss to Japan’s Aya Ohori in the Paris Olympics round of 16 in August, reaching the quarter-finals in five out of seven tournaments. The purple patch has also helped her climb to a career-high world No. 13 this week. In 2024, she has also beaten four top-10 players in South Korea’s An Se-young, Japan’s Akane Yamaguchi, China’s Han Yue and Indonesia’s Gregoria Tunjung. Said Yeo: “Today I was able to adapt to Sindhu’s shots and stayed calm to avoid making mistakes. I believe I can be a top-10 player and I have been using the Olympics as motivation to become better because I don’t want to let that defeat bring me down.” National singles coach Kelvin Ho said Yeo has been playing well with her speed and good technique, making it difficult for opponents to predict her shots. “She still needs to work on crucial moments, when it requires her to have killer shots but cut down on unforced errors, especially during high-pressure scenarios,” added Ho, who will become coach of the national training squad in 2025. South Korean Kim Ji-hyun, former coach of Sindhu and Supanida, will take over as women’s singles coach. In the opening round on Nov 19, Singapore’s top men’s singles player Loh Kean Yew could not end his wretched winless run against Indonesia’s Jonatan Christie, who won 21-17, 19-21, 21-11 for his eighth straight victory over Loh.
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Is the world more dangerous than ever for travelers? A global risk expert weighs inTiger Woods will not be playing at the Hero World Challenge next week, the tournament he hosts every December in the Bahamas. He made the announcement on social media. “I am disappointed that I will not be able to compete this year at the Hero World Challenge, but always look forward to being tournament host and spending the week with Hero Motor Corp,” Woods said on X on Monday. “Excited to welcome our exemptions Justin Thomas, Jason Day, and Nick Dunlap into the field.” Woods and the Hero World Challenge announced the first 17 commitments to this year’s edition on Oct. 22. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will be there to defend his title. As will Ludvig Åberg , Wyndham Clark, and Hideki Matsuyama. But in making that initial announcement, Woods left three sponsor exemptions available to round out the 20-man field, leaving the door open for him to play competitively for the first time since July. He missed the cut at The Open at Royal Troon then. Yet, another back operation in mid-September has stymied Woods’ ability to compete next week. He underwent microdecompression surgery of the lumbar spine for nerve impingement in his lower back on Sept. 13. “The surgery went smoothly, and I’m hopeful this will help alleviate the back spasms and pain I was experiencing throughout most of the 2024 season,” Woods said in a statement on X in September. “I look forward to tackling this rehab and preparing myself to get back to normal life activities, including golf.” Woods has yet to announce his plans for 2025 regarding his playing schedule, but as tournament host, he will answer questions about those next week in the Bahamas. In all likelihood, the next time fans will see him play will be at Augusta National in April. Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.None