Saturday, 21 Dec, 2024

Sports

Wozniacki, Clijsters reach third round at Montreal

MONTREAL: Reigning US Open champion Kim Clijsters and 2009 US Open runner-up Caroline Wozniacki, the world number two, advanced to the third round of the two million-dollar WTA Montreal Cup on Wednesday. Belgian fifth seed Clijsters outlasted 101st-ranked US qualifier Bethanie

Phelps flies to victory as Pan Pacs open

IRVINE: Michael Phelps held on for a "painful" victory in the 200m butterfly at the Pan Pacific Swimming Championships on Wednesday, holding off Nick D`Arcy with the fastest time in the world this year. "That was painful," said the 14-time Olympic gold medallist, who has been battling

Murray, Nadal, Djokovic advance in Cincinnati

CINCINNATI: Top-ranked Rafael Nadal, third-ranked Serbian Novak Djokovic and British number four Andy Murray all won on Wednesday to reach the third round of the three million-dollar ATP Cincinnati Masters. Murray, coming off a victory in Toronto last week, beat France`s Jeremy Chardy

Five-star Riaz rocks England

LONDON: Wahab Riaz took five wickets on debut as Pakistan ended the first day of the third Test against England in a sound position at The Oval here on Wednesday.Pakistan were 48 for one in reply to England`s first innings 233, a deficit of 185 runs, with the recalled Yasir Hameed,

Henin calls time on season, targets 2011

BRUSSELS, August 18, 2010 (AFP) - Justine Henin, struggling with an elbow injury suffered at Wimbledon, announced on Wednesday she was calling time on this season.The former world number one, in a statement on her personal website, insisted this decision did not spell the end of her

Swann misses out on top ICC award

LONDON : Graeme Swann was the most notable omission as the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced the long list for their Cricketer of the Year awards.Eight players each up for three awards as part of the ICC`s annual ceremony designed to honour Test, one-day international and

Anelka scornful of France ban

PARIS: France international striker Nicolas Anelka has poured scorn on the 18-match ban he received for swearing at coach Raymond Domenech during the World Cup, saying it made him laugh."As far as I am concerned, this commission and all that is a joke, a sham aimed at saving face," the

Gay happy, but needs a holiday

ZURICH: Tyson Gay is the pole sitter in the blue riband event of the 100m in the absence of the injured Usain Bolt, having trumped the Jamaican and set the season`s fastest time.But Gay, who like all other sprinters has fallen under the shadow double world and Olympic champion Bolt has

Commonwealth Games boss inspects Delhi venues

NEW DELHI:  Commonwealth Games Federation chief Michael Fennell began a two-day tour Wednesday of the much-delayed venues for the Delhi showpiece as the city struggles to be ready just 46 days from the start.The Indian capital resembles a construction site in areas, with some of the

Nadal makes no promises before Cincinnati start

CINCINNATI: Two-time semi-finalist Rafael Nadal won`t make promises about his progress at this edition of the ATP Cincinnait Masters after squeezing in a pair of practice sessions Tuesday.The Spanish world number one maintained his standard low-attitude heading into the last bit even

Optimistic Federer ready for long haul on hardcourt

CINCINNATI: Roger Federer is settling in for the long haul on hardcourts, saying Tuesday that his final in Canada was almost the perfect start to perhaps the most physically demanding portion of a long year."Now that we`re on this kind of surface for eight months, I think this is a very

Trapped cat at heart of Swann drink-driving trial

LONDON: England cricketer Graeme Swann said he was motoring off to buy screwdrivers to rescue a trapped cat when he was arrested for drink-driving, a court heard at the beginning of his trial Monday.The Nottinghamshire off-spinner, ranked the third best Test bowler in the world, was

Pakistan sends Sri Lanka attack report to ICC

KARACHI: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has sent to the International Cricket Council (ICC) an official report on last year`s terror attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore."The ICC received the Lahore incident report from the PCB on August 3," a spokesman for the council,

Pakistan welcomes plans for World XI tour

KARACHI: Pakistan`s cricket chief on Tuesday welcomed an announcement of a possible World XI tour to his country, saying he hoped it would revive international cricket in the insurgency-hit nation."The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) welcomes the announcement by Giles Clarke of the intention

Julian Fountain becomes Bangladesh Fielding Coach

DHAKA: Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has appointed Julien Fountain as the National Team’s Specialist Fielding Coach. His contract with the BCB will run till the end of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, according to said an official announcement.Julien will arrive here on August 19 to

Defeat completes woes for African giants Ahly

JOHANNESBURG: A miserable weekend for African club football giants Al-Ahly of Egypt ended with a 1-0 Champions League loss at Algerian outfit JS Kabylie.The driver lost control of the bus carrying the record six-time champions to a training session in eastern city Tizi-Ouzou during heavy

Pakistan set to back Punjab against England

LONDON: Pakistan could, for the first time in their history, field a side comprised solely of players from the one province when they play England in the third Test at The Oval here on Wednesday.The Pakistan squad is dominated by players from the country`s most populous province, Punjab

Pakistan donates to flood victims

KARACHI: Pakistan cricket on Tuesday pledged more than 133,000 dollars for flood victims and said it was working to drum up further funds through an international exhibition match in England.Pakistan has been devastated by massive flooding that has affected 20 million people in the

Kamran Akmal set for recall after Zulqarnain injury

LONDON: Pakistan wicketkeeper Zulqarnain Haider has been ruled out of the remaining two Tests against England after doctors advised him on Monday he needed three weeks to recover from a finger injury.Zulqarnain suffered a hairline fracture on his little finger in his right hand while

Sri Lanka says sorry to India for no-ball row

DAMBULLA: Sri Lanka Cricket on Tuesday apologised to India after Virender Sehwag was denied a one-day century due to what the batsman said was a deliberate no-ball.Sehwag was stranded on 99 not out as India raced to a six-wicket win in a tri-series match on Monday, which ended amid