Cossu to go as 24th man with Italy in disarray

June 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Italy coach Marcello Lippi has injury and formation headaches to ponder during his two days off before the world champions fly out to South Africa with 24th man Andrea Cossu in tow.

World Cup winner Lippi is too experienced to let any anxiety or frustration show but he can be forgiven for tossing and turning in his sleep following Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Switzerland in their final friendly.

He fielded largely a second string and although they were still lacklustre, the display was a clear improvement on his first team’s 2-1 loss to Mexico in a friendly on Thursday.

“Italy mark 2 does not exist. We are one and the same thing,” he told reporters in Geneva when asked if the performance might alter his selections for their World Cup Group F opener against Paraguay on June 14.

One man definitely out of the Cape Town game is midfielder Andrea Pirlo, whose calf injury is so serious that Lippi is taking Cossu to South Africa despite the midfielder not being in his official squad.

Pirlo will be given until June 13, Italy’s deadline for replacing injured players in the squad, to prove he can be fit for some of the tournament with even the second match against New Zealand on June 20 looking an unlikely target.

“Yes, Andrea will come with us. We will try to get him fit for the third game, maybe the fourth,” Lippi said, adding that further injury doubts over midfielders Mauro Camoranesi, Claudio Marchisio and Angelo Palombo would not lead to extra callups.

“Only Cossu will be with us as the 24th man.”

Riccardo Montolivo, whose long, curvy hair is not unlike Pirlo’s, looks best placed to fill in for the midfielder against Paraguay after a tidy if unspectacular showing on Saturday.

Italy have been switching between 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 and 4-4-2 formations in friendlies and have tried more in training but with just over a week to go before they start the defence of their title, Lippi is not revealing which one he will use.

“In recent days we’ve tried six or seven formations. We will pick the right one,” he said.

The Azzurri, seen as real outside bets by pundits and fans to repeat their 2006 success given recent poor performances, set off for South Africa late on Tuesday.

(Editing by Jon Bramley; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Broncos buck battling Titans

May 15, 2010 By Leave a Comment

The Broncos proved last round’s thrashing of Melbourne was no fluke with an up-tempo 28-6 victory over the second-placed Gold Coast at Lang Park on Friday night.

Brisbane was boosted by the return of half-back Peter Wallace, Antonio Winterstein and Matt Gillett, while veteran Darren Lockyer turned his own game up another notch.

The Broncos captain repeatedly displayed clinical passing despite dislocating his little finger early on and showing little fatigue in his third game in eight days.

And if Israel Folau was worried about his career beyond this season he did not look it, scoring two tries in the win just hours after the club quashed reports that it was pressuring the flying centre to make a decision on his future.

Folau tormented the Titans defence all night, diving into the right-hand corner for his first then cleaning up a loose ball to force his way across the line later as Brisbane stayed perfect against Queensland teams this season.

While the first 40 minutes were laden with attacking football, the opening exchanges of the second half were played at a breakneck pace with the two sides trading high bombs and streaking runs down the wings.

But Brisbane held the Titans at bay, with Alex Glenn’s tackle denying Joseph Tomane his second try before the Broncos raced down the ground and eventually sent Ben Te’o over to stretch the margin to 12.

Lockyer attributed his team’s win primarily to defence.

“We defended well and that’s been the difference the last two weeks,” he told Grandstand.

“We dropped a bit of ball and they probably missed a couple of opportunities that worked in our favour.

“They’ll be rueing [Joseph Tomane's] dropped ball over the line.

“It’s part of our goal to just keep turning up in numbers, and you never know what’ll happen if you just keep chasing.”

He praised the efforts of his troops who returned from injury for the clash.

“It’s always tough coming back from an injury, especially when you’ve got a bit of a knee [problem], you’ve got to find some confidence,” he said.

“Gillett was good, Wallace was good, they’re both coming back from medial ligaments so that’s good.

“Lagi [Setu], when he keeps it simple and just runs hard and tackles hard, he plays well and tonight he did that.”

Arm wrestle

Fleet-footed Gold Coast winger Kevin Gordon looked dangerous and when the Titans managed to unleash David Mead on the opposite flank, Brisbane could have been in a lot of trouble, but desperation tackling and opposition handling errors saved the home side more than once.

With State of Origin selection looming, Titans rake Nathan Friend did himself a favour with some busy work from dummy-half as his impressive form continued.

Gold Coast had just as many chances and spent plenty of time in the first half in Brisbane territory, especially via its rampaging forwards making some impressive hit-ups, but it just could not convert possession into points.

Tomane put the visitors on the board in style when he scooped up a Wallace knock-on and left the Broncos in his wake to score under the dot, allowing Prince to level the scores at 6-6.

Gold Coast has not won at The Cauldron since the teams met for the first time at the ground in April 2007.

The victory was made all the more meaningful for Corey Parker, who became the second youngest Bronco to ever play 200 first grade games.

Parker kicked four of his five conversion attempts, only missing the bonus points for Gillett’s runaway celebratory try in the dying minutes.

“It was a fair arm wrestle out there,” Parker told Grandstand.

“Since I was a little kid all I wanted to do was play for the Broncos and I’ve played 200 games.”

Brisbane: 28 (I Folau 2, B Te’o, L Setu, M Gillett tries; C Parker 4 conversions)

Gold Coast: 6 (J Tomane try; C Prince conversion)

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Nadal recovers clay court form

May 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Rafael Nadal rediscovered his clay court form after a rare wobble in the semi-finals to beat fellow Spaniard David Ferrer 7-5 6-2 in Sunday’s rain-hit final and claim his fifth Rome Masters title in six years.

The chinks in the armour that Latvian Ernests Gulbis exposed in Saturday’s three-setter were not in evidence as Ferrer never threatened an upset.

The third seed broke serve twice in the gap between two rain interruptions to take the first set and assume command of the second before cruising home.

It was not quite the superlative tennis Nadal displayed to claim his sixth Monte Carlo Masters two weeks ago, but conditions were soggy and he still looks ready to take his fifth title at the upcoming French Open after an injury-hit 2009.

“I probably didn’t play like in Monte Carlo,” he told a news conference. “I played well, but not at the same level as Monte Carlo, but I still won and that’s important for me.”

The former world number one had nothing to show for the pressure he put on his opponent’s serve before rain stopped the action at 4-4, after he had failed to convert five break points in the fifth game.

He seized his chance when play resumed and then saved a break point before wrapping up the first set with a booming serve that 13th seed Ferrer could not return in court.

Nadal turned up the heat and Ferrer surrendered serve again after some valiant resistance in the third game of the second set before the downpours caused another delay.

Ferrer, whipped in the semi-finals by Nadal at Monte Carlo 15 days ago, then caved in on serve again with a sloppy game and Nadal held his with ease to triumph more than four hours after the match had started.

“Maybe the court was slower and I had problems to make points (after the first rain stop),” Ferrer said.

“Rafa had chances in important moments and it’s difficult to beat him but I’m happy with my game.”

Sunday’s victory gave six-times Grand Slam winner Nadal his 17th career Masters title to equal Andre Agassi’s tally.

“I hope to improve his record but you never know,” he said. “I’m 23 and I’m happy about what I’ve done. Seventeen is a very important number.”

(Reporting by Paul Virgo, Editing by John Mehaffey; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Henin wins and says Federer inspired her return

May 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Justine Henin was inspired to return to tennis by Roger Federer and the decision was rewarded on Sunday when she beat Australia’s Samantha Stosur in the final of the Stuttgart indoor tournament for her first title since her comeback.

It was the Belgian’s first tournament on clay, her favoured surface on which she has won four French Open titles, since she ended her 19-month self-imposed exile at the start of the year.

Henin, runner-up at Brisbane and the Australian Open in January, won 6-4 2-6 6-1 to end Stosur’s 11-match winning run.

“I never thought I would be back here,” said Henin in an on-court interview. “On clay, it means a lot to me.”

“When I saw Roger Federer winning the French Open (in 2009), I had a lot of respect. That brought back the fire that wasn’t there any more.

“It’s been a lot of work to get back and it’s not over.”

Henin’s victory came less than a month before she is due to return to Roland Garros for the first time since winning the title there in 2007.

A break in the fifth game was enough to give wild card entry Henin the first set against the world number 10.

In the second game, Stosur saved break points in the third and fifth games as the Belgian threatened to walk away with the match.

Instead, Henin’s serve briefly went to pieces and Stosur broke twice in a row to fight her way back into the match.

The third set was a different story as Henin pulled herself together and never looked back after breaking in the third game.

“Justine was just a little bit too good today,” said Stosur.

“In the third set, she got very aggressive, hit some very good returns and put me under pressure all the time.”

It was Henin’s 42nd tournament win and her first since Antwerp in 2008.

(Editing by Alison Wildey

To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

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Former Pak selector urges Shoaib Akhtar to call it a day

March 29, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Karachi, Mar 29(ANI): Former Pakistan national selector Ehteshamuddin has urged injury plagued fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar to call it a day, despite the 34-year-old declaring himself fit to play again.

Last week Akhtar took part in three one-day practice games against the Afghanistan national team, which was training in Lahore. He played only as a bowler in the first two games, and in the third game he only turned up to bowl his overs.

“I think Akhtar should announce his retirement because it’s clear that his body is no longer able to support a fast bowler’s workload. Akhtar as a bowler has been finished since late 2006. After that point, he has never been fit enough to play international cricket,” Cricistan.com quoted Ehteshamuddin, as saying.

This is not the first time that Etheshamuddin has questioned Akhtar’s fitness. Earlier, he had left the fast bowler out of Pakistan’s 2007 squad to South Africa citing lack of match fitness as the reason behind his decision.

Akhtar has not featured in a five-day match for Pakistan for more than two years, and many cricket followers and scribes around the globe are asking the question “Will we ever see Shoaib Akhtar in a Pakistan shirt again?”

He had earlier said that his international career was not over and stressed that his aim is to win back his place in the Pakistan team.

“My aim and goal is to win back my place in the Pakistan team and I strongly believe that I will be back. You know things change very quickly in Pakistan cricket and I’m confident that my chance will come again,” Akhtar had said.

“I can’t say when, but I believe my chance will come,” he added. (ANI)

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Djokovic joins Fed in exiting

March 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Second-seeded Serb Novak Djokovic has tumbled out of the Indian Wells ATP tournament, upset 7-5, 6-3 by big-serving Croat Ivan Ljubicic in the fourth round.

While holder Rafa Nadal took three sets to overcame towering American John Isner 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, second seed Djokovic was eliminated in a match lasting one hour and 44 minutes.

The Serbian world number two, champion in 2008, lost his serve in the sixth game of the second set and sent a forehand service return long to hand Ljubicic victory.

Ljubicic, the 20th seed, fired down 13 aces to record only his second win against Djokovic in seven meetings.

“I had a lot of opportunities and I didn’t use many of them,” Djokovic said after converting only two of five break-point chances.

“My execution was very bad and he played well when he needed to, he served well when he needed to.

“I was aware of his qualities before the match, and I was aware that if he serves well, then he can play relaxed on the return games. So that was the case.”

Although the 1.93-metre Ljubicic lost serve in the third game of the match, he broke back in the eighth and 12th to take the opening set in just under an hour.

Repeatedly unleashing first serves above 130 mph, he swept through the second set to book a place in the quarter-finals against 21st seed Juan Monaco of Argentina, who beat Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.

Djokovic’s early departure followed the premature exit of world number one and three-times champion Roger Federer, who was suffered a shock defeat at the hands of Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis.

Twice champion Nadal, who beat Britain’s Andy Murray in last year’s final, broke Isner in the fourth game of the final set before sealing victory with a trademark forehand winner down the line.

Nadal next faces Czech Tomas Berdych, a 6-1, 6-3 winner over Serbian Victor Troicki, while Ljubicic will take on Monaco.

Baghdatis, who saved three match points en route to his triumph over Federer, could not hold off Spain’s Tommy Robredo, who notched a 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 victory to line up a meeting with seventh-seeded American Andy Roddick, who beat Austraia’s Jurgen Melzer 7-6 (7-5), 6-4.

Murray will play sixth-seeded Swede Robin Soderling, who beat France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-3, 6-4.

Nadal leaned backwards in delight to celebrate his advance to the last eight.

“John is a very difficult player to play against and I think he will be in the top 10 soon with his serve and forehand,” left-hander Nadal said.

“I know I have to play a very good match if I want chances to win. I try to play aggressive with the forehand and I am very happy with my performance.”

Dementieva gone

In the women’s draw, fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska breezed into her second semi-final of the year with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over fourth-seeded Russian Elena Dementieva.

Poland’s Radwanska, who also reached the last four in Dubai last month and has yet to drop a set at Indian Wells, broke her opponent twice in each set to win the match in one hour and 31 minutes.

The 21-year-old sealed victory when Dementieva hit a backhand service return long and will next meet either her good friend Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark or China’s Zheng Jie.

“I’m very happy I am in this condition, always playing two sets,” a smiling Radwanska said.

“It’s always better to win in two sets but it’s always hard, especially here.”

Dementieva, a losing finalist to compatriot Maria Sharapova in 2006, was frustrated with her display in ideal conditions on the stadium court at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

“It was a perfect day to play tennis, and this year it’s not windy,” the 28-year-old said.

“It’s beautiful weather. I just didn’t play the way I should to beat her.

“I was actually playing her game the way she feels pretty comfortable with the long rallies.

“I was not aggressive with my footwork and with my shots, just way too many mistakes from me. And she was playing as usual.

“She was pretty solid on the baseline, no mistakes.”

-Reuters

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Rushmi, Maloo lone Indian survivors in ITF tournament

May 27, 2009 By Leave a Comment

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) Rushmi Chakravarthi and Parija Maloo were the only Indians to advance to the quarter-finals of the $10,000 women’s International Tennis Federation (ITF) tournament here at the DLTA complex Wednesday.

Among the Indian losers were top-seeded Ankita Bhambri and her sister Sanaa who were beaten by Chinese girls.

Rushmi, seeded sixth, overcame a plucky Seo-Kyung Kang 6-7(4),7-5, 6-4 while Maloo foiled a second-set fightback from qualifier Treta Bhattacharya to win 6-3, 7-5.

It was the second three-setter for 31-year-old Rushmi, who after narrowly losing the first set tie-break came back strongly in the second which saw the two player trading breaks twice.

In the decider, Kang, who won the Mumbai ITF title last week, broke Rushmi in the third game but lapsed into errors to allow the Indian to broke back. Rushmi then had the decisive break in the tenth game to take the set and the match.

Rushmi next plays Australian Renee Binnie, who put out her injured doubles partner Isha Lakhani, 6-4, 6-0 in a little over an hour. Isha, a former national champion and third seed, suffered from a sore shoulder that made it difficult for her to serve and greatly cut down her strokes.

The 23-year old, however, put up a brave fight in the first set and after exchanging breaks in the fourth and the fifth game, was broken by the Australian in the tenth game to go a set down.

Isha, who had beaten Binnie last week in Mumbai, took medical time-out after the first game of the second set to treat her sore shoulder, but that did not help her much as Binnie easily walked away with all the sixth games.

Isha, who was down with jaundice in December, played only her third tournament of the year in Mumbai. She has also decided against playing in the next week’s ITF here.

“Since I didn’t have much training, I think that affected by shoulder muscles. I will take rest for some days to recover. My shoulder got worse by the second set, but I preferred to lose rather than concede the match,” Isha said.

Isha and Binnie had already lost in the doubles first round.

It was a bad day for Bhambri sisters. Both of them went down in straight sets.

Ankita went down to Ying-Ying Duan 2-6, 3-6 while fourth-seeded Sanaa lost 2-6, 3-6 to qualifier Yi Zhong. The Bhambris are already out of the doubles.

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Fedex shows he has a temper with racquet bash

April 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Miami (US), Apr.4 (ANI): Swiss tennis player Roger Federer was reduced to a rare bout of racquet-bashing as he was toppled in the semi-finals of the Miami ATP Masters 1000 by Serbian Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic, ranked number three in the world, beat the world number two 3-6 6-2 6-3 in one hour and 46 minutes.

Federer, the 13-time Grand Slam champion who is in search of his first title of 2009, comfortably won the first set as Djokovic found his feet, but could find no answers after that – finishing with 35 unforced errors.

“Novak played bad at the beginning, and I finished worse than him,” said Federer, who lost seven straight games bridging the second and third sets.

According to the Daily Telegraph, the Swiss had surrendered his serve just once in the tournament and contributed to a rare glimpse of temper from the normally restrained Swiss, who broke a racquet after yet another forehand miss in the third game of the final set. (ANI)

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Saina fails to reach Indian Open semi-final

March 28, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Hyderabad, Mar 27 (ANI): India’s ace shuttler Saina Nehwal bowed out of the Indian Open on Friday after losing a tough quarter-final encounter of the Women’s singles badminton to Malaysia’s Julia Pei Xian.

World number nine, Saina lost to fifth-seed, Xian 21-12, 13-21, 18-21.

This was the fourth encounter between the two players, in which Saina leads 3-1.

Saina was put on the back foot right from the start as her Malaysian rival opened up a 4-0 lead. But, Saina came back strongly to draw level at 6-6 and then grabbed the lead at 10-13. The Malaysian pocketed two more points but Saina soon raced away, winning the game 21-12.

But in the next game the Malaysian walked away with the second game 21-13. The third game witnessed a see-saw battle as the duo moved neck and neck from 6-6 to 14-14.

The home favourite put up a brave fight and narrowed the gap to 19-18 but the Malaysian had the last laugh. (ANI)

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