Phelps Wins Olympic Gold No. 2 as India Gets First

Aug. 11 (Bloomberg) -- A last-gasp relay victory maintained Michael Phelps's bid for a record eight Olympic titles in Beijing as five more world records fell in swimming and India got its first individual gold medal in Games history.

Jason Lezak overtook Alain Bernard of France with his final stroke to win the 400-meter freestyle relay for the U.S. team and keep Phelps on course to surpass Mark Spitz's one-Games record of seven gold medals in 1972.

``It was unbelievable, Jason finished the race better than we could have asked for,'' Phelps told reporters at the Water Cube pool after winning his second gold medal at the Beijing Games. ``Jason in the last 50 was incredible.''

The relay win helped give the U.S. 12 total medals, one less than China, which heads the medals table with 13, including eight golds. China, hosting its first Olympics, is trying to end the U.S. run of three medal-topping Games. The U.S. has captured three gold medals in Beijing.

The winning relay time of 3 minutes, 8.24 seconds chopped almost four seconds off the world record the U.S. team set in qualifying yesterday. It also left Phelps within one win of tying the mark of nine career gold medals held by Spitz, Carl Lewis, Paavo Nurmi and Larissa Latynina. The 23-year-old races in the 200 freestyle tomorrow.

Records Abound

Japan's Kosuke Kitajima retained the 100 breaststroke gold in a world-record time of 58.91 seconds and can collect his fourth career Olympic title if he wins the 200 breaststroke.

``My performance was perfect and ideal,'' Kitajima, 25, told reporters. ``I would have been baffled if you do not say that was perfect.''

Australia's Libby Trickett won the women's 100 butterfly for her second career gold and Britain's Rebecca Adlington took the 400 freestyle for her first.

World records also went to Australia's Eamon Sullivan, whose relay lead-off leg of 47.24 seconds broke Bernard's mark and helped secure the bronze, and to Kirsty Coventry of Zimbabwe in a women's 100 backstroke semifinal.

Italy's Federica Pellegrini later broke the women's 200 freestyle in the evening heats, winning in 1:55.45 to shave 0.07 seconds off Frenchwoman Laure Manaudou's mark.

On Target

Abhinav Bindra wrote his name into Indian sports folklore by winning the men's 10-meter air rifle competition and upsetting silver medalist Zhu Qinan of China. He is the first athlete from his country of 1.1 billion people to win an individual gold medal in the 112 years of the Olympic Games.

``I was not thinking too much, I just tried to shoot well,'' Bindra, 25, told reporters at the Beijing Shooting Hall after ending a 28-year gold-medal wait since India's winning field hockey team at the Moscow Games.

China clinched its seventh gold medal when favorites Lin Yue and Huo Liang took the synchronized 10-meter platform title, aided by a messed-up attempt from their main Russian rivals in the second-last round that was met by cheers in the Water Cube.

The eighth gold came when Chen Yanqing won the 58-kilogram weightlifting title with an Olympic record combined total of 244 kilograms. That made her the first women's weightlifter to successfully defend an Olympic title.

by:Grant Clark

Source:http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news

Olympic torch relay begins final leg

BEIJING, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Olympic torch relay began its final leg in Beijing from the landmark Forbidden City Wednesday morning.

At the Meridian Gate of the Forbidden City, the torch was handed over to the first bearer, Yang Liwei, the country's first astronaut, by Liu Qi, president of the Beijing Organizing Committee of the 29th Olympic Games (BOCOG).

The Olympic flame will travel in the Olympic host city for three days joined by a total of 841 torch bearers.

On its first day, the torch will travel 16.4 km in just over four hours through seven districts, passing city landmarks, including Tian'anmen Square, the egg-shaped National Center for the Performing Arts and Qianmen (the Southern Gate). It will end at the Temple of Heaven.

Among the 433 bearers, there are big names and ordinary people. Yao Ming, China's most popular basketball star, was the ninth bearer.

Zhang Yimou, the famed film director and chief director of the Games' opening and closing ceremonies, will also bear the torch on Wednesday.

After being lit at the birthplace of the Olympic Games in Olympia, Greece on March 24, the 2008 Olympics torch traveled to Beijing on March 31 for a ceremonial kick-off of its global trip.

Under the theme "Journey of Harmony," the relay lasted 129 days and took the torch 137,000 km through six continents, the longest distance of any Olympic torch relay since the tradition started at the 1936 Berlin Games.

Source:http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/

The flame arrives in Beijing for Wednesday's Torch Relay

(BEIJING, August 5) -- The sacred flame arrived in Beijing on Tuesday, August 5 at 4:20 p.m. for the last leg of the 2008 Torch Relay before the official start of the Games. The sacred flame will tour China's capital city from August 6-8.

Source: http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/

Murray wins Cincinnati Masters

(BEIJING, August 4) -- Andy Murray of Great Britain defeated Novak Djokovic of Serbia 7-6(4), 7-6(5) on August 3 to win the Cincinnati Masters. It is Murray's first ATP Masters title.
Murray, who came into the Cincinnati Masters as the No.8 seed, defeated No. 3 seed Djokovic for the second time in eight days to achieve his sixth career title win.
Both Murray and Djokovic will compete in the tennis tournament at the Beijing Olympic Games on August 10-17.

Source:http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/

Djokovic ends Nadal's winning streak

(BEIJING, August 3) -- Novak Djokovic of Serbia defeated Rafael Nadal 6-1, 7-5 on August 2 to advance to the final of the Cincinnati Masters, ending the Spaniard's 32-match winning streak.
Djokovic will face Britain's Andy Murray in the final on August 3.
Nadal, who has to wait until August 18 to be declared World No.1, went into the semifinals suffering from blisters.
Australian Open champion Djokovic has defeated Nadal in four of their six matches on hardcourt.
By reaching the semifinals of the event, Nadal accumulated enough points to overtake Roger Federer of Switzerland as the world's No. 1 player; however, the title isn't yet Nadal's until point totals from the past 52 weeks are officially calculated on August 18.

Source:http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/

Volunteers wear five-ring hair spins

Sharapova will not compete in Beijing

Olympic Ring

Premiere of Beijing Olympics concert in Bangkok

Beijing Olympic Torch Relay in Tangshan winds up

(BEIJING, July 31) -- Chen Guoying, mayor of Tangshan, lit the cauldron at Caofeidian Island Hotel Square at 12:05 on Thursday, bringing the Tangshan leg of the Olympic Torch Relay to an end. This is also the last stop for the sacred flame in Hebei Province.
The torch relay in Tangshan was divided into two stages. 59 torchbearers participated in the first part, which spanned 2.7 kilometers. This section of the relay followed a theme of all-round relief efforts and goodwill for Wenchuan County of Sichuan Province, which was devastated by an earthquake on May 12. A few of these torchbearers were selected from the numerous model workers who had served at rescue operations in Sichuan and elsewhere.
The second part, covering 7.4 kilometers with 149 torch bearers, was carried out at Caofeidian Industrial Zone, a promising large-scale industrial area still under construction.
Another highlight of the Torch Relay in Tangshan was that many torchbearers were former Olympic or world champions. Among them were Qian Hong (Women's 100 meter Butterfly champion, 1992 Olympic Games), Niu Jianfeng (Women's Singles champion, 2003 ITTF Professional Tournament), Yun Yanhong (46kg champion, 1994 World Women's Weightlifting Tournament), and Wang Kenan (3m Springboard Men's Doubles champion, 2004 World Cup Diving).
Tianjin will host the next leg of the Torch Relay on August 1.

Source:http://en.beijing2008.cn/news/

Chelsea agree to sell Boulahrouz

Chelsea have agreed a deal with German side Stuttgart to sell Netherlands defender Khalid Boulahrouz.

The 26-year-old is expected to join the Bundesliga outfit for a fee of around £4m, two years after joining the Blues from Hamburg for £10m.
Stuttgart boss Armin Veh told Bild newspaper: "He is just the man we were lacking. He is one who is not scared of getting involved when needed."
Boulahrouz spent last season on loan at Spanish outfit Sevilla.
He struggled for form and fitness in Spain but impressed in the Netherlands defence during their Euro 2008 campaign in June.

A statement on the Chelsea website said: "We would like to thank Khalid for his contribution while he was with Chelsea FC and would like to wish him luck at his new club."

Source: BBC SPORT

Wozniak takes title in Stanford

Canada's Aleksandra Wozniak beat sixth seed Marion Bartoli to claim her first WTA Tour title at the Stanford Classic.

Wozniak was playing in her eighth match of the week, having qualified, and it was only her second final after finishing runner-up in Fes last year.
But she came through 7-5 6-3 against 2007 Wimbledon runner-up Bartoli.
"I believed in myself but I never thought I would win the tournament," said Wozniak. "I surprised myself and I'm so proud of what I accomplished."
She added: "Going through the qualifying and playing eight matches isn't easy."
Her French opponent took a medical timeout at 2-1 down in the second set for a left hip injury and struggled with her movement from then on.
"My leg was moving so slowly and I wasn't able to hit the ball like I was in the past matches," said Bartoli.
"It started to get really bad in the second set but I just wanted to finish the match so the fans could see a complete match."
Wozniak, 20, capitalised on a good performance against Serena Williams in the semi-finals that resulted in the American retiring when well behind.
She becomes the first Canadian since Jill Hetherington in Wellington, 1988, to win a women's singles title.
Elsewhere, France's Pauline Parmentier won her second WTA title with a 6-4 6-4 win over Czech qualifier Lucie Hradecka at the Gastein Ladies event in Austria.
"It was a wonderful week for me," said the 53rd-ranked Parmentier.
"I am glad that I played well consistently. The rain made it hard as we had to play many matches in just a few days."

Source: BBC SPORT

Prince reigns for Proteas

England in trouble after taking just one wicket on the second

South Africa lead by 119 runs after losing just one wicket on a rain-shortened second day against England in the second Test at Headingley.
Ashwell Prince batted throughout the day to reach an unbeaten 134, his second ton of the series, and help extend the tourists' first innings to 322-4, a position of complete dominance.
Prince shared an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 179 with AB de Villiers, whose contribution was a more sedate 70 from 183 balls.
England's only success was a maiden Test victim for Darren Pattinson in the morning, although that came courtesy of a dubious lbw decision against Hashim Amla.
Andrew Flintoff (1-57) was by some distance the pick of a bowling attack that otherwise failed to give Michael Vaughan any penetration or consistency

Cautious:

Amla and Prince resumed on 101-3, still 102 behind, and initially took a cautious approach during a morning session that got under way 15 minutes late due to a brief passing shower.
England's hopes of early wickets foundered on the inability of their four-strong seam attack to generate any sideways movement, a cause not helped by the lack of cloud cover, which had been a constant feature of the first day when 13 wickets tumbled.
Amla failed to make the most of his reprieve yesterday evening when he was called back after television replays prompted doubts about the validity of Michael Vaughan's catch to dismiss him at mid-off.
The elegant right-hander was greeted by a bouncer barrage from James Anderson (2-83) and Flintoff, but it was a full toss that claimed the wicket.
Debutant seamer Pattinson, who had bowled just three overs with the new ball yesterday, persuaded umpire Daryl Harper to uphold an lbw appeal after Amla (38) had failed to make contact with a slower ball that thudded into his pad without bouncing.
It was a poor decision as the ball would have missed the leg-stump although the Grimsby-born, Australian-bred Pattinson (1-62) cared little about that as he celebrated his first top-level wicket.

Acceleration:

De Villiers joined Prince to see South Africa to lunch at 158-4 and the fifth-wicket pair then upped the tempo in the second session.
Prince dispatched two straight sixes in consecutive overs off Monty Panesar (0-36). The first of those maximums brought up his half-century and, from that point, the left-hander started to dominate, his driving through the off-side a particular highlight.
He had a century to his name before tea, his ninth in Tests, from 194 balls with 11 fours to go with those two sixes.
And de Villiers gradually grew in confidence after a nervy start to register 126-ball half-century containing five fours.
The final session was curtailed by a rain-delay of just over an hour, the players heading back out for a further 21 balls before another shower brought proceedings to a permanent halt.

Source: Sky Sports

Totti not ruling out Italy return

Roma captain Francesco Totti has hinted that he may be open to a national
team recall following the return of FIFA World Cup™ wining coach Marcello
Lippi. Totti won the last of his 58 caps for Italy in the 2006 FIFA World Cup
final in Berlin before he dithered over whether to officially retire that
summer and only did so in 2007.
Lippi recently declared that he will respect Totti's decision to retire and
that he has no plans to entice back the man who scored the last-minute
penalty that beat Australia in the second round in Germany.
However, Totti told Sky Sports Italia that with Lippi back at the helm he
would need to speak to the new coach before he changes his mind and that for
the time being his is concentrating on his recovery from knee surgery.
"I have an excellent relationship with him, away from the field as well and
we are often in touch with one another. It is up to him to see and for now I
am only thinking about my recovery. I've not yet spoken to Lippi about this,
we will have to weigh things up in the future."

Hopes for a striker:

With Totti missing the last two months of the 2007-08 season, Mirko Vucinic
was Roma's only out-and-out attacker in the title run-in in which they
finished second to Inter Milan.
Whilst the Stadio Olimpico club has strengthened its squad in the summer
months, the 31 year-old is hopeful that another striker will be added and has
high hopes that Fiorentina's Romania striker Adrian Mutu will be lining up
alongside him when the league kicks off on August 31.
"I hope that we sign a top striker. The important thing is that it is a
player who can make a difference. I would take Mutu over everyone else. He
would enjoy himself here," Totti said. "(John Arne) Riise and (Simone) Loria
are two excellent buys. Riise is an international player and in his role
Loria is one of the strongest players in Italy."
It has been a long summer for Totti, who has been battling back from his knee
injury with the Italian Super Cup against Inter on August 24 his target,
while while haggling over a new contract with his current deal set to expire
in 2010.
"The target (for his return from injury) is August 24, but the important
thing is to return when I'm ready. I miss football, but even when I'm not
supposed to, I will have a secret kick about. The directors have always said
that I will sign for life. My current deal ends in 2010, so this is the last
year for renewing it."

Source: fifa.com

Freddie ready for comeback

All-rounder set to pull on England shirt again in second Test

Andrew Flintoff insists he is fit and ready to resume his England career in the second Test against South Africa at Headingley on Friday.

Flintoff has been missing from Test cricket for the last 18 months due to two ankle operations followed by a side strain.
The 30-year-old was called back into the set-up as part of a 12-man squad to take on the Proteas at Headingley after impressing for Lancashire.
Peter Moores is expected to throw the all-rounder straight back into the action, with Paul Collingwood the leading candidate to miss out.
Flintoff admits that it has been a tough time for him on the comeback trail, but feels that he has now had enough cricket to be fit enough to pull on the England shirt once again.

Tough:

"Its been a tough one with all these rehab programmes and injures and operations and I'm just looking forward to getting back onto a cricket field - to getting the Three Lions on my chest and on my cap and trying to make a difference to the side," Flintoff said on Sky Sports News.
"Before the first Test I'd not played a great deal of cricket what with the side strain - I'd just had one game against Sussex.
"I got another Championship game against Hampshire last week where I bowled a lot of overs, got some miles in my legs, and I'm hitting them pretty nicely as well - a couple of runs in the Twenty20 and the second innings down at Hampshire.
"I'm in a good place at the moment and ready to go into Test match cricket."
Although not quite back at full throttle just yet, that will only come with bowling overs and Flintoff's extra wicket-taking ability will make him a big asset for England.
"I don't think I'm at my best but I'm going in the right direction and showing signs of that," said Flintoff, who believes he can get even better than he was.

Improve:

"As for the fitness, I've got no worries. I'm like everyone else I can get injuries, as can every other bowler.
"I've always improved the more I bowl and have a better understanding of it as well.
"With the bat as well, you see batsmen peak in their early thirties and that's what I'm looking to do as well.
"I've done all right in the past and I think I can do better."
Although Lancashire players do not traditionally get the best welcome at Yorkshire's home base in Headingley - with an England shirt on Flintoff expects the Leeds crowd to be kind.
"As and when I do come on to bowl, I'm sure there might be a little bit of excitement here at Headingley - the Lancashire players refer to it fondly as Galatasaray, but I think in an England shirt it's a different game," he said.
"Hopefully the crowd will get behind not just me, but the rest of the team."

Source: Sky Sports

'Magic' weekend heading north

Derby element scrapped from next year

"Millennium Magic" is no more after the Rugby Football League decided to take the roadshow to Edinburgh from next season.

Murrayfield will host a full round of engage Super League fixtures over the May Day Bank Holiday weekend for the next two years after securing an agreement with Super League bosses.
Murrayfield, which proved a popular venue for the Challenge Cup final in 2000 and 2002, will stage seven matches over the two days of May 2 and May 3.
This year's Millennium Magic Weekend in Cardiff drew a combined attendance of 63,144 - some 4,313 up on the inaugural event in 2007 - but RFL officials threatened to take it elsewhere after claiming the Welsh Rugby Union failed to give the project their full backing.
Sally Bolton, the RFL's director of events and projects, said: "A number of cities had expressed an interest in hosting this event but we believe this new location has all the right ingredients to continue its development.

Exciting:

"The concept of the Magic Weekend is all about taking the sport on the road and staging engage Super League in prestigious and exciting cities and Murrayfield presents a fantastic opportunity for us to take the experience to the next level.
"Our plans for a specially-created fan village around the stadium are set to create a carnival atmosphere for the whole family.
"The city itself offers family entertainment and a feast of activity before the games kick off each day and also after the final whistle.
"Our event partners for 2009 are committed to working with us to offer a range of accommodation to create an appropriate portfolio for supporters and teams alike."

Seeded draw:

The format of the fixtures has yet to be determined but the League have decided to scrap the "derby" element in favour of a seeded draw and clubs' season-ticket holders will receive vouchers enabling them to buy day tickets at half price.
Gordon McKie, Scottish Rugby's chief executive, said: "We are thrilled to have secured another major sporting event for Murrayfield and Edinburgh, again underlining Scottish Rugby's commitment to hosting world-class premium events at the stadium.
"The exceptional and flexible facilities available at Murrayfield allow us to add a unique festival atmosphere to major events.
"We are very much looking forward to working in partnership with our key stakeholders to ensure that the Magic Weekend is a tremendous success."

Source: Sky Sports

Serena still aiming high

World number five targets Olympics success

Serena Williams says she has no intention of ending the season without a major title.

After falling short in all three Grand Slams this year, the 26-year-old has only the US Open and the Beijing Olympics to aim for, but she is determined to put together a strong run in the closing months of the season.
The top seed at this week's Stanford Classic, Williams was beaten by Jelena Jankovic at the Australian Open and Katarina Srebotnik at Roland Garros before losing out to sister Venus in the final at Wimbledon.
She has three titles to her name this season, having won in Bangalore, Miami and Charleston, but does not consider that to be a good return.
"I can't say I'm pleased with my year because I haven't won any grand slams this year," Williams said.
"That's always been the goal for me. I didn't play well in Australia, the French I shot myself in the foot and at Wimbledon I couldn't get it together in the final.

Perfectionist:

"So I have to win something eventually. I feel like I should be able to win for the most part and sometimes I get disgusted because I didn't make the right shots, or made a lot of errors.
"I don't like to lose. I'm a perfectionist and feel like I should be the best at what I do."
Williams will play three tournaments before departing for China, after which she will be at Flushing Meadows for the US Open.
"I'm feeling good," said the world number five. "I have goals and have almost no points coming off this summer. I can only move ahead.
"The Olympics and US Open are hovering. I think I'll be ready for them."

Source: Sky Sports

Cannavaro looking ahead to 2010

Italy's FIFA World Cup™ winning captain Fabio Cannavaro has declared his intention to still be available to Italy when they make the defence of their world crown in South Africa in 2010. The Real Madrid defender will be 36 when the tournament kicks off in Africa for the first time ever, but he told La Gazzetta dello Sport that he will still have plenty left to offer returning FIFA World Cup winning coach Marcello Lippi.
"If the coach wants me, I will be there to retain the World Cup in South Africa. I will always make myself available. Always," he said. "I will have to work more, as at 35 years of age (he turns 35 on September 13) everything becomes more complicated. But playing for Italy is a pleasure and an honour. It's unique."
Cannavaro, who is recuperating from his pre-UEFA EURO 2008 knee injury, doesn't expect Lippi to radically change the Italy line-up, though is aware that a number of Gianluigi Casiraghi's under-21 team will start to establish themselves in the senior squad. Defender Giorgio Chiellini has led the way, the Juventus defender filling in for Cannavaro in Austria and Switzerland and is likely to be Cannavaro's partner in central defence when he returns to action.
"It's true that my generation are starting to lose little things and that it is time to think about the future," he said. "Giuseppe, who I see in Spain (for Villarreal), is excellent and there is (Alberto) Aquilani. They only need a bit of experience. In defence Chiellini was excellent (at EURO 2008) and there is (Andrea) Barzagli and (Alessandro) Gamberini. There's lots of youngsters, but if one is truly excellent you will only tell in the big games."
The Naples-born Cannavaro also feels that there could be return for a pair of heroes from the Germany 2006 campaign, if they want it. AC Milan's Alessandro Nesta and Roma's Francesco Totti both retired from international football following the triumph in Berlin, but since the departure of Donadoni both are thought to be considering a return to international action.
He said: "I don't think it would be bad. It happened in France with (Zinedine) Zidane and (Lillian) Thuram (before the 2006 FIFA World Cup). The door is always open and the rules are the same for everyone."

Source: FIFA.com

Romario, Schuey turn down Champs Lge chance

MILAN, July 8 (Reuters) - Retired Brazil striker Romario and ex-Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher have declined an offer to play for San Marino's SS Murata in their Champions League first qualifying round match at home to Gothenburg next Tuesday.

Romario's fellow Brazil World Cup winner Aldair, 42, will play in the first-leg match however.
'On May 23 Romario's father died and he told Aldair that he didn't feel it was right to leave everyone to come and play. It is a shame because we were close to this dream,' Murata sporting director Denis Casadei told Italian media.
He said Germany's retired seven times Formula One world champion Schumacher, a keen soccer player who sometimes turns out for his local club FC Echichens in Switzerland, had also turned down the chance to be involved.
Murata, who have won back-to-back doubles in the tiny landlocked republic near Italy's Adriatic coast, recruited Aldair for last year's Champions League campaign.
However, they were eliminated 4-1 on aggregate by Finnish club Tampere United in the first qualifying round.
Romario, who is also 42, announced his retirement in April after a controversial career in which he claimed to have scored more than 1,000 goals.

Source: ESPN

Rock ready for Toney

Rahman and Toney both ready for Last Chance rematch

Hasim Rahman says he is ready to go the distance when he takes on James Toney for a second time.

The veteran pair go head-to-head in Temecula, California, on Wednesday night, more than two years since their WBC world title fight ended in a draw.
At 35 Rahman is four years Toney's junior but sees this as his final chance to stay in contention for another world title tilt and has been working out in the Arizona heat.
And that, he says, will stand him in good stead should their rematch, suitably dubbed Last Chance, also go the full 12 rounds.
"I've been running early in the morning and late at night," he said.
"Temperatures have been getting up to 113-115 every day. If I ran when the sun was up I'd wind up a light heavyweight.
"I know this is my last chance to remain in title contention. I just don't want a 'W'; I'd like it to be spectacular. James Toney is a throwback fighter. He fights like the heavyweights of the 40's, 50's and 60's.

Experience:

"Like Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles, Eddie Machen and those guys. Good defense. Knows how to fight. I'll be ready for him. We had that 12-round experience together."
Rahman lost his WBC belt to Oleg Maskaev in his first defence after the Toney draw but has since won four on the bounce.
Toney meanwhile has been in the ring just three times since their first meeting in March 2006, losing two decisions to Samuel Peter and out-pointing Danny Batchelor over 10 rounds in May.
He has been sparring with former world titlists Lamon Brewster and Malik Scott and reports from his California training camp suggest he is in great shape this time round.
And although 'Lights Out' is usually one of boxing's biggest trash-talkers, the 39-year-old is ready to let his boxing speak for itself in what will be his 81st pro contest.
"I'm not going to run my mouth," he said. "Just watch me in the ring. That is the only thing I will say to you."

Source: 'Sky Sports'

Smith: Terrific feeling

South Africa skipper revels in fighting century

Graeme Smith admitted it was important to lead from the front as South Africa fought back on day four of the first Test against England.

Smith and fellow opener Neil McKenzie batted for more than two sessions - both scoring hundreds - before the Proteas skipper was out after tea, the only wicket to fall in the day's play.
The left-hander revealed the team were told some home truths after a disappointing first three days and was delighted to show the way forward with a determined display of batting.
"Today is a terrific feeling to bounce back and show a bit of character," said Smith, who was recording his 15th Test century.
"In terms of the preparation I've had going into this Test, I think it's got to be one of my best when you look at the situation and the pressure we were under.
"We had a really tough chat last night as a team. We were honest, because we've been out-performed over the last three days and we really needed to fight and get ourselves back in this game.
"We've obviously done that - and as a captain, if you say one or two things it's always important to lead."

Source: 'Sky Sports'

Maria Sharapova

Country: Russia
Residence: Bradenton, Florida, U.S.
Date of birth: April 19, 1987 (1987-04-19) (age 21)
Place of birth: Nyagan, Soviet Union
Height: 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Weight: 59.1 kg (130 lb/9.31 st)
Turned pro: April 19, 2001
Plays: Right-handed; two-handed backhand
Career prize money: US$12,122,252

Maria Yuryevna Sharapova born April 19, 1987) is a former World No. 1 Russian
professional tennis player. As of July 7, 2008, she is ranked World No.3.
Sharapova has won three Grand Slam singles titles. In 2004, at the age
of 17, she defeated Serena Williams in the Wimbledon final. She has
since won the 2006 US Open, defeating Justine Henin in the final, and
the 2008 Australian Open, defeating Ana Ivanovic in the final.
Sharapova has been ranked in the top ten since winning Wimbledon in
2004, the longest run of any current female tennis player. During
the 12 months ending June 2007, she was the world's highest-paid female
athlete.
She is currently coached by her father, Yuri Sharapov, and former
player Michael Joyce.

Ana Ivanovic

Country: Serbia
Residence: Basel, Switzerland
Date of birth: November 6, 1987 (1987-11-06) (age 20)
Place of birth: Belgrade, Serbia, then SFR Yugoslavia
Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight: 69 kg (150 lb)
Turned pro: August 17, 2003
Plays: Right; Double-handed backhand
Career prize money: $5,686,313

Ana Ivanovic born November 6, 1987, in Belgrade, Serbia, then
Yugoslavia) is a Serbian professional tennis player. She is the current
World No. 1 on the WTA Tour.
She won her first Grand Slam singles title at the 2008 French Open.She
was the runner-up in singles at the 2007 French Open and the 2008
Australian Open.

Rafael Nadal

Country: Spain

Residence: Manacor, Mallorca

Date of birth: June 3, 1986 (1986-06-03) (age 22)

Place of birth: Manacor, Mallorca

Height: 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)

Weight: 85.0 kg (187 lb/13.39 st)

Turned pro: 2001

Plays: Left-handed; two-handed backhand

Career prize money: US$19,470,198

Rafael Nadal (born June 3, 1986) is a Spanish professional tennis player, who has won five Grand Slam singles titles. He has won the French Open in four consecutive years (2005–08), and Wimbledon in 2008. He is currently ranked world number two, a position he has held for a record 156 consecutive weeks.

From April 2005 to May 2007, Nadal won a record 81 consecutive clay court matches before being defeated by Roger Federer in the 2007 Hamburg Masters final. This is the longest winning streak of any male player on a single surface in the open era. Nadal is undefeated at the French Open, having won all 28 matches and four single titles he has played. These achievements have led some to regard Nadal as the greatest clay-court player in the history of the sport.

Nadal has a storied rivalry with Roger Federer, most notably for defeating the world number one at the French Open in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008, so far denying Federer a Grand Slam. At the 2008 Wimbledon Championships, Nadal defeated Federer in the final, ending the latter's run of five consecutive wins, with Nadal becoming the first player since Björn Borg in 1980 to win both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year. He is also only the second male Spaniard to win the Wimbledon title and the first in 42 years.

Roger Federer

Country: Switzerland
Residence: Oberwil, Switzerland
Date of birth: August 8, 1981 (1981-08-08) (age 26)
Place of birth: Basel, Switzerland
Height: 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight: 88.0 kg (194 lb/13.86 st)
Turned pro: 1998
Plays: Right-handed; one-handed backhand

Career prize money: $41,721,169

Roger Federer born August 8, 1981) is a Swiss professional tennis player, ranked World No. 1 for a record 232 consecutive weeks.
Federer has won twelve Grand Slam singles titles (three Australian Open, five Wimbledon, four US Open), four Tennis Masters Cup titles, and fourteen ATP Masters Series titles. Federer holds many records in the game, including having appeared in ten consecutive Grand Slam men's singles finals (2005 Wimbledon Championships through the 2007 US Open) and 17 consecutive Grand Slam singles semifinals (2004 Wimbledon - present). He also holds the open era records for consecutive wins on both grass courts (65) and hard courts (56). He has a storied rivalry with Rafael Nadal.
Federer's success has prompted a number of tennis critics, legendary players, and current players to consider him to be the greatest tennis player in history. In 2008, he was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year for a record fourth consecutive time.

Fergie gives Ronaldo marching orders to return

Sir Alex Ferguson has ordered Cristiano Ronaldo to return to Manchester United in two weeks to end the ongoing drama over Ronaldo's dream move to Real Madrid, the Daily Mirror reported Saturday.

Ferguson, who was said to be furious at Ronaldo's agreement with FIFA president Sepp Blatter's comments that the star winger was being treated like a slave for not being allowed to leave United, wants Ronaldo to recuperate from ankle surgery under his watch and clear the air about Ronaldo's future at Old Trafford.

The Daily Mail also reported Saturday that Ferguson pulled out of a planned showdown with Ronaldo in Lisbon. The meeting, scheduled for Sunday, would have been the first between manager and player since Ronaldo's move to the Bernabeu became the hot topic during last month's European Championships.



Source:Yahoo!sports.

McDowell and Khan share lead

Britain's Graeme McDowell and Simon Khan shared the lead after the Scottish Open third round while the cream of world golf waited to pounce.

McDowell (pictured), third in last week's European Open at the London Club, kept up his excellent form with a five-under 66 for 203 while Englishman Khan hit five birdies in a 68 to join the Northern Irishman on 10 under par.
Two strokes adrift were European Open champion Ross Fisher (68), order of merit leader Miguel Angel Jimenez (68) of Spain, India's Jeev Milkha Singh (69) and Australian left-hander Richard Green (70).
World number three Adam Scott and European Ryder Cup points leader Lee Westwood were in a group on 206 while twice former winner Ernie Els and second-ranked Phil Mickelson also retained slim title hopes on 208 and 209 respectively.
"I am not really going to be focused hard on who is one back, two ahead, whatever," McDowell said. "I have to go and play my own game tomorrow.
"The last few holes are probably one of the best finishes in European golf. I really love this place, it rewards good play and it's just a great venue."
A fresh breeze and cool conditions meant scoring was difficult on the banks of Loch Lomond but it seemed to make little difference to McDowell, winner of the European Tour-sanctioned Ballantine's Championship in South Korea in March.
The 28-year-old had two birdies in a flawless outward half of 34 before charging to the top of the leaderboard at the British Open warm-up event with three more birdies and an eagle coming home.
The highlight of McDowell's round was a two at the 371-yard 14th where he cracked a majestic drive within eight feet of the hole before converting his eagle putt.
"I played really solid again today and kept hitting fairways and greens," he said. "There must be 10 or 12 players with a chance of winning tomorrow so it'll be nice to be in the mix."
Khan, whose solitary tour victory came at the 2004 Wales Open, claimed five birdies and two bogeys in his round.
His effort came as something of a bolt from the blue, with the 36-year-old occupying a lowly 98th spot on the order of merit having already missed six cuts this season.
"I am really pleased with the round," said Khan. "I knew the pins would be tucked away and going for the middle of the green, 20-odd feet away was a good shot a lot of the time.
"I am just going to go out and try to enjoy myself tomorrow. That is what I haven't been doing for probably the last year or so.
"When I have been in good positions I have just tried a bit too hard. Sometimes you can just push it away when you want it too bad."
Two triple bogeys on the back nine proved costly for Argentina's Angel Cabrera as the overnight leader struggled to a 78 for 211.

Source: Yahoo!sports.

ATP Tour - Murray pulls out of Indianapolis

British number one Andy Murray has withdrawn from next week's Indianapolis Tennis Championships in order to prepare for the Olympics and the US Open.

"Andy wants to take some rest and recharge his batteries before a very gruelling period including the Beijing Olympics," a spokesman said on his website.
The 21-year-old has returned to the world's top 10 after reaching the quarter-finals at this year's Wimbledon where he lost to eventual champion Rafael Nadal of Spain.
Murray is still scheduled to play in the Toronto Masters which starts on July 21 but was quoted by the BBC saying: "I'm playing less tournaments after Wimbledon because I have to make sure I have enough rest days and am not burnt out by the time I get to the US Open. It's a tough stretch."
He added that playing in next month's Beijing Games was one of his main priorities this season.
"It's not just about the tennis, it's about being in such a great competition. Very few athletes get the chance to do it these days. If you're lucky you might get the chance... once in your career. To do it at 21 is great and I want to do well.
"It is an honour to represent your country and I am looking forward to it."
Spain's Feliciano Lopez and Italian Simone Bolelli have also pulled out of the Indianapolis event for personal reasons, while injuries have forced South Korean Lee Hyung-Taik (ankle) and Japan's Kei Nishikori (stomach muscle) to withdraw.

Source: Yahoo!sports

Olympic swimmer Shanteau has testicular cancer

By PAUL NEWBERRY, AP National Writer

ATLANTA (AP)—When Eric Shanteau touched the wall second at the U.S. Olympic trials, he was overcome by the joy of reaching a lifelong goal.
The celebration didn’t last long.
Shanteau had barely locked up his trip to Beijing when he was forced to deal with a gut-wrenching choice: Should he have surgery for the testicular cancer hardly anyone knew about? Or, should he put it off for another month so he could swim at his first Olympics?
Shanteau chose the Olympics. Surgery will have to wait.
In an exclusive interview with The Associated Press, Shanteau said he learned just a week before leaving for the U.S. Olympic trials that he has cancer.
“I was sort of like, ‘This isn’t real. There’s no way this is happening to me right now,”’ he said by telephone from the team’s pre-Beijing training camp in California. “You’re trying to get ready for the Olympics, and you just get this huge bomb dropped on you.”
His doctors cleared him to compete at the trials in Omaha, Neb., determining he wouldn’t be at great risk to delay treatment. Then, Shanteau surprisingly made the team in the 200-meter breaststroke, finishing second ahead of former world-record holder and heavy favorite Brendan Hansen.
He’s putting off surgery until after the Olympics because it would keep him out of the water for at least two weeks, ruining his Beijing preparations. The 24-year-old Georgia native will be monitored closely over the next month by U.S. Olympic team doctors and vows to withdraw if there’s any sign his cancer is spreading.
“If I didn’t make the team, the decision would have been easy: Go home and have the surgery,” said Shanteau, who grew up in suburban Atlanta. “I made the team, so I had a hard decision. But, by no means am I being stupid about this.”
Still, there are no guarantees.
“With any cancer, you want to find it early and treat it early for the best outcome,” Dr. Brett Baker, the Austin, Texas-based urologist who delivered the news to Shanteau, said Friday. “That was my recommendation. It’s difficult to say in his scenario what to expect. The risk, of course, is that time is an opportunity for disease progression.”
Seeking out advice from team doctors and other outside experts, Shanteau came up with own plan. He will have his blood tested once a week and a CT scan done every two weeks through the Olympics, hoping that will be enough to keep a handle on the disease.
“If something comes up abnormal,” he said, “then that’s kind of a barrier I shouldn’t cross.”
In most cases of this type, Baker said it’s impossible to know for sure exactly what type of testicular cancer the patient has—or, even the very slight chance that it’s not cancer at all—until the tumor is removed surgically for a biopsy.
“Sometimes, the best decisions are not always exactly the way the doctor sees it,” Baker said. “I don’t consider him crazy at all. I think if he’s happy and content with playing it out this way, that’s the most important thing.”
If Shanteau can’t compete, the Americans would add Scott Usher as their second swimmer in the 200 breast. The third-place finisher in Omaha was told of Shanteau’s condition the day after the race and encouraged to keep training.
“I’ve been trying to play in my head what I would do in his situation,” Usher said Friday before heading to a solo training session at Purdue University. “I don’t know if I would have taken the same route he has, to be honest. … Cancer is not something you want to mess around with.”
It was found after Shanteau noticed an abnormality and was finally persuaded by his girlfriend to see a doctor in Austin, where he trains on a star-studded team that includes Hansen, Ian Crocker and Aaron Peirsol.
On June 19, exactly one week before he was scheduled to leave for the trials, Shanteau heard that awful word.
Cancer.
“It almost numbed me,” he said. “I’ll remember that day for the rest of my life. Talk about a life-changing experience. That’s as big a one as you can have, I think. You’re changed for the rest of your life.”
If everything had gone according to expected script in Omaha, Shanteau would have already gone through surgery and be on the road to recovery. But the improbable happened in the 200 breaststroke, where Hansen—considered a lock to make the team—faded badly on the final lap. Scott Spann powered by to win the race, and Shanteau passed Hansen as well to claim the second spot on the team.
Shanteau was going to the Olympics.
But his thoughts quickly shifted to the cancer.
“A lot of people kept asking me after that race, ‘What was going on? We thought we would get a little more reaction out of you,”’ he said. “That kind of made it a little bittersweet. It went well. I made the team. Then I had to go back and deal with reality.”
Only a few close friends and family knew about Shanteau’s condition before the Olympic trials. He decided to go public with his story because he hopes to inspire others with cancer.
According to the National Cancer Institute, testicular cancer is relatively rare, accounting for 1 percent of male cancer cases in the U.S. It’s often diagnosed in younger men. About 8,000 men are diagnosed and 390 die from the disease each year.
The cancer is usually slow to spread and highly treatable, but follow-up care is extremely important because of the risk of recurrence, the NCI said. Surgery to remove the affected testicle is the most common form of treatment.
Mark Schubert, head coach and general manager of the U.S. team, supports Shanteau’s decision to swim in Beijing.
“Eric is handling this situation with courage and poise, and his decisions to compete at the Olympics and to share his story for the benefit of others, are evidence of that courage,” Schubert said. “While we are hopeful that he will be able to compete, Eric’s heath remains the absolute top priority.”
Shanteau’s camp already has heard from the agent of Lance Armstrong, who overcame the same disease and won the Tour de France seven straight times.
“Lance’s agent told my coaches that I’m the closest thing to Lance Armstrong that there is on the planet right now,” Shanteau said. “If I can have a fraction of the impact that he’s had, just a tiny little bit, then I think what I’m going through will be good.”
Up to now, Shanteau’s biggest international accomplishment was finishing fifth in the 200 breaststroke at last year’s world championships in Australia. He faces long odds to make the medal stand in Beijing, having posted only the ninth-fastest time in the world this year.
“Making the Olympic team was the hard part,” he said. “The Olympic Games should be fun. I’m not worried about swimming fast there.”
At the trials, Shanteau couldn’t help but think about his disease when outside the pool. He put it aside as soon as he entered the water, however.
He expects it will be the same in Beijing.
“I want the swimming aspect so badly,” Shanteau said. “I know what I’m risking … but it’s basically just a longer recovery time. After the Olympics, I’ll have nothing but time. That’s why it wasn’t too hard to make this decision.”

Source: Yahoo! sports.