Sports                                                                                           
Cricket
Lee ready for India
Afp, Darwin

Australia fast bowler Brett Lee joins his teammates for a spot of football on the Esplanade in Darwin on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Sidelined Australian paceman Brett Lee has declared himself available for the upcoming Test tour of India.

Lee withdrew from the current one-day series against Bangladesh following the collapse of his marriage, but caught up with his Australian teammates here on Thursday for a light training session and said he was ready to play again.

The Australians are expected to name their squad for India next week and depart on September 21, with the first of their four Tests starting on October 9.

The 31-year-old admitted he considered skipping the tour, but said he was refreshed and looking forward "to the tough Indian tour."

"India is a great place to tour; the culture, the food, the people, and the atmosphere (and) the crowds over there are just brilliant.

"Even though they may be cheering for the Indians, they've still got a love for Australians," he said.

"It's a tough place to play cricket, but also very enjoyable."

Lee said it was only this week that he decided to make himself available for India, where he is a huge star but is yet to play Test cricket.

"It's only been the last couple of days," Lee said of his decision.

"It's been one of those things where it was just going to be a time thing, so if it didn't work out and I didn't think I was fit enough or I wasn't ready to go, more so mentally ... but I'm feeling great on both fronts and I'm actually looking forward to it."

Lee didn't discuss his marriage, but conceded he was pleased to get out of Sydney.

"I thought it would be a wise move to get out of Sydney and just come up here and spend some time in Darwin and see how the lads are going and get back into the feel of things again," he said.

"I'm looking forward to the next couple of weeks."

Lee said the break could prove a blessing in disguise.

"The time I've had away from cricket both physically and mentally, it actually freshened me right up so I hope down the back-end this is going to prolong my cricketing life," he said.

"I'm right, I'm feeling fit, I'm feeling fresh and I'm looking forward to the next tour."

Lee's availability is a boost for Australian defence of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they won during a tense series earlier this year, with troubled all-rounder Andrew Symonds unlikely to be available.




 

Sports
Tennis
US Open
Serena wins family battle
Ap, New York

Serena Williams clenches her fist after winning a point against elder sister Venus during their US Open quarterfinal clash at the Flushing Meadows in New York on Wednesday. Serena won 7-6, 7-6. Photo: AFP

Serena Williams watched the final shot sail beyond the baseline, and immediately her sister called for an instant-replay challenge.

At that point, Venus Williams really had nothing else to lose.

So more than 20,000 fans hushed Wednesday night, looking at the giant video boards high above Arthur Ashe Stadium. A moment later, the call was confirmed and the crowd roared: Serena had won this family affair at the U.S. Open (7-6, 7-6).

It may have been only a quarterfinal, but on the court and in the stands, it sounded as if they were playing for the title as the shrieks and shouts kept getting louder and louder.

“I don't think it'll ever be under-dramatized until we're housewives,” Venus said. “Until that time, we'll hopefully keep playing good tennis against everyone and also against each other.”

With a semifinal spot at stake, the sisters who teamed to win the Olympic gold medal in doubles were separated by the slightest of margins. Serena finished ahead in total points 101-98, and most every other number was close.

Only one stat was out of whack: Venus went 0-for-10 on set points, Serena was 2-for-2.

“I thought for sure we'd be in three sets,” Serena said. “I thought, 'I'm going to go change my dress because I'm really sweaty and put a new one on.' And then I was like, 'Oh, maybe I won't have to do that.”'

Top-seeded Rafael Nadal worked late into the nightand the early morning to reach the semifinals at the U.S. Open for the first time in six tries at Flushing Meadows.

In a match that started at 11:30 p.m. and ended at 2:10 a.m., the Wimbledon, French Open and Olympic champion beat unseeded Mardy Fish 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2. They approached the latest finish in the tournament's historyMats Wilander defeated Mikael Pernfors at 2:26 a.m. in 1993and moved on to play Andy Murray.

“This is one of the things that we players discuss all the time. There should be a limit on when to start. But we know that the TV rules in this,” Nadal said.

“I think I'm going to end up sleeping at 5 a.m. I've got to go eat. With all the attention on the match, it takes a while to unwind. There's nothing else you can do.”

Said Fish: “It's not ideal starting that late, but I was ready. The first set couldn't have gone better for me.”

The sixth-seeded Murray beat No. 17 Juan Martin del Potro 7-6 (2), 7-6 (1), 4-6, 7-5. The young stars put their arms around each other at the net after Murray reached his first Grand Slam semifinal, quite a different scene than they presented at Rome in May.

Tempers flared during that match, with Murray claiming del Potro insulted his motherJudy Murray provided vocal support for her son from the stands. Also, Del Potro nearly hit Murray in the head with a ball.

“Quite early on in the match there was sort of a feeling of respect between us in terms of our games and stuff,” Murray said. “There was no arguing over line calls or anyone trying to get in anyone's face.”

Sixth-seeded Dinara Safina advanced earlier in the day by overwhelming No. 16 Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 6-3. Safina will play No. 4 Serena Williams in one semifinal Friday, with No. 2 Jelena Jankovic taking on No. 5 Elena Dementieva in the other.

By far, the Williams vs. Williams contest was the most-anticipated match at the tournament. Posters of the sisters were plastered over the subways and trains in New Yorkall paths led to this meeting.

When it was over, Serena had one real regret, and it wasn't that she beat her sister. After all, Venus defeated Serena this summer for the Wimbledon title.

“I feel like I should have a trophy now. Unfortunately I don't, and I got to go to the next round,” Serena said.

She rallied from 5-3 deficits in both sets, and overcame eight set points in the second.

“I felt like I was always in control,” seventh-seeded Venus said. “If it was someone else, I definitely feel like I would have won the match.”

The victory nudged Serena into a 9-8 edge in their career matchups as pro, and she's now ahead 6-5 in Grand Slam meetings. She also leads her older sister 8-7 in major titlesthey're both two-time U.S. Open champs.

“She made a couple errors and it was really luck for me because she never makes those errors. I can't say that I was disappointed. I obviously want the best for her, but in that situation you want to win, too,” she said.

Along with charging net, she relied on another strategy.

“I try not to look at her, because if I look at her, I might start feeling sorry,” Serena told the crowd afterward.

Venus seemed more surprised than anything, especially at letting so many chances slip away.

“I'm a very good closer,” she said, “so today was, umI've never had a match like this in my life, so I guess there's always a first.”

Neither their mother nor father, who both serve as their coaches, were sitting in the family box. Older sister Isha Price was there, and she sometimes sat with her hands clasped in front of her face, her eyes shut.

“I wasn't praying, I was so stressed,” she said. “It is so difficult to watch them. At the end of the day, you want them to play a good match and for the best person to win.”

And did the best player win?

“I'm not sure,” Price said.





 

Sports
Football
Manik recalls veterans
Enamul, Pranotosh new faces for Merdeka
Sports Reporter




Abahani midfielder Pranotosh Kumar Das and Farashganj striker Enamul Haque got their first national calls as Bangladesh coach Shafiqul Islam Manik yesterday named his preliminary squad for next month's Merdeka Cup football tournament.

In his first assignment, Manik also decided to rely on the written-off footballers, recalling the likes of Alfaz, Matiur Munna, Titu, Shuvra and Parvez Babu. The expected recalls were of Sujan, Robin, Zahid Hossain and Himel.

The 30 footballers have been asked to report to the new coach this afternoon at the BFF Bhaban.

Bangladesh, who participated in the prestigious tournament last year after a long gap and failed to win a single match, have been invited for the October 15-25 meet at the Malaysian capital.

Among the eight returns, Alfaz had been called back from international retirement but the former captain was ignored after a mediocre Nehru Cup in India.

Brothers Union's Munna, Shuvra and Parvez and Muktijoddha skipper Titu were not considered due to lack of form while Sujan (Abahani) and Zahid (Brothers) were victims of long-term injury. Robin (Mohammedan) looked a certainty but was a last minute elimination from the SAFF squad.

Sujan's impressive comeback in the recently concluded Federation Cup for the sky-blues all but convinced everyone that the country's top centre-back is closing in on his peak.

Enamul's five goals in the Fed Cup got him the nod and give Manik's old student at Muktijoddha Sangsad -- for whom he had scored a spectacular goal in an AFC Cup away match -- a chance to contest with Emily and Robin for a place in the striking zone.

Pranotosh, on the other hand, proved that he has matured enough to claim his place as a holding midfielder.

Manik, who dropped Moha-mmedan's Komol and Faisal Mahmud from the SAFF squad, however, will have very little time to prepare as the professional league kicks off in just over a week.

He is also not likely to get the players during the Eid vacation and would hardly get a week just before the tournament.

One might be tempted to question his decision to pick up so many 'bygone' footballers but his predecessor Abu Yusuf was harshly criticised when he had made a bid to develop a young side ignoring the seniors, only leading to disaster.

It seems that the former national fullback, who is expected to get just one tournament to impress his employers, would try to find a safe combination of youth and experience.

The 46-year-old, who has chosen highest 11 players from the sky-blue part of the city, has eight from Mohammedan and seven from Brothers Union.

Although there are 11 defenders and as many midfielders in the preliminary squad, Manik's love for a five-pack backline could result in a defence heavy national side.

Tagged ultra-defensive, Manik's favourite 5-3-2 formation often robbed a formidable team like Muktijoddha off glory and also saw a mediocre Mohammedan finish a distant runners-up in last year's B. League.

Sports
Tennis
US Open
Federer wins a thriller
Ap, New York

Swiss star Roger Federer makes a forehand return against Russia's Igor Andreev during their US Open fourth round match at Flushing Meadows on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

Poor Roger Federer. All these years of dominating the tennis world, and he was missing out on the fun of riveting five-set matches.

Federer wasn't actually complaining about the dearth of drama, but he insisted he found joynot disappointmentin being pushed to the limit by 23rd-seeded Igor Andreev on Tuesday in the fourth round of the U.S. Open.

The four-time defending champ won 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

“They're fun when you play them,” Federer said of going the distance. “Sometimes, of course, they're hard physically and mentally, and the pressure is huge on me, because Igor doesn't have a whole lot to lose. For me it's way worse, so I'm very happy with the way we competed tonight.”

He noted it was the first time he played a five-setter straight through at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with its boisterous crowd. In 2004, he knocked off Andre Agassi in the quarterfinals in a match split over two days because of rain. Federer went on to win his first Open title.

“I mean, it's why you practice hard, that you play good when it's crunch time,” he said. “I'm happy with the way I played today when the pressure was the highest, and the crowd gives you that feeling of going crazy a little bit.”

His yelling, fist-pumping and grinning after clinching the final point comprised the kind of celebration usually reserved for Grand Slam titles. He's got 12 of those, two shy of Pete Sampras' career mark. And Federer has now won 31 consecutive matches at the U.S. Open.

Not feeling quite so energized after his five-set match was No. 3 Novak Djokovic. He survived No. 15 Tommy Robredo of Spain by a score of 4-6, 6-2, 6-3, 5-7, 6-3. Djokovic was bothered at various points by his stomach, his hip, his right ankle and breathing problems.

“If we start talking about things that are bothering me, as I said on the court, we'll chat for a long time,” he said. “It's better I skip all these things and leave it behind.”

Djokovic figured his quarterfinal opponent would be less fatigued, and that certainly should be true after Andy Roddick needed just 87 minutes to beat No. 11 Fernando Gonzalez of Chile.

Roddick, the No. 8 seed, lost only nine points on his serve. He wasn't buying the argument that he'd have an advantage over Djokovic.

“He's also had a much better year to this point,” Roddick said. “It's a matter of if you want to look back 10 days or 10 months.”

On the women's side, second-seeded Jelena Jankovic and No. 5 Elena Dementieva won their quarterfinal matches in straight sets.

Federer will face a much bigger underdog than Andreev in the quarterfinals. His opponent is 130th-ranked Gilles Muller of Luxembourg, only the second qualifier to advance this far in the Open era.

Muller knocked off No. 5 Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10). Muller has posted big upsets before, though much earlier in tournaments.

In 2005, he beat Rafael Nadal in the second round at Wimbledon and Roddick in the first round at the U.S. Open when each was ranked third.

“He didn't beat Andy for nothing here a few years ago,” Federer said. “That's why I definitely won't underestimate him, because he's a good player.”

A sure thing for so long, Federer's matches now carry an air of uncertainty. He advances in the Open still seeking his first Grand Slam title of the year.

He refused to characterize Tuesday's 3 1/2 -hour marathon as a sign of decline. Federer sounded like somebody who's not familiar with tennis describing a trip to the Open: educational, and an enjoyable change of pace.

“I was really happy because in five sets you go through different stages of feelings, of playing well, playing bad,” Federer said. “In the fifth set you try not to make that many errors, and hopefully you'll get off on a good start. That's exactly what happened.”




 

Sports
King Kahn bows out
Afp, Munich

Legendary Germany and Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn bids goodbye to fans during his testimonial match at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Tuesday. Bayern took on a Germany select XI to honour their departing goalkeeper, most famous for his sterling performances as the German number one in the 2002 World Cup -- a series of performances that ended with a gaffe in the final which handed the title to Brazil. Photo: AFP

Former Bayern Munich and Germany goalkeeper Oliver Kahn bowed out of the game on Tuesday after 20 years as a professional, his testimonial at Bayern's Allianz-Arena finishing 1-1 between Bayern and a German select XI.

Kahn, 39, made 557 appearances in the Bundesliga for Dortmund and Bayern and bade farewell, having Monday insisted that "there aren't many things I miss" about the game.

Kahn played the match for Bayern, with whom he won eight league titles as well as the Champions League in 2001.

He was also voted player of the tournament at the 2002 World Cup, where he helped Die Mannschaft reach the final only for a mistake to give Brazil the opening goal in a 2-0 win for the South Americans.

For his final game he was coached by new Bayern handler Jurgen Klinsmann, who famously dropped him at the 2006 World Cup but the only blot on the evening was a goal he conceded after 33 minutes.

"Tonight was very moving for me, perhaps the most moving moment of my career," he said.

"I was under pressure my whole career whereas now I just had the joy of being out there in this stadium and before these fans one last time."

After 75 minutes and having made several top-drawer saves Kahn gave way to Michael Rensing in the Bayern goal before embarking on a lap of honour to cheers from the 50,000 fans at the Allianz-Arena.

"It's the end of an extraordinary part of my life but also the start of something new," said Kahn, whose only regret - aside from not capturing the World Cup - was not scoring a league goal.

He will now begin working as a TV consultant on September 10, when Germany meet Finland in a World Cup qualifier.




 

                                                                                         Sports
                                                                                        Football
                                                                      The perks of being World Champion
                                                                                         Afp, Rome

A picture of the Italian national team shirt is seen embossed with the first 'FIFA World Champions Badge.' FIFA is awarding the badge to the current world champions who will wear it on their jersey for the following period to be subsequently taken over by all future champions. Photo: AFP

Italy will wear a world champions badge on their shirts when they tackle Cyprus in a World Cup 2010 qualifier on Saturday.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter unveiled the new badge at a ceremony in Coverciano in Italy on Tuesday to honour the current world champions, who earned World Cup glory in Germany two years ago.

Italy will thus become the first world champions to wear the badge, which will subsequently be worn by all World Cup holders.

"Wearing a badge to mark the team's triumph in 2006 is a way to proudly commemorate, day after day, the title of world champion," said Blatter.

Italy coach Marcello Lippi, back at the helm two years after quitting his national team post following the penalty shoot-out victory over France in Berlin, was pleased to be making history.

"Italy have the honour of being the first team in the history of the World Cup to wear FIFA's new badge. It is a source of great pride for the whole of Italian football," he said.

There are two different versions of the badge, white on a golden background and gold on a white background.