SPORTS DIGEST:TENNIS: Britain's Andy Murray became overwhelming favourite for an Asian hat-trick as main rival Rafa Nadal was beaten in the third round of the Shanghai Masters yesterday.
Top seed Nadal fell 7-6 6-3 to Germany’s Florian Mayer, leaving Murray the stand-out name in the quarter-finals after the in-form Scot completed a 6-4 3-6 6-3 victory over Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka at the Qi Zhong Tennis Centre.
Murray beat Nadal in the Tokyo final last week to follow-up his title in Bangkok and the two had been expected to have a re-match in Shanghai in the absence of world number one Novak Djokovic and Swiss maestro Roger Federer.
Nadal found himself up against an inspired Mayer who clinched an absorbing opening set tiebreak with an ace. Spaniard Nadal had some chances to break early in the second set but Mayer, ranked 23, held firm and broke Nadal’s serve at 3-3 before repeating the trick two games later to complete one of the best wins of his career.
“Today is a disappointing day. I felt that I did everything right,” a visibly crestfallen Nadal said.
“For me the mistake, the really big mistake, was in the second game of the second set. When the opponent is playing well, you have to convert these opportunities. So that’s sport. He did better than me. I am out. He is going to play tomorrow. That’s all.”
Nadal’s compatriot David Ferrer had a more satisfying day as he survived three match points against another Spaniard, Juan Carlos Ferrero, to reach the quarter-finals. Ferrer will face American Andy Roddick in the last eight.
Hughes quits in whip protest
RACING:Richard Hughes has pledged to relinquish his riding licence with immediate effect until there is a review of the BHA's new whip rules after picking up another ban at Kempton yesterday evening.
The Irishman was given a five-day suspension on the first afternoon the rules were put into effect on Monday, and he got another 10 at Kempton when finishing a neck second on More Than Words in the Play Rainbow Riches At bluesq.com Maiden Fillies Stakes.
Hughes gave up a ride later on, and must sit out October 29-31, November 1-5 and 9-10, meaning he will miss Strong Suit in the Breeders’ Cup.
He said last night, “Until the rules are resolved I won’t be riding. I’d rather retire. I can’t ride horses like this. It’s like telling Lionel Messi he can’t use his left foot. This is totally on my own behalf. I know I’m not riding to the best of my ability and it’s not fair on punters, owners and everybody out there.”
Hamilton admits he is struggling
FORMULA ONE:Lewis Hamilton has admitted he is struggling to summon the energy required to overcome his current run of poor form. Hamilton knows he has a car in which he should be winning races, as McLaren team-mate Jenson Button proved by winning Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix. After a run of five grands prix without a podium, Hamilton concedes it is all about him and his performances.
“It has become a case of digging deep and ploughing through the bad times in the hope the good will again emerge . . . it is personal, it is human errors, and there’s nothing you can do about it other than to try and correct those.
“When you are not performing you take it personally because there is no one else to take the blame, no one else to feel the pain. It is all within you. I perhaps feel it more than other people, and the last five races have been very disappointing.”
Haye calls it a day on his birthday – as promised
BOXING:Former heavyweight champion of the world David Haye has announced his retirement. Haye, who lost his WBA title to Wladimir Klitschko in July, has always said he would not fight beyond his 31st birthday – which was yesterday – and followed up on that promise by confirming he has hung up his gloves.
“Today’s date is October 13th, 2011 and I’ve just turned 31 years of age,” he said in a statement. “As the clock struck 12 last night my professional boxing career came to an end.” There were suggestions Haye would fight WBC champion Vitali Klitschko next year, but the Londoner appears to have ruled that out. “Vitali Klitschko did show an interest in sharing a ring with me in 2012,” he said. “But since that initial declaration we have heard the wrong noises from Team Klitschko, which has left me thinking there is little chance of the fight ever coming to fruition.”
When asked whether he would consider another big-money fight, Haye added: “I doubt it.”
