Soccer: Asia has been granted a play-off slot with a European team that could see their contingent boosted to five at the 2002 World Cup, the first to be held in the world's biggest continent, a FIFA source said yesterday.

Japan and Korea, as co-hosts, automatically qualify for a place but Asian football chiefs had been angry that only four countries in all would win a slot under the original plans. The new deal, if confirmed, will give them a chance to have a fifth representative via a play-off.

It is less good news for Europe, originally awarded 15 places in the finals (with world champions France gaining automatic qualification).

FIFA's Swiss president Sepp Blatter is expected to confirm the deal today.

Cycling: Morgan Fox, winner of the Irish road race championship at Carrick-on-Suir in 1997 and second to Tommy Evans at Waterford last Sunday week, has accepted a contract to ride with the Belgian professional team, Saxon Tonissteiner. He will join up with the team on September 1st.

Fox, 25, from Athlone has been racing in Belgium, based at Boom near Antwerp. He had two wins this season and 10 other topsix placings, the latest when he was fourth in a Belgian classic on Monday. He attracted the attention of other Belgian teams but decided to go to Saxon from where he hopes to make the breakthrough to one of the topflight squads.

Tennis: Greg Rusedski suffered an early exit at the Swiss Open in Gstaad yesterday and then declared: "I need a holiday." The British number two, frustrated in his quest for Wimbledon glory again last week when he was beaten in straight sets by Mark Philippoussis in the fourth round, ventured into the Alpine resort looking to rebuild his confidence and share in the £343,750 prize money.

But the fourth seed, saddled with a tricky opening round draw against home favourite Marc Rosset, was broken in the first game of the decisive set before surrendering 7-6 (7/2), 6-7 (4/7), 6-2. "I was a little bit tired," Rusedski said.