SPORTS DIGEST:TENNIS: Top-seed Andy Murray continued his good form by easing into the second round of the St Petersburg Open with a 6-3 6-3 win over Serbia's Viktor Troicki yesterday. The Briton, who won the Madrid Masters on Sunday, broke the 53rd-ranked Troicki twice in the first set and once in the second. Murray now takes on 20-year-old Latvian Ernests Gulbis.
Former world number one Marat Safin also progressed by overpowering Ukrainian Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-2 6-4. Safin now faces Kazakh qualifier Andrey Golubev, who eliminated Olivier Rochus of Belgium 6-1 6-4.
Third-seeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco was the first player to reach the quarter-finals. He overwhelmed Latvian Karlis Lejnieks, 6-1 6-3. He was joined in the last eight by unseeded German Rainer Schuettler, who dispatched Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia 6-3 6-3.
Second-seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko was forced to pull out after injuring his wrist.
CRICKET: A second straight washout has left Ireland's chances of making the Tri-Series final out of their hands after yesterday's game against Kenya was abandoned without a ball being bowled in Nairobi, writes Emmet Riordan.
Ireland need a result in today's last group game between Zimbabwe and Kenya, but with more heavy rain forecast the three teams could end on nine points. In that scenario Ireland would miss out on Saturday's final as their net run rate is inferior to the two African sides.
Twomey and O'Connor head the Irish challenge at Odyssey Arena
EQUESTRIAN SPORT: Billy Twomey, winner of the Grand Prix at the recent Horse of the Year Show in Birmingham, is among the riders competing at the Northern Ireland international horse show which gets under way this morning at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast, writes Margie Mcloone.
At least two international classes take place on each of the four days of the show, culminating in the WKD Grand Prix on Sunday night, backed up by national championships for horses and ponies. This year the organisers have introduced a one-star invitational event giving riders the opportunity to compete in an international format but over smaller courses.
Cian O'Connor's horses have been in good form on the national circuit and he will join Twomey in a bid to win the bulk of the prize fund for Ireland as will Conor Swail, Benny Kuenhle, Marion Hughes, Edward Doyle and the Breen brothers, Shane and Trevor.
British riders competing at the Odyssey include the well-known Nick Skelton.
Disappointingly, American Olympic team gold medallist Laura Kraut, winner of the Grand Prix here 12 months ago, has had to withdraw, but there are competitors from The Netherlands, Belgium and France.
Meanwhile, the governing body of equestrian sport, the Federation Equestre Internationale, continues to deal with the prohibited substance cases from the Olympic Games. Yesterday it suspended Germany's Christian Ahlmann (GER) for four months, fined the rider 2,000 Swiss francs (approximately €1,338) and ordered him to pay 1,500 Swiss francs (€1,003) towards costs.
Ahlmann was one of four riders withdrawn from the final round of the individual show jumping in Hong Kong when their horses tested positive to the banned substance capsaicin. Ireland's Denis Lynch, who was one of the quartet, was last week banned from competition by the FEI for three months, a suspension period which started immediately at the Games and ends on November 21st.
Contador gives his approval
CYCLING: Former champion Alberto Contador gave the route announced for the 2009 Tour de France his approval yesterday but warned the penultimate stage climb to Mont Ventoux would present a severe test for any leader.
The Spaniard, who won the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta this year, was unable to defend his Tour title after his Astana team were not invited because of their past doping record.
"I like this Tour de France," Contador said at the presentation ceremony of the Tour route. "I really think that everything will be decided before the Mont Ventoux but for the one wearing the yellow jersey at this moment, there will be a terrible pressure."
The outcome of the Tour de France is usually decided in the final time trial but next year, the solo effort against the clock will take place three days before the arrival in Paris.
The peloton will have to climb up the intimidating Mont Ventoux two stages later at a 7.6 average gradient over 21.2km, in a day that could hurt even the best climbers.
Seven-times winner Lance Armstrong, who is coming out of retirement after a three-year break, never won at the summit of the "Provence Giant" in five combined attempts on the Dauphine Libere race and the Tour.
Contador, who said earlier this year that Armstrong's arrival at Astana could cause a leadership problem within the team, declined to comment when asked about the American's plans.
Ballesteros improves
GOLF: Seve Ballesteros remained in intensive care yesterday but is showing signs of improvement, La Paz hospital confirmed. The 51-year-old five-time major winner has had two operations on his brain since the diagnosis of a tumour earlier this month and is being kept under sedation.
A spokesperson for the Madrid hospital said: "They let him wake up for a short while. He reacted well and then they put him back under sedation again."
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