SPORTS DIGEST

Other sports news from around the world in brief

Murray to face Roddick in final after beating Federer

•  TENNIS:Defending champion and third seed Andy Murray continued his mastery over world number two Roger Federer when he defeated the Swiss 6-7 6-2 6-2 yesterday to reach the final of the Qatar Open.

Murray, who has a 5-2 head-to-head record over Federer, including an exhibition event last week in Abu Dhabi, will meet American Andy Roddick in today's final. Roddick overcame Frenchman Gael Monfils 7-6 3-6 6-3 yesterday.

Federer played an attacking game in the first set, charging to the net often and hitting good volleys. He went 5-4 up with back-to-back aces and two points from winning the set in the 11th game, but allowed Murray to wriggle out of the tight spot and extend the set to a tiebreak.

In the second set Federer committed far too many unforced errors and, in the deciding set, Murray relentlessly attacked the Federer backhand to gain a 3-1 lead.

Federer surrendered the final point by slamming an easy overhead into the net.

Townsend gets Scotland role

• RUGBY:Gregor Townsend has been named Scotland's backs coach for the Six Nations Championship.

The former national team and Lions star succeeds Sean Lineen, who it had already been announced was stepping down to focus on his role as Glasgow head coach.

Lineen had performed the role during last summer's tour to Argentina and the autumn internationals against New Zealand, South Africa and Canada.

Former Scotland captain Townsend said: "I'm delighted to have been invited by Frank Hadden to become backs coach for this year's Six Nations.

"I can't wait to get started working with the players and the challenge of getting them to perform consistently at their best level."

Townsend, who won a then-record 82 caps for his country in a 10-year Test career, has been promoted from his role working with Scotland A and Edinburgh.

 Buemi joins Formula One

• MOTOR SPORT: Sebastien Buemi is poised to become the youngest driver on the Formula One grid this season following his appointment yesterday by Toro Rosso. Although only sixth in last season's GP2 series, the 20-year-old impressed during a number of tests for Toro Rosso at the end of last year.

As a member of Red Bull's junior driver programme since 2005, it was only a matter of time before the Swiss stepped up into F1.

Ryder out after drinking session

• CRICKET:All-rounder Jesse Ryder has been dropped from the New Zealand team and fined after missing a team meeting and training session following a late night of drinking. The aggressive left-handed batsman will miss the fourth one-day international against West Indies in Auckland today.

His place in the team has been taken by Mathew Sinclair, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) said in a statement yesterday.

It is the second time within 12 months the 24-year-old has faced issues after a late-night drinking session. He punched a window in the door of a Christchurch nightclub last February and severed tendons in his hand that required surgery.

"We are all disappointed that this has happened," NZC chief executive Justin Vaughan said.

I thought I had reached the point where I could control my drinking better, but that is obviously not the case," Ryder said in the statement. "I am only now starting to appreciate the size of the challenge that I face."

Kawasaki decide to leave sport

• MOTOR SPORT:Kawasaki have joined the exodus of Japanese manufacturers pulling out of top-level world motor sport yesterday, but the impact of their departure on MotoGP will be muted.

"It's not good, but it's not the end of the world," commented one MotoGP source.

Like Honda, who announced in December that they were quitting Formula One after being hit by slumping US sales and the strong yen, Kawasaki had under-performed on the racetrack despite impressive infrastructure and sums spent.

As in Formula One, manufacturers have come and gone before in MotoGP (or the 500cc class as it was).

Honda and Suzuki pulled out in 1967, with the former not returning with a full factory operation until 1982. Kawasaki could return, although a spokesman said yesterday it was hard to see when.