Today's other stories in brief
Monfils doubtful for French Open
TENNIS:Gael Monfils was on the verge of withdrawing from the French Open yesterday because of a knee injury. "If I had to decide today, the answer would be no,"the world number 11, who reached the semi-finals at Roland-Garros last year, said after losing 6-4 6-0 to Marcos Baghdatis in an exhibition game. "I clench my teeth but my knee is still hurting. I'll make my decision at the last minute. I have six days left as I have asked to play on Tuesday. I still believe a miracle will happen," he added.
Meanwhile, former world number one Maria Sharapova’s comeback from injury stepped up a gear yesterday when she demolished Belarussian opponent Darya Kustova 6-2 6-0 in the second round of the Warsaw Open. The 22-year-old Russian took less than an hour to dispatch her opponent.
Lottery for Wimbledon tickets
TENNIS:Tennis Ireland has launched a lottery that will allow fans in Ireland to win tickets for Wimbledon while at the same time raise funds for the National Tennis Academy, writes Johnny Watterson.
The prize from the governing body is seats for two people on Centre Court for a full day’s programme during the first week of this year’s championships. And remember the new roof is in place for the first time, so tennis for the winner is guaranteed this year.
The prize also includes lunch at the Wingfield Restaurant on Centre Court. Tickets, priced at €20, are now on sale now at www.tennisireland.ie and the lottery is limited to 5,000 entries. Entrants must be over 18-years-old and be a member of an Irish tennis club or member of the National Tennis Academy Supporters Club.
Fleet racing for Galway at speed
SAILING:The contest to reach Galway in first place stepped up a gear to a full sprint yesterday as the seven-boat fleet in the Volvo Ocean Race finally rounded the southern perimeter of the ice-exclusion zone off Newfoundland, writes David Branigan.
With winds switching from south-east to south-west, boat-speeds have increased and the conditions are finally starting to favour Ireland’s Green Dragon. With the Gulf Stream underneath, temperatures have increased and boosted progress. Overall leader Torben Grael on Ericsson 4 moved to the front of the fleet and near gale conditions could see a record attempt over the coming 48-hours as the race is now pointing directly towards Galway. Green Dragon was in sixth place yesterday, benefiting from Ericsson 3’s collision with a whale on Monday that damaged their keel in a mirror incident to the closing stages of Leg One into Cape Town when the Irish boat encountered a “mammal”, possibly a large sunfish.
Lewis jailed for 13 years
CRICKET:Former England cricketer Chris Lewis was jailed for 13 years yesterday for trying to smuggle drugs into Britain in his kit bag.
The 41-year-old former all-rounder had attempted to bring in cocaine with a street value of more than €160,000 after a holiday in St Lucia but was stopped by customs officers at Londons Gatwick Airport.
His accomplice Chad Kirnon, 27, was also sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Court rules against Ferrari
MOTOR SPORT: Ferrari hit back yesterday after a French court rejected their bid to prevent Formula One's governing body introducing controversial new rules next season. The sport's most successful and glamorous team warned in a statement they could still pursue legal action and would carry out a threat to quit if the regulations were not rewritten.
The champions had gone to the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris to try and stop the International Automobile Federation (FIA) from pressing ahead with an optional €45 million cap. “There is no risk of any imminent damage which should be prevented or obviously illegal trouble which should be stopped,” magistrate Jacques Gondran de Robert wrote in a statement yesterday.
Ferrari said they were continuing to evaluate whether or not to continue with legal action in the civil courts while working with other teams to reach a solution to a crisis that threatens to tear the sport apart.
Australia opt to go with Watson instead of Symonds
CRICKET: Troubled all-rounder Andrew Symonds was overlooked for Australia's 16-man squad for this year's Ashes series in England.
Australia’s selectors ditched Symonds in favour of the injury-prone Shane Watson even though the Queenslander still has to pass a fitness test.
“Shane Watson has been named in the squad subject to fitness, but that is not expected to be a serious issue,” chairman of the Australian selectors Andrew Hilditch said yesterday.
“He is recovering from a very mild groin strain at present and is expected to be fully fit for the ICC World Twenty20 in the UK and the commencement of the Ashes.
“Shane in our view has the ability to bat anywhere in the order and enables us to have a batsman in the top six who can provide quality pace support for the fast bowling group.”
AUSTRALIAN ASHES SQUAD: R Ponting (capt), M Clarke, S Clark, B Haddin, N Hauritz, B Hilfenhaus, P Hughes, M Hussey, M Johnson, S Katich, B Lee, G Manou, A McDonald, M North, P Siddle, S Watson (subject to fitness).
