AEGON Championships London/Queen's Club, Great Britain 8-14 June, 2009 ATP World Tour 250 €750,000 / 56 Draw Grass
Friday, 12 June, 2009
Singles - Quarter-finals [1] A Murray (GBR) d [8] M Fish (USA) 75 63 J Ferrero (ESP) d S Darcis (BEL) 46 63 64 [9] I Karlovic (CRO) vs [2] A Roddick (USA) [6] J Blake (USA) vs [14] M Youzhny (RUS)
Doubles - Quarter-finals [7] J Coetzee (RSA) / J Kerr (AUS) d [4] M Fyrstenberg (POL) / M Matkowski (POL) 76(6) 76(4) [5] L Kubot (POL) / O Marach (AUT) vs [WC] C Fleming (GBR) / K Skupski (GBR) S Aspelin (SWE) / P Hanley (AUS) vs [6] M Melo (BRA) / A Sa (BRA) J Benneteau (FRA) / M Llodra (FRA) vs W Moodie (RSA) / M Youzhny (RUS)
Gerry Weber Open Halle, Germany 8-14 June, 2009 ATP World Tour 250 €750,000 / 32 Draw Grass
Friday, 12 June, 2009
Singles - Quarter-finals P Kohlschreiber (GER) d A Beck (GER) 36 63 63 [Q] O Rochus (BEL) d [WC] B Becker (GER) 67(4) 63 63 [7] J Melzer (AUT) vs [2] N Djokovic (SRB) [WC] T Haas (GER) vs [WC] M Zverev (GER)
Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni wooed media like he had never before on the eve of the opening Super Eight game against the West Indies here on Friday.
Dhoni was dripping all honey and milk as media confronted him with some brutal questions but the Indian skipper disarmed them with some rare insight on his personality.
"Of course, I have changed (since winning the 2007 cup). But that is part and parcel of life. It's not easy, I am also a human being. I too have shortcomings but I am open to suggestions."
Dhoni also came out clean on Virender Sehwag, the issue surrounding the injury to his deputy and how the turn of events painted him as villain of the piece.
"We didn't want to close out the Sehwag option (of playing) and hence we carried him in the initial days. We didn't want a situation where he was back in home and suddenly was found fit enough to be part of the squad.
"Unfortunately, I couldn't discuss everything in media."
He also gave his reasons for Sehwag continuing to be in the team hotel even though he is not part of the squad.
"At the moment the services of the physio can be used (for Sehwag) to get fit. He is a friend of ours and part of the team for long. He would also feel good (if the physio attends on him even when he is not a part of the squad)."
The Indian skipper also didn't mince words about the areas where his world-beating side can still improve.
"We wouldn't be the best fielding side in the world and we have still to improve our bowling in the last 2-3 overs.
"In the four games�two warm up and two in the league stage�our performance has been satisfying. Our fielding was bit up and down and in all honesty we wouldn't be the best fielding side of the tournament but we can be efficient in the field."
Dhoni also discounted the notion that it was cast in stone he would be batting at number three.
"It's flexible. But we want good starts and we want somebody to carry through - the rest of the guys, the flashy big hitters, to come good."
Dhoni admitted the lynchpin of West Indies team was their captain Chris Gayle though there were also in the line-up who could win a match on their own.
"You don't need to plan too much against Gayle. You should look to bowl in the right area and for him to commit a mistake. But he is a tremendous big hitter and loves to take risk.
"You could end up on the losing side if it is one of Gayle's days."
"Their side also has a few other blokes who can hit big sixes. The bowlers can get intimidated by such a line-up. Then they have bowlers who can bowl 140kmph and can mix it up with slow bouncers."
England Vs. South Africa, T20 ENG 111/10(19.5) | SA 114/3(18.2) J Kallis* :57, J Duminy :2 Cur RR:6.22 South Africa won by 7 wkts South Africa bundled out England for a paltry 111 runs and then Jacques Kallis guided the Proteas through to a victory scoring an unbeaten 57 runs
Kobe Bryant is one win from an NBA title to call his own. Derek Fisher got him there. Fisher forced overtime with a 3-pointer with 4.6 seconds left in regulation and then drilled another one with 31.3 seconds to go in overtime as the Los Angeles Lakers outlasted the Orlando Magic 99-91 in Game 4 on Thursday night to open a 3-1 lead in the NBA finals. It was the first time since 1984, when Magic Johnson's Lakers and Larry Bird's Celtics hooked up, that two games in a finals have gone to overtime.
When the clock expired, Bryant, trying to win his first championship without Shaquille O'Neal, looked at Tiger Woods and wiped sweat from his brow in relief. Fisher, who has bailed out the Lakers in plenty of big games before, thrust both arms in the air in triumph.
The Lakers can wrap up their 15th title on Sunday night in Game 5.
Bryant finished with 32 points, eight assists and seven rebounds. Trevor Ariza and Pau Gasol each had 16 for Los Angeles, which came back from a 12-point halftime deficit. Ariza had 13 of the Lakers' 30 points in the third quarter.
The Lakers are 7-0 following a loss in this postseason.
Unless they can force a Game 6, the Magic will remember this as another finals game that got away.
Dwight Howard was magnificent everywhere but at the free-throw line. Orlando's superman of a center had 16 points, 21 rebounds and a finals-record nine blocks. But he made just 6 of 14 foul shots, and it was his two crucial misses with 11.1 seconds to go in regulation that doomed the Magic.
First, Fisher, who has made a career of hitting memorable shots in clutch situations, pulled up and without hesitating dropped a 3-pointer over Orlando's Jameer Nelson with 4.6 seconds left to tie it 87-87. The shot stunned the Magic's maniacal crowd, which was hoping the home team could win its second straight finals game after dropping its first six.
"I was just going to take over and kind of survey the situation but Nelson was giving me a lot of space and I like to step into those 3s," Fisher said. "Even though I wasn't making them, I felt like I could do that. I felt good to help the team that way."
Fisher had missed his first five 3s, but came up with one the little left-hander will cherish forever.
"My teammates and my coaches kept giving me that confidence to continue to believe in myself," Fisher said. "I wanted to come through for the guys."
Just as they did in Game 2, Orlando had one final try, and this time guard Courtney Lee, who misfired on a tougher-than-it-looked layup in that loss, wasn't on the floor. The Magic inbounded the ball to Mickael Pietrus, but his long and contested jumper was off.
Bryant scored two quick baskets in the overtime, and Howard tied it when he split two free throws with 1:27 remaining.
On L.A.'s next trip, Ariza grabbed his own miss to get another 24 seconds and Fisher lined up and drilled his 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 94-91.
As he retreated down court and Orlando called a timeout, the Lakers bench stormed onto the court and surrounded the popular 34-year-old Fisher, who came back to the team after a short stint in Utah.
The Lakers spent the first half in foul trouble, complaining to the officials and generally out of sorts. Ariza was given a technical for slamming the ball to the floor and coach Phil Jackson got T'd up for shouting something from his high chair on L.A.'s bench.
Appearing in their 30th finals, the Lakers acted more like first-time visitors to a city choked with tourists.
"Fakers!" yelled one Magic fan.
"Cry babies!" screamed another.
The Los Angeles players and coaching staff slowly left the floor at halftime facing a 12-point deficit and seemingly in trouble.
They came back a different team.
After going just 1 of 10 on 3-pointers in the opening half, the Lakers made three straight 3s — two by Ariza — to start the second half, and when Bynum made two free throws with 5:58 left in the quarter Los Angeles was up 55-54, its first lead since 8-7.
Odom dropped another 3, Orlando's J.J. Redick matched it and the Lakers forward made a layup to give Los Angeles a 63-61 lead.
On Orlando's next possession, Howard grabbed a rebound just outside the lane that Bryant wanted more. Reaching in, he tore the ball from Superman's powerful grip and then broke free from his Olympic teammate, who grabbed him around the waist.
Bryant, Fisher and the Lakers, shooting for redemption after losing to Boston in last year's finals, wouldn't be denied.
Comeback commandos in these playoffs, the Magic now must put together their biggest rally.
They've been rallying all spring. They twice trailed Philadelphia in the opening round before sending the 76ers off to summer camp. Then, they fell behind Boston 3-2 but stormed back and dethroned the defending champions in a Game 7 on the road.
Given little chance against Cleveland, they toppled King James in six games and wrecked the Kobe-LeBron dream finals.
They didn't come close to matching their record 63 percent shooting effort in Game 3 and now have to hope they can come up with something as remarkable before their act vanishes.
Despite holding a 2-1 series lead, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant acknowledged Wednesday they have some concern heading into tonight's Game 4 against the Orlando Magic.
After surrendering a NBA Finals record 62.5 percent shooting by the Magic in their Game 3 loss, the :Lakers will have to make defensive adjustments. The Lakers have lost their last seven finals road games.
In the Los Angeles Times Mike Bresnahan reports on what the Lakers must do to stop the Magic's hot shooting
Also in the Times, Broderick Turner reports on the problems Lakers assistant Brian Shaw, who is in charge of scouting the Magic, saw after watching the film from Game 3
In the Washington Post, Michael Lee reports on the Magic Coach Stan Van Gundy's successful motivational tactics
In the Orlando Sentinel, columnist Mike Bianchi writes about how it's difficult to figure out the Magic team
Real Madrid had a world record 80 million-pound ($131 million) bid for Cristiano Ronaldo accepted by Manchester United as the Spanish club’s new president stepped up his drive to lure the world’s top players.
United said on its Web site it accepted the unconditional offer for the FIFA 2008 World Player of the Year, and Real Madrid and Ronaldo can start negotiations. The move should be completed by the end of June.
The 24-year-old Ronaldo’s transfer would break the record fee that Real Madrid President Florentino Perez paid in his previous term when he signed Zinedine Zidane for 75.1 million euros ($105 million) in 2001. Two days ago, Perez completed the signing of Kaka from AC Milan for what media reports said was 68 million euros as he began his quest to rebuild a team overshadowed by archrival Barcelona last season.
At Cristiano's request -- who has again expressed his desire to leave -- and after discussion with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player," Manchester United said.
"Matters are expected to be concluded by 30 June."
Madrid confirmed the offer for Ronaldo in a statement, saying: "The club hopes to reach an agreement with the player in the coming days."
The Portugal winger, who joined from Sporting Lisbon in 2003, spent last June pushing for what he called at the time a "dream move" to Madrid.
An unsuccessful complaint about Madrid's pursuit was made to soccer's world governing body FIFA and a move was blocked by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who travelled to Lisbon to persuade his player to stay at Old Trafford.
That didn't stop Ronaldo being linked with Madrid and Ferguson's irritation boiled over in December when he said he "wouldn't sell Madrid a virus," describing the storied club as a "mob."
But now a world-record bid -- even if it means losing those feints, stepovers and thunderous free kicks -- appears too hard to resist for a club whose debts have spiralled to nearly US$1 billion.
Ronaldo, who was under contract to United until 2012, plunged his future into doubt after losing the Champions League final to Barcelona last month, saying he wasn't sure if would stay next season. This was despite having vowed to stay at United in the buildup to the match and even in a broadcast interview conducted with himself.
The return of Florentino Perez as Madrid's president has changed things as the billionaire looks to spend to return the Spanish side to the glory days of its "galactico" era.
Kaka was signed from AC Milan earlier this week for a reported fee of around 65 million euros (C$100.6 million).
But the offer for Ronaldo would eclipse that and the US$65 million (C$71.7 million) it paid to get former France midfielder Zinedine Zidane from Juventus in 2001.
Madrid will hope Ronaldo's arrival could strengthen its position as world football's richest club based on revenue. According to accountancy firm Deloitte, Madrid earned 365.8 million euros (C$565.6 million) compared to second-place United's 324.8 million euros (C$402.2 million).
On the pitch, though, Ronaldo would be joining a club which just had its first trophy-less season in three years, while United won a third straight Premier League title, the Club World Cup, and the Carling Cup.
Ronaldo finished United's top scorer again, despite not matching the 42-goal haul in the 2007-8 campaign when Ferguson's side won the Champions League and the English title.
However, Ronaldo was viewed by some as a divisive influence at United, openly challenging Ferguson's authority.
In the last weeks of the season he angrily swiped at some TV equipment while shaking his head in clear annoyance when substituted against Manchester City. When he missed a shot against Wigan, he answered Ferguson back from the pitch while shrugging his shoulders.
Former United manager Tommy Docherty said Thursday that relations were clearly strained with Ferguson, as they had been with David Beckham before he was allowed to join Madrid in 2003.
"You can't have disharmony," said Docherty, who was manager between 1972 and 1977. "With 80 million, they should cut their hands off with Ronaldo and run and give Real Madrid the problem."
A potential replacement is plying his trade a few kilometres north of Manchester in Wigan: 23-year-old Ecuador winger Antonio Valencia, who has been linked with a move to Old Trafford by British media.
United could also spend part of the windfall on paying the 25.5 million pounds (C$46.3 million) required to turn Carlos Tevez's loan deal, which expires at the end of June, into a permanent contract.
Real Madrid confirmed the signing of Brazil star Kaka on Monday in the first step in club president Florentino Perez' plan to return the Spanish side to the glory days of its "galactico" era
While Real Madrid did not disclose financial details of Kaka's switch from AC Milan, reports say the figure is in the region of $92 million (€65 million), eclipsing the largest previous transfer set by Zinedine Zidane when he joined Madrid from Juventus for €76 million in 2001.
Kaka, 27, training with the national team in Brazil ahead of the next round of World Cup qualifiers, said the finalization of the six-year contract marked the end of a "soap opera" that will usher in a new phase of his career in Spain.
"Now the soap opera is over," Kaka told a media conference after a practice ahead of Wednesday's Brazil-Paraguay qualifier in the northeastern coastal city of Recife. "The only leftover details were the medical exams, and I've done them. The negotiations are closed and I have sealed my transfer to Real Madrid."
ORLANDO — Know this, the NBA is a league of stars.
That is why Chicago won six titles in Michael Jordan's last six full seasons in town. That is why either Shaquille O'Neal or Tim Duncan walked away from the NBA Finals with a ring eight times in a nine-year span.
That is why the league bows to Kobe Bryant, and grovels before LeBron James.
And that is why Orlando is such an easy team to embrace.
The Magic is like a small-college team with a rumpled coach and an antiquated arena, and I mean that in the best way possible. Orlando reminds us what is possible when a group of guys are willing to share both a ball and a dream.
The Magic got back in the NBA Finals Tuesday night with a 108-104 victory in Game 3 against the Lakers that was as impressive as it was historic. After 20 years, one sweep and six consecutive losses, Orlando finally got its first victory in an NBA Finals.
And, best of all, every player on the floor had a part in it.
There are times when we take that for granted in the NBA. When we get caught up in LeBron's hype or Kobe's legacy, and forget that basketball is a game best played by a group that understands harmony.
And so you appreciate Rafer Alston arriving from nowhere to hit 8 of his first 11 shots. You enjoy seeing 6-10 power forward Hedo Turkoglu playing like a point guard with as many assists (seven) as field goals.
And you chuckle knowing LeBron's televised puppet is hiding in some storage bin.
"That's what good smart teams do," Magic coach Stan Van Gundy said. "You space the floor correctly, you make the right decision, you take the shot that's there and you live with it."
Of course, this might all be a fleeting accomplishment. The Magic played about as well as it could play, and still needed the Lakers to stumble in the final minutes to pull out a home victory. The odds for the rest of the series remain slim for Orlando. There is a very real possibility these guys may not win another.
But, for one night at least, the NBA could celebrate collaboration. Unity. Selflessness.
For one night, the best player of the past decade was left looking inadequate.
Bryant appeared unstoppable in the first quarter Tuesday when he scored 17 in barely five minutes. It was as if the game and series were playing out exactly the way the NBA's authors had planned.
But then Bryant went cold, and the Lakers looked lost. Bryant scored a game-high 31, but he missed half of his 10 free-throw attempts, and clanked a handful of shots in the final minutes.
"We're all frail as humans," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said. "Some of us not as much as others."
The Magic led 59-54 at halftime but the score was not as impressive to Van Gundy as the journey. Looking at the stat sheets at intermission, the Magic coach said he was struck by the shot disparity. Bryant had taken 15 of Los Angeles' 41 shots at that point. No player on the Magic had taken more than seven.
"That's the way we have to do it," Van Gundy said. "We have to play as a team."
The remarkable thing is it arrived so suddenly. Sure, the Magic was back home and so you assumed a better show was in order. But this team shot an embarrassing 35.8 percent in two losses in Los Angeles, including 29.8 in Game 1. The guards had been horrible and Dwight Howard had been smothered.
Could Magic players shoot a little better at home? Sure. Could they avoid a boatload of turnovers? Probably.
But its pretty hard to envision an entire team getting as hot as Orlando did for 48 minutes Tuesday night.
When it was over, the Magic had five players with 18 points or more. It had no player taking close to Bryant's 25 field goals. And it shot an NBA Finals record 62.5 percent from the field.
"We've shot 29 percent. Is that the lowest in history," Van Gundy asked. "The second lowest? So we tried. And now 62 percent is the highest. I say this all the time, this is a crazy game, it really is."
Once again, this might not last. Alston pointed out how the Magic shot better than any team in NBA Finals history, and the game was still in doubt until the final seconds.
But, at this point, no one should be shocked when the Magic wins. Orlando has already knocked James out of the playoffs. And on Tuesday night it knocked Bryant on his rear.
In a league of stars, the Magic is an unusual team.
A decision that would play a major role in the course of his life faced Ryan Thornton three years ago. He had two choices, and one was very tempting.
He chose the other one, the course that led him to the UNLV baseball team, and he still feels he chose the right path.
"Sometimes I do think back," Thornton said. "I would be on my fourth year in the minors already."
When his name surfaced in the major league draft in 2006, as a 17th-round pick by Tampa Bay, Thornton was tempted to sign and start his pro career. He eventually turned down a $75,000 offer and committed his future to college.
It's a decision countless young players will consider this week -- go pro early or go to school -- when the draft is held today through Thursday. Thornton's situation is an example of what can be a complex thought process.
He was drafted purely on potential after his freshman year at American River Community College in Sacramento, Calif.
"I was naive in the game, and I was young," he said. "I didn't understand the draft. I didn't know people were getting drafted out of high school. I didn't know too much about the business aspect of it.
"I definitely put a lot of thought into it. But I didn't think I was ready. I hadn't been through any adversity."
Thornton, 6 feet 1 inch and 215 pounds, experienced a growth spurt at UNLV, where he was a part-time starter as a junior and flourished this season as a senior.
As a left fielder and designated hitter for the Rebels, Thornton batted .327 with 10 home runs, 42 RBIs and 13 stolen bases. He tied for the team lead in homers, after hitting only one as a junior.
"At UNLV, I had to deal with failure and just learn the game," he said. "I've matured on and off the field, so I can honestly say I'm ready to go and I'm more prepared."
The baseball draft is a guessing game, especially for college seniors with little bargaining leverage, so Thornton is unsure what to expect. He hopes to get drafted but knows a signing bonus remotely similar to the one he turned down three years ago is unlikely.
The 50-round draft starts today with three rounds and 111 picks. The local player with the best shot to be called is Bishop Gorman High first baseman Jeff Malm.
The draft resumes with the fourth round Wednesday, and the pick marathon runs through Thursday night. When it's done, 15 to 20 Las Vegas-area players are expected to be selected.
Baseball America ranks Durango right-hander Danny Reynolds as one of the draft's top 200 prospects.
The top draftees from the College of Southern Nevada should be left-hander Egan Smith and outfielder Marvin Campbell, a freshman from Las Vegas High.
Potential draft picks from UNLV also include outfielder J.J. Sferra, infielders Jarred Frierson and Anthony Morel and pitchers Marc Baca, Corey Hales, Chad Nading and Jeff Urlaub.
"I feel there's a strong chance I'll get drafted," said Thornton, who recently heard from the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants. "I'm not going to predict anything. I would be happy to go anywhere before the 30th round."
Thornton, from Vallejo, Calif., was a basketball and football star in high school. He was recruited by San Diego and Texas Tech to play basketball, and Boise State offered him a football scholarship. He decided his pro future was more promising in baseball.
"Ryan is obviously tremendously talented," Rebels coach Buddy Gouldsmith said. "I thought he came a long way in a short amount of time. He has a better understanding of the game."
Thornton is two semesters short of earning his degree from UNLV, and regardless of the outcome of the draft, he plans to graduate in December 2010. That's another benefit of the choice he made to turn down Tampa Bay's offer three years ago.
"I'm just looking for an opportunity," he said. "Once I get my foot in the door, I know what to do with it."
Sri Lanka knocked world one-day champions Australia out of the Twenty20 World Cup on Monday with a six wicket victory in their Group C match at Trent Bridge. Scores: Australia 159-9 v Sri Lanka 160-4 (T Dilshan 53, K Sangakkara 55 not out)
Tillakaratne Dilshan scored a superb 53 from 32 balls and captain Kumar Sangakkara an unbeaten 55, while Ajantha Mendis and Lasith Malinga both took three wickets as Sri Lanka booked its place in the Super 8 phase of the tournament. >
"I can't tell you how disappointed I am that we're not through,'' Australian captain Ricky Ponting said.
"And I can't understand why, when everything was going well. I think that's five international Twenty20 games we've lost in a row, but I couldn't have been happier with what we did coming into the tournament.''
They now turn their attention to retaining the Ashes urn in the five-Test series against England starting next month.
"The Aussies now have two weeks to fill before the Ashes tour begins. So throw another shrimp on the barbie, Ricky!" the Sun mocked.
The Daily Express also remarked on how the Australians would spend their time, suggesting a theme park or even the London Eye, saying there was only so much "net practice and thumb-twiddling" a team can do.
The 2009 French Open is aired live from Roland Garros on NBC Sports, ESPN2 and Tennis Channels. Here is the complete TV schedule; all times are Eastern and subject to change. Please verify them with your local television provider.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009 Quarterfinals - Tennis Channel - 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (LIVE) Quarterfinals - ESPN2 - 12:00 PM - 6:30 PM (LIVE and Same-Day)
Wednesday, June 3, 2009 Quarterfinals - Tennis Channel - 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM (LIVE) Men’s Quarterfinals - ESPN2 - 12:00 PM - 6:30 PM (LIVE and Same-Day)
Thursday, June 4, 2009 Men’s Doubles Semifinals - Tennis Channel - 5:00 AM - 8:00 AM (LIVE) Women’s Semifinals - ESPN2 - 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM (LIVE)
Friday, June 5, 2009 Men’s Semifinals - NBC - 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM (all time zones) (Taped)
Saturday, June 6, 2009 Women’s Final - NBC - 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM (LIVE)
Sunday, June 7, 2009 Men’s Final - NBC - 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM (LIVE)
The final score of Maria Sharapova's stunning loss in the French Open quarterfinals yesterday did not look quite as embarrassing as it could have: Her opponent led 6-0, 5-0. That Sharapova saved a match point in the 12th game and wound up delaying her defeat for 15 minutes was of no consolation. All that mattered was that her bid to complete a career Grand Slam this year ended when she was beaten, 6-0, 6-2, by 20th-seeded Dominika Cibulkova.
I don't really care about numbers. It's either a 'W' or an 'L' and I prefer 'W', " said Sharapova, who suffered her most lopsided defeat at a major tournament.
Sharapova had right shoulder surgery in October and had played four three-set matches at Roland Garros in her first major tournament in nearly a year. "You can only ask your body to do so much," she said.
Her absence from the tour dropped her ranking outside the top 100. Still, as a former No. 1 and a three-time major champion, Sharapova was expected to beat Cibulkova, a 20-year-old Slovak who was making her Grand Slam quarterfinal debut.
Now the 5-foot-3-inch Cibulkova - 11 inches shorter than Sharapova - faces the current No. 1, Dinara Safina, who overcame a shaky start to defeat No. 9 Victoria Azarenka, 1-6, 6-4, 6-2.
No. 23 Robin Soderling ran his career-best winning streak to eight matches by handling two-time French Open semifinalist Nikolay Davydenko, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1. Soderling next meets No. 12 Fernando Gonzalez, who also reached his first semifinal here with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-0, 6-4 win over No. 3 Andy Murray.
