What’s happened to American tennis?

Fish is almost certain to be the in-form player among an aging group of injury racked former champions, untested newcomers and under-achievers

MONTREAL: Mardy Fish will never be seen as the saviour of American tennis but the 29-year-old is ready to step up and carry the flag into the US Open later this month if no one else will.
That Fish, the winner of six titles but no grand slams, is the likely standard-bearer for the US at Flushing Meadows as the top ranked American does not say so much about his improved play this season as it does about the decline of the sport in the United States.

McLaren's Hamilton 'can't wait' for restart

Lewis Hamilton clinched the world champion in 2008, in only his second season in Formula One.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Lewis Hamilton "can't wait" for the 2011 Formula One season to resume
• His McLaren team have won the last two rounds of the world championship
• Hamilton is currently third in the drivers' standings, 88 points behind Sebastian Vettel

Formula One's mid-season break may have only just begun, but McLaren's Lewis Hamilton says he "can't wait" for the competition to resume in Belgium later this month.

Gervinho sees red as Gunners draw blank

Newcastle's Joey Barton and Arsenal's new striker Gervinho locked in a tussle which ended in the Ivorian's dismissal.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Arsenal's new signing sent off after altercation with Newcastle's Joey Barton
  
• Liverpool start with 1-1 home draw against Sunderland; Villa draw 0-0 at Fulham
  
• Bolton beat new boys Queens Park Rangers 4-0; Wolves open with win at Blackburn

 New striker Gervinho was sent off on his Premier League debut as Arsenal drew 0-0 against Newcastle United at St James Park in their opening match of the season on Saturday.

England thrash India to reach summit

England's players celebrate at Edgbaston as India are bowled out for 244 in their second innnings.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• England replace India at top of world Test cricket rankings after victory at Edgbaston
  
• Innings and 242-run win means England now have a 3-0 lead in four-match series
  
• India's batsmen offer little resistance on fourth day being bowled out shortly before tea

 England have become the top-ranked nation in Test cricket after crushing India by an innings and 242 runs at the third Test match at Edgbaston on Saturday.

AP Analysis: Stricker on the Mark at PGA(GOLF)

AP golf writer Doug Ferguson breaks down the first round of the PGA Championship, which saw 44-year-old Steve Stricker tie a major championship record with a 63.

Italian club Atalanta hit by six-point deduction

Cristiano Doni, Atalanta's 38-year-old captain, has been hit with a three-and-a-half year ban.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Atalanta hit by six-point deduction after probe into alleged match fixing
• Italian Football Federation also ban club captain Cristiano Doni for three years
• Atalanta say they intend to appeal their points deduction
• A total of 16 clubs and 16 players hit with charges

 Newly-promoted Atalanta will start the Italian Serie A season with a six-point deduction for their part in an alleged match-fixing scandal.

‘Gate of World’ opens tonight at Spring Cocoon

SPRING Cocoon, or Shenzhen Bay Sports Center, will be seen throughout the world when the opening ceremony of the 26th Summer Universiade begins at 8 p.m. tonight.

The two-hour ceremony will include flag raising, the entrance of the athletes, swearing-in by athletes and judges, and cultural performances. The latter could well steal the show.

Chelsea target Luka Modric insists he is ‘still waiting’ outcome of Tottenham future but hopes Robbie Keane remains at club.

Luka Modric has revealed he is still waiting to hear over whether his future lies with Tottenham following months of speculation surrounding a desired move to Chelsea.

The Croatian international has been linked with moves to Chelsea and Manchester United, with the Blues having a bid in the region of £25 million rejected by Spurs.

When asked about his future Modric would not been drawn on the talk but he hoped that a resolution would be quickly found.

'I don't want to talk about that. I said before what I think and that's it,' he told RTE Sport.

'I said a lot of things before and still everything is the same at the moment. I will see, I'm still waiting.'

The midfielder also praised club team-mate Robbie Keane and is hopeful the veteran striker will stay at White Hart Lane despite rumours of him being surplus to requirement in North London.

Speaking after winning his 48th cap in the 0-0 draw in Dublin last night, Modric said: 'Robbie showed that he is a great player. He showed tonight how important he is for Ireland. He is a great lad as well.

'I would like him to stay but I know he wants to play. If that is not possible at Tottenham, he will probably try to find other options but I would like him to stay and to play for us.

'He's a great player, what can I say, I don't know what will happen.
'

Riots prompt Tottenham postponement

Riots, which began in Tottenham, have spread across London and to other cities.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• Tottenham's match with Everton postponed due to recent riots in London
• Area near Tottenham's ground is still sealed off as a crime scene
• Nine other English Premier League fixtures are unaffected
• Rioting that started in London swept across five other English cities

Wasim Akram’s girlfriend heads to B-town

Former Pakistani cricket captain Wasim Akram's girlfriend Humaima Mallick is all set to make her debut in Bollywood.

'I am currently looking at a Bollywood project, with which I will surprise my fans,' confirmed Humaima.

That's not all, her debut Pakistani movie Bol will also release in India on August 31. A model and television actress, Humaima considers the movie as her big ticket to stardom.

Pakistani singer Atif Aslam plays the male lead opposite Humaima in the movie. Bol is directed by Shoaib Mansoor, who had earlier made the critically acclaimed Khuda Ke Liye starring Naseeruddin Shah and Pakistani actors Shaan and Iman Ali
.

Defending champion Murray humbled by Anderson in Montreal

 

Andy Murray tasted defeat in his first outing since losing to Rafael Nadal in the semifinals at Wimbledon in June.

 HIGHLIGHTS

• Andy Murray dumped out of Canadian Masters in Montreal
• Defending champion beaten in just over an hour by Kevin Anderson
• Gilles Simon knocked out by German qualifier Philipp Petzschner

England take control of third test against India

England captain Andrew Strauss scores 52 not out in the third test against India.

HIGHLIGHTS

• England dominate on first day of third test against India
  
• India were bowled out for 224
  
• England put on 84 without loss during the last session to take control
  
• If England win they become the best test side in the world, overtaking India

Germany, Italy win in night of shocks

 

Bastian Schweinsteiger scores the first goal during Germany's 3-2 defeat of Brazil

Germany recorded their first win over Brazil in 18 years in stunning fashion by defeating the five-time world champions 3-2 in Stuttgart.
Following a goalless first half, the match burst into life during the second period when Germany took the lead through a 61st minute Bastian Schweinsteiger penalty, dubiously awarded after Brazilian defender Lucio clipped midfielder Toni Kroos in the box.

Big kick-off: Who will win Europe's top leagues?

Men in charge: Gian Piero Gasperini, Alex Ferguson, Josep Guardiola, Andre Villas-Boas and Jupp Heynckes.

It’s that time of year again! The new football season is upon us and below you will find my predictions on what will happen in Europe’s top four leagues over the next 10 months. One thing is for sure. There should be plenty of dramatic twists and turns in England, Germany, Italy and Spain. So here we go:

These riots are nuts: Rooney

Police arrest a man for looting in Clapham Junction in south London, Monday, Aug. 8, 2011. 

LONDON: English football officials were to meet police here Tuesday amid calls for the international against the Netherlands to be cancelled following a third day of rioting in London.
Fresh violence in the British capital has already led to the postponement of two League Cup matches involving West Ham and Charlton on the advice of police, who will now review arrangements for Wednesday’s friendly at Wembley.

India face another tough task as England eye top spot

The India team warms up during a cricket training session at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

BIRMINGHAM: England head into the third Test against India at Edgbaston here on Wednesday knowing another victory will give then both an unbeatable 3-0 lead in the four-match series and see them replace their opponents at the top of the ICC’s Test Championship table.

India, beset by injuries, have rarely had their best team on the field and came straight into the series on the back of a tour of the Caribbean with just one practice match in English conditions.

Wasim Akram should get his facts right before making statements: Mohsin

I was surprised and disappointed over Wasim’s criticism of the selectors over resting some players: Mohsin Khan.

LAHORE: Chief selector Mohsin Hasan Khan on Tuesday said that former captain Wasim Akram had no business to make half-baked statements about matters like national team selection, and advised him to spare some time to know more about the policies of the selectors instead of criticising them without much sense and knowledge.

Murray to face Anderson

Giant South African too strong for Spaniard

Anderson: Beat Andujar in straight sets

Andy Murray will face Kevin Anderson in the second round of the Rogers Cup after the South African beat Pablo Andujar in straight sets.

The 6ft 8ins Anderson, ranked 35 in the world, needed just over one and a half hours to defeat his opponent 6-4 6-4.
Switzerland's 14th seed Stanislas Wawrinka overcame Argentina's David Nalbandian 6-1 6-4 victory in one hour and nine minutes.
Former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero lost 3-6 6-1 7-5 to Latvian wild card Ernests Gulbis while big-serving Ivo Karlovic was a 6-7 (7-2) 6-3 7-6 (7-5) winner over Juan Monaco.
Other early winners included Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov, who beat wild card Erik Chovojka 6-3 5-7 6-4, plus Alex Bogomolov Jr, Thomaz Bellucci and Ivan Dodig.

Wasim ‘puzzled’ by Pakistan selection

Wahab Riaz and Umar Gul (pictured) have been rested for Pakistan's tour to Zimbabwe. 

KARACHI: Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram said on Monday he was surprised over the decision to exclude pacemen Wahab Riaz and Umar Gul from the forthcoming Zimbabwe tour, saying it would hamper their progress.
Riaz and Gul were surprisingly rested while Tanveer Ahmed dropped for the tour which includes one Test, three one-day internationals and two Twenty20 matches, starting later this month.
The 15-man tour party includes four inexperienced pacemen in Sohail Tanveer, Sohail Khan, Aizaz Cheema and Junaid Khan – a strategy Wasim fears may backfire on Pakistan.

Madrid signs 7-year-old Argentine prospect Leo

Leonel Angel Coira posses for a picture at the Real Madrid's club in Madrid, Spain.—AP

MADRID: He has a contract with one of football’s biggest clubs and the same long, floppy hair and nickname Leo of his idol, Lionel Messi.
It may take awhile, however, before Leonel Angel Coira can match the wondrous Messi: He is 7 years old.
Real Madrid said Monday it signed the Argentine prodigy to its youth academy after seeing him in tryouts. He will start training with Madrid’s youth team Sept 6.

London violence raises 2012 Olympic concerns

Firefighters tackle a blaze at a store attacked by rioters in Croydon, London.

LONDON: Less than a year before London hosts the 2012 Games, scenes
of rioting and looting a few miles (kilometers) from the main Olympic
site have raised concerns about security and policing for the event.

Images of buildings and vehicles in flames broadcast around the world are also poor publicity for the capital as it prepares to stage the games for a third time.
The unrest, which started Saturday night in the Tottenham area of north London after a police

Anderson expects India backlash

England seamer wary of wounded tourists

Anderson: Prepared for India response

Pace bowler James Anderson insists England will be taking nothing for granted when the third Test gets under way on Wednesday.

"It's their number one spot that they are defending so they have got a lot to play for."
James Anderson Quotes of the week

England wait on Moody

Medical team to assess captain at Pennyhill Park

Moody is helped from the field at Twickenham

England will assess Lewis Moody's injury on Monday amid fears he could miss the forthcoming Rugby World Cup.

Moody limped out of England's 23-19 victory over Wales on Saturday with what he hopes is just a "tweak" of his right knee.

Hard graft proves rewarding for Sania Mirza

Sania Mirza reached a career-high of 27 in the singles rankings in August 2007 but then injury struck and she drifted out of the top 15.

SAN DIEGO: Having been troubled by career-threatening wrist problems for four years, Indian number one Sania Mirza has no interest in wasting another second.
The 24-year-old has rarely missed a tournament this year as she claws her way back up the rankings after finally overcoming the right wrist problem that first surfaced in 2007.

Dravid to quit ODIs

Veteran right-hander to call time on limited overs career

Dravid: will retire from limited overs cricket after the series with England

Veteran India right-hander Rahul Dravid has announced he will retire from limited overs internationals after the upcoming series against England.

Young United silence neighbours with trademark fightback

“We never know when a game is finished. Of course they are going to try and fight us for the title. They scored two goals from nowhere but we showed character to win the game.” 

LONDON: Manchester United produced a trademark fightback and last-gasp
winner to beat Manchester City 3-2 in the Community Shield season
curtain-raiser at Wembley on Sunday.

Dilshan hits ton in Sri Lanka victory

Steve O'Keefe (R) gets dismissed by Suranga Lakmal in Pallekelle.

PALLEKELE, Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan hammered a maiden Twenty20 century to set up Sri Lanka’s 35-run victory over Australia in the opening match on Saturday.
The captain made a 57-ball 104 not out, smashing five sixes and 12 fours in a superb display of hard and clean hitting to help his team post a challenging 198-3 in the day-night match at the Pallekele International Stadium.
Australia were restricted to 163-8, with opener David Warner top-scoring with a 31-ball 53 with the help of two sixes and six fours.

Romeu holds Barca return wish

But new-boy first wants to achieve success at Stamford Bridge

 

Romeu: Wants to prove a success at Stamford Bridge

Oriol Romeu has targeted success at Chelsea, but would also like to return to Barcelona in the future.

The 19-year-old defensive midfielder this week joined the Blues on a four-year contract and will link up with Andre Villas-Boas' men at the end of Spain's Under-20 World Cup campaign in Colombia.
Barca confirmed Chelsea had paid €5million (£4.35m) for Romeu, with the deal including a buy-back clause of €10m after one year and €15m after two.
Regarding the possibility of one day returning to the Nou Camp, Romeu said: "You never know what can happen in the future. I will always support Barca and hopefully someday I can return there.
"But, right now, what I want is to succeed at Chelsea and be well there."
Romeu, who made his first-team debut for Barca at the end of last season before being deemed surplus to requirements by coach Pep Guardiola, will help fill the void at Chelsea left by the injured Michael Essien, who is set to be sidelined for six months.
The 6ft Romeu will also provide competition for midfield anchorman John Obi Mikel, while he can also play at centre-half.
Romeu is hoping to learn a lot at Stamford Bridge, adding in quotes reported by the Spanish press: "They (Chelsea) have players of enormous quality. The coach is also of a very high level and what I want to do is continue improving as a player there."

Blues agree Lukaku deal

Lukaku: Deal agreed for Chelsea transfer and he will now undergo a medical

Anderlecht have announced that they have reached an agreement with Chelsea for the sale of highly-rated Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku.

The Blues have been tracking the 18-year-old, who has already been capped at senior international level, for some time.
Negotiations between the clubs have been ongoing and they have now agreed a fee, with Lukaku set to travel to London in the next few days to discuss personal terms and undergo a medical.
Anderlecht confirmed the news on their official website and admitted that while they were sad to see him go, it was a good deal for both the player and themselves.
"RSC Anderlecht and Chelsea have reached an agreement regarding the transfer of Romelu Lukaku," read teh statement.