TENNIS: Roger Federer's dreams of winning his first Rome Masters title ended when he was beaten 6-2 6-4 by Italian wild card Filippo Volandri in the last 16 yesterday.
The world number one, who finished runner-up in Rome in 2003 and 2006, never found his rhythm against Volandri, dropping serve three times on the way to surrendering the first set. He rallied briefly at the start of the second set, but four unforced errors in the third game allowed Volandri to grab another break and serve out for the match.
Federer's defeat means he has gone four tournaments without a title - his longest stretch - since becoming world number one in February 2004.n TENNIS: Ireland easily came through the second match of their EuropeAfrica Zone Group A Davis Cup match against Moldova in the Smash Academy in Cairo yesterday, reports Johnny Watterson. Having beaten Lithuania 2-1 in their opening game, the 3-0 result yesterday leaves them with a final group game today against Bosnia/Herzegovina to top the group.
Seeking promotion to Group Two for next year's competition, the Irish number one Conor Niland opened the match with an easy 6-0 6-0 win against 1,386-ranked Radu Albot. That was quickly followed by Louk Sorensen's 6-2 6-3 win. John McGahon and Kevin Sorensen won the doubles 6-3 6-1.
EQUESTRIAN: Team Ireland's bid for promotion back into the Samsung Super League starts in earnest this afternoon on two fronts, writes Grania Willis.
Shane Carey, Cian O'Connor, Jessica Kürten and Cameron Hanley will be flying the flag at the Danish Nations Cup in Copenhagen, while Shane Breen, Conor Swail, Ryan Crumley and Comdt Gerry Mullins go in the Austrian fixture in Linz.
Cian O'Connor got the Danish campaign off to a sizzling start by winning the opening class yesterday from a field of 58 starters.
DANISH NATIONS CUP (at Copenhagen - Chas Otzen Cup (speed): 1, Ireland's Connahy Clover (Cian O'Connor), 59.75 seconds; 2, Netherlands' Ken Tucky (Maikel van der Vleuten), 62.35; 3, Sweden's Wungaro (Peder Fredricson), 65.09.
