SPORTS/Digest: Martina Navratilova's return to singles action after eight years in retirement came to an end in the second round at the Eastbourne International Championships yesterday. Appropriately the 45-year-old went out 2-6 6-2 6-2 to a player to whom she is a mentor - Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova - and while she enjoyed her comeback, Navratilova said she has no plans to return to the WTA circuit.
"I have a great life. I've had my run," said the 11-times winner at Eastbourne. "Of course I'm doing this for fun. I played some good tennis. I think the people enjoyed it, they appreciated the good effort."
Navratilova had beaten Tatiana Panova on Tuesday to win the first singles match she had played since 1994 and started in the same vein yesterday.
She won the first four games of the match, breaking the Hantuchova twice and raising hopes of a place in the third round of the $585,000 grasscourt championships. But the 19-year-old third seed came back fighting and won four straight games in the second set to propel her victory.
TENNIS: Greg Rusedski yesterday attempted to let his tennis do the talking after blasting into the quarter-finals of the Nottingham Open tournament.
Rusedski declined to comment directly on allegations made by Pat Cash in his autobiography which were serialised in a British newspaper.
The former Wimbledon champion alleged Rusedski owes him money from a six-month coaching spell which Cash claims saved the Briton's career, and also claimed he had to listen to regular "diatribes" from Rusedski about his "festering resentment" towards Tim Henman.
"I would be very proud as a British player if Tim and I were to hold up the Davis Cup. It's a team event, as a team we stand."
Rusedski had earlier needed just 49 minutes to beat Adrian Voinea of Romania 6-3 6-2 and book his place in the last eight.
ATHLETICS: There have been several last-minute cry-offs from the Irish team for the European Cup in Tallinn, Estonia. Ciaran McDonagh has pulled out of the long jump due to illness and will be replaced by Gareth Devlin.
Northern Ireland shot putt record holder Iain McMullan is out of the team because of work commitments. Irish Schools' Champion Eoin Leen takes McMullan's place in the shot putt.
Injury also means that James Nolan (1,500m) is to be replaced by the in-form Colm McLean who ran 3.41 at the weekend and Alison Moffit's place in the javelin goes to Jennifer O'Sullivan. Ireland are targeting promotion of the men's and women's team this weekend.
SWIMMING: Lee Kelleher was beaten into second place by top Scots butterfly specialist Kerry Martin at the Scottish Open national Championships in Glasgow. Martin clocked 28.21seconds to Kelleher's 29.11. Another head-to-head is in prospect in the 100 metres freestyle. The Irish woman was fastest in the heats with 59.86 seconds but Martin - second fastest with 60.53 - went on to top the semi-final listings with 57.90.
CRICKET: Alistair Brown smashed 268 for Surrey against Glamorgan in the fourth round of the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy at The Oval yesterday. Brown's innings was the highest in the history of limited-overs games as he cracked 12 sixes and 30 fours in just 160 balls in the fourth-round tie.
