SPORTS DIGEST: The balance of power shifted in Ireland's favour yesterday ahead of today's Davis Cup tie against Armenia in Yerevan when the home team's top player, Sargis Sarginian, was ruled out, reports Pat Roche. Sarginian has not yet recovered from hip surgery.

"It's good news for us and very bad news for them," said Ireland's non-playing team captain Peter Wright. Sarginian was Armenia's only world ranked player, hovering around the 70 mark.

Wright said the two remaining difficulties for his side are the slow clay court and altitude. The Ireland squad took the precaution of arriving in Yerevan a week before the tie in order to acclimatise.

John Doran steps out on court first this morning against a wily and seasoned opponent in Tsolak Gevorgyan. Peter Clarke faces the less experienced Haik Hakobyan in the second singles match.

Owen Casey and Doran are set to team up for tomorrow's doubles.

 TENNIS: Boris Becker believes women players at Wimbledon do not deserve equal prize-money with the men because their tournament is too easy.

The men's singles champion at this year's tournament will receive £525,000 and the women's champion £486,000 - a five per cent rise on last year's winnings.

Becker said: "There are not many stars in the women's game. After five minutes you run out of names.

"Their first matches last less than one hour where we obviously play the best of five sets and have to struggle through the first round."

ROWING: Frank Durkin has been confirmed as president of the Irish Amateur Rowing Union, reports Liam Gorman.

The retired surgeon, originally from Rathmines in Dublin but now based in Offaly, was the only candidate for the post at the recent a.g.m., but due to a mistake with the time given for nominations the procedure had to be re-opened. No other candidates came forward.

The executive of the union has decided to appoint a new public relations committee - the spending in the area last year was recorded in the annual accounts as zero.

A sub-committee will also investigate bringing more mentally and physically disabled people into the sport.

CYCLING: For the second year running, two of the Tour de France's most senior figures, the 1998 winner Marco Pantani, and the multiple stage winner Mario Cipollini, will miss the race, which starts in Luxembourg on July 6th.

Neither Pantani's Mercatone Uno team, nor Cipollini's Acqua e Sapone was in the final selection of five teams announced yesterday.

Although the organiser Jean-Marie Leblanc hinted that Pantani and his team may be let in if he performs well in the Giro d'Italia, it could be that the Tour has seen the last of him. The same may be true of Cipollini, who is now 35.

Four of the final five places went to French teams, with the fifth allotted to the Italian Saeco Coffee Machines squad.