A round-up of today's other stories in brief

Williams looking forward to returning to action

TENNIS: Wimbledon champion Serena Williams says a return to the sport is driving her recovery from a blood clot on the lung.

“I love tennis and now more than anything I have so much to look forward to just playing,” she said.

The 29-year-old added that emergency surgery for the pulmonary embolism was the “scariest moment in my life”.

Williams said she had several more blood clots on her lungs and is injected herself twice a day with blood-thinning medication.

The American believes she may be able to make a return in “early summer” as she waits for the remaining clots to dissolve.

Williams said swelling on her leg was the first sign that she may be suffering from an embolism. “I could not breathe. I remember thinking, I’m walking but I cannot breathe. That forced me to the emergency room,” she added.

“Luckily enough, I was able to catch it soon enough that my career won’t be affected. I really just want to come back and do well.”

Joyce faces Valentino in Istanbul

BOXING: Dominico Valentino, the current AIBA World lightweight champion, will be wary of the ides of March when he meets Ireland’s David Oliver Joyce in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) tomorrow night, writes Bernard O’Neill.

Valentino, who boxes for Milano Thunder (Milan) in the WSB, will face Joyce, who is signed with Istanbul, over five rounds in the WSB European group in Istanbul. Joyce, who boxes out of the St Michael’s, Athy, club, beat the Italian 8-4 in an Ireland versus Italy international in March 2010.Meanwhile, Joyce’s Irish team-mate Tommy McCarthy will line out for Milano Thunder against Istanbul’s German heavyweight Enrico Kolling on the night.

Friday’s clash is crucial for the Italians. If they lose and John Joe Nevin’s Paris United beat Moscow’s Kremlin Bears on the same night then the Parisians will qualify for the semi-finals.

Liuzzi gets last spot on the grid

FORMULA ONE: Strugglers Hispania (HRT) have signed Italian Vitantonio Liuzzi (29) to fill the last remaining vacancy on the grid for the new season, the team said yesterday. Liuzzi, who lost his place at Force India to Britain’s Paul di Resta in January, said he was always hopeful of a seat for the new season which now starts in Melbourne on March 27th after the Bahrain Grand Prix was called off. I never lost hope to be in Formula One.” he said.

Roche up to 17th in Paris-Nice

CYCLING: With the race heading towards the mountains, Nicolas Roche moved up to 17th from 21st on yesterday’s fourth stage of Paris-Nice, writes Shane Stokes.

The 26-year-old Irishman finished in the main bunch, crossing the line 13 seconds behind a four-man breakaway which was led home by the French national champion Thomas Voeckler.

Previous race leader Thomas De Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM Pro Cycling Team) was also in the quartet, and earned enough time to recapture the yellow jersey from Tuesday’s winner Matt Goss (HTC Highroad).

Roche was 21st in the sprint to the line. He moves up four places in the general classification and is now 37 seconds off yellow.

Today’s stage is a mountainous 193 kilometres to Vernoux-en-Vivarais.

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TENNIS: Ireland will have home advantage against Tunisia in the Davis Cup relegation battle in July. A further boost for Ireland is that Louk Sorensen, who has been sidelined with injury, will be available.

Wesley too strong for Kilkenny

HOCKEY: Wesley proved too strong for Kilkenny in the junior schoolboy’s cup final as they claimed the third title in four years at this level at Belfield yesterday. The cats initially proved tough to break down but two goals in 45 seconds – from captain Jonathan Roberts and Kirk Shimmins – broke their will. Ian Stuart got the first of his four goals before half-time and, while Jeremy Duncan pulled one back with a cracking reverse, Wesley’s centre forward banged three more to complete a one-sided win.

WESLEY: A Browne, J Dalrymple, D Shirley, A Oglesby, D Winn, F Huggard, K Shimmins, L Madeley, J Roberts, I Stewart, B Chadwick, N Pelow, J O’Donovan, S Dagg, R Shaw, A Blennerhassett.

KILKENNY: M Murenzi, J Glass, J Duncan, J Sherman, J Ludwig, N Dool, S Morrow, J Greene, B Deverell, J Gibney, B McDowell, S Grace, C Edwards, D McClure, R Woodbyrne, S Zur.

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Sutton Park won the Leinster Schoolboy’s Senior Trophy final yesterday when they beat St Columba’s 3-2 at Belfield.