A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Impressive Nadal cruises to victory in Japan open
TENNIS: World number one Rafa Nadal overpowered Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-1 7-5 to win the Japan Open yesterday to cap a week of “Nadal Fever” in Tokyo.
The Spaniard bounced on to the court like a prizefighter before the final and quickly had fifth seed Monfils on the ropes with some brutal hitting from the baseline.
Nadal clinched the first set with a ferocious forehand down the line but Monfils, who survived a fright when he took an early tumble and turned his ankle, raised his game in the second.
Luck deserted him in the 11th game, however, a net cord giving Nadal break point and he nosed ahead 6-5 when a sliced return floated past Monfils and landed flush on the line. Nadal delivered the knock-out punch in the next game, a big serve to the body ending the match and giving this year’s triple grand slam champion his seventh title of the year. In Shanghai the men’s and women’s singles finals in the China Open were deferred due to rain.
Tendulkar sets new run record
CRICKET: Sachin Tendulkar said “using his body cleverly” had helped him become the first man to score 14,000 Test runs yesterday.
The 37-year-old Indian right-hander backed away to cut Australia off spinner Nathan Hauritz crisply to the boundary, taking him to the milestone in his 171st Test and triggering euphoria in the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. India were 128 for two at the close chasing Australia’s 478 with Tendulkar 44 not out.
Williams postpones her comeback
TENNIS: Serena Williams has postponed her comeback after failing to shake off a foot injury.
The American has not played since winning Wimbledon in July after cutting her foot in a restaurant but has trained in recent weeks with a view to playing in the Generali Ladies Linz event in Austria next week. But at a final training session in Florida yesterday she felt the injury once again and pulled out.
Tournament organisers said in a statement yesterday: “It was discovered that the tendon injury which has affected her after her Wimbledon victory is still not completely healed and Williams must therefore withdraw.”
Williams will lose her world number one spot when the latest WTA rankings are published tomorrow, after 20-year-old Dane Caroline Wozniacki secured top spot by reaching the quarter-finals at the Beijing tournament.
All clear as Le Jeune takes gold
EQUESTRIAN SPORT: Belgium’s Philippe Le Jeune won gold in the show jumping championships of the World Equestrian Games in the Kentucky Horse Park, Lexington on Saturday night when returning a zero score on all four horses in the finale, writes Margie McLoone.
The silver went to the surprise package of the competition, Saudi Arabia’s Abdullah Al Sharbatly, with the reigning Olympic champion Eric Lamaze from Canada taking bronze. The Canadian’s mount Hickstead went clear under the four riders, the quartet being rounded up by former world champion Rodrigo Pessoa of Brazil.
Billy Twomey’s ambition of going through to the final leg were dashed on Saturday night when Tinka’s Serenade lowered two fences in the first round of the Grand Prix. Only five combinations went clear over Conrad Homfeld’s opening 12-fence track but his second round course produced a dozen clears including one from Twomey.
Killester show their experience
BASKETBALL: Killester escaped with maximum points against old rivals DCU Saints, courtesy of a slender 79-74 success in the latest series of Men’s SuperLeague fixtures.
Killester held their nerve in the closing stages with points from the returning Kieran O’Brien, Paddy Kelly and Isaac Westbrooks ensuring they avoided a surprise loss.
UCD Marian earned their first win of the season after claiming a rare 96-91 success over Cork giants UCC Demons. A tight contest was settled in the closing stages courtesy of three-pointers from Conor Meaney and Michael Higgins.
Yesterday, Ulster Elks produced an excellent display to see off Bord Gáis Neptune 95-79 and claim their first win of the season.
Ireland international Kevin Foley proved the difference between the sides with a high scoring 35 point personal performance. On Friday, Neptune inflicted an 85-76 defeat on Moycullen after withstanding a late comeback from the Westerners inspired by Stephen Tummon.
