No2 Safina awaits seed-slayer Baltacha January 20, 2010 BRITISH women’s No1 Elena Baltacha is confident of causing another upset after setting up an Australian Open third-round clash with world No2 Dinara Safina. World No83 Baltacha equalled her best ever performance at a Grand Slam by pulling off a shock triumph over 30th seed Kateryna Bondarenko in the second round in Melbourne. The 26-year-old’s [...]
Venter escapes matchday ban after referee apology January 20, 2010 SARACENS director of rugby Brendan Venter last night escaped a match-day coaching ban after making a public apology to Premiership referee David Rose for his comments after the recent match with Leicester. Venter was found guilty of misconduct by a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel after questioning the integrity of Rose following his side’s 22-15 [...]
FOOTBALL | IN BRIEF January 20, 2010 Mutu linked with Man City MANCHESTER City boss Roberto Mancini wants ex-Chelsea forward Adrian Mutu to join his Eastlands revolution, according to his agent. The Romanian, sacked by the Blues in 2004 after testing positive for cocaine, is unsettled at Fiorentina. “Mancini strongly wants him at Man City and said that he would be ideal [...]
Rape quiz for Huddersfield Giants players January 20, 2010 SIX Huddersfield Giants players were yesterday bailed after being quizzed over allegations a 22-year-old woman was raped at their hotel in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The Super League stars were staying at the Gosforth Marriott Hotel in Newcastle as part of their squad’s pre-season tour. Giants managing director Richard Thewlis said: “The club [...]
SPORT | IN BRIEF January 20, 2010 Khan lined up for US title bout BOXING: WBA lightweight champion Amir Khan is being lined up to make his debut in the United States in April. The Bolton fighter is said to be in “tentative agreement” to defend his title against Argentine Marcos Maidana in Las Vegas. The contest could be on the undercard of [...]
Tevez strikes haunt United January 19, 2010 MANCHESTER CITY (2) vs MANCHESTER UTD (1) CARLOS TEVEZ returned to haunt his former Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson and take City a step closer to a first major Wembley final in 29 years. Tevez played the starring role in a pulsating derby encounter, scoring twice as City came from behind to take a [...]
Sullivan and Gold vow to nail Hammers’ £110m debt pile January 19, 2010 WEST HAM’S new owners David Sullivan and David Gold have pledged to drag the Hammers out of the financial mire after laying bare the full extent of the club’s crippling £110m mountainof debt. Former Birmingham City owners Sullivan and Gold yesterday took charge of the East End outfit they grew up supporting after acquiring a [...]
Wenger denies any interest in Mandzukic January 19, 2010 ARSENE WENGER has dismissed speculation he is chasing Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic. The Gunners boss admits he is in the market for a new front man with ankle victim Robin van Persie not expected to play again this season and Nicklas Bendtner out since the end of October. Mandzukic, 23, has shot to prominence at [...]
Redknapp ponders van Nistelrooy bid January 19, 2010 TOTTENHAM boss Harry Redknapp admits he is interested in signing striker Ruud van Nistelrooy on loan. The former Manchester United hitman, 33, has been linked with a return to the Premier League after falling out of favour at Real Madrid. But while Redknapp heads the queue for the free-scoring Dutchman, the deal would only hinge [...]
Portsmouth suffer High Court defeat January 19, 2010 PORTSMOUTH’S battle to avoid administration suffered another blow yesterday when they lost their High Court bid to have a winding-up order struck out. Pompey failed to convince Mr Justice Newey that Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs had overcalculated the VAT portion of their mammoth tax bill by £7.5m. The Premier League’s bottom club hinted last [...]