Tuesday 3rd March, 2009 13

Delray Beach International Tennis Championships Three out of Australia team Fish beats for Kuwait CANBERRA, Australia along with Indonesia, (AP) - Three football players Kuwait and Oman. The top who took part in Saturday’s two teams from each group A-League grand final have of the qualification stage withdrawn with injuries will progress to the Asian from Australia’s squad to Cup 2011 to be held in Qatar. Russian play Kuwait in an Asian Australia drew its first Cup qualifying match match 0-0 away to Indonesia. Thursday. Australia squad to Danny Allsopp (facial play Kuwait: Fabian injury), Billy Celeski (hip) Barbiero, Shannon Cole, and (foot) Robert Cornthwaite, Tarek qualifier to were deemed unfit after a Elrich, , routine medical assessment , Ben Monday. No replacements Kantarovski, Matthew were named. McKay, Craig Moore, Daniel Allsopp and Celeski play Mullen, Mitch Nichols, Tom for the Melbourne Victory, Pondeljak, Paul Reid, Matt which beat Jamieson’s Simon, Michael Theoklitos, win title Adelaide United 1-0 in the , Matthew domestic final. Thompson, Nikolai Topor- DELRAY BEACH, Florida (AP) - I’m a better Australia is drawn in Stanley, Rodrigo Vargas, America’s Mardy Fish became the player than Group B of the AFC Asian Danny Vukovic, Michael first top seed in the 17-year history three titles, but Cup 2011 qualification stage Zullo. of the Delray Beach International it is what it is. Tennis Championships to win the Korolev, who title, beating Russian qualifier initially held a 5-3 Evgeny Korolev 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday. lead in the match, Fish endured a wind and a rain said Fish was too delay of about an hour, then con- strong and too experi- verted his fifth match point to earn enced for him to con- his third career tournament cham- tend with during the Mardy Fish holds the trophy after defeating Evgeny Korolev, of Russia, 7-5, 6-3 in the finals of pionship. final. the International Tennis Championships in Delray Beach, Fla., Sunday, March 1, 2009. (AP “Today was one of those match- He dedicated his week- Photo/Lynne Sladky) es where you just want to get off long success to his the court with a win,” Fish said. “It deceased nephew, Andy, was like I don’t care what the score the son of his brother and physio- When the players returned to n’t hold on to his advantage and lost is, I don’t care what it looks like, I therapist, Alexey. the court after the rain delay at 1-1 the next four games to drop the first just want to get off this court with a “When he passed away I prom- in the first set, the power hitting set. win.” ised myself when I reached a final Korolev pulled ahead to a 5-3 lead. In the second set, Fish immedi- Heading into the match, Fish or win a tournament I dedicate it to “I’m the No. 1 seed, it started out ately broke out to a 3-0 lead and held had won the 2003 Stockholm and him,” said Korolev, close to tears. rough in the first set and it starts on to the service break throughout 2006 Houston tournaments. He lost “All my wins go out to him. It’s very creeping in your mind, am I going the remainder of the match. in the San Jose, California final ear- emotional. He was two-and-a-half to break this thing or what?” said Fish failed to close out the lier this month. weeks old. I learned a couple of Fish of the 17-year curse of top match in his first four match points “It’s been well chronicled that things from him; that you have to seeds not winning it all at Delray - two on Korolev’s serve in the I’ve had a lot of losses in finals,” fight and how to appreciate every Beach. eighth game and two on his own Fish said. “I’d certainly like to feel day that I’ve lived.” As it turned out, Korolev could- serve in the final game.

Gangoda Davis Cup 2009 Trials spearheads Rajapakse in cracking start Trinity batting by Revata S. Silva Lankan at present to hold an ATP Vasantha Wijesekara who held the professional tennis rank (846 as on two posts respectively last year. by Rukshan Razak Twenty-eight year-old Rajeev Oct. 27, 2008) has been considered an Sri Lanka will play alongside Rajapakse, a veteran with over eight automatic entry into this year’s Iran, Lebanon, Pacific Oceania, Dilan Gangoda helped Trinity Davis Cup campaigns behind him, Davis Cup, according to a statement Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Syria and College, Kandy, set a modest target began this year’s trials for the mega notified by the SLTA on Feb. 23. The Tajikistan this April in Davis Cup against President’s College, Kotte, event in a cracking way ousting four players, Atukorale, Asia-Oceania Zone Group-III. She in their Inter-school cricket debutant Amresh Jayawickrema, 17, Jayawickrema, Siyaguna and has not earned a qualification to encounter that commenced at 6-0, 6-0 on Monday (2) at the Sri Lanka Weerasekera, hold top local men’s Group-II so far in her zone since 1999. Asgiriya Int’l Stadium in Kandy on Tennis Association (SLTA) hard ranks at present while Rajapakse will As a tradition, a tie played against Monday (2). courts in Colombo. That was on the be considered for playing in doubles each country in Davis Cup contains Trinity after winning the toss opening day of trials for five top play- rubbers in this year’s campaign two singles rubbers and a doubles. posted an impressive total of 298 ers aiming at participating in this depending on the results of the ongo- for nine declared in 64 overs. year’s Davis Cup to be held next April ing trails, the SLTA sources said. Out Trials Schedule - Gangoda spearheaded with an in Aleppo, Syria. of the five players participating in March 3 (Tue): unbeaten 117 off 126 balls inclusive In the other trials held last after- the trials, three will be picked to join G. Weerasekera vs R. Rajapakse of 14 boundaries. noon, former Sri Lanka rep Sankha Godamanna in the final four-member M. Siyaguna vs A. Jayawickrema The opener, Kithmal Atukorale, 21, beat Michael team. March 4 (Wed): Wimalaweera, with a well-made 32, Siyaguna, 18, 6-3, 7-5. Siyaguna who The trials will be supervised by A. Jayawickrema vs S. Atukorale together with skipper Rushan featured in last year’s trials too ended two members of the present nine- March 5 (Thu): Jaleel (28), Keheliya Atugoda (29) his junior tennis career last Dec. with member Interim Committee of the G. Weerasekera vs A. and Dinuk Weeraratne, who struck an ITF junior rank of 531. The other SLTA, P. S. Kumara and Asiri Jayawickrema a quick fire 23, chipped in for player featuring in this year’s trials Iddamalgoda. Last month, R. Rajapakse vs S. Atukorale Trinity. will be Guyanga Weerasekera, 18, Iddamalgoda, a two-time Davis Cup Mach 6 (Fri): The off spinners, Maduka who is fresh from his singles title win rep for SL (both in 1999 and 2000) was G. Weerasekera vs S. Atukorale Liyanapathirana and Viraj at the ITF junior int’l tournament appointed as this year’s Davis Cup March 7 (Sat): Chanka took five wickets for 122 ended last week in Colombo. Non-Playing Captain-cum-Manager G. Weerasekera vs M. Siyaguna runs and two wickets for 52 runs Harshana Godamanna, the only in place of Rohan de Silva and R. Rajapakse vs M. Siyaguna. respectively. In reply, President’s were at 65 for six amid a stiff spin attack set by both Rushan Jaleel (4 for 32) and Isinbayeva sets 2013 retirement; signs new deal Akila Jaysundara (2 for 4). Scores: BEIJING (AP) - Yelena Isinbayeva said she expects to Trinity College 298 for 9 decl. Isinbayeva, the two-time Olympic push the record much higher in in 64 overs; (K. Wimalaweera 32, pole vault champion and world the five years leading up to her Niroshan Dikwella 16, D. record-holder, plans to compete retirement. Weeraratne 23, R. Jaleel 28, K. for five more years before retir- “I think it’s possible to jump Atugoda 29, D. Gangoda 117 n.o.; M. ing in 2013. 5.20 and even 5.30. It all depends Liyanapathirana 5-122, V. Chanaka The Russian spelled out her on my health, my personal condi- 2-52) intentions Monday after signing a tion,” she said. “Of course, I President’s College 65 for 6 in long-term, multi-million-dollar can’t know if I will achieve it or 21.3 overs; (Sagara Vimukthi 20; R. sponsorship deal with Chinese not.” Jaleel 4-32, A. Jayasundara 2-4). sportswear manufacturer Li Isinbayeva signed with Li Ning. Terms were not disclosed, Ning after her contract expired but her agent Daniel Wessfeldt at the end of 2008 with Adidas. England trains said it was worth “a couple of Wessfeldt said Li Ning pursued million” a year. her aggressively and hopes to with first 15 “I will be old then,” the 26- capitalize on her popularity in year-old Isinbayeva said of 2013. Asia. LONDON (AP) - England looks She said she chose 2013 “It was not only the money likely to field an unchanged team because it is the year Moscow issue; it was more that you feel against France in the Six Nations will hold the world athletics you have so much behind you - next week if winger Paul Sackey championships. She said she enthusiasm, a team for develop- recovers from an injury to his left expects to compete at this sum- ing new shoes and being involved calf. England allowed 17 players to mer’s world championships in in the process,” he said. “And leave its squad Monday and link up Berlin and the 2012 London there is no reason to change if it with their clubs because there are no Olympics. is not a better deal on the ground international matches this weekend. Isinbayeva, 26, has broken the as well.” Team manager Martin Johnson world indoor and outdoor pole Wessfeldt said the deal with kept hold of the 15 who started vault record 26 times. She set the the Chinese company also opened Saturday’s 14-13 loss at Ireland, sug- outdoor mark of 5.05 metres at the door for contracts with other gesting that he wants to work with last year’s Beijing Olympics. Last China-based companies. them as much as possible with a month, she raised the indoor “This would not happen in view to giving them another chance mark to 5.00 at a meet in Donetsk, Germany (with Adidas) or in the at Twickenham on March 15. Ukraine. Yelena Isinbayeva States if it was Nike,” he said.