14 Tuesday 2nd March, 2010 Federer backing Rooney strikes in for repentant golfer after Man United win apology annoyance. by Telegraph staff But former Leeds midfielder James Milner ensured Vidic was Roger Federer has pledged suitably punished by sending unflinching support to embattled goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak the fellow world No 1 Tiger Woods wrong way to put Villa ahead. and believes “the worst has United responded well and passed” for the golfer. Owen won a free-kick in a dan- Woods last week fought back gerous position when he was tears as he issued a full and hacked down by James Collins frank apology for cheating on his on the edge of the Villa penalty wife but stopped short of area. announcing when he will return Nothing came from the set- to golf. piece, but former England strik- er Owen made his mark three “Tiger is a good friend of minutes later by scoring mine,” tennis No 1 Federer said United’s equaliser. in The Gulf News. Having caught Richard “What’s happened to him has Dunne in possession, Dimitar been hard to watch over the last Berbatov raced clear before three months right down to when pulling back for Owen to stroke he made his apology. I am sure a right-foot shot past Brad he’s headed in a better direction Friedel from 15 yards. now. The worst has passed. In front of the watching “I hope that he can also work Fabio Capello, it must have been things out with his wife Elin a sweet moment for the England because they are very nice peo- outcast. But just as things were look- ple - obviously for the sake of ing up for the 30-year-old, it all their kids as well.” came crashing down on 40 min- Federer has not spoken to utes when a hamstring injury Woods since the November car led to him being replaced by crash which preceded the revela- Rooney. tions about his private life, but Moments after Rooney’s insists they remain friends. introduction, United almost “I have supported him, but I took the lead when, after haven’t had any contact with Antonio Valencia had embar- him,” added the Swiss, who was Manchester United's Wayne Rooney lifts up the trophy after defeating Aston Villa in their League Cup final soccer match at Wembley Stadium, rassed Stephen Warnock, Ji- forced to withdraw from this Sung Park sent a right-foot shot London, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010. (AP Photo/Jon Super) week’s Dubai Tennis against the post. ayne Rooney made it 20 on as a 41st substitute in place since the anti-Glazer movement man crusade against the holders United continued to carry Championship due to a lung goals in 20 games as of the injured Owen, sealed vic- gathered pace in the wake of by winning a fourth minute the greater threat in the second- infection. WManchester United tory for the Premier League January’s £500m bond issue. penalty for Martin O’Neill’s half and Friedel was forced to “He has been where he knows defeated Aston Villa and champions. As expected, Ferguson rested team. dive full-length to keep out he has been (in therapy) but my retained the Carling Cup in With thousands of United Rooney in favour of Owen, but Agbonlahor’s pace caught Michael Carrick’s 20-yard strike. support does not change. I wish front of the Glazer family at supporters were green-and-gold United were hardly under- Nemanja Vidic on his heels and But aside from a Vidic head- him the best. Wembley. scarves in protest against the strength against opponents who the England forward turned the er that bounced off the United “It’s been hard to watch from James Milner’s fourth- Glazers, the club’s owners, the recorded a 1-0 win at Old Serbian inside out before break- bar, Villa failed to threaten a far away but I would love to see minute penalty had given Villa presence of directors Avram Trafford last December. ing into the penalty area. late equaliser and Ferguson’s him back on the golf course. It is the lead against the holders. But and Bryan Glazer at Wembley But the player who proved a The United defender could team held on for victory. what he does best.” a 13th-minute equaliser from was significant with it being the thorn in United’s side on that have been booked twice, but (C) The Telegraph Group, Michael Owen and a second-half first time any of the Americans occasion – Villa forward Gabriel Dowd failed to issue even one (C) The Telegraph Group, London, 2010 header from Rooney, who came had attended a United game Agbonlahor – renewed his one- yellow card, much to Villa’s London, 2010 Biggest tennis event of the year begins this Friday India Beat Pakistan 4-1 by Revata S. Siva (ITF) ‘Futures’ world ranking tour- back hands) with a current ATP time in a round-robin basis. naments held in various parts of singles rank of 297. He has been In addition, a meeting between The most significant tennis the globe. playing in Davis Cup for New two participating countries in a tie event of the year, the Davis Cup, Rajeev Rajapakse, 29, the most Zealand continuously since 2005 of either Group-III or IV is held in Hockey World Cup will be held in Colombo starting experienced Davis Cup campaigner Daniel King-Turner, 25, who has under the best-of-three-rubbers for- this Friday (5) and will go on till of the team with his debut appear- been playing both Doubles and mat (two Singles and a Doubles). NEW DELHI -- Sandeep "We dominated the first half, Sunday (7). ance in year 1998. Singles in Davis Cup since 2005 But stages in and above Group-II in Singh scored from two penalty but we were not up to mark in The Sri Lanka Tennis Sankha Atukorale, 22, a member continuously, holds a current and Davis Cup are held under the best- corners Sunday as India beat second half and still managed Association (SLTA) is to officially of the Sri Lanka tennis team that career high ATP singles rank of of-five-rubber format (four Singles fierce rival Pakistan 4-1 at the to score two lucky goals." announce the event and its local participated in the 2006 Asian 227, to be the best player in the vis- and a Doubles). men's World Cup Pakistan coach Shahid Ali sponsors, Coca-Cola, today at the Games in Qatar, he became part of iting team according to rankings A Group-III or IV tournament is the country’s Davis Cup campaigns Mikal (Oliver) Statham, 22, the held most often for five days and on Sunday. Khan said India was the better Cinnamon Lakeside Hotel, Colombo, where the national four- in 2007 and 2009 twin-brother of Jose who first there is only one such tournament gave India team. member team too will be intro- the lead in the 25th minute "After falling behind by three duced to the media. The global offi- after capitalizing on a penalty goals, it was always going to cial sponsor of the Davis Cup is corner rebound, and Sandeep be difficult to bounce back," BNP Paribas, France’s largest Singh made it 2-0 just before Khan said. "But this isn't the banking group which is among the halftime with a low shot. end of the tournament." top banking groups in Europe. Prabhjot Singh struck in New Delhi's Dhyan Chand By meeting strong and favourite New Zealand at the newly relayed open play in the 37th after a Stadium was guarded by near- SLTA clay courts from this Friday pass from , and ly 19,000 personnel to protect in four Singles rubbers (matches) scored with a players, officials and specta- and a Doubles, Sri Lanka will drag-flick in the 56th. Pakistan tors in a 3-kilometer radius of mark her re-entry into the presti- pulled one back through a the venue and accommodation gious Davis Cup Group-II of the penalty corner conversion by for the 12 competing nations. Asia-Oceania Zone following a Sohail Abbas three minutes Paramilitary commandos painful stagnation in the lowest Groups in her Zone, Group-IV and later. and a bomb-disposal squad III, for ten long years. The next It was India's first victory were part of the multiple secu- important aspect of the event against Pakistan at a World rity cordons inside and around starting Friday is that it will be the Cup since 1975. the stadium. first time where Sri Lanka holds a "It's just a normal win and Security fears were raised Group-II Davis Cup tie after 1999. three points for us, we must following reported threats by keep our feet on the ground," some terrorist organizations Schedule The opening day will feature India coach Jose Brasa said. against athletes visiting India. two Singles rubbers and on Saturday (6), the only Doubles rub- ber is scheduled to be held. Sunday will see the two reverse Singles rubbers being played. All matches will be held at the specially relayed (classic) clay courts in the north- ern end of the SLTA, attached to the Ananda Coomaraswamy Mawatha, Colpetty (Colombo-5). This year’s tennis Sri Lanka team for the prestigious Davis Cup, starting on Fri. (5) against New Zealand at the SLTA, Despite having six hard courts Colombo. (From L-R): Sankha Atukorale, Harshana Godamanna, Rajeev Rajapakse, Dineshkanthan Thangarajah and in its premises, the SLTA opted to Coach George Paldano hold this mega event on clay because the New Zealanders, born Dineshkanthan Thangarajah, played for New Zealand last July in for a year. But in Group-II and and bread on hard surfaces, are 19, a debutante who is last year’s Hamilton against Indonesia (along- above, each participating country deemed weaker on clay. Under-18 national champion after side brother Rubin). His current will have to take on one opponent earning a career high ITF world ATP singles rank is 743 nation each at a time and one such junior rank of 512 in 2006 Marcus Daniell, a 20-year-old The Sri Lanka Team tie is held for three days. Then that Sri Lanka team’s Non-Playing Davis Cup debutant who carries an Sri Lanka will feature, though country will proceed to a second Captain is Aasiri Iddamalgoda, for- ATP doubles rank of 213 and a sin- arguably, her strongest team in and a third round, and so on, in the men’s tennis at the moment. mer Davis Cup player, and their gles rank of 740 same year until she gets a promo- Harshana Godamanna, 24, the Coach is George Paldano, a vastly The Kiwi Non-Playing Captain tion to the next Group, a demotion Only Sri Lankan to carry an experienced personality in the is Marcel Vos. to the Group below, or to stay in Association of Tennis domestic tennis coaching circuit. India's Shivendra Singh, second right, celebrates with teammates the same Group for the following Professionals (ATP) world rank in Group-II Significance year as well. The ITF as a formali- after scoring the first goal against Pakistan during the the last two decades (a career high The New Zealand Team: The significance of Davis Cup ty provides bigger financial dona- International Hockey Federation (FIH) World Cup 2010 field hockey world singles rank of 811 and a Jose (Rubin) Statham, 22, a UK- Group-II is that it is a tie played tions to the national associations doubles rank of 846 as on Oct. 27, born crafty Singles player who is between two nations at a time. The match in New Delhi, India, Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010. that hold Group-II (or higher) 2008) while playing in 55 said to be an ambidextrous hitter Group-III and IV ties, instead, are (AP Photo/Gurinder Osan) Davis Cup fixtures. International Tennis Federation (double-handed in both fore and held among eight (8) countries at a