The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Swedish player Renard hit with corruption ban
- Cricket-South Africa seek ruthless approach
- Casey targets 2012 Ryder Cup and PGA Tour success
| Swedish player Renard hit with corruption ban Posted: 23 Dec 2011 05:05 PM PST LONDON, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Swedish tennis player Lucas Renard has been suspended for six months and fined $5,000 for a corruption offense, the Tennis Integrity Unit said on Friday. Renard had breached an article of the anti-corruption program that states: "No Covered Person shall, directly or indirectly, contrive or attempt to contrive the outcome or any other aspect of any Event," the unit said in a statement. The 19-year-old, ranked 882nd in the world, admitted the offense. Four of the six months of his ban will be suspended, providing he commits no future violation of the code. The Tennis Integrity Unit is an initiative of the Grand Slam Committee, the International Tennis Federation, the ATP World Tour and the WTA as part of the Uniform Tennis Anti-Corruption Program. Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Cricket-South Africa seek ruthless approach Posted: 23 Dec 2011 05:04 PM PST DURBAN, Dec 23 (Reuters) - South Africa have to become more ruthless in their approach as they seek to secure a series-winning victory in the second test against Sri Lanka, captain Graeme Smith said on Friday. South Africa have not won a home series since beating Bangladesh in 2008. They have lost and drawn two series against Australia and drawn series against England and India. The hosts are coming off a comprehensive innings and 81-run win over Sri Lanka in the first test in Centurion and have the chance to win the three-test series when the second test starts at Kingsmead in Durban on Dec. 26. "We are in the process of improving certain facets of our game. Being more ruthless, being able to string three sessions together in a day is something that we are really trying to do. We haven't been able to do that consistently and that is where we have been costing ourselves so we want to improve on that," Smith told a news conference. South Africa's skipper went on to say that it was important that his team did not lose their focus during the Christmas break. "The preparation is going to be important. Making the most of our time at this time of year is crucial. During Christmas it is important that you maintain your focus. Our preparation is a key factor to that," he explained. South Africa have had a mixed start to their home international season this year drawing a two-test series against Australia before the heavy win over Sri Lanka. Smith said that he felt that his team had shown improvement, partly down to the fact that the same XI had taken to the field in three consecutive tests. "We have got better as the season has gone on. There was a more settled nature within the squad during the Centurion test against Sri Lanka because of the confidence shown in players," he said. "That stability around the team, having not played a test match since January, is crucial and it's good to see that the players have taken that on board and performed." Smith's opposite number, Tillakaratne Dilshan, has a completely different set of problems as he tries to lift his players after a run of 15 tests without a win. "We have had a lot of meetings over the last two days about what areas we need to improve on. I feel everybody is mentally strong at the moment. They know what their roles are and they will give 100 percent," said Dilshan. "One thing that we can do is that our batting unit has to stand up and get some runs on the board because then we can try and put some pressure on them (South Africa). "We have an experienced batting line-up in Mahela (Jayawardene), Kumar (Sangakkara), Thilan Samaraweera and myself. We need to apply ourselves out in the middle. We are preparing well but we have not clicked at as a unit and that is the main reason we have not done well." Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
| Casey targets 2012 Ryder Cup and PGA Tour success Posted: 23 Dec 2011 04:31 PM PST NEW YORK Dec 23 (Reuters) - Frustrated for much of this year by a lingering foot injury, Britain's Paul Casey has set his sights on a healthy 2012 campaign, another victory on the U.S. PGA Tour and a long coveted return to the European Ryder Cup team. Though the Englishman won two tournaments worldwide during 2011, his form and consistency were adversely affected after he was hampered by a sore right toe in May, a condition which was never accurately diagnosed until months later. "It's been incredibly frustrating," Casey told. "The trouble with the toe injury was that I didn't really know what was going on until it was too late. "I picked it up in late May, battled through it and I didn't really get a full diagnosis until August. By then, it was too late to take a medical (exemption) so I tried to play through it and got into a lot of bad habits." An 11-times winner on the European Tour whose only PGA Tour victory came at the 2009 Houston Open, Casey played with a plate in his right shoe and his toes taped up over the last six months. "It was a joint in my foot which wasn't allowing my foot to move correctly and that put pressure on my toe," the world number 21 said. "What's interesting is that if I swing the club the way I should swing it, correctly and the way I used to swing it, the toe is fine. "But those bad habits led to erratic golf. My weight got back on the heels and the club started to go up rather than around, very simply it was too steep." Casey, who climbed to a career-high third in the world rankings in 2009, has worked hard in recent months to shift his weight back on to his toes, and on to the balls of the feet. "That's where it should be," he said. "I need to do a better job of turning because I ended up hitting the ball with the hands and the arms this year a lot. I just need to put those things right." WINNING TWICE Asked to assess his 2011 campaign, Casey replied: "Well I've managed to win twice around the world, but not on the PGA Tour, and I've sort of clung on to a world ranking. "I have dropped a bit but I am still ranked twenty-something and that's with playing very average golf for me. Touch wood, I can stay healthy and 2012 can be a great season for me." An inveterate goal setter whose most recent victory came at the Korean tour's Shinhan Donghae Open in October, Casey has established clear-cut targets for next year. "My very lofty goals I haven't yet achieved so they're going to be the same in 2012, and those will be the majors and World Golf (Championships) events," he said. "But I have other goals ... winning tournaments, winning a certain number of world ranking points, making the Ryder Cup team, being back in the winner's circle on the PGA Tour." Casey is especially motivated to represent Europe at the 2012 Ryder Cup in Medinah, Illinois, having failed to qualify for the 2010 team that regained the trophy at Celtic Manor in Wales. "I am really hungry to get back on that team," said the 34-year-old, a Cup player in 2004, 2006 and 2008. "With the depth of talent that we've got in Europe, it's probably going to be the most difficult team to make since I've been on tour. "But first things first, I need to win golf tournaments and get back on that team. And stay healthy." Full content generated by Get Full RSS. |
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