The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Armstrong says 'not afraid' of USADA report
- Clijsters sent into retirement by British teen
- Sharapova into US Open third round
| Armstrong says 'not afraid' of USADA report Posted: 29 Aug 2012 06:54 PM PDT MONTREAL: Lance Armstrong, branded a drug cheat and banned from cycling by the US Anti-Doping Agency, said Wednesday he was "not afraid" of any report USADA might make to the International Cycling Union (UCI). "No, no, I'm absolutely not afraid," Armstrong told AFP after jogging with his fans in central Montreal. USADA on Friday banned the 40-year-old American for life and stripped him of his record seven Tour de France titles, but the UCI has said it wanted to see USADA's full explanation for the sanctions before acting. The US cycling icon and cancer survivor was in Montreal for the World Cancer Congress, where he introduced himself on Wednesday morning by saying: "My name is Lance Armstrong, I'm a cancer survivor ... and yes, I won the Tour de France seven times. "And for those who don't know what I'm talking about, I love you," he added cheerily. Armstrong's Livestrong campaign has collected nearly $500 million for cancer research and helping people cope with the disease. He told conference delegates that there is still "too much to be done" in the fight against cancer that "we can't be distracted," again alluding to the doping scandal. "I won't be distracted," he said. USADA said last Friday that Armstrong would be banned for life and his results from 1998 -- including seven Tour titles from 1999-2005 - would be expunged because of "numerous anti-doping rule violations, including his involvement in trafficking and administering doping products to others". USADA's move followed Armstrong's own announcement that he would not seek to clear his name through independent arbitration. Armstrong, who has vehemently denied doping during his career, has questioned USADA's authority to ban him, and the UCI demanded a full account of the agency's findings. USADA, which said it has as many as 10 witnesses prepared to testify to Armstrong's drug use, made it clear it believes the UCI and Tour de France organizers must honor its findings under the World Anti-Doping Code. - AFP |
| Clijsters sent into retirement by British teen Posted: 29 Aug 2012 06:53 PM PDT NEW YORK: British teen Laura Robson ended the singles career of three-time US Open champion Kim Clijsters on Wednesday with an emotional 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/5) victory in the second round of the US Open. Clijsters, whose Grand Slam title haul also includes last year's Australian Open, had not lost at the US Open since falling to compatriot Justine Henin in the 2003 final on the same Arthur Ashe Stadium court. "This feels like the perfect place to retire. I just wish it wasn't today," Clijsters said. "I gave it all and just wasn't good enough at the end of the match." Robson snapped the Belgian's 22-match US Open win streak, smacking a tricky forehand winner on the line on the penultimate point and firing a service winner to claim the victory on her third match-point chance. "I was just trying to play as hard as I could because I knew if I didn't Kim would dominate because she's such an aggressive player," Robson said. "I just went out there to keep getting the ball back and work my butt off." Robson, who was age five when Clijsters first played here, will next face Chinese ninth seed Li Na, who dispatched Australia's Casey Dellacqua 6-4, 6-4, in 87 minutes. "Thanks to Kim for being such a great role model to me for so many years," Robson said. "It was a great pleasure to finally get to play against you." Clijsters, 29, made her final bow on the same court where she won her first Grand Slam title in 2005 and followed it up with crowns in 2009 and 2010. She had said she was leaving the sport for more time as a wife and mother. "One of my biggest dreams came true in 2005 winning here," Clijsters said. "Every time I came back I was so inspired by the enegry that was out on this court and I played some of my best matches on this court. "It has all been worth it. But I look forward to having the next part of my life coming up." World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, this year's Australian Open champion, reached the third round while defending champion Samantha Stosur and third seed Maria Sharapova, the reigning French Open champion, advanced with ease as well. Spanish fourth seed David Ferrer, Argentine seventh seed Juan Martin Del Potro and US ninth seed John Isner won their openers on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts. The US Open has seen nine men's comeback triumphs from two sets down in the first round, matching the record from 1989, including Serbian ninth seed Janko Tipsarevic's 4-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 victory over Frenchman Guillaume Rufin. And Australian Lleyton Hewitt, the 2001 US Open champion, reached the second round by dispatching Germany's Tobias Kamke 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. British third seed Andy Murray, the reigning Olympic champion, was set to take the court in a night match at Arthur Ashe Stadium trying to become the first man into the third round. Reigning Australian Open champion Azarenka reached the third round by defeating Belgian qualifier Kirsten Flipkens 6-2, 6-2 in only 65 minutes for her 50th match victory of the season. "I'm proud of everything I have achieved this season," she said. "It has been a great year." The 23-year-old from Belarus, whose 26-match win streak to begin the season was the best women's start since 1997, seeks her 13th career title and fifth trophy of the year on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts. "I would love to play for the title," Azarenka said. "It's a long way." Azarenka, who has reached the last eight in every Grand Slam event except the US Open, will next face Chinese 28th seed Zheng Jie, who beat Slovakian qualifier Magdalena Rybarikova 6-3, 6-1. Australian seventh seed Stosur took an hour to beat Romanian qualifier Edina Gallovits-Hall 6-3, 6-0 to reach a third-round date with US 31st seed Varvara Lepchenko. Russian third seed Sharapova ripped Spain's Lourdes Dominguez Lino 6-0, 6-1 to book a third-round match against 21-year-old US wildcard Mallory Burdette, ranked 252nd, who advanced with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Czech Lucie Hradecka. Ferrer, who became the top seed in his quarter of the draw when compatriot Rafael Nadal pulled out with knee problems, defeated South Africa's Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3). "I'm happy. I played good. I tried to play solid and consistent," Ferrer said. Ferrer, whose best Grand Slam showing was a 2007 US Open semi-final run, booked a second-round match against Dutch qualifier Igor Sijsling, who beat Spain's Daniel Gimeno-Traver 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. Isner, the top American hope to end a nine-year US men's Grand Slam title drought, struggled to subdue Xavier Malisse 6-3, 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 7-6 (11/9). "I had my hands full," Isner said. "It got to the point where it was anyone's match and I'm pretty fortunate to move on." Del Potro, the 2009 US Open winner, advanced over France's Florent Serra 6-4, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4. - AFP |
| Sharapova into US Open third round Posted: 29 Aug 2012 06:51 PM PDT NEW YORK: Third seed Maria Sharapova cruised into the US Open third round Wednesday with a 6-0, 6-1 rout of hapless Spaniard Lourdes Dominguez Lino and next tackles a Stanford University psychology student. Sharapova raced to victory over the 31-year-old Dominguez Lino in just 54 minutes with the Spaniard unable to hit a single winner in the brutally one-sided clash. The 2006 champion next faces American college player Mallory Burdette, the world number 252 who studies psychology at Stanford and is making her Grand Slam debut. "It's a big stage for her. She will have the home support behind her. She will be a difficult opponent," said Sharapova. Sharapova has dropped just five games in her first two matches at the US Open as she looks to add the New York title to the French Open she captured in June. The Russian fired 30 winners past the World No. 78 and accounted for 17 of her opponent's 24 points through unforced errors. - AFP |
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