LONDON: Blackpool lit up the opening day of the Premier League season with a 4-0 thrashing of Wigan Athletic to celebrate their long-awaited return to the top flight of English football in style.Manchester City paraded 70 million pounds worth of new signings in a 0-0 lunchtime draw at

WORCESTER: Zulqarnain Haider, one of Pakistan`s few successes in the test defeat to England last week, has a chipped finger and will see a specialist on Tuesday to see if he can play again in the series.Keeper Zulqarnain, 24, was handed a test debut for the second test at Edgbaston and

MONTREAL: World number four Venus Williams said Friday she has withdrawn from next week`s two million-dollar WTA event in Montreal due to a nagging left knee injury that has frustrated her US Open preparations.The US veteran also withdrew from this week`s event in Cincinnati, meaning she

LONDON: The All England Club will be awash with colour in two years with its rigid all-white clothing policy being relaxed for the 2012 Olympics tennis competition.The lush grass courts will be their trademark green rather than dusty brown, however, after Games organisers confirmed on

TORONTO: Top seed Rafael Nadal won 10 points in a row late in the match to beat Philipp Kohlschreiber 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 Friday and reach a Saturday semi-final against holder Andy Murray at the Toronto Masters.Nadal, off the boil in the opening set, managed to right the ship by winning the

SHEBOYGAN: In his mind`s eye, Matt Kuchar is still the same fresh-faced kid that graduated from the US college ranks full of promise and eager to learn the ropes on the PGA Tour."It is going by so fast," said Kuchar, who shot a three-under 69 to seize the clubhouse lead in the second

MUNICH: Real Madrid won the Franz Beckenbauer Cup on Friday, beating Bayern Munich 4-2 in a penalty shoot-out at the Allianz Arena in a testimonial for the German World Cup winning veteran.French international Franck Ribery, besieged by problems both on and off the pitch, played 60

LONDON: America`s Tyson Gay followed up his Stockholm win over Usain Bolt by clocking the fastest 100m time this season in a blistering triumph at a rain-soaked London Diamond League meeting on Friday.Gay won in 9.78sec in miserable, damp conditions at Crystal Palace to easily see off

CINCINNATI: Reigning US Open champion Kim Clijsters former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic and Russian beauty Maria Sharapova reached the WTA Cincinnati Open semi-finals with straight-set triumphs Friday.Belgian fourth seed Clijsters, who made her return to tennis at this event last year ahead

TORONTO: Roger Federer orchestrated a fightback from 2-5 down in the last set to rescue a 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (7-5) victory over nemesis Tomas Berdych for a place in Saturday ATP Toronto Masters semi-finals.The third-seeded Swiss had lost twice this season to Czech seventh seed Berdych, in

COBHAM: Chelsea signed Brazilian international midfielder Ramires on Friday but their pursuit of his compatriot Neymar is not going quite as smoothly.Ramires, who helped Benfica to the Portuguese title last season, will bolster a Chelsea squad which has been stripped of experienced

LONDON: Premier League managers face an extra headache this season as they try to adapt to a new rule, described as "stupid" by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, which requires all top-flight teams to pick from a strict 25-man squad.A Premier League edict brought in to encourage the development

DAMBULLA: Upul Tharanga guided Sri Lanka to a three-wicket victory over New Zealand with a solid half-century in the triangular one-day series on Friday.The left-handed opener hit nine fours in his 109-ball 70 as Sri Lanka achieved a 193-run target with more than nine overs to spare in

LONDON: Indian businessman Ahsan Ali Syed stepped up his bid to buy Premier League club Blackburn Rovers after his Western Gulf Advisory (WGA) investment vehicle was given a four-week period of exclusivity to check the club`s accounts.Citigate Dewe Rogerson, which looks after WGA`s public

MANCHESTER: England Brazil striker Robinho has been included in Manchester City`s 25-man squad list for the new season despite his long-held desire to remain at Santos where he has been on loan.Roberto Mancini confirmed Robinho`s inclusion at a news conference on Friday. "He came back

RIO DE JANEIRO: Santos plan to report Chelsea to soccer`s world governing body FIFA for what they claim has been an illegal approach to their teenage striker Neymar, the Brazilian club said on Thursday.Santos have already turned down two official offers for the 18-year-old, who scored on

MARSEILLE: A tense standoff was developing between Olympique Marseille and their France midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa on Friday with the player saying he was desperate to leave the Ligue 1 champions while the club insisted he was staying.Ben Arfa wants to move to Premier League side Newcastle

LONDON: Chelsea are reportedly close to signing Brazilian midfield starlet Neymar, who could join compatriot and fellow international Ramires at Stamford Bridge.Midfielder Ramires is expected to be announced as the club`s latest signing on Thursday or Friday, when he completes a 22

NEW DELHI: Fast bowler Munaf Patel will join India`s squad for the remaining matches of the ongoing triangular one-day series in Sri Lanka, officials said on Thursday."Munaf Patel is joining the Indian team in Sri Lanka as an additional member of the squad. He will reach Dambulla

LONDON: England coach Fabio Capello admitted he called time on David Beckham`s international career on Wednesday without first breaking the bad news to the star.Beckham was unable to play in the World Cup due to an Achilles injury suffered while on loan at AC Milan in March, but the LA