Suspension, injuries worry Viet Nam coach

HA NOI – Suspension and an injury pose difficulties for coach Henrique Calito as Viet Nam prepare to play Malaysia in the first-leg of the semi-finals of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Suzuki Cup in Kuala Lumpur tomorrow.

His favourite player Nguyen Trong Hoang is out after he was "red carded" in the crucial match against Singapore last Wednesday.

Halfback Huynh Thanh Quang suffered an ankle injury during the match and physicians say will not be fit to play in the semi-finals although he is in Kuala Lumpur.

The coach wants the injured player to encourage his teammates during the games.

He has also said that he will ask his players to use tactics to cover the player's absence.

Viet Cuong, whom the Portuguese coach praised after he played with an injury against Singapore, has still not fully recovered and it's not yet known if he will take his place tomorrow.

His teammate Phan Van Tai Em is suffering a knee injury and was unable to train on Sunday.

Thanh Hung and Minh Chau were substituted for both.

"The match is very difficult for Viet Nam because we are a target that all teams want to defeat," said coach Calisto.

"But I know Malaysia is in the same situation; they are under heavy pressure to win on home turf while some of their players are injured." - VNS

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Stars to Heineken Tennis contest changed

Three of the four world-famous participants in the third Heineken Stars contest in Ho Chi Minh City on Friday and Saturday have withdrawn due to injury.

The organizers said, on Monday, that they would be replaced with players at higher rankings in the world.

Only the 21^st-ranked American player Sam Querrey remains unchanged. The other three stars 29th-ranked Argentine David Nalbandian, 113^th-ranked American Robby Ginepri and 251^st-ranked German Tommy Haas will not come.

The organizers have filled the vacancies with the 19^th-ranked American Mardi Fish, 42^nd-ranked Spaniard Tommy Robredo and 35^th-ranked Argentine Juan Monaco.

Argentine Nalbandian suffered an injury when he and his national teammates clashed (unsuccessfully) with French players in the semi-finals of the Davis Cup earlier this month.

The American player Ginepri suffered an elbow injury during a recent training session in the U.S while Haas can’t come due to a shoulder injury, according to the organizers.

The biennial contest’s first edition in 2006 attracted Carlos Moya, Nicolas Kiefer, Rainer Schuettler and Juan Carlos Ferrero. The championship was won by Germany’s Schuettler, currently ranked 90^th.

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Injury keeps Vietnam football star out of AFF Cup

A ligament injury will keep striker Le Cong Vinh out of football’s AFF Suzuki Cup

Photo: Tuoi Tre

A ligament injury will keep striker Le Cong Vinh out of football’s AFF Suzuki Cup to be held in Vietnam and Indonesia in December, the star told Tuoi Tre while undergoing treatment in Portugal.

How is your knee shaping up?

After the ligament surgery and two months of physiotherapy, I can just do simple exercises with the ball.

What did your surgeon say about the injury?

He said though my recovery is on track, it will take me six months from June to recover fully.

He also advised me to strictly follow the physiotherapy schedule.

I think my injury will get better as my surgeon Noronha has successfully treated many other footballers, including midfielder Anderson of Manchester United, ex-Chelsea midfielder Deco, and defender Pepe of Real Madrid.

So what do you think about the chances of you playing in the 2010 AFF Suzuki Cup?

Though I wish to play, my injury will prevent me from playing until the end of the first round. I don’t think I can play there after an eight-month layoff.

I think there will be better players for national team coach Calisto to choose in my place.

What has Calisto told you?

He just told me to closely follow my therapy schedule so that I can get better soon but did not indicate he will keep a spot for me in the team for the AFF Cup.

What do you think about the V-League title your team Hanoi T&T, have just won?

I think my team deserved it for the efforts we put in. We had targeted this top position since the beginning.

But it’s a pity I could not attend the award ceremony.

What do you think about the rumors that Navibank Sai Gon want to buy you for $1 million?

It is just hearsay. I have not met the team or anyone else for my transfer.

My contract with Hanoi T&T runs for another year. I have to do my best to repay the team for the money they have paid for treating my injury. I’ll only leave the team when they say they do not need me any more.

Le Cong Vinh, born in Nghe An Province, achieved recognition and fame while playing for his hometown from 2004 to 2008. In 2008, in a well-documented transfer saga, he turned down The Cong’s offer at the last minute to join Hanoi T&T at a then record transfer fee of around VND10 billion(US$513,000). In August 2009 Hanoi announced that Vinh would be joining Portugal’s Leixões Sport Club in a three-month loan deal. The deal was facilitated by Henrique Calisto, who was once Leixões' manager. Vinh is widely regarded as the best striker Vietnam has produced along with Le Huynh Duc, the first to play professionally overseas. Already at age 23, Vinh has won three Golden Balls (2004, 2006, 2007) given by the Vietnam Football Federation to the best player of the year. He and Duc are the only ones to have won it thrice. In 2009 Vinh ranked fifth on Goal.com's Top Ten Promising Youngsters in Asian Football. He holds the record for most goals scored in a single season by a Vietnamese player in the league. He is also the top Vietnamese goal-scorer in V-League history and second highest scorer behind Brazilian Antonio Carlos.

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Serena Williams pulls out of US Open

Serena Williams waves to the crowd after she withdrew from her semifinal match against Elena Dementieva of Russia due to a knee injury at the Paris Open tennis tournament February 14, 2009

Serena Williams has pulled out of the US Open because she is still recovering from surgery on her right foot, the American world number one said on Friday.

Williams, who won her 13th grand slam at Wimbledon earlier this year, cut her foot on broken glass at a restaurant in July and has not played since.

"It is with much frustration and deep sadness that I am having to pull out of the US Open," Williams said on the tournament's website (http://www.usopen.org/). "My doctors have advised against my playing so that my foot can heal."

A three-time winner at Flushing Meadows, Williams absence will be a blow to US title hopes with her sister Venus, the world number five, the only other American ranked in the top 40.

With Belgian Justine Henin announcing on Wednesday she would not be fit to play in the US Open and defending champion Kim Clijsters losing in Montreal after an injury scare, the year's final grand slam is shaping up as a wide open affair.

Last year, Serena Williams had to withdraw from her semifinal match against Elena Dementieva of Russia at the Paris Open tennis tournament due to a knee injury.

"There are still so many other big names out there who can do well," said Clijsters, who promised to be in Flushing Meadows to defend her crown despite a nagging hip injury that will require an MRI next week.

"Serena and Justine are two big names but there are plenty more out there,” she said.

"I don't look at the draw in that kind of way and I just focus on my matches and obviously now I am trying to be in the best shape possible to compete."

A fan favorite and television ratings grabber, Williams is sure to be missed especially after her explosive and controversial exit from last year's event.

Called for a foot fault in her semifinal against Clijsters, Williams exploded in an ugly outburst threatening a line judge during a confrontation that ultimately cost her the match.

"It doesn't change much," said Russian Vera Zvonareva, who lost to Williams in the Wimbledon final in early July.

"Serena is a great player and is great to watch but there are so many great players, it's still going to be very tough for everyone."

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