Enthusiastic welcome in Vietnam; Mardy Fish

Photo: Minh Duc

Vietnamese fans have impressed world tennis stars Mardy Fish of the US and Tommy Robredo of Spain when they arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to play the four-rival invitational tournament Heineken Stars on October 1-2.

“It was amazing at the (Tan Son Nhat) airport, a lot of people were waiting and waving for me,” Robredo said during an hour-long talk show at 10:30 GMT on Thursday with Vietnamese fans at the newsroom of Tuoi Tre Newspaper. “So, it’s really great.”

The Spaniard player, currently ranking 42nd in the world, admitted he feels surprising with emotions from fans in the Southeast Asian nation.

“When I was at home, nobody was waving for me at the airport, and I just get a taxi and I go home.”

Sharing similar emotions with Robredo, the American Mardy Fish -- the world No 19 -- said, “Very special here to walk out (of the crowds of fans at the airport) as seeing people cheering, waving and calling my name.”

“We really enjoy seeing that,” he added.

Talking about his competition career, Fish said, “it’s not easy to become a professional.”

“Practise, and just practise a lot and chances will come along with your improvements.”

Besides, “it’s not cheap to train a young beginner to become a pro, it’s too much and it depends on individuals.”

Both players also signed autographs and pose for photographs with around 50 fans during the talk at Tuoi Tre.

On Friday, Robredo will take on Fish and Argentine Juan Monaco, the world No 35, will face the other American Sam Querrey, number 21 in the world.

Two winners will play the final in the following day to decide cash prizes of $40,000 and $20,000. The others get $10,000 each.

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Enthusiastic welcome in Vietnam; Mardy Fish

Photo: Minh Duc

Vietnamese fans have impressed world tennis stars Mardy Fish of the US and Tommy Robredo of Spain when they arrived in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam to play the four-rival invitational tournament Heineken Stars on October 1-2.

“It was amazing at the (Tan Son Nhat) airport, a lot of people were waiting and waving for me,” Robredo said during an hour-long talk show at 10:30 GMT on Thursday with Vietnamese fans at the newsroom of Tuoi Tre Newspaper. “So, it’s really great.”

The Spaniard player, currently ranking 42nd in the world, admitted he feels surprising with emotions from fans in the Southeast Asian nation.

“When I was at home, nobody was waving for me at the airport, and I just get a taxi and I go home.”

Sharing similar emotions with Robredo, the American Mardy Fish -- the world No 19 -- said, “Very special here to walk out (of the crowds of fans at the airport) as seeing people cheering, waving and calling my name.”

“We really enjoy seeing that,” he added.

Talking about his competition career, Fish said, “it’s not easy to become a professional.”

“Practise, and just practise a lot and chances will come along with your improvements.”

Besides, “it’s not cheap to train a young beginner to become a pro, it’s too much and it depends on individuals.”

Both players also signed autographs and pose for photographs with around 50 fans during the talk at Tuoi Tre.

On Friday, Robredo will take on Fish and Argentine Juan Monaco, the world No 35, will face the other American Sam Querrey, number 21 in the world.

Two winners will play the final in the following day to decide cash prizes of $40,000 and $20,000. The others get $10,000 each.

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Former Ferrari engineer Stepney sentenced

In this file photo former formula One world champion Michael Schumacher of Germany (L) and Ferrari chief mechanic Nigel Stepney chat in Sao Paulo, March 29, 2001. Stepney, the former Ferrari engineer at the heart of last year's Formula One spying controversy, has said he takes no blame for what happened to McLaren

Photo: Reuters

Former Ferrari engineer Nigel Stepney, who was accused of sabotage and leaking confidential data to McLaren in a 2007 Formula One spy scandal, has been given a jail sentence after a plea bargain.

Local media reported that Stepney was sentenced on Wednesday to a year and eight months in prison and handed a 600 euro (US$817) fine. Italy's legal system means he is highly unlikely to serve any time in jail.

"We are satisfied, even if my client has always denied sabotage," his lawyer Sonia Bartolini was quoted as saying by the Gazzetta di Modena website after a hearing in Sassuolo, near Ferrari's Maranello base.

"We have to thank the prosecutor for agreeing to a plea bargain. Initially the sentence was much higher."

Neither Stepney nor court officials could be contacted immediately.

Briton Stepney was accused of passing technical Ferrari data to rivals McLaren and trying to damage Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa's cars before the 2007 Monaco Grand Prix while still working for the team.

McLaren were fined a record $100 million by the International Automobile Federation (FIA) and stripped of all their constructors' points at a 2007 hearing after being found guilty of possessing a 780-page dossier of Ferrari data.

Both Stepney and McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan were sacked by their teams.

The FIA took no formal action against Stepney, since he was not a license holder of the governing body, but recommended that teams should have no professional ties with him for a two-year period.

Stepney has consistently denied allegations of sabotage. Ferrari had said a mysterious powder was found around the petrol caps of both their cars before the 2007 Monaco Grand Prix.

Powder turned up in Stepney's trouser pocket but the Briton has said he was set up.

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Contador suspended for "adverse" test result

Astana's team rider Alberto Contador of Spain cycles during the individual time trial of the Criterium International cycling race in Porto Vecchio on the Mediterranean island of Corsica March 28, 2010

Photo: Reuters

Tour de France champion Alberto Contador has been provisionally suspended for returning an "adverse analytical finding" of clenbuterol from a urine sample taken during the race, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said Thursday.

The Spaniard, who won his third Tour this year, was tested during the second rest day of the race and the second B test had confirmed the presence of clenbuterol, a banned anabolic agent, the UCI said in a statement.

"The rider, who had already put an end to his cycling season before the result was known, was nevertheless formally and provisionally suspended as is prescribed by the World Anti-Doping Code," the statement said.

Clenbuterol can be abused by athletes to strip fat and enhance muscle size and can have short-term stimulant effects including increasing aerobic capacity, blood pressure and alertness. It has led to bans for cyclists in the past.

China's first professional cyclist Li Fuyu, a former RadioShack team mate of Lance Armstrong, was provisionally banned by the UCI in April after returning a positive test for agent.

The concentration in Contador's A test was "400 time(s) less than what the anti-doping laboratories accredited by WADA must be able to detect," the UCI said in a statement.

"In view of this very small concentration and in consultation with WADA, the UCI immediately had the proper results management proceedings conducted including the analysis of B sample that confirmed the first result."

“Further scientific investigation”

The case would require "further scientific investigation" before any conclusion could be drawn and could take some time, the statement added, providing no further comment.

The finding puts 27-year-old Contador's Tour de France victory with Kazakh-funded Astana in July under a cloud and threatens to leave an indelible stain on the Spaniard, who also won the 2007 and 2009 Tours and is regarded one of the greatest cyclists of the modern era.

Contador had blamed food contamination for the finding.

"From the moment he was first informed by the UCI on August 24, Alberto Contador indicated that a contamination of food was the only possible explanation for what happened," his agent said in a statement carried by Spanish media.

"Since then, he has placed himself in the hands of the cycling authorities with the confidence that this extremely serious problem that has now come to light can be resolved.

"Experts consulted have also signaled that food contamination was the origin of the case, above all taking into account the quantity of (doping) tests Alberto Contador took during the Tour de France.

"(This) enabled the exact moment of the appearance of the substance to be determined as well as the very small amount detected, which rules out any other origin or intent."

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Contador suspended for "adverse" test result

Astana's team rider Alberto Contador of Spain cycles during the individual time trial of the Criterium International cycling race in Porto Vecchio on the Mediterranean island of Corsica March 28, 2010

Photo: Reuters

Tour de France champion Alberto Contador has been provisionally suspended for returning an "adverse analytical finding" of clenbuterol from a urine sample taken during the race, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said Thursday.

The Spaniard, who won his third Tour this year, was tested during the second rest day of the race and the second B test had confirmed the presence of clenbuterol, a banned anabolic agent, the UCI said in a statement.

"The rider, who had already put an end to his cycling season before the result was known, was nevertheless formally and provisionally suspended as is prescribed by the World Anti-Doping Code," the statement said.

Clenbuterol can be abused by athletes to strip fat and enhance muscle size and can have short-term stimulant effects including increasing aerobic capacity, blood pressure and alertness. It has led to bans for cyclists in the past.

China's first professional cyclist Li Fuyu, a former RadioShack team mate of Lance Armstrong, was provisionally banned by the UCI in April after returning a positive test for agent.

The concentration in Contador's A test was "400 time(s) less than what the anti-doping laboratories accredited by WADA must be able to detect," the UCI said in a statement.

"In view of this very small concentration and in consultation with WADA, the UCI immediately had the proper results management proceedings conducted including the analysis of B sample that confirmed the first result."

“Further scientific investigation”

The case would require "further scientific investigation" before any conclusion could be drawn and could take some time, the statement added, providing no further comment.

The finding puts 27-year-old Contador's Tour de France victory with Kazakh-funded Astana in July under a cloud and threatens to leave an indelible stain on the Spaniard, who also won the 2007 and 2009 Tours and is regarded one of the greatest cyclists of the modern era.

Contador had blamed food contamination for the finding.

"From the moment he was first informed by the UCI on August 24, Alberto Contador indicated that a contamination of food was the only possible explanation for what happened," his agent said in a statement carried by Spanish media.

"Since then, he has placed himself in the hands of the cycling authorities with the confidence that this extremely serious problem that has now come to light can be resolved.

"Experts consulted have also signaled that food contamination was the origin of the case, above all taking into account the quantity of (doping) tests Alberto Contador took during the Tour de France.

"(This) enabled the exact moment of the appearance of the substance to be determined as well as the very small amount detected, which rules out any other origin or intent."

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Djokovic, Venus headline China Open

Venus Williams

Photo: AFP

World number two Novak Djokovic and American superstar Venus Williams are headed to Beijing for the China Open, an event that will bring many of the world's top tennis players to town from Saturday.

Both the ATP and WTA tours have made the hard-court tournament, which runs through October 10, a key part of their long-term strategies for growing the game in the vast nation.

While the sport's dominant duo Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are scheduled to play in Shanghai in mid-October, they have opted out of the Beijing event, clearing the way for Djokovic to defend the title he won last year.

The 23-year-old Serb, who this month helped his country secure a spot in the Davis Cup final against France, will face a tough challenge from Britain's Andy Murray, who has been out of action since a third-round loss at the US Open.

Seven of the world's top 10 men will compete in the Chinese capital including French Open runner-up Robin Soderling of Sweden, Wimbledon finalist Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic and Russian veteran Nikolay Davydenko.

Djokovic is taking nothing for granted. On his website, he said he would "face a big challenge during the next few weeks" with three titles to defend -- Beijing, Basel and Paris -- before the season-ending championships in London.

On the women's side, the draw lost some serious star power with the withdrawals of world number one Serena Williams and US Open champion Kim Clijsters, both recovering from foot injuries.

"I am very sorry to have to cancel for Beijing," the 27-year-old Clijsters said on her website, adding there was "no doubt" that she would be ready for the season-ending WTA championships in Doha.

Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki, currently number two in the WTA rankings, will be the top-ranked woman in Beijing, while Williams' sister Venus, a seven-time Grand Slam winner and world number three, will be her main challenger.

Also in hot pursuit of the title will be on-form Russian Vera Zvonareva, who has climbed to a career-high number four in the rankings after finishing runner-up to Clijsters at Flushing Meadows.

Last year's winner, Russia's Svetlana Kuznetsova, will be looking to bounce back after crashing out of the Pan Pacific Open in Japan this week in straight sets to unheralded German Andrea Petkovic.

Her compatriot Maria Sharapova also will be looking for redemption after being unceremoniously dumped from the Tokyo event in the first round by Japanese veteran Kimiko Date Krumm, who turned 40 on Tuesday.

Serbian number six Jelena Jankovic -- who has had good luck in Beijing, reaching the final in 2007 and winning the title in 2008 -- will be eager to perform well after falling to Estonia's Kaia Kanepi in Tokyo.

The China Open is played at the National Tennis Centre. The women's main draw gets under way on Saturday and the men's on Monday.

The following is a preliminary list of seeds:

Men

Novak Djokovic (SRB x1)

Andy Murray (GBR x2)

Robin Soderling (SWE x3)

Nikolay Davydenko (RUS x4)

Tomas Berdych (CZE x5)

Fernando Verdasco (ESP x6)

Mikhail Youzhny (RUS x7)

David Ferrer (RUS x8)

Women

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x1)

Venus Williams (USA x2)

Vera Zvonareva (RUS x3)

Jelena Jankovic (SRB x4)

Samantha Stosur (AUS x5)

Francesca Schiavone (ITA x6)

Agnieszka Radwanska (POL x7)

Elena Dementieva (RUS x8)

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Barca frustrated at Rubin Kazan in Champions League

Lionel Messi

Photo: AFP

Spanish giants Barcelona were held to a 1-1 draw by Russian champions Rubin Kazan in their Champions League Group D encounter at Kazan on Wednesday.

Both goals came from the penalty spot, with Ecuadorian midfielder Christian Noboa giving Rubin the lead in the first half and David Villa equalising on the hour mark.

The result leaves Barcelona on top of the group with four points from two matches, while Kazan have just one point, having lost 1-0 at FC Copenhagen in their opening match.

Panathinaikos, thrashed 5-1 by Barcelona in their first game, host Copenhagen later on Wednesday.

"We got a very important point tonight," said Villa.

"The penalty in the first half made life hard for us because they were playing well in defence.

"We missed a lot of chances and the Rubin goalkeeper played very well, but finally we managed to level. Rubin played well on the counter-attack, so we had to play very carefully in defence."

Spanish champions Barcelona started cautiously in Kazan, no doubt mindful of the shock 2-1 defeat Rubin inflicted on them at Camp Nou in the group phase last season.

It was Barca who created the first clear chance in the 12th minute, when Villa sent a razor-sharp pass into Rubin's box for Pedro Rodriguez, who lofted the ball against the crossbar from eight yards.

Barcelona had quickly settled into their house style, keeping the ball under control and probing the hosts' defence for frailties, with Rubin content to sit back and defend.

Villa threatened in the 26th minute, shooting across goal and wide on the half-volley after the ball fell to him following a corner.

The hosts replied with a series of counter-attacks, which ended with a foul by Daniel Alves on Vitaly Kaleshin in Barca's box.

Rubin skipper Noboa smashed home a powerful spot-kick to give the hosts a 30th-minute lead.

The visitors immediately pressed forward in search of an equaliser, with Pedro firing wide from 10 yards after receiving another pass from Villa shortly before the break.

After the interval Barcelona seized the initiative completely, pinning the hosts back but to no immediate avail, as Rubin defended stoutly.

But Pep Guardiola's side were handed an opportunity to level when Lasha Salukvadze bundled over Andres Iniesta in the area and Villa squeezed a precise penalty into the bottom-right corner.

Barca welcomed back Lionel Messi from injury and the second-half substitute saw a chance blocked by Rubin goalkeeper Sergei Ryzhikov in the 71st minute.

Rubin substitute Obafemi Martins almost snatched victory when he headed against a post late on, while Spanish World Cup winner Iniesta lifted a shot over the bar in injury time.

"I'm pleased with the result. We secured a very precious point tonight," said Rubin coach Kurban Berdyev.

"We played very organised football and tried to minimise the risks.

"I think that Barcelona have already reserved their place in the knockout stage. I think the battle between the three other clubs for for the remaining place is still ahead."

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