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Robinho hoping to play in Real title decider, says agent
RIO DE JANEIRO: Robinho, caught in a tug-of-war between Real Madrid and Brazil, wants to play for his club in Sunday's title decider before joining his country's Copa America preparations, his agent said on Wednesday.
Wagner Ribeiro said that Robinho had trained with Real on Wednesday despite demands from Brazil that he join their training camp immediately.
He added that the forward still wanted to play in Sunday's match at home to Real Mallorca, where a win will be enough for Madrid to clinch their first league title in four years.
"It's a complicated situation, I thought the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation) would release him but the situation is worse," Ribeiro told the Sportv cable channel.
"He knows it's a very important game, the game of his life. Playing will be good for him, Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team.
"If he joined the Brazil team now, he would just be training."
Sharapova wary of challenge from rising star
BIRMINGHAM, England: Maria Sharapova will face fast-rising Austrian Tamira Paszek for a place in the quarterfinals of the WTA tournament here after sweeping American qualifier Liliana Osterloh aside on Wednesday in her first grass court outing of the year.
Paszek, 16, upset 13th-seeded American Meilen Tu 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) to book her date with the world number two, and Sharapova admitted she would be wary of an opponent who has risen 300 places up the world rankings in less than two years.
"It's the beginning of her career, she's getting a feel for the different level so I can't underestimate her," said Sharapova.
"She's a young player and going into the game she will have nothing to lose."
Paszek said she was happy with her form after finding her feet on grass.
"It is a great experience for me playing against these players. It's very emotional for me to play such an experienced player like Meilen. I knew it was going to be a tough match because Meilen is such a good player."
Practice makes perfect for beaten Hewitt
LONDON: Lleyton Hewitt will go back to basics in the aftermath of his shock Queen's exit as he turns his attention to Wimbledon.
Defending champion Hewitt was aiming for a record fifth title at Queen's, but instead the Australian suffered a 7-6, 7-6 second round defeat against French qualifier Jo-Wilfried Tsonga that left his Wimbledon preparations in disarray.
Hewitt claimed the loss was harsh since he had played relatively well, but he will go straight back to the practice courts to work the defeat out of his system.
The former Wimbledon winner admits the All-England club is one of his favourite venues and he is determined not to let his challenge there be derailed by Tsonga's victory.
He is unlikely to enter next week's Nottingham Open because he believes he is already in good enough form and he said: "I'll just be practising. I've put in the hard yards on the practice court since I lost at Roland Garros.
"I haven't really had a day off. I've been hitting twice a day and I've been in the gym as well.
(China Daily 06/15/2007 page23)
