Top Shot
Venus back in top 20 after Wimbledon heroics
LONDON: Venus Williams climbed 14 spots in the world rankings on Monday, following her triumph at Wimbledon, to re-enter the top 20 for the first time in a year.
The American soared to 17th in the world after she defeated France's Marion Bartoli to claim her fourth singles title at the All England Club on Sunday.
Williams's ranking had nosedived after injury restricted her to just six events in 2006.
Despite entering Wimbledon ranked 31st in the world and seeded 23, she walked away with the top prize.
Bartoli also reaped the benefits of her surprise run to the final by jumping eight places to a career-high 11th.
There was no change in the top three with Justine Henin, Maria Sharapova and Jelena Jankovic preserving their places.
Sharapova pulls out of Russia Fed Cup side for USA tie
MOSCOW: World No 2 Maria Sharapova has pulled out of the Russian team for this weekend's Fed Cup semifinal against the United States.
"She said she is injured, so she will not play," Russia Fed Cup captain Shamil Tarpishchev said on Monday.
Sharapova, who was soundly beaten by eventual champion Venus Williams in the fourth round of Wimbledon last week, has been suffering from a persistent shoulder injury since April.
The U.S. Open champion will be replaced by world number 58 Elena Vesnina for the July 14-15 tie in Vermont.
The defending champions could also lose world number four Svetlana Kuznetsova as the 2004 US Open champion has a nagging shoulder injury of her own.
Retired Clijsters pregnant, father tells website
BRUSSELS: Former tennis world No 1 and sporting media darling Kim Clijsters is pregnant with her first child, Belgian sports website www.sport.be reported yesterday, citing her father.
"If everything goes well, then Kim will become a mother next year and me a grandfather. Yippee," said Leo Clijsters, himself a former international soccer star, in his blog on the website.
"Babysitting, changing pampers (nappies). All of which is no problem as long as I don't have to breastfeed."
The 24-year-old, who had been blighted by injuries, quit the sport in May to focus on her private life, including her forthcoming wedding to U.S. basketball player Brian Lynch.
Italy defender Grosso joins Lyon
PARIS: Defender Fabio Grosso officially became an Olympique Lyon player on Monday, a year to the day after scoring the winning penalty in the shootout that gave Italy victory over France in the World Cup final in Berlin.
"I did my duty with my country and now I will do the same with my club," left-back Grosso told a news conference in Lyon after signing a four-year contract with the six-times French champions for a transfer fee of 7.5 million euros.
"I will do everything to make sure there is no resentment", he added.
Grosso, 29, joins from Serie A champions Inter Milan. He replaces France defender Eric Abidal, who has left for Barcelona.
Grosso is Lyon's first major signing. The club have lost several key players besides Abidal, with France winger Florent Malouda and Portugal midfielder Tiago moving to Chelsea and Juventus respectively.
(China Daily 07/11/2007 page23)
