IN BRIEF (Page 24)

Tennis

Roche hoped to bring Hewitt back to top

SYDNEY: Australia's Lleyton Hewitt has hired Roger Federer's former coach Tony Roche to try and help him get back to the top of world tennis.

Hewitt has been without a fulltime coach since Roger Rasheed quit the job shortly before the Australian Open in January but announced yesterday that Roche had agreed to take on the job.

"I'm really looking forward to renewing our partnership," Hewitt told a news conference in Sydney.

"We both know what we need to do to get to the top of the game again."

His compatriot Roche had coached world No 1 Federer on a part-time basis from 2005, but the pair parted ways just two weeks before this year's French Open.

Hewitt won the US Open in 2001 and Wimbledon the following season and was the youngest man in history to finish a year ranked No 1.

Fourth seed Nalbandian upset by Kunitsyn in LA

LOS ANGELES: Russian Igor Kunitsyn produced the biggest upset of the Los Angeles Classic with a 7-6, 7-5 victory over fourth seed David Nalbandian in the opening round on Tuesday.

The 25-year-old from Vladivostok, playing the best tennis of his career, clinched the first set 7-5 on a tiebreak before holding off an inspired Nalbandian fightback.

"It is one of my best victories," a beaming Kunitsyn told reporters after wrapping up the match in just under two hours in sapping heat at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.

"I think I can say it is my second best win. My best win was when I beat (Lleyton) Hewitt in Adelaide in front of a full crowd," he added, referring to his three-set victory over the Australian in January.

"But this is the best tennis I have ever played."

Baseball

Record-chasing Bonds sits out second straight game

CHICAGO: San Francisco Giants slugger Barry Bonds missed his second straight start with leg injuries on Tuesday as he and fans endured further delay in his bid to reel in Hank Aaron's all-time home run record.

Bonds was rested for Tuesday's game against the Cubs in Chicago after missing the first of the four-match series on Monday. He was also questionable for the contests on Wednesday and Thursday.

"I'm not ready," the 42-year-old told reporters before the game.

The controversial Bonds is stuck on 751 career home runs, leaving him five shy of becoming baseball's all-time leader. He last homered on July 3 and last had a hit two days later, going 0-for-20 with eight walks and six strikeouts since.

Soccer

Matthaus likely to coach Bulgarian team: report

SOFIA: Bulgaria's Football Union (BFU) is lining up German legend Lothar Matthaus as the next coach of the national team, local daily Standart reported on Tuesday.

The nomination of Matthaus has been strongly backed by Mihail Kasabov, chief for international cooperation in BFU, who left for Germany to discuss personal terms with Matthaus, the daily said.

BFU also hopes to arrange a friendly games between German and Bulgarian national teams through the deal with Matthaus.

According to the newspaper, the biggest obstacle for Matthaus is the opposition from the team's three biggest stars - Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov, Aston Villa midfielder Stilian Petrov and Atletico Madrid winger Martin Petrov.

The players want the next manager to be a Bulgarian and favor veteran coach Dimitar Penev.

(China Daily 07/19/2007 page24)