IN BRIEF (Page 22)

SOCCER

Paris clinic says Ronaldo to be released on Friday

PARIS: Medical staff in Paris say three-time former World Footballer of the Year Ronaldo should be able to leave the clinic which operated on his left knee by the end of the week.

The 31-year-old AC Milan striker last Thursday underwent surgery at the Pitie-Salpetriere hospital in Paris on the tendon ruptured in his club's 1-1 draw against Livorno at the San Siro the day before.

And a medical official told AFP on Wednesday: "He won't be leaving on Thursday, it's more likely to be Friday."

Ronaldo is due to remain in Paris for physiotherapy for another 10 days before returning to Milan to continue treatment.

GOLF

Woods survives first-round scare in Tucson Match Play

TUCSON, Arizona: Tiger Woods rallied from a three-stroke deficit with five holes to play to edge American compatriot JB Holmes in the first round of the Accenture Match Play Championship on Wednesday.

Woods stumbled early but then turned to his putter for salvation, winning four straight holes over the final five.

World No 1 Woods nailed three birdies and an eagle on the par-5 17th.

He made putts from longer distances at each hole, starting with a 14-footer at the par-3 14th, followed by a 17-footer, a 22-footer and a 35-footer. Woods halved the final hole with a par to win 1-up.

Europeans won 10 of 19 matches as Padraig Harrington, Colin Montgomerie and Sergio Garcia were among those to post emphatic victories.

Harrington built a big lead with six birdies in the first 12 holes against American Jerry Kelly.

The reigning British Open champion subsequently closed it out for a 4-and-3 victory at Dove Mountain.

Handball

Sports court to rule on Olympic handball dispute

BERNE, Switzerland: The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will have the final say on a row over who will represent Asia at this year's Olympic handball events.

The Asian Handball Federation (AHF) and the International Handball Federation (IHF) have agreed to let CAS arbitrate in the matter, the Lausanne-based court said in a statement on Wednesday.

The AHF has been joined in the case by the Kuwait and Kazakhstan handball federations who initially secured the continent's Olympic berths for their respective men's and women's teams at a qualifying event organized by the AHF.

The results of the tournament were later annulled by the IHF following complaints by the South Korean and Japanese federations of allegedly biased refereeing.

The two federations claimed that the Kuwait-based AHF had switched European referees for Middle Eastern officials who would rule in favor of the Kuwaitis and Kazakhs.

Basketball

Sonics deal Thomas to Spurs for Barry, Elson, draft pick

SAN ANTONIO, Texas: Kurt Thomas was traded to the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday, becoming the latest big man to head to a Western Conference contender via trade.

San Antonio acquired Thomas from the Seattle SuperSonics for guard Brent Barry, center Francisco Elson and a 2009 first-round pick.

The deal seems to be a response to the flurry of trades in the Western Conference this season, giving San Antonio some much-needed size when going against the Los Angeles Lakers' Pau Gasol and the Phoenix Suns' Shaquille O'Neal - two newly acquired pivot men in the West.

TENNIS

Nadal sails through debut as Murray, Hewitt exit

ROTTERDAM: Rafael Nadal made a winning debut in Rotterdam Wednesday with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Dmitry Tursunov of Russia to reach the second round.

The victory in just under 90 minutes in front of an 8,000-strong sellout crowd set up the Spanish top seed for a clash with Italian Andreas Seppi, who ambushed former champion Lleyton Hewitt 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4).

Fifth seed Tomas Berdych put out two-time finalist Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 6-3, but the tournament ended early for sixth seed Andy Murray of Britain, who was dumped out by Dutchman Robin Haase.

Dutch wild-card Haase, a 2005 junior Wimbledon finalist, brought Murray back to earth with a bang with a 7-5, 6-3 win in a battle of 20-year-olds.

Nadal was playing for the first time since losing in the Australian Open semifinals a month ago.

(China Daily 02/22/2008 page22)