IN BRIEF (Page 24)

Tennis

Venus to face Stosur

ROME: Venus Williams will face Samantha Stosur when she returns this week after more than a month out of action after the Australian beat Michaella Krajicek 6-3, 6-2 on Monday to set up a second-round encounter at the Italian Open.

The American six-time Grand Slam champion, seeded seventh for this tournament, has been sidelined with an unspecified medical problem.

Fifth seed Serena Williams, who, like her sister Venus, is a former Italian Open champion, will start her campaign against Alona Bondarenko after the Ukrainian blew away Italian wildcard Mara Santangelo 6-2, 6-2 in the first round.

Motor Sports

Magny-Cours out for 2009

PARIS: The French Grand Prix will be held at Magny-Cours for the last time this year but Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone said he hoped it could return to a new circuit in Paris in 2010.

"We agreed that there would be a French Grand Prix at Magny-Cours in 2008 but not in 2009," Ecclestone told Monday's issue of French sports daily L'Equipe.

"(French) Prime Minister Francois Fillon told me we would then see if we could have a Grand Prix in Paris or just outside but that would not necessarily be for 2009, rather for 2010.

"In any case, 2008 will be the last time we continue like this."

The Magny-Cours circuit, near Nevers in the heart of rural France, has suffered from weak attendances due in part to poor access and insufficient accommodation.

FIA to probe dog incident

LONDON: Turkish Grand Prix organizers could face sanctions after two stray dogs ran onto the Istanbul track and one was hit by Brazilian Bruno Senna's car during a support race on Sunday.

"This was a serious lapse in circuit security and safety," an International Automobile Federation (FIA) spokesman said on Monday. "How could such a thing happen at an almost brand new Formula One track?

"The FIA Safety Commission will hold a full investigation into the matter, which may then be referred to the world council," he added.

Asked about possible consequences for the circuit, which made its Grand Prix debut in 2005, the spokesman said: "Sanctions cannot be ruled out at this stage."

Senna, nephew of the triple Formula One world champion Ayrton, who died in an accident at Imola in May 1994, ran over one of two dogs on the track during a GP2 race at the Istanbul Park circuit.

The 24-year-old, who had come over the brow of a hill and had only a fraction of a second to react, was lucky to escape serious injury with the impact breaking his front right suspension.

Cycling

Bennati claims maiden win

MILAZZO, Italy: Italy's Daniele Bennati of the Liquigas team won the third stage of the Giro d'Italia from Catania to Milazzo on Monday as teammate Franco Pellizotti retained the overall race lead.

Bennati beat the German pair of Erik Zabel and Danilo Hondo in a sprint finish to take his first stage victory in the race.

Compatriot Pellizotti finished 42nd in the same time and leads Christian Vande Velde of the United States by one second. Italy's Danilo Di Luca is seven seconds behind in third.

"It's great to finally win a stage at the Giro d'Italia and a great day for Liquigas because we've also kept the race lead," Bennati told reporters.

"I've won stages at the Tour de France and the Vuelta in recent years and now it's perfect, I've got wins in all three major stage races."

(China Daily 05/14/2008 page24)