Frenzied face-painting fans flock to Qi Zhong center

SHANGHAI: Paint is one of the most sought-after items at the ongoing 2007 Masters Cup in Shanghai. But rather than using it to create masterpieces on canvas or paper, faithful tennis fans use the material to draw national flags on their faces, showing support for their favorite tennis players.

Sports

Davydenko wins appeal against 'not trying' fine

SHANGHAI: Troubled tennis star Nikolay Davydenko received a boost on Tuesday when his appeal against a fine for "lack of effort" was upheld.

Masseuses make life more comfortable for athletes

SHANGHAI: If Andy Roddick develops some tightness in his serving arm during the course of the Masters Cup, he may find himself in the hands of Joanna Brimelow and her small team of massage therapists who specialize in rubbing out muscle tension, relieving back pain and providing soothing massages.

Ferrer advances amid dramatic upsets

SHANGHAI: Shanghai continued to produce big tennis upsets yesterday after another pair of top seeds, Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, were stunned at the Shanghai Masters Cup at Qi Zhong Tennis Center.

Overseas fans show their support

SHANGHAI: Fans from across the world have flocked to Shanghai to feel the heart-pounding excitement of the Masters Cup, a showdown pitting the world's most skilled tennis players against one another.

IN BRIEF (Page 24)

Sports

German incensed by match-fixing accusation

BERLIN: German tennis player Philipp Kohlschreiber, accused of match-fixing by an unnamed source in German newspaper Die Welt on Sunday, has insisted he has "nothing to hide" and "only plays to win."

Djokovic: Masters title up for grabs

SHANGHAI: Novak Djokovic had the best year so far in his career, but the Serbian-born player said he doesn't plan to sit back and relax just because the Masters Cup is considered the end of the annual tennis season.

Federer shocked by sizzling Gonzalez

SHANGHAI: In a game combining big serves, a one-sided tiebreak, a basket of winners from smashing forehands and laser-speed backhands, the winner was not Roger Federer.

Nadal predicts rankings shake-up

SHANGHAI: Rafael Nadal's rivalry with Roger Federer is already the stuff of legend, but the Spaniard says their dominance of the sport could be under threat from a new generation of challengers.