Grant adds spice to semis with praise for Gerrard

LONDON: Avram Grant may have been almost monosyllabic after Chelsea beat Everton last week but his comments about Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard are sure to add some spice to their Champions League semifinal on Tuesday.

Nadal slams ATP over crazy calendar

MONTE CARLO: World No 2 and claycourt master Rafael Nadal hit out at the ATP over a "crazy calendar" on Sunday. The Spaniard said men's tennis' ruling body was not taking the players' interests into account by scheduling three Masters Series events within four weeks.

Patient Djokovic ready for claycourt season

MONTE CARLO: Serb Novak Djokovic said on Sunday he was better prepared than last year going into the claycourt season, which he will start at the Monte Carlo Masters Series.

Young for England, O'Neill tells Capello

BIRMINGHAM, England: Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill insists England coach Fabio Capello cannot overlook Ashley Young, saying the pacy forward would wreak havoc with defenses worldwide.

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Ochoa pockets 4th title in a row

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Tennis champs catch Olympic fever

Although the 2008 tennis season is barely four months old, Swiss world No 1 Roger Federer and other leading players are already turning their thoughts toward the Beijing Olympics in August.

Sharapova blanks Mattek, Jankovic starts title defense

CHARLESTON, South Carolina: Maria Sharapova blanked American Bethanie Mattek 6-0, 6-0 in less than an hour in the second round of the Family Circle Cup on Wednesday.

Hopkins unconcerned by age

LAS VEGAS: Bernard Hopkins is 43 years old but the American light-heavyweight insists that age will not be a factor when he faces super middleweight champion Joe Calzaghe in Las Vegas on Saturday.

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No Monte Carlo return for Tsonga

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US athletes uninterested in politics, focus on competition

CHICAGO: Athletes and coaches from Team USA fielded questions about Tibet, Darfur and their opinions on other political matters during a three-day Olympic Summit in the "Windy City".