Ferrer eases into Open third round

PARIS: Fifth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain comfortably advanced to the third round of the French Open by beating Italy's Simone Bolelli 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 Thursday.

Ferrer, last year's runner-up to Rafael Nadal, broke Bolleli's serve five times and saved all four break points he faced.

Also, former French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia advanced to the third round by beating Camila Giorgi of Italy 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Kuznetsova, seeded 27th, broke Giorgi's serve four times and next faces either fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova or Marina Erakovic, who were playing later Thursday.

Sixth-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and 15th-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States also advanced in straight sets.

Jankovic won 7-5, 6-0 against Japan's Kurumi Nara and Stephens won 6-1, 6-3 against Slovenia's Polona Hercog.

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Ferrer eases into Open third round

PARIS: Fifth-seeded David Ferrer of Spain comfortably advanced to the third round of the French Open by beating Italy's Simone Bolelli 6-2, 6-3, 6-2 Thursday.

Ferrer, last year's runner-up to Rafael Nadal, broke Bolleli's serve five times and saved all four break points he faced.

Also, former French Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia advanced to the third round by beating Camila Giorgi of Italy 7-6 (5), 6-3.

Kuznetsova, seeded 27th, broke Giorgi's serve four times and next faces either fifth-seeded Petra Kvitova or Marina Erakovic, who were playing later Thursday.

Sixth-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia and 15th-seeded Sloane Stephens of the United States also advanced in straight sets.

Jankovic won 7-5, 6-0 against Japan's Kurumi Nara and Stephens won 6-1, 6-3 against Slovenia's Polona Hercog.

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India beat SA 4-1 in final practice game

THE HAGUE (Netherlands): A spirited India defeated South Africa 4-1 in their final practice game to round off their warm-up campaign ahead of the hockey World Cup on a positive note here.

India had earlier lost 1-2 to Argentina in the first practice game.

Hit hard by injuries to two key strikers -- Ramandeep Singh and Nikkin Thimmaiah, the Indians played the game against South Africa with a maturity head and sense of purpose.

India's three goals came from penalty corner conversion by Rupinderpal Singh (2) and VR Raghunath, while captain Sardar Singh also contributed to the scoreline with a field goal.

India dominated proceedings for most part of the match and took the lead at the closing stages of the first half through a penalty corner conversion by Rupinder.

Rupinder registered his name in the scoresheet again when he successfully converted another penalty corner in the second half to double India's lead.

The South Africans did manage to pull one back from a set piece but the Indian defence stood tall thereafter to thwart any danger to their citadel.

Skipper Sardar made the scoreline 3-1 in favour of India with a field strike before Raghunath completed the formalities with a penalty corner conversion.

Speaking on India's performance against South Africa, India's High Performance Director Roelant Oltmans, said: "The first half of the match turned out to be a little slower than expected, but the second half of the game saw a really good performance by the team, where defence also gave an excellent response.

"We are happy to see both Lalit Upadhyay and Yuvraj Walmiki (Ramandeep and Nikkin's replacements) living up to the expectations from their very first match. The team has been preparing for a long time now and it's time for the boys to deliver their best. I am confident that the boys will perform well in this tournament."

India captain Sardar Singh too was satisfied with the outcome of the match.

"It was the second practice game and I am glad the team is showing good results. The good part is that we all understand the wavelength and carry on with the game with the same mindset," he said.

"This win against South Africa will further help in boosting the confidence of every player and especially Lalit Upadhyay and Yuvraj Walmiki as it was their first game. We are ready to take up more challenges and deliver even better results in the tournament," Sardar added.

India will open their World Cup campaign against Belgium in a tough Group A on Saturday.

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Nadal enters French Open third round

PARIS: Defending champion Rafael Nadal handed out a bruising lesson to highly-rated Austrian Dominic Thiem on Thursday as a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 victory took the Spaniard into the French Open third round.

Eight-time winner Nadal, bidding to be the first man to clinch five Roland Garros titles in a row, had been expected to face a severe test from the 20-year-old world number 57.

But Thiem, who trains for big matches by running through forests carrying tree trunks to build stamina, ran out of steam on Philippe Chatrier court despite showing occasional glimpses of potential.

Nadal took his career record in Paris to 61 wins against a single loss and goes on to face Leonardo Mayer of Argentina.

"Dominic is a dangerous player and I knew that if I wasn't playing well then I'd be in trouble," said Nadal.

"But he is a future star, 100 percent. His level of ball is very high, he is strong on the forehand and backhand. He has everything to be a big champion."

Thiem had beaten Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka in Madrid and gave 27-year-old Nadal plenty to think about in an eight-minute opening game.

But Nadal proceeded to pounce on Thiem's raw inconsistencies which saw the young Austrian break the Spaniard twice only to be broken himself seven times and commit 41 unforced errors.

Thiem dismissed suggestions that Nadal, having lost three times on European clay in the run-up to Roland Garros for the first time in 10 years, was a man at the crossroads.

"I think everybody wants this crisis which everybody says he has. I don't think he has. There are only a few players who can hurt him in this tournament," he said.

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Nadal enters French Open third round

PARIS: Defending champion Rafael Nadal handed out a bruising lesson to highly-rated Austrian Dominic Thiem on Thursday as a 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 victory took the Spaniard into the French Open third round.

Eight-time winner Nadal, bidding to be the first man to clinch five Roland Garros titles in a row, had been expected to face a severe test from the 20-year-old world number 57.

But Thiem, who trains for big matches by running through forests carrying tree trunks to build stamina, ran out of steam on Philippe Chatrier court despite showing occasional glimpses of potential.

Nadal took his career record in Paris to 61 wins against a single loss and goes on to face Leonardo Mayer of Argentina.

"Dominic is a dangerous player and I knew that if I wasn't playing well then I'd be in trouble," said Nadal.

"But he is a future star, 100 percent. His level of ball is very high, he is strong on the forehand and backhand. He has everything to be a big champion."

Thiem had beaten Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka in Madrid and gave 27-year-old Nadal plenty to think about in an eight-minute opening game.

But Nadal proceeded to pounce on Thiem's raw inconsistencies which saw the young Austrian break the Spaniard twice only to be broken himself seven times and commit 41 unforced errors.

Thiem dismissed suggestions that Nadal, having lost three times on European clay in the run-up to Roland Garros for the first time in 10 years, was a man at the crossroads.

"I think everybody wants this crisis which everybody says he has. I don't think he has. There are only a few players who can hurt him in this tournament," he said.

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Djokovic enters French Open 3rd round

PARIS: Second seed Novak Djokovic cruised into the French Open third round on Wednesday with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over France's Jeremy Chardy.

It was Djokovic's ninth win in nine meetings against the world number 42 who has never taken a set off the Serb.

Djokovic, the 2012 runner-up who needs a French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, next faces either 25th seeded Croat Marin Cilic or Germany's Tobias Kamke.

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CR7 is world's most marketable player

PARIS: Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo is the world's most marketable footballer, according to a study released by an international sports market research company Wednesday.

Barcelona and Argentina forward Lionel Messi ranked second in the study conducted by Repucom, ahead of club teammate and surprise third-placed entry Gerard Pique of Spain.

The data measured the perceptions of over 6,500 people in 13 countries, including Britain, the United States, Brazil, China and India, which was reportedly claimed to represent the views of more than 1.5 billion people worldwide.

2013 Ballon d'or winner Ronaldo, who helped Real Madrid clinch a 10th Champions League title on Saturday, was also found to be the most well-known player on the planet with 83.9 percent of people aware of who he was.

"Ronaldo is an endorser's dream. His value is as important to the teams he plays for as they are for the companies that endorse him," said Paul Smith, CEO of Repucom.

"Global awareness of Ronaldo is what drives his commercial power and with over 82 million facebook likes and 26 million Twitter followers, he is also one of the most liked in the business."

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Djokovic enters French Open 3rd round

PARIS: Second seed Novak Djokovic cruised into the French Open third round on Wednesday with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over France's Jeremy Chardy.

It was Djokovic's ninth win in nine meetings against the world number 42 who has never taken a set off the Serb.

Djokovic, the 2012 runner-up who needs a French Open title to complete a career Grand Slam, next faces either 25th seeded Croat Marin Cilic or Germany's Tobias Kamke.

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Federer into French Open third round

PARIS: Roger Federer reached the French Open third round on Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Argentine qualifier Diego Sebastian Schwartzman.

It was Federer's 60th win at Roland Garros as he goes on to face Russian 31st seed Dmitry Tursunov for a place in the last 16.

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Federer into French Open third round

PARIS: Roger Federer reached the French Open third round on Wednesday with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win over Argentine qualifier Diego Sebastian Schwartzman.

It was Federer's 60th win at Roland Garros as he goes on to face Russian 31st seed Dmitry Tursunov for a place in the last 16.

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Nico expects ties with Lewis to improve

ST MARTIN (Italy): Formula One leader Nico Rosberg expects his rocky relationship with Mercedes' teammate and title rival Lewis Hamilton to improve despite the rift between them after last weekend's Monaco Grand Prix.

Rosberg won the showcase race on Sunday to retake the championship lead from Hamilton, who suggested the German had used underhand tactics to secure pole position in Saturday qualifying.

Visiting the German soccer team at their World Cup preparations in Italy on Tuesday, Rosberg said such disputes between drivers of the same team were nothing new.

"In our sport we can only have success as a team," Rosberg told a news conference. "Nothing can happen alone. I make an effort for teamwork and for the atmosphere in the team.

"It is a bit more difficult internally at the moment. But it has happened in the past as well in our sport."

Mercedes bosses have warned both drivers that they must not overstep the mark in an increasingly intense fight for the Formula One title between the pair, with the team having won every race so far this year.

"We discuss the issues and we have already discussed them and it will again be better and it will be forgotten," said Rosberg, who has known Hamilton since they were teenage team mates in go-karts.

Before the German's second victory of the season, which put him four points clear of 2008 world champion Hamilton after six of the 19 races, his British rival had won four in a row.

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Li crashes out of French Open first round

PARIS: Chinese second seed Li Na crashed out of the French Open first round on Tuesday in a 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 defeat against world number 103 Kristina Mladenovic of France.

Following men's third seed Stan Wawrinka's exit on Monday, fellow Australian Open champion Li became the biggest early victim in the women's draw as 21-year-old Mladenovic stormed through the third set.

It was another disappointing exit for Li, who won in Paris in 2011 but hasn't been past the fourth round in six other appearances.

On Tuesday, she committed 37 unforced errors. Mladenovic now meets Alison Riske of the United States in the second round. "It's just incredible, I don't have the words to describe what happened," a tearful Mladenovic said.

"To beat the world number two in the first round at Roland Garros is incredible. Without you, I couldn't have done it," the 2009 French Open junior champion told the crowd.

The 21-year-old dug deep to steal the first set from under Li's nose when she saved two set points at 5-4 before levelling the match.

It was a mighty effort from the 1.84m (6ft) right hander and she seized on a lapse by Li to close out the set 7-5 in just over an hour.

Li, who came into the tournament in good form, having reached the quarter-finals at Rome and Madrid as well as the Miami Masters final where she lost to Serena Williams, immediately hit back to start the second set.

The 32-year-old from Wuhan picked up an early break to race into a 3-0 lead which she protected the rest of the way to level the match 6-3.

Mladenovic, who teamed up with Canadian Daniel Nestor to win the Wimbledon (2013) and Australian (2014) mixed doubles titles, was the first to draw blood in the final set when she broke in the fourth game to jump into a 4-1 lead.

The match was slipping away from the Australian Open champion while Mladenovic grew in confidence knowing victory was within her grasp.

However the Chinese world number two was unable to muster a fightback as Mladenovic, who has only reached the second round twice now in six appearances at Roland Garros, closed out the match 6-1 for her most memorable singles' victory.

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Li crashes out of French Open first round

PARIS: Chinese second seed Li Na crashed out of the French Open first round on Tuesday in a 7-5, 3-6, 6-1 defeat against world number 103 Kristina Mladenovic of France.

Following men's third seed Stan Wawrinka's exit on Monday, fellow Australian Open champion Li became the biggest early victim in the women's draw as 21-year-old Mladenovic stormed through the third set.

It was another disappointing exit for Li, who won in Paris in 2011 but hasn't been past the fourth round in six other appearances.

On Tuesday, she committed 37 unforced errors. Mladenovic now meets Alison Riske of the United States in the second round. "It's just incredible, I don't have the words to describe what happened," a tearful Mladenovic said.

"To beat the world number two in the first round at Roland Garros is incredible. Without you, I couldn't have done it," the 2009 French Open junior champion told the crowd.

The 21-year-old dug deep to steal the first set from under Li's nose when she saved two set points at 5-4 before levelling the match.

It was a mighty effort from the 1.84m (6ft) right hander and she seized on a lapse by Li to close out the set 7-5 in just over an hour.

Li, who came into the tournament in good form, having reached the quarter-finals at Rome and Madrid as well as the Miami Masters final where she lost to Serena Williams, immediately hit back to start the second set.

The 32-year-old from Wuhan picked up an early break to race into a 3-0 lead which she protected the rest of the way to level the match 6-3.

Mladenovic, who teamed up with Canadian Daniel Nestor to win the Wimbledon (2013) and Australian (2014) mixed doubles titles, was the first to draw blood in the final set when she broke in the fourth game to jump into a 4-1 lead.

The match was slipping away from the Australian Open champion while Mladenovic grew in confidence knowing victory was within her grasp.

However the Chinese world number two was unable to muster a fightback as Mladenovic, who has only reached the second round twice now in six appearances at Roland Garros, closed out the match 6-1 for her most memorable singles' victory.

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Cheers, jeers await Sepp Blatter in Brazil

GENEVA: The two sides of being FIFA president Sepp Blatter are on display just before the troubled World Cup kicks off on June 12. Acclaimed by world football leaders but held in contempt by many football fans.

Blatter should arrive at the Itaquerao stadium in Sao Paulo to watch host Brazil play Croatia confident that this tournament - his fifth as president - won't be his last leading the world's favorite sport.

One day earlier, the 78-year-old Blatter should ask for, and get, consent from 209 FIFA member federation bosses to seek another four-year presidential term.

"Yes, I would like to do it," Blatter said earlier this month about his expected candidacy for the secret ballot scheduled May 29, 2015. "My mandate is almost over but my mission is not finished."

The endorsement at the Transamerica Expo Center might be a personal high point of Blatter's stay in Brazil, a country which loves football but not the cost levied on taxpayers to stage the month-long show.

When Blatter appears on a public stage he faces inevitable boos and jeers - just as at previous World Cups and the Confederations Cup held in Brazil last June.

The fact FIFA pays no tax to Brazil's public finances from its $4 billion revenue for broadcasting and commercial deals tied to the 2014 World Cup is an added provocation. Even if it is a standard demand on countries wanting to host a World Cup or Olympic Games.

Blatter, who often travels and is feted like a head of state, is a useful target for social activists and for football fans familiar with the corruption cases that have involved some of its senior officials in recent years.

A change to usual World Cup protocol means that presidents of FIFA and the host nation will not make speeches in the stadium during the formal opening ceremony.

Not after he and state President Dilma Rousseff were booed when addressing the crowd before Brazil's match which opened the Confederations Cup last year in the new Brasilia stadium.

"Friends of Brazilian football, where is the respect and the fair play, please?" the multilingual Blatter asked spectators in their Portuguese language, as their head of state stood beside him.

So, no chance in the 65,000-capacity Sao Paulo stadium for spectators to upstage the presidents.

"If you know that these things could happen, that at the end the two persons who are giving a speech will feel bad, why (do) you put them in this position?" FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke said.

Still, the protocol plan calls for Blatter and Rousseff - who faces her own re-election contest within months - to jointly present the trophy on July 13 to the winning captain in Rio de Janeiro's Maracana stadium.

Four years ago, Blatter and South Africa's President Jacob Zuma both had a hand on the gold trophy which they passed to Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas without any public disapproval.

That came three hours earlier when the FIFA leader's name was announced as he entered the Soccer City pitch during pre-match introductions to the players.

"I was only aware there were less vuvuzelas," Blatter said the next day. "We went on the field of play and it was a great moment."

In 2006, Blatter skipped the on-field trophy presentation to the Italy team in Berlin.

"History will say that it was an error" he acknowledged to Italian media several months later. "I wanted to avoid creating an ugly scene because the Germans had shown they would whistle at the word FIFA."

Blatter should face no such disrespect on June 11 at the FIFA Congress, an event which the skilled Swiss administrator controls with mastery.

In the depths of public disdain with FIFA in June 2011, Blatter was re-elected as the only candidate. He got 186 of 203 votes cast despite a turbulent few months of bribery scandals and widespread doubts about the integrity of awarding the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar, respectively.

"We have been hit and I personally have been slapped. I don't want that ever again," Blatter said from the congress stage in Zurich, committing FIFA to a reform program which critics saw as richly ironic that he would lead.

"The FIFA ship is in troubled waters but this ship must be brought back on the right track," he said before the poll. "I am the captain of the ship."

When the England delegation broke ranks and tried to postpone the vote, Blatter marshalled a global spread of loyal members to march up and join a brutal verbal attack on the founding football association.

Blatter can surely expect similarly support in less tempestuous times in Sao Paulo.

Apart from some wealthy member nations, few of FIFA's 209 seem anxious to change a system and leadership which has let millions of World Cup dollars trickle down to them during Blatter's 16-year rule.

Though UEFA President Michel Platini clearly covets the top job, FIFA history since 1974 shows that a bedrock of European votes is far from enough for victory.

Should Blatter continue to enjoy good health, he can look forward to a more agreeable welcome at the 2018 World Cup opening ceremony.

Side by side with Vladimir Putin.

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Wozniacki loses on return after break up

PARIS: Caroline Wozniacki's return to tennis and the public eye after her breakup with golfer Rory McIlroy ended in more pain on Tuesday when the 13th seed was knocked out in the French Open first round by Yanina Wickmayer.

The Belgian won a high-quality baseline battle 7-6(5) 4-6 6-2, condemning Wozniacki to her first opening round defeat at Roland Garros since her debut in 2007.

The players swapped breaks of serve in the first set and the advantage swung one way and then the other in the tiebreak before the Belgian ended a superb rally with a backhand crosscourt winner to take it.

Wozniacki, 23, wasted five break points in the sixth game of the second set but made amends with the score at 5-4 when Wickmayer, serving to stay in the set, netted a simple forehand to bring the Dane level.

But Wickmayer, going for her shots, hit back immediately by breaking Wozniacki in the first game of the final set and again in the fifth.

The Dane broke back thanks to a lucky net cord and a fine drop shot but Wickmayer, ranked 64th in the world, was now clearly on top and sealed victory on her first match point after Wozniacki netted.

McIlroy, like Wozniacki a former world No.1 in his sport, said he called off the engagement after getting cold feet while sorting out the wedding invitations.

The Northern Irishman told the world of his pain at the breakup on the eve of last week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth but he went on to win the European Tour's flagship event.

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Novak eases into French Open 2nd round

PARIS: Serbia's second seed Novak Djokovic opened his bid for a maiden French Open title on Monday with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 first round win over Portugal's Joao Sousa.

The six-time Grand Slam winner is only missing the Roland Garros title to complete his set of all four majors and began in style with a confident showing on the Philippe Chatrier centre court.

During a match interrupted by rain, the 27-year-old Belgrade native was at his charismatic best on and off the court as he even had time to chat extensively with a ball boy during a brief rain delay.

He offered the young lad a drink and clinked bottles with him as the crowd roared their approval.

On the court, Sousa, ranked 42 in the world and a French Open best of reaching the second round last year, was outclassed by Djokovic's all round game.

The Serb, who is coming off a stellar showing in Rome where he defeated Rafael Nadal, following earlier victories in 2014 at Indian Wells and Miami, converted eight of 15 break points.

He also rained down eight aces behind a first serve percentage of just under 70 per cent in a match that lasted 1hr 46 minutes.

The former world number one now faces French hope Jeremy Chardy for a place in the last 32.

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Sharapova enters French Open 2nd Rd

PARIS: Maria Sharapova took advantage of a break in the rain - and several breaks of her opponent's serve - to win her opening match at the French Open on Monday.

The 2012 champion was first on court in the main stadium at Roland Garros and needed little more than an hour to reach the second round by beating Ksenia Pervak 6-1, 6-2.

"It's always nice to get out there on a day like this. It's good to play first match, as you know," Sharapova said. "Hopefully you'll be able to finish the match today with the weather conditions being as they are. It's always nice to get through."

Sharapova broke Pervak five times and finished with 17 winners, while Pervak had only four.

Sharapova, seeded seventh at the French Open, completed a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros two years ago. She then lost to Serena Williams in the 2013 final.

Up next in Paris will be Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria in the second round. But she could face Williams in the quarterfinals.

"It's tough to think about that match down the line where you have to compete in three matches before that," Sharapova said. "Obviously it's a match that many people always look forward to when we play against each other."

Monday's match started about 1 hour, 20 minutes late because of the wet weather. The forecast calls for more rain Monday, and for the rest of the week.

Shortly after Sharapova's match ended, and shortly after Novak Djokovic's match started, the rain returned and play was suspended.

Djokovic was leading Joao Sousa of Portugal 4-1 when play was halted.

Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia also advanced, beating Virginie Razzano of France 7-5, 6-0.

Other winners include No. 12 Flavia Pennetta of Italy and No. 16 Sabine Lisicki of Germany. Pennetta beat Patricia Mayr-Achleitner of Austria 6-2, 6-2, while 2013 Wimbledon runner-up Lisicki defeated Fiona Ferro of France 6-1, 7-5.

On the men's side, ninth-seeded Kei Nishikori was knocked out at the first step, losing to Martin Klizan of Slovakia 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-2.

Nishikori came into the tournament after winning his first clay-court title in Barcelona last month and then reaching the final in Madrid against Rafael Nadal where he had to retire with a back injury.

Nishikori, the highest-ranked Japanese man in history, is No. 10 in the world, one spot lower than his career high.

Later Monday, eight-time champion Nadal and Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka were scheduled to play - weather permitting.

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Sharapova enters French Open 2nd Rd

PARIS: Maria Sharapova took advantage of a break in the rain - and several breaks of her opponent's serve - to win her opening match at the French Open on Monday.

The 2012 champion was first on court in the main stadium at Roland Garros and needed little more than an hour to reach the second round by beating Ksenia Pervak 6-1, 6-2.

"It's always nice to get out there on a day like this. It's good to play first match, as you know," Sharapova said. "Hopefully you'll be able to finish the match today with the weather conditions being as they are. It's always nice to get through."

Sharapova broke Pervak five times and finished with 17 winners, while Pervak had only four.

Sharapova, seeded seventh at the French Open, completed a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros two years ago. She then lost to Serena Williams in the 2013 final.

Up next in Paris will be Tsvetana Pironkova of Bulgaria in the second round. But she could face Williams in the quarterfinals.

"It's tough to think about that match down the line where you have to compete in three matches before that," Sharapova said. "Obviously it's a match that many people always look forward to when we play against each other."

Monday's match started about 1 hour, 20 minutes late because of the wet weather. The forecast calls for more rain Monday, and for the rest of the week.

Shortly after Sharapova's match ended, and shortly after Novak Djokovic's match started, the rain returned and play was suspended.

Djokovic was leading Joao Sousa of Portugal 4-1 when play was halted.

Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia also advanced, beating Virginie Razzano of France 7-5, 6-0.

Other winners include No. 12 Flavia Pennetta of Italy and No. 16 Sabine Lisicki of Germany. Pennetta beat Patricia Mayr-Achleitner of Austria 6-2, 6-2, while 2013 Wimbledon runner-up Lisicki defeated Fiona Ferro of France 6-1, 7-5.

On the men's side, ninth-seeded Kei Nishikori was knocked out at the first step, losing to Martin Klizan of Slovakia 7-6 (4), 6-1, 6-2.

Nishikori came into the tournament after winning his first clay-court title in Barcelona last month and then reaching the final in Madrid against Rafael Nadal where he had to retire with a back injury.

Nishikori, the highest-ranked Japanese man in history, is No. 10 in the world, one spot lower than his career high.

Later Monday, eight-time champion Nadal and Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka were scheduled to play - weather permitting.

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Novak eases into French Open 2nd round

PARIS: Serbia's second seed Novak Djokovic opened his bid for a maiden French Open title on Monday with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 first round win over Portugal's Joao Sousa.

The six-time Grand Slam winner is only missing the Roland Garros title to complete his set of all four majors and began in style with a confident showing on the Philippe Chatrier centre court.

During a match interrupted by rain, the 27-year-old Belgrade native was at his charismatic best on and off the court as he even had time to chat extensively with a ball boy during a brief rain delay.

He offered the young lad a drink and clinked bottles with him as the crowd roared their approval.

On the court, Sousa, ranked 42 in the world and a French Open best of reaching the second round last year, was outclassed by Djokovic's all round game.

The Serb, who is coming off a stellar showing in Rome where he defeated Rafael Nadal, following earlier victories in 2014 at Indian Wells and Miami, converted eight of 15 break points.

He also rained down eight aces behind a first serve percentage of just under 70 per cent in a match that lasted 1hr 46 minutes.

The former world number one now faces French hope Jeremy Chardy for a place in the last 32.

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Rodgers signs new contract at Liverpool

Brendan Rodgers signed a new long-term contract as Liverpool manager on Monday, a reward for reviving the fortunes of one of England's biggest clubs during his two years in charge at Anfield.

The 41-year-old Northern Irishman has proved a perfect fit at Liverpool since taking over from Kenny Dalglish in the summer of 2012 and steered the team to an unexpected title challenge in the Premier League last season.

The Reds came up short, finishing two points behind Manchester City in second place, but secured a return to the Champions League after a four-year absence and earned admiring glances for their vibrant, attacking style of play.

It has prompted Liverpool's American owners, Fenway Sports Group, to give Rodgers a fresh contract.

"We are very fortunate to have a hugely talented individual leading our football performance and in whom we place our trust to deliver the vision we share for Liverpool," principal owner John Henry and chairman Tom Werner said in a Liverpool statement.

"Players and supporters have made it clear how important Brendan is to our success and so to have him commit to us for the long term is a great boost for everyone going forward."

Exact details of the new contract were not disclosed.

Rodgers has impressed in almost every facet of his job, on and away from the pitch.

He is extremely popular with fans for his style of football, his tactical awareness, his insistence on giving youth - and English players - a chance and for breathing new life into a club that has suffered in recent years under the weight of financial and ownership problems.

He also is well-versed in the club's storied history, conducting himself perfectly in all the engagements that have come with the 25th anniversary of the Hillsborough Stadium tragedy in which 96 Liverpool fans died during a crush at an FA Cup semifinal.

The media-friendly Rodgers, meanwhile, has demonstrated that he has a tougher side to him, earning wide praise for the way he handled Luis Suarez last summer when the team's star striker pushed for a move away from Liverpool. Rodgers was also not afraid to quickly jettison Andy Carroll - Liverpool's record signing - because the tall striker did not fit into his plans.

Rodgers seems the ideal person to lead Liverpool as it seeks to regain the English league trophy the club last won in 1989, for the 18th time.

"I am both humbled and privileged to be offered the chance to extend my stay at this great club," Rodgers said. "I am very happy to build on the foundations we have built over the last two years and now we move onto the next phase which I believe will be as exciting, challenging and rewarding."

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Nadal favourite for Federer, not Djokovic

PARIS: Roger Federer lambasted Rafael Nadal's growing army of critics on Sunday, insisting that the world number one and not Novak Djokovic remains his favourite to win the French Open.

Nadal comes into Roland Garros, where he has been champion eight times, with his game seemingly at crisis point.

His defeat to world number two Djokovic in the Rome Masters final marked the first time since 2004 that he had lost three claycourt matches in the same year.

Even the successful defence of his Madrid Masters title was achieved only after Kei Nishikori was forced to retire from their final with a back injury.

Before that, Nadal was knocked out in the quarterfinals in Barcelona and Monte Carlo.

But Federer threw his weight behind Nadal on Sunday, just moments after equalling the Spaniard's record of 59 Roland Garros wins courtesy of a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 breeze past Slovakia's Lukas Lacko.

"It doesn't go week by week. I don't know who's talking all the time, but Rafa is the favourite, and then Novak, and then the rest, you know. It's very clear," insisted Federer.

"I think he's back where he wants to be. He's played the matches he needs to play. He's even won at home in Madrid. So I think he probably is where he wants to be, in my opinion."

Federer also hinted at exasperation over Djokovic's roller-coaster fitness issues.

The Serb, who needs a French Open title to join Federer and Nadal in completing a career Grand Slam, injured his right wrist in Monte Carlo, then skipped Madrid before storming to victory in Rome.

"Three weeks ago he couldn't play tennis anymore. When he was injured, oh, my God, you know. Things are looking so terrible. Now everything is great," said the Swiss.

Federer kicked off his 16th consecutive French Open with an 84-minute demolition of the hapless Lacko.

It was Federer's first victory since becoming a father of twins for the second time.

The 32-year-old Swiss, who won his only Paris title in 2009, was watched by wife Mirka and older twins Myla and Charlene but not three-week old Lenny and Leo.

Federer was never troubled by Lacko, the world number 88 who has not won a claycourt match for three years.

Breaks in the fifth and seventh games of the opening set followed by another in the third game of the second put the 17-time major winner in total control.

Federer broke again in the first and fifth games of the third set against the hapless Lacko to seal victory in just 84 minutes, a performance highlighted by 40 winners.

Federer goes on to face either Portugal's Gastao Elias or Diego Sebastian Schwartzman of Argentina for a place in the last 32.

Federer added that he now has no problems with playing on the first Sunday although he remains unconvinced over whether or not it is required in Paris.

"I don't necessarily agree that the French Open has a Sunday start and 15 days of Grand Slam over Wimbledon having 13," said Federer.

"I remember the first year when they introduced it and I refused to play on the Sunday. They made me play on it anyway. But now everything is more laid back and I was actually very pleased to see a full crowd almost for a first round.

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Rosberg wins Monaco GP to retake lead

MONTE CARLO (Monaco): Nico Rosberg turned his controversial pole position into faultless victory for Mercedes on Sunday when he regained the lead in the drivers' world championship by winning the Monaco Grand Prix.

F1 Stats: Results | Drivers' Standings | ​Constructors' Standings

The 28-year-old German came home 9.2 seconds clear of nearest rival and team-mate Lewis Hamilton who coped with loss of vision in one eye as he held off Australian Daniel Ricciardo's Red Bull in the closing laps.

It was Rosberg's second consecutive victory in his home event, his second win of the 2014 season and the fifth win of his career.

Fernando Alonso finished fourth for Ferrari ahead of Nico Hulkenberg of Force India and Jenson Button who finished sixth for McLaren.

Felipe Massa came home seventh for Williams, Jules Bianchi was eighth for Marussia ahead of fellow-Frenchman Romain Grosjean of Lotus and Kevin Magnussen finished 10th in the second McLaren.

Rosberg's win carried him to 122 points in the title race ahead of Hamilton, who was only half a second ahead of Ricciardo as they crossed the line, on 118.

"It's another special day for me, for sure," said Rosberg. "Lewis drove well and pushed me massively hard. The pressure was on but I kept it cool and pulled a bit of a gap at the end because of the refreshed tyres. Thanks to the team for all their great work."

On an overcast afternoon in the Mediterranean principality, with an air temperature of 20 degrees Celsius and a track temperature of 28, there was palpable tension in the air before the start.

Following Saturday's controversy, after Rosberg had gone down an escape road on his final lap, and Hamilton's threat to 'take a leaf out of Senna's book', fireworks were expected.

Hamilton did not in public at any rate congratulate Rosberg or make any contact with his teammate on the podium.

Given the drama of 24 hours earlier Hamilton and his Mercedes team-mate delivered a damp squib when the lights went out, Hamilton following Rosberg down to Ste Devote.

As the two Mercedes streaked clear, separated by less than a car's length on the opening lap, Raikkonen made the most of a fast start in his Ferrari to take fourth place behind Sebastian Vettel, who had jumped team-mate Ricciardo off the grid.

Vettel's good start counted for little, however, as he was soon hit by a loss of power and gearbox problems. "Come on guys," he said, on the team radio. "I'm sure you are trying everything..." And then "I'm stuck in first gear."

He retired on lap eight, joining the luckless Latin Americans Venezuelan Pastor Maldonado, whose Renault did not start, and Mexican Sergio Perez, who was hit by Briton Jenson Button's McLaren at the Mirabeau corner on the opening lap, on the sidelines. The safety car came out for the first time.

Soon after, on lap 25, Adrian Sutil, who had been charging hard, finally lost control at the chicane and hit the barriers, triggering a second safety car intervention which, in turn, caused the leaders to dive into the pits for fresh tyres on laps 27 and 28 respectively.

Racing resumed on lap 30 when Raikkonen had dropped to 14th after a collision and puncture and Vergne's Toro Rosso crew released their driver directly - and dangerously -- into the path of Kevin Magnussen's McLaren.

Vergne, running sixth, was given a drive-through penalty that dropped him to 12th before an engine failure later ended his race.

Hamilton remained virtually glued to Rosberg's tail, just six-tenths of a second behind, as they led the field by more than seven seconds. Hamilton clearly believed incessant pressure might force an error as the race unfolded.

At half-distance, Rosberg was warned that he needed to use higher gears to conserve fuel for the closing laps when Hamilton was expected to attack again.

This seemed certain until, with 14 laps to go, Hamilton's vision was impaired, causing him to ease off by four seconds. "I can't see out of my left eye - I've got some dirt, or something, in my eye," he reported.

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Nadal favourite for Federer, not Djokovic

PARIS: Roger Federer lambasted Rafael Nadal's growing army of critics on Sunday, insisting that the world number one and not Novak Djokovic remains his favourite to win the French Open.

Nadal comes into Roland Garros, where he has been champion eight times, with his game seemingly at crisis point.

His defeat to world number two Djokovic in the Rome Masters final marked the first time since 2004 that he had lost three claycourt matches in the same year.

Even the successful defence of his Madrid Masters title was achieved only after Kei Nishikori was forced to retire from their final with a back injury.

Before that, Nadal was knocked out in the quarterfinals in Barcelona and Monte Carlo.

But Federer threw his weight behind Nadal on Sunday, just moments after equalling the Spaniard's record of 59 Roland Garros wins courtesy of a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 breeze past Slovakia's Lukas Lacko.

"It doesn't go week by week. I don't know who's talking all the time, but Rafa is the favourite, and then Novak, and then the rest, you know. It's very clear," insisted Federer.

"I think he's back where he wants to be. He's played the matches he needs to play. He's even won at home in Madrid. So I think he probably is where he wants to be, in my opinion."

Federer also hinted at exasperation over Djokovic's roller-coaster fitness issues.

The Serb, who needs a French Open title to join Federer and Nadal in completing a career Grand Slam, injured his right wrist in Monte Carlo, then skipped Madrid before storming to victory in Rome.

"Three weeks ago he couldn't play tennis anymore. When he was injured, oh, my God, you know. Things are looking so terrible. Now everything is great," said the Swiss.

Federer kicked off his 16th consecutive French Open with an 84-minute demolition of the hapless Lacko.

It was Federer's first victory since becoming a father of twins for the second time.

The 32-year-old Swiss, who won his only Paris title in 2009, was watched by wife Mirka and older twins Myla and Charlene but not three-week old Lenny and Leo.

Federer was never troubled by Lacko, the world number 88 who has not won a claycourt match for three years.

Breaks in the fifth and seventh games of the opening set followed by another in the third game of the second put the 17-time major winner in total control.

Federer broke again in the first and fifth games of the third set against the hapless Lacko to seal victory in just 84 minutes, a performance highlighted by 40 winners.

Federer goes on to face either Portugal's Gastao Elias or Diego Sebastian Schwartzman of Argentina for a place in the last 32.

Federer added that he now has no problems with playing on the first Sunday although he remains unconvinced over whether or not it is required in Paris.

"I don't necessarily agree that the French Open has a Sunday start and 15 days of Grand Slam over Wimbledon having 13," said Federer.

"I remember the first year when they introduced it and I refused to play on the Sunday. They made me play on it anyway. But now everything is more laid back and I was actually very pleased to see a full crowd almost for a first round.

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Serena starts French with 6-2, 6-1 win

PARIS: Serena Williams began the defense of her French Open title with a 6-2, 6-1 victory Sunday over 138th-ranked Alize Lim, a wild-card entry from France.

The top-seeded Williams dictated most points and wound up with 30 more winners - but also 24 more unforced errors - than Lim.

Williams is a 17-time major champion who was facing a woman making her Grand Slam debut. Still, there was a bit of shakiness from the 32-year-old American as she served out the final game, erasing four break points and needing five match points to close things. Williams saved all seven break points she faced in the match.

She improved to 54-1 in first-round matches at majors. The only loss came at the 2012 French Open against 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano.

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Serena starts French with 6-2, 6-1 win

PARIS: Serena Williams began the defense of her French Open title with a 6-2, 6-1 victory Sunday over 138th-ranked Alize Lim, a wild-card entry from France.

The top-seeded Williams dictated most points and wound up with 30 more winners - but also 24 more unforced errors - than Lim.

Williams is a 17-time major champion who was facing a woman making her Grand Slam debut. Still, there was a bit of shakiness from the 32-year-old American as she served out the final game, erasing four break points and needing five match points to close things. Williams saved all seven break points she faced in the match.

She improved to 54-1 in first-round matches at majors. The only loss came at the 2012 French Open against 111th-ranked Virginie Razzano.

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Saina, Sindhu have been fantastic: Gopi

NEW DELHI: Chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand praised the performances of Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa for their bronze medal performance in the Uber Cup being held at the Siri Fort Sports Complex here.

"Individually, Saina and Sindhu have been fantastic. Jwala and Ashwini, though they lost Friday's match but that doesn't take anything away from them. They have played very well. PC Thulasi also did well," Gopichand said on Saturday.

"Overall from a team perspective we need to understand that first timers coming in and playing crucial matches in a team event was going to be very tough. Having said that, we have worked hard and pulled out some fantastic results. Beating Thailand and Indonesia was phenomenal."

India topped Group Y after beating Canada, Hong Kong and Thailand, following it up with a quarterfinal victory over badminton powerhouse Indonesia.

But the team could not repeat its performance in Friday's semifinal against Japan which India lost 2-3 despite taking a 2-0 lead.

The former All-England champion said that the match could have gone either way. But after Jwala and Ashwini lost the first doubles, it was difficult to win from there with the lack of depth in the team.

"It was a close tie. Saina started off fantastically and Sindhu fought like hell. It was good to see the spirit in her and we had our chances in the doubles when we were leading. There were fast exchanges. The match could have gone either way," said the Padma Bhushan awardee.

"But once we lost the doubles, we didn't have the depth in our team to pull it off. Thulasi beating Eriko Hirose was tough on paper. That's something which we knew and also the second doubles pair of Saina and Sindhu was not something we were really banking on."

India's best bet, Saina struck prime form after ages, also beating reigning World Champion Ratchanok Intanon in the tie against Thailand Tuesday.

Asked if she would be able to continue her form, Gopichand said: "This is sport and we cannot have things in black and white but the way she has performed here is very positive.

"She needs to keep doing the good work and I believe Saina definitely has 4-5 years in her kitty. If she does well, she is going to win. Having said that, with any sportsman if your focus goes down, your performance will come down."

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China beat Japan to retain Uber Cup

NEW DELHI: Favourites China swamped Japan 3-1 on Saturday to maintain a stranglehold on the women's Uber Cup badminton team championships by winning their eighth final in the last nine editions.

The Chinese, who boast of the world's top three singles players, showed off their prowess in front of a handful of spectators at the Siri Fort complex in New Delhi.

World number one Li Xuerui gave the champions the lead with a 21-15, 21-5 win over the 12th-ranked Minatsu Mitani in a one-sided match that lasted just 36 minutes.

Japan drew level through their doubles pair of Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi, who stunned Bao Yixin and Tang Jinhua 21-18, 21-9.

It was the only point the Chinese dropped in the championships after cruising through unscathed in three preliminary league ties, the quarterfinal and the semifinal.

World number two Wang Shixian put China ahead once again by beating Sayaka Takahashi 21-16, 21-12, before Zhao Yunlei and Wang Xiaoli sealed the tie in the second doubles match.

The Chinese duo beat Miyuki Maeda and Reika Kakiiwa 21-13, 21-6 amidst loud celebrations in the Chinese enclosure that included men's world champion Lin Dan.

Wang Shixian said the shock defeat of the Chinese men's team by Japan in Friday's semifinal served as an extra motivation for her.

"Yes, I was more motivated because of that," Wang said, speaking through a translator. "It happened to us in 2010 when we lost to South Korea in the Uber Cup final and gained revenge two years later.

"There is so much talk when we lose, but that is because we do not lose much."

Li Xuerui said it had been important for her to win the first match because a good start helped the team.

"I was very focused on my game," she said. "There were no special instructions from the coach."

Li was delighted to be named the woman player of 2013 by the Badminton World Federation even though she had lost the world crown to Thai teenager Ratchanok Intanon.

She said the secret of China's success was the confidence they took on court. That was evident when she fought back from 6-10 down in the first game against Mitani to reel off 12 points in a row.

"We believe in ourselves," she said. "And the award was very important for me. It is a huge recognition for the way I have played in recent months despite losing the world title."

China, who first won the Uber Cup title in 1984, has now won the championships 13 times, including eight in nine outings since 1998.

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Saina, Sindhu have been fantastic: Gopi

NEW DELHI: Chief national badminton coach Pullela Gopichand praised the performances of Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu, Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa for their bronze medal performance in the Uber Cup being held at the Siri Fort Sports Complex here.

"Individually, Saina and Sindhu have been fantastic. Jwala and Ashwini, though they lost Friday's match but that doesn't take anything away from them. They have played very well. PC Thulasi also did well," Gopichand said on Saturday.

"Overall from a team perspective we need to understand that first timers coming in and playing crucial matches in a team event was going to be very tough. Having said that, we have worked hard and pulled out some fantastic results. Beating Thailand and Indonesia was phenomenal."

India topped Group Y after beating Canada, Hong Kong and Thailand, following it up with a quarterfinal victory over badminton powerhouse Indonesia.

But the team could not repeat its performance in Friday's semifinal against Japan which India lost 2-3 despite taking a 2-0 lead.

The former All-England champion said that the match could have gone either way. But after Jwala and Ashwini lost the first doubles, it was difficult to win from there with the lack of depth in the team.

"It was a close tie. Saina started off fantastically and Sindhu fought like hell. It was good to see the spirit in her and we had our chances in the doubles when we were leading. There were fast exchanges. The match could have gone either way," said the Padma Bhushan awardee.

"But once we lost the doubles, we didn't have the depth in our team to pull it off. Thulasi beating Eriko Hirose was tough on paper. That's something which we knew and also the second doubles pair of Saina and Sindhu was not something we were really banking on."

India's best bet, Saina struck prime form after ages, also beating reigning World Champion Ratchanok Intanon in the tie against Thailand Tuesday.

Asked if she would be able to continue her form, Gopichand said: "This is sport and we cannot have things in black and white but the way she has performed here is very positive.

"She needs to keep doing the good work and I believe Saina definitely has 4-5 years in her kitty. If she does well, she is going to win. Having said that, with any sportsman if your focus goes down, your performance will come down."

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Nico's Monaco pole under investigation

MONACO: Nico Rosberg's Monaco Grand Prix pole position was being investigated by the race stewards on Saturday after he lost control and left the circuit, causing yellow flags to be waved in the final minutes of a tense qualifying session.

Rosberg's Mercedes team-mate Lewis Hamilton, whose lap was wrecked by the flags, was adamant that he would have taken pole, if he had completed his lap at full speed.

Both drivers were on their final Q3 flying laps, with Rosberg already enjoying a slight advantage having claimed the provisional pole with an earlier fastest lap, when he locked up at Mirabeau and slid down the escape road.

Hamilton had to ease off for the resultant yellow flags and then abandoned his lap, which had been a few hundredths of a second quicker than Rosberg's in sector one.

Rosberg said that he had simply made a mistake, but the nature of the incident clearly left the stewards uncertain if it was deliberate or not.

And the German driver was summoned to an investigation to discover if there was any intent to deliberately hamper Hamilton's prospects.

"I tried to make it, but turned out as I was going to hit the tyre wall," explained Rosberg.

"It was close but I managed to go into the escape road. "I know that I had a really good banker in there, so I tried to push that little bit more and went over the edge."

Hamilton refused to answer when asked if he felt Rosberg had tried to deliberately disrupt his pole bid.

"I can't say I've been in this position before. Never had that happen before," said Hamilton.

Rosberg insisted he had thought pole was lost when he went off. "I thought it was over," he said.

"I thought the track would ramp up and somebody else would do a time. "But I'm really, really happy - to be on pole at home is fantastic, it couldn't be better."

Asked for his thoughts on his incident denying Hamilton a pole shot, Rosberg replied: "Of course I'm sorry for what happened for Lewis.

"I didn't know exactly where he was until I was reversing and saw him coming up.

"Of course that's not great, but that's the way it is." "Nico has been quick all weekend and I've been working away with it all weekend," said Hamilton.

"I knew starting the last lap that this was it, and I was two (hundredths) up.

"I was on the pole lap, but I guess it doesn't matter."

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Brazil & Argentina are favourites: Chhetri

MUMBAI: Indian football captain Sunil Chhetri on Saturday picked hosts and five-time champions Brazil and fellow South American two-time winners Argentina as the teams fancied to lift the glittering FIFA World Cup this year.

"Because it's happening in South America, Brazil and Argentina are favourites. But you can never bet against teams like Germany and Spain, the current world champions. Uruguay are the dark horses. These five teams are going to be very strong," said Chhetri at a Nike promotional event here.

The World Cup is slated from June 12-July 13 in Brazil.

Chhetri said he based his calculation on the fact that European teams have traditionally not performed very well outside the continent.

"Home advantage serves especially when you play in a different climate zone. It really matters as a lot of European teams have not performed that well when they have gone out of Europe. A lot of big tournaments happen in Europe and they are used to European conditions," Chhetri explained.

"It's not going to be same in South America and that's why teams from South America are going to be very strong, especially Brazil who will be playing at home."

Chhetri is a supporter of Barcelona and follower of Spain. "I am a Spain follower because I like Barcelona."

About India's chances in football in the September 19- October 4 Asian Games, the 29-year-old striker said it all depended on the sort of preparation the team would have ahead of the multi-discipline extravaganza in Incheon, South Korea.

"It all depends on the kind of preparation we have. Thankfully, we have a three-month long camp. With a very able team, a combination of a lot of good junior players, preparations are going to be good.

"We are just hoping we can have a combined team with no injuries. We will do our best though I can't say where we will finish. It's a very important tournament for us."

Men's football is to start five days before the official opening of the Games and involves 32 teams.

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Uber Cup semis: India lead Japan 1-0

NEW DELHI: Saina Nehwal started India's historic Uber Cup semifinal tie on a positive note as she won the first match against Japan's Mitani at the Siri Fort Complex on Friday.

India captain Saina won the match 21-12, 21-13 to help the hosts lead the tie 1-0.

Saina won the first game easily with 21-12 scoreline, but has to come from behind to win the second game 21-13.

In the second match, PV Sindhu fought back to win the second game 21-18 after losing the first game 19-21 against Japan's Takahashi.

The Hyderabadi diehard and her team of gutsy shuttlers made history on Thursday, taking India into the semifinals for the first time in modern era of the tournament with a 3-0 win over Indonesia.

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Shakira releases World Cup song

NEW DELHI: Pop sensation Shakira has released her 2014 FIFA World Cup anthem 'La La La'.

The track, which is featured in FIFA's One Love, One Rhythm: The Official 2014 World Cup Album, also appears in the Colombian pop star's new record, Shakira.

The video of 'La La La' features the 37-year-old singer dancing in a black skirt and features special appearances from soccer stars Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas, Eric Abidal, Neymar, James Rodriguez, Sergio Aguero, Radamel Falcao as well as her longtime boyfriend, Gerard Pique.

The couple's 16-month-old son Milan also has a cameo in the video and can be seen kicking a soccer ball. Also featured is Brazilian star Carlinhos Brown, who brings the inimitable style that gives the song that all-important Samba feel.

Shakira teamed up with Activia for the video to support the World Food Programme (WFP) and communicate WFP's work to tackle hunger.

Shakira said: "With 'La La La (Brazil 2014)' we want to make a small contribution so that everybody knows about the outstanding work the World Food Programme is doing to fight hunger."

Miami-based rapper Pitbull debuted the official theme for the World Cup, 'We Are One (Ole Ola)', featuring Jennifer Lopez, in April 2014.

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Uber Cup semis: India lead Japan 1-0

NEW DELHI: Saina Nehwal started India's historic Uber Cup semifinal tie on a positive note as she won the first match against Japan's Mitani at the Siri Fort Complex on Friday.

India captain Saina won the match 21-12, 21-13 to help the hosts lead the tie 1-0.

Saina won the first game easily with 21-12 scoreline, but has to come from behind to win the second game 21-13.

In the second match, PV Sindhu lost the first game 19-21 against Japan's Takahashi.

The Hyderabadi diehard and her team of gutsy shuttlers made history on Thursday, taking India into the semifinals for the first time in modern era of the tournament with a 3-0 win over Indonesia.

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Uber Cup semis: India lead Japan 2-0

NEW DELHI: Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu came up with contrasting victories in the first two singles to put the Indian women's team 2-0 ahead of Japan in their maiden semifinal of Uber Cup tournament on Friday.

Olympic bronze medallist Saina gave India a positive start when she produced a dominating performance to get across world number 12 Minatsu Mitani 21-12, 21-13 in 41 minute match.

World championship bronze winner, Sindhu then displayed her brilliance with yet another edge-of-the seat victory over world No. 13 Sayaka Takahashi 19-21, 21-18, 26-24 in an energy-sapping one hour and 12 minutes match at the Siri Fort stadium.

Saina dominated the proceedings right from the start and lead 11-6 at the interval. Things didn't change much after the break as Saina kept engaging her rival in rallies and waited for Mitani to commit mistakes to eventually pocket the game with a smart dribble at the net.

In the second game, Mitani managed to open up a small 6-3 lead but Saina soon surged ahead with a couple of smashes to lead 9-8 and had her nose ahead at the break at 11-8.

Saina came up with a series of sharp cross court smashes to extend the lead and finally sealed the issue rather comfortably when Mitani hit wide.

After Saina's victory, a lot was expected from Sindhu and the teen sensational delivered once again in style.

In a battle of nerves, both the shuttlers struggled to control the shuttle and committed many unforced errors. While Sayaka lost more than a dozen points at the nets, Sindhu erred in her judgement of the shuttle and gave away points when she could not reach the shuttle at the forecourt. However, in the end it was Sindhu who had the last laugh.

In the first game, world No 13 Sayaka opened up a 9-6 lead early on but Sindhu repaired the deficit and went into the interval with a slender 11-10 lead. However, Sayaka clawed back with a mid-court smash at 16-16 and wrested back the lead when Sindhu hit long. In the end, Sindhu hit long and found the net to hand over the game to Sayaka.

The second game was another fierce battle of supremacy as both the shuttlers fought hard but it was Sayaka who had a slender 11-10 lead at the interval. But after the breather, the duo moved from 11-11 to 19-18 when Sayaka hit the net and long as Sindhu took he game to the decider.

The decider witnessed long rallies and mixed her drops and tosses well to lead 7-2 but Sayaka upped her net game and used her angled returns and soft lifts to lead 9-8 before moving into the break with a 11-8 lead.

Sindhu rode once again on Sayaka's series of unforced errors to not only claw back but also lead 17-13 after the breather. However, a couple of error in judging the shuttle by Sindhu and a brilliant rally which Sayaka ended with a cross court flick helped her to draw parity at 17-17.

Sindhu then won a line review call and made a judgement call to move to 19-17 but few errors from the Indian and the left-hander reached the match point at 20-19. Sindhu saved a point and then earned one match point with a soft tap.

What came next was a grueling battle as Sindhu conceded four match points before finally prevailing over Sayaka when the Japanese hit the net.

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Uber Cup semis: India lead Japan 2-0

NEW DELHI: The pair of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa lost their doubles match as Japan fought back to win the third match of the Uber Cup semifinal tie against India at the Siri Fort Complex on Friday.

With the victory, Japan reduced the margin to 1-2 against the hosts and kept themselves alive in the tie.

Jwala and Ashwini lost 12-21, 22-20, 16-21 to the Japanese pair of Matsutomo and Takahashi.
Earlier, Saina Nehwal and PV Sindhu came up with contrasting victories in the first two singles to put the Indian women's team 2-0 ahead of Japan.

Olympic bronze medallist Saina gave India a positive start when she produced a dominating performance to get across world number 12 Minatsu Mitani 21-12, 21-13 in 41 minute match.

World championship bronze winner, Sindhu then displayed her brilliance with yet another edge-of-the seat victory over world No. 13 Sayaka Takahashi 19-21, 21-18, 26-24 in an energy-sapping one hour and 12 minutes match at the Siri Fort stadium.

Saina dominated the proceedings right from the start and lead 11-6 at the interval. Things didn't change much after the break as Saina kept engaging her rival in rallies and waited for Mitani to commit mistakes to eventually pocket the game with a smart dribble at the net.

In the second game, Mitani managed to open up a small 6-3 lead but Saina soon surged ahead with a couple of smashes to lead 9-8 and had her nose ahead at the break at 11-8.

Saina came up with a series of sharp cross court smashes to extend the lead and finally sealed the issue rather comfortably when Mitani hit wide.

After Saina's victory, a lot was expected from Sindhu and the teen sensational delivered once again in style.

In a battle of nerves, both the shuttlers struggled to control the shuttle and committed many unforced errors. While Sayaka lost more than a dozen points at the nets, Sindhu erred in her judgement of the shuttle and gave away points when she could not reach the shuttle at the forecourt. However, in the end it was Sindhu who had the last laugh.

In the first game, world No 13 Sayaka opened up a 9-6 lead early on but Sindhu repaired the deficit and went into the interval with a slender 11-10 lead. However, Sayaka clawed back with a mid-court smash at 16-16 and wrested back the lead when Sindhu hit long. In the end, Sindhu hit long and found the net to hand over the game to Sayaka.

The second game was another fierce battle of supremacy as both the shuttlers fought hard but it was Sayaka who had a slender 11-10 lead at the interval. But after the breather, the duo moved from 11-11 to 19-18 when Sayaka hit the net and long as Sindhu took he game to the decider.

The decider witnessed long rallies and mixed her drops and tosses well to lead 7-2 but Sayaka upped her net game and used her angled returns and soft lifts to lead 9-8 before moving into the break with a 11-8 lead.

Sindhu rode once again on Sayaka's series of unforced errors to not only claw back but also lead 17-13 after the breather. However, a couple of error in judging the shuttle by Sindhu and a brilliant rally which Sayaka ended with a cross court flick helped her to draw parity at 17-17.

Sindhu then won a line review call and made a judgement call to move to 19-17 but few errors from the Indian and the left-hander reached the match point at 20-19. Sindhu saved a point and then earned one match point with a soft tap.

What came next was a grueling battle as Sindhu conceded four match points before finally prevailing over Sayaka when the Japanese hit the net.

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Suarez's surgery hits Uruguay WC hopes

MONTEVIDEO: Uruguay striker Luis Suarez is set to undergo surgery on an injured knee on Thursday just 21 days before the start of the World Cup, Uruguayan reports said.

Liverpool's Premier League Player of the Year injured his knee in training on Wednesday giving his side a major World Cup scare, the report said.

The Uruguayan team and federation made no immediate comment. Suarez, top scorer in the English league this season with 31 goals, "felt pain in training" and an MRI scan detected a meniscus problem, a leading television reporter Martin Charquero posted on Twitter.

Charquero said that Suarez's brother Paolo Suarez had confirmed the injury to him.

Despite the proximity of the World Cup in Brazil, the reports said there is still hope the 27-year-old could play a role in the tournament.

Uruguay's hopes will depend on the severity of the damage found by surgery.

Experts said it normally takes four to six weeks to recover from the operation.

Suarez only arrived in the Uruguayan capital on Tuesday, but insisted he was anxious to start training with his teammates.

He enjoyed a stunning comeback in the 2013/14 Premier League campaign after his reputation plummeted for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra and then biting Chelsea's Branislav Ivanovic.

His brilliant sharp-shooting inspired Liverpool into second behind champions Manchester City.

Uruguay are drawn in Group D in the first round of the World Cup. They face Costa Rica on June 14, followed by England on June 19, and Italy five days later.

Uruguay have two World Cup warm-ups scheduled, against the Republic of Ireland on May 30 and Slovenia on June 4, both games to be held in Montevideo.

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Real, Atletico play historic UCL derby

LISBON: There will be little love between neighbors when Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid play in the Champions League final on Saturday.

The Spanish rivals make up the first inter-city Champions League final in history, with the match to be played in nearby Lisbon.

Real Madrid is the competition's most successful club and bidding to end a 12-year wait for "La Decima" - its 10th European Cup title. But Atletico is proving to be quite a spoiler this season, winning the Spanish league title over Barcelona last weekend and now one win away from completing the greatest season in the club's 111-year history

Here are five things to know about Saturday's match:

INJURY WORRIES

Cristiano Ronaldo is expected to return from injury to play Saturday. Diego Costa is unlikely.

Advantage, Real Madrid.

Ronaldo has been burdened by leg injuries over the past two months but said Tuesday he would be available to play in his first Champions League final for Madrid. Costa has also endured leg setbacks and, after hobbling off against Barcelona on Saturday, sought treatment from a specialist in Belgrade using horse placenta.

Ronaldo's return will bolster Madrid's already potent attack with Gareth Bale set to start. But striker Karim Benzeman appears to be doubtful with a hamstring injury. Madrid center back Pepe is also a game-time decision.

ALONSO'S REPLACEMENT

Xabi Alonso's absence deals an important blow to Madrid's midfield.

The Spain international has been one of Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti's most important players this season, but a yellow card in the semifinal win over Bayern Munich has left him suspended.

Either Sami Khedira, Asier Illarramendi or Casamiro is likely to fill the void and take responsibility for opening up Madrid's attack and breaking up Atletico's buildups.

Illaramendi is the natural successor to Alonso, but he has had a nervy debut season at Madrid.

"It will be a very equal match and I imagine the midfield will be determinant in setting up play," Atletico coach Diego Simeone said.

VILLA EXPERIENCE

Not only will David Villa's goal-scoring prowess make up for Diego Costa's absence, but the Spain striker's experience should prove invaluable to an Atletico team short of Champions League experience.

Villa is the only regular in the squad who has played in a Champions League final before, scoring in Barcelona's 3-1 triumph over Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in 2011.

Costa's absence could also bolster Villa's hopes of playing for Spain at the World Cup.

Madrid can count on more experience as Cristiano Ronaldo won the title while at Manchester United and goalkeeper Iker Casillas was part of Madrid's winning teams in 2000 and '02.

Madrid can also draw on the experience of assistant coach Zinedine Zidane, who scored an iconic goal in Madrid's 2-1 win over Bayer Leverkusen in its last Champions League final appearance.

PAISLEY'S RECORD

Carlo Ancelotti has been able to get Real Madrid where Jose Mourinho never could, and now the Italian coach is one win away from matching Bob Paisley with his third European Cup.

Ancelotti, who also won two European Cups as a player, secured the Champions League at AC Milan in 2003 and '07, leaving him on the verge of matching the former Liverpool manager's record number of titles.

"There's no pressure on me, just the joy of living this moment of happiness," Ancelotti said. "A lot of (teams) have to watch this game in front of the TV and we're lucky to be able to play it. I've watched this game on TV a lot of times and I didn't enjoy it."

Diego Simeone could become just the third non-European coach to win the trophy. The only other two were also Argentine - Real Madrid's Luis Carniglia in 1958 and '59 and Helenio Herrera of Inter Milan in 1964 and '65.

DERBY TIME

Saturday's match represents the most important Madrid derby after 194 league and Spanish Cup games.

Madrid has the advantage with 102 victories to Atletico's 46. Atletico only ended a 14-year unbeaten run against Madrid in all competitions last season when it won the Copa del Rey at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

Atletico has won and drawn the two league encounters since, while Madrid easily won a pair of Copa del Rey matches against Atletico en route to the domestic cup title.

The pair have met in the European Cup once before - in 1959, when Madrid needed a replay to emerge victorious.

After the two legs finished 2-2, Madrid won 2-1 in Zaragoza to reach the final. But in one-game cup finals, Atletico - which can become the seventh team to finish the competition undefeated - leads the series 4-1.

"There are no secrets for this game," Ancelotti said. "The two teams know each other well."

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Roy may need to drop Rooney: Scholes

LONDON: Wayne Rooney might not be an automatic choice in Roy Hodgson's England starting line-up at the World Cup, according to former club and country teammate Paul Scholes.

Attention inevitably focuses on Rooney every time England appear at a major tournament and next month in Brazil will be no different as the Manchester United forward looks to finally make an impact at a World Cup having yet to score in two finals.

Rooney is expected to start England's opening Group D game against Italy in tandem with Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge but with exciting attacking talents such as Raheem Sterling, Ross Barkley and Adam Lallana all providing options, Scholes believes Rooney will have to be on his toes.

"I'm not saying Wayne needs to be dropped but if his form doesn't get up to scratch in the warm-ups, or in the first game of the World Cup, it'll be interesting to see if the England management team has the balls to make that decision," Scholes said in his column on betting website Paddy Power.

"We have quality forwards in the squad this time. That should give Wayne the competition he needs to spur him on a little more."

Rooney was disappointing in Germany in 2006, failing to score in the tournament after recovering from a broken foot. He was also poor in South Africa four years later, looking disgruntled and again failing to score.

"He's got a brilliant scoring record for his country with 38 goals in 89 internationals, but he's played in eight World Cup games without a goal," Scholes said.

"You expect more of him. If Wayne is going to be one of the best footballers in the world, this World Cup is where he has to produce."

Scholes said Rooney needs to concentrate on the things he does best, rather than roam around the pitch wasting energy.

"He needs to use his energy more effectively now as he's a player who likes to be up front on his own and I don't think he's great with partnerships," Scholes said.

"To get the very best from Wayne in Rio, the manager needs to tell him: 'dont bother running back. Stay up top. Stay centre forward. Score goals. That's your job in my team.'"

Looking at next season's Premier League campaign under United's new manager Louis van Gaal, Scholes said Rooney will find himself in direct competition with Robin van Persie as the club's attacking focus.

"It'll be interesting next season with Louis van Gaal at Manchester United and how he decides to play Wayne," he said.

"It looks like it might come to a straight choice between Wayne and Robin van Persie.

"I don't think Wayne will be able to play centre forward until he's 34 or 35. But he could play centre midfield, possibly, into his mid-thirties. He's got all the ability to take over my old position at Manchester United.

"He has played some games there, but has never gone on an uninterrupted run. Whether he has the discipline to do it, right now I'm not sure."

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Schweinsteiger will be fit for World Cup

BERLIN: Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will be fully fit for next month's World Cup in Brazil, Germany's assistant coach Hansi Flick said on Thursday.

The holding midfielder, nicknamed the 'brain' by Germany coach Joachim Loew for his ability to orchestrate the team's quick passing game, did not train with the squad on the first full day of a training camp in the Italian Alps.

He is only gradually returning to full fitness following a knee inflammation which caused him to miss Bayern Munich's German Cup final win over Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, the latest in a succession of injuries this season.

"He has his programme and we have to see how he handles it," Flick told a news conference in northern Italy.

Schweinsteiger, key for Germany's flowing attacking game, is not the only injury concern with top striker Miroslav Klose also undergoing individual training to catch up after missing much of the season.

First-choice keeper Manuel Neuer and captain Philipp Lahm are expected to join their team mates on Friday after undergoing intensive treatment in Munich for injuries picked up in the Cup final.

Neuer, who is wearing a sling following a shoulder injury, is expected to be fit for the tournament starting in June, although officials have put new Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen on standby.

"Manuel was treated for six hours yesterday," Flick said. "Marc has been informed. (goalkeeper coach) Andreas Koepke phoned him and told him not to leave on holidays.

"But we all expect Manuel to be fully fit and play. We should not discuss too much about it. Manuel is the keeper we want at the World Cup."

Dortmund's Roman Weidenfeller and Hanover 96's Ron-Robert Zieler were the other two goalkeepers selected in Germany's provisional squad.

Germany play Cameroon and Armenia in friendlies before leaving for Brazil where they face Portugal, Ghana and the United States in Group G.

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Serena peaking in time for Open: Evert

LONDON: Serena Williams can match Steffi Graf's record of 22 Grand Slam titles and is favourite to take another step towards that milestone at next week's French Open, according to fellow American Chris Evert.

World No. 1 Williams, 32, has 17 singles majors on her CV and if she retains her French Open title she would join Evert and Martina Navratilova in second place on the list.

Despite being the wrong side of 30, Evert believes Williams is still improving on clay and is now prioritising Grand Slams rather than playing at full tilt at lower level events.

"I think she's peaked pretty well for the French Open," seven-time French Open champion Evert said during a conference call organised by broadcaster ESPN who she will be commentating for during Roland Garros.

"I think after the last two years of her playing more tennis than she's ever played, I think she came into this year exhausted. I think her priorities really are the Grand Slams this year. She knows what her place in history is now. She's gunning for those Grand Slam titles."

Williams was totally dominant last year, winning 11 titles including the French Open and the US Open.

Last week she warmed up for her defence of the French Open by cruising to the claycourt Italian Open title in Rome, dropping only 22 games in the process.

"The French seems to be opening up for her. She has an apartment there. She lives there. She practises a lot there. Patrick (Mouratoglou), her coach, is French," said Evert.

"I think this tournament will motivate her. If she's healthy and fit, she's got it under control. She's learned to play on the clay a lot better from Patrick.

"She's improved her defence skills. She's always had the offence skills. She's more fit. She's moving better. She is patient with herself.

"She doesn't have to go for the winner on the fourth shot. She can wait eight or nine shots and go for the opening. She's more intelligent and thinking more clearly on the clay than she ever has."

Evert picked former French champions Li Na and Maria Sharapova as Williams's main rivals with another former winner Ana Ivanovic, who beat Williams at the Australian Open, back in the frame.

"She's beating some pretty good players," Evert said. "I like her attitude out there. You can tell she wants it. As far as winning a Grand Slam, I don't know.

"Anything's possible. I think realistically to be top five would be a better goal for her right now."

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Ribery says this is his last World Cup

PARIS: France star Franck Ribery declared on Wednesday that the 2014 World Cup finals would be his last but the Bayern Munich forward left the door open to compete at Euro 2016.

Ribery, 31, who burst on to the international scene at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. "This will be my final World Cup," he told RTL radio.

Assessing his chances of leaving the World Cup stage on a high in Brazil he said: "We have to go there to achieve something, to try to win the World Cup, quite simply."

In 2006 he helped steer France to the final where they lost in a penalty shoot-out against Italy.

His 2010 World Cup experience proved vastly different, with France's knocked out in the first round and Ribery involved in an infamous players' strike at a training session.

Ribery will join 17 of France's World Cup squad at Les Bleus' training headquarters at Clairefontaine outside Paris later Wednesday.

He travels to Brazil having won the German league and cup double with Bayern.

France, under manager Didier Deschamps, who skippered the French to the 1998 World Cup title on home turf, are drawn in Group E.

They open against Honduras on June 15, before tackling Switzerland on June 20 and Ecuador five days later.

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Pak to produce World Cup soccer balls

NEW DELHI: Pakistan may be known as a cricketing nation but not many know that the soccer balls for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil will be imported from the 159th-ranked football nation.

When World Cup's Chinese supplier Adidas failed to keep up with the demand of soccer balls in Rio de Janeiro, a report in 'Express Tribune' said that a Sialkot ball manufacturing company then stepped in and got the contract.

Factory owner Khwaja Akhtar, who has made balls for the German Bundesliga, French league and the Champions League, is excited with the challenge of being a part of World Cup soccer history.

"It was when I felt the roar of the crowd at the 2006 World Cup that I dreamt of a goal of my own: to manufacture the ball for the biggest football tournament on the planet," Akhtar said.

"The people were chanting all around me. I just thought, this is the real thing. I was part of the crowd. I never had that kind of feeling before," added Akhtar.

Sialkot, a town in eastern Pakistan, was once the unassailable soccer ball production capital of the world -- exporting about 30 million balls a year, an estimated 40 percent of global production -- but India and China have recently caught up.

In December 2013, Brazil unveiled the latest soccer ball for the 2014 edition -- the Brazuca -- on the official FIFA World Cup website.

The Brazuca features a striking new design and new panel system. Six identical interlocking panels make up the ball's synthetic surface, thermally bonded to keep out moisture.

The month-long tournament, which kickstarts on June 12, has 32 of the worlds best sides locking horns in the most watched event in sports.

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F1 needs new winner at Monaco GP

Formula One desperately needs a different winner at the Monaco Grand Prix this weekend to maintain any semblance of suspense.

Championship leader Lewis Hamilton goes for his fifth straight win, with the F1 season taking on an air of inevitability, just like last season when Sebastian Vettel's Red Bull dominated with crushing ease by winning the last nine races, and 13 from 19 overall.

With Mercedes unmatchable for speed, Hamilton looks like he could beat even those incredible numbers, with four-time defending champion Vettel rapidly drifting away from contention.

"The last few races have been just incredible. I honestly never expected I'd win four consecutive grands prix in my career, and I'd love to continue that run here," Hamilton said. "The car has been strong at every race so far, and I'm sure it'll be the same in Monaco, so we should be set for an entertaining weekend."

Although Hamilton leads teammate Nico Robserg by only three points, that is because Hamilton retired from the season-opening Australian GP with engine trouble. Rosberg won in Melbourne, meaning Mercedes has won every race so far, and it looks like being a straight contest within Mercedes as to who wins the title.

"The championship battle is very close, and to regain the advantage at my home race would be fantastic," said Rosberg, who grew up in Monaco and won his maiden F1 race here last year. "So I'll be pushing harder than ever to make that happen."

Vettel is down in fourth spot overall, and already 55 points behind Hamilton, the 2008 champ. His more realistic contest is getting the better of his new teammate, Daniel Ricciardo, who is just six points behind him.

Rule changes have blighted Red Bull, which is unable to generate the same speed as before, and beset by technical glitches.

Besides switching to a 1.6-litre V6 turbo engine instead of last year's 2.4-litre V8 engine, the rule changes focus on boosting cars' energy recovery systems, which generate energy from braking and through waste heat from the engine. F1 has also lowered fuel to 100 kilograms per race, down from 160 kilograms, increased the car's weight, and forced alterations to gearboxes, exhaust, wings and nose height.

Mercedes has made a far smoother transition, and is a mammoth 113 points clear of Red Bull and 131 ahead of Ferrari in the constructors' championship.

"More than any other 2014 race, I think this event will show us the most pronounced difference between 'old F1' and the new formula we have," said McLaren driver Jenson Button, the 2009 F1 champ. "There's far less of an aerodynamic influence here; it's just about bolting as much to the car as possible in a bid to find grip - so I think the engine's influence will be greater."

Over the past 12 months, only three drivers have won a race: Hamilton, Rosberg and Vettel. Some contrast to two years ago, when there was a different winner in the first seven races.

The last time F1 was so predictable was when Alain Prost, Gerhard Berger and Ayrton Senna won all the races during an 18-race period in 1987-88.

A season with just two winners, however, would be a first.

"If you look at the performance now, you wonder if it (winning all the races) could happen, but then you know there are 14 races to go," Mercedes boss Toto Wolff told AUTOSPORT. "We haven't had conditions in the race like safety cars at the wrong time or thunderstorms. Also they (the drivers) didn't touch yet. So it's much too early."

Whoever gets pole position in Monaco usually wins, given how hard it is to overtake on the narrow, sinewy circuit, so Mercedes, which has also grabbed every pole, is odds-on to make it six consecutive wins.

"You cannot afford to make one single mistake, because you would easily crash into the railings. Overtaking is only possible with taking an extreme risk," said Vettel, who won from pole position here in 2011. "The best place to overtake is before the harbor chicane when we exit the narrow tunnel at 300kph and race towards the first gear chicane. Other than that, it's all about patience in Monaco."

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Churchill Brothers axed from I-League

NEW DELHI: In a stunning development in Indian football, two-time champions Churchill Brothers were today thrown out of the I-League along with three other teams for failing to fulfill the AIFF's club licensing criteria.

The All India Football Federation's Club Licensing Committee - First Instance Body - took the decision after its meeting here.

Two Kolkata clubs -- United SC and Mohammedan Sporting -- and Rangdajied United of Shillong were the other three teams which failed to clear the licensing criteria. All the four clubs will be out of the I-League for at least a year.

Interestingly, all the four clubs finished at the bottom four in the 13-team I-League (2013-14) which ended last month, with Mohammedan Sporting finishing last and Churchill 11th.

Under the AIFF's Club Licensing Regulations, the clubs are expected to meet several legal, administrative, sporting, infrastructure and financial criteria.

Licensing is an annual process where all clubs eligible to compete based on sporting merit need to have a License under the AIFF's Indian Club Licensing system. Last year, only Pune FC met the requirements with all other clubs being given a once in a lifetime one-year exemption.

Churchill had been one of the top club sides in the country in the last few years. They won the I-League title in 2008-09 and 2012-13 seasons and they are also the reigning Federation Cup champions. Churchill are also one of the few clubs to have played in the AFC Cup.

I-League Chief Executive Officer Sunando Dhar told PTI that the four clubs can come back in the I-League 2015-16 but through the second division league.

"These licensing criteria are on annual basis. They can come back in the 2015-16 season if they fulfil the criteria by then. But they will have to play in the I-League second division and qualify from there," Dhar said.

Bengaluru FC, Dempo SC, Pune FC, Salgaocar SC, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Sporting Clube de Goa, Mumbai FC, and Shillong Lajong FC were the nine clubs which passed the licensing criteria.

"Based on the documents provided by all the parties concerned and the Inspection conducted by the AIFF Inspection Team in the month of April/May, the Committee found that nine out of the 14 applicants have made the grade while four have failed," the AIFF said in a statement.

"Bengaluru FC, Dempo SC, Pune FC, Salgaocar SC, East Bengal, Mohun Bagan, Sporting Clube de Goa, Mumbai FC, and Shillong Lajong FC have successfully fulfilled the Licensing Criteria while United SC, Churchill Brothers, Mohammedan Sporting and Rangdajied United have not been up to the mark, thus bringing down the curtains on their participation in the forthcoming Football Season 2014/15 starting with the I-League in December."

Newly promoted Royal Wahingdoh of Shillong, who won the I-League second division, have been given an one-time exemption applicable for a year only to tick all the boxes.

"Wahingdoh have done exceptionally well in several departments of Club Licensing in such a short time since qualifying for the I-League," Committee Chairman Dr Girija Mungali said.

"They deserve a leeway being given to them under the Licensing regulations," he added.

Mumbai FC and Shillong Lajong though have been granted only the National License compared to their counterparts who have both National as well as the AFC Certificate.

The two clubs cannot take part in AFC competition and even if they win the I-League or the Federation Cup, they cannot participate in the AFC Cup or the AFC Champions League play-offs.

"Both these clubs do not have AFC A class Stadium, but were fully compliant of the infrastructure requirement for the National License," AIFF's Club Licensing Manager Roma Khanna stated.

Hailing the remarkable progress of the clubs since last year when the committee was formed for the first time, Dr Mungali said, "The nine clubs who have granted the License have come a long way since last year when only Pune FC passed.

"They have all passed with flying colours and it is a heartening sign for Indian Football. Clubs becoming professional is the best thing that can happen.

"They have taken Licensing very seriously and credit goes to AIFF. The Governing Body has played its role to perfection sensitising the issue s very diligently," the chairman added.

FIFA Regional Developmental Officer for South and Central Asia Shaji Prabhakaran, Advocate Ushanath Banerjee, Chartered Accountant Punkaj Jain and Dhar are the other members of the First Instance Body.

"The message has gone across that AIFF is very serious on licensing and I am glad at the progress of the clubs. We have conducted two to three seminars since the First Instance Body met for the first time and gave the clubs a year's exemption," Dhar said.

"We have been there to help the clubs at all time and we are committed to further aiding them in each and every department of Club Licensing. It's nice to see most of them responding so well," he added.

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Prandelli plays down Mario racist taunt

FLORENCE (Italy): Italy coach Cesare Prandelli played down a racist incident aimed at striker Mario Balotelli at a pre-World Cup training camp but striker Ciro Immobile said players have to help stamp out the scourge.

AC Milan striker Balotelli was believed to be the target of a racist insult from a youth as players were put through their paces during the second day of a 10-day training camp at Coverciano in Florence.

When asked about the incident, Prandelli said: "I didn't hear what was said. All I heard were pleasantries."

Police stationed at the national team centre intervened and although the incident did not appear to faze Balotelli the striker hit out afterwards.

"Only in Rome or in Florence do you here these kinds of things," said Balotelli, who has been subjected to racist taunts sporadically during his Serie A career.

Italian football federation (FIGC) president Giancarlo Abete called the incident "unacceptable".

"It was an isolated incident from someone who should not even have been there, but it's unacceptable," said Abete, speaking from Milan.

Immobile, one of seven strikers at the 30-strong training camp and hoping to make Prandelli's final 23-man squad, said the incident was symptomatic of widespread racism and discrimination in the country.

The Torino forward, who with 22 goals finished the season as Serie A's top striker, is from Napoli, a city which sits in the shadow of the Mount Vesuvius volcano and whose fans are regularly taunted by rival fans.

Asked if he bearing witness to such an incident made him feel ashamed to be Italian, Immobile said: "No I'm not ashamed to be Italian when I hear things like this being said.

"But it saddens me. We're in 2014 and to be hearing racist insults from people, whether you're yellow, black or white is just unacceptable.

"I'm from Napoli and to hear fans shouting, 'wash them with the lava from Mount Vesuvius' isn't very pleasant.

"Fortunately, Mario let it pass over him and he got on with his training. But we as players should do more to help stamp this out."

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'Spain don't have quality to retain crown'

LONDON: Football legend Luis Figo says defending champions Spain "don't have the quality" to retain the crown in the upcoming FIFA World Cup, instead he puts his money on hosts Brazil for a record sixth title.

"I don't think Spain are going to win this World Cup. I do not think they have the quality to do it. It's difficult, but it's not impossible," Figo, one of the best players of his generation, said.

The former Ballon d'Or winner and FIFA player of the year believed Brazil will be difficult to stop if they get off to a good start.

"I think it helps at home. I know the national coach (Luiz Felipe Scolari) well. I think he is a fantastic coach for that kind of tournament and the country (will) help the team by supporting them. I think if they start well, it is going to be very, very difficult for the other teams," the 41-year-old Portuguese said.

On his country Portugal's chances and the talismanic Cristiano Ronaldo, he said, "It's very difficult, because it's a long way to the final and our country has 11 million people and has difficulty choosing the 18-20 players for the World Cup. Portugal depends a lot on Cristiano Ronaldo. I think he wants the Golden Ball."

The former Real Madrid star, who has won several trophies during an illustrious career, is a Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Ambassador.

On his association with Laureus, Figo said, "I think through sport we can help people in society to have better opportunities in life. Laureus creates better conditions of life and better opportunities in the future for so many kids. It's just a small kind of action that we can do to minimise what they are suffering or what they are doing in their life and to try to motivate them," he told Laureus in an interview.

Asked about this weekend's Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid, he placed his bets on his former team.

"I think Real Madrid are going to win. The last time they won it, I was (a player) there, 2002. So this is quite special. I hope that they will win, but you know that in football, in the final anything can happen."

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Van Gaal has no fear of Ferguson shadow

THE HAGUE: Manchester United's new coach Louis van Gaal insisted on Tuesday that he has "no fear" of living in the shadow of emblematic former manager Alex Ferguson.

Van Gaal, 62, will take over as the new manager of the English Premier League giants after the Dutch campaign at the World Cup with former player Ryan Giggs as his assistant.

"Pressure I put on myself. That Alex Ferguson is looking over my shoulder I really don't think it's the biggest problem," van Gaal was quoted as saying in Tuesday's edition of Dutch football magazine Voetbal International.

Ferguson managed United for 27 years until 2013, winning 13 Premier League and two Champions League titles, and is now a member of the board of directors.

"I also get on very well with him and we'll probably soon have a drink together," said Van Gaal.

"My objective is that Manchester United quickly regain their number one spot. They (club bosses) think that I'm capable of achieving this in the first season, not only with the star players but also with the young ones.

"It's a daunting task but a fantastic challenge." Van Gaal has signed a three-year contract to succeed David Moyes who was sacked after a disastrous run of results saw United fail to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Van Gaal's contact with Man United only goes back a few weeks, since Moyes sacking, the Dutchman confirmed.

"When Manchester came knocking on my door, I didn't think about it for long: Manchester United is the biggest club in the world in terms of marketing and budget."

But he insisted the appointment would not take his focus off the World Cup in Brazil.

"My work at the head of the Oranje does not suffer from the current situation," he insisted. "I worked for Manchester during my days off.

"I've already talked a lot with the English bosses. They already know the names of the players I would like to have, but also those who are allowed to leave," he explained.

"I've never dealt with transfers and I'm not going to start now, just to say which players I want to have and what players can go. I don't discuss money."

He added: "It takes time to negotiate with a club, it is a real process. There are things that need to be addressed, such as the team preparation programmes, the players, the youth programme."

Van Gaal added that he was "proud to have been chosen" to spearhead United and had been overwhelmed by the many messages of congratulations, including from Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho.

"Jose Mourinho was one of the first to text me. He said he was jealous of my list of clubs," said the former Ajax, FC Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach.

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