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| Murray and Robson survive scare • Murray dispatches Andrey Golubev 6-2, 6-2 • World No4 teams up with Laura Robson to clinch deciderAndy Murray showed no signs of rust after five weeks off as he demolished Andrey Golubev 6-2, 6-2 in the Hopman Cup to level their round-robin meeting with Kazakhstan after Laura Robson had been beaten 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 by Yaroslava Shvedova, the world No 51.Unlike his brother Jamie, who won Wimbledon with Serbia's Jelena Jankovic in 2007, Murray had pronounced himself "rubbish" at mixed doubles before he and Robson took on Golubev and Yaroslava Shvedova in the deciding rubber. But the world No4 played superbly and with some timely interventions from 15-year-old Robson, the Britons clinched a hard-earned 2-1 win, taking the mixed 6-3, 5-7, 12-10, saving one match point in the final tiebreak.Though this week's event is played indoors – it is intensely hot here – it is considered one of the warm-up tournaments for the Australian Open, where Murray hopes to win his first grand-slam title.On today's evidence there does not look to be much wrong with his game. He dropped just four points on his serve in the entire match and a few forehands had the kind of extra power that hints at a subtle change for 2010. The tests will increase in difficulty over the next few weeks but he was well satisfied with his efforts.After a nervous start against Shvedova, Robson won four straight games to take the first set, only for the world No51 to level the match before the 15-year-old faded in the decider. Robson has bundles of talent and though there are areas to work on before she can make a successful transition to the women's game.She and Murray stormed to a 5-0 lead in the mixed only for Robson to lose her way. "I'm going to blame it slightly on my partner," Murray said. "She started asking me if I moisturise my hands and I think maybe she lost her concentration a little bit. She's only 15 so I'll let her get away with it."TennisAndy MurrayLaura RobsonSimon Cambersguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Manchester City make £4m bid for Argentina left back Cristian Ansaldi Manchester City are on the verge of a deal to sign Cristian Ansaldi, 23, for £4 million from Rubin Kazan. The Argentina left back has helped his team to win consecutive Russian titles since moving from Newell’s Old Boys two years ago and played in the 2-1 victory away to Barcelona in the Champions League in October. feeds.timesonline.co.uk |
Washington firms mostly no-shows in race for Winter Olympics contracts For Washington businesses, the 2010 Winter Olympics are shaping up to be about as successful as a wiped-out ski jump. feeds.bizjournals.com |
Heineken Cup: Edinburgh 9-6 Stade Français Edinburgh 9-7 Stade FrançaisYou could almost hear the chuckling voice of Bill McLaren: "Well would you believe it" as Edinburgh outplayed their swanky visitors. Stade Français, who progress to the quarter-finals, have an extra reason for wanting to appear in this season's Heineken Cup final with European rugby's showpiece game in Paris this spring, but on this evidence an appearance in their home city come May is unlikely.A wholehearted display by the ÂEdinburgh pack and behind those forwards a terrific second half by the Âsmallest man on the pitch, the scrum-half Greig Laidlaw, gave the hosts a deserved and unexpected victory that will also give Scotland's coach, Andy Robinson, encouragement as he prepares his side to face France here in a fortnight's time.Phil Godman, too, had an Âimpressive afternoon outside Laidlaw at fly-half, dictating some ambitious moves by the Edinburgh backs against a side who, despite those pink shirts, gave a distinctly monochrome performance. "That was a really pleasing performance and it shows we can compete with the best in Europe," said Edinburgh's coach, Rob Moffat.France's clubs are having a profitable Heineken Cup campaign but Stade were desperately disappointing and Martin Johnson would have winced at the sight of James Haskell, who he would have pencilled in for a place in his back row against Wales on 6 February, limping off the field near the end.At the home of Scottish rugby there was a minute's applause before the game for the sport's most evocative voice, the occasion given extra poignancy with McLaren's grandson, Jim Thompson, playing on the left-wing for Edinburgh.Stade's players joined in the applause but turned up in a stroppy mood after last week's 70-week ban handed out to their prop David Attoub for gouging. They also turned up without a regular scrum-half, another banned player ÂJulien Dupuy one of three No9s unavailable, and it was the former Edinburgh player and Scotland full-back Hugo Southwell who stepped into the breach, as he had done against Bath last week, and who led out the side at a stadium he knows so well.Last month Edinburgh beat Bath in a blizzard here and yesterday the Âplayers had to cope with incessant rain that prompted the thought that anyone venturing on the open-top tourist bus rides down Princes Street must have had an odd sense of fun. The wet conditions were always going to make handling difficult and the first half was a flat affair.Edinburgh settled pretty well, though, with Chris Paterson landing two Âpenalties, the reward for some early adventurous play by the hosts in which Thompson, in particular, looked sharp, first cutting in from the wing and then almost going through with a zig-zagging run.In between Paterson's kicks, however, Stade went ahead with a soft try. The Âvisitors lost their line-out after Âspurning the chance of a kickable Âpenalty but when play broke up the Stade pack surged forwards and Pascal Pape broke a tackle from Ross Rennie and dived through a pile of bodies to plonk the ball down beneath the posts.The loss with a knee injury of ÂRennie, who could be on the open-side flank when France come calling in the Six Nations in a fortnight, was a blow to Edinburgh but they came out after the break in ambitious mood and Paterson landed his third penalty to restore their lead.Stade brought on another former Edinburgh player, Simon Taylor, who had been restricted to only 40 minutes of action all season as his litany of Âinjuries continues, but instead of galvanising the visitors it was Edinburgh's pack who took control.The last 20 minutes took place almost exclusively inside the Stade half and, although the Edinburgh pack were Âunable to batter their way over for a try they will not care a jot. Thompson and Godman missed penalties that could have made the scoreline more comfortable but Stade hardly looked likely to regain the lead. The game ended, with the whistle for "no side" as McLaren would have said, with Thompson kicking the ball joyously into touch. It seemed appropriate somehow.Heineken CupEdinburgh RugbyStade FrancaisRugby unionIan Malinguardian.co.uk © Guardian News & Media Limited 2010 | Use of this content is subject to our Terms & Conditions | More Feeds guardian.co.uk |
Michael Schumacher aims his Mercedes silver arrow towards more golden moments It is going to feel like he was never away. Oozing confidence and the swagger of a champion, looking fit as a fiddle at 41 and giving as good as he got from those prepared to remind him of his days in Formula One that were less than glorious, Michael Schumacher returned to the biggest stage in motor sport yesterday. feeds.timesonline.co.uk |