Urszula hopes to break into the top 100 once again. — Picture by Fariz Iswadi Ismail

The Radwanska siblings, Agnieszka, the World No 10 and Urszula, have been tour mates since their childhood days but the former has done better than her younger sister.

Urszula has underachieved due to injuries. She had to undergo spinal surgery last March and when the 20-year-old returned, she suffered a stress fracture to her foot which subsequently ruled her out for the rest of the season.

As a result, Urszula's ranking dipped after reaching a high of 62 in late 2009 but the World No 182 has regained fitness and is now hoping to break into the top 100 once again.

"My sister is my motivation to get back into the game strongly. She inspires me a lot and I hope to be as successful as her one day," said Urszula at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian and Country Resort yesterday.

"We support each other during tournaments and also live under the same roof in Poland. My injury halted my progress but I hope with the support of my sister, I will get back to my best."

The sisters have also played as a team in the doubles. Their best achievement was winning the 2007 Istanbul Open.

Urszula hopes to maintain her consistency in tournaments this year. "My back is fine and my goal is to stay healthy. I hope to keep improving with every tournament I feature in," added Urszula.

Urszula, who hails from Krakow, made her first appearance in the main draw of the tour event in an impressive way by outplaying Japan's Junri Namigate 6-1, 6-3 in the first round of the Malaysian Open on Monday. She next plays Serbia's World 55 Bojana Jovanovski.

MICHAELLA Krajicek (right) is planning to train under her half-brother, Richard, a former Wimbledon champion, in her quest to achieve her dream in the sport.

Michaella, who is from the Netherlands, and her brother, have worked together before and also played in an exhibition doubles match two years ago.

Richard has always been there for the World No 150 whenever she needs advice on her game.

"We share a special relationship. I plan to head back to the Netherlands to work with the Dutch Tennis Federation and also with Richard," said Michaella, who is based in Bradenton, the United States, at the Bukit Kiara Equestrian & Country Resort yesterday.

Michaella started her campaign in the BMW Malaysian Open with an impressive 6-3, 6-2 win over doubles partner Tatjana Malek of Germany.

The 22-year-old, who once pulled out from the third round of the Australian Open, took a fellow-player's advice against warming up too long under the heat before her first-round match at the BMW Malaysian Open.

"A friend told me that if I warm up too long here, I will get too tired for my match. It was really warm today (yesterday) and luckily I took my friend's advice," said Michaella, who has won three tour titles.

Michaelle and Tatjana are the top seeds in the doubles competition and the pair will start their campaign against Japan's Shuko Aoyama and Taiwan's Chan Chin Wei today.

"It will be our first experience as a pair in a competition. I've known her for quite a while and know her game well. I think we will be able to play well as a pair tomorrow (today)," she added.

MADRID – Juara dunia MotoGP Jorge Lorenzo meraih penghargaan Don Felipe de Barbon 2010 untuk kategori atlet terbaik Spanyol. Selain Lorenzo, juara dunia 125cc Marc Marquez juga diganjar penghargaan atlet terbaik di bawah usia 18 tahun.

ARAGON – GP Aragon akan masuk dalam rangkaian kalender MotoGP hingga enam tahun kedepan, atau hingga musim 2016.

Sukan

EPISOD Azizulhasni Awang kembali hangat, semalam dan kali ini Majlis Sukan Negara (MSN) tampil menghujahkan pandangan berbeza - segala-segalanya menjurus kepada usaha melarang ikon sukan negara itu kembali secara pantas ke trek berbasikal.

Dia menekan betapa lebih penting pemenang pingat emas acara keirin di Sukan Asia itu memastikan dirinya benar-benar pulih dan cergas daripada pembedahan mengeluarkan serpihan kayu trek di betisnya, sebelum berkayuh.

Bercakap kepada pemberita selepas majlis sambutan ulang tahun ke-40 MSN di Bukit Jalil semalam, Zolkples menegaskan Azizulhasni perlu bersyukur kerana tidak mengalami kecederaan serius pada Kejohanan Trek Berbasikal Siri Piala Dunia di Manchester itu.

"Bayangkan, jika serpihan kayu trek berkenaan tertusuk di dada atau matanya. Apa yang akan terjadi? Jadi, saya mahu dia bersyukur dan berehat sepenuhnya terlebih dulu bagi memastikan keadaannya benar-benar pulih," katanya.
Begitupun, Zolkples menyerahkan kepada jurulatih Azizulhasni, John Beasley untuk membuat keputusan terbaik sama ada jaguh pecut itu perlu bertanding atau tidak pada kejohanan itu.

Kelmarin, Timbalan Presiden Persekutuan Kebangsaan Berbasikal Malaysia (MNCF) merangkap pengurus pasukan, Datuk Naim Mohamad mengesahkan nama ikon sukan negara berusia 23 tahun itu akan didaftarkan bagi kejohanan elit itu.

Sukan

Hujah itu menjurus kepada gelagat tonggak Chelsea, Ashley Cole dan ayam tambatan Manchester United, Wayne Rooney yang 'dibebaskan' daripada hukuman berat.

Begitu juga dengan Cole yang terlepas hukuman selepas secara tidak sengaja menembak pelatih yang menjalani latihan praktikal di kelab itu dengan pistol udara di gelanggang latihan pasukan tempoh hari.

Pemain antarabangsa England itu bermain dengan pistol udara .22 yang dibawanya ke bilik persalinan, Ahad lalu dan tidak menyedari ia berisi peluru. Apapun, pelajar sains sukan itu, Tom Cowan tidak perlu menjalani rawatan hospital. - Agensi

GELARAN Seluruh England menjadi sasaran utama gandingan Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong tapi kejohanan bertaraf GP Emas Terbuka Jerman minggu ini menjadi kayu pengukur kemampuan bekas gandingan nombor satu dunia itu.

Jurulatih beregu elit, Rexy Mainaky berkata, setiap kelemahan sudah dikenal pasti dan kini Kien Keat-Boon Heong perlu memantapkannya pada aksi pemanas badan di Jerman.

"Keputusan di Jerman menjadi ukuran kemampuan mereka untuk bergelar juara Seluruh England minggu depan tapi itu tidak semestinya menjadi gambaran sebenar yang akan berlaku di Birmingham," kata Rexy.

Pusingan kelayakan Terbuka Jerman bermula semalam dan Kien Keat-Boon Heong membuka cabaran pusingan pertama hari ini menentang pemain Jepun, Hiroyuki Endo-Kenichi Hayakawa.

Gandingan negara yang dilabel pilihan ketiga bakal berdepan laluan getir di separuh akhir apabila dijangka bertemu Lee Yong Dae-Jung Jae Sung dari Korea Selatan.

Kien Keat-Boon Heong meneruskan kemarau kejuaraan sejak kali terakhir muncul juara Terbuka Malaysia tahun lalu.

Aksi di Siri Super Final di Taiwan cukup lemah apabila tewas semua tiga perlawanan, sebelum tewas di pusingan pertama Terbuka Malaysia Januari lalu. Di Siri Super Premier Terbuka Korea seminggu selepas itu, Kien Keat-Boon Heong kandas di separuh akhir, tewas di tangan Yong Dae-Jae Sung.

Sementara itu, cabaran negara dalam perseorangan lelaki digalas Liew Daren seakan pasti membuka ruang seluas-luasnya buat China memonopoli saingan.

Selain ketiadaan Datuk Lee Chong Wei, jaguh Indonesia Taufik Hidayat dan Peter Gade (Denmark) juga tidak mengambil bahagian, sekali gus Chen Jin serta Lin Dan boleh berkira-kira untuk beraksi di pentas final.

Begitupun, peluang buat Wong Mew Choo lebih terbuka tanpa kehadiran pemain ternama China. Begitupun dia perlu berhati-hati menentang pemain Korea dan Thailand yang boleh menghalang kemaraan ke peringkat lebih jauh.

"SAYA mengesahkan sudah menyerahkan surat peletakan jawatan sebagai ketua jurulatih pasukan Perlis kepada Persatuan Bola Sepak Perlis (PFA) berkuatkuasa hari ini (semalam).

"Justeru, saya mengesahkan tidak lagi terbabit mengendalikan pasukan ini selepas Perlis menentang Kuala Lumpur pada aksi Liga Super di Stadium Utama Negeri Kangar, malam ini (semalam)," demikian pengakuan Mosthakeen Omar.

Beliau bagaimanapun enggan mengulas panjang berhubung tindakan itu melainkan sekadar menyatakan, tindakan itu adalah yang terbaik bagi kedua-dua pihak.

Namun, Mosthakeen mengaku kecewa dengan pengurusan pasukan yang menyalahkan dirinya berikutan kegagalan demi kegagalan Perlis sepanjang aksi Liga Super dan Piala FA setakat ini.

"Pada peringkat awal, semuanya nampak berjalan dengan begitu baik. Bagaimanapun, masalah mula timbul selepas sesi penilaian terhadap prestasi pasukan selepas tewas kali kelima kepada T-Team, baru-baru ini.

"Oleh kerana terdapat perbezaan pendapat, saya tidak punya pilihan melainkan mengundur diri," katanya.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MADRID - Pemain tengah Barcelona Xavi Hernandez, yang berjuang untuk pulih dari cedera otot betis kirinya selama 10 hari terakhir ini, terlihat kembali berlatih Selasa (1/3), demikian diumumkan pemimpin klasemen liga utama Spanyol itu.

Dia termasuk di antara 18 pemain yang melakukan perjalanan ke Valencia bagi pertandingan liga Spanyol pada Rabu (2/3) bersama dengan pemain bertahan asal Brazil Dani Alves yang sudah menjalani hukuman larangan bermain satu-pertandingan, demikian pernyataan Barcelona itu.

Xavi Hernandez (31) mengalami cedera itu saat Barca menang 2-1 atas Athletic Bilbao pada 20 Februari lalu. Pelatih Barcelona Pep Guardiola termasuk orang penting yang tidak hadir pada sesi pelatihan hari Selasa tersebut.

Dia tengah mengalami penyakit nyeri punggung bawah selama dua pekan terakhir ini dan digantikan oleh asistennya, Tito Vilanova. Barcelona menyatakan pihaknya masih belum jelas apakah Guardiola akan bisa ikut ke Valencia atau tidak untuk menonton pertandingan itu.

Barcelona saat ini memimpin klasemen dengan keunggulan tujuh poin dari klub di posisi kedua, Real Madrid. Valencia berada di urutan ketiga, selisih 17 poin di bawah Barcelona.

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, ROMA - Klub Rusia Anzhi Makhachkala menawarkan 10 juta dolar kepada pemain tengah AC Milan Gennaro Gattuso asal Italia, demikian diberitakan pers Italia, awal pekan ini, dengan mengutip berita di laman Rusia, Lifesports. Klub Dagestan itu, yang sekarang menempati urutan kesebelas pada klasemen liga Rusia, sudah mengontrak Roberto Carlos (37) dengan bayaran sebesar lima juta dolar per tahun dan telah menawarkan mantan rekan satu timnya di Brazil, Ronaldo, delapan juta dolar untuk bermain untuk mereka.

Klub tersebut didanai oleh milyarder Rusia Suleiman Kerimov, yang berasal dari Dagestan, daerah Kaukasus Utara yang dilanda konflik dan bertetangga dengan Chechnya itu, tempat pesepak bola legendaris Ruud Gullit asal Belanda melatih klub Terek Grozny sejak Januari lalu.

Gattuso, yang bermain dalam timnas Italia yang menjadi Juara Piala Dunia 2006 di Jerman, mendapat hukuman dilarang bermain dalam empat pertandingan dari UEFA pekan lalu karena menandukkan kepalanya ke arah asisten pelatih Tottenham Joe Jordan dalam pertandingan pertemuan pertama mereka pada babak 16 besar Liga Champions.

China, Indonesia jadi pilihan

Oleh Norzie Mohd. Khasbi
norzie.khasbi@utusan.com.my

KUALA LUMPUR - Jurulatih dari China atau Indonesia menjadi calon pilihan Persatuan Badminton Malaysia (BAM) bagi menggantikan Wong Tat Meng yang meninggalkan skuad perseorangan wanita kebangsaan untuk beralih ke Indonesia, pertengahan bulan ini.

Badan badminton kebangsaan itu mahu mencari pengganti dalam masa terdekat, untuk memastikan persiapan Sukan Olimpik 2012 tidak terjejas, terutama buat Wong Mew Choo yang kini berada dalam program Road to London dan menjadi calon utama perseorangan wanita negara untuk melayakkan diri temasya berkenaan.

Menurut sumber BAM, beberapa calon sudah dikenal pasti selepas dicadangkan oleh barisan jurulatih kebangsaan lain, dan badan itu masih dalam usaha menilai, seterusnya berunding untuk membawa mereka ke negara ini.

Sepanjang tempoh pencarian berlangsung, pembantu Tat Meng, Wong Sze Mei akan bertindak sebagai jurulatih sementara bagi membimbing enam pemain dalam skuad kebangsaan - Mew Choo, Lydia Cheah, Julia Wong, Tee Jing Yi, Sonia Cheah dan Sannatasah Saniru.

BAM belum mengumumkan calon jurulatih yang akan menggantikan Tat Meng, namun tidak menolak untuk memberi tempat kepada bekas juara Olimpik China yang kini diambang persaraan, Zhou Mi jika pemain yang kini mewakili Hong Kong itu berminat untuk melatih Malaysia.

Zhou Mi, 32, mempunyai hubungan yang baik dengan Mew Choo, malah pernah beberapa kali datang ke Malaysia untuk menjadi rakan sparring ratu badminton negara itu. Dia berada di Kuala Lumpur selama sebulan ketika Mew Choo melakukan persiapan menghadapi Sukan Asia 2006.

Malah, bekas pemain No. 1 dunia itu juga pernah berlatih bersama Mew Choo menjelang Kejohanan Dunia di Madrid pada tahun yang sama, selain tiba lebih awal di negara ini pada Terbuka Malaysia, Januari lalu untuk melakukan beberapa sesi latihan bersama pemain utama negara itu.

"Ketika ini, BAM belum mengenal pasti siapakah yang akan menggantikan tempat Wong Tat Meng, tetapi mereka sedang menimbangkan beberapa calon yang dicadangkan oleh jurulatih kebangsaan dan ia dari China serta Indonesia.

"Mengenai cadangan untuk memilih Zhou Mi sebagai calon jurulatih, ia bukan satu halangan dan BAM sedia berunding jika pemain itu membuka pintu rundingan, persoalannya sekarang cuma satu, apakah Zhou Mi mahu menjadi jurulatih di negara ini,'' kata sumber berkenaan.

Menurut sumber itu lagi, BAM percaya, Sze Mei boleh mengendalikan barisan perseorangan kebangsaan buat sementara waktu, apatah lagi Mew Choo ketika ini berada di Eropah bertanding dalam Terbuka Jerman yang sedang berlangsung dan All England, bulan depan.

Justeru buat sementara, bekas pemain kebangsan itu hanya akan mengendalikan lima pemain, jumlah yang diyakini tidak membebankan buat seorang jurulatih.

"Bagaimanapun, BAM tetap berusaha untuk mendapatkan pengganti Wong Tat Meng dalam masa yang cepat kerana sebaik Mew Choo kembali dari All England nanti dia perlukan program persiapan untuk kelayakan ke Sukan Olimpik,'' kata sumber itu lagi.

All England akan berlangsung dari 8-13 Mac ini dan aksi Mew Choo sepanjang kejohanan bakal dipantau oleh ketua jurulatih perseorangan, Rashid Sidek.

Ketika ditanya kemungkinan untuk Mew Choo dikendalikan oleh Rashid sepanjang kelayakan Olimpik, seandainya BAM gagal mendapat pengganti Tat Meng dalam waktu terdekat, sumber itu menambah: "Ia tidak mungkin berlaku kerana BAM tidak akan mengusik struktur kejurulatihan yang ada. Mereka pasti akan mendapatkan jurulatih baru yang bagus buat Mew Choo.''

Selepas lapan tahun menjadi jurulatih kebangsaan, Tat Meng, 44, akhirnya mengambil keputusan untuk meninggalkan Malaysia dan menyahut cabaran menjadi jurulatih Indonesia sebagai pembantu Li Mao, jurulatih kelahiran China yang pernah membimbing skuad Malaysia.

SINGAPORE, March 2 — Hangzhou Greentown coach Wu Jingui credited his team's superior stamina and low-key profile for their surprise 2-0 win over J-League champions Nagoya Grampus on the opening night of the Asian Champions League.

The Chinese side, making their debut in the tournament, scored their Group F victory with second-half goals from Honduran striker Luis Ramirez and substitute Ba Li at the Yellow Dragon Stadium yesterday.

"They were tired and they didn't know much about us," Wu told reporters of Hangzhou's opponents. "Chinese players are physically stronger than other East Asian rivals.

"I always encouraged my players to give full play to our physical strength and height."

Chinese Super League runners-up Tianjin Teda were also celebrating yesterday after they claimed a 1-0 away win over South Korean side Jeju United in the opening match of the 2011 tournament.

The Koreans controlled the Group E match for long periods at a windy Jeju World Cup Stadium but without Asian Cup top scorer Koo Ja-cheol, who moved to German side VfL Wolfsburg recently, they struggled in front of goal.

Lee Sang-hyub hit the crossbar in stoppage time but Jeju could not find an equaliser for Yu Dabao's 55th minute effort.

"The ability of Chinese teams has improved a lot and I hope that this result helps to show that," Tianjin coach Arie Haan told reporters.

Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal were also victims of a surprise opening day defeat when they lost 2-1 at home to Iranians Sepahan in Group A.

The night's biggest winners were 2008 champions Gamba Osaka, who thrashed Melbourne Victory 5-1 after some woeful defending from the Australians saw them go 3-0 down after just 11 minutes. — Reuters  

Fellaini will go under the knife on Monday. — Reuters pic

Neither player featured in yesterday's surprise 1-0 defeat by Reading in the FA Cup fifth round at Goodison Park with the 23-year-old Fellaini needing surgery on the injury he picked up in the 2-0 home win over Sunderland in the league on Saturday.

"Marouane Fellaini is going to be out for the season now, he'll have an operation on Monday," Everton manager David Moyes was quoted as saying on the club's website (http://www.evertonfc.com).

"Most people will tell you he's been a key player for us this season," he added after Tuesday's loss to the Championship (second division) side.

"Tim Cahill will miss two or three weeks with a foot injury just now, but that isn't a reason for (Tuesday's) result."

Everton, who had knocked out FA Cup holders Chelsea on penalties in the previous round, visit Newcastle United in a mid-table Premier League clash on Saturday. — Reuters

MANCHESTER: Everton striker Louis Saha (above) escaped unharmed from a car crash on the outskirts of Manchester.

The 32-year-old was driving his blue Ferrari 458 on the A538 Altrincham Road in Wilmslow when he lost control and collided with a fence.

The Frenchman, who was alone in the vehicle, was unhurt and no other vehicles were involved.

Saha, who left Manchester United for Everton in 2008, played in the Toffees' 2-0 home win over Sunderland last Saturday.

Despite being troubled by a hamstring problem during that game, Saha is expected to be in contention for the FA Cup fifthround home clash against Reading tomorrow (3.30am).

Referring to the player's injury problems in the past, Everton boss David Moyes joked: "Incredibly, he has no injuries from it!

"I don't know much about it. I only just got told this morning. I couldn't tell you much, but he is okay."

The accident happened near the tunnel under Manchester airport where former United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo also crashed his Ferrari in January 2009.

A spokeswoman for Cheshire Police said: "At 8.54pm last night police were called to Altrincham Road, Wilmslow, to the report of a single vehicle road traffic collision.

"Officers attended the scene where a blue Ferrari 458 had collided with a fence outside the tunnel.

"The 32-year-old driver was uninjured. Inquiries are continuing."

LONDON: Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe (pic) will return to training later this week after receiving the all-clear following an ankle scare.

When manager Harry Redknapp initially revealed Defoe had suffered an injury during the club's warm-weather training camp in Dubai last Sunday, it was feared he would face a spell on the sidelines.

However, Spurs now said the England international had been scanned and no significant damage was detected.

"Defoe will return to training on the squad's return home this week after undergoing X-rays on his foot following his participation in today's session," read a statement from Spurs' website.

"The X-rays were clear and the striker is expected to rest tomorrow as a precaution to allow any possible soft tissue irritation to settle."

Defoe broke down during a session in Al Ahli's Rashid Stadium where Spurs were training as part of their five-day break between matches.

The worst-case scenario was that the injury would be a repeat of the ankle ligament damage which ruled Defoe out for eight weeks following England's 3-1 win over Switzerland last September.

He has yet to score in the Premier League this season but Redknapp would not want to lose any more players to injury.

"We're trying to finish in the top four and it's so close. But we've got so many players injured, people forget," said Redknapp.

"We've got Tom Huddlestone, Younes Kaboul, Ledley King, Jonathan Woodgate, Gareth Bale, Rafael van der Vaart. If you could pick a team of injured players it would be a fantastic team."

Spurs will return to England today — ahead of their Premier League match at Wolves on Sunday.

Another of the club's injured players, rightback Vedran Corluka, is expected to be out for two months, which will give Alan Hutton a chance to stake his claim to be the club's first-choice once more.

The Scot's last game for Spurs came a month ago when he needlessly barged into Clint Dempsey in the penalty box to gift Fulham their second goal in the Cottagers' 4-0 rout over their neighbours in the FA Cup.

Hutton was said to have had a dressing-room bust-up with Redknapp following the match at Craven Cottage, but Redknapp insists he has not fallen out with the former Rangers man.

"Hutton had a groin strain, but he's fit now. I changed it after Fulham; I brought Corluka back in and we went and won four games on the spin, went to AC Milan and won. But that's football — now Corluka is injured — so Hutton's got a chance to get back in the team."

LIVERPOOL – Meski bermain di kandang sendiri, namun Everton harus mengakui keunggulan Reading 0-1. The Toffees pun tersingkir dari pentas FA Cup 2010/2011, Rabu (2/3/2011) dini hari WIB

Everton langsung menggebrak sejak menit awal. Seamus Coleman membuka peluang tim tuan rumah pada menit 13. Sayang, sundulan Coleman ke gawang Reading masih melambung dari gawang McCharty.

Keasyikan menyerang membuat pertahanan Everton lengah. Reading mampu membaca situasi, setelah Mills berhasil membobol gawang The Toffees. Sundulannya tidak mampu dihentikan Tim Howard. 1-0 Everton memimpin.

Bahkan, beberapa saat kemudian, Reading nyaris menggandakan keunggulan. Beruntung, tembakan Kebe pada menit 27 masih mengarah langsung ke gawang Howard. Everton mencoba menyamakan kedudukan.

Sebuah peluang didapat Osman menit 44. Sialnya, sundulan Osman memanfaatkan tendangan pojok Michael Arteta, masih melambung dari gawang McCarthy. Praktis, skor 1-0 bertahan hingga turun minum.

Everton berusaha membalas di babak kedua. Sayang, tim tuan rumah gagal memanfaatkan sejumlah peluang. Hasilnya, skor 1-0 untuk kemenangan The Toffees bertahan hingga pertandingan berakhir

Susunan Pemain
Everton: Howard, Neville, Jagielka, Distin, Baines, Coleman, Rodwell, Arteta, Bilyaletdinov, Osman.

Reading: McCarthy, Gunnarsson, Mills, Khizanishvili, Harte, Kebe, Tabb, Leigertwood, McAnuff, Long, Hunt.
(hmr)

BANDUNG – Pelatih Bandung FC Nandar Iskandar menyoroti anak asuhnya kurang disiplin dalam menjaga konsistensi permainan. Dari tujuh laga yang dilalui, faktor disiplin Lee Hendrie dan kawan-kawan terkadang berujung dengan kekalahan.
 
Nandar mengatakan, berkaca dari tujuh pertandingan yang sudah dilalui, anak asuhnya kerap menguasai permaian. Namun, penyelesaian akhir yang buruk menjadikan posisi Bandung FC harus berada di dasar klasemen Liga Primer Indonesia (LPI) saat ini.
 
"Saat ada peluang, tetapi ketika finishing justru tidak sempurna. Kita sudah menguasai permainan dengan memegang bola tapi terkadang masih ada kehilangan bola," beber pelatih berusia 60 tahun ini.
 
Seperti diketahui, Bandung FC pernah meraih hasil imbang saat menjamu PSM Makassar beberapa waktu lalu. Meski sempat tertinggal, Perry N Somah berhasil menyamakan kedudukan 1-1 hingga pertandingan berakhir. Namun saat menjamu Tangerang Wolves, Bandung FC justru harus mengakui keunggulan 1-2 yang notabene berada satu peringkat saja diatas Bandung FC.
 
"Aji dan Michael sering melakukan kesalahan. Maka, mereka harus mengisi kekurangan ini. Kita fokus untuk latihan crossing-finishing," ujarnya.
 
Nandar menepis anggapan bila Laskar Siliwangi tidak akan meraih kemenangan pada laga selanjutnya. "Kita selalu berkeinginan untuk mencuri poin," tegasnya.
 
Saat ditanya apakah perlu menyaksikan rekaman pertandingan tim lain. "Sebagian saya sudah melihat permainan lawan lewat televisi. Tapi kan belum tentu sama," katanya.
 
Nandar menambahkan, rekaman pertandingan setidaknya akan membantu untuk mengukur kekuatan lawan mengingat lawan yang akan dihadapi ke depan merupakan tim baru.
(hmr)

NEW YORK (AP): Pete Sampras held up his hands in apology when his shot ticked off the net and fell in for a winner to give him triple match point against Andre Agassi. The two were on their best behavior Monday during their exhibition at Madison Square Garden.

No repeats of their charity match last March, when Agassi's jokes got a little too personal and Sampras fired a serve at him in reply.

Sampras won 6-3, 7-5 this time on a night full of nostalgia, a reprise of his final match when he beat Agassi in the 2002 U.S. Open final in New York. This city was the site of many memorable career moments for both. "I came back to the people I love to say hello," Agassi said.

Earlier, John McEnroe had the short shorts and big hair ready to pump up the crowd late in his match against old adversary Ivan Lendl. McEnroe never got the chance, twisting his ankle a couple of hours before the match and having to retire leading 6-3 in the one-set, first-to-eight event.

McEnroe was hurt practicing with Sampras but tried to tough it out. He jumped out to an early lead, aggressively going for shots to try to limit how much running he would have to do.

In an on-court interview with younger brother Patrick afterward, McEnroe revealed he was wearing the "circa 1985" shorts underneath his longer, more modern ones. He said later he also had a wig on hand for the "circa 1982" hair.

Lendl suggested they should return to the Garden next year to play with short shorts and wooden rackets. That sort of witty banter wasn't likely during their careers, when Lendl and McEnroe faced each other in a record 20 ATP Tour finals. But now they're both in their 50s.

Lendl didn't play for 14 years because of back problems, but with plans to open a junior tennis academy, he returned to the court and has started taking part in senior events.

He's not sure how much he'll keep playing - Lendl doesn't like to travel, preferring to hang out on the golf course at home in Florida and go for long walks with his two German shepherds.

"It's not as if we see each other a whole lot," McEnroe said of their current relationship. "I don't think it's that much different in a way, but it's easier to look at each other in more of a bemused way than in the past. When you're trying to win the majors or be the best and you look at your adversary, it's a lot easier to look at the glass half empty and what's wrong.

"When you get older and there's not as much at stake, you start to say, 'Well, the both of us went through a lot in our own ways.' And you start to look at it: 'Well, maybe once out of 10 jokes he is funny."'

Four tennis greats with 37 combined Grand Slam titles took the court for the event. For guys who are long retired, there's still an edge in the air when the Sampras-Agassi and McEnroe-Lendl rivalries are renewed.

The four traded good-natured barbs at a news conference Monday morning, often about their past tensions. Just under a year ago, Agassi and Sampras faced each other in what was supposed to be a friendly match for charity. Wearing a microphone, Agassi mocked Sampras for being stingy, a claim he had made in his book.

Sampras responded with a high, hard serve that forced Agassi to duck. Asked about the state of his relationship with Sampras, Agassi replied, "Strictly platonic." "That's the nicest thing you've said about me in two years," Sampras quipped.

"We've straightened it out," Agassi said. "Like I've said 150 times, it was a complete mistake on my part. 'Hit for Haiti' raised a lot of money; we did a lot of good things. But we unfortunately had a microphone on our mouths, and I was talking a lot. One thing wasn't good."

They'd played two exhibitions in Latin America since. "In my eyes, it's over," Sampras said. "It's unfortunate what happened. Andre apologized. It's just one of those things that sort of got blown out of proportion over the last six months. We're still here. He's a rival and a friend."

MARANA (Arizona): Britain's Luke Donald concluded a week of dominant golf by winning the biggest title of his career with a 3 & 2 victory over Germany's Martin Kaymer in Sunday's final of the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Three up after just five holes on a chilly day at Dove Mountain's Ritz-Carlton Golf Club, Donald held off a front-nine fightback by the German before sealing the win with a two-putt par at the short 16th.

It was Donald's third PGA Tour victory but his first in an elite World Golf Championships (WGC) event and lifted him to a career-high third in the world rankings yesterday.

Kaymer, who had been bidding for his second triumph on the US circuit, took over from Britain's Lee Westwood as world number one.

"It's been an amazing week," a beaming Donald told reporters after winning his first PGA Tour title since the 2006 Honda Classic.

"It's been a long time since I've won in the US.

"To come here and beat the top 63 players in the world is very gratifying. I had a lot of good things happen, made a bunch of birdies, never trailed in a match.

"And hat's off to Martin for becoming number one in the world," the Englishman added after earning the winner's cheque of US$1.4mil.

"It's quite an accomplishment."

Although Kaymer delivered his worst display of the week with three bogeys and two birdies in the final, he paid tribute to Donald's rock-steady form.

"I was trying everything I could, I just didn't play as good as the last few days," the 26-year-old German said.

"And the way Luke plays, even a decent round isn't enough."

Donald, the only player this week who never trailed in any of his matches, made a fast start to the final when he rolled in a 16-footer to birdie the par-five second and go one up.

After a brief suspension in play due to a hailstorm, he also birdied the par-four fourth after hitting an exquisite approach to three feet to go two up.

Kaymer then bogeyed the par-four fifth after pulling his drive into the desert waste and taking two more shots to reach the green to go three down.

However, Donald faltered at the par-three sixth with a three-putt bogey and Kaymer birdied the par-five eighth, knocking in a four-foot putt, to cut the lead to just one.

Worse was to follow for Donald at the par-four ninth where Kaymer missed the green with his approach before the Englishman hit his second shot into an unplayable lie in the desert scrub.

Donald ended up triple-bogeying the hole for Kaymer, who recorded a bogey there, to level the match.

Two holes later, Donald regained a one-up lead when he sank a seven-footer for birdie before watching Kaymer's attempt from just five feet slip past the right edge.

Kaymer then bogeyed the par-three 12th after finding a bunker off the tee and two-putting from 18 feet for Donald, who comfortably parred the hole, to go two up.

At the par-four 15th, both players were just short of the green off the tee and chipped up close to the hole but Kaymer surprisingly missed his birdie attempt from inside four feet to trail by three.

Donald then sealed victory at the par-three 16th where he hit his tee shot to 13 feet to set up a rock-solid par. — Reuters

Satu-satunya gol kemenangan tim tuan rumah itu tercipta melalui tendangan bebas Legimin Rahardjo pada menit ke-77. Bola melambung hasil tendangan kapten Persik itu gagal diantisipasi penjaga gawang Perseman, Eliza Anderi.

Dalam pertandingan yang dipimpin wasit Juhandri Setiana dari Kabupaten Bandung itu, Persik mampu bermain menekan sejak babak pertama.

Beberapa peluang emas yang didapatkan tim berjulul "Macan Putih" itu gagal membuahkan hasil, karena kokohnya barisan pertahanan Perseman. Hingga turun minum, hasil imbang tanpa gol itu tidak berubah.

Memasuki babak kedua, tempo permainan semakin tinggi. Bahkan, wasit sempat menghentikan pertandingan akibat pemain Persik, Dodit Fitrio, diganjal keras pemain tamu. Adrian Trinidad, pemain Persik lainnya, nyaris terlibat baku hantam dengan pemain Perseman, justru Dodit yang mendapatkan kartu kuning dari wasit.

Situasi berubah ketika Legimin Rahardjo berhasil mencetak gol untuk kemenangan tim tuan rumah pada menit ke-77.

Tertinggal satu gol, Perseman meningkatkan tempo permainan. Namun, usaha keras tim berjuluk "Ular Putih" itu sia-sia sehingga sampai pertandingan bubar kedudukan 1-0 untuk tim tuan rumah tidak berubah.

Dalam pertandingan itu Juhandri mengeluarkan tiga kartu kuning, dua untuk pemain Persik, dan satu untuk pemain Perseman.

Dua pemain Persik yang mendapatkan kartu kuning adalah Hari Novian pada menit ke-25 dan Dodit Fitrio menit ke-82, sedangkan satu kartu diberikan kepada pemain Perseman, Sumar pada menit ke-31.

Pelatih Perseman Djoko Susilo mengaku terjadi kesalahan sedikit di lini belakang timnya sehingga Persik berhasil menjebol gawang. Namun, kondisi lapangan yang licin usai hujan membuat timnya juga kesulitan mematahkan pertahanan Persik.

"Seharusnya mampu mencuri poin dari Persik dan pemain bisa mengantisipasi. Tetapi, lapangan juga cukup licin hingga salah mengantisipasi datangnya bola," katanya.

Pelatih Persik Kediri Jaya Hartono mengakui lini belakang Perseman cukup sulit ditembus. Fisik pemain lawan yang cenderung lebih tinggi membuat anak asuhnya harus bermain dengan bola-bola bawah.

"Saya instruksikan anak-anak bermain bola bawah, karena lini belakang cukup tinggi. Satu gol cukup berharga untuk kami," kata Jaya.(*)

(L.KR-SAS*M038)

Editor: Ruslan Burhani
COPYRIGHT © 2011

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"Benar, Titus kami coret," kata pelatih asal Austria itu dengan tegas usai latihan timnas di Lapangan PSSI Senayan, Jakarta, Selasa.

Pemain yang memperkuat klub Persipura Jayapura itu dinilai indispliner setelah meninggalkan hotel, tempat seluruh anggota timnas tinggal selama menjalani pelatnas Pra-Olimpiade 2012.

Selain meninggalkan hotel, kata Riedl, pemain dengan posisi striker dan telah menyarangkan satu gol ke gawang Turkmenistan pada laga pertama itu juga melakukan indisipliner berupa minum minuman keras.

"Dua kali Titus minum minuman keras. Di Hongkong dan Jakarta," kata mantan pelatih timnas Vietnam dan Laos itu dengan nada keras.

Dengan dicoretnya Titus Bonai, maka jumlah striker yang ada di timnas Pra-Olimpiade 2012 berkurang. Tim Merah Putih muda ini tinggal mengandalkan Yongky Ariwibowo, Triasdi Fauzi dan Johan Yoga.

Daya gedor timnas Pra-Olimpiade untuk melakukan pertandingan kedua melawan Turkmenistan, 9 Maret nanti dipastikan akan berkurang. Namu Riedl meyakini dengan skuad yang ada timnas tetap mampu bersaing dan memberi perlawanan.

Meski ada pemain yang dicoret, timnas muda juga kedatangan pemain keturunan Belanda yang ditargetkan akan dinaturalisasi yaitu Stefano Lilipaly. Pemain dengan posisi gelandang itu sudah mengikuti latihan bersama Egi Melgiansyah dan kawan-kawan.

Timnas Indonesia dijadwalkan berangkat ke Turkmenistan, Sabtu (5/3) guna menjalani pertandingan kedua. Pada pertandingan pertama di Tanah Air, Yongky Ariwibowo dan kawan-kawan menyerah 1-3.(*)

(T.B016/I007)

Editor: Ruslan Burhani
COPYRIGHT © 2011

Ikuti berita terkini di handphone anda di m.antaranews.com