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5644. alistairConnor - 7/6/2007 11:46:57 PM  Marion Bartoli knocks out Justine Henin, world number one, to reach the Wimbledon final, and deny her opponent a Grand Slam.
She's only number three in France, number 19 in the world ranking... but her unorthodox style had Henin struggling and gasping in disbelief. She was touched by grace today, a sensational match.
She'll be playing Venus in the final tomorrow...
All round good day for France : Richard Gasquet knocks out Andy Roddick, gaining the honour of losing to Federer tomorrow in the semi-final.
5645. wabbit - 7/7/2007 12:27:43 AM  I missed most of the tennis today and was sorry to see that Marcos Baghdatis lost. I was rooting for him to get through one more round. And although Alistair beat me to this post, here it is anyway.
There were a couple upsets today at Wimbledon. Andy Roddick blew a two-set lead and lost to Richard Gasquet in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Gasquet came back from a two-set deficit for the first time in his career to knock off the No. 3 Roddick 4-6, 4-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (3), 8-6 and move on to a semifinal against four-time defending champion Roger Federer. Roddick had won 18 consecutive tiebreakers before losing the third set. Roddick and Gasquet finished with the same number of unforced errors, 29 apiece, but Gasquet compiled a 93-60 edge in winners, including 18 passing shots.
Justine Henin will have to wait another year to try to complete a career Grand Slam after being stunned in the women's semifinals by Marion Bartoli, who will face Venus Williams in Saturday's final. Williams, a three-time Wimbledon champion, beat No. 6 Ana Ivanovic 6-2, 6-4. Bartoli ran Henin around the court over the final two sets, using incredible accuracy to come back from a set and break down to win 1-6, 7-5, 6-1. The No. 31 Williams and the No. 20 Bartoli are the two lowest-ranked women to reach the Wimbledon final since the computer rankings began in 1975.
Joining Gasquet and No. 1 Federer in the semifinals were No. 2 Rafael Nadal and No. 4 Novak Djokovic. Alistair, what do you think of Gasquet's chances against Federer?
5646. alistairConnor - 7/7/2007 12:35:03 AM When did Federer last lose anything important?
About nil, but I'm usually wrong. 5647. wabbit - 7/7/2007 7:42:45 AM Hey, maybe Federer has some kind of mental block with French tennis? But I agree with you, I don't see him losing. The Nadal/Djokovic should be fun to watch. 5648. iiibbb - 7/7/2007 5:27:40 PM Le Tour starts today. I'm excited even though I'm still pissed about last year.
Regarding Landis, at the end of the day I'm more sure that the French Lab should be shut down, than Landis is guilty, and both may be true. 5649. wabbit - 7/7/2007 11:41:16 PM  Winning Wimbledon never gets old. Venus Williams giggled as she clutched the championship trophy against her chest, threw back her head and whooped at the sky. Williams won tennis' most prestigious tournament for the fourth time Saturday, beating surprising finalist Marion Bartoli 6-4, 6-1. It was Williams' sixth Grand Slam title, and her first since winning Wimbledon in 2005. She was also the champion at the All England Club in 2000 and 2001. At No. 31, Williams became the lowest-ranked women's winner in Wimbledon history. Plagued in recent years by injuries that sent her ranking sliding, she rediscovered her championship form this week on the surface that always seems to inspire her best efforts.
Not as great a match as I had hoped. Novak Djokovic tried to grin and bear it against the relentless Rafael Nadal with a bad toe plus a bothersome lower back, not to mention sheer exhaustion from playing on a sixth consecutive day thanks to rain interruptions. He also stopped during his 2006 French Open quarterfinal against Nadal, and lost in three sets to the Spaniard in this year's semifinals at Roland Garros. Nadal, of course, has won three French Opens in a row, something no one had done since Borg. Now, like his rival Roger Federer, Nadal is chasing Borg again, trying to become the first man to win at Roland Garros and the All England Club in the same year since the Swede did it every year from 1978-80. But Federer stands in Nadal's way, just as Nadal stands in Federer's.
Federer beat No. 12 Richard Gasquet of France 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 in a semifinal that was competitive for a set. Here's how relaxed Federer was against Gasquet, a 21-year-old playing in his first Grand Slam semifinal. In addition to taking time to enjoy Bjorn Borg's presence, Federer also glanced at the scoreboard during changeovers, keeping track of what was happening in Nadal-Djokovic. Federer is so talented on the court and so universally well-liked off it that Borg said Saturday he wouldn't mind seeing the Swiss star equal his 1976-80 reign at Wimbledon.
5650. wabbit - 7/7/2007 11:42:16 PM  Under a cloud of doping and suspicion that threatens all of cycling, Switzerland's Fabian Cancellara won the prologue of Le Tour de France as the sport's premier event began Saturday with heavy security and a distinct British accent. Cancellara, the world time-trial champion who also won the Tour prologue in 2004, completed the 4.9-mile race through downtown London in 8 minutes, 50 seconds. He is strictly a time-trial rider and is not expected to compete for the overall title in the three-week race. Andreas Kloeden of Germany was 13 seconds behind in second place, followed by George Hincapie of the United States, 23 seconds behind the leader. Britain's Bradley Wiggins, looking to bring the home fans a victory, was fourth. Stuart O'Grady of Australia took a spill after hitting a straw barrier coming out of a turn, losing time as he hopped on a new bike that was delivered from a trailing support car.
The race started two years to the day since suicide bombers killed 52 people on London's public transit network and as the country confronts a new wave of terrorism. At least 4,500 officers from London's Metropolitan Police provided security, along with officers from other forces and a small unit of the French gendarmerie. The last time the Tour came to Britain was in 1994, when an estimated 2 million people crowded the route.
Saturday's ride began a 2,120-mile trek that will feature six mountain hikes, three summit finishes and two individual time trials. Route map - Route, stage by stage
5651. wabbit - 7/8/2007 12:07:27 AM Time check. 5652. alistairConnor - 7/8/2007 12:16:10 AM Starting on Wednesday I'll be cycling in south-east France. I'll be well gone before the Tour gets down there, by that time I'll be in England, I'm just trying to plan a cycling holiday there for me and the girls. The most obvious option is National Cycle Route 1, which starts at Dover and goes all the way to the Shetlands... we won't be doing that, we've only got a week. 5653. wabbit - 7/8/2007 7:09:16 PM  Australia's Robbie McEwen crashed over his handlebars with 12 miles left, got back on his bike and mustered the grit to win the first stage of the Tour de France on Sunday in a mad-dash sprint. With his wrist aching and right knee cut, McEwen persevered in the English countryside during cycling's showpiece event. It was a tough, gallant performance and, for a day at least, showed the better side of a sport reeling from a string of doping investigations, admissions and scandals during the last year. This was McEwen's 12th stage win at the Tour. He finished in 4 hours, 39 minutes, 1 second on a mostly flat 126-mile route to Canterbury that favored sprinters. Norway's Thor Hushovd was second and Belgium's Tom Boonen was third among the 181 cyclists who had the same time as McEwen.
Le Tour de France news
5654. wabbit - 7/8/2007 7:09:36 PM  Roger Federer won his fifth consecutive Wimbledon title Sunday, beating nemesis Rafael Nadal in a five-set epic and taking his place in tennis history beside Bjorn Borg. The top-ranked Swiss player was pushed to the limit in a Grand Slam final for the first time, but he held on to win 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2 for his 11th major title. Federer is the first man to win five straight titles at the All England Club since Borg did it from 1976-80. The Swede watched the match from the Royal Box with other past champions, and applauded as Federer fell to the ground after an overhead smash on match point.
"It was such a close match," Federer said. "I told Rafa at the net he deserved it as well. I'm the lucky one today." Federer beat Nadal for only the fifth time in 13 meetings. The Spaniard has defeated Federer in the past two French Open finals to spoil his bid to complete a career Grand Slam.
Federer stretched his record grass-court winning streak to 53 and his Wimbledon winning streak to 34. He is now tied for third on the career list with Borg and Rod Laver at 11 major titles, trailing Pete Sampras' 14 and Roy Emerson's 12.
Wimbledon
5655. alistairConnor - 7/10/2007 6:16:54 PM Great stage today!
Longest of the Tour - 236 km - and the SLOWEST in ten years! That's what's great about it. The guys have got sore legs, and they have worked out that they aren't going to make it through the three weeks at 50 km/h, without... whatever it was they aren't taking this year.
This is the clearest indication so far that dope is on the decline.
Oh and Cancellara pulled off a great move, beat the sprinters with panache! 5656. iiibbb - 7/10/2007 6:34:22 PM Great stage today. 5657. jexster - 7/10/2007 6:55:59 PM Went by the Moscone Centers yesterday where they're holding All-Star Game Fan Fest in Moscone West. I can't recall ever seeing Downtown SF so crowded. Of course little of this is "new money" to the City - most people come from the Bay Area and are just spending the same entertainment $$ they would have spent elsewhere. Still the downtown businesses must have been pleased but for the life of me I can't figure out why anyone would stand in line with literally thousands to pay 22 bucks to move shoulder to shoulder through four floors of baseball whatevers.... 5658. wabbit - 7/11/2007 2:45:04 PM  On a night of tricky hops, Ichiro Suzuki and the American League also bounced back to win. Instead of a Barry Bonds splash shot, the defining hit at Tuesday's All-Star game was Suzuki's inside-the-park home run, the first in the game's history. Suzuki lined a go-ahead, two-run drive off the right-field wall in the fifth inning, Carl Crawford and Victor Martinez later hit conventional shots and the Americans made it 10 straight over the Nationals, holding on for a 5-4 victory.
After Alfonso Soriano's two-out, two-run homer in the ninth that made it 5-4, the NL loaded the bases on three walks before Angels closer Francisco Rodriguez retired Aaron Rowand on a routine fly to right for a save.
Willie Mays, Bonds' godfather, was honored with a touching tribute before the game. In the Say Hey Kid's day, the NL ruled All-Star games but not anymore. The AL closed to 40-36-2 and improved to 5-0 since the All-Star winner received homefield advantage in the World Series. In a decade of dominance, the notorious 2002 tie at Milwaukee was all that interrupted the AL's run. The only longer streak was when the NL took 11 in a row from 1972-82.
5659. iiibbb - 7/12/2007 7:41:02 PM I'm bummed for Vino today. Kloden may be out as well. Not a good day for Astana.
Levi is looking good. 5660. robertjayb - 7/17/2007 9:43:56 PM Gotta love those Aussies...
BRISBANE, Australia — Rugby player Ben Czislowski kept competing for more than three months despite the headaches that started after a clash with an opponent.
Czislowski was playing for Brisbane team Wynnum during the April 1 incident involving Tweed Heads forward Matt Austin. He had a head wound stitched up afterward, the Australian Associated Press reported today.
Czislowski later suffered an eye infection and complained of lethargy and shooting pains in his head.
Then last week, his doctor found a tooth imbedded in Czislowski's head.
"I can laugh about it now, but the doctor told me it could have been serious, with teeth carrying germs," Czislowski said.
"I've got the tooth at home, sitting on the bedside table," he said. "If he (Austin) wants it back he can have it. I'm keeping it at the moment as proof that it actually happened."
5661. robertjayb - 7/18/2007 4:45:01 PM Geezers denied javelin throw...
MILAN (Reuters) - Italian officials said Tuesday that javelin throwing would be kept away from the track during the Masters athletics world championships in September, which will include competitors up to 90 years old.
French long jumper Salim Sdiri was speared by a flying javelin during the Golden League meeting in Rome Friday after Finnish thrower Tero Pitkamaki slipped at the end of his run-up.
5662. wabbit - 7/18/2007 5:43:46 PM
It was Friday the 13th, after all. 5663. wabbit - 7/18/2007 5:56:38 PM The indictment handed down Tuesday against Falcons quarterback Michael Vick and three others describes in detail how they procured a property in Virginia for the purpose of staging dogfights, bought dogs and then fought them there, and in several other states, over a 6-year period. With at least three cooperating witnesses providing the details, federal authorities compiled a detailed case that traces the birth and rise of Bad Newz Kennels.
But not a single line in the 18-page indictment will generate more rage toward Vick and the others charged -- Purnell A. Peace, Quanis L. Phillips and Tony Taylor -- than a sentence near the end. It reads: "In or about April of 2007, Peace, Phillips and Vick executed approximately eight dogs that did not perform well in 'testing' sessions at 1915 Moonlight Road by various methods, including hanging, drowning and slamming at least one dog's body to the ground."...
The saddest thing is there are kids all over the country who will see these guys and think what they did is cool.
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