Kaka wants to stay at AC Milan

MILAN: AC Milan's Kaka has denied holding talks with Real Madrid and said he wants to stay with the Serie A club.


Spanish media said prospective Real Madrid president Florentino Perez had agreed with Milan to sign Kaka in the off-season, having failed to attain the Brazilian when he was in charge at the Bernabeu.

"I think in recent days too many people have talked, now I'll speak," Kaka told Thursday's Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I have not had contact with Real, no one has tried to contact me and I think I have already made myself clear ... my wish is to stay at Milan."

Asked whether that would mean he would stay at the San Siro for life, Kaka said: "For the fifth time, it seems so to me."

Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani, who almost sold Kaka to Manchester City in January for a record fee, earlier said the former world player of the year was not for sale.

Kaka, who has been troubled by a foot injury in recent weeks, also said he would be happy to play under Massimiliano Allegri, amid media speculation the Cagliari boss may replace current coach Carlo Ancelotti.

Source:http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Kaka-wants-to-stay-at-AC-Milan/articleshow/4379870.cms

Dark clouds over India's hockey World Cup bid

NEW DELHI: India runs the risk of losing the 2010 Hockey World Cup to Malaysia if the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) does not put an elected federa tion in place before the event.

That was the strong message conveyed by the soft-spoken Leandro Negre - the president of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) - to the IOA’s ad hoc committee running hockey in the country.

"We very much want the World Cup to be held in India. But there are certain FIH guidelines which need to be followed. We have asked them to have a unique body (Hockey India, a federation to represent both men’s and women’s hockey in the country) in place before the World Cup. It is essential, or else we have a Plan B in place. Just in case we need (to), Malaysia is prepared," Negre said here at his first press conference since assuming office late last year.

"We are here to know the situation, meet our friends and advise them. This is India’s internal matter but we are ready to help them."

Negre, who is here with an FIH delegation since Monday, appeared far from happy with the fact that despite governing the game for almost a year, the ad hoc committee has failed to take substantial steps towards forming an elected hockey federation.

The ad hoc committee was formed after the IOA dissolved the KPS Gill-led Indian Hockey Federation. Gill has since moved court against the decision.

Negre’s ‘directive’ assumes significance in the wake of his recent meeting with JB Roy, the Bengal Hockey Association president and representative of several state units. Roy has pressed for the need to have an elected federation in place at the earliest.

Though committee member and IOA secretary general Randhir Singh said a new set-up would be in place in six months, he refrained from elaborating how it would come about with the matter pending in court. Sources, however, said that it would be possible to constitute Hockey India since the case in the Delhi High Court pertains only to the now-defunct Indian Hockey Federation.

The Spaniard also downplayed security concerns surrounding the World Cup. "Security is an issue whenever a big event is organised. It is important anywhere in the world, not only in India but in Germany, Holland or Spain. But the authorities here have assured us top security for the World Cup," Negre said.

The president also said he would love to see Pakistan in action in the World Cup in India but was far from forthcoming when asked about FIH’s stand in case the country is not allowed to participate. "We are not political guys, we are hockey players," Negre, a former Spanish goalkeeper, said.

"Please don’t ask us political questions."

Negre will be back in India next month to oversee preparations and is hoping concrete steps are taken towards making Hockey India a reality.

Source:http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Dark-clouds-over-Indias-hockey-WC-bid/articleshow/4382668.cms

Sania-Chuang enter quarter-finals in Florida

Florida (PTI): Sania Mirza and her Chinese Taipei partner Chia-Jung Chuang reached the doubles quarter-finals of the $220,000 MPS Group Championships here, but not before some late scares.

The Indo-Taipei pair had to fight it out in a marathon three-setter to down Melinda Czink of Hungary and Lilia Osterloh of America 6-0 3-6 10-5 in the first round.

However, Sania-Chuang duo's route to the last four won't be a cakewalk as fourth seeded pair of Bethanie Mattek-Sands of America and Nadia Petrova of Russia awaits them in the next round.

Sania's campaign in the singles already came to a premature end with a straight sets defeat at the hands of seventh seed Alona Bondarenko in he opening round.

Somdev makes early exit from LA challenger

Baton Rouge (IANS): India's Somdev Devvraman faced a shock defeat by American wildcard Lester Cook in the second round of the $50,000 ATP tennis challenger.

Somdev, seeded eighth, went down fighting to Cook 6-7(5), 5-7 here Wednesday. Cook now plays American Rajeev Ram in the quarter-final.

Somdev, however, kept his hopes alive in the doubles, where he partnering Phillipines' Treat Conrad Huey advanced to the quarter-final.

Somdev and Huey beat Briton Alex Bogdanovic and Israel's Conor Niland 6-1, 6-2 to set up a clash with third-seeded Americans Todd Widom and Michael Yani.

Safina to become world number one in WTA rankings

Washington (Xinhua): Russia's Dinara Safina will replace American Serena Williams as world number one in the coming WTA world rankings, the organization said on Wednesday.

Safina, who has yet to win a Grand Slam event, has risen up the rankings thanks to four WTA singles titles in the past year -- at Montreal, Los Angeles, Berlin and Tokyo.

The Russian was also runner-up in five competitions including the 2009 Australian Open, where she was beaten by Williams, and the 2008 French Open.

"There's no question that while I am very proud of my results over the past year, I would have liked to reach this achievement in a different manner," said Safina.

"I hope to prove to everyone over the coming months that I merit the honour of being world number one.

"It's a great honour to reach the number one ranking and it is a dream that every girl who has ever wanted to play professional tennis shares."

Source:http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/007200904090951.htm

Azlan Shah hockey: India draws 2-2 with New Zealand

Ipoh, Malaysia (PTI): India drew 2-2 with New Zealand in their third round-robin match in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament here on Thursday.

Sandeep Singh scored a brace for India in 27th and 48th minute while for New Zealand Richard Petherick (8) and Joseph Barth Holomew (63) sounded the board.