Venus Williams bundled out in Madrid

MADRID: World number three Venus Williams followed her sister Serena out of the Madrid Open on Tuesday when she was beaten 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 by unseeded Russian teenager Alisa Kleybanova in the second round.

The American was broken seven times by the 19-year-old world number 26 from Moscow, a day after Serena retired from her first round match against Francesca Schiavone with a knee injury.

Kleybanova, who knocked Ana Ivanovic out of this year's Australian Open, served for the match at 5-4 in the final set before Williams broke back.

But the Russian grabbed another break of serve in the next game and made no mistake second time around, sealing victory on her first match point when Williams went long with a forehand.

"It was not a good first set, just really flat, and that gave her the confidence that she had a chance," Williams said at a news conference.

With the French Open starting at the end of this month, one of two grand slams along with the Australian Open that she has never won, Williams said it was important for her not to take the defeat too much to heart.

"I think I'm playing really well and I'm moving well on the court and I feel good," she said. "I have another tournament to play so I'm focusing on playing positive there."

World number four Jelena Jankovic powered to a 7-5, 6-2 win over Slovak Daniela Hantuchova.

The Serb struggled with her fitness and the distraction of her mother's ill health earlier this season but appears to have regained her focus. The former world number one next plays the winner of Wednesday's second-round match between Virginie Razzano of France and Russian qualifier Elena Vesnina.

'AWFUL TENNIS'

"I feel my game is getting back together and I am gaining confidence with my match and that is positive for me," Jankovic said at a news conference.

"I was playing awful tennis and it was a disaster for me and almost painful to watch me out there. But now it's a different story and I'm getting back into form and doing well so far."

Ninth-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki also went through to the third round, thrashing American qualifier Varvara Lepchenko 6-3, 6-1, and Amelie Mauresmo of France beat China's Zheng Jie 6-2, 7-5.

Current number one Dinara Safina, who had a bye into the second round, is due to play China's Li Na on Wednesday.

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Cricket officially added as Asian Games sport

SINGAPORE: Cricket officially became an Asian Games sport Wednesday when it was approved by the Olympic Council of Asia, with India and Pakistan pled ging to send their best available teams.

It will make its debut in Guangzhou next year.

Both men's and women's teams will participate in a Twenty20 format contest, with India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh automatically qualifying, along with host nation China.

Other countries will have to play a qualifying round to fight for three additional spots.

"India and Pakistan were the drivers. Pakistan and India will come with their best teams because it will be a big competition," said OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah after the organisation's general assembly.

"Asia's four Test-playing nations have committed to sending their best available teams," he added.

The 2010 Asian Games will take place from November 12-27 in the southern Chinese city.

India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are all scheduled to play Test and One-day series that month, but the OCA said once a schedule for Guangzhou was in place "truly the best players for that format will be available".

Cricket was last seen at a major multi-sport event at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, but was dropped for the next two editions in England and Australia.

Its only appearance at the Olympics was in Paris in 1900, where in a two-day match Great Britain -- represented by touring team Devon and Somerset Wanderers -- beat France, whose team mainly consisted of members of the British Embassy.

The Guangzhou Games will feature 42 disciplines, three more than at the last event in Doha, with dance sport, dragon boat racing, and roller sport added to the agenda. The Olympics have 28 disciplines.

More than 14,000 athletes from 45 countries are expected to take part

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O'Connor selected for Golf Hall of Fame

BALTRAY (Ireland): Christy O'Connor of Ireland has been selected for the World Golf Hall of Fame for his 24 victories on the European Tour and his 10 appearances in the Ryder Cup.

O'Connor was chosen through the Veterans Category and will be inducted on November 2 at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Florida.

"This is a fantastic honor, not only for myself and my family, but for the whole of Ireland, and in particular, all my friends in professional golf ... who helped me enjoy a wonderful career in the game," O'Connor said.

He will be the second Irishman in the Hall of Fame. The late Joe Carr was inducted as part of the 2007 class.

O'Connor's career spanned four decades, with two victories in the British Masters and 10 victories in the Irish PGA. He never won a major, finishing one shot behind in the 1958 British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.

He won the European Tour's Order of Merit in 1961 and 1962, and he was a stalwart for Great Britain & Ireland in the Ryder Cup, playing on 10 teams with a record of 11-21-4 during an era of US dominance. O'Connor was on the 1957 team that won at Lindrick Golf Club, ending the Americans' 12-match winning streak.

O'Connor, 84, is part of the 2009 class that so far includes Lanny Wadkins, elected last month through the PGA Tour ballot.

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