AllSports

Fog ruins Day Three at Torrey

2013-06-27T12:29:00.004-07:00

Fog made for a farcical third day of the Farmers Insurance Open in La Jolla, California, which is now set to finish on Monday.

Tiger Woods held a two-shot lead after the second round but never got out on to the Torrey Pines course as only half a dozen players started their third rounds.

Former Ryder Cup player Hunter Mahan had time to par the 10th hole, as did playing partners Robert Garrigus and John Mallinger.

Boo Weekley was in the rough to the right of the first fairway after his tee shot, with Mike Weir and Chez Reavie in the short grass to his left, but that was the extent of the day's play.

Former world number one Woods will resume on Sunday on 11 under par, with Billy Horschel his nearest challenger on nine under.

There are six players a further shot behind while the seven-strong group at seven under includes England's Ross Fisher, Korean Charlie Wi, Nick Watney and Tag Ridings, who hit a hole in one in the first round.

Play will resume at 10am ET (3pm GMT) and continue as long as there is daylight, with tournament organisers expecting to have to return on Monday to complete between nine and 12 holes. The 87 players who made the cut will play in the same threesomes for both remaining rounds.

Defending champion Brandt Snedeker, who shared the lead after an opening 65 but fell to four under yesterday, reflected on a frustrating day.

"We have these days from time to time," he told pgatour.com. "You realize it's a different week, and could be a Monday finish now and be ready for that.

"You catch up with some guys you haven't seen in a while, you do a lot of storytelling.

"Tomorrow [Sunday] you'll have to go low. It's going to be a weird day. You'll play a lot of golf tomorrow, and probably play more than 18 holes.

"We need to get out here with the mindset that we need to make a lot of birdies, try to get back in contention and do as well as you can."

The aborted day's play had been designated "University Day", with players urged to wear their school colours and with the opportunity to win cash prizes for their university.

Wood: Qatar Masters win a dream

2013-06-27T12:29:00.001-07:00

Darren Clarke was right after all - Bristol's Chris Wood does have what it takes to be a European Tour winner.

A closing 12-foot eagle putt gave Wood a thrilling first victory on the circuit at the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters in Doha.

It came two years after he was four strokes clear with a round to play in Majorca, but shot 76 and handed the title to stablemate Clarke.

"We don't have to worry about him - he will win and it will be sooner rather than later," said Clarke, who two months later became Open champion.

Wood, who a year earlier closed with a 76 when leading the BMW PGA Championship, had taken his total of top-10 finishes to 19, including three second places, when he stood on the final tee in Doha on Saturday one behind Sergio Garcia and George Coetzee.

Having led by three at the start of the day, he was in grave danger of suffering more bitter disappointment.

Instead, however, he hit a 300-yard drive into perfect position, a towering six-iron over water to 12 feet and, after looking at the leaderboard for the first time all day, sank the putt.

"It feels amazing - a dream come true," said the 25-year-old who came fifth in the 2008 Open as an amateur and then a year later missed out on the play-off between Tom Watson and Stewart Cink at Turnberry only by bogeying the final hole.

"I've been knocking on the door a few times and it's not happened.

"Winning on the European Tour is not easy. Now there's an enormous weight off my shoulders and I feel I can go on and win more."

"You don't get many chances in a play-off, so I knew that was my chance - and I took it."

Although he had won the Thailand Open in August last year, this was on an entirely different level with two of the world's top five - Justin Rose and Louis Oosthuizen - and a host of Ryder Cup stars and major winners in the field.

"I probably went to sleep about midnight and woke up probably three, four, five, six (times). I knew I was having a lot of support from all of the text messages - a couple of them woke me up at one o'clock in the morning!" he said.

He and Garcia now move on to Dubai for the last leg of the Tour's three-week Desert Swing. Lee Westwood plays his first tournament of the year there.

Giants slump to opening defeat

2013-06-23T11:03:00.000-07:00

World Series champions the San Francisco Giants drew a blank in their opening game of the new season as they slumped 4-0 on the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Left-hander Clayton Kershaw played the starring role with a four-hit shutout and the tie-breaking homer in the four-run eighth inning.

A pair of home runs from 20-year-old Bryce Harper led the reigning NL East champions theWashington Nationals to a 2-0 home success over the Miami Marlins.

Freddie Freeman, Justin Upton and Dan Uggla all homered as the Atlanta Braves toppled thePhiladelphia Phillies 7-5, while a grand slam from Collin Cowgill in the seventh inning helped theNew York Mets to their 11-2 trouncing of the San Diego Padres.

The Chicago Cubs edged the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-1, with a two-run homer from Anthony Rizzo.

Elsewhere in National League action, the Milwaukee Brewers sneaked a 5-4 home win after 10 innings against the Colorado Rockies, courtesy of Jonathan Lucroy's sacrifice fly, while theArizona Diamondbacks beat the St Louis Cardinals 6-2.

For the first time, the opening day featured an interleague fixture, and after 13 innings it went the way of the Los Angeles Angels who toppled the Cincinnati Reds 3-1. Chris Iannetta, who homered in the third inning, also hit the two-run single to clinch victory.

American League champions the Detroit Tigers were 4-2 winners against the Minnesota Twins, while the Boston Red Sox romped home 8-2 against the New York Yankees, and the Kansas City Royals went down 1-0 in Chicago to the White Sox.

Franklin Gutierrez's two-run single in the fifth inning delivered a 2-0 win for the Seattle Marinersagainst the Oakland Athletics.

Boxing: Fury camp considering Cunningham

2013-06-22T10:59:00.002-07:00

Former cruiserweight world champion Steve Cunningham is being considered as a possible opponent for Tyson Fury's American debut in New York.

Fury had been hoping for a St Patrick's Day fight on 17 March, but the bout has been pushed back to 20 April and Cunningham could be in the opposite corner.

The American dropped a disputed points defeat to Tomasz Adamek in December and the Fury camp want to make a big impact in the US with a convincing win over Cunningham.

Trainer Peter Fury told World Boxing News: "The date of April 20 is now 100% for Tyson and we are looking at getting Steve Cunningham or one of two others for Tyson's American debut.

"We have been in training now for a March fight so we tried to get a fight in between in Germany, but (promoter Mick) Hennessy said not possible so we will be easing Tyson back a bit.

"A four month camp is too long, but we are looking forward to getting out there and making a statement in the USA.

"I think a fight with Cunningham is a good fight, especially when everyone says he beat Adamek. So if Tyson does a good job on him, it will send a message to everyone and have no doubts he will do."

Toothless Spurs defeated by Leeds

2013-06-21T10:59:00.002-07:00

Toothless Tottenham bowed out of the FA Cup at the fourth-round stage as they were beaten 2-1 at npower Championship side Leeds.

With Jermain Defoe reportedly injured and Emmanuel Adebayor on international duty, manager Andre Villas-Boas went into the Elland Road clash without a recognised striker and it showed as Spurs, Clint Dempsey's consolation strike aside, repeatedly failed in front of goal.

Leeds actually had striking problems of their own ahead of the game - leading scorer Luciano Becchio was not involved as a move away from Elland Road looms - but they gave no suggestion of it as Luke Varney and then Ross McCormack found the target to send Spurs packing.

McCormack's effort was a stunning 50th-minute strike that gave Neil Warnock's side some breathing space. Varney's 15th-minute opener had earlier set the tone, with Leeds sharper in the final third.

With no out-ball up front, Villas-Boas relied heavily on wing pair Gareth Bale and Aaron Lennon but the duo rarely got any change out of full-backs Sam Byram and Aidy White and, when chances did come to Dempsey, he was largely unable to take them.

With 19-goal Becchio watching at home as his agent and the club disagree over a contract offer, it was surprising to see Leeds so sprightly in attack, even if they did have to weather an early Tottenham storm during which Dempsey dragged wide and Gylfi Sigurdsson headed at Jamie Ashdown.

Dempsey also put a header over but after that Leeds settled and went ahead through Varney, a player who has been a target for the boo boys this season for his anaemic record in front of goal.

This was just his second of the campaign but he took it with the confidence of a man who had more, opening his body to beat Brad Friedel after he got clear on Michael Brown's hopeful punt forward, with El-Hadji Diouf's faux flick confusing the visiting defenders.

Ferrari: Alonso to miss Jerez

2013-06-20T13:18:00.002-07:00

Ferrari have said that Felipe Massa will debut their new car at Jerez next month, with Fernando Alonso not taking the wheel until the second pre-season test in Spain.

In a statement on their website, the Scuderia said that Massa will be in the cockpit for the first three days of the Jerez test, starting on February 5, with Pedro de Rosa taking over on the fourth and final day.

De la Rosa, 41, was announced as Ferrari's development driver at the start of the year. They said Alonso would instead "intensify his physical training" during the first half of February.

However, the double World Champion will do the lion's share of the work during the second test at the Circuit de Catalunya, which starts on February 19, with Alonso driving for three days to Massa's one.

Each will get two days in the cockpit at the final test, also in Barcelona, between February 28 and March 3.

Ferrari said it was important for de la Rosa to have time in the cockpit, given that his primary role as a test driver will involve simulator work.

That work will prove particularly important for Ferrari as they struggle to reconcile the discrepancy they have experienced in recent years between their cars' performance in the wind tunnel and on track.

De la Rosa's contribution "will allow both the team and the driver to work specifically on looking at the correlation between the virtual and the real experience", Ferrari added.

Ferrari's own tunnel is currently being overhauled, with their 2013 challenger developed instead using a facility owned by Toyota. It will be launched at Maranello next Friday (February 1).

Bryans make history with Australian win

2013-06-18T12:27:00.001-07:00

Bob and Mike Bryan became the most successful doubles pairing of all time after winning their 13th grand slam title at the Australian Open on Saturday.

The American twins surpassed the previous record they held jointly with Australians John Newcombe and Tony Roche with a 6-3 6-4 defeat of Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling.

The Dutchmen started well with an early break but the Bryans then rattled off four consecutive games to take the initiative.

They closed out the opening set and then cruised through the second to win their sixth Melbourne crown.

Murray diffuses spat with Federer

2013-06-18T12:26:00.003-07:00

Andy Murray played down an on-court altercation with Roger Federer after beating the Swiss to advance to his third Australian Open final.

The incident occurred in the 12th game of the fourth set when Federer appeared to shout an obscenity at the third seed after believing he had stopped mid-point and was going to challenge a line-call on the baseline.

Instead Murray played on and won the point with a forehand winner as Federer came in behind a weak approach.

Asked about it afterwards, Murray claimed "stuff like that happens daily in tennis matches" but would not elaborate on what was said.

It happened at a key juncture with Murray serving for the match. A fired-up Federer promptly broke and won the tie-breaker to take it to a deciding set.

Murray had the final word, though, cruising through the fifth to complete a 6-4 6-7 (5/7) 6-3 6-7 (2/7) 6-2 victory, his first over Federer in a grand slam, in exactly four hours.

"It was very mild in comparison with what happens in other sports. It was just one of those things," said Murray, who will meet defending champion Novak Djokovic in Sunday's final.

"There's no hard feelings."

Federer also refused to hype up the incident, saying: "It wasn't a big deal.

"We just looked at each other one time. That's okay. We were just checking each other out a bit.

"It wasn't a big deal for me and I hope not for him."

The disagreement should not overshadow a performance from Murray which again showed he is now very much the equal of Federer, Djokovic and the currently injured Rafael Nadal.

In the last seven months, the Scot has reached the final of Wimbledon, losing to Federer, taken his revenge to win Olympic gold and also won his first grand slam title at the US Open.

And in winning on Friday night, he also became the first Briton to reach three Melbourne finals.

His victory owed much to the way he was able to bounce back from losing two tie-breaks.

In the first, he made a horrible misjudgement at 5-5, attempting a slam dunk smash on a ball which was going well out, only succeeding in popping it over the net for Federer to put away.

The second came shortly after missing the chance to serve out the match and when Federer was in full flow.

But the 25-year-old showed great composure to gather himself to run through the decider after taking a 3-0 lead in just 12 minutes.

It was nothing more than he deserved for an excellent performance which saw him dominate for long spells.

Two statistics were particularly telling: Murray had a winner/unforced error differential of plus 15 with Federer's minus 17; and the Scot won 63 per cent of points on his second serve compared to just 42 per cent for the Swiss.

"It was a tough match," said Murray. "A lot of ups and downs.

"But I thought I did a good job, I did all the things I needed to do and I did them well.

"To lose the second and fourth sets from good positions was tough but I was happy with the way I responded."

Djokovic will go into the final as favourite but Murray admits his task has been made slightly easier as he has the memories of New York and the London Games to draw on for inspiration.

"These matches have helped mentally," he said.

"I think going through a lot of the losses that I've had will have helped me as well.

"I've been questioned for large parts of my career about physically would I be strong enough? Mentally would I be strong enough? Do I listen to my coaches? Blah, blah, blah.

"Whatever it is I can handle the pressure.

"Hopefully on Sunday I can play a good match.

"And obviously having won against Novak before in a slam final will help."

Federer had no arguments with the result and admitted he was playing catch up for most of the night.

"I was down in the score basically from the start," said the 17-time grand slam champion.

"It was more of a chase although I was able to level a couple of times.

"I think Andy was a bit better than I was tonight [Friday]. I was hoping to do a bit better but overall I'm pretty pleased with the tournament."

Woods takes lead at Torrey Pines

2013-06-17T10:42:00.000-07:00

Tiger Woods made a blistering start to his second round at the Farmers Insurance Open on Friday to race into a three-shot lead in La Jolla, California.

Woods, who missed the cut at last week's Abu Dhabi Championship and started Friday three shots behind overnight leaders Brandt Snedeker and KJ Choi, recorded four birdies and an eagle three in his opening 11 holes after starting on the back nine on the north course of the Torrey Pines golf course.

That left the six-time tournament champion on 10 under heading into his final seven holes, three shots clear of a group of four players in second place - Charles Howell III, Choi, Luke Guthrie and Luke List.

Guthrie was the biggest mover of that quartet, finishing his front nine on three under for the day, while Howell and List were one under after 12 and five, respectively, on the north course.

Choi, meanwhile, was level par after 11 having seen his two birdies wiped out by two bogeys.

Defending champion Snedeker, who started with a 65 on Thursday to share the lead with Choi, had slipped back to six under on Friday after a dropped shot at the first left him one over after five.

England's Ross Fisher, the leading European on the leaderboard, was in joint sixth on six under for the tournament after playing his opening four holes to par on Friday.

Bologna, Roma play out six-goal thriller

2013-06-16T11:13:00.002-07:00

Bologna and Roma shared six goals between them at the Stadio Dall'Ara, living up to the pre-match expectations in an entertaining 3-3 draw.

It was not a game that either home coach Stefano Pioli or his Roma counterpart Zdenek Zeman will have taken particular pleasure in watching given the defensive shortcomings, but the fans certainly got their money's worth from a contest with numerous twists and turns.

Alessandro Florenzi gave Roma the lead in the ninth minute, but Alberto Gilardino levelled in the 17th minute.

Daniel Osvaldo put Roma back in front within a minute only for Manolo Gabbiadini to re-establish parity before the break.

Cristian Pasquato put Bologna ahead for the first time in the game in the 54th minute but Panagiotis Tachtsidis scored the final goal in the 74th minute before Bologna hit the woodwork twice.

Frederik Sorensen missed a good early chance for Bologna, and it was a prelude for what was to come.

Roma took the lead with their first attack in the ninth minute when Francesco Totti set up Florenzi, who managed to thread the ball past a defender and Federico Agliardi into the far corner.

Bologna responded in the 17th minute when Gabbiadini's shot was parried by Goicoechea and Gilardino followed up to poke the loose ball in.

The home side barely had time to celebrate when they found themselves behind once again. Miralem Pjanic's cross picked out the unmarked Osvaldo, who headed Roma back in front from close range.

Bologna levelled again in the 26th minute, with Gabbiadini cutting in from the right and threading his shot through the legs of Nicolas Burdisso and inside Goicoechea's near post.

Gilardino volleyed into the side-netting as chances continued to arrive at both ends of the field, with Michael Bradley flashing a volley across goal and wide of the far post.

It was a familiar story to the second half with Bologna regaining the upper hand just 10 minutes in through Pasquato, who scored his first goal in Serie A after Goicoechea and Burdisso both got in each other's way again.

Five goals were not enough, though, and the next one went Roma's way with Tachtsidis finding room for a free-header to bring the Giallorossi back on terms.

There was even more drama with Agliardi making an instinctive save to prevent Osvaldo from giving Roma the lead in the 83rd minute.

Despite Roma's late pressure, Bologna went closest to snatching a winner with Diamanti hitting the woodwork twice.

In the 87th minute his shot cannoned back off the inside of the far post, while deep into stoppage time he sent a direct free-kick on to the crossbar.

Hernandez: United want to win the treble

2013-06-15T14:11:00.003-07:00

Javier Hernandez wants to party like it's 1999 - and emulate Manchester United's treble heroes.

Hernandez put the gloss on United's 4-1 win over Fulham on Saturday, scoring twice to take his tally for the campaign to 14.

More importantly, it sealed a place in the FA Cup fifth round, and kept his side in with a chance of repeating the greatest season in Red Devils' history.

"We want to win all three. We want to win the treble," said Hernandez.

"It is in our minds. We need to think game by game, get the points in the league and get though in both cup competitions."

Hernandez has now exceeded last season's goalscoring total, although typically, the Mexican is not interested in personal accolades, not even that long-awaited hat-trick, having once again fallen marginally short.

"I am always looking for the famous hat-trick," he said.

"But the most important thing for me right now is to win the treble.

"Next we have two games in the league. After that there is the international break, we play another league game and then Real Madrid, so the calendar is busy and we are looking forward to it."

United's campaign is progressing reasonably smoothly towards Wednesday's Old Trafford encounter with Southampton.

A couple of dropped points at Tottenham and an irritating Aaron Hughes consolation apart, manager Sir Alex Ferguson has little to bother him just now.

That Hernandez and Wayne Rooney both carved their names on the scoresheet on a day when Robin van Persie remained on the bench throughout underlines the strength at Ferguson's disposal.

The Old Trafford chief will be aware that there could be few more accommodating opponents than Fulham, who surrendered in meek fashion and failed to put under-fire David de Gea under any significant pressure after Ferguson kept faith with him, which pleased former United goalkeeping coach Tony Coton.

"The criticism of De Gea has not just been over the top this week, it has been all season," Coton told MUTV.

"Whenever a goal goes in they seem to point the finger at David.

"I hoped he would play, just to shut the rumours up that he had been dropped."

And Coton believes United should stick with De Gea because he does not see any worthwhile alternatives that could realistically be attracted to the club.

"Over the years we looked at a lot," he said.

"We looked at Buffon but there was no way we could get him. He just didn't want to come out of Italy.

"We tried to get Edwin van der Sar a lot earlier than we did but it didn't happen.

"It is not a matter of 'it is Manchester United, we must be able to get them'. There are certain situations when you can't."

De Gea went about his business confidently on Saturday, although with Ryan Giggs pulling the strings in midfield, United's goal rarely came under threat.

Giggs' early penalty, 20 years after he scored his first FA Cup goal, was suitable reward for his endeavours, whilst midfield partner Anderson can also look back on the game with pleasure.

The Brazilian has spent far too long on the sidelines during his Red Devils career but the precise through ball to set Rooney up for his 10th goal of the campaign was a further reminder of his capabilities.

"I am still not 100%," said Anderson, who was making only his second appearance since spending six weeks on the sidelines with a hamstring strain.

"Maybe I need one or two more games, then I think I'll be okay.

"It's important for me to not have any more injuries because every time I think things are fine I end up having to stay out for a month and train hard to get back again.

"Now we are just taking it slowly and trying to ensure there are no problems."

Azarenka: 2013 win more emotional

2013-06-15T14:06:00.002-07:00

Victoria Azarenka admits the successful defence of her Australian Open crown was "way more emotional" than her grand slam breakthrough 12 months ago.

The Belarusian claimed her first major title in Melbourne in 2012 but she believes the roller-coaster of emotions she has been on in the past fortnight - and, in particular, the past few days - means her latest achievement will always be special.

Azarenka beat Li Na in the final yesterday, two days after edging out Sloane Stephens in a controversial semi after which she was heavily criticised.

The 23-year-old was accused of taking a medical time-out against Stephens to simply calm her nerves after squandering five match points deep in the second set.

She later explained she had required treatment for a rib injury which left her struggling to breathe.

Despite her lengthy protestations of innocence, there were a still a smattering of boos when she made her way on to Rod Laver Arena for the final with the majority of fans clearly rooting for her Chinese opponent.

Although she lost the first set, Azarenka managed to come through to win 4-6 6-4 6-3, after which she broke down in tears.

Asked to compare her win with last January, she said: "It's a completely different mix of feelings.

"This one is way more emotional. It's going to be extra special for sure.

"I never compare my wins or losses in any tournaments, it's just a matter of the feeling you get, things you've been through, because you're the only one who knows what you've been going through these two weeks.

"So it's definitely an emotional one and it's going to be special."

On the Stephens incident, she added: "What happened with Sloane was a big deal.

"It came out as a big deal.

"But I take it as a great learning experience and just try to live the moment and take the best things out of what happened and move forward.

"Two weeks is (a long time) to keep your cool because in one way it seems so short and in another so long."

Azarenka was on her best behaviour in the final, and she hopes she may have won some fans over.

"I don't know, I hope so," she said.

"That's out of my hands really.

"I just try to be the best tennis player there is.

"I cannot go back in time and I can't go forward in time.

"I can just take control of what I can. I've done that and I'm really proud of that."

Li, who twice suffered nasty falls during the final, attempted to look on the bright side despite her second Melbourne final defeat.

The last time she lost here, to Kim Clijsters in 2011, she went on to win her first major at the French Open a few months later and she is hoping history repeats itself.

She said: "I think Maria did the same thing (last year). She lost the final here and she won the French.

"Also Ana Ivanovic did it (in 2008).

"So I hope I can do the same this year as well."

Fergie: Jones offers more than Terry

2013-06-13T21:18:00.006-07:00

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes that Phil Jones has more to offer as a player than John Terry did at the same age.

The former Blackburn defender was a significant obstacle for the visiting Fulham attackers as United ran out easy 4-1 winners at Old Trafford in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.

It meant that the watching Rio Ferdinand, benched for the game, could enjoy a rare day off as his deputy stole the show for the night.

The 20-year-old has steadily improved since signing for the Red Devils in 2011 and has even impressed as a right-back and as a midfielder in previous matches. After the Fulham rout, Ferguson was quick to praise the defender for his improvement as a player and indicated his belief that his young charge has demonstrated a wider array of skills than Terry did as a youngster.

"Jones has got more in his locker than John [Terry]. Terry has got the experience and has become a fantastic central figure at Chelsea," Ferguson told reporters. "But as a young player, John [Terry] would be the first to admit he didn't have the pace of Phil Jones."

"Phil is a versatile boy, he can play anywhere.

"He's quick, two-footed, reads games well and is competitive. He's doing very well."

With regards to Ferdinand, the Scotsman does not think that the veteran defender will feature for England in the near future after being snubbed by national coach Roy Hodgson for the Euros. Nevertheless, Ferguson retains his confidence in the 34-year-old and feels Ferdinand would have no problem signing a one-year extension to his expiring contract.

“He’s had a great season but Roy Hogdson didn’t pick him for the Euros so I don’t see it happening.

"I don't think there is any reason why not [United shouldn't give one-year contracts]. We give players one-year contracts. There is nothing wrong with that.

"I don't think players with the reputation and ability of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Rio Ferdinand should worry about a one-year contract.

"It's not to say we doubt them in terms of longevity. When players get to their 30s you never know how they will cope with getting older. Some do, some don't."

Real sweep aside Getafe in easy win

2013-06-13T21:18:00.002-07:00

Real Madrid set aside their off-field distractions to sweep aside 4-0 Getafe in a one-sided La Liga encounter on Sunday.

Cristiano Ronaldo took centre stage for Jose Mourinho's side as he fired in a second-half hat-trick to take his tally in the league this season to 21 from as many games.

Sergio Ramos opened the scoring for the hosts after 54 minutes to set Madrid on their way to a victory that closes the gap on leaders Barcelona to 12 points ahead of their match against Osasuna later on Sunday.

Sunday's display will go some way to improving the mood in the Madrid camp, after a week spent denying allegations of a rift between Mourinho and a group of key players at the Bernabeu.

Mourinho at least was unable to court further controversy on Sunday after club captain Iker Casillas, who has been dropped by the coach in some recent games, was ruled out with a broken hand that is likely to see him sidelined for up to three months.

Antonio Adan was therefore able to take his place in goal without any disgruntlement from Madrid's fans ringing in his ears, although in truth Mourinho could have played between the sticks himself, such was Madrid's dominance.

The hosts failed to make a breakthrough in the opening 45 minutes, however, although Ronaldo twice forced Miguel Moya to make decent saves, while Mesut Ozil also drew a good stop from the Getafe goalkeeper.

The opening goal arrived nine minutes into the second half, although there was more than a little bit of good fortune in the build-up.

After Angel Di Maria hung up a corner from the right, Moya appeared to be impeded by Ricardo Carvalho as they challenged for the ball, but referee Jose Luis Gonzalez allowed play to continue, leaving Ramos free to bundle the ball home from inside the six-yard box.

Gonzalo Higuain headed over as Madrid hunted a second, which Ronaldo supplied in the 62nd minute.

A swift counter-attack led to Ozil releasing Ronaldo on the left side of the Getafe box, and the Portuguese showed all his class as he cut inside and tucked a low finish beyond Moya.

Three minutes later it was 3-0 as Di Maria sent a cross to the back post and Ronaldo had a simple task to head home.

The points were rubber-stamped with 18 minutes remaining after Luka Modric was bundled over in the area to allow Ronaldo to step up and complete his treble with a low finish from 12 yards.

FA Cup Fourth Round Sunday LIVE!

2013-06-12T14:00:00.003-07:00

Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool are all in action in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Sunday. Follow us as we cover the action LIVE on ESPNSTAR.com!

Chelsea will go into their clash against League One outfit Brentford as heavy favorites, but interim manager Rafael Benitez knows full well the dangers of underestimating lower league oppositions.

The Spaniard, during his his six years in charge at Liverpool, suffered ignominious exits from this competition at the hands of Burnley, Barnsley and Reading.

And Benitez has declared that he will not make the same mistake as before with the Blues.

"We will try to win and avoid this situation but we know the cup is always dangerous and that anything can happen," Benitez said.

Horner visited Maranello for Concorde

2013-06-12T13:59:00.002-07:00

Red Bull chief Christian Horner's visit to the Ferrari headquarters in Maranello on Friday is believed to be due to a meeting over talks for a new Concorde agreement.

Many reports in the Italian media erroneously speculated that Horner was being considered for a shock switch to the Italian marque.

However, it is far more likely that the head honchos of the two leading car manufacturers in the sport are interested in ironing out an agreement in order to improve the position of the teams in the three-way battle for financial supremacy against the FIA and the F1 group run by Bernie Ecclestone.

At the same meeting, Ecclestone, McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh and Mercedes' Niki Lauda are also believed to have attended as they seek to sign a new Concorde agreement, with the previous one having expired at the end of 2012.

According to Auto Motor und Sport, the latest reports with regards to the secretive discussions on the famous document indicate that the teams are holding out for a 60-percent-share of the sport's revenue with a majority going to the top teams in Ferrari, Red Bull, McLaren and Mercedes. However, the FIA is adamant that the teams should get a smaller slice of the pie and is itself seeking for a $40 million payout.

Moreover, the smaller teams, who do have some limited sway, are seeking for the return of a 'budget cap' although the traditional powerhouses are expected to decline any such amendment.

Ecclestone, meanwhile, does not feel that the signing of the document is as important a necessity for the sport as the media has hyped it up to be.

"We don't need the Concorde Agreement signed," he said. "It doesn't matter to me whether we have got the Concorde Agreement or not.

"The Concorde Agreement is really made up of two sections. We have already dealt with the financial section with the teams. It is all done so it is a case of the regulations which change all the time. It's a case really of how you change the regulations.

"What affects the teams more than anything is the technical regulations. It is the technical regulations which could put them out of business."

Snooker: Hawkins downs Davis

2013-06-08T16:00:00.002-07:00

Defending champion Barry Hawkins edged into the second round of the World Snooker Shootout with a 45-42 victory over Steve Davis.

The match opened the show at the Circus Arena in Blackpool and it was a dramatic start to the night, with Hawkins fouling early only for Davis to forget the new 'ball in hand' rule.

The veteran duly fouled, handing the initiative back, although it was Davis who led for much of the 10 minutes despite fluffing a straight yellow cueing left handed.

But a brief safety duel saw Hawkins handed a chance to get the few points he needed to keep alive his hopes of successive titles.

Mark Williams thrashed Mike Dunn 73-0 thanks mainly to a break of 46 while Anthony Hamilton surprised Stuart Bingham 84-8 with some fluent potting in breaks of 54 and 24.

Mark Allen knocked in a break of 33 against Tom Ford who had his chances, a missed red to the centre finally putting paid to his hopes as the Northern Irishman won 63-11 with more than two minutes to spare.

There was disappointment for the vocal crowd when Jimmy White was crushed 69-36 by Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, the Chinese prodigy rattling in a break of 41 to leave the veteran requiring snookers.

Welshman Michael White overcame a nervy start to beat Joe Perry 64-17 after a break of 59, while last year's semi-finalist Marcus Campbell saw off Matthew Stevens 63-1.

Matthew Selt rattled in breaks of 28 and 25 to overcome Graeme Dott 58-17, while promising youngster Jack Lisowski defeated Adam Duffy 61-35 thanks largely to an early run of 38.

Ricky Walden and David Gilbert were inseparable at 43-43, thus forcing a blue-ball shootout for the first time in the event, and after Gilbert missed his first effort Walden calmly slotted to the left-corner pocket.

Dominic Dale defeated Peter Ebdon 31-6 in a scrappy affair in which Ebdon potted his first ball inside the final five minutes following a lengthy safety duel.

There were also wins for Jamie Jones over Mark King, 67-9, Robert Milkins against Ali Carter, 43-30 and Michael Holt who was a 49-10 victor in his match with Jamie Burnett.

Leicester's Ben Woollaston defeated Paul Davison 50-14 in an edgy affair, while in the final match of the night Alan McManus coolly brushed aside Fergal O'Brien 61-13.

The remaining first round ties will take place on Saturday afternoon before the evening session that will be contested by the last 16.

Djoko creates history with Aussie Open win

2013-06-08T15:58:00.003-07:00

Novak Djokovic succeeded in his quest for a third consecutive Australian Open title after the world number one downed Andy Murray 6-7 7-6 6-3 6-2.

The first two, serve-dominated sets were decided on tie-breaks before Djokovic claimed the first break of the match late in the third.

It proved a pivotal moment with US Open champion Murray, who was struggling with blisters on his right foot and a hamstring problem, unable to mount a fightback as Djokovic cruised through the fourth to complete a 6-7 (2/7) 7-6 (7/3) 6-3 6-2 success.

His triumph handed the Serbian a place in the history books as the first man in the Open era to win three successive Melbourne crowns.

The first two sets were similar with very few opportunities offered to the receiver.

Djokovic had the better chances in the first with five break points split between the sixth and eighth games only for Murray to serve his way out of danger.

The world number one's frustration at failing to convert, coupled with irritation with his footwear, boiled over in the tie-break as his game capitulated.

It was Murray who was the aggressor in the second as he looked to double his advantage.

He had three chances to leap into a 2-0 lead but Djokovic changed tack, charging the net to escape immediate danger.

It remained on serve until another breaker which was tight until Murray threw in just his third double fault of the tournament at 2-2.

He put his first serve into the net and was shaping up to deliver the second when he noticed a feather dropping on to the court out of the corner of his eye.

Having removed it, he promptly put the second serve long.

It was all Djokovic needed to level the match and the momentum appeared to swing further in his favour when Murray had to call a medical time-out for blisters at the change of ends with television pictures showing the extent of the damage to his right foot.

There was no immediate change in his movement although there was the definite sense the match was now Djokovic's for the taking.

And the top seed needed no second invitation as he set up three break points for a 5-3 lead.

Two poor forehands saw the first two come and go but Murray could not escape a third as Djokovic claimed the first break of the match before serving it out.

Murray was clearly upset at umpire John Blom for not doing more to quieten the crowd and in particular one heckler who had forced him to halt his service action twice at important points of the third set.

Yet he started the fourth on the front foot, setting up his first break point chance since the second game of the second set only for Djokovic to close the door with a booming serve out wide.

By now, Murray was also clutching his left hamstring and it was no surprise that Djokovic broke again for 2-1, winning a long rally at 30-40 after a tired-looking Murray jammed a backhand into the net.

The match was slipping away from Murray and he dropped his serve once more on a double fault as Djokovic established a 4-1 lead.

The effort was certainly there as the world number three continued to chase down every ball despite being in obvious discomfort but there was no let-up from Djokovic as he completed his 21st consecutive win in Melbourne and gained revenge for his defeat to Murray in the US Open final last September.

Murray praised the champion in the post-match presentation.

"I would like to congratulate Novak. His record here is incredible. Very few people have managed to do what he has done here. He is a very well-deserved champion," he said.

"To his team... I know you can't do this on your own and he has great people around him.

"I'd like to thank my team - they've done a great job with me."

Djokovic said: "I have to thank Andy for his kind words.

"We have played so many thrilling matches over the last few years. Bad luck tonight and I wish you luck for the rest of the season.

"What a joy. It's an incredible feeling winning this trophy again. It's definitely my favourite grand slam, my most successful grand slam. I love this court."

Stewart: Vettel not one of the greats

2012-10-18T06:50:00.002-07:00

Vladimir Rys / Bongarts

Former Formula 1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart does not believe that Sebastian Vettel potentially winning three consecutive titles earns him 'legendary' status.

The Red Bull driver has already racked up 25 grand prix victories in his career and is the favourite to win the drivers' championship this season. He trails Stewart by just two races and is well-placed to become the sixth-most successful driver of all time with only Fernando Alonso, Michael Schumacher, Nigel Mansell, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost ahead of him on the list.
In fact, even Mercedes' Schumacher, widely considered by many as the best driver of all-time, only had one world championship and 10 race wins to his name at the age of 25
But Stewart, who is the only Briton triple world champion, does not rate Vettel as highly as the statistics seem to suggest. He feels that the Red Bull mechanics are the true stars of the show and the reason why Vettel has been so successful over the past three seasons.
"If you've got a superior car, it's relatively easy to win the championship," Stewart told BBC Sport
"To really show you're one of the greatest, you have to deliver when you haven't got the best machinery."
"I have the highest respect for Sebastian, but he could not have achieved what he has without the [Red Bull design chief] Adrian Newey factor.
"I'm a big Sebastian Vettel fan. He completely dominated the Korean Grand Prix and drove in such a mature fashion for a 25-year-old. It was more than impressive.
"Vettel has established himself as the favourite and Alonso is now on the back foot.
"Led by Adrian Newey, Red Bull have bounced back from a slow start to the season and have now come up with superior equipment."
The 73-year-old has also heard of the recent rumours linking Vettel with a switch to Italian marquee Ferrari but he feels that the young German should not let monetary concerns dictate his career and stick with the Milton Keynes team.
"I think that's premature. He would be mad to leave Red Bull at the present time.
"I know there would be a difference in their basic salary, but he's in a position where he's winning grands prix.
"He's won 25 races and is going to knock me off my perch before the end of the season - but he's only 25 and still has time to move."
Vettel currently leads the championship with 215 points with Ferrari's Alonso six points behind with four races remaining in the season.

Terry decides against ban appeal

2012-10-18T06:49:00.003-07:00

Richard Heathcote / Getty Images

Chelsea defender John Terry has decided not to appeal against a four-match ban and fine of £220,000 for racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand.

Terry had until 6pm on Thursday evening to contest the sanction issued by an independent Football Association regulatory commission.
However, in a statement released via his representatives Elite Management, Terry said: "After careful consideration, I have decided not to appeal against the FA judgment.
"I want to take this opportunity to apologise to everyone for the language I used in the game against Queens Park Rangers last October.
"Although I'm disappointed with the FA judgment, I accept that the language I used, regardless of the context, is not acceptable on the football field or indeed in any walk of life."
"As I stated in the criminal case, with the benefit of hindsight my language was clearly not an appropriate reaction to the situation for someone in my position.
"My response was below the level expected by Chelsea Football Club, and by me, and it will not happen again.
"Looking forward, I will continue to do my part in assisting the club to remove all types of discriminatory behaviour from football.
"I am extremely grateful for the consistent support of Chelsea FC, the fans and my family."
Terry was found guilty by the independent FA commission of calling Ferdinand a "f****** black c***" during a Barclays Premier League match between Chelsea and QPR on October 23.
He has always maintained that he was merely repeating an accusation levelled at him by Ferdinand, but the commission found that his words were used as an insult.
The commission described Terry's version of events at Loftus Road as "improbable, implausible and contrived" in their written reasons for issuing the ban.
The three-man panel also questioned why Terry's team-mate Ashley Cole had changed his statement to give more support to Terry's story, sparking a furious response from the Chelsea and England defender who described the FA as a "bunch of t***s" in a tweet sent on October 5.
Cole has since issued a full apology for that and has admitted a misconduct charge.
The commission said in its written reasons: "The commission is quite satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that there is no credible basis for Mr Terry's defence that his use of the words 'f****** black c***' were directed at Mr Ferdinand by way of forceful rejection and/or inquiry.
"Instead, we are quite satisfied, and find on the balance of probabilities, that the offending words were said by way of insult.
"Accordingly, the commission finds that there is 'clear and convincing' evidence.''
The commission said that character references from a number of people, including black players, made it clear that Terry was not racially prejudiced.
"It is accepted by everyone involved in the criminal and disciplinary proceedings that Mr Terry is not a racist,'' added the commission.
Terry had been cleared in Westminster Magistrates Court in July of a racially-aggravated public order offence, partly helped by the testimony of Cole.
However, the commission found that there were discrepancies in Cole's initial statement to FA interviewers of what he heard Ferdinand say to Terry compared to later statements.
Cole did not mention the word 'black' in the initial interview with the FA on October 28. On November 3, Chelsea club secretary David Barnard asked the FA for the specific word 'black' to be inserted into Cole's witness statement, suggesting that Cole may have heard Ferdinand use the term.
The commission saw an email exchange between the FA and Barnard and said that should be regarded as "cogent new evidence".

Armstrong steps down from Livestrong

2012-10-18T06:48:00.005-07:00

Getty Images / Getty Images North America

Lance Armstrong has stepped down as chairman of his cancer charity, Livestrong, and has been dropped by sponsor Nike.

The fallout from the United States Anti-Doping Agency's report into doping continues.
The American was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from cycling for life by USADA after he chose not to contest charges despite maintaining his innocence.
Last week USADA published their report, including evidence from 11 of his former team-mates, and concluded the US Postal Service team ran "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen".
Armstrong made the decision to hand over the chairmanship of Livestrong to vice-chairman Jeff Garvey "to spare the foundation any negative effects as a result of controversy surrounding my cycling career".
Nike will continue to support Livestrong but have terminated their contract with Armstrong "due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade".
Armstrong set up Livestrong in 1997 following his recovery from cancer and the charity has raised nearly 500million US dollars to help people affected by the disease.
In a statement, Armstrong said: "It has been a great privilege to help grow it from a dream into an organisation that today has served 2.5million people and helped spur a cultural shift in how the world views cancer survivors. This organisation, its mission and its supporters are incredibly dear to my heart.
"I have had the great honour of serving as this foundation's chairman for the last five years and its mission and success are my top priorities.
"Today, therefore, to spare the foundation any negative effects as a result of controversy surrounding my cycling career, I will conclude my chairmanship.
"My family and I have devoted our lives to the work of the foundation and that will not change. We plan to continue our service to the foundation and the cancer community."
Nike had previously stood by Armstrong but on Wednesday announced they could do so no longer.
In a statement, the sportswear giant said: "Due to the seemingly insurmountable evidence that Lance Armstrong participated in doping and misled Nike for more than a decade, it is with great sadness that we have terminated our contract with him.
"Nike does not condone the use of illegal performance-enhancing drugs in any manner. Nike plans to continue support of the Livestrong initiatives created to unite, inspire and empower people affected by cancer."
Lance Armstrong Allegations Timeline
2010
May - Armstrong's former US Postal team-mate Floyd Landis launches allegations against the Texan.
2011
May - Forced to deny claims made by former team-mate Tyler Hamilton that they took performance enhancing drugs together.
2012
February - An investigation into alleged doping by Armstrong is dropped by federal prosecutors in California.
June 13 - The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) confirm they have initiated legal proceedings over allegations of doping against Armstrong.
June 30 - The USADA confirm they will file formal doping charges against Armstrong.
July 9 - Armstrong files a lawsuit in a US federal court asking for a temporary restraining order against the agency. Armstrong also claims the USADA offered "corrupt inducements" to other cyclists to testify against him.
July 11 - Armstrong refiles lawsuit against the USADA after initial lawsuit was dismissed by a judge as being a "lengthy and bitter polemic", designed to attract media attention and public sympathy.
August 20 - Armstrong's legal action dismissed in court.
August 24 - Armstrong announces he will not fight doping charges filed against him but insists he is innocent. He is stripped of all his titles and banned from cycling for life by USADA.
October 10 - The USADA claim 11 of Armstrong's former team-mates have testified against him, revealing "the most sophisticated, professionalised and successful doping programme that sport has ever seen".
October 17 - Armstrong resigns as chairman of his cancer charity, Livestrong, on the same day that he is dropped by sponsor Nike.

England won't rush Pietersen recall

2012-10-18T06:48:00.001-07:00

Getty Images

Kevin Pietersen returned to South Africa on Thursday night after holding a series of clear-the-air meetings with England captain Alastair Cook and other squad members.

The talks, held in Oxford, were part of Pietersen's programme of reintegration into the England team following the text message scandal which split the dressing room.
England head out to India in a week and even Cook was uncertain whether Pietersen would be added to the Test squad, although he conceded time was running out.
But Cook also stressed that it was more important that the England management made the right decision rather than rushing through a quick decision which could backfire horribly.
"The meetings have been going on and the process is well under way," Cook said.
"It is important we don't rush this process so we get the best opportunity of that. We want all our world-class players playing for England.
"We have got to get it right. It is a very important decision for the sake of the England team moving forward. We have got to be thorough.
"We all know how important team harmony is and team ethos is and that showed when we were successful, how tight we were as a side.
"That is a very important thing to make a good side.
"We do need to draw a line in the sand at some stage and move forward for the sake of English cricket.
"We need to move forward as a team. We have an amazing 18 months ahead of us."
England will host the final Champions Trophy next June before it is scrapped to make way in the international calendar for a new World Test Championship from 2017.
Cook has led England to the top of the one-day rankings but he insisted there is much more to come from his team.
"We don't feel like we are the number one. We have a huge amount fo potential and work to do," he said.
"The Champions Trophy is a very important event for us as a side. We don't often get the opportunity to play at home in a tournament. We have only won one ICC tournament and we would love to win another.
"We have a great winter in India and New Zealand, the ICC Champions Trophy and then Australia. We have the opportunity to do something special if we play well."

Caribbean flair burns Australia

2012-10-06T00:36:00.001-07:00

AFP

The West Indies were unstoppable as they crushed Australia and entered the final of the ICC World Twenty20.

Australia were battered and destroyed by a West Indies side that combined power, guile, spin and seam to terrifying effect, paving the way for a huge 74-run win for the West Indies and a slot in the ICC World Twenty20 final.
Chasing the West Indies’ mammoth 205 for four, built around a 75 not out by the inimitable Chris Gayle and contributions all the way down to Kieron Pollard, the Australians were dismissed for 131 with 3.3 overs left.
Skipper George Bailey’s defiant 63 didn’t really solve anything for Australia. All it did was reduce the deficit.
But it was a great effort, under the circumstances.
Samuel Badree was the bowler to watch. He opened the bowling, dismissed David Warner and then took care of Shane Watson to end the contest within five overs.
Samuels added the scalp of Mike Hussey and Rampaul got rid of Cameron White and David Hussey in the same over.
Narine then gobbled up Mathew Wade. It was almost too painful to watch. Pollard then came in to end Bailey and Pat Cummins’ defiance. The rest were just stats.
What the batsmen had begun, the bowlers finished with great aplomb. Chasing over ten runs an over, Australia’s batting was cracked by Samuel Badree to begin with, with Marlon Samuels and Sunil Narine also sending down the slow stuff effectively.
Whatever little fight was left was ended by Ravi Rampaul’s seam-up stuff. It was a procession of batsmen that never halted.
Earlier, the West Indies, apart from their insane ability to hammer the bowling, also showed some great tactical acumen. It was evident that Gayle would play for as long as he could, while his mantle would be taken over by the others.
Right from the beginning, Johnson Charles began the assault as Gayle dug in. The process continued with Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo and culminated with Kieron Pollard joining in.
So Gayle played a ‘sedate’ inning, even taking singles to rotate the strike. But sedate is a subjective word. His sedate was a 75 not out off 41 balls with five boundaries and six monstrous sixes.
But the others too, were in business. Samuels was in great nick and while his scoring was at less than a run a ball, the overall impact was such that the scoring rate just kept going up.
This West Indies team is an amazing one. Any one of these batsmen can win a match on his own. When you have three or four of them getting into the act, it was sheer murder.
The Australian bowlers were clueless. Once it was clear that Gayle won’t hit everything, they were at a loss as to how to deal with him, as well as how to control the runs from the other side. They never even got close.
The line and length went all over the park. Wides and byes flowed, simply adding to the torrent of runs. They were hammered when they bowled full-length. They were hammered when they bowled short.
The match was over in the first innings itself. That score of 205 was way above anything that this pitch promised. The bowlers couldn’t have imagined anything like this.
Bailey’s captaincy wasn’t close to being good, but to be fair to him, no skipper could have done much. However, choosing two left-arm spinners against a team with Gayle to lead the charge was a little presumptuous – the presumption being that he would get out and the left-armer would be more effective against the right-hand batsmen.
That too was a fallacy. The biggest folly was to leave Xavier Doherty to bowl the last over. Gayle and Pollard got 25 runs there and whatever chance Australia had of being in the game, ended right there.

Rahman has plan to conquer world

2012-10-06T00:35:00.002-07:00

ONE FC.

ESPNSTAR.com profiles Singapore's first MMA fighter Radeem Bin Abdul Rahman as he bids to become champion of the world.

By Marcus Chhan
Mike Tyson once said: "Everyone has a plan - until they get punched in the face."
For 25-year-old Mixed Martial Artist Radeem Bin Abdul Rahman that proverbial punch to the face has yet to materialise. It is early days, of course, in the career of Singapore's first MMA fighter, but Rahman's plan to become the country's first world champion in the sport is progressing quite smoothly.
Rahman made his professional MMA debut at One FC's Champion vs Champion event in September 2011 - stunning everyone except himself and his team-mates at Evolve MMA with a three minute destruction of Indian Susovan Ghosh in Singapore.
"Basically I just focused on the game plan," Rahman told ESPNSTAR.com.
"I stuck to the game plan. I just went in and did what I had to do. The moment I knew I won I was like ‘It's unbelievable'.
"And then everyone was cheering for me. I was like: ‘Wow, I will never forget this moment.'".
The moment Rahman was talking about came when 7,000 fans inside the Singapore Indoor Stadium reacted with delirious joy to his TKO win over Ghosh in the first round. According to the Singapore fighter, the fans played a part in his victory. Their role began as soon as Rahman stepped into the cage and felt the full force of the boisterous support surrounding him - even before he had aimed a kick at Ghosh.
"I felt excited. I felt pumped up," he said.
"When there's a crowd behind me and cheering for me and motivating me, I don't want to be a disappointment. I want to show them what I can do."
With great support come great expectations, but Rahman insists he does not feel the pressure of being the poster boy for MMA in Singapore - a rapidly growing sport in the country.
"Nah, I don't feel under any pressure at all because for me I am usually focused more on the Martial Arts [perspective]. So I don't really care that ‘Oh man they put high hopes on me.' I look at myself in terms of self-improvement," he said.
"Every day I want to improve bit by bit. In Mixed Martial Arts you have to constantly evolve. You can't just be the same person all the way. And that's why if you want to be a champion you have to do this."
And Rahman has been doing it.
He's dreamed of being a professional since he was 11-years old and set off on the long road to perfecting his fighting technique.
When he was in primary school, his parents fed his love for Martial Arts by taking him to watch local Taekwondo competitions. When that wasn't enough to satisfy his appetite, Rahman had to supplement it by watching DVDs of fights. From this early age, he took to the art of Muay Thai and submerged himself in books and YouTube videos to learn this violent yet graceful craft.
Three years ago he finally found an academy where he could take his basic Muay Thai skills to the next level - Evolve MMA. It was the chance of a lifetime for Rahman, an opportunity to train with Muay Thai world champions. He took it with both fists and has even gone on to test himself against Thai fighters in their own backyard. Quite a gung-ho thing to do, but it's all part of the philosophy Rahman has adopted on self-improvement and rounding the edges of his game.
"Fighting Thai guys was, of course, tough because they grew up in a country that is really established [in Martial Arts] with Muay Thai. And I have just started learning, but because I trained here [at Evolve] with world champions, my defence, my strategy, and my attack was put to good use," Rahman said.
However, a true MMA fighter knows how to fight standing up as well as on the ground and even mix things up a bit with some Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, if need be. For some, this sort of all-around dedication might be a turn-off, but for Rahman this is the reason why becoming a professional MMA fighter appealed to him much more than simply becoming an expert at Muay Thai.

"Basically when you talk about Mixed Martial Arts, it's about the combination of all Martial Arts. Usually, the Martial Arts which are commonly used are Muay Thai, Boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, and even Wrestling," Rahman said.
He added: "I feel that MMA is exciting. What matters to me is unpredictability. So you never know [what will happen next] even though your opponent is a grappler or he is standing up, you never know if he knows additional background in other martial arts. And that is what makes it exciting."
Rahman's Muay Thai background was on full display during his debut victory over Ghosh in September 2011. His powerful strikes set him up for the TKO win and earned him an early reputation for being aggressive.
"I prefer it that way," he said.
"In the cage I like to be aggressive. I don't know why but it is exciting to be aggressive."
Don't be mistaken though. Rahman is not some brawler from the streets of Singapore who happened to find his way into the Evolve gym and Mixed Martial Arts. He understands perfectly that Martial Arts is about developing the Body, Mind and Spirit.
Body is developed through the physical exercises involved in martial arts training - by all accounts Rahman already was a very fit individual. The type of person who "would go for a 12KM run if there was nothing to do at home".
Training the Mind and Spirit is a slightly more highbrow affair. Meditation may be involved but the idea is to coordinate thinking with movement - this aids the MMA fighter with his footwork and teaches him how to relax and focus on the task at hand.
Even if the goal is to beat your opponent until he surrenders - Rahman says you do not have to be an angry person to be a professional in MMA.
"I disagree with that," he said.
"Usually when I am in the cage, I don't feel pressure, I tell myself ‘okay now I have an opponent this is the challenge for me'. It's like taking an exam. You train so hard and now it is time to put the real work in.
"I tell myself to relax and also that the biggest opponent is myself. I want to see how much I have improved."
The pursuit of personal improvement is a massive part of what makes Rahman tick. He trains six days a week for up five or six hours. He has a notebook where he jots down new moves so he does not forget any of the minor details told to him by his trainers.
"I have a dream to be a world champion just like my instructors [at Evolve]. Every day I see them training even though they are world champions, it is amazing to watch," he said.
"When I go against them [in practice], of course I lose out to them. The positive thing is that let's say I get taken down 10 times, I want to try and minimise this to five or six the next day."
Pushing yourself to the limit in training does have its own perils - something which Rahman experienced late last month. He dislocated a finger two weeks before his scheduled fight at One FC's Rise of Kings, October 6th event. This disappointingly ruled him out of a second appearance at the Singapore Indoor Stadium but it should be seen as just a minor bump in the road of a burgeoning career.
In Mike Tyson's terms it was more of a slight poke in the eye rather than a full-blooded punch to the face.

Snooker: Trump tops group with Ebdon win

2012-10-06T00:34:00.001-07:00

Gareth Copley / Getty Images

Judd Trump went top of Group B in Premier League snooker with a 4-2 victory against Peter Ebdon in Southampton.

Ebdon took the opening frame on the black, lost the second in similar circumstances and then edged a tactical third to move 2-1 in front.
Trump, the UK champion, levelled for a second time with a 131 total clearance and forged ahead with a contribution of 90 in the next.
And he finished off the comeback with breaks of 27 and 47 in the sixth and deciding frame.
In the opening match of the night, Stuart Bingham beat Ding Junhui 4-2 for his first win of the campaign.
The Englishman opened with a 75 and added a scrappy second frame before Ding drew level at 2-2 thanks to runs of 54, 38 and 73.
But Bingham rolled in breaks of 75 and 50 to close out a victory that moves him above Ding into second place in Group A.