Sports Update

Nadal helping hand in doubles falls short for Mallorcan mate

Nadal helping hand in doubles falls short for Mallorcan mateRotterdam, Netherlands  - Rafael Nadal got back to work on court eight days after his historic Australian Open title, adjusting to indoor conditions during a doubles loss on Monday at the ABN-AMRO World Tennis.

The Spanish world number one teamed with fellow Mallorcan Ignacio Coll-Ruidavets but the wild card pair lost to experienced Frenchman Michael Llodra - last year's singles champion - and compatriot Arnaud Clement 6-3, 6-4.

Doping fears rise ahead of biathlon worlds

Doping fears rise ahead of biathlon worlds Hamburg - With just days to go until the start of the biathlon world championships in South Korea, it remains unclear how many skiers have failed dope tests.

"We have positive A-samples," Anders Besseberg, president of the International Biathlon Union (IBU), told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa Monday.

Besseberg dismissed earlier media reports that up to eight biathletes have failed dope tests, saying that the IBU had "never made public" the number of A-samples that had returned positive.

"We don't have eight positive A-samples," he added.

Punjab Gold Hockey Cup: Germany Mauls India By 4-2

Punjab Gold Hockey Cup: Germany Mauls India By 4-2In a crucial tie, world champions Germany defeated India 4-2 to keep themselves in reckoning in the crucial Punjab Gold Cup Hockey Tournament at the Sector 42 hockey stadium. For Germans, Jan Philipp Rabente (14th minute), Lim Kevin (21st), Moritz Furste (34th) and skipper Tobias Hauke (38th) scored, whereas from India Tushar Khandekar (12th) and skipper Sandeep Singh (64th) found the goals.

In its earlier matches, Germany looked quite low in spirits, but on Friday they came back strongly defeating the hosts by a comfortable margin. 

Austria win team ski-jumping event in Willingen

Austria win team ski-jumping event in Willingen Willingen, Germany - Favourites Austria took victory in the premiere of the Team Tour event in Willingen Saturday even in the absence of World Cup leader Gregor Schlierenzauer.

The team of Thomas Morgenstern, Markus Eggenhofer, Andreas Kofler and Wolfgang Loitzl amassed a total of 902.9 points to finish just 1.7 points ahead of Norway's Roar Ljoekelsoey, Tom Hilde, Anders Bardal and Anders Jacobsen on 901.2 points.

Finland took third spot with 793.2 points, followed by home nation Germany on 778.7.

Injured Kostelic goes home for treatment

Injured Kostelic goes home for treatmentVal d'Isere, France  - Overall W

2ND ROUNDUP: Kucera clinches downhill gold in ski worlds upset

Kucera clinches downhill gold in ski worlds upsetVal d'Isere, France - John Kucera of Canada upset the favourites to win the men's downhill at the alpine ski world championships in Val d'Isere on Saturday.

Kucera posted 2 minutes 07.01 seconds, to edge super-g winner Didier Cuche of Switzerland by four hundredths of a second.

Fellow Swiss Carlo Janka was 0.94 seconds back in third place.

Kucera took advantage of an early start in a fog-interrupted race to give Canada a first-ever world championship downhill gold.

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