Tennis

Former tennis ace Jimmy Connors arrested during a college basketball match

Jimmy ConnorsNew York, Nov 24 : Tennis legend Jimmy Connors was busted after he refused to move away from the entrance of a college basketball game in California, say police.

The 56-year-old sportsman was ordered to move away from the entrance of the Thunderdome when the match between UC Santa Barbara and top-ranked North Carolina was set to begin on Nov 21.

Known for his fiery temperament in his heyday, the eight-time Grand Slam champ refused to budge and was then arrested, said police.

According to a jail official, Connors, the Santa Barbara resident who often attends home games, was released later.

Spain stun Argentina to take 2-1 Davis Cup lead

Mar del Plata, Argentina  - Feliciano Lopez and Fernando Verdasco combined to win a momentum-shifting doubles rubber on Saturday, clawing out a 2-1 lead for Spain in the Davis Cup final against Argentina.

The visitors produced a shock over David Nalbandian and Agustin Calleri 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 in three hours and 17 minutes to send the Iberians into command for the first time this weekend.

Argentina has been relying on the home court advantage and 11,000 partisans in the stands in hopes of claiming a first-ever trophy in the world team competition.

But stunning doubles loss and the likely injury absence of Juan Del Potro from Sunday's key reverse singles could be telling.

Lopez pulls Spain level 1-1 in Davis Cup final

Lopez pulls Spain level 1-1 in Davis Cup finalMar del Plata, Argentina  - Fighting Feliciano Lopez kept Spain in the chase for the Davis Cup title, overwhelming fatigued Argentine Juan Del Potro 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 7-6
(7-4), 6-3 on Friday to pull the visitors to 1-1 in the final.

Lopez, substituted into singles by captain Emilio Sanchez Vicario, proved his worth as he stunned Del Potro, who has been feeling the effects of a long season where he won four titles back to back over the summer.

Nalbandian crushes Ferrer to send Argentina into 1-0 lead

Mar del Plata, Argentina  - David Nalbandian kick-started what the hosts were hoping would be a dream weekend for Argentine as he produced a resounding 6-3,
6-2, 6-3 opening defeat of David Ferrer to open the Davis Cup final on Friday.

Spain's Ferrer had no answer for the South American playing in front of a fervent home crowd as Argentina bid for a first Davis Cup title after losing in two previous finals.

"I played a great match and we got the first point of the weekend," said Nalbandian after the victory lasting a shade under two hours. "I hope it can continue like this.

"It was a quick match played at a high level. I'm ready to play doubles tomorrow if the captain needs me."

Roddick to work with veteran coach Stefanki

Roddick sticks by his decision to miss OlympicsNew York - Andy Roddick will hope to jump-start his stalled tennis as he begins work in 2009 with veteran coach Larry Stefanki.

Former number one Roddick, who withdrew from last week's Masters Cup after rolling an ankle before a match, announced on his website that he and the former mentor to John McEnroe, Marcelo Rios, Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Tim Henman and Fernando Gonzalez will team up within weeks.

`Boom Boom'' Becker was dumped by `Game, Set and Match SMS

Boris BeckerBerlin, Nov. 21 : Former Wimbledon champion Boris Becker has been dumped by his fiancée Sandy Meyer-Woelden.

According to Becker, Sandy sent him an SMS telling him it was game, set and match in a blow that "trampled on my soul".

"On Friday evening, October 31, I suddenly got an SMS from Sandy ... saying that this was it, that this was over. To make sure how serious she was she sent me five others saying the same thing," 40-year-old Becker told the Bild daily.

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