Murray and Roddick move closer to final showdown

By Pritha Sarkar
LONDON (Reuters) - Andy Murray took another step closer to becoming the first British champion at Queen's Club for more than 70 years when he beat American Mardy Fish 7-5 6-3 to reach the semi-finals Friday.
The top seed barely put a foot wrong in the opening set as he dropped only three points on serve and kept Fish on his toes with his crafty angles, subtle spins and thundering groundstrokes.
Fish kept pace until 5-5 but then faced three breakpoints. The world number 25 hung on for the first two but could only watch in horror as his volley clipped the net and rolled back on to his side of the court on the third.
Within minutes Murray had moved to set point but Fish had him on the run and was poised to take the Scot to deuce, only to misjudge an easy smash and hand Murray the set.
A delectable lob helped Murray to break Fish for 4-3 in the second set and the British number one eased to victory.
"I had a few really good passing shots at 5-5 (in the first set) and managed to break and when I did, I felt much better," Murray, who reached the semi-final here for the first time, said courtside.
"Mardy is a very, very good grasscourt player and tries to put a lot of pressure and I knew it would be a good test."
Next up for the world number three will be former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero.
The Wimbledon committee's decision to hand the Spaniard a wildcard appeared to be justified when he reached the semis of a grasscourt event for the first time with a 4-6 6-3 6-4 win over Belgian Steve Darcis.
Now ranked 90th in the world, Ferrero had not dropped a set until the quarter-finals and was looking forward to his encounter with Murray.
"To play here in his country on grass, everything is difficult," the former world number one told reporters.
"But I'm feeling great, and I just want to be focused on me and on my game, be aggressive and try to enjoy.
"I know that Andy's playing amazing... he's number three in the world, so always going to be tough to beat him."
Second seed Andy Roddick will take on towering Croat Ivo Karlovic, while American James Blake will face Mikhail Youzhny in the other last eight matches later Friday.
(Editing by Justin Palmer)

Source: Reuters

Magic Superman succumbs to free throw kryptonite

By Steve Ginsburg
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Dwight Howard is known to Orlando Magic fans as "Superman," but on Thursday the All-Star center was undone by his own personal kryptonite -- free throws.
Howard had 16 points, grabbed 21 rebounds and had nine blocks in Game Four of the NBA finals but it is two blown free throws with just 11.1 seconds left that he will be remembered for.
With the Magic holding an 87-84 lead, making even one of the throws would probably have been enough to seal the win and give the hosts a fighting chance in the best-of-seven series.
Instead, fans of title-starved Orlando could only watch in disbelief as Howard went from superhero to zero.
"I just missed them," said the muscular, 6-foor-11 center.
"I've been working on my free throws. They just weren't falling tonight. There's no need to get down on myself.
"I did a lot of good things, just free throws weren't there. Not just for me but for everybody. We missed a lot of key free throws."
Orlando made only 22 of 37 free throws but that stat would have meant nothing had Howard made either of the shots.
By contrast, the Lakers' 34-year-old guard Derek Fisher thrived under the pressure, drilling a three-pointer with less than five seconds left to send the game into overtime.
The Lakers, who went on to secure a 99-91 victory, now hold a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series and can seal their first title since 2002 with a win in Orlando on Sunday.
"We can't hang our heads," said Howard. "We still believe. There's no reason to have any doubts right now. We know the position that we're in, but we're not going to stop fighting."
While Howard has improved from the foul line, hitting nearly 62 percent in the series, he clearly still has work to do.
Even Hedo Turkoglu, an 80 percent free-throw shooter this season, missed four in the final quarter, including three in the final five minutes.
The Magic are now trying to become the first team to win a championship after losing three of the first four games.
"Coach (Stan Van Gundy) is a little angry tonight about the outcome of the game, just like we all are," Howard said. "But when we get up tomorrow, the sun is going to come out. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Fisher's heroics lift Lakers to brink of title

By Steve Ginsburg
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - The Los Angeles Lakers used the long-range shooting of Derek Fisher to defeat the Orlando Magic 99-91 in overtime on Thursday and move to the brink of their 15th NBA championship.
Fisher sent the game into overtime with a 25-foot three-pointer with 4.6 seconds left in regulation and then nailed a key 27-foot, three-pointer with just over 30 seconds left in the extra session to give the Lakers a 94-91 lead.
Pau Gasol scored the remaining five points in overtime to seal the win.
The Lakers lead the best-of-seven series 3-1 and can wrap up their first title since 2002 with a victory on Sunday in Orlando.
"It's not just about talent, it's about character," Lakers coach Phil Jackson said of Fisher.
"And he's a person of high character, brings that to play, not only in just his gamesmanship but also his intestinal fortitude."
Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 32 points but the 11-times All Star was not at his best, hitting only 11 of 31 shots. Gasol and Trevor Ariza each added 16 for the Lakers.
The Lakers got out of jail when Orlando All-Star center Dwight Howard missed two free throws with 11.1 seconds left in regulation with the Magic leading 87-84.
Had he made just one of the free throws, the Magic would likely have leveled the series at 2-2.
But after a time out, the Lakers worked the ball upcourt and found Fisher open on the wing, and the veteran guard calmly sank the game-tying, three-pointer.
Hedo Turkoglu paced the Magic with 25 points, while Howard added 16 points and 21 rebounds. Orlando committed 17 turnovers and hit only 22 of 37 attempts from the free-throw line.
(Editing by Peter Rutherford)

Source: Reuters

Red Sox rally to maintain perfection against Yankees

BOSTON (Reuters) - The Boston Red Sox rallied from a two-run deficit in the eighth inning to maintain their utter domination of the New York Yankees with a 4-3 victory over the Bronx Bombers on Thursday.
Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the penultimate inning, the Red Sox scored three runs to secure a three-game sweep of their bitter rivals and improve to 8-0 against the Yankees this season.
The perfect run marks the first time Boston (36-24) has started the season with eight straight wins over the New York franchise since 1912.
The Red Sox also opened a two-game lead over the Yankees at the top of the American League East division after starting the series a game behind.
J.D. Drew ignited the rally with an run-scoring single, Jason Bay then tied the game with an RBI single before Mike Lowell delivered the go-ahead sacrifice-fly.
Jonathan Papelbon nailed down the final three outs for his 16th save of the year.
The Yankees (34-26) appeared to have finally figured out their American League East rivals when they took the lead with three runs in the seventh, capped by a two-RBI double from Alex Rodriguez.
However, prized starter C.C. Sabathia got into trouble in the next inning when he allowed a lead-off single, a walk and then an RBI single before being relieved by Alfredo Aceves.
Pitching in his first game as a part of the historic rivalry, Sabathia was charged with all four runs and struck out six in seven innings.
Brad Penny, Boston's own off-season signing, threw six scoreless innings and struck out five as David Ortiz smacked a solo homer in the bottom of the second to open the scoring for the home team.
Luckily for the New York Yankees, they have a two-month break before they face the Red Sox again on August 6.
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien)

Source: Reuters

CORRECTED: Gay takes one-stroke lead in Memphis

Corrects score in first paragraph to 64 from 66
MEMPHIS (Reuters) - American Brian Gay shot a six-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over compatriot Jimmy Walker after the first round of the St. Jude Classic on Thursday.
Gay, who produced just one bogey, won the Heritage Classic in April and is looking for his third career win on the PGA Tour, while Walker has spent most of his career on the Nationwide Tour and has yet to win on the top tour.
"Obviously six-under is great almost any time so I'm pleased," Gay told reporters.
"It has been a little bit of a struggle lately. My ball striking hasn't been there really since I won.
"I've had some minor injuries and I haven't played that much -- I am just looking to get something going."
Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal, without a win in the United States since 2002, carded a bogey-free round at the TPC Southwind and is one of five players, including Sweden's Mathias Gronberg and Britain's Graeme McDowell, two shots off the lead on four-under.
Olazabal has struggled with injuries over the past two years, battling rheumatism and the side-effects of the medication he received.
"It's been a tough two years, very painful ... I couldn't do much for a year and a half, just lay down and -- you know, quite unpleasant. It's something that I don't wish on anybody," he said after his round.
Another Swede, Fredrik Jacobson, Britain's Richard Johnson and Australian Robert Allenby were among those a shot further adrift on three-under.
World number two Phil Mickelson, who withdrew from the Tour last month after his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, made a two-under 68 on his return to action.
Mickelson made six birdies but double-bogeyed the 18th to leave him in the chasing pack four shots behind Gay.
"I thought it was a fun round. I really like the way the golf course is set up. It's fun but it's a challenge and made a couple of birdies today," Mickelson said.
"It's not a great round but a good start. Hopefully, I'll get it going Friday."
World number four Sergio Garcia of Spain shot an even-par 70 but Irish triple major champion Padraig Harrington staggered to a disappointing two-over-par round with four bogeys.
John Daly, returning to action in the U.S. for the first time since October, also made two-over after carding three bogeys in a row on the back nine.
(Reporting by Simon Evans in Miami; Editing by Alan Baldwin and Ian Ransom)

Source: Reuters

Bolt makes a splash with 100m win in rainy Toronto

By Steve Keating
TORONTO (Reuters) - Olympic champion Usain Bolt sloshed his way to an impressive win, albeit in an unimpressive time, in his first major 100 meter test of the season at the rain-soaked Toronto Festival of Excellence Thursday.
Running in a driving downpour in front of an enthusiastic but drenched crowd, Bolt splashed home in 10 seconds flat, well off his world record 9.69 set at last summer's Beijing Olympics.
After two false starts, Bolt trailed badly out of the blocks but rocketed away from the field after 50 meters to cross nearly 10 meters clear of American Shawn Crawford, silver medalist behind the Jamaican in the 200 meters at the Beijing Olympics.
"It (the false starts) threw me off a little bit but not much," Bolt told reporters. "I've been there before.
"Athletes have good days and bad days. I guess I can put this down as a bad ... I definitely enjoyed it though; I always enjoy it when I run."
Crawford, who won 200m gold at the 2004 Athens Games, ran 10.25 to nose out compatriot Ivory Williams on 10.28.
Bolt lit up a miserable night for the near capacity crowd of 5,835, some paying a hefty $250 to catch a glimpse of the man who claimed gold in the 100 and 200 meters in world-record times at Beijing, then helped the Jamaican 4x100m relay team to another gold medal.
Lured to the Festival of Excellence by a reported $250,000 appearance fee, Bolt was happy to get through the dangerous conditions and leave Toronto unscathed as he continues his build-up to this summer's world championships in Berlin.
"I felt good but I could have done a little better," said Bolt, who set another world best in a 150m street race in similar tricky conditions in Manchester last month.
"But it's alright, I got through injury-free and that's a good thing."
The 22-year-old Jamaican blew kisses at the crowd before his race, then ran a couple of victory laps around the Varsity stadium after, trailed by a large group of school children and huffing body guards.
Bolt is next scheduled to race on June 17 at the Ostrava Grand Prix in the Czech Republic.
(Editing by Ian Ransom)

Source: Reuters

No place like home for Red Wings in Stanley Cup decider

DETROIT (Reuters) - You can buy a house in the Motor City for the cost of a playoff ticket, but for the Detroit Red Wings, home ice is priceless as they meet the Pittsburgh Penguins in a Stanley Cup winner-take-all Game Seven Friday.
It is the second consecutive year Pittsburgh and Detroit have clashed for the Cup and Joe Louis Arena has been a virtual fortress for the Red Wings.
Last year, the Penguins were shutout in the opening two games of the finals in Detroit while their only win in the Motor City required triple overtime.
This year, in three games at "the Joe" the Penguins are without a victory and scored just two goals.
"We've just been way more comfortable on home ice in the playoffs," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock told reporters on Thursday. "We were a great road team in the regular season.
"We haven't been as good in the playoffs.
"This is where we work. This is where we live. It's our fans, it's our city and we're proud to be from Michigan and have the opportunity we do in front of our fans."
The Red Wings' march to the Stanley Cup last year provided one of the few feel-good moments for the battered city, where property fire sales have seen houses exchange hands for as little as $100. Game Seven standing room tickets have been advertised for $275 on one ticketing website.
Another championship parade would no doubt help lift the mood of Detroiters, who are at ground zero of an economic meltdown that has crippled the auto industry and sent unemployment and foreclosures soaring.
The hardships being faced by their supporters have not been lost on the Red Wings and their coach who has witnessed the devastation first hand.
"People that don't live here have no idea what it's like in Detroit right now," Babcock told reporters. "I know in my neighborhood, and I live in a nice neighborhood, the foreclosures and the kids in my kids' schools that got to move and dads don't have jobs and people are helping them -- it's incredible.
"They don't get to come to the games, they cost too much.
"But they get to watch them on TV and they get to enjoy it, and get as fired up as we do ... To me, that's a fantastic thing."
"I enjoy being here in Detroit because the people care about hockey so much."
(Writing by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Ian Ransom; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Source: Reuters

Gay takes lead in Memphis as Mickelson returns

MEMPHIS (Reuters) - American Brian Gay shot a six-under 66 to take a one-stroke lead over compatriot Jimmy Walker after the first round of the St. Jude Classic on Thursday.
Gay, who produced just one bogey, won the Heritage Classic in April and is looking for his third career win on the PGA Tour, while Walker has spent most of his career on the Nationwide Tour and has yet to win on the top tour.
"Obviously six-under is great almost any time so I'm pleased," Gay told reporters.
"It has been a little bit of a struggle lately. My ball striking hasn't been there really since I won.
"I've had some minor injuries and I haven't played that much -- I am just looking to get something going."
Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal, without a win in the United States since 2002, carded a bogey-free round at the TPC Southwind and is one of five players, including Sweden's Mathias Gronberg and Britain's Graeme McDowell, two shots off the lead on four-under.
Olazabal has struggled with injuries over the past two years, battling rheumatism and the side-effects of the medication he received.
"It's been a tough two years, very painful ... I couldn't do much for a year and a half, just lay down and -- you know, quite unpleasant. It's something that I don't wish on anybody," he said after his round.
Another Swede, Fredrik Jacobson, Britain's Richard Johnson and Australian Robert Allenby were among those a shot further adrift on three-under.
World number two Phil Mickelson, who withdrew from the Tour last month after his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer, made a two-under 68 on his return to action.
Mickelson made six birdies but double-bogeyed the 18th to leave him in the chasing pack four shots behind Gay.
"I thought it was a fun round. I really like the way the golf course is set up. It's fun but it's a challenge and made a couple of birdies today," Mickelson said.
"It's not a great round but a good start. Hopefully, I'll get it going on Friday."
World number four Sergio Garcia of Spain shot an even-par 70 but Irish triple major champion Padraig Harrington staggered to a disappointing two-over-par round with four bogeys.
John Daly, returning to action in the U.S. for the first time since October, also made two-over after carding three bogeys in a row on the back nine.
(Reporting by Simon Evans in Miami; Editing by Alan Baldwin and Ian Ransom)

Source: Reuters

Texas Rangers in unusual spot: first place

By Ed Stoddard
ARLINGTON, Texas (Reuters) - The Dallas Cowboys' stunning new football stadium looms just across from the ballpark that the Texas Rangers Major League Baseball (MLB) team calls home.
While the Rangers have long lived in the shadow of NFL side the Cowboys in this football-mad town, baseball fans here finally have something to cheer about: a winning team that is in first place in the MLB's American League West, thanks to huge improvements in defense and pitching.
Their situation is in sharp contrast to the dismal season that the star-studded but underperforming Cowboys had in 2008.
It has been ten years since the Rangers made the play-offs and a lot can happen between now and the end of the season.
They have been on a roll though and have battled this past week during a home series with the Toronto Blue Jays, getting shelled 9-0 on Tuesday. Wednesday's showdown between the two teams was rained out.
For now, they remain on top of the AL West. As of Thursday they were first with a record of 33 and 25 for a winning percentage of 0.569, 3.5 games ahead of second-placed Los Angeles.
DISTANT SECOND
The Rangers have not finished the season with a winning record since 2004 but the strength of the AL West that year meant they finished third despite a respectable 89-73 record.
Last year, they were a distant second, 21 games behind first-placed Los Angeles, with a record of 79-83. In 2007 they finished in the basement of the AL West.
Against this backdrop it is small wonder that the team's performance so far this season has left fans pinching themselves and made the squad the talk of major league baseball.
"Have no fear, Texas fans: after suffering though eight losing seasons in the past nine years, the Rangers are for real. They are good enough to win the AL West," said one baseball writer in Sports Illustrated last month.
Players, management and commentators all agree that the Rangers' new-found status comes down to pitchers who are consistently throwing strikes and fielders who are consistently catching and stopping balls.
"It's pitching and defense. It's just a different feel this year. It's a lot easier when your pitchers are throwing strikes," said the Rangers' second baseman Ian Kinsler.
Last year the Rangers' fielding was catastrophic as the team led all of major league baseball in errors. As of Thursday they had had only 34 errors this season, 18th overall in the MLB and a vast improvement.
HAMILTON OUT Continued...
Source: Reuters

Leader Castrale carries marital togetherness to the course

By Larry Fine
HAVRE DE GRACE, Maryland (Reuters) - Nicole Castrale relies on her husband for help on the course and it paid off on Thursday as the Californian fired a seven-under-par 65 to grab the first-round lead at the LPGA Championship.
Craig Castrale caddies for his wife and gives her strategic advice during rounds which she finds invaluable.
"I think what really works for Craig and I is Craig caddied out there on tour before we met," Castrale told reporters after taking a one-shot lead over Swedish rookie Anna Nordqvist.
Castrale previously carried for LPGA Tour veteran Laurie Rinker. He caddied for Nicole, whose maiden name is Dalkas, in some Monday qualifying rounds in 2002 and 2003 when she had limited status on the LPGA Tour.
They married in 2005.
"From the start I trusted him because he was a very well-respected caddie out here," she said. "He's one of the best caddies out here. I'm fortunate to have been able to snatch him on and off the course.
"I'm fortunate that Craig is out there when I practice and he sees what I can and can't pull off, basically. So he knows me probably better than I know myself."
Nicole, who tied for 10th in the last two LPGA Championships at Bulle Rock, also relies on her husband to line her up on her full shots.
"You know, eventually, long term, I'd like to be a little more independent out there. I'm just not quite ready to do it," added Nicole, who turns 30 this month.
The Castrales have had a quiet season leading up to the year's second women's major, with no top 10s. Last year, she registered six top 10 finishes and eight the year before, including her sole LPGA tournament title at the Ginn Tribute.
Three years ago, she shot a career best 64 in this event.
"I like majors," she said, noting she had also been helped by coach Bill Harmon. "I like when you have to hit great shots."
Castrale hopes it all comes together for a major title.
"This is our sixth season together, and we keep growing and we keep getting better," she said of her partnership with husband Craig. "We're out here trying to do the best we can and we're very blessed for this to be our job."
(Editing by Ken Ferris)

Source: Reuters

Castrale fires 65 to lead LPGA Championship

By Larry Fine
HAVRE DE GRACE, Maryland (Reuters) - American Nicole Castrale seized the early lead in the opening round of the LPGA Championship by posting a seven-under-par 65 at Bulle Rock on Thursday.
Castrale, with one title to her credit since joining the tour in 2002, registered four sets of back-to-back birdies on an overcast day that held the threat of rain.
Castrale suffered a blip at the last hole. She drove into the right rough and put her second shot in rough right of the green. Her chip ran 22 feet past the cup and she took two putts for her only bogey of the day.
"The front nine all of my iron shots were going right at the pin," said Castrale, who made six birdies on the front nine. "It was a great feeling."
LPGA Tour rookie Anna Nordqvist of Sweden was one shot back, completing a 66 when she holed out from 40 yards to save par at the 18th in the season's second major championship.
Another stroke back among the early finishers was China's Feng Shanshan, who had six birdies against one bogey for 67.
Tseng Yani of Taiwan, who won last year as a 19-year-old, parred the first eight holes after teeing off from the 10th among the afternoon starters.
Knotted at 68 were South Koreans Amy Yang and Choi Na-yeon, South African Ashleigh Simon and American Paige Mackenzie.
Michelle Wie, seeking her first LPGA title, was in a group at two-under 70 along with Park Inbee of South Korea.
"It was an interesting start," Wie told reporters. "I missed some short ones early on. But it was fun."
Wie thought better rounds could be coming. "I left a lot out there," she said.
Nordqvist missed just one fairway and took only 22 putts in her first major championship round as a professional.
"It's good momentum for tomorrow," Nordqvist told reporters about her spectacular par-save on the final hole. "It's disappointing if you end bad."
(Editing by Justin Palmer)

Source: Reuters

Djokovic stages great escape to join Germans at Halle

By Karolos Grohmann
HALLE, Germany (Reuters) - Novak Djokovic saved five match points to beat Frenchman Florent Serra 5-7 7-5 6-1 and reach the last eight in the Halle tournament on Thursday.
The second seed's remarkable comeback means he joins five Germans in the quarter-finals, a feat they have not achieved since the 1973 Berlin tournament, tour organizers ATP said.
Serbia's world number four Djokovic, the highest-ranked player after the withdrawal of top seed Roger Federer, saved three match points at 5-2 and 0-40 in the second set.
He saved another match point a game later and one more at 5-4 before going through to face Austrian Juergen Melzer.
"It's a big lesson I learned today, to fight until the last point," a relieved Djokovic told reporters, adding he saved six match points at Wimbledon in 2005 to break into the top 100.
"This victory meant a lot to me back then," he said. "Hopefully, this win can do something as well. I am not playing even close to my best on this surface."
Struggling for much of the first two sets to find his rhythm on the grass court, the 22-year-old fired ground strokes long as Serra looked hungrier at the net and led by a set and 5-2.
But Djokovic won 11 of the next 12 games and after breaking to go 6-5 ahead he crossed himself, glanced up to the heavens and never looked back.
An early break and an audacious drop shot gave him a 3-1 lead in the third before he broke twice more to win in just over two hours as world number 56 Serra saw his game collapse.
"I was making too many big steps on this surface and was too unbalanced and too defensive," Djokovic said.
GERMANS THROUGH
Andreas Beck became the fifth German to book a quarter-final spot after beating Slovak lucky loser Lukas Lacko 7-5 7-6 to set up a clash against Philipp Kohlschreiber.
Fellow German Nicolas Kiefer could have boosted their numbers but retired with a muscle injury after losing the first set 6-1 to Melzer.
World number 59 Philipp Petzschner also failed to reach the last eight after losing 5-7 7-5 6-2 to Belgium's Olivier Rochus who meets German Benjamin Becker.
The hosts are already assured of one place in Sunday's final with four German quarter-finalists in the top half of the draw.
(Editing by Ken Ferris)

Source: Reuters