Champion Nadal pulls out of Wimbledon

LONDON (Reuters) - Mystery still surrounded defending champion Rafael Nadal's participation at Wimbledon after he lost a second warm-up match in two days but showed few obvious signs of pain from his knees on Friday.
The 23-year-old was beaten 4-6 7-6 10-3 by Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka in front of a couple of hundred spectators at an exclusive southwest London sports club before heading to Wimbledon where he was expected to talk about his fitness.
The match had been billed as a last-ditch test for the world number one who has been troubled by tendonitis in both knees since his shock early defeat at the French Open to Sweden's Robin Soderling.
While fans at the country club just a few miles away from the scene of Nadal's astonishing defeat of Roger Federer 12 months ago marveled at the dashing Spaniard, the assembled media only had eyes for Nadal's knees.
Every bend and stretch was a potential Wimbledon wrecker for Nadal, who gave precious little away with his body language throughout what was a reasonably strenuous work-out against the Olympic doubles champion.
Those looking for clues as to whether his knees would prevent him defending his title were left frustrated, although one incredible sprint from behind the baseline to near the net post before flicking a winner in the second set did not look like that of a man in pain.
The Mallorcan had winced and grimaced his way through a two-set defeat against Lleyton Hewitt the previous day but appeared more relaxed at the Hurlingham Club on Friday.
Lesser men who did not have the world's biggest grasscourt title to defend would have already given up the ghost and returned home to recover properly.
According to leading London knee surgeon John Browett the best option for Nadal would be complete rest, possibly as long as three months, although he said playing at Wimbledon would not risk serious injury.
"It's quite a difficult condition to treat," he told Reuters. "It's a common injury in sport where you are pushing off a bent knee.
"It is not career-threatening and won't do anything serious. It's not like an arthritic problem or torn meniscus but the pain of it may inhibit his play."
Being the fighter he is, Nadal will be desperate to give himself a chance to defend his crown, especially after the disappointment at Roland Garros.
However, former French Open champion Henri Leconte said Nadal needed to be careful.
"If he is not 100 percent I don't think he wants to risk his knees even more if they really hurt," said the charismatic Leconte.
"He had an extraordinary year last year (but it) was also an extremely tough year for him so now I think he's paying for it."
Friday's Wimbledon draw paired Nadal with Frenchman Arnaud Clement, the first of seven matches he would have to win to retain his trophy, a tall order even for one of the best athletes tennis has ever seen.
(Editing by Tony Jimenez)

Source: Reuters

Putter plagues Woods, McDowell shares lead

By Larry Fine
FARMINGDALE, New York (Reuters) - Tiger Woods missed two short putts in the finishing stretch in completing a four-over 74 that left him five shots off the pace among early first-round finishers at the weather-delayed U.S. Open on Friday.
Briton Graeme McDowell and amateur Drew Weaver, 22, were in the clubhouse on one-under-par 69 with several other players one-under on the course after the resumption of Thursday's washed out opening round at Bethpage Black.
McDowell was one-over through seven holes Thursday after starting from the 10th. The Northern Irishman returned to birdie the par-three 17th, the par-four second and par-five fourth before dropping a stroke with a bogey at the sixth.
"Coming back this morning we were unbelievably surprised at how good the ground staff had prepared the course," he told reporters about a layout submerged by 1.5 inches of rain.
Weaver, who was two over par after playing 10 holes Thursday, made three birdies on his way in to match McDowell.
World number two Phil Mickelson had just teed off as the second wave of the first round were setting off at Bethpage.
Once those players finish their opening round, they will go back out after a short break to begin their second rounds. The earlier starters were done for the day.
WOODS'S FINISH
Woods dipped to two-over when he missed an eight-foot par putt with his first stroke after play resumed for the 78 golfers on the course in Thursday's morning wave when heavy, persistent rain halted the action.
The world number one hauled himself back to level par with a tap-in birdie at 11, where his approach shot nearly hopped in the hole for eagle, and another at the 14th.
A drive into the rough started his troubles at 15 which culminated in double-bogey after he lipped out a three-footer. He missed a four-foot par putt at the 16th and then bogeyed 18 after missing an eight-foot putt for par after a poor chip.
"Overall the golf course was playing a little more difficult today," Woods said. "I had a mud ball three times.
"I was even par with four to go and I was right there where I needed to be. Two bad shots and a mud ball later and here we go on four over par."
(Editing by Kevin Fylan)

Source: Reuters

Klitschko-Chagaev fight on, hepatitis B no threat

By Karolos Grohmann
GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (Reuters) - World heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitschko will fight Ruslan Chagaev as planned on Saturday as the challenger's hepatitis B virus poses no health threat, health officials said on Friday.
The American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians (AAPRP) had urged organizers on Thursday to postpone the fight in front of an expected 60,000 crowd at soccer club Schalke 04's stadium.
The AAPRP said Uzbek Chagaev's hepatitis B virus could be a health threat to people in and around the ring given the fighter could be injured and his blood could infect trainers or spectators in or near the ring.
"The risk of infecting officials and visitors is beyond minimal," Gelsenkirchen health department chief Henriette Reker told reporters. Reker said all possible risks had been considered and said there was no need to re-evaluate the situation.
Chagaev's promoters said the boxer was not infectious.
"After contracting hepatitis B many years ago Ruslan Chagaev has never been sick due to hepatitis B. He is just a healthy carrier of hepatitis antigen with constantly normal liver enzymes," Universum Box-Promotion doctor Michael Ehnert said on the promoters' website (www.boxing.de).
"Infection doesn't mean illness. According to international expert opinions Ruslan Chagaev is regarded as non-infectious."
Ukraine's 33-year-old Klitschko, the IBF, IBO and WBO champion, was inoculated earlier this week against hepatitis B and said he was comfortable fighting Chagaev.
Klitschko, whose brother Vitaly holds the WBC crown, was initially scheduled to fight David Haye before the Briton pulled out with an injury earlier this month.
Undefeated Chagaev, 30, is the WBA champion-in-recess and so cannot defend that title against Klitschko.
(Editing by Sonia Oxley)

Source: Reuters

Woods drops to 2-over as play resumes at wet Bethpage

By Larry Fine
FARMINGDALE, New York (Reuters) - Tiger Woods missed an eight-foot putt for par and slipped four shots off the pace as the weather-delayed first round of the U.S. Open resumed on Friday at soggy Bethpage Black.
Woods slipped to two over par after his bogey at the seventh hole, while fellow American Justin Leonard posted back-to-back birdies on his return to Bethpage to reach two under par after nine holes.
A gloomy fog met the players returning to complete their first rounds, which were suspended on Thursday due to heavy downpours. There was no rain, however, and the forecast looked good for Friday as officials hoped for a full day of golf.
More than 200 groundskeepers and volunteers worked feverishly right up to the 0730 resumption of play to rid the course of as much water as possible.
Holder Woods, the heavy favorite as he pursues his 15th major title, returned to face his par-putt, but failed to convert.
Leonard, the 1997 British Open winner, sank a short birdie putt at the eighth upon his return and added another birdie at the ninth to post a two-under-par 33 for his front nine and jump into the lead.
Leonard had an adventurous outward nine with his only par coming on the first hole. He followed that with three bogeys and five birdies.
Americans Jeff Brehaut (through 12 holes) and Ryan Spears (4) were tied at one under par, with former champion Jim Furyk and Britons Graeme McDowell and Ian Poulter in a large group at level par.
Players from Thursday's washed out afternoon wave were scheduled to tee off at 1000 (1400 GMT) and officials hoped to begin second-round play at 1600 (2000 GMT).
(Editing by Kevin Fylan)

Source: Reuters

Klitschko-Chagaev fight is on, hepatitis B no threat

By Karolos Grohmann
GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany (Reuters) - World heavyweight champion Vladimir Klitschko will fight Ruslan Chagaev as planned Saturday as the challenger's hepatitis B virus poses no health threat, health officials said Friday.
The American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians (AAPRP) had urged organizers Thursday to postpone the fight in front of an expected 60,000 crowd at soccer club Schalke 04's stadium.
The AAPRP said Uzbek Chagaev's hepatitis B virus could be a health threat to people in and around the ring given the fighter could be injured and his blood could infect trainers or spectators in or near the ring.
"The risk of infecting officials and visitors is beyond minimal," Gelsenkirchen health department chief Henriette Reker told reporters. Reker said all possible risks had been considered and said there was no need to re-evaluate the situation.
Chagaev's promoters said the boxer was not infectious.
"After achieving hepatitis B many years ago Ruslan Chagaev has never been sick due to hepatitis B. He is just a healthy carrier of hepatitis antigen with constantly normal liver enzymes," Universum Box-Promotion doctor Michael Ehnert said on the promoters' website (www.boxing.de).
"Infection doesn't mean illness. According to international expert opinions Ruslan Chagaev is regarded as non-infectious."
Ukraine's 33-year-old Klitschko, the IBF, IBO and WBO champion, was inoculated earlier this week against hepatitis B and said he was comfortable fighting Chagaev.
Klitschko, whose brother Vitaly holds the WBC crown, was initially scheduled to fight David Haye before the Briton pulled out with an injury earlier this month.
Undefeated Chagaev, 30, is the WBA champion-in-recess and so cannot defend that title against Klitschko.
(Editing by Sonia Oxley)

Source: Reuters

Injury-worry Nadal to face Clement

By Pritha Sarkar
LONDON (Reuters) - World number one Rafael Nadal will begin the defense of his title at Wimbledon against Frenchman Arnaud Clement as long as his painful knees hold up.
Nadal is due to play an exhibition match on Friday before deciding whether he will take part in the year's third grand slam, which he won for the first time last year after a mesmeric five-set final against Roger Federer.
Nadal would open his campaign against the world number 49 and could face 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt in the second round after the draw was made at the All England Club on Friday.
Facing the Australian so early in the tournament is unlikely to be a welcome sight for Nadal as he was beaten by Hewitt in an exhibition match on Thursday.
If that was not bad enough, big-serving American and sixth seed Andy Roddick, twice a runner-up in London, could be lying in wait in the quarter-finals.
French Open champion Federer, in pursuit of a record 15th grand slam title, will open his account against Taiwan's Lu Yen-hsun.
However, he will have noted that he could run into Roland Garros runner-up Robin Soderling for the second time in less than a month in the last 16. Big-serving Croatian dangerman Ivo Karlovic lurks as a potential last-eight opponent.
GENTLE START
British third seed Andy Murray, hoping to become the first home winner of the men's title since Fred Perry in 1936 and a potential semi-final opponent for Nadal, faces American Robert Kendrick in his opener.
On paper it might appear to be a gentle start for Murray but Kendrick took Nadal to five sets in the second round in 2006 and the Briton is unlikely to underestimate the threat he poses.
His quarter of the draw also includes 2008 semi-finalist Marat Safin, who is making his last appearance in London.
World number four Novak Djokovic will take on Frenchman Julien Benneteau and was drawn in the same half of the draw as Federer.
Defending women's champion and third seed Venus Williams, who is the favorite to win a sixth singles title at the grasscourt championships, faces Swiss Stefanie Voegele and could line up against world number one Dinara Safina in the semis.
There could be an all-Williams final showdown at Wimbledon for the second year running since the American sisters were picked in separate halves of the draw.
Second seed Serena Williams, the U.S. and Australian Opens holder, will begin against Portuguese qualifier Neuza Silva and could face a quarter-final showdown against 2004 champion Maria Sharapova. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Astros strike late to defeat Rangers

ARLINGTON, Texas (Reuters) - The Houston Astros scored two late runs to defeat Texas 5-3 on Thursday and avoid a season sweep at the hands of the Rangers.
Hunter Pence hit a tiebreaking homer off Texas reliever Jason Jennings in the eighth and Michael Bourn added an RBI triple in the same inning to put Houston two runs clear in the interleague game.
The home run was a special one for Pence, who grew up in Arlington, Texas.
"Every time I play here, it's a little special because I have the memory of coming here as a boy and growing up watching from the stands," Pence told reporters. "It's something special every time I play on this ball field."
The American League West-leading Rangers (37-28) advanced runners to scoring position in the eighth and ninth, but could not bring them home.
Houston (30-34), who lost their first five games against Texas and languish at the bottom of the National League Central, started to claw their way back from an early 3-0 deficit through RBIs from Humberto Quintero and Carlos Lee in the fifth and sixth.
A passed ball in the sixth allowed Miguel Tejada to tie the game at 3-3.
Houston pitcher Brandon Backe allowed three runs over four innings in his first start of the season before four relievers combined to finish the game.
Backe had made four relief appearances after returning from a rib injury that kept him out most of the year.
"My mind was a little bit different," said Backe of his return to starting duties.
"I obviously was able to think about it and go over the hitters in my head before I actually got on the field."
Texas took an lead early through solo home runs from Michael Young and Chris Davis.
Rangers starter Vicente Padilla, who entered the game having won four of his last five starts, allowed three runs over six innings and took a 'no-decision'.
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Source: Reuters

Decision time for Nadal

By Miles Evans
LONDON (Reuters) - World number one Rafa Nadal faces one of the biggest matches of his career on Friday in front of a few hundred spectators at an exclusive southwest London sports club.
The 23-year-old will play Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka in an exhibition match which may not only decide whether he defends the Wimbledon crown he won so gloriously last year but also if his painful knees can permanently derail his glittered career.
The Mallorcan winced and grimaced his way through a two-set defeat against Lleyton Hewitt at the aristocratic Hurlingham Club on Thursday.
Lesser men who did not have the world's biggest grasscourt title to defend would have already given up the ghost and returned home to recover properly.
But Nadal is nothing if not a fighter and with his Roland Garros crown gone he will pull out all the stops to take his place in the 128-man field for the year's third grand slam starting on Monday, when the men's champion is traditionally scheduled to open his defense.
"Rafa is having difficulties bending his knees and it (seems) that his various treatments are not enough," his coach and uncle Toni Nadal told reporters after the defeat by Hewitt, whom Nadal walloped for the loss of just five games in Paris last month.
"It was a real test," British media reported Nadal as saying after the match.
"I will come back tomorrow and play and then make my decision about playing Wimbledon or not."
Nadal was stunned by Robin Soderling in the fourth round of the French Open and he then withdrew from the Queen's Club tournament, shunning the chance to defend another title in favor of nursing his aching joints for Wimbledon.
Few who watched his labored movements on Thursday could believe he will be up to the rigors of a seven-match defense of his Wimbledon title over the next fortnight, and fans will fear his presence in the draw to be made this lunchtime will be shortlived.
(Editing by Ossian Shine; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Source: Reuters

Williams sisters still a tough act to beat

By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) - Say it quietly but Venus Williams is just one year short of her 30th birthday, a genuine golden oldie in an era where the top women players routinely peak quickly before fading into an early retirement.
The American, like her younger sister Serena, has never followed the conventional path, however.
Now, 12 years after first bounding into Wimbledon's All England Club adorned with braids, jangly beads and a dazzling smile, Venus is still creating the same buzz as she goes for a sixth women's singles title.
With more than $22 million in the bank from prize money alone and 41 career titles the number three seed has no need to chase ranking points.
What ignites the spark these days are the big stages, with Wimbledon and all it's traditional magic still proving an irresistible pull for one of the game's most enduring talents.
Unlike number two seed Serena, Venus does not transmit an intimidating aura. She can be dreamy and tranquil off court, but once she sets foot on Center Court this serene athlete transforms into an unstoppable force of nature.
Venus retained her Wimbledon singles title last year when she stormed through the draw without dropping a set before beating Serena 7-5 6-4 in a high-quality clash of the siblings that finally produced a real match.
If the 29-year-old, a keen historian of the game, is to hold the Venus Rosewater Dish aloft for a sixth time, level with Billie Jean King and just three short of Martina Navratilova's record, it is a good bet she will have to beat her sister again.
"I think on the women's side it is a trio," Navratilova said this week when asked her opinion on who would lift the title.
"The Williams sisters and Svetlana Kuznetsova who just won the French Open. You still have to go with the Williams sisters. They have seven titles between them on the grass (at Wimbledon) and they will be hard to beat."
Fifth-seeded Kuznetsova, who beat world number one and fellow Russian Dinara Safina to win the French Open final this month, certainly looks the biggest threat other than the Williams sisters.
EMOTIONAL SCARS
She packs a powerful punch on serve and some big baseline weapons, although the fact that the Russian has never been beyond the last eight at Wimbledon is evidence that she has never felt totally comfortable on the grass.
Safina is seeded number one but losing the Australian and French Open finals this year will have left some emotional scars that a visit to her least profitable slam is unlikely to heal.
Also in the Russian ranks are Olympic champion and number four seed Elena Dementieva, who reached the semi-finals last year, and former world number one Maria Sharapova. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Buoyant Federer ready to reclaim Wimbledon crown

By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) - Will Roger Federer reclaim his Wimbledon throne? Will Rafael Nadal's knees permit him to defend his title? Can Andy Murray finally put the worn-out Fred Perry statistic to bed?
Those are the three burning questions as the All England Club's famous lawns get their final trim before the start of the year's third grand slam on Monday.
A sun-kissed first week is in store, according to the weather forecasters, but the British climate can be unpredictable, just as the men's game has been in recent weeks.
Who would have thought Federer -- who was ashen-faced 12 months ago when his pursuit of a sixth consecutive Wimbledon title was ended by Nadal in a stupendous final and hysterical after another defeat by the Spaniard in Melbourne -- would breeze into London as the French Open champion?
The cards fell favorably for the Swiss master in Paris when first Novak Djokovic, then Nadal and then Murray, were all knocked out allowing him the relatively straightforward task of beating Swede Robin Soderling to equal Pete Sampras's record haul of 14 grand slam titles.
After finally claiming the French crown and completing his career grand slam, Federer remarked that he could now play without pressure -- safe in the knowledge that few would deny he is the greatest player ever to swing a racket.
"Now, going into the grasscourt season, and Wimbledon, and being on top of the world, it's a fantastic feeling," said newly-married and soon to be father Federer.
It was all a bit different last year when Nadal, having humiliated Federer in the final at Roland Garros, promptly won the Queen's Club grasscourt title and then pole-axed the Swiss in the place he calls his own backyard.
A month later Nadal took Federer's world number one ranking and although the Swiss hit back to win the U.S. Open it seemed that a seismic shift had occurred in the sport.
ACHING KNEES
Nadal's return to London as defending champion has been overshadowed by injury worries. He withdrew from Queen's to rest his aching knees but the pain from the tendinitis has thrown his participation into doubt.
"I will give 200 percent to be 100 percent for the most important date in world tennis," Nadal said last week -- the Mallorcan well aware that only at full throttle would he have a real chance of scaling the heights of a year ago.
While weather and sporting fortunes are fickle, one thing is nailed on this year -- the loudest dose of Murray-mania yet.
It has taken British fans a while to warm to the 22-year-old Scot but his U.S. Open final appearance last year, his rise to number three in the world and last week's title at Queen's Club have raised expectations that he is on the verge of becoming the first home men's champion at Wimbledon since Perry in 1936.
Apart from a blip at the Australian Open, Murray's progress has been spectacular. He reached consecutive Masters Series finals, losing to Nadal in Indian Wells and beating Djokovic in Miami, then reached the last eight for the first time in Paris. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Patrick move to NASCAR means no life, says Andretti

By Steve Keating
TORONTO (Reuters) - A move to NASCAR could bear fruit for Danica Patrick, but the punishing stock car schedule may not appeal to motor sport's best known woman driver, according to Indy car team owner Michael Andretti.
"Physically those cars are easier to drive than our cars," the Andretti Green Racing (AGR) co-owner told Reuters on Thursday, while in Toronto to promote next month's Honda Indy which he owns.
"From that standpoint that won't be a problem.
"I think the bigger thing for her is, does she really want to commit to 36 races a year and basically not have a life?
"I think it would be really difficult for her."
With Patrick's contract at AGR set to expire at the end of the current Indy Racing League (IRL) season, North America's most popular and marketable motor sport racer has been linked to a big money move to NASCAR next season.
There has also been speculation of a possible jump to Formula One or a move down pit lane to AGR rival Chip Ganassi Racing.
Andretti, however, said Patrick wanted to stay at AGR and that talks were progressing toward a new deal.
"We went to her a month or so ago and asked her if she wanted to be here and she said, she would really like to continue," said Andretti. "Now we have to go and try and make it work and make it all come together."
OPTIONS OPEN
In a conference call on Tuesday, Patrick, who broke through as the first female winner of an IndyCar Series race in Japan last year, said she was keeping all her options open.
"I think the most important thing for me is to put myself in a situation where I can win as many races as possible and run up front and be in that competitive situation," said Patrick, who signed with sports management giant IMG earlier this year.
"After that there has to the brand side of the situation, being able to make the most of myself as an athlete and as an endorser of products.
"Hopefully we can keep our heads down and figure it out and make a good decision."
Patrick is enjoying one of her best seasons in open wheel racing with four top-five finishes in six races, highlighted by a third place at the Indy 500. Continued...
Source: Reuters

U.S. Open players braced for Monday finish as rain causes havoc

By Larry Fine
FARMINGDALE, New York (Reuters) - Rain made a shambles of the U.S. Open schedule with Thursday's postponement of play and more downpours in the forecast pointing to a probable Monday finish at the earliest, officials said.
"If the current weather forecast was accurate, a finish on Sunday would be borderline impossible," Mike Davis, U.S. Golf Association director of rules and competitions, told reporters.
With rain continuing to pound down, Davis said Bethpage Black was expected to receive an inch and a half of total precipitation on Thursday on an already soggy course.
The last group of Thursday's first-round morning flight were able to finish only two holes.
The 78 players already on the course were scheduled to return at 7:30 a.m. EDT to resume the first round, with the rest of the first-round starters pencilled in to start their rounds at 10 a.m. EDT, weather permitting.
Davis said the hope was to start second-round play at 12 p.m..
GLOOMY OUTLOOK
While Friday's forecast was encouraging, with lighter rain that would allow golf to be played, the outlook for Saturday was discouragingly similar to Thursday, he added.
Despite feeling the urgency to get as much golf in as soon as possible, officials ruled out the use of lift, clean and place practices employed by the golf tours when balls can become muddied after landing in soaked fairways.
"We just don't play lift, clean and place," Jim Hyler, chairman of the USGA championship committee told reporters. "If it gets that bad we're going to suspend."
However, using a squeegee on the greens to chase away standing water would continue and players could request their putting line be squeegeed.
"Where you have casual water on the green, where you have water on the green, we don't see that as inconsistency to squeegee the line of putt," said Hyler.
"As long as you squeegee (three feet) past the hole."
Players would also have the option to move the ball on a different line.
"If casual water intervenes on your line of putt you can get relief," said Hyler. "But typically you're going to see it squeegeed and get rid of the casual water."
(Editing by Ken Ferris)

Source: Reuters

Play suspended for day at saturated Bethpage

By Mark Lamport-Stokes
FARMINGDALE, New York (Reuters) - Play was suspended for the day at the rain-lashed U.S. Open on Thursday because of too much water on the greens, with half the field of 156 yet to tee off in the opening round.
Although organizers had been optimistic the rain would ease by early afternoon at Bethpage Black, they decided to call a halt at 2:00 p.m. EST.
At that point just over an inch of rain had soaked the par-70 course during the day, leaving pools of water on the greens and in low points on the fairways. The round, weather-permitting, will resume at 7:30 a.m. on Friday.
Only 3-1/4 hours of golf was possible under leaden skies on Thursday before play was initially suspended at 10:15 a.m.
"The volume of rainfall was outpacing our ability to squeegee the greens," chairman of the championship committee Jim Hyler told reporters.
"That was the bottom line. The greens became unplayable and we just needed to suspend."
Little-known American Jeff Brehaut led at one under par after 11 holes, level with Swede Johan Edfors (four holes), Canadian Andrew Parr (three) and American Ryan Spears (three).
Holder Tiger Woods, the heavy favorite this week in pursuit of his 15th major title, was one over after six holes having followed a double-bogey at the fifth with a birdie at the sixth.
Persistent rain over the last six weeks had saturated the hilly 7,426-yard layout and further showers and thunderstorms have been forecast on Long Island for the next five days.
LITTLE CHANCE
Although Friday's weather forecast was more promising, Hyler said there was little chance of completing the second round before Saturday when heavier rain is expected.
"We may be looking at Saturday morning to get the second round finished, get the cut and go from there," he added.
"But Saturday does not look good and then there's a possibility of more rain on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday."
The last time a U.S. Open spilled over into a fifth day before the 72 holes were completed was at Oakmont in 1983 when American Larry Nelson triumphed.
Hyler said the tees had been brought forward on the seventh, ninth, 10th and 12th holes for the opening round at Bethpage to give the players some relief on the sixth longest layout to stage a major championship. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Nadal's Wimbledon defence still in the balance

By Pritha Sarkar
LONDON (Reuters) - Champion Rafael Nadal's Wimbledon participation still hung in the balance on Thursday after his first outing on grass in 12 months did not go according to plan.
The world number one, troubled by tendinitis in his knees since being knocked out of the French Open in the fourth round last month, struggled with his movement during an exhibition match against Australian Lleyton Hewitt, which he lost 6-4 6-3.
"Rafa is having difficulties bending his knees and it (seems) that his various treatments are not enough," his coach and uncle Toni Nadal told reporters.
Asked if the Spaniard would turn up to defend his title on Monday at the All England Club, he added: "I don't know, we have to wait for tomorrow."
The 23-year-old will decide whether to play at Wimbledon after taking part in a second exhibition match against Stanislas Wawrinka at the Hurlingham Club on Friday.
Although the way Nadal plays puts a huge amount of pressure on his body and legs -- the exaggerated topspin, the chasing and sliding -- when it comes to the big tournaments he usually manages to play through the pain and flatten his opponents.
But if his hold on the All England Club crown ends in an exclusive sports club in Fulham and not down the road at Wimbledon, it will be a very sad day for world tennis.
"To think he might pull out of Wimbledon is quite frightening," French Open champion Roger Federer said last week after the Spaniard skipped the traditional warm-up tournament at Queen's Club to have treatment on his knees.
With no match practice on grass before this week, Nadal opted to test his fitness at Hurlingham.
BEND DOWN
The match had started promisingly for Nadal as he stepped on court without wearing any support around his troublesome knees.
In his first service game, which lasted four deuces and eight minutes, he bent low to flick a volley winner and also ran around court chasing down the ball during a 17-shot rally.
But as the contest progressed, Nadal and his camp began to get more and more worried.
As Toni Nadal urged him to "bend down" to the ball during the second set, the Spaniard appeared to mutter, "I can't."
By the time the one hour 20 minute match finished, Nadal looked world weary and barely resembled the man who ended Federer's five-year reign at Wimbledon last July. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Chicago Cubs talks reopen with rival bidder: sources

By Ben Klayman and Megan Davies
CHICAGO/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Talks to sell the storied Chicago Cubs baseball team have reopened with a rival bidding group, and are continuing alongside negotiations with the original Ricketts family buyers, sources familiar with the situation said on Thursday.
Bankrupt media company Tribune Co, owner of The Los Angeles Times, has been trying to sell the Cubs for more than two years to reduce its debt burden. It agreed in January to sell the prized team and other assets for $900 million.
An exclusivity period between Tribune and the Ricketts group has ended and the media company is now talking to a group that includes private equity investors Marc Utay and Leo Hindery, three sources familiar with the situation said.
"We know that they went back to the Utay group," said one of the sources, who asked not to be identified because the sales process has not closed.
Spokesmen for Tribune Co and Tom Ricketts, who is leading his family's bid, said their talks are ongoing and Ricketts spokesman Dennis Culloton described them as positive. Utay and Hindery declined to comment.
Sports franchises' values have been hurt by the recession and tighter credit markets as analysts had expected the Cubs to draw bids topping $1 billion.
Buyers are eager to take control of the National League team, which despite not winning a World Series title since 1908 has a huge fan base helped by its "lovable losers" image and national exposure on cable TV.
Tribune Co, which also owns the Chicago Tribune, filed for bankruptcy in December due to its heavy debt load and the weak U.S. publishing sector. It put the Cubs, the team's famous Wrigley Field home and a 25 percent stake in a local sports TV network on the block in April 2007, when Tribune agreed to an $8.2 billion buyout led by real estate magnate Sam Zell.
Tribune Co agreed in January to sell the Cubs to a group led by Tom Ricketts, chief executive of Chicago investment bank Incapital LLC and son of the founder of TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.
However, the deal with Ricketts was not finalized before an exclusivity period ended. Several sources said that Tribune and Zell are now able to negotiate with other buyers.
"It is crystal clear that he's talking to others and the outcome's not determined," a second source said. "Until someone has signed a purchase agreement, anything is possible."
Tribune Co and its banker, JP Morgan, have entered into formal talks with the Utay/Hindery group and a deal could be reached late next week, a third source said.
However, others said the re-emergence of the Utay/Hindery group, which finished just shy of the Ricketts' offer in January, also could be Tribune Co's way to pressure Ricketts into settling on terms desired by the media company. Two sources described the sides as on the verge of a deal.
"That's just a way to keep the fire on the Ricketts," the first source said. "The Ricketts have never been closer to getting a deal done."
While the Ricketts group has lined up its financing, sources previously told Reuters that the sides have been unable to reach agreement on the value of Cubs' broadcast contracts.
(Reporting by Ben Klayman and Megan Davies; Editing by Lisa Von Ahn, Maureen Bavdek and Matthew Lewis)

Source: Reuters