Murray mania gathers momentum

Wimbledon begins;rain roof ready
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By Pritha Sarkar
LONDON (Reuters) - The now familiar tide of Murray-mania swept across Wimbledon on Tuesday as Andy Murray began his bid to end Britain's 73-year wait for a men's singles champion.
With the sun beating down on southwest London, crowds flocked into the All England Club for the second day running as Murray made his much-anticipated appearance on Center Court.
One man hoping to gatecrash the British party was American Robert Kendrick, Murray's opening round opponent.
"I would love to disappoint a nation," he told British media in the build-up to the match. "But then I would probably have to leave the country the next day."
Third seed Murray was welcomed by a bumper crowd at the increasingly popular grasscourt tournament after 42,811 spectators came through the gates on the opening day.
That was 354 higher than the previous single-day record set during the 2002 championships.
But before the main Murray show began, there had been plenty of supporting acts around to entertain the fans on day two.
MINIMUM FUSS
Venus Williams performed her duties as champion with the minimum of fuss to stride into the second round with a 6-3 6-2 win over Switzerland's Stefanie Voegele.
The American, described by nine times former champion Martina Navratilova as having "the wingspan of a 747," used her long limbs to great effect to easily fly past Wimbledon debutant Voegele.
"It's the best place to be when you are a pro tennis player and I savor every blade of it," said Williams, who is chasing a sixth title at Wimbledon. "I've had that crown for several years and I want to make it mine again."
Dinara Safina's chances of living up to her world number one billing did not look too promising as she struggled past Spain's Lourdes Dominguez Lino 7-5 6-3.
Sixth seed Jelena Jankovic also struggled as she clawed her way back from 5-2 down in the second set to beat Germany's Julia Goerges 6-4 7-6.
While the bubbly Serbian skipped back into the locker room, her namesake Jelena Dokic buried her head in a towel after her return to Wimbledon ended in a 3-6 7-5 6-2 defeat by Tatjana Malek of Germany.
Almost four weeks after Dokic left court in floods of tears, when her Roland Garros challenge ended with a back injury, she suffered another blow at the grasscourt major. Continued...
Source: Reuters

NHL's bankrupt Coyotes to go to auction Aug or Sept

By Ben Klayman
CHICAGO (Reuters) - The Phoenix Coyotes may be sold in an August or September auction after a bankruptcy judge outlined a schedule to address whether the bankrupt hockey team will play its future games in Arizona or possibly Canada.
Judge Redfield Baum of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Arizona on Monday ruled a sale of the team -- for which BlackBerry maker Research in Motion Ltd co-Chief Executive Jim Balsillie has offered $212.5 million -- will proceed along two tracks, according to Thomas Salerno, attorney for the National Hockey League team's owner, Jerry Moyes.
Under the judge's schedule, an auction for the Coyotes will be held on August 5 for bidders willing to keep the team in the Phoenix suburb of Glendale, Salerno said.
The NHL has said it wants to keep the team in Arizona and four potential bidders are committed to that.
If the August auction fails to attract a suitable offer, a second auction -- open to other bidders, including Balsillie, who could move the team -- would be held on September 10, Salerno said. The Coyotes, which filed for bankruptcy in May, have never made a profit since moving to Arizona in 1996.
"The judge is 'two tracking' it, but is accelerating the process such that a relocation bid, if approved by the NHL or the court, could still happen for the 2009-10 season," he said in an email.
The money-losing Coyotes are one of the less valuable NHL franchises. On Saturday, the Molson family tentatively agreed to buy control of the storied Montreal Canadiens club in a deal a source previously valued at almost $575 million.
Balsillie has no plans to bid in the first round in August, a spokesman for the avid hockey fan said.
"Mr. Balsillie has been very clear that his plan is to relocate the team to southern Ontario," Bill Walker said. "We don't see value in keeping a team that's losing $35 (million) to $40 million a year where it is."
Balsillie failed in previous efforts to buy NHL teams in Pittsburgh and Nashville, and move them to Hamilton, Ontario.
NHL officials said the league was prepared to adopt the two-tier approach to the auction.
"We are confident ... there's a viable offer that will make this team viable in Glendale," Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said in a statement.
The NHL said it will discuss the Coyote's bankruptcy at a league owners' meeting on Wednesday.
In a filing on Monday prior to the judge's ruling, the NHL had sought an auction limited to bidders committed to keeping the team in Arizona for at least one year and had expected to make a decision on ownership transfer by the end of July.
The NHL's original proposal would have left Balsillie free to bid on the Coyotes and possibly later move the team. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Fatigued Americans face daunting task against Spain

By Mark Gleeson
BLOEMFONTEIN (Reuters) - The U.S. are prepared to battle fatigue and frustration in a daunting Confederations Cup semi-final against Spain on Wednesday.
"We are very excited to still be around in this tournament but it has been tiring," U.S. captain Landon Donovan said at a news conference in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
"It's a big challenge in a lot of ways. It's a game in which we know they will have a lot of possession and a big part of playing against them is not getting frustrated.
"On the other hand, we need to try and put them under pressure and see how they react to that," added the 27-year-old.
"We have never been to the semi-final of a tournament of this caliber and in some ways this is even tougher that the World Cup just in terms of the quality of opposition."
In terms of quality, it does not get any better than Spain, the European champions who extended their winning run to a record 15 matches with three comfortable victories in the group phase.
The U.S. lost their two opening group games to Italy and Brazil but staged a near-miraculous recovery to beat Egypt 3-0 in their last Group B game in Sunday and qualify for the last four ahead of the world champions on the number of goals scored.
"It's a big accomplishment to have gotten to this point," Donovan added.
U.S. coach Bob Bradley said he expected Spain to pose myriad problems for his team.
"They play the ball quickly, the keep possession well and they have some special players," Bradley said. "But we have the ability to put their defense under pressure. It will take a good game plan and a complete effort from the players to beat them."
Bradley said goalkeeper Tim Howard would return to the starting line-up after Brad Guzan was given a chance to play against Egypt. Defender Carlos Bocanegra is still not sure of a place despite returning to training after a hamstring injury.
The winners advance to the final in Johannesburg on Sunday where they meet either Brazil or hosts South Africa whose semi-final is at Ellis Park on Thursday. The third place playoff match is on Sunday in Rustenburg.
(Editing by Kevin Fylan)

Source: Reuters

Murray mania gathers steam

Wimbledon begins;rain roof ready
Play Video
By Pritha Sarkar
LONDON (Reuters) - The now familiar tide of Murray-mania began sweeping across Wimbledon on Tuesday as Andy Murray prepared to begin his bid to end Britain's 73-year wait for a men's singles champion.
With the sun beating down on southwest London, record crowds were expected to file into the All England Club for the second day running as the countdown began for Murray to make his much-anticipated appearance on Center Court.
One man hoping to gatecrash the British party was American Robert Kendrick, Murray's opening round opponent.
"I would love to disappoint a nation," he told British media in the build-up to the match. "But then I would probably have to leave the country the next day."
Third seed Murray can expect a bumper crowd to turn up after 42,811 spectators came through the gates on the opening day.
That was 354 higher than the previous single-day record set during the 2002 championships.
But before the main Murray show, they were plenty of supporting acts around to entertain the fans on day two.
Venus Williams performed her duties as champion with the minimum of fuss to stride into the second round with a 6-3 6-2 win over Switzerland's Stefanie Voegele.
LONG LIMBS
The American, described by nine times former champion Martina Navratilova as having "the wingspan of a 747," used her long limbs to great effect to easily fly past Wimbledon debutant Voegele.
"It's the best place to be when you are a pro tennis player and I savor every blade of it," said Williams, who is chasing a sixth title at Wimbledon. "I've had that crown for several years and I want to make it mine again."
Sixth seeded Jelena Jankovic clawed her way back from 5-2 down in the second set to beat Germany's Julia Goerges 6-4 7-6.
While the bubbly Serbian skipped back into the locker room, her namesake Jelena Dokic buried her head in a towel after her return to Wimbledon ended in a 3-6 7-5 6-2 defeat by Tatjana Malek of Germany.
Almost four weeks after Dokic left court in floods of tears, when her Roland Garros challenge ended with a back injury, she suffered another blow at the grasscourt major.
DIZZY SPELL Continued...
Source: Reuters

Mother Nature overshadows Glover's victory

By Mark Lamport-Stokes
FARMINGDALE, New York (Reuters) - Former major winners Phil Mickelson and David Duval provided the late spark and champion Lucas Glover nerves of steel but the 109th U.S. Open will primarily be remembered for Mother Nature.
When Glover sealed a surprise two-shot victory with steady pars on the last two holes at Bethpage Black Monday, there was a collective sigh of relief that the seemingly interminable event had at last ended.
Not since 1983 had the U.S. Open spilled over into a fifth day without requiring a playoff. For much of last week it seemed the 2009 edition was capable of going into a sixth and possibly seventh day in the face of bleak forecasts.
Persistent rain on Long Island over the last six weeks had saturated the par-70 Bethpage layout and with just 3- hours of golf possible on the scheduled opening day, the year's second major was thrown into disarray.
Rounds and days merged into a dizzying haze as the tournament's organizers and Bethpage's groundskeepers worked feverishly to play catch-up.
The players were hurled on to a roller-coaster of late finishes, early starts and occasional mudballs while the fans, turning out in impressive numbers, had to negotiate quagmires out on the course along with heavy downpours.
"We couldn't even remember what day we were playing," said world number one and defending champion Tiger Woods, who tied for sixth after playing in the tougher half of the draw at Bethpage. "It just all blurs together."
Britain's flamboyantly dressed Ian Poulter, who kept his supporters up-to-date with regular postings on twitter throughout the tournament, wrote: "It was the strangest week ever. Flippers and snorkel required."
Thankfully the weather Sunday did not pan out as badly as had been forecast and the tournament limped into round four before Monday's final action unfolded.
While the 2009 U.S. Open will most certainly not rank as one of the classics, there were enough compelling storylines to make it a worthy one.
PGA Tour rookie Ricky Barnes, who qualified for the event along with Duval and Glover in Columbus, Ohio, set a U.S. Open record of eight-under-par 132 to lead by one shot after 36 holes.
He then became only the fourth player to reach double digits under par at the event in the third round before finally succumbing to nerves and sliding back into a tie for second.
STANDING OVATIONS
Crowd favorite Mickelson received standing ovations all week from boisterous galleries as he competed in his first major since his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer.
The American world number two came close to delivering a U.S. Open victory high on emotion when he spectacularly eagled the par-five 13th to tie Glover for the lead at four under. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Beckham wins damages over topless model slur

LONDON (Reuters) - England soccer player David Beckham won substantial libel damages at London's High Court on Tuesday over a newspaper claim that he "made a play" for Hungarian model Mariann Fogarasy.
The 34-year-old football star was awarded the undisclosed settlement in his case against Express Group Newspapers over an article which appeared in The Daily Star in April, the Press Association reported.
The front page story, which was headed "Becks and the Blonde Beauty" and "Topless Model Claims She Was Chatted Up by Footie Star," was also published on the newspaper's website.
Beckham's solicitor, Gerrard Tyrrell, told Justice Eady the allegations were completely untrue.
The article claimed that Beckham had "made a play" for Fogarasy after an AC Milan match in Hungary and that he had been emailing her with private party invitations since they "got close" after the match.
Tyrrell said the newspaper now accepted that Beckham did not behave in the manner described and unequivocally retracted the allegations.
Kate Wilson, for Express Group Newspapers, which has agreed to pay Beckham substantial damages and his legal costs, apologized to him and his family for the distress, embarrassment and injury caused.
Football's biggest pin-up was not present in court to hear the latest damages award.
Last week, the multi-million pound player and his wife Victoria received an apology from a former nanny at the High Court over her disclosures of confidential information about the couple.
The case resulted from allegations made by Abbie Gibson about the private lives of the LA Galaxy player and his former Spice Girl wife after she had resigned from her job.
(Reporting by Stefano Ambrogi; Editing by Steve Addison)

Source: Reuters

Federer starts with precision

Wimbledon begins;rain roof ready
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By Pritha Sarkar
LONDON (Reuters) - Roger Federer turned up at Wimbledon Monday resembling an army general ready to conduct his latest campaign and soon disarmed the opposition on the opening day of the grasscourt championships.
The Swiss strolled on court in a white monogrammed military-style outfit, complete with a waistcoat underneath, and was soon firing winners past Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun to secure a 7-5 6-3 6-2 win in the first round.
Wimbledon's famed lawns became slippery like an ice rink later in the day as Novak Djokovic and Julien Benneteau skidded around on the slick surface before the Serbian fourth seed pulled out a 6-7 7-6 6-2 6-4 victory.
Federer had the honor of opening Center Court proceedings, a privilege usually reserved for the champion, after his great rival Rafael Nadal pulled out with a knee injury.
Although Federer's five-year Wimbledon reign was ended by the Spaniard last year, it was not long before he was acting every inch a champion and swatted aside Lu with a glorious forehand winner.
"It's a very privileged spot, Monday 1pm, of course I feel honored. I know Rafa deserved it more than I do this year but somebody had to do it and I'm happy they chose me. It gets your heart beating, that's for sure," the French Open champion said after beginning his pursuit of a record 15th grand slam title.
Asked about his fashion statement, the second seed added: "I went for a modern military look, hope people like it."
UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE
However, All England Club officials might have been slightly concerned when second seed Serena Williams stepped out in a white raincoat that could be handy should the heavens open.
It looked like no one had told the American there was now a retractable roof over Center Court. Luckily neither roof nor raincoat was needed as Williams slipped into the round two with a 6-1 7-5 victory over Portuguese qualifier Neuza Silva.
Maria Sharapova, who is slated to meet Williams in the last eight, has often raised eyebrows with her Wimbledon wardrobe.
But, a year after turning up in a tuxedo-inspired ensemble, the Russian opted for understated elegance in a classic white dress as she tried to improve on her 2008 second-round showing.
Sharapova, bumped up to 24th seed despite being 60th in the world as she continues her comeback from a nine-month layoff after shoulder surgery, recovered from 4-1 down in the first to claim a 7-5 6-4 win over Ukrainian qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova.
"I was just trying to hold in there. I was only down two breaks and I thought, 'It's not over till it's over'," she said.
It was a sentiment shared by Djokovic who looked to be in serious trouble when he lost the opening set. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Redding solid as injury-plagued Mets pip Cardinals

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Tim Redding pitched seven solid innings for his first win of the season as the injury-riddled New York Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-4 on Monday.
Omir Santos had four hits and Daniel Murphy homered for the Mets, who were missing center fielder Carlos Beltran after he was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a badly bruised knee.
The Mets are already without shortstop Jose Reyes, first baseman Carlos Delgado and three pitchers, but got a morale-boosting win despite their make-shift lineup.
"That was a huge win for us," New York manager Jerry Manuel told reporters. "We got some great pitching when we needed it and a lot of different guys stepped up in a tough situation."
Redding (1-2) allowed four runs on five hits with four strikeouts and one walk.
"I told myself we had to get off to a good start, show we're not just going to lay down," Redding said of his mindset with all of the injuries in the clubhouse.
"Nobody is expecting a lot right now with all the injuries we have but we have to keep going."
New York also pounded out 14 hits and managed to keep red-hot St. Louis slugger Albert Pujols in check to move to within 1- games of the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East.
"We're not as bad as people think we are," said Mets shortstop Alex Cora, who hit two RBI singles. "As long as your mind and your effort is consistent, we're going to be fine."
Ryan Ludwick and Brendan Ryan both homered for the Cardinals, who had their lead in the NL Central cut to one game over the Milwaukee Brewers with the loss.
Todd Wellemeyer (6-7) allowed five runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings to take the loss.
(Writing by Roger Lajoie in Toronto; Editing by Greg Stutchbury; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

Source: Reuters

Glover holds nerve to triumph at Bethpage

Glover wins U.S. Open
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By Mark Lamport-Stokes
FARMINGDALE, New York (Reuters) - Lucas Glover stayed rock steady to hold off thrilling charges by fellow Americans Phil Mickelson and David Duval and claim his first major title at the weather-delayed U.S. Open on Monday.
Five strokes ahead of the field overnight with compatriot Ricky Barnes, Glover closed with a three-over-par 73 at a blustery and overcast Bethpage Black to triumph by two shots.
The 29-year-old, whose only previous PGA Tour victory came at the 2005 Disney Classic, kept his composure in nerve-jangling conditions to post a four-under total of 276.
"It was a test of patience today," a beaming Glover said after earning the winner's cheque for $1.35 million. "It was tough. The golf course played fantastic but it was just hard today.
"I was pretty nervous coming down the stretch and 16 obviously was huge," he added, referring to a six-foot putt there for his only birdie of the day. "I hit the shots today that I had to hit in the situation."
Tour rookie Barnes, like Glover a qualifier, slid out of contention with five bogeys in seven holes from the fifth on the way to a 76 and a tie for second place.
Also at two under were three-times major winner and crowd favorite Mickelson, who carded a topsy-turvy 70, and former world number one Duval, after a five-birdie 71.
"I put myself in a great position to close it out but unfortunately I didn't finish it off," Mickelson said after claiming a record fifth runner-up spot at the U.S. Open.
"Certainly I'm disappointed but, now that it's over, I've got more important things going on."
Mickelson's wife Amy, diagnosed with breast cancer last month, is scheduled to start treatment on July 1.
Britain's Ross Fisher eagled the par-five 13th to close to within a stroke of the lead before bogeying two of the last four holes for a 72 and fifth place at one under.
BIRDIE OPPORTUNITIES
Triple champion and holder Tiger Woods, who failed to make the most of his birdie opportunities all week, closed with a one-under-par 69 to tie for sixth at level-par 280.
Mother Nature finally stepped aside after a rain-soaked week of lengthy delays at Bethpage to allow the golf to dominate as the year's second major came alive on the back nine.
Left-hander Mickelson spectacularly eagled the 13th to move into a tie for the lead with Glover at four under, striking a superb second shot to four feet and coolly knocking in the putt before pumping his left fist in celebration. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Federer starts with military precision

Wimbledon begins;rain roof ready
Play Video
By Pritha Sarkar
LONDON (Reuters) - Roger Federer turned up at Wimbledon on Monday resembling an army general ready to conduct his latest campaign and soon disarmed the opposition on the opening day of the grasscourt championships.
The Swiss strolled on court in a white monogrammed military-style outfit, complete with a waistcoat underneath, and was soon firing winners past Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun to secure a 7-5 6-3 6-2 win in the first round.
Wimbledon's famed lawns became slippery like an ice rink later in the day as Novak Djokovic and Julien Benneteau skidded around on the slick surface before the Serbian fourth seed pulled out a 6-7 7-6 6-2 6-4 victory.
Federer had the honor of opening Center Court proceedings, a privilege usually reserved for the champion, after his great rival Rafael Nadal pulled out with a knee injury.
Although Federer's five-year Wimbledon reign was ended by the Spaniard last year, it was not long before he was acting every inch a champion and swatted aside Asia's only contender in the men's draw with a glorious forehand winner.
"It's a very privileged spot, Monday 1pm, of course I feel honored. I know Rafa deserved it more than I do this year but somebody had to do it and I'm happy they chose me. It gets your heart beating, that's for sure," the French Open champion said after beginning his pursuit of a record 15th grand slam title.
Asked about his fashion statement, the second seed added: "I went for a modern military look, hope people like it."
UNDERSTATED ELEGANCE
However, All England Club officials might have been slightly concerned when number two seed Serena Williams stepped out in a white raincoat that could be handy should the heavens open.
It looked like no one had told the American there was now a retractable roof over Center Court. Luckily neither roof nor raincoat was needed as Williams slipped into the second round with a 6-1 7-5 victory over Portuguese qualifier Neuza Silva.
Maria Sharapova, who is slated to meet Williams in the last eight, has often raised eyebrows with her Wimbledon wardrobe.
But, a year after turning up in a tuxedo-inspired ensemble, the Russian opted for understated elegance in a classic white dress as she tried to improve on her 2008 second-round showing.
Sharapova, bumped up to 24th seed despite being 60th in the world as she continues her comeback from a nine-month layoff after shoulder surgery, recovered from 4-1 down in the first to claim a 7-5 6-4 win over Ukrainian qualifier Viktoriya Kutuzova.
"I was just trying to hold in there. I was only down two breaks and I thought, 'It's not over till it's over'," she said.
It was a sentiment shared by Djokovic who looked to be in serious trouble when he lost the opening set. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Game, set and grunt: Wimbledon faces noise pollution

By Paul Majendie
LONDON (Reuters) - Martina Navratilova thinks it is cheating, Serena Williams does not even know she is doing it and now there is a Portuguese teenager who appears to cry out in agony when she hits the ball.
Grunting is back on the tennis agenda at the world's most famous tournament, which starts on Monday, and the big noise at Wimbledon could be 16-year-old Michelle Larcher de Brito.
At the French Open, her opponent Aravane Rezai complained about the racket across the net, telling the umpire it was distracting her.
Unrepentant as she heads into Wimbledon's first round as a wild card, Larcher de Brito has said grunting is "just something I have done always since I started playing tennis. I am going to keep on doing it because it is really part of my game."
Nine-times Wimbledon champion Navratilova, who found the grunting of Monica Seles off-putting, feels tennis officials should take a stand.
"The grunting has reached an unacceptable level. It is cheating pure and simple and it is time for something to be done," she said at an awards ceremony in Paris earlier this month.
Jimmy Connors grunted his way to eight grand slam victories in the 1970s and 80s. Ivan Lendl complained that Andre Agassi's grunting put him off. Today female players are under the spotlight as "decibel demons."
SEX APPEAL
A lion's roar is reckoned to reach 110 decibels. Former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova, who says she grunted since the age of four and cannot help it, has been measured at 101.
At her pre-Wimbledon news conference on Saturday, the first question to Sharapova was about grunting.
She was asked to comment on former champion Michael Stich saying that women players should not grunt because it was not sexy and sex appeal was the main attraction of women's tennis.
"No, I don't have an opinion on that," she replied crisply.
Also probed about her grunting, which has been measured at 88.9 decibels, 10-times grand slam champion Williams said it was "definitely not conscious. Sometimes I am so zoned I don't grunt, sometimes I'm so zoned that I do grunt."
Larcher de Brito was trained at the Florida academy of Nick Bollettieri, who nurtured such grand slam champions as Sharapova, Seles and Agassi.
He says his academy has never encouraged grunting but argues that it does help players to release energy and stay focused. Continued...
Source: Reuters

Fehr to step down as head of players' union

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Donald Fehr, the hard-nosed chief of Major League Baseball Players' Association (MLBPA), said on Monday he would step down, ending nearly 25 years of overseeing one of the sporting world's most powerful unions.
Players' association general counsel Michael Weiner will take over for Fehr, pending board approval.
"It has been a high privilege to be entrusted with the leadership of this extraordinary union for the last 25 years, and I am enormously proud of what the players have accomplished during that time," Fehr said in a statement.
"But now, about two years before the next round of collective bargaining, is the right time for me to relinquish my position and for the players to name new leadership.
"Accordingly, I have informed members of the executive board I will resign effective not later than next March 31."
Fehr, who went to work for the union as general counsel in 1977 and was elected executive director in 1985, gave no reason for his decision other than it was "time to go."
Over his 32 years with the MLBPA, Fehr crossed swords with five Major League Baseball commissioners, including current chief Bud Selig, who acknowledged their differences.
"For more than 25 years, Don has represented his constituency with passion, loyalty and great diligence," Selig said in a statement. "Although we have had our differences, I have always respected his role.
"In recent years, we have worked together to find common ground for the betterment of the game, which will have resulted in 16 years of unprecedented labor peace by the end of our current collective bargaining agreement.
"We hope to continue to build upon the game's prosperity as we work with the new leadership."
Under Fehr's watch, players' salaries have increased tenfold from an average of about $300,000 to over $3 million this season, gains won through three work stoppages including a 1994 players' strike that forced the cancellation of the World Series.
Fehr waged a fierce fight to keep owners from enforcing a salary cap, won the collusion cases of the 1980s and fought off efforts to reduce the size of the two leagues in 2002.
Baseball has enjoyed labor peace in recent years but Fehr exits under a cloud with the sport facing a doping crisis that has been laid at the feet of the union and its refusal to agree to tough drug-testing.
"We have had some good times and some difficult times over the years," said Fehr.
"Over all of those years, players remained unified, involved, and absolutely determined to achieve fair agreements.
"That is what counted. That is what will count in the years to come."
(Writing by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Greg Stutchbury)

Source: Reuters