Tennis Australia announced extra security yesterday for its team contesting the Davis Cup semi-final in Buenos Aires after Lleyton Hewitt threatened to boycott the tie, saying he feared for his safety.
Former world No. 1 Hewitt is reviled in Argentina after a series of clashes with players from the South American country and told Sydney's Daily Telegraph he was apprehensive about the Sept. 22-24 tie.
"The biggest concern is my safety," he said.
"The situation has got steadily worse for visiting teams and it takes only one wacko over there to turn things on its head. I've got my family to think about and there are issues around the security situation," Hewitt said.
The bad blood between Hewitt and the Argentines began at last year's Australian Open when Juan Ignacio Chela took exception to the Australian's histrionics and spat at him as they changed ends in their third round match, picking up a fine for unsportsmanlike conduct.
It continued later last year when Hewitt and Guillermo Coria traded insults and accused each other of bad sportsmanship after an ill-tempered Davis Cup singles rubber in Sydney.
After Australia won through to the semi-final in Buenos Aires, Davis Cup veteran Wayne Arthurs joked that Hewitt was a wanted man in Argentina and "they'll be throwing more than the kitchen sink at him".
But Tennis Australia spokesman John Lindsay said his organisation was taking the issue seriously and doing everything it could to ensure a safe environment for the players.
Jeremy Bates resigned as Great Britain's Davis Cup captain on Monday after the team's dismal home defeat to Israel in Eastbourne at the weekend.
Bates will continue as the Lawn Tennis Association's interim head of performance despite handing in his resignation on Monday afternoon.
The former British number one player had been widely expected to stand down after Britain's 3-2 defeat consigned them to a play-off with Ukraine in September to avoid dropping into the Euro-African Zone Group II.
Bates's reign, which began in April 2004 against Luxembourg after he succeeded Roger Taylor, yielded just two wins from six matches in charge.
A seven-year-old horse had to be euthanized on Friday after breaking its back on the final fence of a Grand National steeplechase race that it won despite sustaining the serious injury. It follows the death of four horses at the Cheltenham Festival last month — including one after the prestigious Gold Cup. Gold Dancer was competing in the Mildmay Novices’ Chase during Ladies Day at Aintree’s Grand National Festival. The horse managed to cross the finish line approximately four lengths ahead of runner-up Regent’s Stroll. “The winner of our second race of the day, Gold Dancer, was pulled up after
Taiwanese gymnast Tang Chia-hung on Sunday topped the men’s horizontal bar event at the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) World Cup in Osijek, Croatia, scoring 15.233 to take his third title this season. Tang delivered an outstanding performance in the final, earning a difficulty score of 6.500 and an execution score of 8.633 with a 0.1 stick bonus. His closest competitor was Milad Karimi of Kazakhstan, who finished second with 14.933 points. It was Tang’s third gold medal in the FIG World Cup series this year, following his horizontal bar wins in Azerbaijan on March 8, and in Turkey on March
Hans Niemann declares he would become a “stone cold killer” in a Netflix documentary released on Tuesday about his feud with five-time classical world champion Magnus Carlsen, a pledge that injects new edge into the lingering fallout from the cheating scandal that shook elite chess. “I’m gonna be a stone cold killer the rest of my life,” the US’ Niemann says in the film. “I’m going to become the best player in the world, and no one is going to believe that now, but this clip will play over and over again in 10 years — just wait.” “I just
The Daredevils yesterday took eight catches in the final as they eked out a victory in the Taiwan Cricket Triangular Tournament against PCCT at Yingfeng Cricket Ground in Taipei’s Songshan District. PCCT’s batting lineup collapsed after they asked the Daredevils to bowl in the T20 decider of the weekend tournament that also involved the Formosa Cricket Club. PCCT were bundled out for 76 in 16.2 overs against a disciplined Daredevils attack. Ninad Malwade was the top scorer in the innings with 21, but he was among those who offered chances to the fielders. Shane Ferreira and Jason Cameron took three wickets each, with
RSS