'Sochi girl' Maria Sharapova rooting for Russia in Winter Olympics

Sochi, Russia:  Russian tennis queen Maria Sharapova may live in Florida and talk with an American accent... but speaking in her home town of Sochi on Wednesday she made it clear her loyalties lie with the country of her birth.

The four-time Grand Slam champion, born in Siberia, spent several years as a young girl in the host city of the 2014 Winter Olympics before moving to America to hone her skills.

Speaking at a Samsung promotional event in the Olympic park, Sharapova -- one of the world's most recognisable sports stars -- said it was great to be back in a place that held so many special memories for her.

"This is where I started playing my sport so that is the most meaningful thing for me," said the towering Russian, dressed in high-heeled black shoes and a long grey coat.

"It's so special and meaningful for me to have these Winter Games in Sochi, somewhere I spent five, six years of my childhood, where I created so many memories," the 26-year-old added.

"When I heard that the Olympics would be here I was so happy because I would hope that people would finally know about this city. Because I always believed it was special and unique and I hoped that the rest of the world would finally see that."

Sharapova said she grew up watching figure skating and ice hockey.

And when asked who she would be supporting if it came to a crunch ice hockey gold medal match between former Cold War foes Russia and America, Sharapova was unequivocal.

"My home country for sure," she said.

Sharapova might have to hide her loyalties because she is in Sochi working for US broadcaster NBC -- signed to offer a unique and personal perspective on the area.

The Russian was the flag-bearer for her country at the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Summer Olympics, where she won the women's singles silver medal.

And she admitted on Wednesday that she would love to play in another Olympics.

"I would like another Olympic experience. London was incredible," she said.

Sharapova, who endured an injury-plagued 2013, has had a mixed start to the new season, reaching two semi-finals but crashing out in the fourth round of last month's Australian Open.

Currently ranked fifth in the world, she remains one of the game's most popular figures and in August topped Forbes magazine's list of the world's 10 best-paid women athletes.

She hopes the Games will place Sochi firmly on the map.

"When I went to America from Sochi no one knew about Sochi, where it is," Sharapova told Russian state television.

"I hope that after the Olympics I will not need to explain any more where Sochi is as everyone will know."

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Red Bull sputters out of Jerez test early

Jerez de la Frontera, Spain:  Red Bull's frustrating start to Formula One testing came to a sputtering halt on Friday as four days of car problems ended with another early retirement, this time due to a mechanical fault.

Daniel Ricciardo managed just seven laps around Jerez Circuit before pulling out of the morning session to focus on getting the RB10 ready for the next preseason test in Bahrain.

Williams led the time sheets with Felipe Massa clocking a best lap of 1 minute, 28.229 seconds from 89 laps, nearly 1 second ahead of former Ferrari teammate Fernando Alonso. Alonso ran a session-high 115 laps, with McLaren driver Kevin Magnussen following with 110 laps.

Red Bull said "a mechanical issue" was discovered that could not be fixed in time for the afternoon session, leaving it to run just the seven laps.

In all, Red Bull managed just 21 laps over four days due a variety of issues, from poorly-fitted parts to battery problems and electrical issues.

Four-time defending champion Sebastian Vettel managed just 14 laps, while championship rivals like McLaren and Ferrari ran strong test programs ahead of the new season.

"It's been a very difficult test," Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said. "We have had numerous Renault issues as well as chassis cooling issues, which have affected our progress. However, despite the lack of mileage, what we have managed to learn shows that the problems should be solvable for the next test in Bahrain."

Mercedes pair Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton combined for a promising 132 laps on Friday, as teams grappled with a rash of regulation changes that have affected everything from weight and aesthetics to the power of the engine.

"I was able to do a full race simulation on only the fourth day of winter testing, so we can be very happy about that," said Rosberg, who lapped a quickest time of 1:36.951 to trail Hamilton by six seconds. "We've learned a lot this week so it's an encouraging start to the year."

Mercedes led the test with 309 laps to Ferrari's 251. Lotus did not attend the opening pre-season test.

Early morning rain also allowed teams to test in the wet, with the day finally ending under a red flag after Magnussen ran into the barriers, with Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso also finding the same wall.

The second preseason test at Bahrain runs from February 19-22.

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Cristiano Ronaldo banned for 3 games for mocking match officials after being red-carded

Madrid:  Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has been banned for three Spanish league games for receiving a red card and then making a mocking gesture toward the match officials in a game at Athletic Bilbao.

The Portugal forward was shown a straight red for swiping his hand across the face of Bilbao's Carlos Gurpegi's following a shove from his opponent in Sunday's 1-1 league draw.

The league's disciplinary committee handed Ronaldo a one-game ban for the red card and two more games for his mocking gesture as he left the field.

Ronaldo will miss league games against Villarreal, Getafe, and Elche.

Ronaldo, however, is available to play in the Copa del Rey semifinal against Atletico Madrid, with the first leg being played on Wednesday.

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David Beckham to buy Major League Soccer franchise, chooses Miami as base

Miami:  British football legend David Beckham said on Wednesday that he will buy a US team to play Major League Soccer and bring it to the city of Miami.

Beckham spoke to reporters alongside MLS commissioner Don Garber, who said Beckham and the league would work with Miami Dade county to build a world class stadium for the club.

"I wanted to create a team where we can start from scratch," Beckham said, explaining his decision to bring the expanding league's 22nd soccer club to Florida.

"I know there was a team here 10 years ago that unfortunately folded, but I know that Miami is ready for football again," he said. "I wanted to create a team that would be very personal to me.

"We're planning to bring a team that will be a global team," he said, arguing that in the past 10 years American soccer has made huge progress as both a sport and a business.

Beckham thanked Garber and Miami Dade's Mayor Carlos Gimenez, and said he would not seek public funding for the team's stadium, having raised money from private partners.

He said one of his partners would be British pop music and television impresario Simon Fuller, who managed Beckham's wife Victoria when she sang with the Spice Girls.

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Real Madrid C.F., Barcelona close in on Copa del Rey final berths

Madrid:  Real Madrid took a huge step towards reaching the Copa del Rey final as they beat local rivals and holders Atletico Madrid 3-0 thanks to two own goals in their semi-final, first leg on Wednesday.

Barcelona look set to meet their historical rivals in the final as they took a 2-0 first leg advantage over Real Sociedad in the other semi-final at the Camp Nou.

Atletico had beaten Real at the Santiago Bernabeu in last year's final, but the hosts quickly set about making amends for that defeat as Emiliano Insua deflected Pepe's effort into his own net after just 17 minutes.

Jese Rodriguez, who was only starting because of Gareth Bale's late withdrawal from the squad due to a calf injury, doubled Real's advantage with a low finish from Angel di Maria's pass just before the hour mark.

Di Maria was involved again as Real all but secured their place in the final when his deflected strike 17 minutes from time was credited as another own goal by Atletico defender Miranda.

Defeat ends a 24-game unbeaten run for Atletico and they will need a remarkable fightback to retain their title in the second leg at the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday.

Real boss Carlo Ancelotti hailed his side's performance as the best since he took over last summer.

"I think it was (the best performance). Above all because the team we were facing is a very difficult team to play against. They are very strong and aggressive, so I thought we played very well," he said.

"I am completely satisfied. We did everything well, we moved the ball with pace and were very aggressive without it. I wish the team could always play like they did tonight."

Atletico coach Diego Simeone, meanwhile, was left to rue his side's luck.

"I think Real Madrid played very well, but they scored twice with shots that hit our players on the body and went in.

"It is a very favourable result for the opponent, but apart from that there is nothing I can draw from the game at the moment.

"We still have 90 minutes to play and anything can happen in football."

In a typically intense encounter it was Real who were posing a more consistent threat early on and they went in front when Pepe wandered forward to meet Xabi Alonso's pass and his shot deflected off Insua and past the helpless Thibaut Courtois.

Miranda nearly restored parity moments later from Koke's free-kick as Iker Casillas came to Real's rescue and Atletico also came close to an equaliser just after half-time Diego Godin headed over from point-blank range.

However, Real dealt the visitors a sucker punch of a blow just before the hour mark as Di Maria found Jese with a lovely through ball and the Spanish under-21 international's effort squeezed under Courtois.

A brilliant goal line clearance from Modric prevented Godin from halving the deficit 18 minutes from time.

And within 60 seconds, Real had added to their advantage when Di Maria's long-range effort cannoned off Miranda to once again wrong-foot Courtois.

Barcelona also had luck on their side as Enaut Zubikarai's own goal added to Sergio Busquets' opener handed them a comfortable win over 10-man Sociedad.

Lionel Messi's drought without a goal from open play extended to five games, but the Argentine was extremely unlucky not to give his side the lead with a wonderful free-kick that came back off the underside of the bar.

Jose Manuel Pinto then prevented Barca from going behind as he saved Carlos Vela's effort.

That stop was to prove vital as a minute later Busquets bundled home the opener and Inigo Martinez received a straight red card for taking his protests to the referee too far.

With Sociedad a man down, Barca went for the kill after half-time but had to rely on a huge slice of luck to double their advantage as Gorka Elustondo smashed an intended clearance off his own goalkeeper Zubikarai and the ball rebounded into the net.

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Darren Fletcher targets sprint finish from misfiring Manchester United

Manchester:  Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher admits it is imperative his side finish the season strongly as the misfiring champions prepare to host struggling Fulham at Old Trafford on Sunday.

United have endured a difficult campaign in the defence of the Premier League title they won so convincingly last season under former manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

With 14 matches left, United have little chance of retaining the title as they lie 15 points behind leaders Arsenal.

But Scotland international Fletcher is keen to stress the importance of amassing as many points as they can between now and May to try to qualify for the Champions League with a top-four finish.

"We need to finish the season on a bit of a run and with confidence," Fletcher said.

"That will help us achieve something this season and also help us at the beginning of next season. We need to lead into the new season on a bit of a high.

"We want to get back to winning ways because there aren't many games left this season and we have got to finish in the top four.

"Seasons and runs can be turned on one result, one cup win, one massive performance and these can be the catalysts for success.

"We have got to reflect on that and realise it has been done before. We finished the 2005-06 season on a high and went on a winning run to achieve a bit of success.

"All of a sudden, it carried on to the next season because that was the standard that we had set, that is what we knew we were capable of.

"There is no doubt about it, we need to get back to that. The goal is always to respond and be successful."

United manager David Moyes is expected to have Phil Jones back from concussion for the visit of bottom-of-the-table Fulham, but Jonny Evans (calf) and Marouane Fellaini (groin) are set to miss out.

Moyes has revealed that he attempted to persuade Fulham boss Rene Meulensteen to remain with the club when he took over at Old Trafford.

Meulensteen was first team coach at United under Ferguson, but left shortly after Moyes' arrival to become Guus Hiddink's assistant with Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala.

The Dutchman returned to English football with Fulham in November 2013 as assistant coach and was then appointed manager when Martin Jol was sacked three weeks after his arrival.

"Rene helped me when I first came here," Moyes said.

"I had several conversations with him. He helped me, told me about the club, how it runs, and the players.

"In the end I would have liked him to stay, but he wanted to go and that was fine. I am looking forward to seeing him."

Meulensteen has already come under pressure after a dismal start to his reign at Craven Cottage, but he claims he still has the backing of owner Shahid Khan.

Fulham have won just three times in 11 games since he took charge in November, with their FA Cup defeat to League One strugglers Sheffield United in midweek the latest embarrassing loss.

"I have been in contact with him (Khan)," Meulensteen said. "We are keeping good dialogue and he has given me his full support.

"He told us to remain focused and optimistic. There are a lot of games and points to play and that's what I intend to do.

"It's important to get the owner's support, but it's even more important that I know the job I need to do with the players.

"That is what makes the difference and will turn things around. Life throws challenges at you and you need to accept it and rise to it."

Former Everton defender Johnny Heitinga is set to make his Fulham debut, while club record signing Kostas Mitroglou will have a knee injury assessed before the match.

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New Zealand all set to bully India in Tests after ODI drubbing

Wellington:  A fired up New Zealand on Saturday turned their sights towards the upcoming two Tests against India, bursting with confidence after exceeding expectations by dominating the one-day series.

The first Test starts in Auckland next Thursday, with New Zealand already plotting to continue the barrage of short-pitched deliveries which the Indian batsmen struggled to contend with in the ODIs.

"Even in our wildest dreams we didn't think we could win 4-0 against such a quality side," coach Mike Hesson said.

"We know it's a different format (Tests), and there'll be a few new guys, but we'll definitely take some confidence into the Tests." 

The gulf between the two sides on the world rankings table may be vast but New Zealand showed it mattered little as they wrapped up the one-day series with an emphatic 87-run victory in the final match in Wellington on Friday.

In the process India, whose best performance was to tie the third match, dropped from first to second in the rankings while New Zealand raised their standing from a modest eighth to seventh. 

It is a similar margin at Test level where India are number two with New Zealand in eighth place, but Hesson said his players proved in the ODIs that was no barrier.

"It's all very well having plans but you need quality players to execute them and we certainly saw that. It was as good as it gets really from a coach's point of view," he said.
"A number of different players stood up throughout the series at key times," he added, singling out the imperious form of Kane Williamson and Ross Taylor who will reprise their roles at three and four in the Test batting line up.

Williamson became the fourth New Zealander to score a half-century in five consecutive ODIs, while Taylor produced back-to-back centuries for only the fourth time by a New Zealander in a one-day series.

New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum hailed his side's ruthless streak with short-pitched bowling, built on the blueprint of bowling coach Shane Bond, and warned India there would be no let up in the Tests.

"It's something that's Shane's pretty hot on," McCullum said. "He's keen to see our guys hostile and aggressive with ball in hand and it's certainly a tactic we'll look to employ in the Test series"

But India's repeated failures trying to handle the sort-pitched delivery did not mean they would abandon the hook shot, according to captain Mahendara Singh Dhoni, who wants his batsmen to take a positive approach into the Tests.

"At times they (New Zealand) bowled really well but at the same time we have to back ourselves to play the shots, the kind of cricket, that we're known for," he said.

"You may lose a few games but it's also important to see the kind of attitude you bring and try to play aggressive cricket.

"Even if you get out you get out. What's important is to have a positive intent right from the start."

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Virat Kohli a combination of Tendulkar, Dravid and Sehwag: Martin Crowe

Former New Zealand captain Martin Crowe showered a big compliment to star batsman Virat Kohli on Tuesday, terming him a combination of India's premier batting trio of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag.

Crowe feels that Kohli is the "beacon in this rebuilding team" who will need to rapidly learn to become a true leader and a role model for millions.

"In some ways, this young giant (Kohli) is a combination of all those three (Sehwag, Tendulkar and Dravid), learning a bit from them all to shape his own unique creation. He is the next chosen one. He exudes the intensity of Rahul, the audacity of Virender, and the extraordinary range of Sachin. That doesn't make him better, simply sui generis, his own unique kind," Crowe wrote in his column for ESPN Cricinfo.

"At present, he is a beacon in this rebuilding team, while some of those around him who have come in to fill the void left by the big three struggle to cope. Already he is the leader of the batting line-up, with just 22 Tests to his name, and so a huge responsibility beckons," Crowe pointed out.

Crowe reckons that Kohli has quickly grown from being a "pupil to teacher" from the time he saw a precocious but immensely talented teenager as the coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore during the first edition of IPL.

"In many ways, he follows the essence of life: loving what he does and doing what he loves, and learning all he can, often at a rapid pace. Kohli has gone from pupil to teacher quickly, and his next level is to become a master. That he will achieve. It's in his eyes."

"I watched this young 19-year-old when he joined Royal Challengers Bangalore in 2008, for the inaugural IPL. Often he fell victim to his own seduction, his growing, glowing image, mixed in with his confusion about who to bat and be like, as he had so many choices. I often encouraged him to simply play straighter, be wiser in shot selection, put the odds more in his favour," Crowe said.

Crowe said that Kohli's fierce focus is a hallmark of greatness that he is destined to achieve in years to come.

"His badge is one of courage. He is fiercely focused. He is often fiery and emotional, possibly a product of his upbringing in Delhi. Yes, a fire burns within, sometimes wildly. His aggressive streetfighting qualities are worn on his sleeve. He looks for a fight. He singles out opposition for face-to-face interrogation; he even confronts officials," Crowe said.

The New Zealand captain felt that a bit of controlled aggression won't be bad as millions look upto him. "He will need to learn rapidly that to be a true leader and role model to millions all over the globe, the ugly stuff needs to be tamed, even put away.... It's an important lesson, one Sachin and Rahul will have taught him, yet his own restlessness is still dominant. Someone needs to guide him on this vital code."

On a positive context, Crowe termed Kohli's audacity as "shameless" but also reminded him about how Sehwag's slump in form cost the 'Nawab of Najafgarh' dearly. "Kohli's audacity is shameless. He is bold and beautiful in his shot selection and his style. When in the mood, he can carve anyone apart, just as Sehwag did when awoken. Kohli will need to be reminded of Sehwag, that temporary loss of form that came in patches and grew to become one patch at the end."

In his column, Crowe goes onto compare the batting techniques of Tendulkar and Kohli.

"Not unsurprisingly, Kohli will have learned mostly from Sachin, and even if it isn't so obvious, it's slowly becoming clearer. His stance is more closed than Sachin's, resulting in the leg-side stroke played around the pad, yet it is straightening year by year. By the time he reaches full throttle in a couple of years, he will be perfectly aligned, as the master was."

"His last-second tap of the bat as the bowler gathers is such a classic and vital element from the Sachin book. This last tap sends a spark of electricity through his body and his eyes, then feet, then through his flowing vortex sword, all coming alive as one. Every ball is treated with puissance, a mighty force," Crowe wrote.

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Trent Boult vows to put pressure on Indian batsmen with swing

Auckland:  New Zealand pacer Trent Boult today sought to play mind games ahead of the first cricket Test against India, saying the visiting batsmen are too attacking and that sustained pressure can get them to commit errors.

"The Indians are attacking batsmen. Everyone knows how they are going to play. I will look to target them with swing and exploit their defensive techniques with the ball moving both ways. As long as we can get them to play shots in the areas we want them to, it's going to be rewarding for us," said Boult.

"Of course, Tests are a whole different ball game than the ODIs, but the basics remain the same. If you consistently bowl in good areas, in terms of line and length, and swing from there, that works in all formats. But it's definitely going to be a challenge because they are world class batsmen," he added.

New Zealand will take on India in the first Test at Auckland, beginning February 6. 

When asked if the short-ball will be his weapon of choice as well, given how the Indian batsmen struggled against the Black Caps in the ODI series, Boult replied, "Well, you have to mix them up with a good line and length to put pressure on the batsmen."

"Bowl them once every two or three overs and then that bouncer will keep them off their game. Then look for the good length ball and try to induce an error. But even if it doesn't work, you cannot get carried away with bouncers and half volleys," he said.

The hosts' top-ranked Test bowler Boult has returned to full fitness from an injury lay-off but wreaked havoc in the West Indies Test series that was a prelude to this contest, picking up 20 wickets in three Tests.

"It's good to get in the middle and get a few overs after an injury break. I want to take confidence out of that because we have a big challenge coming up here in a couple of days. I am fully fit now, but yes I was disappointed to get sidelined because of that. Still, it was good in a way because I am ready now for this big series.

"Swing bowling with consistency was the secret of my success against the West Indies. I am expecting similar conditions in the next couple of weeks and I am eager to exploit them," he said.

The first Test will be played on a drop-in pitch at Eden Park, while the second Test beginning February 14, will be in the good-old home of swing bowling in New Zealand that is the Basin Reserve in Wellington.

"In Auckland, we have a drop-in pitch and I have just played one Test here (against England in early 2013). But it is a good pitch with ample bounce. It can be quite good for batting and then takes turn towards the end of the Test, but I doubt that will be the case this time around because spin is a strong point of the Indians. But it is generally a good wicket," Boult said.

"Basin Reserve is one of the better wickets in New Zealand in terms of aiding fast bowling as well as swing. It is always a pleasure to play there," he added, reminiscent of his 10-wicket haul there against the West Indies in December last.

Aiding him in this success, two figures have stood out for Boult in the New Zealand pace-bowling department - his fast-bowling pairing with Tim Southee and, of course, their bowling coach Shane Bond.

"Shane has been in this role for a year or so. He has been a very successful bowler for New Zealand and has a great cricketing brain. He stresses on bowling in partnerships and where we can target the opposition. He has had a good core of players to work with, so we have been rewarded in that sense. It is great to have him on board with us," said Boult.

"It is a good mix with Tim (Southee). We are good friends and we enjoy bowling together. He swings the ball away from the right-hander and I swing the ball back in, so we complement each other and like to bounce ideas off each other," he added.

Boult's true idol though is from elsewhere. Being a left-hander himself, the New Zealand swing bowler has been a keen observer of how the legendary Wasim Akram shaped up for Pakistan.

"Sadly, I haven't had a chance to interact with Wasim as yet, but definitely saw a lot of him growing up and of course I idolised him. Having said that, Zaheer (Khan) is here and he is a world class bowler. I want to rub shoulders with him if I get the chance," Boult signed off.

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New Zealand vs India: Zaheer Khan praises 'match-winner' Mohammad Shami

Auckland:  Speedster Zaheer Khan on Saturday lauded his junior team-mate Mohammed Shami for his fiery spell on the third day of the first cricket Test against New Zealand, saying he is a "match-winner" for Team India.

Shami put on display a fine exhibition of swing and seam bowling to take 3/37 and help bundle out the hosts for a paltry 105 in their second innings. )

"He's a great prospect for Team India and has had some brilliant performances. There is no doubt in my mind that he is a match-winner. That is the way I look at him. A good bowler has this quality to take wickets in bunches, that is what defines a good bowler, and Shami has shown that quality. With experience he is only going to get better," Zaheer said at the post-match presser here.

"It was a brilliant performance from all the bowlers. As a bowling unit, we clicked together. The important thing was that we had some brilliant catching as well in the slip cordon and that was very crucial and it really made the difference," he added.

India face a daunting task of scoring 407 runs to win the first Test against the Black Caps, who suffered a dramatic batting collapse at Eden Park to leave the match wide open.

All front-line bowlers chipped in on the day, with Ishant Sharma taking 3-28 and Zaheer himself returning 2-23 to bring India back in the game.

Ravindra Jadeja was the other wicket-taker with figures of 1-10. In turn, this gave Ishant match-figures of 9-162 and the senior pro praised him as well, while talking about the difference in the bowling performances in the two innings.

"Short bowling was our plan in the first innings as we wanted to be aggressive as a bowling unit. Bowling bouncers was an aggressive plan for us. In the second innings, we went in with the approach that we have to focus on bowling the right areas and it worked for us," Zaheer said.

"Ishant has come a long way and it is important that he picks up wickets. He has been around for a while. He has the potential to create an impact at this level and I am happy that he's among the wickets," he said.
Zaheer exuded confidence that India still have a chance to win the Test match and go 1-0 up in the two-Test series.

"It's good that we have seen off the new ball today and tomorrow hopefully will be a better day for us. The pitch is looking good and what got to them was pressure and disciplined bowling by our bowlers. I don't think the pitch has changed a great deal and it is looking better if at all.

"The momentum is with us and we will look to capitalise on that. We have got a good start today and it's important to start well tomorrow morning," he said.

The veteran pacer explained that with the Kookaburra ball, it's important to get the early breakthroughs and with the new ball, there is always help in the offing.

"Everyone chipped in with wickets. It was crucial because when you have to get the opposition out for low scores, then everyone has to chip in. The last time this happened was in Trinidad in 2002, when all the bowlers took three wickets each," he said, adding that India went on to win that match in the West Indies, and they are in a similar position of strength here.

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Rafael Nadal not to miss any tournaments with back injury

Madrid:  Rafael Nadal doesn't expect to miss any tournaments as a result of the back injury that contributed to his loss in the Australian Open final.

A statement from the world's top-ranked player says he will have another medical exam on Monday after doctors in Barcelona examined his back following his return from Australia.

Nadal lost Sunday's final in Melbourne 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 to Switzerland's Stan Wawrinka after he injured his back.

Nadal says he still plans to play his next tournaments in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Indian Wells and Miami.

Doctors have prescribed anti-inflammatory medication and physical therapy to speed his recovery.

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Andy Murray to marry girlfriend Kim Sears after this year's Wimbledon

London:  British tennis star Andy Murray announced that he will marry girlfriend Kim Sears later this year during a question-and-answer session with fans on Twitter on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old reigning Wimbledon champion was responding to questions on the micro-blogging website when one fan, @saravana_24, asked, "When are you getting married?"

Murray replied: "We are getting married just after Wimbledon should be a great day."

Murray and Sears, daughter of British tennis coach Nigel Sears, have been together since 2005 and she is a regular presence at his matches.

However, the couple have previously dodged questions about whether or not they plan to wed.

This year's Wimbledon runs from June 23 to July 6 and will see Murray attempt to defend the title he won for the first time last year, ending a 77-year wait for a British men's singles champion at the tournament.

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Anastasia Pavlyuchenoka ousts Maria Sharapova, meets Errani in Paris WTA Open final

Paris:  Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova made it through to the Paris WTA Open final at the expense of her Russian compatriot and top seed Maria Sharapova on Saturday.

Pavlyuchenoka, ranked 26th in the world, ended the 2012 French Open champion's run at the Stade Coubertin 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

The former junior champion will meet Italian third seed Sara Errani, who got the better of French home hope Alize Cornet in a three hour marathon 7/6 (7/3), 3/6, 7/6 (7/5) in the other semi.

On the back foot early in the match Pavlyuchenkova was trailing 3-0 then 4-1 before the 22-year-old saved two break points, going on to level after breaking wolrd number five Sharapova's serve for 4-4.

But the opening set evaded her when she produced two unforced errors.

She regrouped and broke Sharapova in the first game of the second set, following up with a second break to level the semi-final.

The pair traded breaks in the deciding set, with Sharapova going on to serve to try and level it at 5-5, but that proved beyond her as she double faulted to hand victory to her fellow Russian.

"I let her regain her confidence," Sharapova remarked.

The winner, coached by her father after a spell with Martina Hingis, reflected: "The key to the game was the serve."

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Time to look beyond Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi: Somdev Devvarman

ndore:  With India's recent Davis Cup triumph against Chinese Taipei coming without the experience of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi, the country's numero uno singles player Somdev Devvarman says he feels it is time that the focus shifts from the veteran duo to the youngsters. India thrashed Chinese Taipei 5-0 in the Asia/Oceania Group I tie here and Somdev said although the team will forever remain grateful the contribution that Paes and Bhupathi made, the time has come to look ahead.

The 28-year-old, who is currently ranked 103rd in the ATP list, also spoke about his role in the players' revolt against the national federation. In a free-wheeling chat with PTI, Somdev also said he would remain stubborn about his game not change anything about it.

Excerpts from an interview.

Question: The best thing in this tie was team camaraderie. Isn't it good to not have groups in the Indian Davis Cup team. Leander or Mahesh not being there?

Answer: Let's not focus on Leander (Paes) and Mahesh (Bhupathi). Let's focus on the youngsters. Jeevan asked 15 times during and before and after my match what I need. And he knows I will do the same when he will play. So we are all here helping out each other. I think the focus should not be there on Leander or Mahesh. The focus should be on the group of guys who are here. The focus should be on the new captain. Because this is the future. We appreciate everything they have given us but now we need to move on. Mahesh has said he is done this year. Leander is a fantastic player, unfortunately he is not available for national duty this year but we will just go ahead. No matter, who is there or not there. We will try to make the best of whatever we have. (

Q: Your game has always been of retrieving the ball and wearing out the opponent in long rallies. But there has been this criticism that you play defensive and it does not work against somebody who is going broke. How willing you are to tweak your game for better results?

Ans: Sport in general works a lot on momentum. When things are not going well for you, everything goes against you and when things are going for you, everything looks great. Tennis is a long season and a long career as well. It is important not to be discouraged, not to be disheartened by what's going on. I feel, I have got to where I have got because of my self-belief. Sometimes when there is lack of self-belief, then little things, like you said defense not working, come but when there is self-belief suddenly those things turn around really fast and you ask a different set of questions. In my experience, all it takes is a few matches for anything to swing things either way in terms of results. So, I am more focussed on staying healthy and playing my game. It's important for me to stay true to my game because that's what got me so far and will keep taking me ahead. 

Q: So you are convinced that you don't need to bring that element of attack in your game?

Ans: There has to be a constant wish for improvement. No matter how far I am in my career, I will always tell you one of the things I need to do is improve myself. That I need to be more aggressive on my returns, that I need to come in more and put volleys away. But at the same time I cannot take away the whole identity of myself and my game. There will be a few points here and there, maybe 10 points in a match, that change. But for the majority of a match, 150 points that I play, will have to be played my way.

Q: Is it really difficult for a player to change the mindset?

Ans: It is extremely difficult. Yes, mentally it is the toughest thing to do for a player, to change the way they play. For a guy like Virender Sehwag to change his mindset and play like Rahul Dravid or vice-versa, it is really tough. For a guy like Roger Federer to start playing more defensively. I think, any person who is good at his sport, to some extent, is stubborn.

Q: But when you did that against Ti Chen on second day, it worked wonders, and in 10 minutes the game was over?

Ans: I agree with you. But it's not just one or two shots. It's how you approach your whole game. Sport is a funny thing. Sometimes one or two points here and there can change the outcome of the match.

Q: Going back to last month, you left Chennai an unhappy man and there was more than one reason. First, it was defeat against Ramkumar Ramanthan. Could you make out why you lost?

Ans: It was my first match of the season and he had played some 20 odd matches in November-December. So, he was definitely more match sharp than me. One thing we have got to do as seniors, we have to give credit the youngsters when they deserve it. For me, I did not play a great match and he did. As a professional you move on. You know it is one tournament and you have 30 more in the year. It's not something I am worried about. But at the same time I will try avoid that in future.

Q: Second thing was that you were unhappy with the organisers, you did not get a doubles wild card?

Ans: My agreement with the organisers is that everything will be in confidentiality and I don't want to break that. If they have broken that it, that's not my concern. We have sorted those differences and it is okay.

Q: We also hear that because of these differences, cracks are appearing in your players' association (IPTA)?

Ans: I would not say that. The players association has done three things in the past one year. We have done the camp in Hyderabad, we have raised about Rs 20 to 25 lakh for the players, we had an event in Bombay and now for the next eight tournaments, we are sending a physio for all the players. So we are doing little things which are key to players. I am on great terms with AITA and my aim is to try and make the scene in India better whether it is through this way or that. If AITA steps up, I will be the first one to be happy and say thank you. Now is an exciting time for Indian tennis. We have five potentially good guys playing in the Grand Slam Qualifiers. We have Saketh, Jeevan, Bala, Sanam and Yuki.

If we as players come together and give these guys a push, we can really make it happen. So whether help comes from this side or that side, it does not make a difference. I am very glad that we started the Players' Association because we are not 100 percent dependent on AITA. That being said, AITA has been stepping up. They sent a physio for Sania Mirza's camp, they sent Abhimnayu (fitness trainer) to help me. The players association is not, and I mean it, is not there to hurt anybody. It's only there to promote and get the best out of current players.

Q: So, despite the differences that have crept in among the founding members of the Association, the work will continue?

Ans: The core of the association is very strong. All the guys are on great terms. In Mumbai, we had Sania (Mirza) and Mahesh (Bhupathi) helping out. These are the things that have not been done before, so why not start now. Sometimes people say to go ahead, you push other person down. Why push each other down, help him up and both of you help each other up. This is how the Spanish guys do and the French guys do. This year at the Australian Open, there were 16 French guys in the main draw. We were not there and only way to get there is to help each other out. And if that happens, it would be a dream come true for Indian tennis.

Q: How hopeful you are that differences with Karti Chidambaram will be sorted out?

Ans: He has his own things in mind and I have my own things and they don't even clash. My life is normal with or without him and without his support. He is a part of the association. He is doing a decent job. He has helped out Ramkumar, Balaji and Jeevan. For me what is between friends, stays between friends. I accept him for who he is. My life journey continues.

Q: Will you come and compete in Chennai Open next year? We heard you may not be there?

Ans: It's a long way off. I have no idea, another 11 months away. If my ranking is good enough, surely I would.

Q: Leander recently said that he is sandwiched between the AITA and a section of players, who want to overthrow the AITA, so he has withdrawn from that group. Apparently, he was referring to you guys?

Ans: With Leander, you got to ask him for a clear answer. I don't have a problem with him. I know he made a few comments but sometimes things can be blown out of proportion with one line. For me, I am not too bothered about that. My work continues with Association, my works continue with AITA. We don't feel we are obligated to get help. That's why the association is important so we can try and help each other.

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