R OTTERDAM, Netherlands — Julien Benneteau of France and Switzerland’s Marco Chiudinelli have advanced to the second round of the ABN Amro indoor tennis tournament. Benneteau ousted seventh-seeded Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia 6-3, 6-3 on Tuesday in Rotterdam, Netherlands, while Chiudinelli knocked out 2008 champion Michael Llodra of France 6-1, 6-7(5), 7-6(6). Llodra fought back from 6-1 down to even the final set tiebreaker 6-6 before Chiudinelli took the match. Marsel Ilhan of Turkey beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 6-1, 6-4. Top-seeded Novak Djokovic is scheduled to play his first match against Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine later Tuesday.
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Julien Benneteau, Marco Chiudinelli advance in Rotterdam
C ARSON, California — The David Beckham Academy in Carson and another location in Britain have closed, although the Los Angeles Galaxy star is working to develop another soccer coaching program for children. Both camps were jointly run by Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns the Galaxy, and 19 Entertainment, Beckham’s management team. AEG spokesman Michael Roth said Monday that the Carson location was closed before Christmas. He said AEG is working with Beckham to develop a program and coaching model that would not be limited to a single location and could reach more children worldwide. The Daily Breeze of Torrance originally reported the Carson shutdown, saying it cost a handful of full-time staff their jobs. There was no public announcement. Beckham’s Web site said the lease on the location in Greenwich, England, had expired.
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David Beckham Academy shuttered in US, Britain
M ANCHESTER, England — A Manchester United fan has appeared in court and denied throwing a coin at Man City striker Craig Bellamy at last month’s League Cup semifinal. Bellamy fell to the ground after he was struck while about to take a corner during United’s 3-1 victory at Old Trafford. The result sent United through to the final. Adam Teese, a 26-year-old United season-ticket holder, appeared at Trafford Magistrates Court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty to a charge of “throwing a missile.” The case was adjourned until May 13 when there is expected to be a two-day trial.
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Manchester United fan denies throwing coin at Craig Bellamy
L ONDON — Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hit back at Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack on Tuesday for criticizing his team’s performance in Sunday’s 2-0 Premier League defeat at Stamford Bridge. Ballack said that the Arsenal manager always seemed to find excuses whenever his team lost and accused the Gunners of just playing “nice passes” and a predictable style rather than going directly for goal. “He always says this when he loses,” the German star said. “He always finds an excuse. But football is not possession or nice passes. Good football is winning games and that’s what we do when we play them.” Wenger, whose team has not won a major title since the 2005 FA Cup, responded at his news conference ahead of Wednesday’s game against Liverpool. “I have to live with all the conclusions that Chelsea are a much better side, but I believe what I believe,” Wenger said. He pointed out that his team was one of the highest scorers in the Premier League this season with 60 goals in 25 games. Only Man United with 61 has more. “There is only one way to play football — that is to win games and be efficient. The best way to win the games is the way which is most adapted to the qualities of your players and the philosophy of your club. That is what we try to be faithful to,” he said. “You have to accept that when you lose games, the way you play is always questioned. What becomes a fantastic quality when you win, becomes a fantastic mistake when you lose. It is like that. We still have to believe in the way we do things, in the way we play and to show that strength.” Wenger said he praised Chelsea for its victory in a game where his team had far more possession but rarely troubled the home side’s goalkeeper. “As for (Ballack’s comments), I am long enough in England to know that the team who wins can say what they want. They are right,” he said. “It is my job to take a distance from that and analyze the game in a calm way with a cool head and to analyze what is right.” Arsenal went top of the Premier League three weeks ago but has since collected only one point from its three games against Aston Villa (0-0), Man United (3-1 defeat) and Chelsea. With Chelsea playing at Everton and Man United at Aston Villa on Wednesday, Arsenal could fall 12 points behind with 12 games remaining with a loss at home to Liverpool. That result would also leave Liverpool two points behind Wenger’s third-place team.
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Arsene Wenger hits back at Michael Ballack criticism
T IRANA, Albania — Officials at Albanian club Apolonia Fieri say they have suspended four players and called on prosecutors to investigate allegations of match fixing. Apolonia on Tuesday accused the four players of being involved in fixing two matches played last year in the country’s top league. The club is currently eighth in Albania’s 12-team standings.
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Albania club accuses players of match fixing
Craig Henderson represents the shape of things to come.Whether he goes to the World Cup finals, or takes a significant part in them, remains to be seen.All Whites coach Ricki Herbert yesterday named the 22-year-old, who has…
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Soccer: Surprise new face in All Whites squad
Olympic silver medallist Nick Willis won’t defend his 1500m title at the Commonwealth Games in New Delhi later this year.Willis told sports website universalsports.com that he would be concentra
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Athletics: Willis opts for 800m at Delhi Games
Steve Price walking laps around the outside of a training pitch while Brent Tate carrying water bottles to thirsty teammates isn’t the sort of image Warriors’ fans would be all that comfortable with as pre-season training nears its…
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NRL: Warriors fitter than they look
The margins by which New Zealand have won their opening ODI matches against Bangladesh can’t be disputed.First it was 146 runs in Napier, then five wickets at Dunedin on Monday – which included a couple of soft late wickets before…
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Cricket: ‘Death’ bowling still a work in progress
The Crusaders will win the final Super 14 – which opens on Friday – closing out another chapter for this rickety competition in the style their fans are accustomed to.I can’t see them being headed despite a few obvious weaknesses…
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Chris Rattue: Crusaders look invincible for Super 14