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President’s Cuppers still looking for right formula BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sports - New 2 Borneo

President’s Cuppers still looking for right formula

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 08:50 AM PST

KUCHING: Sarawak's President's Cup head coach Johnny Dominicus will be making more experimental line-ups of the junior Crocs before deciding his final squad.

According to the coach who hails from Sabah, the players need to undergo more training sessions and play more friendlies to build up their confidence and understanding especially among the new faces.

"I'm still assessing the capabilities of the boys especially the new players before naming the final 11," he said yesterday.

He is quite happy with the players as many of them who have played in the President's Cup had shown impressive improvement in the game.

This is a right tonic for the squad and Johnny hoped that it would help Sarawak realise its dream in their chase for glory this season.

On the recent friendly with the senior Crocs, Johnny said his boys had shown high commitment and determination against their seniors.

He added that several new players had also displayed confident performances during the match.

"I am not assessing the squad's capability based on the result of this game as it is very tough for them to play against their more experienced and skilled seniors," he said.

"To me, it is better for them to lose the match so that we can identify and overcome our weaknesses."

Johnny said he will intensify the training of the players in preparation for the squad's challenge in the new season.

"I hope that the Football Association of Sarawak will give me the green light to bring the players to Sabah to play some friendly matches with the teams there," he said.

Sarawak will open their campaign against Kedah in an away match on Jan 27.

Last year, the state squad collected 29 points from six wins, 11 draws and 17 defeats to finish in 15th spot out of 18 teams.

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May the new director bring S’wak to greater heights — Francis

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 08:49 AM PST

KUCHING: Former Sarawak State Sports Council (MSNS) director Francis Nyurang Ding is hoping that his successor can continue the good work of leading Sarawak to excellence in sports.

At the same time, he also urged MSNS staff and sports associations in the state to render their support and cooperation to the new director so that the state's mission and targets in various sports can be achieved.

"I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all those who have given me strong support and cooperation during my tenure as director of MSNS," he said.

Francis is also hoping that the new director will bring more improvement and achievements in sports especially in 2016 where Sarawak will play host to Sukma (Malaysia Games).

His contract as MSNS director expired on Dec 31 last year and he will join the Sarawak Sports Corporation (PSNS) which is expected to commence operations very soon.

Francis took over as MSNS director from Anuar John in 2005.

Meanwhile, Francis said he will be working very closely with MSNS even though he is now with PSNS.

"The role and responsibilities of MSNS will be lightened when PSNS starts operating. However, both the corporation and sports council needs each other and will complement each other in striving for sports excellence," added Francis.

According to him, PSNS will look after all sports facilities in the state while MSNS are more towards preparations for Sukma.

PSNS will be headed by former lecturer of Institut Pendidikan Guru Kampus Rajang Dr Ong Kong Swee.

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Serena faces Azarenka in Brisbane showdown

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 08:49 AM PST

BRISBANE, Australia: World number one Serena Williams will meet the second ranked Victoria Azarenka in the final of the Brisbane International after she downed Maria Sharapova in an enthralling semi-final yesterday.

Williams, the defending champion, beat Sharapova 6-2, 7-6 (9/7) in one hour, 43 minutes on Pat Rafter Arena.

Earlier, Azarenka recovered from a disastrous first set to beat Serbia's Jelena Jankovic 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Williams and Sharapova have a fierce rivalry on the court, which is matched by an at times bitter relationship off it.

"I think we are both very strong returners, and personally I couldn't get a first serve in today," Williams said.

"My first serve percentage was extremely low. I didn't serve nearly as well as I served in my first two matches."

In the first semi-final Azarenka was all at sea in the opening set as she was swept aside by the Jankovic in just 29 minutes.

Azarenka took the second set comfortably then held off a late comeback from Jankovic to win in two hours, five minutes.

"I think we can look at it (the first set) as a struggle, but I don't think that was a struggle — I think Jelena played really, really well in the first set," she said.

"I felt that I could have done better, but it's just the matter of kind of getting that timing, really fighting through it.

"But I think I was able to change it around in the second set. I really tried to apply the game I wanted to apply, whereas in the first set it was a little bit out, a little bit short."

Williams and Azarenka have met 16 times on the WTA tour with the American holding a 13-3 advantage.

However, they met four times on the court last year with honours even at two wins apiece. — AFP

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Fans to hold silent vigil as Schumacher turns 45 in coma

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 08:47 AM PST

GRENOBLE, France: Fans of Formula One legend Michael Schumacher yesterday prepared to hold a silent vigil for his 45th birthday as he lay in a coma at a French hospital after a weekend skiing accident.

Ferrari, which is bussing in fans from Italy to the hospital in the southeastern French city of Grenoble to stage a silent tribute, also put out a special message on its website, saying "Forza Michael," or "Go Michael" in Italian.

"He is tackling the most important fight of his life and therefore we want to send him very special wishes," Ferrari said, as similar messages poured in from around the world.

German former tennis ace Boris Becker wished Schumacher "Happy Birthday" on Twitter, adding "Fight Schumi" in a German hashtag.

The retired seven-time world champion slammed his head against a rock last Sunday while skiing in the French Alps and has had two operations to remove bleeding and pressure on his brain. He is being kept in an induced coma.

In a message coinciding with his birthday, Schumacher's family said they were touched by the support.

His family is at his side, including his wife Corrina, his two teenage children, his father Rolf and brother Ralph, who is also a racing driver.

"Following Michael's skiing accident, we would like to thank the people from all around the world who have expressed their sympathy and sent their best wishes for his recovery," the family said in a statement posted on Schumacher's website.

"We all know he is a fighter and will not give up" they added.

Fans meanwhile left a poster outside the Grenoble hospital in English, saying "Schumi, All our Thoughts for You and Your Family."

The Ferrari tribute has created controversy with some accusing the Italian firm – which asked fans to sport red, its colour, and its insignia – of exceeding the limits of good taste.

The Italian carmaker, which has 130 clubs in Europe has provided about 20 coaches across Italy to bus in fans for the ceremony.

But not everyone was pleased, like Roberto Luongo, the president of the Roma-Colesseo Ferrari club, who said he did not want to be associated with any such event linked to "a man who is suffering.

"It's very delicate and if I was among those who are close to Michael, such an initiative would not have pleased me," he said.

Schumacher's fan club in his childhood town of Kerpen said any celebration of the birthday would be in bad taste.

There have been conflicting statements about the speed Schumacher was going at the time of his accident at the Meribel ski resort, where he has a property.

The impact split the helmet he was wearing in two, according to a source close to the investigation.

The hospital and Schumacher's manager had briefed the press daily since the accident. But they did not do so on Thursday, instead promising to communicate only if there was something new to report.

His media representative, Sabine Kehm, said Wednesday that Schumacher was stable though still critical. He has been put in a medically induced coma. — AFP

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No night matches for four stadiums — FAM

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 08:47 AM PST

PETALING JAYA: The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) has barred four stadiums from playing night matches after failing to meet the brightness level.

The four are Universiti Teknologi Mara (UiTM ) Stadium (Shah Alam), Hang Jebat Stadium (Melaka), City Stadium (Penang) and Petaling Jaya City Council (MBPJ) Stadium.

"We conducted a preliminary examination of almost all stadiums and found that the four stadiums failed to meet the standards.

"I understand that improvements are being done so that they can play night matches," Local Competitions Committee chairman Datuk Seri Afandi Hamzah said after chairing the committee meeting at Wisma FAM, Kelana Jaya, here yesterday.

Based on FAM rules, stadiums that want to play night matches should have floodlights with brightness of at least 1,000 lux.

On stadium sharing, Afandi, who is also FAM vice-president said it is working to ensure that each teams have their own stadiums. This is in line with the privatisation of the Malaysian League into a professional league by 2015.

The Malaysian League 2014 season will kick off on Jan 17 with the Sultan Ahmad Shah Cup match between Pahang and Lions XII at Darul Makmur Stadium, Kuantan.

The match between the Malaysia Cup champions and the Super League champions is counted as the first match of the new football season. Ten other teams will only see action the next day.

The Premier League season will start on Jan 24 involving 13 teams. — Bernama

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France into third Hopman Cup final

Posted: 03 Jan 2014 08:46 AM PST

PERTH, Australia: France will play in their third Hopman Cup final after Alize Cornet and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beat defending champions Spain 3-0 at the mixed teams tournament yesterday.

The French will face the top-seeded Polish pairing of Agnieszka Radwanska and Grzegorz Panfil in today's final.

France previously reached the title decider in Perth in 1998 and 2012.

Two years ago, the team of Richard Gasquet and Marion Bartoli lost the final to the Czech Republic pairing of Tomas Berdych and Petra Kvitova.

In 1998, Mary Pierce and Cedric Pioline were beaten by the Slovak Republic's Karina Habsudova and Karol Kucera.

Having won their first two group ties, the French simply needed to beat Spain's Anabel Medina Garrigues and Daniel Munoz-De la Nava to qualify for the final.

Cornet, who lost her previous two singles matches this week, put them in front with an easy win over Medina Garrigues, 6-2, 6-2, despite being troubled by hamstring soreness during the second set.

Cornet said the problem was nothing more than early season tightness and, after Tsonga sealed the win for the French with a three-set win over Munoz-De la Nava, she took her place in the dead mixed doubles rubber.

The 23-year-old Cornet, who has lost both her matches on the WTA tour against Radwanska, was thrilled to have the chance to win France's first Hopman Cup title.

While other players have commented they are viewing the unique tournament as little more than Australian Open preparation, Cornet said she was in Perth to win.

"It's good preparation for Sydney and the Australian Open but I think my first goal is of course to win," she said.

"I'm not here to just make preparation to matches and I was very disappointed when I lost to (Sloane) Stephens and Kvitova because I don't want to be the one that loses the team.

"I just want to go until the end and bring back the trophy to France for the first time.

"It means a lot to me."

Their opponents in the final, Poland, are making their first appearance at the Hopman Cup.

Tsonga stretched his unbeaten streak in singles in Perth to six matches when he overcame a hiccup in the second set to beat for the 194th-ranked De la Nava, who was a late replacement for Tommy Robredo in the tournament.

The Frenchman won 6-4, 6-7 (7/9), 6-2, after the Spaniard saved three match points in the second set and then levelled the match.

The world number 10 was blunt about his form lapse.

"The only word I know is… pissed off," Tsonga said.

"I expect to be one of the best players in the world… I lost my concentration and it was no good.

"When I lost the second set I came back with another mentality and it was a lot better."

The French won the mixed doubles in a pro set, 8-3. — AFP

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