Capriati to miss US Open

New York: Jennifer Capriati will miss the US Open with a shoulder injury, making her the only woman tennis player with a Grand Slam title in the past five years not on the tournament entry list released on Wednesday.

Sisters Serena and Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, Lindsay Davenport, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Anastasia Myskina and reigning champion Svetlana Kuznetsova head the women?s field.

Capriati hasn?t played since she was injured in November and had surgery on her right shoulder in January. The year?s final Grand Slam runs from August 29 through September 11.

Delhi marathon in Dec.

New Delhi: Delhi will be host to an international marathon which will be held on December 4, organisers told a press conference here on Thursday. Some of the world?s top marathoners likely to be roped in include Stephen Cheptot (Kenya), John Nada Saya (Tanzania) and Semeretu Alemayehu (Ethiopia).

Although the event is yet to get AAFI sanction, organisers are hopeful of things working out in time.

Races will be held in three categories ? the Great India Run (42.195km), the Great Delhi Run (21.098km) and the Great Tiranga Run (7 km) ? and proceeds from the event would go to the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation. The prize money for the winner will be $55,000, while the best Indian will receive $5,000.

Parade for Campbell

Wellington: US Open golf champion Michael Campbell will receive a ticker-tape parade on July 29 through central Wellington when he returns to New Zealand next week. Campbell became the second New Zealander to win a major title when he held off a storming Tiger Woods to snatch a two-shot victory at Pinehurst in North Carolina last month.

Bob Charles was the first when he won the British Open at Royal Lytham in 1963.

Real check for Robinho

Madrid: Brazilian forward Robinho has undergone a medical at a clinic in Sao Paulo before signing for Real Madrid, Spanish media reported on Thursday.

A Spanish sports daily said the 21-year-old international, who has been the subject of a tug-of-war between his club Santos and the Spanish giants, was checked over by Real Madrid chief medical officer Alfonso del Corral.

Zenga for Red Star

Belgrade: Serbian club Red Star Belgrade say former Italy goalkeeper Walter Zenga is to become their new head coach, replacing Ratko Dostanic.

Red Star president Dragan Stojkovic said a deal would be signed next week with Zenga, who was fired from his post as coach of Romanian club Steaua Bucharest in May.

?I will sign a two-year contract with Zenga on July 28 in Belgrade. He will take over the team from Dostanic tomorrow,? Stojkovic a told Belgrade daily on Thursday.

Hofmann move

Vienna: Rapid Vienna?s German captain, Steffen Hofmann, announced on Thursday that he was turning his back on his native country to take Austrian citizenship and play for his adopted country.

Hofmann, 24, who played for the Germany under-17 team, is able to switch his nationality under Fifa?s statutes regarding eligibility because he has never played for Germany at senior level.

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