Master-less in Madrid

Madrid: The Madrid Masters tournament is in danger of being dubbed the master-less series after some of the world?s most exciting players joined the event?s growing absentees list. World No. 1 Roger Federer of Switzerland, American Andy Roddick, ranked second on the ATP rankings, Australia?s Lleyton Hewitt, ranked third, and Spaniard Carlos Moya, ranked fourth, have all pulled out due to injury.

Federer has pulled out ?due to personal reasons and because of fatigue which has accumulated over the last few weeks,? according to the organisers? website. Already out of the Masters Series, which begins on Monday, is Argentina?s Guillermo Coria, Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten and French duo Fabrice Santoro and Sebastien Grosjean.

Balam Singh dead

New Delhi: Former India footballer Balam Singh died due to heart ailments at his Faridabad residence on Friday. He was 70.

Singh represented the Indian side that toured Afghanistan in 1951 and Pakistan in 1955. He also wore the jersey for Delhi when a Russia XI team came to India in 1955. A winger, he captained the Delhi side in IFA Shield football tournament in 1956 and made it to the state side twice for the Santosh Trophy.

Claims of a father

Buenos Aires: The father of a promising 12-year-old Argentine soccer player said on Friday that Spanish club Barcelona have attempted to sign him.

?It?s an interesting offer. Barcelona have opened all the doors for us,? said Jose Lamela, whose son Erik plays in the youth team of River Plate.

Argentine media say Barcelona have offered to pay Lamela?s parents 120,000 euros ($149,800)-a-year for a four-year contract in the Spanish club?s youth section.

Karthikeyan starts on pole

Coimbatore: Narain Karthikeyan, will start the first race on pole and second on the grid in Race Two in the eighth round of World Series championship by Nissan, being run in Barcelona on Sunday.

Narain had clocked 1.23:118 to set a fastest lap record in Valenica (earlier held by Ricardo Zonta at 1.23:570 in 2002). Driving in the penultimate round, Narain set the lap record in the third lap of his first qualifying, a release from his public relations department said.

Edwards for Yamaha

Phillip Island: American MotoGP rider and former World Superbike champion Colin Edwards is leaving Honda to join world championship leader Valentino Rossi at Yamaha next season, the team announced on Saturday.

?The move is a return for Edwards to the manufacturer with whom he raced in the World Superbike Championship from 1995 to 1997,? Yamaha said in a statement.

Dubai team for 2006

London: A Dubai team will take part in the 2006 Formula One world championship, the team announced on Saturday.

Team Dubai FI said in a statement it would lodge a $48m security with the sport?s governing body to secure a slot.

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