Ghosal clinches title

Bordeaux: Saurav Ghosal notched up the biggest title of his career by winning the inaugural Ornano International Open after stunning third seed Davide Bianchetti in the final of the $15,000 PSA Tour squash event.

The sixth seeded Ghosal shocked Italian Bianchetti 11-6, 11-6, 9-11, 11-9 in the finals to secure the fourth and the biggest PSA Tour title of his career.

“I registered myself for the meet because I wanted to see France... I have never been to this country. I didn’t care about the draw. I knew I was facing some really tough players but I have been playing pretty okay for a while,” Ghosal said.

The win in the final was the 22-year-old’s third successive upset in the event.

Russia retain Fed Cup

Madrid: Russia retained their Fed Cup title on Sunday after Svetlana Kuznetsova beat Spanish No.1 Anabel Medina Garrigues in a thrilling match to take an unassailable 3-0 lead.

The world No. 7’s 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 win brought Russia their fourth Fed Cup in five years.

Atwal slips

Boise (US): Arjun Atwal’s title hopes went up in smoke after the Orlando-based Indian tumbled down to tied 25th with an erratic penultimate round of two-over 73 in the Albertsons Boise Open golf tournament.

On Sunday the Indian collected his first over-par card of the week for a three-day total of six-under 207 with his title hopes in tatters.

Jeev tied 25th

Cologne: Jeev Milkha Singh faltered on the back nine to settle for a penultimate round card of one-over 73 to slide to tied 25th in the Mercedes-Benz Championship golf meet.
It was worse for compatriots SSP Chowrasia and Jyoti Randhawa who returned identical rounds of seven-over 79 to slip to the bottom.

Safin pulls out

Moscow: Former world No. 1 Marat Safin has pulled out of Russia’s team for this month’s Davis Cup semi-final against Argentina in Buenos Aires.

World No. 39 Safin cited personal commitments as he attempts to climb the rankings.

Raza’s plea

Karachi: Pakistan’s rebel cricketer Hasan Raza has urged the newly elected President, Asif Ali Zardari to instruct the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to remove ban on the players who have joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL).