SNOOKER/Hendry on 700 mark: Stephen Hendry yesterday became the first player to compile 700 competitive centuries on the way to booking his place in the last 16 of the Malta Cup.
On-song Scot Hendry and Australia's Neil Robertson both cruised to 5-1 wins at the Hilton Conference Centre in Portomaso - and now meet tomorrow afternoon.
Hendry, the 2005 Malta champion, was too good for Gloucester's Robert Milkins in their best-of-nine frame clash, while Robertson defeated Glasgow's Marcus Campbell.
"It's fantastic, I'm delighted," Hendry said. "I didn't know I was on 699, but I'm glad I didn't as I probably would have twitched! "I'm playing well. If I'm playing well, I'm happy.
Boonen in control
CYCLING: Irish rider Paul Healion made a strong effort in yesterday's third stage of the Tour of Qatar, breaking away from the world class field and remaining to the fore until 10 kilometres to go. The 2006 world road race champion Tom Boonen fortified his overall lead when he sprinted to his second successive stage win.
Mark Cassidy was the best of the Irish riders coming home five seconds behind Boonen in 67th place. Two of the other Irish riders in the race, Stephen Gallagher and Paídi O'Brien, were 52 seconds behind Boonen. Healion paid the price for his efforts finishing a further one minute and five seconds back, but will be encouraged by an impressive ride against the big names in world cycling.
Tanihara for Masters
GOLF: Japan's Hideto Tanihara will make his debut at this year's Masters after receiving a special invitation from Augusta National yesterday. Tanihara, a four-times winner on the Japan Tour, is among 18 players set to make their first appearances in the opening major of the year from April 5th-8th.
One hundred players have been invited to the Masters, including five amateurs.Swedes Robert Karlsson and Johan Edfors and US Ryder Cup player J.J. Henry are among this year's Masters debutants.
The final field will not be decided until the week before the tournament when organisers will extend invitations to the world's top 50 and the leading 10 players on the 2007 PGA Tour.
Ullrich to give DNA
CYCLING: Former Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich plans to return to Germany and provide state prosecutors with a DNA sample, his attorney Johann Schwenn said yesterday.
"I've written to the state prosecutors on January 22nd to inform them that Herr Ullrich will come to Germany and provide a DNA sample," Schwenn said.
Ullrich, a German national, lives in Switzerland.
Ullrich was suspended and then sacked by his T-Mobile team in July after his name was linked to an anti-doping investigation by Spain's Civil Guard.
Ullrich, who won the Tour in 1997, has said he is innocent of any doping allegations made against him.
