TENNIS - HAMBURG MASTERS: Switzerland's Roger Federer retained his Hamburg Masters title with a comprehensive 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 victory over French teenager Richard Gasquet yesterday.
The world number one's win avenged his defeat by the 18-year-old Gasquet in the quarter-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters last month, one of only two losses in his last 59 matches.
The top seed was never at his best but Gasquet, ranked 56, failed to convert his break points when they came as Federer secured his 19th consecutive victory in an ATP final.
TENNIS - ROME MASTERS: Amelie Mauresmo fought back from a set and a break down to win her second consecutive Rome Masters title by beating eighth seed Patty Schnyder 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 yesterday.
The victory, her second of the year, extended the Frenchwoman's record in the Italian capital, where she has reached five of the last six finals.
She took a set and a half before finding her rhythm against the Swiss left-hander, who cleverly mixed up the pace and spin on her shots.
MOTORCYCLING - MOTO GP: Valentino Rossi extended his domination of MotoGP racing yesterday with victory in the French Grand Prix. The world champion made it three wins out of four races by narrowly beating Honda rider Sete Gibernau into second place at Le Mans. Rossi has moved to 95 points in the overall standings with compatriot Marco Melandri on 58 and Gibernau on 53.
The 26-year-Italian, chasing a fifth world title in motorcycling's premier class, seized the lead on his Yamaha with just over seven laps remaining in a race held in cloudy but dry weather. Gibernau threatened until the last few bends but Rossi showed his class under pressure, beating the circuit record in the last lap.
CYCLING - GIRO d'ITALIA: David Zabriskie of the United States won the stage eight 45-kilometre time-trial of the Giro d'Italia from Lamporecchio to Florence yesterday.
His CSC team-mate Ivan Basso of Italy was second, 17 seconds behind, with compatriot Paolo Savoldelli third at 44 seconds.
Italy's Danilo Di Luca finished 10th, 1:35 behind Zabriskie, and retained the race leader's pink jersey, nine seconds clear of Basso and 35 ahead of Savoldelli.
Today's ninth stage is a 139km stretch from Florence to Ravenna.
BOXING: Amir Khan's manager announced the Briton was turning professional after the teenager avenged last year's Olympic lightweight final defeat by beating Cuban veteran Mario Kindelan on Saturday night.
Khan (18), appearing in front of his home-town crowd in Bolton, was awarded a 19-13 points victory at the end of the four-round fight.
Frank Warren, who believes Khan is the best boxer to come out of the Olympics since Sugar Ray Leonard, said he would now act as the youngster's promoter and manager in the professional ranks.
Khan, who had lost to 33-year-old Kindelan twice previously, dominated his opponent after taking a 2-1 lead at the end of the opening round. The fleet-footed Briton staggered Kindelan in the final round when he caught the Cuban with a venomous left hand. Kindelan, who suffered only 22 defeats in a 360-bout amateur career, will now retire.
BOXING: American Ronald "Winky" Wright produced a boxing masterclass to easily outpoint Felix Trinidad of Puerto Rico in a WBC middleweight title eliminator in Las Vegas on Saturday night.
Former world light-middleweight champion Wright controlled the contest throughout behind his superb southpaw jab and a rock-solid defence.
Scores of 120-107 and 119-108 twice were returned as Wright earned the right to face undisputed middleweight king Bernard Hopkins. .
RALLYING: World champion Sebastien Loeb of France recorded his third straight win of the year yesterday with a comfortable victory in the Cyprus rally. Loeb, driving a Citroen, finished more than four minutes clear of Austrian Manfred Stohl. Stohl, also in a Citroen, was a private entry.The Frenchman's closest rivals, former world champions Marcus Gronholm and Petter Solberg, were forced to withdraw. Estonian Markko Martin, in a Peugeot, finished third after dislodging Norwegian Henning Solberg in a Ford Focus.
WOMEN'S HOCKEY: Hermes are through to a promotion play-off against Belgian side Royal Leopold in the European Hockey Trophy at Grange Road today (2.0), despite a 2-1 defeat by Ritm Grodno of Belarus in their final pool game yesterday, reports Mary Hannigan.
Saturday's 2-1 victory over Swiss side Rotweiss Wettingen - courtesy of a goal in each half from Carol Devine and Linda Caulfield, before a late Rotweiss consolation score - ensured the Dublin side a top-two finish in the pool.
Yesterday's game against Grodno was about determining whether Hermes would play Leopold or Slavia Praha (Czech Republic) for one of the two available promotion places in today's play-offs.
Leopold it is, after Grodno beat the hosts with goals in the ninth and 32nd minutes. Hermes fought back well after going 2-0 down, Caulfield pulling one back in the 68th minute.
If Hermes can beat Leopold today Pegasus, this season's All-Ireland champions, will play in the A division next season.
MEN'S HOCKEY: Ireland's representatives, Instonians, were held to a 1-1 draw by Grammarians of Gibraltar in the European Championship (C division) in Zagreb yesterday and therefore face a tough play-off today against Amsicora of Italy for a promotion berth.
