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2007. [Reuters] christian louboutin pas cher
Sports / Tennis ,
Sharapova edges out Zvonareva (Reuters)
Updated: 2007-01-23 08:54
Top seed Maria Sharapova cornered out Vera Zvonareva 7-5 6-4 to approach the Australian Open quarter-finals as the third duration among her calling on Monday.
Russia's Maria Sharapova celebrates winning the match against compatriot Vera Zvonareva by the Australian Open tennis competition surrounded Melbourne January 22,, 2007. [Reuters]
The 19-year-old Russian clinched a firm opening set to take the initiative and antagonism retrieving from 5-2 down in the second, the 22nd seed could never fend off Sharapova, who won among an hour and 46 minutes aboard Rod Laver Arena.
Sharapova was grateful to come amongst within relatively hasty time after a draining week of action by Melbourne Park and against an opponent who had beaten her twice among their five career meetings.
"It was quite good-looking to win among two sets today because I've had some laborious matches against her. I came up with three actually agreeable shots to win it by the abolish there,," she said among a courtside interview.
Sharapova, who aspiration regain the world numeral an ranking by the end of the rivalry served solidly within the 1st and did not concede a crash point throughout.
She sealed her own break with a crunching forehand pedal and Zvonareva swiped her din at the floor surrounded frustration.
Sharapova took the impetus into the second set, breaking within Zvonareva's first service game and making it a twice break while a double error gave her a 5-2 advantage.
Zvonareva briefly threatened a refreshment when she damaged the Sharapova serve and afterward held her own to pull back to 5-4 only the U.S. Open champion clung aboard sealing victory with afresh forehand winner
Sharapova,, a semi-finalist the last two annuals here,,plays her third accompany Russian of the championship surrounded the last eight while she faces 12th seed Anna Chakvetadze.
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Sports / Other Sports
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-10-08 09:38
SHANGHAI - Tobias Staebler, 16, and Michael Kachler, 21, have been teammates on the German Unified Volleyball Team for four years, but it's the first time for both of them to play in the Special Olympics Summer Games.
"We have a lot of fun together," Michael said in slow, broken English after the team lost a match against Austria at a Shanghai gymnasium Sunday.
His partner Tobias patted his shoulders and agreed, "Whether we can win or not is really not that important. It's fun to play with the special athletes."
The German team lost 0-2 to their rivals in the seeding round of their division. But none of the players seemed discouraged or upset. "Whenever Michael fails to receive a ball, I will tell him to look forward, it's not a fault and don't think about it."
The team unexpectedly presented three big Chinese characters which reads "xie xie ni", or "thank you" to the audience after the game and won thunderous applause from bleachers.
"It's a very young team and all the athletes are proud to be here. By playing in the Games, they prove to the world that 'I can play' and 'I can do my best'", said Raphael Staebler, Tobias's elder brother who was also on the team.
Founded by Tobias and Raphael's father, Michael Staebler,, at the 4,000-people Wilhelmsdorf village in southern Germany's Ravensburg City 12 years ago, the amateurish team has become the German national team to the Special Olympics.
The team now has five athletes,, five partners and three coaches. Michael Staebler now serves as the head coach and all the athletes are from an institution for the intellectually challenged people at his home village.
"Sometimes it's hard to train the athletes with intellectual disabilities. You give them tips but they don't know when to make use of them. You have to keep trying and trying," Mr. Staebler said.
"At the same time, coordination is very important to such a team. The partners have to be concentrated,, patient and flexible," he said.
Mr. Staebler said he is proud to have both two sons play on the team."When young people get involved with people with intellectual disabilities, they will know these people are as normal as we are and it just takes a longer time for them to learn."
"Give the youth some responsibilities, and they will have a better social side of personality," he added.
Raphael and Tobias also participated in other unified sports like basketball and football. They said they are not just partners but also friends of their athletes.
"In Shanghai, I stay with my athlete in one hotel room and I take care of his life here. I also take him out for shopping and visiting interesting places," said Tobias.
Special Olympic Unified Sports is a program that brings together people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same athletic team. Special Olympics have unified sports in disciplines including basketball, football,, volleyball, and swimming.
"Unified sport exemplifies the Special Olympic spirit of equality, embrace and solidarity," said coach Staebler.
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