Poland back to winning ways, Serbia end South Korea’s run

November 9th, 2009 HAMBURG - Serena Williams takes the women's world number one rankings into 2010 as she topped this year's final list issued by the WTA Monday. Williams regained first place from injured Dinara Safina last week and leads the way with 9,075 points from the Russians Safina (7,800) and Svetlana Kuznetsova (6,141).

October 19th, 2009 HAMBURG - Serena Williams of the United States leads a nearly unchanged women's tennis rankings top 10 issued Monday by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA). Williams has 7,945 points for a slim advantage over former number one Dinara Safina of Russia (7,940).

October 15th, 2009 HAMBURG - After Wednesday's qualifying rounds, following are 23 teams that have qualified for the 2010 World Cup football finals in South Africa: Africa: Country Appearances Best finish in finals Ghana 2nd Round of 16 (2006) Ivory Coast 2nd Group Stage (2006) South Africa 3rd Group Stage (1998, 2002) Asia: Country Appearances Best finish in finals Australia 3rd Round of 16 (2006) Japan 4th Round of 16 (2002) North Korea 2nd Quarter-finals (1966) South Korea 8th Fourth Place (2002) Europe: Country Appearances Best finish in finals Denmark 4th Quarter-finals (1998) England 13th Winners (1966) Germany 17th Winners (1954, 1974, 1990) Italy 17th Winners (1934, 1938, 1982, 2006) Netherlands 9th Runners-up (1974, 1978) Serbia 11th Fourth Place (1930, 1962) (Competed as Yugoslavia from 1930-98, Serbia and Montenegro for 2006) Slovakia 1st No previous performance Spain 13th Fourth Place (1950) Switzerland 9th Quarter-finals (1934, 1938, 1954) North, Central America and Caribbean: Country Appearances Best finish in finals Honduras 2nd Group Stage (1982) Mexico 14th Quarter-finals (1970, 1986) United States 9th Third Place (1930) South America: Country Appearances Best finish in finals Argentina 15th Winners (1978, 1986) Brazil 19th Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994,2002) Chile 8th Third Place (1962) Paraguay 8th Round of 16 (1986, 1998, 2002)

October 12th, 2009 HAMBURG - Serena Williams of the United States returned to the top of the women's tennis rankings in the latest list issued Monday by the WTA, dethroning Russian Dinara Safina by a mere five points. Williams has 7,945 points to Safina's 7,940, with Venus Williams third on 6,445 points.

October 11th, 2009 BELGRADE - Serbian officials congratulated Sunday Serbia's 5-0 win over Romania which secured the team a place in next year's World Cup football in South Africa, while thousands of fans flocked the cities celebrating the victory until the early morning hours. "I want to congratulate the players on this fantastic success.

October 10th, 2009 HAMBURG - European heavyweights Italy and Germany clinched their places at next year's World Cup finals, and there was similar qualification joy for Serbia and Denmark on Saturday. Portugal, meanwhile, seemingly out of contention even for a play-off spot not long ago, are back in the fray after beating Hungary 3-0 and getting a little bit of help from the Danes.

October 10th, 2009 HAMBURG - Germany, Serbia and Denmark booked their places at the 2010 World Cup finals with qualification victories Saturday. A 35th-minute Miroslav Klose goal gave Germany a 1-0 win over Russia in Moscow to give Joachim Loew's side an unassailable lead in Group 4 and consign the Russians to a play-off tie next month.

September 13th, 2009 LONDON - England football star David Beckham has incurred the wrath of North Korean leader Kim-Jong II after posing with freed American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee. According to News of The World, the grinning midfield maestro welcomed the two reporters home following their release, secured by former president Bill Clinton after 140 days in a grim North Korean jail.

September 6th, 2009 HAMBURG - World champions Italy and Europe's title-holders Spain took major steps towards qualifying for next year's World Cup finals with victories, but France and Portugal have a fight on their hands after being held to draws Saturday. A last-minute goal from Zlatan Ibrahimovic meanwhile gave Sweden a 2-1 victory in Hungary to boost their hopes in a closely-fought Group 1 where leaders Denmark were pegged by a late Portugal equalizer.

August 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The revival of the Nehru Cup in 2007, after 10 years, rejuvenated Indian football and the draw for the six-team 2009 edition will be made here Thursday. The tournament, being sponsored again by the state-owned ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Commission), is lucky to retain the Rs.35 million sponsorship money at a time when recession has crippled global sports activities.

August 5th, 2009 NEW DELHI - The revival of the Nehru Cup in 2007 seems to have rejuvenated Indian football and the draw for the six-team 2009 edition will be made here Thursday. The tournament, being sponsored again by the state-owned ONGC (Oil and Natural Gas Commission), is lucky to retain the Rs.35 million sponsorship money at a time when recession has crippled global sports activities.

August 4th, 2009 SEOUL - South Korean climber Oh Eun Sun became the first woman to climb 13 of the world's 14 peaks above 8,000 metres, the national news agency Yonhap reported Tuesday, quoting her sponsor Black Yak. Oh Eun Sun, 43, Monday summitted the 8,068-metre Gasherbrum in Pakistan, 12 hours after she left Camp 3, Yonhap reported.

June 11th, 2009 HAMBURG - Russia moved to within a point of Germany after a 3-0 win over Finland, while England and already-qualified Netherlands continued their winning runs in World Cup qualifiers. Two goals from Alexander Kershakov in the 26th and 54th minutes and a third from Konstantin Zyrianov in the 73rd gave Russia a decisive victory over Finland in a Group 4 match in Helsinki Wednesday.

June 10th, 2009 Obituaries in the newsForest Evashevski IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Forest Evashevski, the former Michigan football star coached Iowa to two Rose Bowl victories in the 1950s, has died. He was 91. Evashevski's son, Forest Evashevski Jr., said Saturday that his father died Friday night from cancer at his home in Petoskey, Mich.

May 25th, 2009 HAMBURG - Dinara Safina retained first place in the latest women's tennis rankings issued Monday by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) as she makes another attempt to claim her first title at the majors. The Russian Safina takes 9,801 points into the French Open which started Sunday, with the Williams sisters Serena and Venus following on 7,838 and 7,237 points, respectively.