Monfils pulls out

NEW YORK: Top-50 player Gael Monfils of France pulled out of the US Open on Thursday with a right hamstring injury. Monfils, once ranked as high as No 23 and currently No 44, will be replaced in the draw by a player who lost in qualifying. The 20-year-old Monfils, who won three junior Grand Slam titles in 2004, is considered an up-and-coming star on tour. He reached the third round at each of this year’s first three majors. The US Open starts from Monday. — AP

Boucher fined

JOHANNESBURG: Wicketkeeper Mark Boucher will lose 60 per cent of his match fees at the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup after criticising the move to drop star batsman Jacques Kallis, Cricket South Africa (CSA) said on Friday. A disciplinary panel found Boucher guilty of three breaches of CSA’s code of conduct after an interview with the Business Day newspaper this month in which he also played down the importance of the inaugural tournament which is being staged in South Africa next month. — AFP