Schnyder advances

STUTTGART: Fifth-seeded Patty Schnyder eased into the second round of the Porsche Grand Prix by beating Chanda Rubin 6-2, 6-2. Dutch Michaella Krajicek served 13 aces to beat Australia’s Samantha Stosur 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-1. The tournament has been hit by the withdrawals of tops stars, with Ana Ivanovic the latest to join the list. Other players who withdrew earlier were Kim Clijsters, Justine Henin-Hardenne, Maria Sharapova, Lindsay Davenport and Serena and Venus Williams. — AP

Tursunov triumphs

MUMBAI: Dmitry Tursunov of Russia captured his first career title in defeating Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (5) in the rain-interrupted Mumbai Open final on Monday. “The first title is always special,” fourth-seeded Tursunov said. Victory also lifted him from a world No 22 ranking into the top 20 for the first time. The inaugural Mumbai final was postponed from Sunday because of monsoon showers, and disrupted twice more on Monday. — AP

Crespo out for month

MILAN: Inter Milan striker Hernan Crespo was diagnosed on Tuesday with a strained left leg and will be sidelined for a month. Inter left back Fabio Grosso has an injured right leg that forced him to drop out of Italy’s training camp. No time frame on Grosso’s injury was given. Both players were injured in a 1-1 draw at Cagliari on Sunday. — AP

Grosso blow for Italy

ROME: World champions Italy are expected to be without Fabio Grosso for Saturday’s crunch 2008 European championship qualifier against Ukraine. The Inter Milan defender, who scored the winning penalty-kick in the World Cup final, has a right thigh strain and according to Italian media reports is very doubtbful for the match. Should Grosso fail to recover in time, Barcelona’s Gianluca Zambrotta will probably play. After the Ukraine match this weekend, Italy face Georgia in Tbilisi the following Wednesday. — AFP

Peter Norman dead

MELBOURNE: Peter Norman, the Australian who stood alongside the US athletes staging the civil rights protest from the medal podium at the 1968 Olympics, died on Tuesday of a heart attack. He was 64. The medal presentation for the 200m at Mexico City was significant for the black power salute by American gold and bronze medallists Tommie Smith and John Carlos. Norman, the silver medalist, wore a human rights badge on his shirt during the ceremony in support of the two Americans. Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates said Norman “was clearly an athlete to whom social justice was important.” — AP

Watford hold Fulham

LONDON: Ashley Young scored his second goal of the game with a minute to play, salvaging a 3-3 draw for Watford against Fulham on Monday after the Hornets had squandered a two-goal lead. The draw gave Watford four points and left it in 19th place in the 20-team Premier League as the only side without a victory. Marlon King scored in the 23rd and Young added his first in the 46th to put Watford ahead 2-0. Fulham rallied with goals by Brian McBride, Heidar Helguson and an own-goal by Damien Francis in 16 minutes to lead 3-2 by the 87th minute. — AP