Snooker: Robertson digs in to topple Hendry
SNOOKER: Neil Robertson yesterday had to dig deep to see off six-time Masters winner Stephen Hendry 6-4 and book his place in this year's quarter-finals at Wembley.
Robertson led four times in a topsy-turvy first-round match but could not get away from the veteran Scot until he took the final three frames to wrap up a hard-fought victory.
He will now meet Stephen Maguire in the last eight.
It was 2-2 at the mid-session interval, but Robertson came out of the blocks fast after the break and it looked like 4-2 when he opened up with a 52 break. Hendry hit back however with a 61 to steal the frame on the black and level the match.
The Scot was in front for the only time when he got the better of a protracted safety duel in the next. He could not take a telling advantage, however, and Robertson claimed the eighth frame to level, before winning the ninth 60-43 and closing out the contest with a break of 92.
TENNIS: Melbourne police are confident that they can prevent a third successive year of violence at the Australian Open.
A riot during the 2007 tournament was followed by last season's controversy when officers used pepper spray as they attempted to remove 'abusive' fans from one of the outside courts.
For the first time, all officers at Melbourne Park will carry canisters of pepper foam, which will allow the police "to target a person more directly" than would be possible with spray.
Two years ago, age-old Balkan enmities came alive, with Serbian and Croatian supporters exchanging insults before they attacked their rivals with fists, sticks, beer cups, bottles and flagpoles.
Last season, police used pepper spray as they tried to deal with a group of male Greek fans, who had been "chanting abusively" at Chilean Fernando Gonzalez.
CRICKET: Kent captain Rob Key believes Graham Ford is the perfect candidate to replace Peter Moores as England coach.
Ford (48) is the current Kent coach and has expressed an interest in taking the England job after Moores was sacked following a rift with Kevin Pietersen.
"Obviously I'm slightly biased but Graham Ford would be the perfect man for the job. I think England have got someone who has been in their system for a few years who's a fantastic coach," Key stated.
"His record speaks for itself -- both at international cricket and here at Kent."
