The Malaysian Insider

LONDON, July 5 — Just hours after battling it out for the Wimbledon singles title yesterday, the Williams sisters returned to Centre Court united as team mates to retain their doubles crown.

Understandably looking a little tired, the duo took a while to get into full swing but as they powered to a 7-6 6-4 victory over Australia’s Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs they soon proved their rock-solid partnership was still intact.

“There’s nothing like winning a title with your sister,” 27-year-old Serena told reporters. “It’s really a good feeling.”

MONACO, July 4 — Lance Armstrong returned to his favourite stage four years after winning a record seventh consecutive Tour de France and set a respectable time in the opening time trial today.

The 18th rider to set off in Monaco, Armstrong clocked 20 minutes 12 seconds for the 15.5-km course to briefly top the standings. The American hinted afterwards that he had not expected a winning start to the race.

“We will see where the other ones are but I did not have big illusions”, the 37-year-old told reporters.

LONDON, July 4 — Serena Williams celebrated American Independence Day by beating sister Venus 7-6 6-2 to win her third Wimbledon title today.

Once five-times champion Venus dumped a backhand into the net on Serena’s fourth match point, the younger of the Williams sisters sank to her knees after finally winning her third singles crown at the grasscourt major following a six-year gap.

The 27-year-old quickly got back up on her feet to embrace Venus and then turned to lap up the applause of the 15,000 fans who had packed into a sun-kissed Centre Court.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — Several veteran footballers who played for the country way back in the 1970’s took part in the one-day veterans competition organised by the International Football Club (IFC) which celebrated its 40th anniversary at Club Aman in Ampang, here today.

The veterans included Santokh Singh and Ho Hon Seong who had represented Malaysia in the 1970’s and 1980’s, and K.Kannan who played for Singapore between 1980 and 1988.

Santokh, 59, a former defender who played alongside the late Mokhtar Dahari in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, also helped Malaysia to qualify for the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games. The boycott of the Moscow Olympics following the Soviet Union’s war on Afghanistan meant the players did not get the chance to go to Moscow.

KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — Billionaire Malaysian media mogul T. Ananda Krishnan is the man reportedly behind an £80 million (RM460.6 million) bid to buy English football club Newcastle United, according to The Sun newspaper in the United Kingdom.

The Sun reported that Ananda, who controls Maxis Communications, gaming group Tanjong plc, Measat and Astro, is closing in on the deal to end Mike Ashley’s nightmare two-year “Toon” reign.

An official announcement on the deal is expected next week.