Translated material
Chronicle
The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) has published a new ranking of players based on the results of last week. Wimbledon finalist Russian Vera Zvonareva rose 12 positions, from 21st to ninth. The Muscovite became the second representative of our country in the top ten strongest tennis players in the world. Olympic champion Elena Dementieva, who missed the British Open due to injury, dropped from fifth place to sixth.
The women's list is headed by American Serena Williams, who confirmed her points for winning Wimbledon. Serbian Jelena Jankovic took second position, while Danish Caroline Wozniacki took third.
In the ranking of the Association of Professional Tennis Players, Wimbledon champion Spaniard Rafael Nadal ranks first. Serbian Novak Djokovic ousted Swiss Roger Federer from second position, who is now only third.
Russian Nikolay Davydenko dropped from fifth place to sixth, Mikhail Youzhny remained 14th, Igor Andreev moved down 25 positions - from 57th to 82nd, and Teimuraz Gabashvili changed 84th place to 88th.
Russian athletes distinguished themselves in Eugene
The sixth stage of the Diamond League athletics series took place in Eugene, America, where Russian athletes won four prizes - three first and one third. Nadezhda Alekhina won the triple jump with a score of 14.62 m. Tatyana Lysenko won the hammer throw competition - 75.98 m. Maria Savinova excelled in the 800 m run - 1.57.56. Another representative of our country, Yulia Golubchikova, took third place in the pole vault.
Lysenko removed the question of the winner of the hammer throwers' tournament in her last attempt, setting a competition record and beating the champion of the recent European team championship, Betty Haider from Germany.
European and world indoor champion Maria Savinova showed an impeccable 800m run, finishing with the best result of the season in the world - 1:57.56. Olympic champion in the 1500 meters Nancy Langat from Kenya took second place - 1:57.75, another Kenyan, 2007 world champion Janet Jepkosgei was third - 1:57.84. Note that nine athletes ran out within two minutes. In the pole vault, Yulia Golubchikova shared third place with American Lacy Jenson. Brazilian Fabiana Murer won the competition.
The American round produced the four best results of the season in the world. In addition to Savinova, Veronica Campbell-Bryan from Jamaica also distinguished herself, covering the 100-meter dash in 10.78 seconds. American David Oliver surpassed his own best record in the 110 m hurdles - 12.90 seconds. Competition host Christian Cantwell again showed excellent form, winning the tournament in the shot put - 22.41 m.
Among the surprises of the competition was the defeat of the American Tyson Guy in the 200 m race. The 2007 three-time world champion lost to Walter Dix, who finished with a score of 19.72. Guy's is 19.76.
Shmigun ended her sports career
Olympic champion 33-year-old Estonian skier Kristina Shmigun announced her retirement from her sports career. According to Estonian media, the famous athlete intends to devote herself to her family and raising her daughter.
Last fall, after the birth of her daughter, Smigun returned to professional sports and won a silver medal in the 10 km freestyle race at the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. At the previous Olympics in Turin, Smigun earned two golds - in the duathlon and the 10 km classic style race. In addition, the best skier in Estonia has one gold, three silver and two bronze medals from the world championships. In Estonia, Kristina Šmigun was recognized as the best athlete of the year seven times.
Tennis players began preparing for the match with Argentina
The first training sessions took place at the Olimpiysky sports complex in Moscow in preparation for the Davis Cup match between Russia and Argentina, which will take place this weekend. The first member of the Russian team to start work was Mikhail Youzhny, who was the first to test the surface on Saturday. On Sunday, the Argentine national team players, who flew to Moscow last weekend, also trained on the court for two hours.
Let us recall that to participate in the quarterfinal match, the captain of the Russian quartet, Shamil Tarpishchev, announced the names of Nikolai Davydenko, Mikhail Youzhny, Teimuraz Gabashvili and Igor Kunitsyn. The Argentines chose David Nalbandian, Leonardo Mayer, Eduardo Schwanck and Horacio Ceballos. Team captain Tito Vazquez.
“Los Angeles” refused claims from Kovalchuk
Los Angeles Kings general manager Dean Lombardi said his club has abandoned the idea of acquiring Russian forward Ilya Kovalchuk. Let us remind you that Kovalchuk became an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and can choose to continue his career at his discretion in the hope of signing a multi-year contract with an annual salary in the region of $10 million.
According to Lombardi, Los Angeles did everything to prepare an offer for the 27-year-old Russian that would meet the player’s wishes and be beneficial to the club, but it was rejected. The general manager did not specify what became the stumbling block and on what positions disagreements arose.
In addition to the Kings, New Jersey, where the forward completed the 2009/10 season, the Islanders, Philadelphia, and St. Petersburg SKA are vying to sign a contract with the Russian sniper. Earlier, American media reported that the New York Islanders club was ready to offer the Russian a ten-year super contract worth $100 million.