Indian women go down to Japan
The Indian women’s hockey team suffered a narrow 1-2 loss to hosts Japan in the opening tie of the four-match International Friendship Series in Tenri on Tuesday, reports PTI from New Delhi.
Kaori Chiba scored a brace to push the visitors onto the backfoot even before the lemon break.
Chiba converted a penalty corner in the second minute and then netted a field goal just before half-time to help Japan take a comfortable lead.
In the 48th minute, Surinder Kaur pulled one back for India. The next match of the series will be played on Thursday.

Zvonareva out of Wimbledon
Vera Zvonareva, who has been bothered by a left wrist injury for months, withdrew from Wimbledon, reports AP.
The 19th-ranked Russian also missed the French Open because of the injury. She has not played since the semifinals of the Family Circle Cup in April.
Zvonareva will be replaced by Aleksandra Wozniak.

Mickelson pulls out of PGA event
Phil Mickelson will take more time off for his sore left wrist to heal after the US golf star struggled with the injury at last week’s US Open, reports AFP from Cromwell, US.
The world number two pulled out of this week’s $5.5-million US PGA Travlers Championship on Monday, announcing his decision three days after missing the US Open cut, ending a streak of making the cut in 30 majors. Mickelson, 37, won the event in 2001 and 2002 but notified officials he would not participate after he visited a doctor on Monday.

Woods becomes a father
Tiger Woods is a daddy. Less than 24 hours after Woods finished second at the US Open on Father’s Day, his wife gave birth to a daughter, reports AP from New York.
Woods announced on his website that Sam Alexis Woods was born early on Monday morning.
“Both Elin and Sam are doing well and resting peacefully,” Woods wrote. “This is truly a special time in our lives.”

Hernia operation for Harmison
England fast bowler Steve Harmison is set to undergo a hernia operation, though team management is yet to decide when he will have the surgery, reports Reuters from Durham.
The 28-year-old, playing in the final Test against West Indies, was expected to turn out for Durham in a domestic cup semifinal on Wednesday, but now his availability will have to be confirmed by England medics.
Harmison is likely to be operated on soon so that he does not miss much of the three-Test series against India which will begin at Lord’s on July 19.

Venkatesh, Manju for Bagan
Mohun Bagan, on Monday, named Bhaichung Bhutia as captain and Brazilian Carlos Roberto Silva as chief coach for the coming 2007-08 season, reports PTI from Kolkata.
The squad also includes Karnataka players N S Manju and S Venkatesh who did duty for Mumbai’s Mahindra United last year.
The green and maroon brigade have also poached on Mohammedan Sporting claiming four players, including defenders Subhasish Roy Chowhdury and Habibur Rahman Mondal. Brazilian striker Jose Rami-rez Barreto is the only forei-gner in their ranks so far.
Terming the opportunity to lead the green and maroon brigade as a ‘great honour’, Bhutia said “On my part I will do my best to bring success to the club.”
His goal for the season? “To play better and better. I hope Bagan put up a better show than last year.”

Greene to miss US meet
Former Olympic and world 100 metres champion Maurice Greene will miss this week's US championships in Indianapolis because of a leg injury, his manager said on Monday, reports Reuters from Los Angeles. "It seems that as he got over one leg injury two weeks ago, he started pushing it at practice and injured the other leg," Emanuel Hudson said.