Mancini denies talk of Sneijder bid
LONDON: Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has denied reports he is planning to launch a bid for Manchester United transfer target Wesley Sneijder. It had been suggested in Italy that City were preparing a £30 million offer for Inter Milan midfielder Sneijder in an attempt to snatch the player from United’s grasp. But Mancini was adamant there will be no approach for Sneijder when asked if he was interested in the Dutch international. “It is not true. Sneijder is an Inter player. I never speak about him,” Mancini said after City’s 3-2 loss against United in the Community Shield at Wembley on Sunday. While Mancini may not move for Sneijder, the Italian confirmed he is still keen to sign more players before the transfer window shuts on August 31. Mancini has already revealed his interest in signing Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri, while a bid for Inter’s Cameroon star striker Samuel Eto’o has also been mooted. “We need to complete the targets we had at the start of the pre-season. We still have time before the end of the transfer window,” he said. (Agencies)
Man Utd quiet on stake sale talk
LONDON: Manchester United have declined to be drawn on a report the controlling Glazer family are planning to sell as much as a 25 percent stake in the English club on the market. Britain’s Sunday Mirror newspaper quoted an unnamed banking source as saying the proposal was being considered by the owners in order to clear some debt. “We don’t comment on speculation,” a spokesman for the Premier League winners and last term’s Champions League runners-up said. The American Glazers have been unpopular with many fans since buying the club and taking it off the stock market in 2005 with supporters saying they were uncomfortable with the levels of debt despite continued on-field success. (Agencies)
Sania gets closer to Rogers Cup draw
TORONTO: Sania Mirza overcame a second set laps to beat local wild card Heidi El Tabakh and move to the second and final qualifying round of the WTA Rogers Cup. Seeded 11th in the qualifying event, Sania dispatched the Canadian 6-0, 4-6, 6-0 after one hour and 42 minutes. The Indian will next face Germany’s Kathrin Woerle, who defeated Russian Alla Kudryatseva 6-2, 7-5 in her opening round. Sania made a strong start and was all over her opponent but surrendered her serve thrice in the second set to let the local player make a comeback. However, she again regrouped and blanked Heidi in the decisive third set to move to the next stage. (PTI)
Stepanek enters Washington final
WASHINGTON: Czech Radek Stepanek, the oldest player in the world’s top 100 at age 32, ousted American Donald Young 6-3, 6-3 Saturday to reach the final of the $1.4 million ATP Washington Classic. Stepanek, who also became the oldest ATP finalist of the year, will play for his fifth career title in Sunday’s final against the winner of a later match between American John Isner and French top seed Gael Monfils. Stepanek, ranked 54th, has split two meetings with Isner, losing in this year’s second round of the Australian Open, and lost five of seven meetings with Monfils, including their most recent clash two weeks ago on Hamburg clay. It will be Stepanek’s first final since last year at Brisbane. The Czech veteran, who last won an ATP crown in 2009 at San Jose, could reach 30th in the rankings with what he said would be the biggest title of his career. (Agencies)