Davis Cup team fall to 2nd pool-stage loss
The Singapore men's tennis team are finding it tough going in the Davis Cup Asia/Oceania Group III, losing their second straight Pool A match yesterday - 2-1 to Vietnam - after being promoted by winning Group IV last year.
On the indoor hard courts of the OCBC Arena, Shaheed Alam lost 6-2, 6-1 to Trinh Linh Giang while Ng Hao Yuan fell 6-1, 6-1 to Ly Nam Hoang, before the local duo teamed up to beat Le Quoc Khanh and Pham Minh Tuan 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 in the doubles.
They had lost by the same score to Kuwait on Wednesday and will finish the group-stage schedule against Sri Lanka today.
Liverpool sign young Holland defender LONDON • Liverpool have completed their first signing of the summer with the capture of Dutch defender Sepp van den Berg from PEC Zwolle yesterday.
The European champions have paid just £1.3 million (S$2.23 million) for the 17-year-old, beating Bayern Munich to the youngster's signature.
Van den Berg is expected to spend next season with the club's academy sides.
"It is, for me, the biggest club in the world and it's a dream come true. I am really excited," he said.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
'Keeper Neto heads to Barca in swop deal
BARCELONA • Brazilian goalkeeper Neto moved to Barcelona from Valencia in an exchange deal with Netherlands international Jasper Cillessen, the Spanish LaLiga champions said yesterday.
He signed a four-year contract at the Nou Camp for €26 million (S$40 million), while Cillessen's departure in the opposite direction was announced the previous day for a similar sum.
Neto, 29, is expected to be Marc-Andre ter Stegen's understudy.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Budapest to host revamped Fed Cup
LONDON • An overhaul of the Fed Cup format will see 12 nations compete in a six-day event in Budapest from 2020 to 2022 with a huge boost in prize money, the International Tennis Federation announced yesterday.
This year's finalists, Australia and France, host Hungary and one wild card nation will be joined by the winners from eight qualifying matches to be held in February.
A total prize pot of US$18 million (S$24.4 million) will be offer with US$12 million going to players and US$6 million to national tennis associations.
The first revamped finals, to be played on clay from April 14-19 in 2020, will feature four groups of three teams, with the winners qualifying for the semi-finals and final. All matches will consist of two singles and one doubles.
REUTERS
