Sports Bbar: Williams named player of year

Serena Williams has warned the rest of women's tennis there is more to come from her.

Williams named player of year

Serena Williams has warned the rest of women’s tennis there is more to come from her after she was named WTA player of the year for the second year running and the fifth time overall. Williams enjoyed one of the greatest seasons in WTA history. She won 78 of 82 matches,the U.S. Open and French Open among 11 titles,and a record $12,385,572 in prize money. Since February,she’s been the oldest No. 1 in WTA history. She’s now 32. Williams was also player of the year in 2002,’08,’09 and ’12.

Bolt targets 200m record

Jamaican sprint star Usain Bolt has set his sights on breaking his own 200-metre world record in 2014 with no competitions to distract his focus. Bolt,who was last week named IAAF male World Athlete of the Year for a fifth time,captured yet another triple gold haul at the world championships in Moscow this summer,defending his 100 and 200m titles before anchoring the Jamaican team to victory in the 4×100 relay. But records were off the agenda for Bolt this year despite claiming the world-leading 200 time in Moscow – a situation the 27-year-old is keen to rectify as he plans his strategy for 2014. “Definitely for this season me and my coach have decided to focus on running faster because there is no championship,so we are definitely targeting the 200 metres,” Bolt said. “We’ll see what happens. Hopefully I can stay injury-free and everything will go well this season and I can break the world record.” Bolt set the current 200 world mark of 19.19s and the 100 record of 9.58 at the world championships in Berlin in 2009.

Pune FC draw with Salgaocar

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Pune FC came from behind to hold Salgaocar to a 1-1 draw in the I-League played at Duler Stadium,Mapusa. The draw keeps Salgaocar at the top of the table with 18 points from nine matches,while Pune FC,who have played one match less than Salgaocar,are following the leaders one point behind. Salgaocar started well and took an early lead in the 4th minute through Darryl Duffy. Pune FC earned a penalty when Salgaocar’s defender Chika Wali brought down Douhou Pierre inside the box and referee Pranjal Banerjee awarded the penalty,which Mustapha Riga converted in the 61st minute.

Simunic to be punished by FIFA

Croatia defender Joe Simunic is set to be punished by FIFA for leading a pro-Nazi chant with fans after his team qualified this week for the World Cup. FIFA says in a statement on Friday that disciplinary proceedings have been opened concerning the case involving Simunic. Croatia’s public prosecutors have already fined Simunic the equivalent of 3,200 euros ($4,300) for spreading racial hatred” after he took up a microphone following Tuesday’s playoff match against Iceland and shouted to supporters: For the homeland! The fans responded: Ready! The call was used by the Croatian pro-Nazi puppet regime that ruled the state during World War II. Simunic has defended his action,saying he was driven by love for his country.

Yuki inches closer to wildcard

India’s Yuki Bhambri inched closer to get wild entry in the Australian Open not only in the singles but also in the doubles by recording crushing victories at Luohu Tennis Club. Bhambri first demolished the challenge of unranked Chinese Zhicheng Zhu 6-2 6-1 to reach the semifinals. Ranked 204,Yuki broke Zhicheng twice in the opening set. He now faces world number 205 and third seed Di Wu for a place in the final. Yuki later combined with New Zealand’s Michael Venus to reach the doubles final. The second seeded pair routed third seeded pair of Chieh-Fu Wang and Jimmy Wang 6-2 6-0 in just 40 minutes.They will now fight it out with fourth seeds Mao-Xin Gong and Zhe Li,who knocked out the top seeds Hsin Han Lee and Hsien Yin Peng in the other semifinal.

Ribery: Will be back for CWC

Bayern Munich winger and Ballon d’Or candidate Franck Ribery says he will recover from his rib injury in time for next month’s Club World Cup in Morocco. Earlier,Bayern coach Pep Guardiola told reporters he feared Ribery will be missing for a long time,without being more specific. But Guardiola also said he hoped to have Ribery back for the Club World Cup that starts Dec. 14 in Morocco. By then I’ll be able to play for sure, Ribery told the online edition of Kicker magazine. I think I’ll be able to play in 10 to 14 days,maybe with pain,but then so be it. I’ll just have to play through it. Ribery cracked a rib in France’s 3-0 victory over Ukraine on Tuesday that qualified the French for next year’s World Cup in Brazil.

Bjorn takes lead in Golf WC

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Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn was a model of consistency as he tamed Royal Melbourne with a three-under 68 to take a one-shot lead after the second round of the $8 million World Cup of Golf on Friday. Joint overnight leader with Kevin Streelman,the gritty 42-year-old bogeyed his first and last holes,but was rock-solid in between as he rolled in five birdies to finish with a eight-under total of 134,one ahead of the American.Australia’s Day and Adam Scott were tied for third with Japan’s Hideto Tanihara (67) and Ryo Ishikawa (71),a further four strokes adrift. Also with a total of 142 was Indias Anirban Lahiri who shot a two-under 70 to go with his first days even par 72.