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/ 16 September 2007
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Fiji beat Canada 29-16 at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Sunday as they sighted a return to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1987. The Pacific islanders moved into second place in Pool B behind Australia, piling the pressure on to Wales who they’ll meet in a winner-takes-all clash in Nantes on September 29, with the prize of a last-eight place at stake.
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/ 15 September 2007
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Two-time champions Australia beat Wales 32-20 in a bruising World Cup clash at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff on Saturday to virtually make sure of avoiding South Africa in the last eight. The Wallabies, who had two players sin-binned late in the game, scored four tries but were pushed all the way by a spirited home side who had been on the ropes at 25-3 down at the break.
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/ 9 September 2007
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New Zealand and Australia scored a combined total of 167 points and 24 tries as the southern hemisphere giants ruthlessly exposed the huge gap in international rugby at the World Cup on Saturday. The All Blacks swept aside Italy, who had beaten both Wales and Scotland in the Six Nations this year, 76-14 while Australia crushed Japan 91-3.
Where once there were lawsuits and restraining orders, now there are tearful tributes and emotional reconciliations. There can never have been a better time to be a tennis dad. Just ask Dr Walter Bartoli and Richard Williams who provided a touching sideshow to the disappointing Wimbledon final their daughters served up on Centre Court on Saturday.
Roger Federer emulated the legendary Bjorn Borg when he captured his fifth successive Wimbledon title with a 7-6 (9/7), 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-2 win over Rafael Nadal in a thrilling final on Sunday. It was Federer’s 11th career Grand Slam title, taking him within three of Pete Sampras’s record of 14 and his 54th consecutive grasscourt win.
Czech teenager Nicole Vaidisova proved she has grit as well as glamour when she sent defending champion Amelie Mauresmo spinning out of Wimbledon on Tuesday. Vaidisova won their rain-interrupted fourth-round clash 7-6 (8/6), 4-6, 6-1 to reach her first All England Club quarterfinal.
Triple champion Venus Williams set up a potentially explosive Wimbledon fourth-round showdown with Maria Sharapova on Monday as women’s tennis unveiled a new teenage talent. Former triple champion Williams won the last four games of her third-round clash with Akiko Morigami of Japan to move into the fourth round with a 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 win.
Maria Sharapova was plunged into a Wimbledon rain row on Saturday as torrential downpours meant that just two matches were completed and drenched fans saw only 75 minutes of action. The only other women’s third-round match saw defending champion Amelie Mauresmo dismantle the challenge of Italian Mara Santangelo.
Andy Roddick and Serena Williams led a super-powered United States surge at Wimbledon on Wednesday as American players continued to salvage a reputation so badly damaged at the French Open. American men suffered their worst-ever performance on the Roland Garros clay, making the grass of the All England Club even more of a welcome sight this year.
Roger Federer, bidding for a fifth successive Wimbledon title, returned to a much-changed Centre Court left exposed to torrential rain and biting cold to ease into the second round on Monday. But while the top seed was making short work of Russian debutant Teimuraz Gabashvili, his Swiss compatriot, Martina Hingis, was given a huge scare.