Martin Parry
AFP News Editor for Australia/New Zealand/Pacific
No image available
/ 3 July 2006

Tears as Beckham steps down as captain

David Beckham said before the World Cup that he would probably cry if England were to win the tournament. They didn’t, but it all ended in tears anyway for the football and celebrity superstar who led his country for nearly six years. Beckham resigned as captain on Sunday following England’s ouster by Portugal in a penalty shoot-out in their quarterfinal showdown.

No image available
/ 29 May 2006

World Cup betting is big business in Asia

Betting on major sporting events is always going to happen, but in chunks of Asia it is illegal and police across the region are cracking down ahead of the World Cup. Asians enjoy a flutter and tens of millions of dollars is expected to be wagered over the month-long football festival on everything from who will win to who scores the first goal.

No image available
/ 15 March 2006

World’s eyes on Melbourne as Games open

A decade of planning culminates on Wednesday when the eyes of the world zero in on Melbourne for the official opening of the Commonwealth Games amid one of Australia’s biggest security operations to date. A global audience of 1,5-billion people is expected to tune in to see Queen Elizabeth II declare the event open.

No image available
/ 14 March 2006

Sex scandal mars Commonwealth Games

A sex scandal involving an official from India threatened to overshadow the Commonwealth Games on Tuesday, with police and organisers on the backfoot over an assault in the Games village. A 16-year-old girl working as a cleaner was indecently assaulted at the village on Monday, police said.

No image available
/ 30 January 2006

Star is born at Australian Open

Going into the first Grand Slam of the season, men’s tennis was desperate for new personalities, and it found the answer in young Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis. Little-known before the first Grand Slam of the season, the long-haired lad from Limassol burst on to the stage to establish himself as a legitimate star.

No image available
/ 25 January 2006

Kiefer and Mauresmo into Australian Open semis

A pumped-up Nicolas Kiefer and an ice-cool Amelie Mauresmo drove vastly different roads to park themselves in the Australian Open semifinals on Wednesday. Kiefer was on court for four hours and 48 minutes against Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, while Mauersmo was back in the dressing room in less than an hour against Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder.

No image available
/ 23 January 2006

Top seeds stay alive in Australian Open

Power-hitter Amelie Mauresmo produced another no-nonsense straight sets victory on Monday to move into the Australian Open quarterfinals, as all the top seeds remaining kept their hopes alive. An in-form Patty Schnyder, Germany’s unfancied Nicolas Kiefer and Sebastien Grosjean of France also won.

No image available
/ 22 January 2006

Roddick ousted from Australian Open

Andy Roddick’s Australian Open dreams collapsed on Sunday when he was ousted in the fourth round, but women’s top seed Lindsay Davenport remained on course for her second title in Melbourne. Davenport steamed into the quarters along with Justine Henin-Hardenne and Nadia Petrova.