Lewis: McLaren favour me

Lewis Hamilton has confirmed what many already suspected: McLaren would rather he won the title than his team-mate Fernando Alonso.

Since almost the very start of the season, Alonso has claimed that McLaren are not giving him the backing that they should.The Spaniard has continuously expressed his unhappiness at the situation, which has partly led to the deterioration of his relationship with his team boss Ron Dennis.However, it appears his fears may be coming true with Hamilton admitting that McLaren would rather he won this year's Drivers' Championship title than Alonso.

"When you are in a relationship with a certain amount of people, you do the best job you can and want to show to everyone that you are the one for the team," the 22-year-old said."In this situation, I was a rookie and he was the two-time World Champion coming into the team. He is the one that was looked at to bring it home, but eventually I have earned more respect from them."And since what's gone on in the last few weeks they've realised who the real people are in the team and who they really should back."I feel my bond with the team is even stronger."

And in response to rumours that Alonso offered the men on hi

s side of the garage cash in hand if they help him beat Hamilton, the rookie says he would never stoop to asking for favouritism."I want to win it fair and square. Not once have I approached the team members and asked to be favoured," he said."It is just not something I have done at any team, asking for better equipment."But whether McLaren do opt to back Hamilton, who leads the Championship by two points over Alonso, in the remaining three races remains to be seen.The team has always stood by their driver equality policy, which Dennis recently reiterated."We at McLaren believe in the principle of equality and giving both our driver's an equal opportunity to win championships," he said."We have our own ethics and also promise that in the interest of competition we vow to give both our exceptional driver's nothing but equality for McLaren has always believed in being transparent."

F1: McLaren lose constructor points, and fined in 'spygate' row

McLaren have been excluded from the 2007 constructors’ championship and fined US$100 million following Thursday’s FIA World Motor Sport Council (WMSC) hearing in Paris. Drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton have not been penalized and are free to continue their fight for the drivers' title.

The penalty follows McLaren’s admission that the team was in breach of the International Sporting Code through their possession of confidential technical data belonging to rivals Ferrari, who are now all but assured of the 2007 constructors’ title.

McLaren are also required to submit detailed plans of their 2008 car to the FIA, who warned that it could apply further sanctions relating to next season should any irregularities be found in the car’s design.

At July’s original hearing, the Council opted not to punish McLaren as it decided there was no proof that the Ferrari data had been used. Thursday’s second hearing followed the emergence of new evidence and the FIA’s request for McLaren’s drivers to submit any information they had that might be relevant to the case.

The FIA will explain the reasons behind the Council's decision on Friday, after which McLaren will decide whether or not to appeal.

In an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council was held in Paris on the 12th of September 2007, The following decision was taken:

"The WMSC has stripped Vodafone McLaren Mercedes of all constructors' points in the 2007 FIA Formula One World Championshiop an the team can score no point for the remainder of the season *.

"Furthermore, the team will pay a fine equal to 100 million dollar, less the FOM income lost as a result of the points deduction.

"However, due to the exceptional circumstances in which the FIA gave the team's drivers an immunity in return for providing evidence, there is no penalty in regards to drivers' points **.

"The WMSC will receive a full technical report on the 2008 McLaren car and will take a decision at its December 2007 meeting as to what sanction, if any, will be imposed on the team for the 2008 season."

The full reasons for this decision will be issued on the 14th September 2007.

* Points gained by other teams so far this season will not be affected.

** No McLaren representative will be allowed on the podium should a McLaren driver win any of the remaining races of the 2007 season.

Henin hammers home second US Open title

ustine Henin won the seventh Grand Slam title of her career and second of the season with a 6-1, 6-3 defeat of Svetlana Kuznetsova to claim the US Open 2007 crown.

The Belgian, who earned a fourth Roland Garros title three months ago, produced a complete performance Saturday to run her career record to 15-2 against new world number two Kuznetsova of Russia.

The efficient victory in front of 23,000 fans avenged Henin's spring loss on clay in Berlin to 2004 New York winner Kuznetsova.

In the final game, the notorious New York crowd had to get involved, a spectator screaming out as the Belgian tried to serve.

That concentration disruption led to two double-faults before the top seed steadied, escaping after saving two break points and overcoming another double to finally close out the win as Kuznetsova volleyed into the net.

Henin added her second crown at Flushing Meadows without losing a set.

"My title in 2003 was a great memory, and this is even better," said the winner. "I had two fantastic weeks and played my best tennis."

The loser had praise for the new champion.

"She played an unbelievable match today," said Kuznetsova. "I had hoped to do better, but I hope to be back with a better game in the next final."

Henin became the first woman to beat both Serena and Venus Williams in the same event on the way to a grand Slam title, after back-to-back wins over the American sisters in the quarters and semis.

Former world number one Martina Hingis beat both sisters at the Australian Open in 2001 but ended up losing to American Jennifer Capriati.

Alonso wins, Hamilton second in Italian Grand Prix

Defending world champion Fernando Alonso reduced his McLaren team-mate Lewis Hamilton's lead at the top of the world championship to just three points on Sunday when he led him home at the Italian Grand Prix.

Alonso, who started from the 17th pole position of his career, dominated the race from start to finish and was only out of the leading position for five laps following his first of two pit-stops.

The 2005 and 2206 champion came home seconds ahead of the 22-year-old British rookie to claim the 19th win in his 101st Grand Prix. With four races remaining, Hamilton leads by just three points with 92 to Spaniard Alonso's 89.

The only races remaining are next Sunday's Belgian Grand Prix and then the events in Japan, China and Brazil.

Finland's Kimi Raikkonen finished third for Ferrari, who suffered a dismal afternoon on home turf and against the background of the acrimonious and controversial 'spy story' scandal in which they claim McLaren have gained an advantage from a secret dossier that was leaked from Ferrari.

Brazilian Felipe Massa, who started third for Ferrari, was unable to finish after retiring early in the race after only 11 laps.

German Nick Heidfeld finished fourth for BMW Sauber ahead of his team-mate Pole Robert Kubica, German Nico Rosberg in a Williams and Finn Heikki Kovalainen in a Renault.

Briton Jenson Button collected the final single point finishing eighth for Honda.

The 53-laps race began in perfect dry conditions, warm sunshine pouring down from a blue sky. The track temperature was 33 degrees Celsius and the air temperature 28 degrees as the cars completed their formation lap.

CHAKDE INDIA says Men's Hockey Team

Prabhjot Singh and Rajpal Singh led from the front as India inflicted a humiliating defeat on Korea to defend their Asia Cup hockey crown with an authority rarely seen in recent times.

The two forwards had a busy day, striking twice apiece in the 7-2 victory and essaying big roles in the other goals that came India's way. It was a torrent that the Koreans could not escape from, not even during those moments when India were reduced to 10 men.

If at all there were blotches on India's victory celebrations, it was the two yellow cards that were flashed at Sardar Singh for dangerous play and Prabhjot Singh for violent tendencies.

The situation tended to go out of control when Prabhjot swung his stick with little thought at the stroke of half-time, apparently striking Kim Chul down. The situation was tense but eventually wiser counsel prevailed, leading to a contest that the huge crowd at the Mayor Radhakrishnan stadium will remember for a long time to come.

India led 3-1 at the lemon break.

India's scorers were Prabhjot Singh (3), Rajpal Singh, Shivendra Singh, SV Sunil and Roshan Minz.

Oh Dae Keun and Jang Jong Hyun pulled back one each for the losers.

Federer masters Roddick again at US Open

Roger Federer maintained his dominance over Andy Roddick to reach the semi-finals of the US Open on Wednesday, keeping alive his bid to win four titles in a row in New York.

The top seed and defending champion defeated the home favourite 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 in an intense night-time encounter that turned on two tie-breaks which brought out the brilliant best from the world's top player.

Federer made it 26 wins in a row at the US Open and he is now just two games away from emulating the four-in-a-row feat of Bill Tilden in the 1920s.

In Saturday's semi-finals, the Swiss star will play fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, against whom he has a 9-0 winning record.

Davydenko, who lost to Federer in last year's semi-final in New York, defeated Germany's Tommy Haas 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 sending him into the last four as the only player not to have dropped a set.

Roddick's defeat means that the winless stretch for American men in Grand Slam tournaments extends to 16, one short of the record between 1984 and 1989.

Both Federer and Roddick were dressed in black for their much-anticipated prime-time showdown for which the world No.1 was the hot favourite having won 13 of their 14 encounters, including a four-set win in last year's final.

Roddick was pumped up for the challenge and with his serve operating at full blast, the first set raced towards a tie-break.

Federer made the mini-break with a marvellous backhand pass and then he blasted down an ace on set point.

Roddick had the first break point in the match for either man in the eighth game of the second set but he hit long on a backhand service return.

The American, only a year younger than Federer at 25 but with just one Grand Slam title to Federer's 11, was taking most of the initiatives and was comfortable on his own serve.

But once again he came off second best in the tie-break, Federer hitting a fabulous blocked return winner off a 140 mph Roddick first serve to grab the mini-break and then blasting a service winner to go two sets ahead.

Roddick had a Swiss mountain to climb and the task became well-nigh impossible when Federer finally crafted two break points in the sixth game of the third set and he gleefully converted the second to lead 4-2.

Federer then pocketed the next two games against an exasperated Roddick to finish off the match in two hours two minutes.

The 26-year-old Davydenko never looked like losing his perfect set record against a subdued Haas, who had endured two tough five-setters in a row to get into the last eight.

The lightning-quick Russian rapidly imposed his relentless rhythm on the German, who found himself under increasing pressure and started making a string of unforced errors.

Haas was two sets down in no time and it was only in the third set when he started mixing up his game that he managed to really compete.

The players exchanged four breaks of serve in a row from 2-2, but when Davydenko made it five breaks in a row to lead 5-4, Haas reacted with frustration by blasting a ball out of the stadium.

A few minutes later it was all over as Davydenko comfortably closed out the match on serve.

Haas paid tribute to the Russian, saying that he had dominated the match with his accurate and penetrating groundstrokes.

"At times he makes you try to do too much. That got to me mentally. Every time I tried to do something different he came up with an answer. I don't know how he does it," he said.

Davydenko has now lost just 39 games in reaching the semi-finals of a Grand Slam event for the fourth time - twice at the French Open in 2005 and 2007 along with his last-four appearance in New York last year.

The two remaining quarter-finals, scheduled for Thursday, will send third seeded Novak Djokovic of Serbia against Spanish veteran Carlos Moya and Spain's David Ferrer against Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina.