In Brief
TENNIS
Daniilidou successfully defends Auckland title, improves ranking Greece’s Eleni Daniilidou beat American Ashley Harkleroad 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday to become the first player in 15 years to successfully defend the singles title at the US$140,000 ASB Classic women’s tennis tournament in Auckland. Daniilidou, 21, took one hour and nine minutes to claim her third title on the WTA Tour and improve her world ranking to 23, from 26 prior to the New Zealand tournament. The Cretan-born Daniilidou, who is based in Thessaloniki, peaked at 14 on the world rankings midway through last year after a rapid rise over a two-year period. But she lost some ground following an early Wimbledon exit. Stone thrower An unidentified assailant who threw a stone at the windscreen of a car passing under a bridge at the Faliron Delta underpass just after midnight on Friday is probably the same person who targeted drivers in a similar fashion in Gerakas last summer and Faliron the year before, police said yesterday. Friday’s victim was unhurt. Another driver told police he saw a man wearing a black hood throwing the stone from the bridge. Ferry aground A ferry ran aground on the jetty of the main port of Syros on Saturday night after being buffeted by stormy weather but none of the 75 passengers aboard was injured, the Merchant Marine Ministry said yesterday. The Daliana, which had been on a seven-stop route from Piraeus to Astypalaia, sustained a 30-centimeter rupture in its stern. Diamond cut Australia’s Olympic shooting double gold medalist Michael Diamond, who is of Greek origin, will not be competing in this year’s Olympic Games in Athens after the withdrawal of his right to possess a firearm following the launch of proceedings against him in connection with an alleged assault on his girlfriend, the Australian Shooting Association said yesterday. Australian legislation revokes the individual’s right to own a firearm if charges are pending against him.
