The Int'l Tennis Federation has opened an investigation into Spanish tennis player NURIA LLAGOSTERA, who tested positive for amphetamines during a tournament in July. The ITF suspended Llagostera on Sept. 8 and she "will remain suspended while the investigation is ongoing" (AS, 9/15). ... Former ManU Manager ALEX FERGUSON "has cut the first sod in the construction of a new wing at a cancer hospice." Ferguson "helped raise funds for Donna Mortimer Ballantyne Charitable Trust," which was set up by friend JAMES MORTIMER after the death of his daughter DONNA from skin cancer in '11 (Scotland DAILY RECORD, 9/12). ... Barcelona forward LIONEL MESSI gave the official start sign for the election of the FIFA FIFPro World XI of 2013. In the coming months, FIFPro will be giving every professional football player in the world the opportunity to select his favorite 11 players. Messi cast the first vote on Thursday. Thousands of other players will be filling in the voting papers soon (FIFPro). ... Real Madrid has moved to tie CRISTIANO RONALDO to the club until the end of the '17-18 season by "agreeing to a three-year contract extension." The "announcement of the deal on Sunday ended speculation about a possible return" to ManU in '15, when his previous deal expired (REUTERS, 9/15). ... Nippon Professional Baseball Tokyo Yakult Swallows outfielder WLADIMIR BALENTIEN "broke Japan's five-decade-old record for home runs in a season with home runs in the first and third innings at Tokyo's Jingu Stadium." Balentien hit his 56th and 57th homers of the season Sunday, eclipsing SADAHARU OH's record of 55 set in '64 and "ending almost three decades of controversy over repeated attempts to protect it from foreign challengers" (BLOOMBERG, 9/15).
