Russian tennis player MARIA SHARAPOVA has announced that JIMMY CONNORS "is to be her new coach." The world No. 2 split with her previous coach THOMAS HOGSTEDT on Friday "after three years of working together." In a statement on her website, Sharapova said: "I have known Jimmy for many years and we briefly worked together in 2008 just before the Australian Open. I am really excited about our new partnership and looking forward to the upcoming tournaments" (London GUARDIAN, 7/13). ... Russian Premier League club CSKA Moscow "has officially confirmed the arrival" of former NHL coach JOHN TORCHETTI at the club. The ex-Florida Panthers and L.A. Kings interim coach, 48, succeeds VYACHESLAV BUTSAEV, "who was in charge in an acting capacity for the last 24 games of last season until a Western Conference semifinal exit in the playoffs" (R-SPORT, 7/12). ... Sri Lanka cricket captain ANGELO MATHEWS has been suspended for two ODIs while his players have been fined 40% of their match fees "for maintaining a slow over-rate during their one-wicket defeat against India in the final of the tri-nation series" (SRI LANKA MIRROR, 7/12). ... South African boxer ISAAC HLATSHWAYO "called time on his boxing career." The 35-year-old had been a professional boxer with huge success since '00 and said that he began to entertain the decision to quit after Boxing South Africa board member DR. PETER NGATANE noted that "he was unable to take a punch" (SOWETAN LIVE, 7/12). ... UAE Pro-League side Al Ain has chosen former Al Jazira Manager ABEL BRAGA "as the man to replace" COSMIN OLARIOU. According to a club official, "Braga has agreed a two-year deal" (THE NATIONAL, 7/14). ... Former Chinese national football team coach JOSE ANTONIO CAMACHO appealed to FIFA on Thursday after the Chinese FA "refused to pay the large compensation." CFA officials said they "respect Camacho's decision," and will fight the appeal (CHINA DAILY, 7/12). ... Bayern Munich coach PEP GUARDIOLA has lashed out at Barcelona President SANDRO ROSELL and the club's directors "for not leaving him in peace after he left the club." Guardiola said that "he was incensed by the suggestion" that he had not made the effort to see his former assistant and current Barça coach TITO VILANOVA, when Vilanova had traveled to N.Y. for cancer treatment. Guardiola: "I told them [the president and his directors] I was going 6,000km away and asked them to leave me in peace, but they haven't kept their word" (GUARDIAN, 7/12). ... A Mercedes-Benz car that Argentinian driver JUAN MANUEL FANGIO drove to two Grand Prix victories sold Friday for £19.6M ($29.7M), "a record for a car at auction" (BLOOMBERG, 7/12).
