Former tennis player MARTINA HINGIS "will come out of retirement" to play her first match on the WTA Tour since '07. The 32-year-old "has accepted a wildcard to play doubles" with Slovakian DANIELA HANTUCHOVA at the Southern California Open in Carlsbad later this month (BBC, 7/16). ... NBA player CHRIS BOSH "is confident that basketball will catch up with other sports in India in popularity," but conceded that cricket "will remain number one in fan following just like American football is in his home country." Bosh: "I don't think it (basketball) will be the most popular sport (in India). Even in America, it is not the most popular sport. American football will always be the king. But that does not mean a lot of people won't like it. I think cricket will always be the national sport" (PTI, 7/17). ... Barcelona footballer ANDRES INIESTA "is to have a bronze statue of him unveiled in his birthplace of Fuentealbilla on Friday" (FOOTBALL ESPANA, 7/17). ... Englishman STEPHEN CONSTANTINE is said to be the front runner to succeed Jamaica national football team head coach THEODORE WHITMORE. Constantine has managed the national sides of Nepal ('99-01), India ('02-05), Malawi ('07-08) and Sudan in '09. He "has been first team coach of the English Championship side Millwall" since the '05-06 season (JAMAICA OBSERVER, 7/17). ... Delhi & District Cricket Association Joint Secretary RAVIN JAIN was on Monday appointed Indian cricket team manager for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe (ASIAN AGE, 7/17). ... Fitness adviser CHRIS XUEREB, who works with Jamaican sprinters ASAFA POWELL and SHERONE SIMPSON, has denied providing performance-enhancing drugs and said that "they should take responsibility for their failed dope tests." Xuereb: "It is time the athletes took responsibility for their doping instead of looking around for a scapegoat, whether that person is their therapist, bartender or anyone else" (REUTERS, 7/17).
NOTABLE DEATH: Great Britain Olympic Silver Medalist TODD BENNETT "has died at the age of 51 after battling cancer." Bennett, who was born in Southampton, won a Silver Medal in the 4x400m relay at the 1984 L.A. Olympics along with KRISS AKABUSI, GARRY COOK and PHILIP BROWN (BBC, 7/17). ...
