ROGER FEDERER has decided to "end his partnership" with his coach, PAUL ANNOCONE, after working with him for more than three years. Federer announced the move after losing to GAËL MONFILS in the China Open. Federer is now "ranked seventh in the world" (AS, 10/13). ... Rugby player SONNY BILL WILLIAMS said that he will "return to rugby union" in '15 after a second season of league with the National Rugby League Sydney Roosters and also "plans to put his boxing career on the back-burner." Williams "wants to return to New Zealand to play rugby in 2015, hopefully with Super Rugby champions the Chiefs," with whom he played in '12 (THE AUSTRALIAN, 10/13). ... Cricketer SACHIN TENDULKAR, who will retire from Test cricket next month, "is all set to play new innings in a role of administrator or consultant to contribute to the game of cricket." SHARAD PAWAR, former chief of Mumbai, Indian and int'l cricket, said on Saturday that Sachin "has responded positively to his request for taking up new role after retirement." Pawar: "I told him that he should join hands with cricket administrators to strengthen the Indian cricket further. Sachin was too happy to accept my request" (HINDUSTAN TIMES, 10/12). ... The family of former F1 test driver MARIA DE VILLOTA said that her sudden death on Friday "was linked to the severe injuries she suffered in a crash last year." De Villota suffered serious head and facial injuries, including the loss of her right eye in the crash, while testing for the Marrusia team at Duxford Aerodrome in Cambridgeshire, England, last July. The 33-year-old "was found dead in a hotel room in the southern Spanish city of Seville on Friday morning and an autopsy confirmed that she had died of natural causes" (SYDNEY MORNING HERALD, 10/13). ... Angola has "parted company" with its Uruguayan coach GUSTAVO FERRIN after "failing to get past the group stage of the World Cup qualifiers" (REUTERS, 10/13). ... Football Federation Australia made "tentative contact" with Dutchman GUUS HIDDINK about the national team coaching job left vacant by the sacking of HOLGER OSIECK (REUTERS, 10/13). ... Fulham has "failed to persuade" RENÉ MEULENSTEEN to join its first-team coaching staff, with the former ManU assistant set to become the Qatar FA's technical director (London GUARDIAN, 10/8). ... Kent County Cricket Club has announced the death of former captain, Chair and President DAVID CLARK at the age of 94. Clarke played 75 matches for the county following his debut in '46, "and he skippered the side for the final three seasons of his career before retiring" in '51 (SKY SPORTS, 10/11).
