Caroline Wozniacki suffers shock WTA Championships loss

World number one Caroline Wozniacki suffered a shock straight-sets defeat by Samantha Stosur at the WTA Championships in Doha on Wednesday.

Wozniacki lost 6-4 6-3 in her second Maroon Group game as she missed out on the chance to confirm her status as the season-ending world number one.

Vera Zvonareva won her second match to move closer to the semi-finals as she kept her world number one hopes alive.

And Kim Clisters made a winning return with victory over Jelena Jankovic.

In the first match of the night, second seed Zvonareva was not at her best but still managed to record a 7-6 (7-4) 6-4 victory over Belarussian Victoria Azarenka in the White Group.

Zvonareva recovered from 2-0, 4-2 and 5-4 down in the first set, winning the tie-breaker with the help of an ace and several other big serves.

In the second set, she was behind 2-0 and 3-1 before winning 6-4 against a visibly frustrated Azarenka.

The Russian's win kept alive her slim hopes of overtaking Wozniacki as the season-ending world number one.

Zvonareva must win her last match in the group stage and then make it to the final if she is to have any chance of toppling Wozniacki.

Elsewhere in the White Group on Wednesday, Belgium's Clisters beat Serbia's Jankovic 6-2 6-3.

Clijsters had not competed since retaining her US Open title six weeks ago in New York but made a satisfactory start to her bid to win back the WTA Championships title she last won seven years ago.

There were few obvious signs of discomfort from the foot which still has a small wound from the operation last month to remove a mole, though Clijsters' tally of double faults did creep to a surprisingly high total of 10.

But the Belgian hit the ball well from the forehand side and struck 25 winners altogether, and on the big points she played well.

"It was my first match back, and I was happy - not with everything but I'll take that, and take the positive things into the next match," said Clijsters.

"I need to be a little more consistent and deliver fewer double faults, but I will try to be better tomorrow [Thursday]."

Wednesday's action ended with Stosur stunning Wozniacki.

Australian Stosur had too much pace and power for baseline battler Wozniacki, who needs one more win in Doha to secure the year-end number one ranking.

Stosur opened her Maroon Group campaign on Tuesday with a straight sets win over French Open champion Francesca Schiavone and she produced another dominant display at the Khalifa Tennis Complex.

The first set went on serve until the 10th game when Stosur's relentless pressure paid off. With Wozniacki's serve lacking her customary zip, Stosur pressed home the advantage and forced the Dane into a weak lob that she put away to win 6-4.

In the second set, Stosur continued to take the game to Wozniacki, who began to show signs of frustration.

The Australian broke to go 3-1 up and with Wozniacki finding Stosur's serve too hot to handle the crowd sensed an upset.

The Danish 20-year-old had a glimmer of hope at 3-5 when Stosur double faulted twice, but the Australian held her nerve and closed out the set for the win.

South Africa seal series victory over Pakistan

South Africa completed a 2-0 series win in the Twenty20 internationals against Pakistan after cruising to a six-wicket win in the second game in Abu Dhabi.

Pakistan, who turned in a poor batting display in the opening game when they set 120, were equally poor on Wednesday in managing to set 121 for victory.

Juan Theron took 4-27 for South Africa who eased to victory in 18.4 overs.

The Proteas cruised for most of the response with Graeme Smith (38) and Colin Ingram (32) top scoring.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Pakistan's innings bore similarities to the first six-wicket defeat and they had to rely on newly appointed Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq (33) to see them to a respectable total.

At one stage Pakistan were 39-5, but Misbah and Abdul Razzaq's (25) 45-run stand helped them edge over 100 in the 18th over.

Misbah was eventually out in the last over when Theron claimed three wickets from the final four balls to leave the hosts at 120-9.

Pakistan needed early wickets, but got none as Smith and Loots Bosman (11) put on 38, before skipper Shahid Afridi came in and struck immediately.

Afridi should then have taken the wicket of Smith in the ninth over, but Umar Akmal spilt a regulation chance at long-off.

AB de Villiers also fell for 11, before Afridi ended his miserly spell with 1-13.

There was a little more pressure when Smith was stumped with 53 still needed from 40.

But JP Duminy (22 not out) along with rookie Ingram took them to their sixth consecutive T20 win.

"We didn't get teams out in Twenty20 previously and to get Pakistan out twice on two days was nice," said South Africa captain Johan Botha.

"Theron bowled superbly and all the guys deserved this win."

Pakistan's captain blamed poor batting for the series loss.

"We needed good starts but that didn't come in both the matches," said Afridi.

"My own performance was not up to the mark so we have to sit down and plan to improve our batting which is struggling."

The two teams now play the first of five one-day internationals in Abu Dhabi on Friday.

Third seed Jelena Jankovic knocked out of China Open

Third seed Jelena Jankovic crashed out of the China Open after being beaten by Serbian compatriot Bojana Jovanovski at the second-round stage in Beijing.

Jankovic lost 6-4 2-6 2-6 but paid tribute to her Fed Cup team-mate, saying: "It was a tough game. My opponent played really well.

"She was very solid off the baseline and she really gave me a hard time."

"I think she's doing very well and she's improving. I'm happy for her," added the world number six.

Last year's runner-up, Polish sixth seed Angela Radwanska, also made an early exit, beaten by Angelique Kerber.

The unseeded German twice fought back from 5-4 down to record a 5-7 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 victory.

Vera Zvonareva was made to work for her win over former world number one Dinara Safina in the first round, eventually going through 6-4 7-6 (8-6).

Wimbledon and US Open finalist Zvonareva said: "Dinara is a great player. It is very difficult to expect to play your best tennis in the first match of a tournament."

Danish world number two Caroline Wozniacki is the top seed in Beijing and is just two victories away from taking the top spot in the WTA rankings.

Defending champion Svetlana Kuznetsova went out on Sunday, as did Australian fourth seed Sam Stosur.

The Russian 10th seed was beaten 6-3 2-6 6-3 by Italy's Roberta Vinci, while Stosur suffered a 2-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-5 defeat by Latvia's Anastasija Sevastova.

Commonwealth Games 2010: England defeat Wales in hockey

Crista Cullen scored a hat-trick as England eased to a 4-1 victory in their opening hockey match against Wales.

The 25-year-old Leicester full-back scored from two short corners in the first half before adding her third in similar style shortly after the break.

Charlotte Craddock intercepted a poor pass across the Welsh backline, before rounding the keeper to add the fourth.

Wales rarely threatened until Sarah Thomas's excellent consolation after a mazy run and reverse-stick shot.

But the result leaves the Welsh, who lost 5-1 to New Zealand on the opening day, facing a must-win match against Malaysia in Pool B on Thursday.

England, who won bronze at the 2010 World Cup in Argentina last month and are one of the favourites to win gold in Delhi, next play Canada on Wednesday.

Pakistan lifters threaten C.wealth Games boycott

Angry Pakistan weightlifters threatened a Commonwealth Games walkout after an embarrassing opening ceremony scuffle saw a top official snatch his country's flag from a national sports hero.

Chef de mission Mohammad Ali Shah insisted on carrying the flag at the head of the team parade during Sunday's showpiece instead of the country's celebrated former gold medal weightlifter Shuja-ud-Din Malik.

Pakistan weightlifting manager Rashid Mehmood said the team had considered a boycott in protest at the humiliation suffered by Malik, a gold medallist at last Games in Melbourne four years ago.

"It was a shameful act because holding the flag was Malik's right and it was decided before the Games that Malik would carry the flag in the opening ceremony," said Mehmood of an incident witnessed by 60,000 people inside the stadium and a worldwide television audience of millions.

"It was an embarrassment for Pakistanis all around the world as television showed the name of Malik on the telecast under a picture of Shah carrying the flag and we considered a boycott but decided against it."

Aqil Shah, vice-president of the Pakistan Olympic Association, added: "I was shocked to see the chef de mission holding the flag.

"Holding the national flag is always the prerogative of an athlete and that's decided before the ceremony.

"I was the chef de mission of the Pakistan delegation on various occasions and never tried to hold the flag in the opening ceremony, because it is the right of the athlete. This controversy should have been avoided."

Former hockey star Shahnaz Shaikh has demanded an inquiry into the controversy.

"I was shocked to see Shah snatching the flag from weightlifter Shuja Malik and carrying it. It was unacceptable and I demand an inquiry against Shah."

Reports in Delhi said Pakistan Olympic Association president Arif Hasan had intervened to avoid a boycott by the weightlifting team.

Troubled Games come alive in fortress Delhi

The troubled Commonwealth Games sparked into life with a pulsating opening ceremony on Sunday in a fortress-like New Delhi after a shambolic run-up that threatened to derail the event.

Britain's Prince Charles, representing his mother Queen Elizabeth II, formally declared the start of the sporting showpiece at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium after a last-minute scramble to get ready went to the wire.

He read a message from the Queen that said it was fitting that the Games were being held in Delhi after the recent celebration of the 60th anniversary of Indian independence.

"Indian independence brought into being the modern Commonwealth of nations," said the message.

"These Games serve as an inspiration to all nations to work together for peace throughout the world."

A crowd of 60,000 packed into the steamy arena to soak up a spectacle aimed at celebrating the country's long history as well as its emergence as a powerful global player.

It was also a powerful riposte to the months of worries over threats of terror attacks, corruption and construction delays that have dogged the event.

Amid fears militants might attack the quadrennial competition, the ceremony took place amid tight security, with nearly 100,000 police and paramilitary forces enforcing a lockdown of the Indian capital.

Bazaars and malls were ordered to shut for the day and major traffic restrictions were in place as security forces lined roads and armed guards were posted behind sandbag positions.

Since 2008, when Pakistan-based Islamist militants killed 166 people in a 60-hour assault in Mumbai, India has been fearful the Games, which feature 71 nations and territories formerly belonging to the British Empire, could be hit.

Western governments have persistently warned of the threat of a militant attack during the event, which runs until October 14.

But Delhi police commissioner Y.S. Dadwal has promised "foolproof security".

Until the opening ceremony, the event had been a public relations disaster.

Many of the sports venues have only been completed in recent weeks, the athletes' village was slammed for being "filthy" and equipment has been installed hastily as the clock ticks down.

Highlighting the last-minute rush, a new metro line linking central Delhi with the main Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium was only inaugurated Sunday morning.

Instead of showcasing emerging India, the run-up to the Games have been a national embarrassment, uncovering corruption and inefficiency in its bureaucracy.

Compounding the problems, they were hit by a case of dengue fever on Sunday, with Indian lawn bowls manager Ruptu Gogoi taken to hospital.

But with the event now open, Commonwealth Games Federation president Mike Fennell said it was time to focus on the sport.

"The preparations have been filled with many challenges and our hope is that the next 11 days will focus on the competition and the athletes in their quest for victory and glory," he said at the opening.

It is the first time India has hosted the Games and only the second time the event has been held in Asia after Kuala Lumpur in 1998, but a slew of top names have pulled out, dealing another devastating blow to organisers.

Absentees include Jamaican sprinters Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell, tennis aces Andy Murray, Lleyton Hewitt and Samantha Stosur, swimmer Stephanie Rice and cyclist Chris Hoy.

But some 4,300 athletes have turned up to compete in 272 events across 17 sports, including aquatics, athletics, badminton, boxing, cycling, gymnastics, tennis, weightlifting and wrestling.

Australia has topped the medals table in the last five Games and is expected to do so again, with chef-de-mission Steve Moneghetti expressing confidence that the event would be a success.

"The opening ceremony is here, it is very exciting and there is a tremendous buzz. This is a great moment for Indian sport," he said.

And in a boost, International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge said India could still make a serious bid to host an Olympics, despite the problems.

"I think India has set a good foundation stone for the Olympics bid and a successful Commonwealth Games can help India mount a serious bid for the Olympics," India's Zeenews quoted him as saying.

Prince Charles still to open Commonwealth Games

Prince Charles will open the Commonwealth Games in Delhi next week, the heir to the British throne's office has said, playing down reports of a row over who would preside over the ceremony.

Indian officials had said that following Queen Elizabeth II's decision in May not to travel to the Games, the piqued organisers had discussed whether Indian President Pratibha Patil should instead open the Games.

A spokeswoman at Clarence House, Charles's official London residence, said both president and the prince would play a role but insisted that Charles would formally open the games as the official stand-in for his mother, the queen, who is the head of the Commonwealth.

"Both the Prince of Wales and the President of India will have a prominent role in the opening ceremony in Delhi," a Clarence House spokeswoman said on Monday.

"The Queen has asked the Prince of Wales to represent her at the opening of the Commonwealth Games.

"We cannot be specific about the choreography but the Prince will read out the Queen?s baton message, ending by declaring the Games open."

The 84-year-old queen had cited her hectic schedule as the reason for not attending the Games, which she traditionally opens, but the move drew criticism in India.

The secretary to the Indian president, Archana Datta, told AFP in Delhi earlier Monday the issue was still up in the air, while there was no immediate comment from the organising committee.

"The decision is yet to be taken," Datta said. "If the decision is taken, I will let the media know."

The Indian ANI news agency quoted unnamed government and Games organising committee sources as saying it would be the president who opened the event.