Sports in brief - 2012-04-05

  • 2012-04-04

Leading female Estonian tennis player Kaia Kanepi has split with her coach of two years, Silver Karjus. The current world no. 34 announced the news on her official Web site, www.kaiakanepi.com on March 28. The pairing had worked together since 2010 and whilst under his tutelage Kanepi managed to win two WTA titles and reach the quarter-finals of Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. The story claimed that the pair had split over varying points of view in regards to her future. Err.ee reported that these differences in opinion arose due to the role of the 26-year-old’s psychologist, Mare Pork, of whom Karjus believes has a negative impact on the tennis player. Karjus first introduced Kanepi to Pork, but now thinks the psychologist may lead to the star’s downfall by changing her outlook and approach towards the sport that has brought her fame. “At some point, I began to see that the wagon is moving in the wrong direction. I wanted to put an end to it, but was not successful. I think Kaia fell into Pork’s trap, and that’s where all kinds of dissonance began. She has influenced Kanepi so much that it is no longer possible to cooperate,” Karjus was reported as saying on Estonian national television. Until Kanepi finds a new trainer, she will work with former trainer Andrei Luzgin. Kanepi is next scheduled to play in Copenhagen later this month.

The 2012 edition of the classic cycling race, the Tour de Flanders, took place on Sunday with three Lithuanians amongst the field of 200 riders. The 256.9 km ‘monument’ race paid a heavy toll on competitors with nearly 100 riders failing to finish the race, which is infamous for its significant cobblestone sections. The best finishing of the Lithuanians was the relatively unknown 23-year-old Egidijus Juodvalkis, who finished amongst the main peloton in 35th position, 38 seconds behind race winner and local Belgian favorite Tom Boonen. Tomas Vaitkus arrived home in the next significant group after the peloton in 85th position, four minutes and 43 seconds behind Boonen. The third Lithuanian, Ignatas Konovalovas, was one of the nearly 100 riders to succumb to what is considered one of the world’s most demanding one day cycle races, failing to finish the crossing line. Beginning in 1913, the 2012 edition of the Tour de Flanders marked the 96th time that the race has been run.

Ernests Gulbis will hold the key to Davis Cup victory for Latvia this weekend when the team travels south to take on Hungary in the second round Europe/Africa Group II action. Currently ranked 80th in the world, the 23-year-old is the only player involved in the tie ranked above 300 in the world, meaning that victories in both of his singles rubbers will be pinnacle to Latvia’s hopes of advancing to the final round in September and return to Europe/Africa Group I. The team will also be hoping that second seed Andis Juska can win at least one of his rubbers, or the yet-to-be announced doubles pairing can win their rubber on the second day of action to give the Latvians their three required victories. Traveling to Poland this weekend, Estonia faces an altogether more difficult task in their Europe/Africa Group II tie as they take on a Polish team boasting world no. 50 Lukasz Lubot, and the world’s ninth-ranked doubles pairing of Marcin Matkowski and Marius Fyrstenberg. Aside from world no. 127, Estonia boasts no players ranked inside the world’s top 500. Estonia made it into the second round on account of knocking over Luxembourg, 5-0, in their first round tie.