TENNIS PLAYER ERIN ROUTLIFFE BECOMES IN TIME FOR FED CUP

New Zealand has a new tennis player to get excited about and she'll fulfill a big role for her country at next month's federation cup,the International Tennis Federation have granted permission for Erin Routliffe to change nationalities from Canada to New Zealand..

She immediately becomes the country's No 2,behind Marina Erakovic,with a world ranking of 633,but don't let that number put you off about how much potential she is Routliffe has just finished her degree at the University of Alabama and will soon hit the professional circuit to find out how good she could be..But before that the 22-year-old will lead New Zealanand's chargeat the fed cup in Tajikistan on July 17, spearheading a team that also contains Paige Hourigan and Joanna caeswell but not Marina Erakovic.

Routliffe was born in Auckland while her parents were in New Zealand and she spent the first four years of her life in the country,she was the eighth highest ranked canadian player,but decided to throw her lot in with New Zealand after making a trip to Auckland at the end of last year.

TENNIS INTO SEMIS

The French open doubles winner has teamed with Brazil's Andre sa to reach the final four of the ATP tournament at S-Hertogenbosch in the Netherlands,they defeated the third seeds.Jean Julien Rojer and Horia Tecau 3-6 6-3 10-8 in the quaterfinals and will now face top seeds Lukasz Kubot and Marcelo Melo for a place in the final.

At the ATP event in Stuttgart Marcus Daniel and Marcelo Demoliner were beaten by the team regarded as the best doubles pair in history,the Bryan brothers Bob and Mike from the United states in the quaterfinals

INDIA SMASH PAKISTAN

India kicked off their champion's trophy defence with a crushing 124-run victory over a ragged pakistan were broken br Virat Kohli.Kohli's unbeaten 81 hit all the right notes as India plundered 117 from their last 10 overs 72 of which came from the final 24 deliveries ,on their way to a winning score of 3-319..

But Pakistan were passive opponents,dreadful in the field,flaky under crucial catches and unable to mount a credible chase when asked to pursue 289 in 41 overs on Duckworth/Lewis method after a series of rain delays,to add injury insult,key seamers Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz limped out of an already limited attack and latter was unfit to bat,leaving his team 9-164 at the close..

By the time they donated a succession of wickets to seal their defeat they looked evry inch a team ready to take their leave,not just of his contest but the competition as a whole.Rohit Sharma outscored Kohli at the head of the Indian innings,making 91,but chewed up 63 dot balls and advanced at a modest strike-rate of 76..

Yuvraj Singh's ebullient 53 proved better entertainment though he was dropped by Hasan Ali on eight and Kohli reprieved on 47 as Pakistan botched the basics.Pakistan  had won the toss and after a minute's silence for the london terror attack saw Amir send down a brilliant first over.It was all downhill from there ,the fielding gaffes began almost immediately,Ahmed Shehzad fluffing a regulation stop at point as Sharma and Dhawan cantered along to a 136 run stand under almost no pressure