Won’t request Wimbledon wildcard: Sharapova

London 

Former Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova said she will not request a wildcard for this year’s championships after failing to gain a high enough ranking for direct entry to the main draw. The 30-year-old Russian said on her website she would play in the qualifying event staged the week before. “Because of my improved ranking after the first three tournaments of my return, I will also be playing the qualifying of Wimbledon in Roehampton, and will not be requesting a wildcard,” Sharapova said. 

Irving (US)
Lahiri has a horror start in Byron Nelson golf 

Anirban Lahiri may well have shot himself out of the tournament with a nightmarish run over the last five holes of the opening round at the AT&T Byron Nelson Golf Championships. Lahiri had a modest front nine with two each of birdies and bogeys, before a birdie on the 13th brought him under par. Then things went totally awry with a double bogey on the 14th, bogeys on the 15th and 16th and yet another double on the 18th. That was 6-over for last five holes and at 5-over 75 he was way down in tied-122nd place. 

Munich 
Ravi finishes fifth in 10m rifle shooting World Cup

India’s Ravi Kumar shot brilliantly in the men’s 10m air rifle event but still missed out on a podium finish to eventually finish fifth at the ISSF World Cup here today. Kumar shot 185.7 in the medal round on the first day of the competition. Russia’s rifle ace Sergey Kamenskiy won the gold, while his compatriot Vladimir Maslennikov took the silver. 

Makati City (Philippines)
Sandhu reaches semifinals in Philippines

Fresh from his title-winning run in Malaysia last week, Indian squash player Harinderpal Sandhu marched into the semifinals at the Nissan Makati Open, a PSA world tour event, here today. Sandhu defeated seventh seed Tsun Hei Yuen of Hong Kong 11-9 11-4 11-4.   

Karachi
Afridi set for county return  for T20 Blast competition

Former Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi will be returning to Hampshire after signing for this season’s NatWest T20 Blast competition. Afridi will join up with his Hampshire teammates ahead of the start of the side’s T20 Blast campaign and will be available for the entire tournament. This will be his third spell at the Ageas Bowl, having helped the county reach T20 finals in 2011. “He’s been an important part of our success in the short form of the game in previous seasons and we feel his talent fits well with the current squad,” said Giles White, Hampshire’s director of cricket. 

Williamsburg (US)
Aditi drops late bogeys to finish with 70 at LPGA  

Aditi Ashok was sailing fine till a bogey-bogey finish derailed her first round at the Kingsmill Championship. The 19-year-old Indian, playing her rookie year on the LPGA, carded a 1-under 70 to be tied-34th. She was five shots adrift of the leader, Lexi Thompson, who carded a 6-under 65 yesterday to take a one-stroke lead over fellow Americans Gerina Piller, Brittany Lincicome and Angel Yin. — Agencies