Furore as beauties push champions off centre court

AUSTRALIA'S former Fed Cup captain, John Alexander, is appalled by the decision of the All England club to take the physical appearance of women into consideration when planning the schedule for centre court matches at Wimbledon.

The Lantern Lighter's Daughter, Or One Woman's Plot To Pull Off A Pulitzer

Someone should write a novel called The Lantern Lighter's Daughter's Household Guide To Growing Persimmons In Belarus. Surely it is destined to be a bestseller. Or at least it will do well at independent book shops in the inner west. For the title has all the ingredients needed of a buzzy literary novel.

Screen Sleeps Easy After Nervous Start Against Belarus

WITH nerves calmed and a good night's sleep under her belt, Jenni Screen hopes to get back in the groove when the Opals basketball team take on Brazil tonight.

Polishing The Opals

PENNY TAYLOR carried the bruising from Tuesday night's stoush with the US into yesterday's more sedate Olympic opener against Belarus, but it seems there has also been a positive legacy from Australia's heated warm-up match against their great gold medal rivals.

Rudd Glows With Opals

KEVIN07 met the Opals of Beijing '08 at the basketball yesterday. There were handshakes, hugs and the obligatory photo opportunity with one of Australia's gold medal chances after the Opals were surprised to see the Prime Minister in the crowd for their first-round win over Belarus.

Opals Must Bare Fangs In Opener, Says Coach

COACH Jan Stirling has warned the Opals to hunt or be hunted as they begin their quest for gold against Games basketball newcomers Belarus at the Beijing Olympic Basketball Stadium this morning.

The Moment: Gomel, Southern Belarus - July 2005

I had been travelling, for about six years, to the sites of several nuclear disasters in the former Soviet Union and photographing the people whose lives had been devastated by the fallout. The inhabitants of Gomel, a city in southern Belarus, have been, and continue to be, severely affected by the worst nuclear power-plant accident in history - at Chernobyl on April 26, 1986.

Take Two Neighbours

Russian artist ARTHUR APANSKI and businessman PAUL MYJAVEC have bonded over their back fence in Coledale. Arthur Apanski, 42 I fled Belarus in 1997 at a time when dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenka was totally destroying and dismantling any free media.

Delayed Retirement Gives Mixed Pair A Double Return

MIXED doubles pair Daniel Nestor and Elena Likhovtseva became Australian Open champions yesterday after comfortably defeating Max Mirnyi and Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, 6-4, 6-4.

Unheralded Duo Seal Mighty Cup Victory

WAYNE Arthurs and Paul Hanley beat Max Mirnyi and Vladimir Voltchkov in a five-set doubles thriller to give Australia an unassailable 3-0 lead over Belarus in their Davis Cup quarter-final yesterday.

Mirnyi: We'll Give Hosts Doubles Trouble

MAX Mirnyi believes his decade-long doubles partnership with Vladimir Voltchkov can help Belarus spring a shock defeat on Australia in tomorrow's Davis Cup quarter-final at Kooyong.

Kooyong Suits Belarus

BELARUS is in just its 13th year as an independent Davis Cup nation, but enters tomorrow's quarter-final against 28-time champion Australia at historic Kooyong believing familiarity to be its greatest weapon.

Fitzgerald Surprised As Rivals Take Time To Stroll Into Town

CONSIDERING that a raised eyebrow from career diplomat John Fitzgerald almost qualifies as a Big Statement, it was noteworthy that the Australian captain yesterday admitted to some surprise at the late arrival of the Belarus players for this week's Davis Cup quarter-final at Kooyong.

Cup Court Up To Speed For Hewitt

LLEYTON Hewitt is assured of a court speed closer to the pace he desires and, with his return, captain John Fitzgerald is equipped with a full-strength team for next week's Davis Cup quarter-final against Belarus at Kooyong. The casualty is Peter Luczak, Australia's singles spearhead against Switzerland only last month.

Full Speed Ahead With Hewitt Back

LLEYTON Hewitt is assured of a court speed closer to his liking and, with his return, captain John Fitzgerald is equipped with a full-strength team for next week's Davis Cup quarter-final against Belarus at Kooyong.

Belarus Dictator Threatens Protesters

AS PROTESTS grew over the "overwhelming" election victory of Belarus's dictatorial incumbent, Alexander Lukashenko, Russians watched with interest, wondering if the Orange Revolution in Ukraine would spill into Belarus, and eventually, to Moscow.

Hewitt Back In Davis Cup Fold But Officials Insist There's No Deal Over Court Speed

THE feud between Lleyton Hewitt and Tennis Australia over the speed of the courts at the Australian Open and the treatment of the supporter group The Fanatics seemed to ease yesterday after Hewitt announced he would play in next month's Davis Cup tie against Belarus at Kooyong.

Hewitt Signals Temporary Truce By Agreeing To Play Cup Tie

THE feud between Lleyton Hewitt and Tennis Australia over the speed of the courts at the Australian Open and the treatment of the supporter group the Fanatics appeared to ease yesterday after Hewitt announced he would play in next month's Davis Cup tie against Belarus at Kooyong.

Davis Cup Quarter-final To Be Held At Kooyong

DAVIS Cup tennis will return to the game's spiritual home in Australia, Kooyong, after Tennis Australia last night announced the venue for the coming quarter-final against Belarus.

Defiant Hewitt Insists Davis Cup Is No Longer Top Priority

LLEYTON Hewitt yesterday accused Tennis Australia of not doing enough for its players and said he may not play in the Davis Cup tie against Belarus in April.