Caterham raises $1.6m
lonodn: Formula One team Caterham has raised more than 1 million pounds ($1.6 million) in the 48 hours since launching a crowdfunding project aimed at easing its financial difficulties and returning to the grid for the final grand prix of the season. Caterham, which has been taken over by insolvency specialists while it seeks a new buyer, is looking to raise 2.35 million pounds ($3.7 million) by next Friday to allow the team to race at Abu Dhabi this month.Caterham administrator Finbarr O'Connell says "I am not packing my toothbrush as yet, though, and there is still a lot of fundraising to be done by the team."
Czechs sweep Fed Cup final
PRAGUE: The Czech Republic claimed its third Fed Cup title in four years after Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova had to fight hard to overcome Angelique Kerber of Germany in the opening reverse singles match on Sunday.
In a matchup of two top 10 players, Kvitova prevailed 7-6 (5), 4-6, 6-4 in nearly three hours to give the Czechs an unassailable 3-0 lead in the best-of-five series on the indoor hard court at Prague's O2 Arena.The Germans have not won the trophy since 1992.The Czechs took control of the series with a 2-0 lead after the opening singles matches on Saturday.Kvitova cruised past Andrea Petkovic 6-2, 6-4 and lucie Safarova doubled the lead by defeating Kerber 6-4, 6-4.
Dipika unaware of events
Mumbai: The highest-ranked Indian woman squash player, Dipika Pallikal, would be skipping next month's World Team Championships in Canada as she does not know about the event! "I don't know about it," was the world number 16s curt reaction when queried on the matter after her Commonwealth Games gold medal winning doubles partner Joshana Chinnappa had informed reporters that Dipika is not part of the team to represent the country. Joshana, after clinching her 13th national women's title and third on the trot at the Cricket Club of India here, said she will be taking part along with Anaka Alankamony, Saturday's losing finalist Sachika Ingale and Harshit Kaur the under 19 national champion in the December 1-6 tournament in Canada.
Watson wins a thriller
Shanghai: Bubba Watson captured his first World Golf Championship with a stunning turnaround Sunday when he holed a bunker shot for eagle on the 18th hole to get into a playoff, and then made a 20-foot birdie putt to beat Tim Clark and win the HSBC Champions. Watson became the 14th player to win a major and a World Golf Championship, and it capped off his best calendar year - the Northern Trust Open at Riviera in February, another green jacket at the Masters in April, and a WGC title in China that he nearly let slip through his fingers. "For my own personal career, this is big for me to win outside the U.S., to say that I can travel a little bit and win instead of just one place," Watson said. Watson moved up to No. 3 in the world, making him the highest-ranked American.
Hodgson feaRs for rooney
london: England manager Roy Hodgson is worried Wayne Rooney's game could be affected by the pressure of captaining his national team and Manchester United. Rooney has taken the armband for both club and country this season and Hodgson says he fears "the sense of responsibility is going to weigh (Rooney) down."Hodgson says "that is the danger sometimes when players take on responsibility, they take on too much” However, Hodgson adds "at the moment Wayne is coping with it well, but we will have to keep an eye on the situation, as will (United manager) louis (van Gaal)." Rooney will become the ninth player to reach 100 England caps if he plays against Slovenia in a European Championship qualifier Saturday.
NASCAR's youngest champ
Avondale ( Arizona): Chase Elliott has become the youngest champion in NASCAR history by wrapping up the Nationwide Series title Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway. The 18-year-old rookie is the youngest driver to win a title in any of NASCAR's three national series. He clinched the championship for JR Motorsports with a fifth-place finish at Phoenix.