Global Sport

Hakkinen retains F1 titleSUZUKA: Finland's Mika Hakkinen produced a flawless display of driving to win Japanese Grand Prix and retain his...

Hakkinen retains F1 title
SUZUKA: Finland8217;s Mika Hakkinen produced a flawless display of driving to win Japanese Grand Prix and retain his Formula One world title.The Finn, who went into the race four points behind Ferrari8217;s Eddie Irvine, got off to an absolute flyer from pole position and led throughout the 53-lap race which saw his McLaren team time their two-stop strategy to perfection. Ferrari8217;s Michael Schumacher was second while Irvine finished third, ensuring that Ferrari gained the consolation of securing their first constructor8217;s championship since 1983.

Susi Susanti, Budikasuma quit
JAKARTA: Indonesian badminton Olympic medallists Susi Susanti and Alan Budikasuma have officially withdrawn from the sport, reports said. The married couple announced their retirement after a farewell match against fellow former stars Hermawan Susanto and Sarwendah Kusumawardhani, also a married couple, on Saturday. Susanti8217;s gold medal trove includes a Barcelona Olympic gold and four from theprestigious All-England tournament, three of them clinched consecutively in 1990, 1991, and 1992 and the last one in 1994.

Samsonov beats Schlager for World title
ZHONGSHAN CHINA: World number one Vladimir Samsonov lived up to his top ranking in the 1999 World Cup Table Tennis Championship, beating Austrian Werner Schlager 23-21, 21-15, 21-10 in the final in Zhongshan City, southern China.

Aussies take series against Germany
MURWILLUMBAH AUSTRALIA: Australia beat Germany 4-2 to win a five-test hockey series 3-2. Germany had won the fourth match 4-2 on Friday.
Scores: Australia 4 Michael Brennan 6, Stephen Davies 24, Craig Victory 53, Michael Brennan 70 bt Germany 2 Bechmann 49, Wein 61. Australia won the series 3-2.

Australia sweep past SA to make final
LONDON: Australia, whose last World Cup Rugby campaign was destroyed by a late drop goal, reached the final when an extra time strike from flyhalf Stephen Larkham helped them sweep holdersSouth Africa out of the competition with a 27-21 semifinal victory.
Four years ago, Australia, then the defending champions, went out in the quarter-final stage after watching a drop from England rob Andrew Sail between the posts.

Enqvist beats Krajicek to win Eurocard
STUTTGART: Thomas Enqvist of Sweden upset defending champion Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands to capture the 2.45 million Eurocard Open, his second title of the year. Enqvist won 6-1, 6-4, 5-7, 7-5.
Top-seeded Mary Pierce defeated Sandrine Testud 7-6 7-2, 6-1 in an all-French final of the 520,000 Generali WTA Tour tournament at Linz Austria.