Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/335393
maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 25 JUNE 2014 22 Sport TENNIS TENNIS - WIMBLEDON FOOTBALL 3rd edition of Tennis Marathon in aid of Puttinu Cares to be held next weekend OVER 170 tennis players, of all ages, are expected to participate in the 3rd edition of the 12-hour Fun Tennis Marathon in aid of Puttinu Cares, at the Marsa Sports Club. This year's edition will be held on the 27th June, starting at 6pm. All levels of players will be taking part in the event includ- ing Malta's top tennis players. All the proceeds from this event will be donated to the Puttinu Cares Foun- dation, to help in its mission to assist patients requiring medical treatment overseas. "Through the donations and sup- port by generous sponsors and club members we managed to collect over €10,000 from the first two editions. Our aim this year is to exceed previ- ous years', and therefore we encourage sponsors and tennis players to sup- port us in acchieving this objective", said Carol Mizzi Agius, Secretary of the Tennis Section of the Marsa Sports Club. The marathon will be held on 10 Tennis courts at the Marsa Sports Club, with the initial part dedicated to players under 16 years. Play will con- tinue throughout the night, until 6am of Saturday 28th June 2014. The Marathon is sponsored by BMIT and ESTETIKA as well as WDM International, CORINTHIA Hotels, Savina Clinic, Comsec, TheS- martSkinClinic, Platinum Health and Fitness, Forestals, KPMG, JP Ad- vertising, Debenhams, RevivEstetic, Wilson, Beauty Culture Group, Club Catering and Dreams Plus. 24-year old Marsa striker dies JAMES J. PISCOPO A 24-year old foreign striker who belongs to Marsa FC died during the night. Nigerian Basil Chibuzor Chibu- eze was taken ill during a training session yesterday evening. He was admitted to Mater Dei Hospital but died shortly afterwards. Chibueze made several appear- ances for second division side Mar- sa FC and had already signed for another year with the same side. During the 2013-14 season he net- ted 10 goals from 24 appearances, finishing the season as Marsa's top scorer. His goals were crucial for Marsa to avoid relegation to the third di- vision. In the past he also played for Gozitan teams Zebbug Rovers and Xewkija Tigers, and Santa Lucija among others. The news broke out after Marsa FC issued an official statement on their facebook page. "We regret to inform you that Basil Chibueze has passed away. Our condolences go to all of his family. Rest in peace our friend," the statement reads. Apart from football, Chibueze also worked as a bus driver. His brother, Ikechukwu also played as a footballer with local sides before passing away suddenly at the age of 23 in 2007. Wawrinka, Federer start out with winning Swiss double THE grand slam champion pair of Roger Federer and Stan Wawrinka lined up a Swiss victory doubles on Tuesday at the Wimbledon Championships with the two top five seeds advancing to the second round in spectacular st yle. Fourth seed Federer, bidding for the 18th grand slam title of his ca- reer, crushed Italian Paolo Loren- zi 6-1, 6-1, 6-3, aceing nine times with 40 winners and half as many unforced errors. Australian Open champion Wawrinka, seeded fifth, was un- troubled by Portugal 's Joao Sousa 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 as the Swiss won his first match at Wimbledon since 2011 after back-to-back first- round defeats on the lawns. "I'm really happy, today was a good match," said the 29-year-old, who is ranked third in the world. "It's never easy a first round in a grand slam. "But I was quite focused, serving well, and confident with my game. I've been practising well since two weeks now, since before Queen's, so it's a perfect start." After his victory, Wawrinka believes he is getting the hang of the grass-court challenge. "It's a surface that if you not completely confident and relaxed with your game, you have some problem. "That's why I had problems in the past. In the first round you can be a little bit tight, a little bit nerv- ous. On this surface, it's really tough to get through. "You have to be ready from the first match, it's really tough. You have to play your best game when you play some good players on grass." Japan's 10th seed Kei Nishikori began his campaign with a victory over Kenny De Schepper, beating the Frenchman 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 while French 14th seed Jo-Wil- fried Tsonga fired off four straight points to finish off a rain-hit win over Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-1, 3-6, 3-6, 6-2, 6-4. 2013 semi-finalist Jerzy Jano- wicz, whose game went nowhere after his Wiimbledon success, re- covered his poise for a first-round win against Somdev Dev varman 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Former champion Lleyton Hewitt, still a huge battler at age 33, got past Pole Michel Przysiezny 6-2, 6-7 (14-16), 6-1, 6-4. Young- gun fellow Aussie Nick Kyrgios outlasted Stephane Robert 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-1), 6-7 (5-7), 6-2. In the women's draw, fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska reached the second round over Andreea Mitu 6-2, 6-1 while the 16th-seeded Caroline Wozniacki hammered Shahar Peer 6-3, 6-0. German Andrea Petkovic put aside her distaste for grass to beat Katarzyna Piter of Poland 6-1, 6-4. "I think I've improved a lot and I really tried a few things. I actually played serve and volley once to- day, or twice maybe. I'm not sure. "I'm just trying, with a more posi- tive attitude to improve things. And I'm feeling good actually on grass. I am moving much better than the past years, so we' ll see. It's never going to be my favourite surface, but I'm trying to adapt as good as I can and trying to do the best that I can." German compatriot Sabine Li- sicki, the 2013 finalist, began with a defeat of Julia Glushko 6-2, 6-1 in a match preceded by a coin toss featuring retired holder Marion Bartoli, still in the thick of the tennis mix despite not swinging a racquet. Swiss Timea Bacsinszky put out Canadian Sharon Fichman 6-1, 6-3. Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates his win over Paolo Lorenzi of Italy during their fi rst round match at Wimbledon. Photo by EPA/VALDRIN XHEMAJ Wawrinka, Federer start out