Greek league back following gun row

SOCCER

THE Greek government yesterday ordered the lifting of the suspension for Superleague matches after more than two weeks following the pitch invasion of a gun-carrying club president.

Matches were suspended on March 12, a day after the president of PAOK, Ivan Savvides, charged on to the pitch with a gun in his belt to complain over a disallowed goal towards the end of a game against fellow title contenders AEK Athens.

Greece’s Deputy Culture and Sports Minister Georgios Vassiliadis took the decision a day after Superleague clubs unanimously accepted changes to the league’s disciplinary code and submitted proposals for improving the country’s top division.

“The Deputy Minister for Culture and Sport... has decided to immediately lift the suspension of the Superleague championship as well as the Greek Cup,” the ministry said. TENNIS

WORLD No 2 Rafael Nadal is set to return to action following injury after being named in Spain’s squad for their Davis Cup world group quarter-final against Germany in Valencia next month.

The 31-year-old has not played in the competition since helping five-time winners Spain return to the top tier of world tennis with victory in India in 2016.

Nadal was named in captain Sergi Bruguera’s team alongside Pablo Carreno Busta, Roberto Bautista Agut, David Ferrer and Feliciano Lopez.

Nadal, the 16-times Grand Slam champion, withdrew from the Australian Open in January after reaching the last eight due to an upper quad problem.

DANIEL GLANCY will replace Osgar O’Hoisin on the Irish Davis Cup team in their Euro/Africa Zone Group II relegation play-off against Norway next month.

O’Hoisin misses out due to college commitments in the United States and Glancy is the only addition following February’s loss against Denmark. Simon Carr, Peter Bothwell, Sam Bothwell and Julian Bradley complete the line-up.

Glancy first represented Ireland in the 2013 Davis Cup competition when facing Finland at Castleknock Lawn Tennis Club.