Sports briefs

EPL approves technology The English Premier League has approved the use of goal- line technology in the English top soccer flight from the 2013- 14 season onwards. British- based firm Hawk- Eye was chosen to supply the technology at a meeting attended by the chairmen of the 20 Premier League clubs yesterday. Hawk- Eye, a camerabased system, will now be installed at all Premier League grounds. Haas crashes out Second seed Tommy Haas has crashed out of the US clay court tennis championships, suffering a straight sets 6- 3 6- 3 defeat to Ricardas Berankis of Lithuania. The German veteran — who had inflicted a shock defeat on world No 1 Novak Djokovic at the Miami Masters last month — was sent tumbling out at the River Oaks Country Club. In other matches, Nicolas Almagro continued his dominance of Frenchman Gael Monfils on clay by rallying past the former world No 7 2- 6 6- 0 6- 3. Briscoe with Ganassi Racing Australia’s Ryan Briscoe will return to the Indianapolis 500 this year in a car fielded by Chip Ganassi Racing. The long- rumoured pairing wasn’t completed until last weekend at Barber Motorsports Park. Ganassi confirmed the hiring yesterday and said Briscoe will drive the No 8 Honda with sponsorship from IT services and consulting company NTT Data. Nadal chases nine in row It’s 10 years since the tennis rankings didn’t feature either Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer in the top two, but current leading men, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, still face a test of claycourt nerve. On Monday, Nadal begins his bid for a ninth successive Monte Carlo Masters title. The 26- year- old Spaniard, who was seven months out of action with a knee injury, has already hammered home his claycourt dominance in 2013 with comeback titles in Sao Paulo and Acapulco. The seven- time French Open champion romped through the Latin American claycourt swing with a 12- 1 record. His clay record for the past 12 months reads 35- 2, although his fitness faces another gruelling challenge in Europe this year. Alonso sarcastic Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso has responded sarcastically to the qualifying edge currently enjoyed by his teammate Felipe Massa, saying he can’t sleep and is losing his hair.

Massa has qualified ahead of Alonso in the past four races — the first two this season and the last two of 2012 — and if he does it again at this weekend’s Formula One Chinese Grand Prix it will represent the first time in Alonso’s career that he has been out- qualified by a teammate five straight times. Asked about the statistic, Alonso quipped: ‘‘ I haven’t slept since Australia. I’m only eating white rice. I’m losing my hair. A huge drama.’’ Ten straight Ashes tests England cricket officials have defended the crammed scheduling of the Ashes amid concerns it will result in the iconic series losing some of its magic. Australia and England have agreed on a schedule featuring three series in the next two years, with 10 tests to be played between July and January. The Aussies will then return to England in 2015 and Lawrence Booth, editor of the respected Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, fears it could be overkill. ‘‘ Part of the charm of the big series resides in its sense of occasion,’’ Booth wrote in the 150th edition of Wisden, released this week. ‘‘ But 10 straight Ashes tests from July to January will be less of an occasion, more of a routine.’’ Aussies go for top five Australia has set a goal of a top- five finish at the 2016 Rio Olympics after slipping to 10th at last year’s London Games. Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates said in the AOC’s annual report yesterday that better use of resources, rather than more government cash, would help achieve its goal in Brazil. Australia expects to send about 480 athletes to Rio.