SPORT IN BRIEF

CURLING Lockerbie’s David Murdoch looked every inch a double world champion as he scored three big wins yesterday to lift the Aberdeen International title,

The Olympic silver medallist maintained his 100 percent record from the group stages by trouncing Dutchman Jaap van Dorp 9-1 in the quarterfinals before defeating Swiss skip Michael Brunner 7-1 in the last four.

That set up a mouth-watering all-Scottish final with local favourite Tom Brewster who was also unbeaten after edging Norway’s former world champion Thomas Ulsrud 5-3 in the semis. The Curl Aberdeen manager had also got the better of Murdoch at last month’s Scottish Championships, but Murdoch took handsome revenge yesterday, controlling the final from the start and wrapping up a 5-1 victory with a single at the seventh end. SNOOKER Graeme Dott launches his lastditch bid to qualify for the World Championships at the China Open in Beijing today. The 2006 world champion has been drawn to play Welshman Matthew Stevens in round one, and the Larkhall veteran requires a miracle in Beijing if he is to earn enough ranking points to climb back into the world’s top 16 and guarantee his place in Sheffield next month.

Milton’s Stephen Maguire is in a similar predicament as he prepares to meet Gary Wilson, but four-time world champion John Higgins has already booked his spot at the Crucible. Higgins faces local player Zhou Yuelong.