New Delhi: A week after TV reports of a murky deal with London-based AM firm, IOA probe panel sacked Commonwealth Games Organising Committee joint director T S Darbari, a close aide of OC chief Suresh Kalmadi.

The Left and BJP have, meanwhile, sought the ouster of Kalmadi.

Earlier in the day, OC treasurer Anil Khanna resigned from the post in the wake of allegations that his son's firm had secured a contract for laying synthetic courts at a tennis stadium. A K Mattoo has been appointed the new treasurer.

Galle (Sri Lanka): Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Saturday said fit-again opener Virender Sehwag's form would be crucial as the visitors aim for a Test series triumph in Sri Lanka for the first time in 17 years.

India will take on the islanders in the first of a three-match series from Sunday and Dhoni said a lot would depend on how Sehwag performs.

London : Five-time champion and second seed Venus Williams lost 2-6, 3-6 to Bulgaria's Tsvetana Pironkova in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon on Tuesday.

Williams, whose loss meant she failed to reach the final for the first time since 2006, was outplayed from the outset by the world number 82 on Court One at the All England Club.

Pironkova, the lowest ranked player left in the women's draw, will play either Belgium's Kim Clijsters or Russian Vera Zvonareva for a place in Saturday's final.

Paris: Fourth seed Andy Murray overcame three rain delays and a stubborn opponent to reach the French Open third round with a 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-2 win over Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela on Thursday.

The British world number four was kept waiting for over four hours before his match could resume and was then held up twice by the rain, with the obdurate claycourter Chela worsening his mood by winning the second set.

Dubai: Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza have been house-hunting in Dubai in the last few days before their scheduled departure for their assignments.

Mirza also said her training is going on as planned and that her wrist is not hurting any more.

“I have always liked Dubai. It’s like a home away from home for me. Right now we are looking at some houses before both of us leave for England for our respective assignments,” Mirza told Gulf News.

Madrid: Top-ranked Serena Williams was knocked out of the Madrid Masters, falling 4-6 6-2 6-3 to Nadia Petrova of Russia in the third round.

Petrova, who has won 19 doubles titles, yesterday frustrated Williams into making 41 errors by hitting accurately from the baseline. The 16th-seeded Petrova served 10 aces to advance to the quarterfinals.

Hyderabad: Lifestyle issues are believed to have triggered the split between tennis star Sania Mirza and her childhood-friend Sohrab Mirza forcing them to call off their relationship. The families of both the Mirzas have declared that there is a break-up. They had got engaged in July 2009.