LONDON: Russian teenager Marat Safin received a wild card for Wimbledon which start later this month after his brilliant performance as a qualifier in the French Open.

Of the five wild card nominees, 18-year-old Safin, was the only non-British player.

Philippoussis, Martin suffer defeats

LONDON: Former champions Mark Philippoussis and Todd Martin suffered defeats in the first round of the London Grass Court tournament at Queen's Club today.

Defending champion Philippoussis bowed to Jordi Burillo, the Spaniard winning 7-6 (11-9), 7-5 despite a three-year absence from grass court tennis.American Martin, the 1994 winner, endured an even bigger defeat, going down 6-4, 6-2 to Swiss qualifier Ivo Heuberger, a 22-year-old ranked only 159th in the world.

Last year's beaten finalist Goran Ivanisevic fared better against stouter opposition, beating 1991 runner-up David Wheaton 6-1, 7-6 (10-8).

Becker loses to Dreekman

HALLE, GERMANY: Boris Becker today wasbeaten by fellow German Hendrik Dreekmann in three erratic sets at the Gerry Weber Open, then announced he won't play Wimbledon. Becker fought off five match points, but handed the world No 101 the first-round match on a double fault, 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (11-9).

Bangladesh World Cup woes

DHAKA: Bangladesh has brought in Russian experts to repair disabled power plants after soccer fans threatened violence if the electricity fails during world cup matches.

With the electricity supply in soccer-mad Bangladesh woefully inadequate, fans of the sport in recent days have taken to the streets, attacked power department officials and threatened to burn down generation plants.

Television sales double in China

BEIJING: Television sales in soccer-mad China have doubled as fans prepare for late-night viewing of the World Cup, retailers said today.

``Our colour television sales are more than double the normal level for this time of year,'' a spokesman for the popular Landao shopping cente in Beijingsaid.