Tomic snares first title in Sydney

Hot streak ... Tomic continued his golden start to 2013 at the Sydney International. Source: Tracey Nearmy / AAP

A rejuvenated Bernard Tomic captured his first ATP title with a gutsy three-set win over South African Kevin Anderson at the Sydney International on Saturday night.

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The rising Australian continued his remarkable transformation as he saw off a stubborn Anderson 6-4 6-7 (7-2) 6-3 at Sydney Olympic Park in his first ATP final.

The win ensures Tomic will climb more than 20 places, possibly as high as No.43, when the Australian Open begins on Monday, reclaiming the Australian No.1 ranking over Marinko Matosevic.

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He is the ninth Australian winner of the Sydney event and first since Lleyton Hewitt in 2005, and becomes the first 20-year-old to hoist the trophy since Roger Federer in 2002.

The win was Tomic's eighth straight and completed a remarkable Open preparation.

Tomic was honoured to collect his first tour win in front of Australian tennis legend Ken Rosewall and paid tribute to his father and coach John and support team for sticking by him.

"It's an amazing feeling ... It's been a long road and finally I've got one of these trophies,'' Tomic said.

"It took a while but thanks for having me by your side.

"Hopefully this is not the last tournament I can win.''

He shocked world No.1 Novak Djokovic, Tommy Haas (20) and Andreas Seppi (22) at the Hopman Cup in Perth, before beating higher-ranked players Matosevic (47) Florian Mayer (26), Seppi and Anderson (36) in Sydney.

As had been the case all week, Tomic showed little signs of nerves as he began strongly against big-serving Anderson.

Tomic broke the towering South African's serve in the second game, racing to a 3-0 lead, and served well at crucial times to seal the first set in just 27 minutes.

He was made to work much harder in the second set, as Anderson reeled off three consecutive service games without conceding a point.

Tomic kept his cool, defusing a break point trailing 4-3, but Anderson was always in control of the tiebreak, winning it 7-2 to level the scores.

The Australian failed to convert any of three break points in the fourth game of the deciding set by finally converted his seventh of the set when Anderson double faulted to give Tomic a 5-3 lead.

He closed out comfortably and dropped to kiss the blue Sydney court in celebration.

Tomic will begin his Open campaign on Tuesday against Argentina's Leonardo Mayer and could meet Federer if he reaches the third round.

He will head to Melbourne Park with a fresh wave of support and many new admirers following a controversial end to 2012, where he slipped from a career-high ranking of 27 and faced criticism over his attitude and off-court behaviour.

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Wasteful Victory held by Mariners

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Scorer ... Marcos Flores netted for Melbourne Victory but to no avail. Source: Chris Crerar / AAP

Central Coast Mariners coach Graham Arnold was sensationally sent from the field but his team rallied without him to earn a 1-1 draw with Melbourne Victory at Aurora Stadium on Saturday.

Arnold received his marching orders just before halftime for what appeared to be comments directed at match officials.

Referee Jarred Gillett banished him to the stands after conferring with his linesman soon after his side had gone a goal down as the Victory dominated the first half.

Arnold was contrite after the game.

"I apologise - it was mainly down to frustration at our poor performance in the first half,'' he said, refusing to divulge what the offending comment was.

"It was the first time in two and a half years I've had to go off my head at halftime (at his players) ... I said something (to the officials) I shouldn't have said, and I'll cop whatever.''

As well as a $1,000 team fine for a red card, standard practice at the Mariners, Arnold is also likely to face some form of A-League disciplinary action.

The Victory couldn't convert a weight of chances into anything more than Marcos Flores' 42nd-minute goal.

But some subtle halftime tweaks and a much improved second half allowed the Mariners to get back on level terms with 13 minutes remaining thanks to a Daniel McBreen penalty.

Victory skipper Adrian Leijer's clumsy challenge, which bundled over Michael McGlinchey, earned the spot-kick after the Mariners had lifted markedly in the second half and pressed hard for an equaliser.

Elsewhere in a tense game there was a missed Victory penalty - Marco Rojas shaving the post with a poor first half effort - and world-class saves from Mariners goalkeeper Mat Ryan and Victory's Nathan Coe.

But the Victory will rue not putting the league leaders to the scoreboard sword in the first half, playing superb football but missing several good chances.

Coach Ange Postecoglou was disappointed that his team didn't make the most of the chances.

"We were outstanding in the first half and probably didn't finish it off as we should have," he said.

"But this team's still evolving and maybe we're lacking a bit of self-belief as a group as to how good we could be.''

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Re-live the action from the Victory's clash with Central Coast in our A-League Match Centre, featuring video highlights and all the important stats.

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After a week in which sundry Mariners' players have been linked with being sold abroad, the team spent the first half looking exactly like a shop window - full of mannequins as Victory pinned them deep in their territory for virtually the entire first 45 minutes.

Rojas' missed spot-kick and a horrible point-blank miss from Archie Thompson came back to bite them.

Much of the Victory's fluidity drained away in the second half as the Mariners found far more rhythm and were able to shake off Victory's hugely effective pressing game in midfield which had troubled them in the first.

Both goalkeepers made extraordinary saves midway through the second half - Coe first pulling off a magic reflex save to deny McGlinchey on 63 minutes.

Then two minutes later, Ryan twice stopped Rojas - the second time twisting mid-air to turn over the New Zealander's audacious chip.

The Mariners now hold a two-point advantage atop the table, with the Victory remaining third.

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Sharapova takes on Aussie lads

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Practice ... Maria Sharapova plays against a couple of young Aussies. Source: Aaron Favila / AP

Maria Sharapova has made up for an injury-interrupted Australian Open preparation by going head-to-head with two Australian male youngsters.

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The Russian 2008 winner admitted it was not ideal that she was denied lead-up matches after she was forced to withdraw from the Brisbane International with a collarbone injury.

Instead, after regaining health she has tuned up for the Open by taking on Australia's 18-year-old Open wildcard entrant Luke Saville and 16-year-old Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis, who lost in qualifying at Melbourne Park.

Both were tight tussles.

"One of them (Kokkinakis) was really on top of me and then I got really mad,'' Sharapova told reporters in Melbourne on Saturday.

"I think he had eight set points and I ended up winning the set ... I don't think he slept well after that one.

"Then another one, it was Luke Saville, we didn't actually finish, the set took too long.

"It was just nice to be able to have different types of game styles as well.''

Sharapova also played an exhibition set against Slovakia's Daniela Hantuchova on Saturday.

While admitting it wasn't the ideal build-up, Sharapova was confident she could still work her way into the tournament.

"I would have loved to come in with a few matches but sometimes circumstances don't allow that and that's okay,'' she said.

"To me, I'd rather be going onto the court knowing that I'm healthy. Yes I might be a little bit rusty, but I'll work my way through it.''

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Swans can't stand still: Longmire

Improve ... John Longmire implores his players to improve in 2013. Source: George Salpigtidis / News Limited

Sydney Swans premiership coach John Longmire said his team must improve if it is to be in the mix again this September.

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Longmire made it clear the Swans will not bask in the premiership afterglow and said the intense nature of the AFL competition demands the reigning premiers to lift their game.

"You have to be on edge," Longmire said.

"The competition demands if we don't improve on our preparation and performances then we will get passed really quickly. We have to improve. We have to have that mindset.

"Hawthorn, Adelaide won more games than us. You look at Collingwood. You look at teams that didn't make the eight because of injuries, teams like Essendon and Carlton. Freo are on the march ... you can keep rolling off a heap of teams, teams that if things go there way they will be competitive."

The Swans secured a brilliant and breathtaking 10-point Grand Final win over Hawthorn.

In the wake of that gutsy victory the players had again furiously thrown themselves into pre-season training.

"At this point the players seem to be pushing each other and wanting to improve and that is our challenge is to consistently maintain that," Longmire said.

Longmire said there had been no talk of the Swans having the manpower to win the premiership again, rather that it is sheer hard work and consistency that will give them a chance.

"We don't talk about (having the list to win another premiership), what we did last year and what we will do this year is talk about the work we need to do," Longmire said. "It is very simple. It's not about setting any lofty goals.

"We didn't do it last year and we won't do it this year. It's more about understanding that you have to work really hard week in, week out.

"If you don't do that you get beaten.

"We are trying to lay that foundation now to give us a springboard into the season."

Longmire said he has seen some improvement from the younger Swans and draftees.

"I was really pleased with how everyone turned up," Longmire said.

Premiership players Adam Goodes, Ted Richards, Nick Smith and Marty Mattner have all resumed on-field training with the squad following injury-interrupted starts to their pre-seasons.

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Pomersbach hits Heat into semis

Smashing ... Pomersbach hit the fastest 50 of BBL'02 to guide the Heat to victory. Source: Nikki Davis-jones / News Limited

A brutal onslaught from Luke Pomersbach has powered Brisbane Heat into the semi-finals of the KFC T20 Big Bash League.

T20 - Blundstone Arena

12 January 2013 - Day 1, Session 2

Heat 1st Innings

J. Burns	41	27	2	3	151.85
D. Christian	5	5	1	0	100
J. Wells	0.1	0	4	0	24.00

Pomersbach smashed the fastest 50 of the competition as the Heat demolished Hobart Hurricanes by eight wickets to set up a date with Melbourne Renegades at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night.

Chasing the home side's below par 3-150, the Heat made a mockery of Hobart's battle with what had appeared a sticky Bellerive pitch to reach the target in just 14.1 overs.

Pomersbach's 50 came from just 24 balls and his 82 from 42 included 13 fours and two sixes.

The Heat finish the regular season equal on eight points with the Hurricanes and Adelaide Strikers but with a superior net run rate.

Pomersbach had the Heat off to an absolute flyer, which didn't relent as they motored along at close to 11 an over.

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Relive all the action with our Match Centre, featuring videos of every boundary and wicket!

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Paceman Doug Bollinger (1-41) went for 27 from his first two and Jason Krejza wasn't sighted again after taking 0-31 from his first two.

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Peter Forrest (18 from 11) was caught in the deep off Bollinger at 1-39 but the onslaught continued and in-form paceman Ben Laughlin was dispatched for 20 from his first over.

Pomersbach and Joe Burns (41no from 27) put on 107 from 55 balls to destroy the Hurricanes finals hopes.

		P	W	L	NR	T	Pts	NNR
1	Renegades	8	7	1	0	0	14	0.791
2	Scorchers	8	5	3	0	0	10	1.322
3	Stars	8	5	3	0	0	10	0.246
4	Heat	8	4	4	0	0	8	0.464
5	Strikers	8	4	4	0	0	8	-0.162
6	Hurricanes	8	4	4	0	0	8	-0.569
7	Sixers	8	3	5	0	0	6	-0.38
8	Thunder	8	0	8	0	0	0	-1.36

Hobart needed a late flourish from Jonathan Wells (40 from 24) and Englishman Owais Shah (32 from 28) to make their score competitive.

The home side had scratched their way to 3-84 before Wells and Shah put on 66 from 42 balls.

The Hurricanes managed just a single six, hit by Ricky Ponting (17 from 16), with miserly Heat, skipper James Hopes bowling a miserly 1-18 from his four overs while Dan Christian took 2-32.

A brilliant outfield catch from the Heat's Burns typified their night.

Burns grabbed the ball with an outstretched left hand before tiptoeing along the boundary and somehow staying on the field of play to dismiss Travis Birt (32 from 25).

The match doubled as an appeal for the devastating bushfires that hit Tasmania during the week.

Pomersbach will have scans on an injury suffered when a Bollinger delivery hit his foot.

"I'm pretty positive that it's going to be OK," he said.

"Even if it is cracked I reckon I'll be hiding the X-rays."

He said the Heat would be full of confidence after winning three of their past four.

"We're the underdogs now,'' he said.

"We're going in there, we're going to give it everything and I've got a really good feeling about it."

Hurricanes captain Tim Paine said his side had been 30 runs short.

"We probably misjudged the wicket a little bit although I think it probably suited their bowlers, that sort of slow medium pace," he said.

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Griffiths strike shoots down Roar

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Breakthrough ... Ryan Griffiths helps Newcastle past Brisbane. Source: Liam Driver / News Limited

A Ryan Griffiths goal has ensured Newcastle a 1-0 win over an under-performing Brisbane and lifted them back into the top six on the A-League ladder.

The Jets, missing injured marquee star Emile Heskey (hip flexor), climbed to fifth place with the victory at Hunter Stadium while Roar remain in seventh with their championship defence taking a hit.

The young Jets backline featuring debutante Andrew Hoole managed to nullify the potent Roar attack including super striker Besart Berisha to post back-to-back clean sheets.

A mistake from Roar goalkeeper Michael Theo gifted the Jets an early chance when his pass to a defender was almost intercepted by Griffiths.

The Jets had a golden opportunity to go ahead in the 20th minute thanks to more shoddy defending by the Roar with Theo making amends with a great diving save from Craig Goodwin's strike.

Stand-in Jets skipper Ruben Zadkovich, who was declared fit after a knee injury scare at training, fired two long-range shots in the space of a minute just before the break but just shaved the woodwork.

Goodwin then squandered possibly the best chance of the opening half when he found himself in space inside the box but misfired.

The Jets finally broke through in the 47th minute when an unmarked Griffiths got on the end of a cheeky James Brown back-heel pass to slot home for the 1-0 lead.

Coach Gary van Egmond was pleased with his team's showing under pressure and without Heskey.

"We've seen how well Emile has played for us so to not have your marquee player was a test," he said.

"To get a result when he's not on the field will develop a lot of good character for this team.

"I thought the performance of the defence tonight was excellent. What they lack in experience they definitely made up for with attitude and work ethic.''

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Re-live the Jets' tense win over the Roar in our A-League Match Centre, featuring video highlights and all the important stats.

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The Roar had a chance to level minutes later when Mitchell Nichols got past the Jets defence but gloveman Mark Birighitti came off his line to stop the charging striker.

Brown had a chance to score a goal of his own in the 60th minute but pushed his header just wide.

James Donachie could have levelled with 15 minutes to go when he had Birighitti beaten but sent his shot wide.

Birighitti made sure the visitors remained scoreless by denying Berisha a chance to equalise in the dying minutes.

Roar coach Mike Mulvey admitted Brisbane were not at their best.

"It was a bit of a struggle tonight,'' he said.

"We weren't at our best, certainly in the first half. Our passing was not slick enough.

"We lapsed in concentration and we just can't afford to keep doing it - not at this level.''

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Video: Pomersbach hits fastest 50

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Fastest fifty ... Pomersbach acknowledges the crowd after notching his 50. Source: Nikki Davis-jones / News Limited

Luke Pomersbach wrote his way into the record books at Blundstone Arena on Saturday night after smashing the fastest half-century of the KFC T20 Big Bash League season.

The Brisbane Heat batsman, who is one of a number of players to have made a successful move between teams for this season's competition, clobbered 82 runs off just 42 balls, guiding his side to a huge win over Hobart Hurricanes.

He reached 50 off just 24 balls, eclipsing the previous best effort this season of 25 balls by Chris Gayle, but still short of the 18-ball effort David Warner hit for New South Wales in 2009-2010.

The win ensured the Heat snuck into the semi-finals, and it once again proved that when Pomersbach is on song, he's one of the most destructive batsmen in the country.

He showed glimpses of that kind of form while playing for Western Australia, but seems to have come into his own at the Heat.

He took apart well-credentialed T20 bowlers such as Ben Laughlin, Doug Bollinger and Jason Krejza during his innings, hitting 13 fours and two sixes in his powerful knock.

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Click on the video at the top of the page to see the biggest hits from Pomersbach's innings, and watch the video below to see Burns's stunning catch!

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The Heat will be sweating on Pomersbach's fitness heading into their semi-final against Melbourne Renegades, as he copped a nasty ball on his foot towards the end of his innings, but it will take a lot to stop this super-blaster from padding up at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday night.

Pomersbach was well-supported by Heat bastman Joe Burns, but Burns's highlights of the night came not with the bat but with a sensational piece of fielding during Hobart's innings.

Travis Birt looked to have added another six to his tally when Burns, fielding on the mid-wicket boundary, raced across the turf and stuck out his left hand just as it was about to cross the rope.

He then displayed some fancy footwork to stop himself falling over the boundary, regaining his balance to pull off one of the catches of the season.

Birt would have been cursing his luck afterwards - it was just a few days ago that he was dismissed by Kane Richardson's amazing diving catch on the boundary at Adelaide Oval.

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