Sport in Brief Nigeria to bid for Nations Cup

LAGOS – Nigeria will bid to host the 2010 African Nations Cup tournament, a sports ministry statement said yesterday.

Nigerian officials said staging the 2010 Nations Cup would help the country test-run facilities for the 2014 Commonwealth Games, which it wanted to host. In July, President Olusegun Obasanjo inaugurated a 14-man committee to develop the Commonwealth Games bid, which Africa’s most populous country said it wanted to stage to mark its centenary.Nigeria staged the Nations Cup in 1980 and co-hosted the tournament, held every two years, with neighbours Ghana in 2000.Egypt is hosting the next Nations Cup from January 20 to February 10 while Ghana had been awarded the 2008 edition.-Nampa-Reuters Serena to face China’s Sun BEIJING – Title holder Serena Williams will face wildcard Sun Tiantian in the second round of the China Open after the Olympic doubles champion won her opening match on Tuesday.Local favourite Sun, who won Olympic gold with Li Ting in Athens last year, beat Russian qualifier Tatiana Panova 6-3 6-4 in the first round in Beijing.Fourth seed Williams, along with big sister Venus and new world number one Maria Sharapova, all received first-round byes.”People talk about the Russians and the Belgians but you’ve got to watch out for the Chinese next,” said Serena.”They’re everywhere in the locker room these days!” Sun, ranked 118 places below Serena at 127th in the world, was realistic about her chances of springing a shock.-Nampa-AFPIn July, President Olusegun Obasanjo inaugurated a 14-man committee to develop the Commonwealth Games bid, which Africa’s most populous country said it wanted to stage to mark its centenary.Nigeria staged the Nations Cup in 1980 and co-hosted the tournament, held every two years, with neighbours Ghana in 2000.Egypt is hosting the next Nations Cup from January 20 to February 10 while Ghana had been awarded the 2008 edition.-Nampa-Reuters Serena to face China’s Sun BEIJING – Title holder Serena Williams will face wildcard Sun Tiantian in the second round of the China Open after the Olympic doubles champion won her opening match on Tuesday.Local favourite Sun, who won Olympic gold with Li Ting in Athens last year, beat Russian qualifier Tatiana Panova 6-3 6-4 in the first round in Beijing.Fourth seed Williams, along with big sister Venus and new world number one Maria Sharapova, all received first-round byes.”People talk about the Russians and the Belgians but you’ve got to watch out for the Chinese next,” said Serena.”They’re everywhere in the locker room these days!” Sun, ranked 118 places below Serena at 127th in the world, was realistic about her chances of springing a shock.-Nampa-AFP