PALO ALTO: Melanie Molitor, the mother of world number one Martina Hingis, says her daughter does not need Steffi Graf back in the game to push her because the 28-year-old former number one is physically spent.

``Steffi is physically so used already that even if she would be playing she wouldn't be the same Steffi Graf that she was before,'' Molitor told Reuters.Graf, owner of 21 Grand Slam titles, has been out of action since undergoing knee surgery after the French Open.

The German superstar expects to return to the tour sometime in October.

Players strike

BUENOS AIRES: Despite the last-minute intervention of soccer enthusiast president Carlos Menem and pressure from superstar Diego Maradona, Argentine professional soccer players were on strike yesterday.

Talks between the players and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) at the labour ministry failed to reach an agreement, leading to the suspension of weekend matches. Even a meeting between players and Menem late Saturday was futile. Maradona, who threw his weight behind Friday's talks, said: ``This is a stupid strike, like bashing against a wall.''

Modahl to sue BAF

LONDON: Middle-distance runner Diane Modahl has been given the green light to sue the British Athletic Federation (BAF) after clearing her name of drug-taking allegations more than a year ago.

The Briton had been banned from competing for four years and was given the go-ahead to press on with a compensation claim by the High Court in London today.

``I was branded a drug cheat but I have cleared my name and today we have won our case so I am very happy,'' Modahl said.

Syrian fans riot

BEIRUT: Amgry Syrian spectators wrecked hundreds of seats at Beirut's stadium after their national team lost 0-1 to Jordan in the soccer final on the closing day of the Eighth Pan-Arab Games yesterday.

Some 30,000 Syrians destroyed an estimated 400 seats and hurled rubbish and empty bottles at the players while Syrian players beat and kicked Lebanese photographers, witnesses said. The Lebanese army evacuated the stadium but no casualties were reported in the incidents.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.