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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Federer doesn’t want to totally emulate Borg

The Spokesman-Review

Roger Federer wants to emulate Bjorn Borg by winning a fifth consecutive Wimbledon title. One thing Borg did that Federer has no plans to copy? Announce his retirement at age 26.

“Such a pity. He could have played so much more,” Federer said Sunday, a day before his first-round match against Teimuraz Gabashvili of Russia.

“My big goal is still to be coming back here in 2012, playing the Olympics here at Wimbledon,” the 25-year-old Federer continued. “That is still a long way away. Then after that, we’ll see where my health takes me.”

In the last 100 years, Borg is the only man to win Wimbledon five years in a row. Pete Sampras won the grass-court major four straight times from 1997-00, but his bid for No. 5 was ended by Federer in a fourth-round match in 2001.

•Eighth-seeded Andy Murray, Britain’s best hope for a strong Wimbledon showing, pulled out with a right wrist injury.

He upset two-time runner-up Andy Roddick en route to the fourth round at the All England Club last year, matching his best showing at a Grand Slam tournament.

Fishing

VanDam prevails

Kevin VanDam reeled in a catch of 18 pounds, 12 ounces to retake the lead and capture the Bassmaster Elite Series’ Sooner Run on Grand Lake in Grove, Okla.

VanDam’s four-day total weighed 78 pounds, 2 ounces, and his $100,000 payday brings his career earnings to nearly $2.5 million.

Cycling

Karpets wins Suisse

Russia’s Vladimir Karpets won the Tour de Suisse by finishing sixth in the race’s final stage, a 21-mile time trial, at Bern, Switzerland.

Luxembourg’s Kim Kirchen finished second overall and Stijn Devolder of Belgium was third.

Track and field

Powell injures groin

World record-holder Asafa Powell injured his groin slightly while winning the 100 meters at the Jamaican track and field championships Saturday at Kingston, Jamaica.

Sailing

Kiwi’s knot series

Emirates Team New Zealand came from behind for a surprising win against seemingly unbeatable Swiss defender Alinghi in the America’s Cup at Valencia, Spain. The victory evened the best-of-nine series 1-1 and ended a string of one-sided blowouts to restore a sense of competition to the quest for the Auld Mug, the oldest trophy in international sports.

Volleyball

U.S. downs Japan

Clayton Stanley spiked for 10 points to lead the United States to a straight-sets win over Japan (25-23, 25-22, 25-22) in a men’s volleyball World League match at Kumamoto, Japan.