Reigning U.S. Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro might defend his title, after all. Despite being sidelined since January because of a right wrist injury that required surgery, del Potro was on the provisional entry list released Thursday by the U.S. Tennis Association for the men's field at the year's last major tournament. The U.S. Open starts Aug. 30.

In a statement, the USTA said Juan Martin Del Potro ''is expected to return to Grand Slam competition after missing the French Open and Wimbledon earlier this year.'' Juan Martin Del Potro won his first Grand Slam title by coming back to beat five-time U.S. Open champion Roger Federer in five sets in the 2009 final at Flushing Meadows. The 21-year-old Argentine has played in only one tournament in 2010, losing in the fourth round of the Australian Open.

Juan Martin Del Potro's right wrist has been a problem since last year; he retired in the second round of the Shanghai Masters in October because of tendinitis in the wrist. Then, in January, he pulled out of an exhibition tournament just days before the start of the Australian Open, citing the wrist.

Ambassador of Thailand in Pakistan Marut Jitpatima won the Asia Pacific Golf Association Tournament held at Islamabad Golf Club here the other day. He emerged the gross winner of the tournament played by a good number of foreign diplomats and locals in four categories – A, B, C and Guest. The category A was won by Shahid Malik with score of 75 while Rashid Malik and Zarif Malik both scored 78. Stephen Smith was the top performer in the category B with 70 while Allan Forsberg (72) and Alexandro Alejandro (73) claimed second and third positions respectively.

Chris Duncan (64), Amir-U-Zamani (72) and Nawal Atme (76) captured top three positions in the C category. The Guest category, framed to accommodate players who were not members of Asia Pacific Golf Association (APGA), was won by Afsar Malik (67) while Ali Kiani (68) and Aman Tariq (69) finished as runners up. Veteran golfer Ijaz Sadozai won nearest to pin at hole 3 and Ali Kiani at hole 14.

Japan made it two bonus-point wins from as many games in this year's HSBC Asian Five Nations - and 10 from 10 in the three-year history of the tournament - when they beat the Arabian Gulf 60-5 in Tokyo.

The victory puts John Kirwan's team a step nearer being Asia's automatic representative at the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

But the Brave Blossoms had to work hard for the win.

"I couldn't ask much more from the boys," said Gulf captain Michael Cox-Hill. "We never gave up and proved that by scoring in the 76th minute. We can take a lot of credit for the way we played."

Defending Royal Trophy champions Asia have retained five players from the team that recorded a surprise triumph over Europe for the fourth edition of the Ryder Cup-style matchplay event. Naomichi "Joe" Ozaki captains the side for the third time and has kept faith in Ryo Ishikawa, Charlie Wi, Liang Wenchong and Thai pair Prayad Marksaeng and Thongchai Jaidee, who were unbeaten in January's 10-6 victory over twice winners Europe.

India's Jeev Milkha Singh returns to the team announced on Thursday after missing the last edition, joining compatriot Gaganjeet Bhullar and Japan's Koumei Oda, who will be making their first appearance in the event held in Thailand.

Thailand aims to top the medals table at the 25th Southeast Asian Games starting in Laos this week with organizers hoping the event is free from bitter accusations of unfair judging that blighted the last edition.

The 10-day biennial showpiece officially opens Wednesday in the capital Vientiane, with attention also focused on medal hopefuls ahead of next year's Asian Games in China.

Two years ago, then-hosts Thailand dominated the medals standings with 183 gold out of a total of 477 - well ahead of second-placed Malaysia on 68 and Vietnam on 64. Thailand won their eighth consecutive football title and came out on top in athletics, felling many SEA Games records, while Singapore were kings of the pool and Indonesia swept the badminton gold medals.

As well as headline events such as the under-23 football, athletics, swimming and badminton, the event will include a range of lesser-known sports, including the martial arts karatedo and Muay Thai.

Peter Reid has admitted that it was tough to leave his job as Thailand coach but is looking forward to the challenge of becoming Stoke City’s assistant manager.

The ex-Manchester City and Sunderland boss took control of the South-East Asian team in September 2008 but revealed that the chance to return home and work with Tony Pulis was too good to turn down.

“I was due to fly out to Dubai last Friday but I got a call to come down here and we had a chat and we clicked. I’ve know Tony for numerous years talking on the phone about players,” Reid told BBC Radio Stoke.

“Once everything was sorted with the Thai FA - I did have three years left on a deal there and I didn’t want to upset anyone there - I was delighted to say yes.”

The friendly match with China did exactly what it was supposed to... Singapore coach Radojko Avramovic believes that the friendly with China in midweek is perfect preparation for the Lions’ 2011 Asian Cup qualifiers against Thailand in November.

The team drew 1-1 on Wednesday with China, a team that Avramovic compared to Thailand.

“The way China played today is very similar to the way Thailand plays,” said the Serbian.

“The two countries have very similar types of players and formations, using two wide players who come inside to create extra players in the attacking area. This is the way most top teams in the world try to play now, 4-3-3 with a triangle in the middle.

“Whoever has the better quality players in this triangle will be more successful. We tried this with Hariss (Harun), Rosman and John (Wilkinson) today, but we struggled in the first half and so went back to 4-4-2, which is our old way.

Singapore’s Lam Chih Bing returns to Thailand for the season-opening Asian Tour International today, full of confidence after winning his first Asian Tour title in December.

The US$300,000 at the Suwan Golf and Country Club, which starts today, is Lam’s first outing since his victory at the season-ending Volvo Masters of Asia in Bangkok in December.

“I’m hoping to ride on my new-found confidence following my victory. The course this week is in good condition. The greens are slightly tricky and that is likely going to be the key this week,” said Lam.

Last season the Singapore No. 1 finished sixth at the Hana Bank Vietnam Masters, runner-up at the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open before registering his maiden Asian Tour victory.

Thongchai Jaidee completed back-to-back wins by taking the Cambodian Open on Sunday, shooting a 6-under 66 on the final day to win by six strokes.

Thongchai finished at 24-under 264. Singapore's Lam Chih Bing shot a final-round 65 to finish second, with Thailand's Chawalit Plaphol (67) a further two shots back in the second staging of the Asian Tour event.

A week earlier, Thongchai won the Vietnam Masters, during which his second child was born.

Wales' Rhys Davies shook off the disappointment of his play-off loss in Vietnam last week to take a one-shot lead after Thursday's opening round of the Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open.

Davies missed out on his first professional title when he was edged out by Thailand's Thongchai Jaidee at the Hana Bank Vietnam Masters. But the 23-year-old responded in positive fashion, carding an eight-under-par 64 at the Phokeethra Country Club in Siem Reap.

He made nine birdies and just a single bogey to be a shot ahead of American Anthony King in the Asian Tour event.