Tennis: Familiar territory for Stephens

For the second consecutive week, New Zealand's Shelley Stephens was runner-up in a US$10,000 ($21,000) women's tennis tournament in Italy.

Stephens was beaten 4-6 1-6 by Sabrina Jolk, of Germany, the same opponent who beat her in last week's final.

In the doubles Stephens and her French partner Kildine Chevalier were beaten 4-6 3-6 in the semifinals by Italians Stefania Chieppa and Emily Stellato.

Meanwhile, Mark Nielsen has been accepted into the main draw of this week's Samsung Securities Cup in Seoul, Korea.

In the US$75,000 Challenger event Nielsen is due to face the seventh seed Igor Kunitcin, of Russia, in the first round of the singles.

In the doubles he is teamed with Australia's Jaymon Crabb where the pair is seeded third.

- NZPA