BRYANT GARNERS OVER 340,000 TWITTER FANS
LOS ANGELES: You can add Kobe Bryant’s name to the list of National Basketball Association stars who are reaching out to fans via Twitter.

The Los Angeles Lakers player ended his holdout and set up an account on the social media network Friday (Saturday in Manila), tweeting: “The antisocial has become social.” Despite just the single tweet, the all-star guard had garnered more than 340,000 followers in the first few hours. The most followed NBA player is Miami Heat star LeBron James, who has 6.8 million Twitter fans.

STOSUR IN ZHENG CLASH AHEAD OF AUSTRALIAN OPEN
SYDNEY: Former US Open champion Samantha Stosur faces a tough opponent in China’s Zheng Jie in the first round of the Sydney International, a critical lead-up to her Australian Open campaign. World No. 9 Stosur has had a rocky build-up to her home Grand Slam, being dumped in the first round of the Brisbane International last week by Swede Sofia Arvidsson who took full advantage of the Australian’s 48 unforced errors. Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki will also be hoping for some valuable court time at the Sydney tournament, which begins Sunday.

TSONGA WITHDRAWS FROM SYDNEY EVENT WITH INJURY
SYDNEY: French tennis star Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has withdrawn from next week’s Sydney International with a hamstring injury, tournament organizers said on Saturday. The world number eight pulled out of the last major leadup event to this month’s Australian Open after suffering the injury playing for France in the mixed teams Hopman Cup in Perth on Friday. Tsonga, the 2008 Australian Open finalist, would have been top seed for the Sydney International and compatriot Richard Gasquet, the world number 10, is expected to become the top seed for the men’s draw to be made later Saturday. AFP