Baird pledges his future to Fulham

The former Southampton full-back Chris Baird has signed a new three-year deal at Fulham.

The Northern Ireland international’s current deal was due to expire next summer but he will now stay with the Cottagers until the end of the 2012-13 campaign.

Baird moved to Craven Cottage in the summer of 2007 and has featured in 85 first-team matches for the club, over 50 coming last season.

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Meanwhile, striker Andrew Johnson is hoping his injury nightmare will soon be behind him and he will be able to return to first-team action in October.

The former Birmingham City, Crystal Palace and Everton star spent much of last season sidelined with shoulder and groin problems and has not featured in Mark Hughes’ first team so far this term.

In tennis, Rafael Nadal has become only the seventh man to complete the career Grand Slam after beating Novak Djokovic in the delayed US Open final.

The Spaniard dropped the second set to the Serb at Flushing Meadows but eventually prevailed 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 to claim the title.

Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver, Andre Agassi and Roger Federer are the only other players to have won the Australian, French and US Opens, plus Wimbledon.

In cricket, fast bowler Steve Kirby has signed a three-year contract with Somerset after deciding to leave Gloucestershire to try and further his international ambitions.

The 32-year-old still believes that he can break into the England set-up and is hoping to impress at Taunton.

In rugby union, Bath’s South Africa international fly-half Butch James is expected to be sidelined until November after undergoing a shoulder operation.

The 31-year-old was injured during an appearance for the Springboks in a Tri-Nations clash with Australia last month and has missed the start of the new Aviva Premiership clash.

In rugby league, Leeds Rhinos outside-half Danny McGuire will miss the rest of the Super League play-offs after suffering a serious knee injury in the dramatic win over Wigan Warriors.

The 27-year-old has damaged knee ligaments and requires surgery, leaving him facing a race to be fit for the start of next season.

McGuire’s absence will hurt the Rhinos’ hopes of a fourth straight title, with Jamie Peacock already absent due to a knee injury of his own.