Sir Alex Ferguson and Rafael Benitez Ferguson ignored handshake
Chelsea interim boss Rafael Benitez said Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson ignored their handshake before Sunday's FA Cup quarter-final. The pair have had an increasingly fraught relationship since the Spaniard's time at Liverpool and the tension surfaced again at Old Trafford. Benitez said: "I was waiting for him at the beginning, so you should ask him. I have education. I was ready. "I know a lot of people were watching and I knew what to do." He added: "It's up to him. I was in the way waiting. If you are brave enough, ask him." A growing animosity between Ferguson and Benitez, formerly on friendly terms, came to a head in January 2009 when the then Liverpool manager famously claimed the Scot received preferential treatment from the football authorities.
Alonso the man to beat - Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton has named his old McLaren team-mate Fernando Alonso as the man he most wants to beat in 2013. The 2008 champion says the Ferrari driver - second to Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel in 2012 - will be his benchmark as he begins his Mercedes career. "Alonso's the fastest driver I can see," said Hamilton, whose team-mate Nico Rosberg was quickest in testing. "I think Ferrari are going to be quick this year. He's the guy I want to beat. Anyone would struggle to beat him." Hamilton made a stunning debut as Alonso's team-mate in 2007 before their relationship turned sour over which of them was the team's de facto number one.
Murray survives Indian Wells test
Andy Murray flirted with disaster in the desert for a third straight year before seeing off Russia's Evgeny Donskoy at Indian Wells. The Briton had suffered surprise losses on his last two visits to the BNP Paribas Open but battled past the world number 83, 5-7 6-2 6-2. It was Murray's first match since he lost to Novak Djokovic in the Australian Open final on 27 January. World number one Novak Djokovic beat Italy's Fabio Fognini 6-0 5-7 6-2. Djokovic and Murray both received byes in the first round and are seeded to meet in the semi-finals, with the Scot up against Taipei's Yen-Hsun Lu in round three. Murray had spent much of his time since Australia training in Miami, and had vowed to improve on recent performances in Indian Wells, but he found it hard going at the outset. Whether it was the combination of slow courts and high altitude, or simply an opponent in form, the world number three could not find any rhythm as he endured a dreadful opening 25 minutes.
