Sports Shorts: Nadal-defeater Kyrgios splits with coach Rea

Rising talent Nick Kyrgios has confirmed his split with coach Simon Rea to spend more time at his Canberra home, the Australian teenager said on Saturday.

The 19-year-old, who took Wimbledon by storm by beating then-world number one Rafael Nadal on the way to the quarter-finals, had worked with New Zealander Rea since winning the 2013 Australian Open junior singles title.

Governing body Tennis Australia will continue to have a heavy influence over the prodigy's development, with Davis Cup coach Josh Eagle and Canberra-based academy coach Todd Larkham taking over in a tandem arrangement.

"My desire to be at home more in Canberra, when I am not at tournaments has driven me to make the decision for change within my team," the World No 66 Kyrgios said in a statement.

"Not only is Simon a great coach but he is a great person and I wish him all the best in the next phase of his coaching career."

Kyrgios plays his next tournament at the ATP 1000 in Toronto next month.

- NEXT: Phelps beats Lotche in 100m butterfly race...

The comeback of Michael Phelps continued in impressive fashion on Friday as the most decorated Olympian of all time beat rival Ryan Lochte in the 100 metres butterfly and notched up the second fastest time of the year in Athens, Georgia.

Phelps posted a 51.67, his first swim under 52 seconds this year, in just his fourth meet after a 20-month retirement.

He easily beat his times in the event from his previous three meets but still has work to do to match his 51.21 winning time from the 2012 London Games.

Only Russian Vyacheslarus Prudnikov (51.60) has been faster this year.

Lochte was second in 53.08 with Matthew Josa third in 53.64.

Lochte was victor in the only other meeting between he and Phelps this year, but he is on his own comeback trail after aggravating a November knee injury in April.

The 'Bulldog Grand Slam' continues in Athens on Saturday with Phelps scheduled to swim the 100m backstroke as he prepares for the Aug. 6-10 U.S. Championships in Irvine, California ahead of the Pan Pacific Championships on the Gold Coast in Australia.

- NEXT: Blake pulls out in Glasgow...

Yohan Blake's injury troubles hit a new low as he pulled up during the 100 metres at Friday's Diamond League meeting in Glasgow.

Blake's race ended after 60 metres with the Jamaican clutching his hamstring in obvious pain as his compatriot Nickel Ashmeade went on to win in 9.97 seconds, pipping Michael Rodgers in a tight finish.

Blake, a former world champion and double Olympic silver medallist, had only just returned from a succession of hamstring injuries and left the track in a wheelchair.

He had already said he would not compete at the Commonwealth Games in the same city this month in order not to jeopardise his preparations for the 2016 Olympics.

Three men broke the 10-second barrier with Nesta Carter finishing third, a hundredth of a second behind Ashmeade and Rodgers.

In the absence of double Olympic and world champion Mo Farah through illness, Ethiopia's Hagos Gebrhiwet produced a sprint finish reminiscent of the Briton as he held off compatriot Yenew Alamirew to win the 5000m metres in 13 minutes 11.09 seconds.

There was another tight finish in the women's 400 metres as Sanya Richards-Ross blasted out of the blocks and led into the home straight before being chased down by Francena McCorory who timed her run to perfection to win in 49.93 seconds.

It was a good night for multi-eventers as Olympic decathlon champion Ashton Eaton finished second in the 400m hurdles behind Javier Culson, beating the top two from the London Olympics, Felix Sanchez and Michael Tinsley.

British heptathlete Katarina Johnson-Thompson was second in the long jump with a personal best jump of 6.92 metres, six centimetres behind Tianna Bartoletta of the United States.

Britain's William Sharman upset the fastest man in the world this year, Jamaican Hansle Parchment, to win the 110 metres hurdles in a time of 13.21.

- NEXT: Mo leads Women's British Open Golf

Mo Martin earned a three-stroke lead as fellow American Michelle Wie missed the cut after the second round at the Women's British Open on Friday.

The diminutive Martin used her accuracy to avoid the punishing rough on her way to a second successive three-under-par 69 at Royal Birkdale in Southport, Lancashire.

But it was a different story for Wie, who carded 78 for a nine-over 153 total, three strokes too many to survive for the weekend.

"It was one of those weeks where I started off on the wrong foot, but stuff happens like that," Wie told Golf Channel.

"Golf is hard. I still feel good about my game. This doesn’t change how I look at my game but it’s also a good kick in the butt about what I need to improve."

Former child prodigy Wie, who just last month broke through for her first major title when she won the U.S. Women's Open, said her driving had let her down, despite a conservative strategy.

"My tempo got off this week. I just need to find it again. Nothing was too off this week. It’s just nothing was quite right. I just didn't hit the shots I needed."

Martin has gained a reputation as one of the straightest hitters in the women's game, and she played to her strength to post a six-under 138 halfway total.

The woman known as "MightyMo" has little experience of links golf, but she plotted her way to five birdies to break clear of Spaniard Beatriz Recari (67) and South Korean Ryu So-Yeon (70), who shared second place on three-under.

Women's world number one and defending champion Stacy Lewis was seven back.