Page 1269 - Sports

Nadal reaches Toronto quarters with win over Wawrinka

A 45-minute rain interruption did little to stop the progress of Rafael Nadal at the Toronto Masters as he defeated Stan Wawrinka 7-5, 7-6 (7/4) to reach the quarter-finals. The halt in proceedings came 63 minutes into the opening set, after Wawrinka saved a Nadal set point for 5-all, with the Spaniard then holding serve for 6-5. When the weather passed, the pair returned, with Nadal wrapping up the set on his second chance. The second set was a battle as the Swiss, a three-time Grand Slam champion, fought back from an early break down, took a 2-1 lead, with the pair again trading breaks in the fifth and tenth games. Nadal came from a mini-break down in the tiebreaker and secured victory on his second match point. "It was a good match, a very positive victory for me over a tough opponent," Nadal said. "I'm happy to see Stan playing well again. We had a good quality of tennis. "I'm very pleased, I needed a match like this. It does much for the confidence." Nadal's win was his 17th from

Steady start for Shubhankar, Lahiri at PGA Championship

India's Shubhankar Sharma shot his first sub-par round at a Major as he compiled a one-under 69 to lie tied 33rd after the first round of the 100th PGA Championship here. While Sharma, playing his fourth Major of the year, had three birdies against two bogeys in his 69, his senior colleague Anirban Lahiri shot even par 70, despite five birdies, to lie tied 48th. Lahiri had just two pars in his first nine, which was the back stretch of the Bellerive Country Club. In all he had five birdies and five bogeys. Four of the five birdies came in his first nine, while he had three bogeys on back nine and two on front nine. The long 38-foot putt for birdie on the ninth, his closing hole, was a big consolation as Lahiri finished at even par 70 to lie alongside Tiger Woods (70). Woods, a four-time winner of the PGA Championship, got off to a slow start with a bogey and double bogey on his first two holes, but he recovered to shoot a 70 and is tied for 48th. Gary Woodland (64) and Rickie Fowler ...

Sevilla pip Zalgiris 1-0

Sevilla Football Club has managed a 1-0 victory over Zalgiris Vilnius in the first leg of their Europa League third-round qualifying tie.

Everton sign Yerry Mina for 30.25 million Euros

English football club Everton have roped in Colombian football Yerry Mina for 30.5 million Euros.The club will pay an additional amount of 1.5 million Euros in variables to the former Barcelona midfielder.Confirming the transfer on their official Twitter handle, Barcelona posted a picture of Mina and thanked him for his contributions to the team."Yerry Mina signs for @Everton," they wrote.Meanwhile, another Barcelona midfielder Andre Gomes is also set to join Everton on loan at a price of 2.25 million Euros.The transfer was confirmed by Barcelona on their Twitter account."[LATEST NEWS] Agreement with @Everton for the loan of @aftgomes http://ow.ly/kmLP30ll7JJ," they tweeted.Gomes, who failed to fix his pot in Barcelona even after a long association of almost two years, said that it felt like a "hell" after first six months with the team, goal.com reported.Earlier, French Footballer Lucas Digne was also roped in by Everton on the last day of the transfer window.

Rowers Bhonkanal, Sawarn gear up to make a big splash at Asiad

Their preparations going well in Pune, rowers Dattu Baban Bhonkanal and Sawarn Singhsound upbeat about their medal chances in the upcoming Asian Games. "The preparation is going well (for the Asian Games). There is a lot of difference in the practise, between what I used to do earlier and now. "We are going this year with the preparation to bag a medal and we have to bring a gold (medal),"rower Bhonkanal told PTI. The Asian Games are starting on August 18 in Indonesia and will be hosted by two cities - Jakarta and Palembang. Bhokanal and other oarsmen are training at the Army Rowing Node at the College of Engineering, Pune. He had clinched a silver medal at the 2015 Asian Championships and also participated in the Rio Olympics one year later, finishing in the 13th place. Bhonkanal stresses that there has been improvement in his timing since the 2014 Asian Games held at Incheon, South Korea. "There is a difference in the timing between 2014 (Asian Games) and now. The ...

Neeraj named India's flag-bearer for Asian Games opening ceremony

Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra was today named the Indian contingent's flag-bearer for the Asian Games opening ceremony to be held on August 18 in Jakarta. Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Narinder Batra made the announcement today during the send-off ceremony organised for the contingent. The Games will be held from August 18 to September 2 in the Indonesian cities of Jakarta and Palembang. The 20-year-old Neeraj is the reigning Commonwealth Games champion and won a gold in the Savo Games in Finland last month. Neeraj had won the gold medal in the Asian Athletic championships in 2017 with a throw of 85.23 meters. He had also bagged a gold in the 2016 IAAF World U-20 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Former Hockey captain Sardar Singh was India's flag-bearer at the 2014 Asian Games. Indian athletes had won 57 medals, comprising 11 gold, 10 silver and 36 bronze medals in the previous edition at Incheon, South Korea.

Hardik needs to focus on one aspect of his game: Pollock (IANS Interview)

All-rounder Hardik Pandya has gone from strength to strength before becoming a regular in the India Test cricket side but South African great Shaun Pollock wants the rising Baroda star to focus on one aspect of his game if he wants to be a long-term prospect.

Junior sailors clinch 5 medals in Oman Sailing Championship

Six junior sailors from the Indian contingent that participated in the Oman Sailing Championship 2018 have made the country proud by clinching a rich haul of medals.Out of the six participants, five of them returned home with five medals, including three golds, a silver, and a bronze.Ritika Dangi won gold in the Optimist class, while Uma Chauhan got bronze in the same race. In the Optimist class boys' race, Ashish Vishwakarma clinched gold and Neel Anand won the silver. In the Laser 4.7 Class, Satish Yadav bagged the gold medal.The weeklong competition held between August 2 to 8 saw 130 sailors between the ages of 10 and 17 compete in various races at the Sur Sailing School.Admiral Sunil Lanba and the president of the Yachting Association of India (YAI) acknowledged the performance of the Indian sailors and congratulated the team for their good performance."These 13 to 16-year-old sailors are the future Olympic medal hopes for the country," said Admiral Lanba.The Ministry of Youth ...

Have high hopes for Sarjubala: Boxing coach

As the date for the 18th edition of Asian Games draws closer, Indian women boxing coachRaffaele Bergamasco has expressed high hopes and is confident that star Manipuri boxer Sarjubala Devi would win a gold medal in the quadrennial event.Speaking to ANI, Bergamasco said, "Today is the last day of very strong training. Sarjubala and Pavitra are very good performers. We go to the Asian Games from a very good perspective. I am happy for the girls and the training has been going on very well."He acknowledged that many countries such as China, Mongolia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were good teams, saying that "Asian dominance was strong in this category."Bergamasco explained, "I looked at the videos (of their performances). They are very strong opponents. But, I am confident that we will do well in the Asian Games. I am positive and have high hopes for Sarjubala."Meanwhile, Sarjubala said that she has got her hair coloured in a hope to win a gold medal in the tournament. She recently clinched

US Open champ Sloane Stephens advances in Montreal US Open champ

US Open champion Sloane Stephens advanced to the Rogers Cup quarterfinals, beating Carla Suarez Navarro 6-2, 7-5 in the hard-court event. After Suarez overcame a 5-1 deficit to tie the second set at 5, Stephens broke serve for a 6-5 lead and scored four straight points to put away the match, ending it with a sharp cross-court forehand. "Maybe the old me would have kind of freaked out," Stephens said. "I was kind of like, 'OK, it's fine, she's allowed to play well. Just kind of regroup.' I did that. I was happy with that." The 25-year-old Stephens, ranked No. 3 in the world, won a hard-court title in Miami in March and lost the French Open final to top-ranked Simona Halep. In the quarterfinals, the American will face Anastaija Sevastova of Latvia, a 6-3, 7-6 (2) winner over 10th-seeded Julian Goerges of Germany. Sevastova, ranked 19th, won last month in Bucharest. The top-seeded Halep advanced with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over 13th-seeded Venus Williams in the second match of the day for ..

Greek chic: Tsitsipas stuns Djokovic in Toronto

Stefanos Tsitsipas defeated his second seed in as many days at the Toronto Masters, stunning Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals. The Greek teenager, who turns 20 on Sunday, followed up his defeat of seventh seed Dominic Thiem, beating four-time champion Djokovic, seeded ninth, in a first-time meeting. "This was the best match of my career," Tsitsipas said. "I knew I was playing pretty good today. "Losing the second set, it was tough to deal with - I had my opportunities and didn't use them. "But I remained calm, I tried few things that I didn't try before. (The early break in the third set) was everything. It gave me the win at the end." Tsitsipas, ranked 27, spent just over two hours in advancing to the first Masters 1000 quarter-final of his career. The 19-year-old forced the former world number one Djokovic onto the back foot in the first set but was unable to wrap up a straight-sets win as the 13-time Grand Slam champion claimed the ..

'Historic' Mekhissi wins fifth Euro gold as world champions shine

France's Mahiedine Mekhissi joined an elite band of athletes after he claimed his fifth European title on a scintillating night of track and field in Berlin that saw a trio of world champions shine. Mekhissi, a three-time Olympic and two-time world medallist, was imperious as he eased to a fourth victory in the 3000m steeplechase in 8min 31.66sec, having already won the discipline three times (2010, 2012, 2016) and the 1500m once (2014). The 33-year-old Frenchman joined the trio of German Harald Schmid and British pair Roger Black and Mo Farah as the sole athletes to have won five outdoor golds on the continental stage. Mekhissi, who was controversially stripped of the 2014 steeplechase title for having stripped off his singlet before he crossed the finish line in first place, has the chance for an unprecedented sixth gold when he competes in Saturday's 5000m. "It was tough today," he said. "To keep that level over 10 years is not easy. "I really wanted to defend my title, but there ..

Focus on Neymar-Mbappe partnership as PSG kick off title defence

Neymar left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain 12 months ago in a bid to move out of Lionel Messi's shadow and confirm his status as one of the world's best players, but the Brazilian may have to share the mantle of talisman with teenage prodigy Kylian Mbappe this season. The French champions start the defence of their Ligue 1 title against Caen at the Parc des Princes on Sunday, and all eyes will be on Neymar after he missed the final three months of last term with a foot injury. The world's most expensive player has been the subject of consistent speculation linking him with a move away from France, with reports usually suggesting he will sign for Real Madrid, but he insists that he's not done with PSG yet. "Yes, I will stay in Paris. I have a contract with PSG. The speculation? The majority of it is invented by the press," Neymar told ESPN Brasil last month. "I have a contract and people know the objective, the reason why I went to PSG. I want to win with this club and I hope this ..

Chelsea ready to kick-start Sarri era after frantic deadline

A frantic 48 hours in the transfer market provided Chelsea with a timely lift after last weekend's Community Shield defeat to Manchester City. The 2-0 loss left new Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri to rue the difference between the two teams, with Pep Guardiola's champions looking sharper and fitter than the Italian's side. Sarri has been in post for less than four weeks and the last thing he needed was to go into the first game of the new season at Huddersfield on Saturday against the backdrop of a protracted stand-off between the club and keeper Thibaut Courtois. Courtois's decision to stay away from the club this week in a bid to force a move to Real Madrid could have had a negative impact at Stamford Bridge, reviving memories of the dispute with Diego Costa 12 months earlier. But Chelsea moved quickly to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga from Athletic Bilbao for ?71.6 million - a world record for a keeper - on a seven-year contract, triggering Courtois's exit to Real. As part of the deal for ..

Woodland shoots 64 to seize PGA lead, Tiger, McIlroy grind to par

Gary Woodland, who has never cracked the top-10 in 27 major starts, fired a six-under par 64 to grab a one-stroke lead over fellow American Rickie Fowler after the opening round of the 100th PGA Championship. On a day when Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy grinded out level par, unlikely Woodland -- who snapped a five-year PGA victory drought by winning in February at Phoenix -- unleashed the best putting round of his career at Bellerive Country Club. "When I see putts go in, that just gets me going," Woodland said. "It's really starting to click. I thought I was putting well. It was nice to see them go in." World number 44 Woodland, whose best major finishes have been shares of 12th at the 2011 PGA and 2016 British Open, sank seven birdie putts in 10 holes to pass Fowler, who matched the best major round of his career with a 65. Ninth-ranked Fowler, twice a top-five finisher in every major, is without a win to show for it, having finished second at the Masters in April. "I always have ...

Triumphant U20 men's football team returns home

The Indian Under-20 men's football team that created history by beating Argentina in the COTIF Cup arrived at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport here on Friday.The triumphant team was welcomed by emphatic fans waiting at the airport with placards bearing words of praise for the young men.Speaking to ANI, one of the footballers said the victory will help build up the team's momentum ahead of their next tournament."When we went to Spain, our main aim was to gain more respect for Indian football the moment we came back to our land after winning the match. Now, a lot of people will notice Indian football," he said.The Indian team defeated Argentina 2-1 in their final match of the COTIF Cup in Spain on August 6.Deepak Tangri scored for India in the fourth minute, before Aniket Jadhav was sent off in the second half. However, Anwar Ali's 68th minute feat put India 2-0 up against Argentina, considered to be the most successful team in U-20 World Cup history.Although Argentina scored ..

National Sports University Bill to focus on budding sportsperson: Rajyavardhan Rathore

Hours after Parliament passed the National Sports University Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore said that the bill will focus on every need of a budding sportsperson.Speaking to ANI, Rathore said, "This bill has focused on each and every need of a budding sportsperson and has enhanced the stipend as well as food and supplement allowance. Government is developing a Mobile App which will have information about sports academies and centres. National sports development funding has helped so far and we won't let anyone go without funding."The minister added that through this bill everyone will take responsibility towards sports, be it central government or private sector.Meanwhile, five times world champion and Indian boxer M.C Mary Kom said that the bill would help new talent do better in upcoming games and championships "Manipur is known as a sports powerhouse. I want to make it super sports powerhouse. Whatever government needs to do in this, I would be .

Coloured my hair to get gold in Asian games: Sarjubala Devi

As the 18th edition of the Asian Games is around the corner, Indian boxer Sarjubala Devi on Thursday said, that she has got her hair coloured in a hope to win a gold in the tournament.In an exclusive interview to ANI, the 25-year-old boxer from Manipur said, "The colour in my hair will give me a lot of motivation. I am hopeful that I earn a gold medal in Jakarta, so I went to the parlour and got my hair coloured. I want to perform well there as this is my first Asian Games."Hailing the legendary boxer Mary Kom as a source of inspiration, Devi said, "She has always been very helpful. I got to learn many aspects of boxing from her. She is a motivation to people living from Manipur."The World Championship silver medallist clinched the 51kg spot in the Asian Games trial to make to the quadrennial event.

Canadian Open: Stefanos Tsitsipas stuns Djokovic

Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas triggered a major upset in the ongoing Canadian Open on Thursday as he humbled 13-time Grand Slam champion Serbian Novak Djokovic in the round of 16.The Greek teenager, who will be celebrating his 20th birthday this Sunday humbled four-time champion Djokovic 6-3, 6-7, 6-3 to book his place into the quarterfinals.The 19-year-old who has been on fire also reached the fourth of the Wimbledon championships this year only to lose to American John Isner.Tsitsipas will now face either Germany's Alexander Zverev or Russian Daniil Medvedev for the place in the semis.

Punjab CM releases Rs 5 lakh for Hakam Singh's treatment

Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday ordered the release of Rs. 5 lakh for the treatment of ailing Asiad Gold medal winner athlete Hakam Singh.The Chief Minister, had earlier tweeted his concern and asked the Deputy Commissioner to visit the 1978 Bangkok Asiad medallist. He has also directed the Barnala district administration to ensure all necessary assistance for the Dhyan Chand Awardee, who is undergoing treatment for liver and kidney ailments at the hospital.The former athlete, who had also served as Havaldar in the 6 Sikh Regiment, was conferred the Dhyan Chand Award in 2008. He had a near fatal accident, which forced him to hang his boots in 1981, marking an abrupt end to an illustrious sporting career.The Chief Minister has reiterated his government's commitment to the welfare of former sportspersons in the state and has assured of all monetary help to ensure that they lead a respectable life after retirement from active sports.