Page 1552 - Sports
Sharapova sets up potential Serena clash, Nadal downs Gasquet for 16th time
Maria Sharapova marked her first appearance on Court Philippe Chatrier in three years with a 6-2, 6-1 rout of Karolina Pliskova to set-up a potential French Open last-16 duel with nemesis Serena Williams on Saturday, while 10-time champion Rafael Nadal defeated childhood friend Richard Gasquet for the 16th time. Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova, the winner in Paris in 2012 and 2014, hadn't played on Roland Garros' showpiece arena since a quarter-final exit in 2015. The 31-year-old served a doping suspension in 2016 and was refused a wildcard in 2017. However, she made up for lost time by firing 18 winners past an under-cooked Pliskova, the sixth seed, in just under an hour. She will next face either 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams or German 11th seed Julia Goerges. Sharapova and Serena have met 21 times, with the American leading the head-to-head record 19-2 after 18 consecutive wins dating back to 2004. "I think there is a lot of things in her game that she's done much .
Abuse us, criticise us but please get involved: Sunil Chhetri appeals to football fans
Sunil Chhetri, one of the greatest footballers that India has produced, today made an impassioned plea to all the fans of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Cristiano Ronaldo -- "abuse us, criticise us but please come to watch the Indian national team play." With less than two weeks left for World Cup football to begin and broadcasters urging fans of the 'beautiful game' to profess their love for their "doosri country" via hashtags, country's all-time highest goal-getter demanded some love and affection for their 'first country'. India, who have improved their ranking to 97 in current Fifa chart, routed Chinese Taipei 5-0 yesterday in the opening game of the four-nation tournament with less than 2000 fans watching from the stands. The skipper who scored his third international hat-trick in-front a near empty Mumbai Football Arena (MFA) stands, had a message for all the resident 'Gooners', 'Red Devils' and 'Catalans', for whom Arsenal, Manchester United and Barcelona means "we". "To all of you ..
Tripura will develop 56 inch chest if its youth take fitness
Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb today said if the youths of Tripura take the fitness challenge campaign of the union sports minister they would become healthy and the health of the state would improve too. "All the youths should stay fit. If all youths do push-ups they will become healthy and Tripura will become healthy too ... Automatically Tripura will develop 56 inch chest and follow the direction of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' for development," Deb said apparently alluding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi had reportedly claimed that he had 56 inch chest during his campaigns before the 2014 general election to lash out at the incompetence of his opponents. Deb said he had himself accepted the fitness challenge of Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and tweeted that he does 20 push-ups. "I could do 20 more. Youths will feel good and fresh if they give 20, 30, 40 push-ups every morning," he said. Deb said he has requested the union sports minister to ..
Spain prepare for first World Cup warm up match
The Spanish football team will play the first of two preparatory matches for the forthcoming World Cup as they take on Switzerland at the Estadio de la Ceramica on Sunday night.
Inter Milan Academy launched in Jiangsu
Italian football powerhouse Inter Milan launched the Inter Academy Jiangsu here on Saturday, a project that involves all 13 cities in the southeast Chinese province.
China secures women's singles title at ITTF World Tour China Open
China's Grand Slam winner Ding Ning and rising superstar Wang Manyu made it to the women's singles final of the ITTF World Tour China Open table tennis tournament on Saturday night.
Nadal swats aside Gasquet to march on at Roland Garros
Rafael Nadal continued his bid for an 11th French Open title on Saturday by brushing aside home favourite Richard Gasquet to claim a 16th consecutive win over his childhood friend and reach the fourth round. The 16-time Grand Slam champion has still never lost to his old junior rival at Tour level, after easing to a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 victory on Court Philippe Chatrier. The 31-year-old took his run of consecutive completed sets at the French Open to 34, just seven shy of the record held by Bjorn Borg between 1979 and 1981. Nadal, who lost only two points in the first five games, will next play Germany's world number 70 Maximilian Marterer, who beat Estonian lucky loser Jurgen Zopp.
Famous? People might think I'm a homeless person, says US Open champ Stephens
US Open champion Sloane Stephens claims she is so unfazed by being a Grand Slam champion that people could mistake her for a homeless person. The 25-year-old American stunned the sport -- as well as herself -- last year when she raced to victory in New York. It came with her ranking at a lowly 83, just 69 days after returning from an 11-month injury lay-off and six weeks since her ranking had plummeted to 957. That shock, however, hasn't gone to the head of Stephens who on Saturday reached the French Open fourth round for a fifth time with a 4-6, 6-1, 8-6 win over Camila Giorgi of Italy. "I normally look like -- I wouldn't say a homeless person -- but I look like not very presentable," she explained. "Not on purpose, but I'm just very, like, sweats -- like I probably have four pairs of these sweats and I just rotate them. "So I'm that girl. I'm not really recognisable because I always have a hat on and I look kind of crazy. No one approaches me." The charismatic Stephens, at her ...
Sharapova, Muguruza book place in French Open last 16
Spain's Garbiñe Muguruza and Russia's Maria Sharapova earned a place in the French Open round of 16 after winning their respective games on Saturday.
Vaughan warns Broad 'you haven't won yet'
Michael Vaughan warned Stuart Broad he was not beyond criticism after the England paceman was angered by his former captain's comments prior to the ongoing second Test against Pakistan at Headingley. England came under fire after a shambolic display in a nine-wicket defeat by Pakistan in the first Test at Lord's left them 1-0 down in a two-match series. Vaughan led the way, suggesting England should drop either Broad or James Anderson -- their two most successful Test bowlers of all time -- for the series finale at Headingley -- if only to "ruffle feathers". Unsurprisingly, they England not do that, with both Broad and Anderson taking three wickets apiece as Pakistan were dismissed for just 174 on Friday's first day of the second Test. The hosts ended the day on 106 for two, just 68 runs behind and, after Friday's close in Leeds, Broad said that Vaughan no longer had "much insight into the England changing room at all. "I don't think the players talk to him about cricket or what's ...
Honda riders Anish, Rajiv start positively in Round 3 of ARRC
After scoring the first points of the season in round two of the Asia Road racing Championship (ARRC), Honda riders Rajiv Sethu and Anish Shetty started positively gaining six points each in Round 3 at the Suzuka Circuit here on Saturday.
Rossi earns 1st pole position in 2 years for Italian MotoGP
Italy's Valentino Rossi of Yamaha on Saturday earned pole position for the Italian MotoGP Grand Prix, his first time to start a race from pole in two years.
Argentina squad holds training session in Barcelona
The Argentine national football team on Saturday trained at FC Barcelona's sports city, in a session that combined physical exercise with ball training.
Boxers Povetkin, Joshua to clash for WBA title
A bout for the World Boxing Association (WBA) champions title between Russian heavyweight boxer Alexander Povetkin and UKs WBA belt holder Anthony Joshua is likely to be held later this year in Britain, the Russian boxer has said.
S. Korea confirm final 23-man roster for FIFA World Cup
South Korea on Saturday confirmed their final 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, dropping three footballers from their preliminary roster.
Rohit to throw 'First Pitch' in MLB game
Indian cricketer Rohit Sharma has been invited by the Major League Baseball (MLB) club Seattle Mariners to throw out the ceremonial 'First Pitch'.
Bopanna and Roger-Vasselin reach French Open quarters
Rohan Bopanna and his French partner Edouard Roger-Vasselin shocked top seeded Marcelo Melo and Lukasz Kubot in straight sets to reach the men's doubles quarterfinals of the French Open, here today. The 13th seeded Indo-French team beat the Brazilian-Polish combo 6-4 7-6(1) in one hour and 30 minutes in the third round. It's the third time that Bopanna has reached quarterfinal stage at Roland Garros. He made it to the last-eight pairs in 2011 and 2016 also. Bopanna and Roger-Vasselin saved five of the six break chances while they converted two of the breakpoints on their opponents' serve. They next face Nikola Mektic and Alexander Peya for a place in the semifinals. Bopanna is the only Indian surviving in the clay court Grand Slam as all others have suffered defeats.
India to host Asia Cup International Bridge C'ship
India will host the 3rd Asia Cup International Bridge Championship starting from June 4-11 and will see participation from countries including Australia, Bangladesh, China, Japan and Korea. The championship, to be held in Goa, will be contested in five categories namely men, women, mixed, super-mixed and senior. Players from Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, Chinese Taipei, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Singapore and Thailand will be participating in the event. Round robin matches will be played from the June 5-8. Four top teams in each category will progress to the knock-out stage. Semi-finals will be contested on June 9 and. The finals and play-offs for 3rd place will be played on June 10. The tournament will also have a Match Point pairs contest which is an open event.
Rohit to throw ceremonial 'First Pitch' for Seattle Mariners
India batsman Rohit Sharma has been invited by Major League Baseball club Seattle Mariners to throw the ceremonial "First Pitch". Sharma is the first Indian cricketer to be given this honour. He will throw the ceremonial first pitch at Safeco Field, home ground of Seattle Mariners, at 12:30 pm Pacific Standard Time on June 3, (which would be 1am on June 4 as per Indian time) as a pregame activity against the Tampa Bay Rays, a media release issued here said. The baseball league in America has a historic ritual in which a guest of honour is invited to throw a ceremonial first pitch to mark the start of the game, the release informed. The star India batsman is on a 3-city US tour as part of "Desh-Legends of Cricket Series", the release added.
IOA sets qualification criteria for 2018 Asiad
Apart from fast-rising talents, only the top-eight performers in team events and the top-six performers in individual events in the last four years' continental competitions will be part of India's contingent for the Asian Games later this year, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) announced on Saturday.