Page 1576 - Sports
China shuttlers regain glory with Thomas Cup win
China's men took home the Thomas Cup on Sunday, clawing back to beat Japan 3-1 and compensate for their early exit from the previous tournament in 2016. China, which boasts some of the world's best players, was the tournament favourite despite not having secured the championship since 2012. But its players faced added pressure when the national women's team failed to make the final of the concurrent Uber Cup for the first time ever. Both competitions were held in Bangkok at the Impact Arena, which filled up on Sunday in anticipation of a tough battle between top seed China and a scrappy Japanese team. The contest did not disappoint. Japan's flashy left-hander Kento Momota stunned world number five Chen Long 21-9, 21-18, giving the underdog team crucial early momentum. It was the second time Momota, 23, had stunned Long this year after beating him at the Asian Championships in April in a continuing comeback. He was barred from the sport in 2016 after being caught gambling in an ...
Dimitrov downs mystery man at Roland Garros, Svitolina through
Fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov reached the French Open second round on Sunday, even if he wasn't exactly sure who he was facing on the other side of the net. Dimitrov had been drawn to face experienced Viktor Troicki in the tournament opener on Philippe Chatrier Court. However, just before he was due to go on court, Troicki withdrew with a back injury, allowing Egyptian world number 182 Mohamed Safwat to make his Grand Slam debut. In the process, he became the first Egyptian since Tamer El Sawy at the 1996 US Open to feature in a major. "I was warming up and my coach said, 'hey look' and we saw up on the board that I was playing a different opponent," said 27-year-old Dimitrov, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist. "I didn't expect that." Safwat, 27, had lost in the final round of qualifying to Guido Andreozzi of Argentina last week in what was his eighth futile attempt to make the main draw of the majors. He has won just one high-profile match in 2018 in the Davis Cup in February and his ..
Kyrgios pulls out of French Open with elbow injury
Australian Nick Kyrgios was forced to withdraw from the French Open today after failing to recover from a right elbow injury, saying a potential five sets on clay was "too risky". The 23-year-old was seeded 21st at Roland Garros and was due to play compatriot Bernard Tomic in the first round. The enigmatic Kyrgios has not played a singles match since a quarter-final loss to Ivo Karlovic at the US Clay Court Championships in April. "Having consulted with my team and medical experts it is deemed too risky for me to step out and potentially play five sets on clay, especially as I have not played a singles match in nearly two months," Kyrgios wrote on Twitter. On Saturday, the world number 23 had claimed a doubles title in Lyon playing alongside American Jack Sock. Tomic had come through qualifying after a recent slump to 243 in the world rankings to book a clash with Kyrgios which looked set to be one of the best ties of the first round. It had been billed as a grudge match between two ..
Bayliss hits out at 'outrageous' claims of England 'fixing' in India
England coach Trevor Bayliss has described allegations his side fixed aspects of a Test against India at Chennai in 2016 as "outrageous". After England's nine-wicket defeat by Pakistan in the first Test at Lord's on Sunday, Bayliss was asked to comment on the allegations made in a programme about spot-fixing broadcast by the Al Jazeera television channel. "Outrageous," Bayliss told Sky Sports. "I knew a documentary was going to be coming out. I wouldn't have a clue what's in it yet, or seen it. "But, having been there (at the Chennai Test), outrageous is all I can say," the Australian added. England lost that Test in Chennai by an innings and 75 runs. Bayliss's words were endorsed by England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive Tom Harrison, who said neither his organisation nor the International Cricket Council had "any credible evidence" of corruption involving England players. "There is nothing we have seen that would make us doubt any of our players in any way whatsoever," ...
Aakarshi Kashyap wins All India Junior U-19 tournament
India's top ranked under-19 player Aakarshi Kashyap lived upto her top billing as she walloped S Kavipriya to win the girls' singles title of the Yonex Sunrise All India Junior ranking badminton tournament today. The Chhattisgarh shuttler, who came into the tournament as the top seed, was at her dominating best and got off to a flying start winning the opening game 21-8 quite comfortably. After the change of ends, she started from where she left as she sealed the second game 21-11 to win the match in just 36 minutes. The tournament doubled up as selection event for 2018 Junior Asian Team Championship slated to be held in Indonesia in July. In the boys' singles final, Priyanshu Rajawat of Madhya Pradesh scored an upset victory over fifth seeded Kiran George of Kerala to win title. Priyanshu, who started as an underdog in the match, won the opening game 21-14 to set the tone. However, the Kerala player bounced back in the second game and won it 21-19 to take the match into the ...
IPL: Chennai to field vs Hyderabad in final
Chennai Super Kings won the toss and elected to field against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) here on Sunday.
CSK win toss, invite Sunrisers to bat in IPL final
Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to bowl first against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final of the Indian Premier League, here today. Teams: Sunrisers Hyderabad: Kane Williamson(Capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Shreevats Goswami, Shakib Al Hasan, Deepak Hooda, Yusuf Pathan, Carlos Brathwaite, Rashid Khan, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Siddarth Kaul, Sandeep Sharma. Chennai Super Kings: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Capt), Shane Watson, Faf du Plessis, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Dwayne Bravo, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Chahar, Karn Sharma, Shardul Thakur, Lungi Ngidi.
Svitolina beats Tomljanovic in French Open round 1
Fourth seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine defeated Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic 7-5, 6-3 on Sunday in the first round of the French Open.
CA seeks evidence on spot-fixing allegations
Reacting to allegations made by television channel Al Jazeera about spot-fixing in a Test involving Australia in India, Cricket Australia (CA) has asked for raw footage and un-edited material to investigate the matter.
Pinto, Senhora clinch MSL title for Blazing Bashers
NoelPinto and Senhora D'Souza guided Blazing Bashers to a thrilling victory in the finale of Mumbai Table Tennis Super League here late last night. Senhora began the title march against Ace in the women's singles, beating Ashlesha Trehan in a marathon clash. She eventually prevailed 2-1 but Ashlesha put up a valiant fight, stretching Senhora in each of the games and winning one of them too, stated a media release issued here today. Noel made the most of the great start to thrash Nishant Kulkarni 3-0 (11-6, 11-8, 11-7) in the mens singles to get the Blazers going. Deepit Patil brought Ace back into the contest with a smart 2-1 victory over Maanav Mehta. Blazer's Maanav, however, did well to win the third game 12-10, after losing the contest 7-11, 2-11 to give his team a crucial point, it added. Noel and Senhora then joined hands to overcome the pair of Nishant and Ashlesha 2-1 (11-9, 10-12, 11-7) in the mixed doubles to hang on to the lead. Mihika Rohira kept up Blazers' ..
Moudgil finishes disappointing 6th in Munich Shooting WC
India's Anjum Moudgil reached her second International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) Word Cup stage final of the year, only to finish a disappointing sixth in the women's Rifle 3 Positions event at Munich today. Competing on day four of the year's fourth and final ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol stage, Anjum became India's third finalist of the competition when she shot 1177 in qualifying to make it to the eight-woman final in sixth position. She remained in the contention for a medal till the 40th shot of the 45-shot final, but a 9.2 on her 41st meant she finished in the same position in which she had qualified. She bowed out of the final with a score of 413.4. Compatriot Nithyanadam Gaayathri had to endure heartbreak earlier in the event, when her qualification round score of 1176, placed her ninth, just two inner 10s short of 35-year old Iranian, Elaheh Ahmadi, who qualified eighth with the same score. Ironically, it was Ahmadi, the oldest shooter in the final's field, who won the ..
Pakistan thrash England to win 1st Test
Pakistan beat England by the commanding margin of nine wickets to win the first Test at Lord's on Sunday. Set just 64 for victory on the fourth morning, Pakistan finished on 66 for one before lunch to go 1-0 up in this two-match series. Imam-ul-Haq was 18 not out and Haris Sohail, who hit the winning boundary off Dominic Bess, 39 not out. England were undone by two top-order batting collapses, slumping to 184 all out after winning the toss in their first innings and declining to 160 for six in their second before fifties from Jos Buttler and Test debutant Dominic Bess prevented an innings defeat. This was England's seventh loss in 10 Tests as their first match under new national selector Ed Smith ended in a resounding defeat. The second Test at Headingley starts on Friday. Brief scores: England 1st Inns 184 (A Cook 70; Mohammad Abbas 4-23, Hasan Ali 4-51) Pakistan 1st Inns 363 (Babar Azam 68, Asad Shafiq 59, Shadab Khan 52, Azhar Ali 50; B Stokes 3-73) England 2nd Inns 242 (J Root 68,
Pakistan set just 64 to win first Test against England
Pakistan were set a target of just 64 runs to win the first Test at Lord's on Sunday following England's latest batting collapse. England, resuming on an overnight 235 for six, lost their last four second-innings wickets for a mere seven runs in 18 balls on the fourth morning to be bowled out for 242. But, in truth the damage had long been done by a pair of top-order slumps that saw England, so often dominant in early-season home conditions, dismissed for 184 in their first innings before declining to 110 for six second time around. That they had not already lost this match by an innings was down to a century stand between the recalled Jos Buttler and Test debutant Dominic Bess that allowed England to resume Sunday on 235 for six, a lead of 56 runs. Buttler was then 66 not out and Bess 55 not out. But eight balls into Sunday's play and having added only one more run, Buttler was lbw to Mohammad Abbas for 67 after missing an intended drive. Buttler reviewed but, with replays indicating
Dimitrov too strong for Egyptian lucky loser at French Open
Bulgarian fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov reached the French Open second round on Sunday with a 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7/1) win over Egyptian lucky loser Mohamed Safwat. Dimitrov, who has never got beyond the third round in Paris, had been expecting to face experienced Viktor Troicki. However, just minutes before he was due to go on court, Troicki withdrew with a back injury, allowing world number 182 Safwat to make his Grand Slam debut. In the process, he became the first Egyptian since Tamer El Sawy at the 1996 US Open to feature in a major. "I was warming up and my coach said, 'hey look' and we saw up on the board that I was playing a different opponent," said 27-year-old Dimitrov, a former Wimbledon semi-finalist. "I didn't expect that." Dimitrov took advantage of a nervous start in the first two sets by Safwat who has won just one top-level match all year. The Bulgarian was 3-0 up in the first and 4-0 in the second set to build a foundation for victory. Safwat needed treatment for blisters .
Carvajal hamstring injury puts his World Cup in peril
Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal looks likely to miss out on the World Cup after suffering a hamstring injury during the Champions League final.
Big test awaits Anand at Norway super tournament
Desperate to reclaim a place in the top ten, world rapid champion Viswanathan Anand would target a podium finish in a tough field at the Altibox Norway super tournament, beginning here. If recent records are anything to go by, Anand is likely to stage a comeback of sorts. It has been a bit of a roller coaster ride for the Indian in the last year or so but he has risen back to where he belonged every single time. Anand is coming here from a Bundesliga game in Germany where he helped his team Baden OS win the title for 12th time in last 13 years. But the statisticians have a hard job on hand finding out when was the last time Anand started as the lowest seed on rating in any super tournament. It will be a different challenge in a different setting for the multiple-time world champion across formats. The top eight of the world top ten are part of the field and the other two players in are two biggest names who just dropped out of the top ten Anand and Levon Aronian of Armenia. Aronian ..
China's Lyu breaks women's javelin Asian record
Two-time World Championships medallist Lyu Huihui of China improved her own javelin throw Asian record by 10 centimetres en route to take the top honours at the Hallesche Werfertage throws competitions here.
Ethiopian, Kenyan runners win Changchun International Marathon
Runners from Ethiopia and Kenya swept the titles in the men's and women's events at the Changchun International Marathon here on Sunday, while Chinese runners finished strong in both categories.
Traditional sports fading away, need to be promoted: PM Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday stressed the importance of traditional games and urged youth to promote them as they are fading into oblivion.Addressing the nation on the 44th edition of 'Mann Ki Baat', the Prime Minister said, "We must keep our traditional sports alive. It is crucial that today schools, neighborhoods and youth congregations should come forward and promote these games. Through crowd sourcing, we can create a very large archive of our traditional games."Talking about the benefits of the same, he said that traditional games are structured in such a manner that along with physical ability, they enhance our logical thinking, concentration, alertness and energy levels."Games are not just games; they teach us values in life, such as setting targets, building up determination, developing team spirit and fostering mutual co-operation," said the Prime Minister.He also said that there is no age-limit for participating in these games."At the same time, games also teach ...
Flamengo regain top spot in Brazil's Serie A
Former Brazil international midfielder Everton Ribeiro scored late as Flamengo regained the top spot in Brazil's Serie A standings with a 1-0 victory over Atletico Mineiro.