Page 1976 - Sports
Sharapova pulls out of Dubai Open with forearm strain
Former world number one Maria Sharapova has pulled out of next week's Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships due to a forearm strain.The 30-year-old had earlier accepted a wildcard entry to make her first appearance at the tournament since 2006.The development of Sharapova's withdrawal comes just few hours after US Open finalist Madison Keys also pulled out of the Dubai Open due to illness.Tournament director Salah Tahlak confirmed the news, saying, "Unfortunately both Maria Sharapova and Madison Keys have regretfully had to withdraw from the Dubai Duty-Free Tennis Championships due to injury and illness."We are sorry that neither Maria nor Madison will be able to play in Dubai, but we still have one of the strongest fields ever assembled for the WTA event," the Daily Express quoted Tahlak, as saying.Sharapova had earlier slumped to a 6-4, 4-6, 3-6 defeat at the hands of Romania's Monica Niculescu in the opening round of the Qatar Open.Five-time Grand Slam champion and the Russian ...
Asian Games Test Event: Indian pugilists win five gold medals
Indian pugilists testing their water for the upcoming Asian Games in August proved their worth and emerged with a massive tally of ten medals, including five gold, one silver and four bronze medals at the Asian Games Test Event, here in Jakarta on Thursday.Even though seven of the ten participating Indian pugilists were guaranteed bronze medals at the start of the tournament, three Indian boxers displayed ruthlessness as they romped past their opponents in dominating fashion to clinch the gold.Salman Shaikh in the 52-kg category, Manish Kaushik of the 60-kg category and Pavitra of the women's 60-kg category fought their way to gold even after they were guaranteed a bronze without even throwing a punch.Pavitra won 5-0 against Nilawan Techasuep of Thailand, Shyam Kumar defeated local lad Mario Blasius 4-1, while Salman Shaikh also defeated his Philippine's pugilist 5-0.India's greatest find in the Youth World Championships has been Shakshi who yet again displayed her dominance in the ...
Indian boxers bring 10 medals at 2018 Asiad Test event
Indian pugilists emerged with a massive tally of 10 medals, which include five gold, one silver and four bronze medals, at the 18th Asian Games Invitational Test Tournament here on Thursday evening.
Anand, Gujrathi guide Mumbai to crucial win in Pro Chess League
World rapid chess champion Viswanathan Anand and grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi helped Mumbai Movers to hold on to their top position at the points tally in the Eastern Division of the Pro-Chess league today. Anand and Gujrathi helped Mumbai defeat Volga Stormbringers with a 9-7 score to tally 5 points and stay ahead of Armenia Eagles and Delhi Dynamites by a point after the 6th round of the worlds first online chess league. "We are a happy team as everything went off very well for us," said Anand, who made his debut in the league in his teams fifth round last week. "I and Vidit were matching paces and the team was cruising smoothly with almost an unassailable lead going into the last round. Anand and Vidit did bulk of the scoring for Mumbai Movers, each scoring 3.5/4 while Rakesh Kulkarni brought home 1.5/4 and Sameer Kathmale scored 0.5/4. Anand said: "The half point garnered by Sameer was a vital one and Rakesh too played well. Three more rounds remain to be played in this 32 team ...
Ishant awaits BCCI's approval to play for Sussex
English county side Sussex on Thursday confirmed the signing of India pacer Ishant Sharma for the first two months of the 2018 season, subject to the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) approval.
Finch, Maxwell to miss their respective IPL openers
Australia's Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell will miss their opening Indian Premier League (IPL) game when Kings XI Punjab lock horns with Delhi Daredevils on April 8 at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi.
Bloemen ends Dutch dominance in PyeongChang Games speed skating
Ted-Jan Bloemen of Canada put an end to Dutch skaters' dominance of gold medals in the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games speed skating competitions as the world record holder clinched the title of the men's 10,000 metres here on Thursday evening.
Sussex County Club signs Ishant Sharma
Indian pacer Ishant Sharma is all set to join Sussex as an overseas player for the first two months of the English county season.The 29-year-old became available after he went unsold in the Indian Premier League (IPL) player's auction for the upcoming 11th edition of the tournament.As a result, Ishant will be available for five games in the County Championship and all eight matches in Sussex's group stage in the One-Day Cup.Ecstatic to have Ishant in the team, Sussex's director of cricket Keith Greenfield said that securing the Indian fast bowler's services would be crucial for them especially in the absence of Jofra Archer and Chris Jordan."Securing Ishant's services has been very important for us. Once Jofra and Chris were picked up in the IPL draft, it became crucial to sign an experienced international-quality seam bowler who could provide valuable support and know-how to the rest of the seamers," he said."Ishant has the attributes to be very successful in early season English ...
Pant sizzles but Delhi in trouble after losing to HP
Rishabh Pant once again showed his mastery in white ball cricket with a brilliant 93-ball-135 but couldn't help Delhi lost a thriller to Himachal Pradesh by two runs with a serious possibility of losing out on quarter-final berth. The hosts scored a competitive 304 for 5 in 50 overs with Prashant Chopra scoring 150 off 149 balls with 22 boundaries and two sixes. Delhi were all-out for 302 in 49.4 overs. Delhi have finished their group league engagements with16 points from six games but now are in danger of crashing out with three teams -- Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Kerala locked on 14 points. With Maharashtra facing Kerala in the decider, one team will go on to 18 points and Delhi will pray that Bengal beat Himachal in the final game so that they can qualify as the second team. Delhi in reply looked in sight of victory as Pant went all guns blazing during his career-best List A knock in which he hit 16 boundaries and five sixes. The century came in only 69 balls but needing 9 ..
Bhambri outlasts Uchiyama to reach semis; easy for Thompson
: India's Yuki Bhambri, the second-seed, today booked a spot in the semifinal of the Chennai Open ATP Challenger tennis tournament here, with a come-from-behind win over Japan's Yasutaka Uchiyama. The 25-year-old Delhi player, allowed his rival to bounce back when in sight of the first set, before regrouping to take the next two on a hot afternoon to post a 5-7, 6-2, 6-4 win. Bhambri failed to convert the chances he had and allowed the sixth-seeded Uchiyama to take the first set. He raised his game in the second with some fluent shots and broke twice to run away to a 5-1 lead before wrapping up set in 28 minutes. The Indian number one came up with some impressive winners in the decider as the Japanese seemed to wilt and closed out the match with a forehand volley winner. The No.111 ranked Bhambri will next meet Korea's Duckhee Lee, the third-seed, in the semifinal. Lee posted a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 win over unseeded Frenchman Antoine Escoffier, who had beaten India's Sumit Nagal .
So much emotion - Shiffrin, German skaters claim tearful Olympic golds
Skier Mikaela Shiffrin opened her delayed Olympics with victory and figure skaters Aljona Savchenko and Bruno Massot smashed a world record to grab gold as full competition resumed today after days of wind disruption. The 22-year-old Shiffrin kicked off her bid for multiple titles at the Pyeongchang Winter Games with a storming second run in the giant slalom, ending a nervous wait after it was postponed because of high winds on Monday. The Sochi 2014 slalom champion from America sank to her knees and dissolved in tears after her powerful descent brought her gold from Norways Ragnhild Mowinckel by 0.39 seconds. "I dont know how to explain it. Its crazy. Theres so much emotion," Shiffrin said. "To come to the Olympics after some tough races on the World Cup circuit and to charge like that -- I risked it on the second run -- its super-cool." Earlier, Aksel Lund Svindal, 35, became the Olympics oldest alpine ski champion in the mens downhill, with Kjetil Jansrud completing a Norwegian ...
I was dropped despite performance: Raina
Suresh Raina says he was "hurt" after being dropped from the Indian team despite performing well, but now that he is back in the mix, the southpaw is determined to make the most of the upcoming T20 series in South Africa. "I was hurt on getting dropped even after performing well. But now I have cleared the Yo-Yo test and feeling so strong. During all these months of hard training, the desire to play for India again grew only so much stronger," Raina told Aaj Tak. "I won't leave it here. I have to play for India for as long as possible. I have to play the 2019 World Cup because I know I have done well in England. There is still a lot left in me and I am extremely confident of doing well in these three games in South Africa," he said. The 31-year-old has played 223 ODIs and 65 T20s but he feels like a debutant again. "Yes, I am 31 but, as they say it, age is just a number. The other day when my match clothing arrived, I had the same feeling like I got before making my India debut. It is
I-League: Buoyant Arrows upbeat against new-look Aizawl
A confident Indian Arrows side will be raring to go against Aizawl FC who will take to the field under newly-appointed coach Santosh Kashyap in their I-League match at the Tilak Maidan stadium in Vasco on Friday.Arrows will come into the game after a thrilling 2-1 win against Churchill Brothers FC Goa. It was one of the games of the season where the young side who were trailing 1-0, scored two goals in injury time to seal the victory."In football, you cannot plan the result. But I'm very happy with the attitude and the victory because it is the first time in this competition that Indian Arrows have won a game which they were losing. Mentally this shows part of the progress and gives confidence to the players," Indian Arrows coach Luis Norton de Matos said.Aizawl FC are winless in their last six games in the I-League and have picked up only four points from a possible 18. The poor run of form led to the sacking of Paulo Meneses with Kashyap brought in to revive their campaign."If you ..
Modest start for Shubhankar, Chawrasia in Oman
It was a disappointing start for Indian golfers Shubhankar Sharma and SSP Chawrasia at the inaugural NBO Oman Open as they opened the week with a matching one-over 73, here today. Shubhankar got off to a great start with a birdie on 10th and an eagle on 12th, but in between he bogeyed the 11th. Then he lost his momentum and just managed one birdie against four bogeys in his next 12 holes. He finished with three pars and rued three three-putts. Chawrasia starting from the first had 10 straight pars, but over the next holes, he had a colorful card. He had four bogeys, three birdies and just one par and ended at 73. Shubhankar, who played alongside Alex Levy (71) and Andy Sullivan (67), said, I am disappointed. I was two-under after 3 holes, but lost my momentum after that. He, however, did see some positives, saying, The positive is that I am hitting good, so a good score of 4 or 5 under is possible. The three-putts cost me. Englishmen Paul Waring and Mathew Southgate took the first ...
Slow start for Aditi Ashok in Womens Australian Open
Aditi Ashok will face an uphill task to stay for weekend action after carding a four-over 76 in the first round of the ISPS Handa Womens Australian Open here today. The 19-year-old Bengaluru golfer is lying way down in 110th place and would need a solid showing tomorrow. Aditi, who gave herself a decent start in 2018 with a T-7 in Canberra, opened with a bogey but that was neutralized when she birdied the very next hole. A birdie on ninth meant she turned in one-under. But the Indian went through a rough patch over the next six holes as she bogeyed the 10th and then had four more bogeys in a row from 12th to 15th. The latest star from Korea, Jin Young Ko grabbed a two-shot lead over fellow Korean Jiyai Shin (67). She fired a sizzling seven-under 65 that included three birdies against no bogeys on the front nine and then she added six more birdies against two bogeys on the back nine. There were as many as 10 players on four-under 68 and that group included Kiwi Lydia Ko and Swedish ...
Ishant set to play for Sussex County
Finding no takers in the cash-rich Indian Premier League, India's Test fast bowler Ishant Sharma will follow the footsteps of his teammate Cheteshwar Pujara as he is set to play English county side Sussex in five first-class and eight List A games. According county's official website www.sussexcricket.co.uk, Ishant is awaiting a formal approval from the BCCI. The county will be getting his services from April 4 to June 4, making him available for Sussexs first five fixtures in the County Championship and all eight Royal London One-Day Cup group matches. I would like to extend a special thanks to Sussex for taking note of my ongoing performances and deeming me suitable for this opportunity. I hope to add value during my time as part of the Sussex family this season, Ishant was quoted as saying by the county's website. Sussexs Director of Cricket, Keith Greenfield explained the rationale behind the signing: Securing Ishants services has been very important for us. Once Jofra (Archer) ...
Dhanraj Pillay confident of Sardara making into Hockey WC squad
While former hockey skipper Sardara Singh's place in the upcoming World Cup squad is under clouds, retired player and manager of the national team Dhanraj Pillay has showed confidence in the mid-fielder, saying he will surely make it into the squad."Sardara is one player who has given a lot of medals and has won a lot of matches. I have confidence that he will make it in the World Cup team," Pillay told ANI.Sardara was recently axed from the 18-member squad for the Hockey World League Final in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha.For the past year he has been pushed to give up his customary playmaker's role to current skipper Manpreet Singh and was asked to play in the 'free man' role in defence during the Asia Cup.Talking about Sardara's dwindling position in the team, former captain Pillay said, "He is one player in the team who can play anywhere, as a forward, as a defender as a fullback. He guides the team in the right time. He is one of the senior-most player and we need to respect his ...
ISL: Leaders Bengaluru aim to maintain winning streak against Pune (Preview)
Leaders Bengaluru FC who are on a five-match winning trot will aim to carry on the momentum when they face FC Pune City at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium here on Friday.
Buoyant Arrows Upbeat Against New-look Aizawl
A confident Indian Arrows side will be aiming to keep up their steady show against defending champions Aizawl FC under their newly appointed coach Santosh Kashyap in an I-League encounter, here tomorrow. Arrows come into the game after a thrilling 2-1 win against Churchill Brothers FC Goa. It was one of the games of the season where the young side who were trailing 1-0, scored two goals in injury time to seal the victory. In football, you cannot plan the result. But Im very happy with the attitude and the victory because it is the first time in this competition that Indian Arrows have won a game, which they were losing. Mentally this shows part of the progress and gives confidence to the players, Indian Arrows coach Luis Norton de Matos said. Aizawl FC have gone winless in their last six games and have picked up only four points from a possible 18. The poor run of form led to the sacking of Paulo Meneses with Kashyap brought in to revive their campaign. If you see my record, I like ..
Reaching World T20 semis is our first target: Jhulan
Back in town after suffering from a heel injury that ruled her out of the T20 series against South Africa away, former India captain Jhulan Goswami on Thursday said their first target would be to reach the semi-finals of the Women's World T20 which is the next big assignment.