Page 1984 - Sports
Wawrinka loses to world No. 259 in Rotterdam
Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka blew a one-set lead to fall 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to unfancied Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in a first-round shock at the Rotterdam Open. The Swiss fifth seed slumped to another surprise defeat by an outsider, after losing in the Australian Open second round to Tennys Sandgren and in last week's Sofia Open semi-finals to Bosnian Mirza Basic. The 32-year-old Wawrinka, the 2015 Rotterdam winner, is struggling to regain top form after a pair of summer knee operations. The Swiss has now lost three matches and won three since returning in January. World number 259 Griekspoor, 21, earned the biggest success of his career as he competed in only his third ATP-level match. Wawrinka's devastating single-handed backhand was of scant use to him on the night, with his movement still well below his best. "It was a tough day at the office," Wawrinka said. "I still need a lot of work to get back. "There are a lot of ups and downs. Today was not my best day. He ...
Kenyan athletes Rudisha, Kiprop opt out of Commonwealth Games
Kenya's 800 metres Olympic champion and world record holder David Rudisha and two-time Olympic 1500m champion Asbel Kiprop will not seek selection for this year's Commonwealth Games, team officials said. A total of 170 athletes have been invited for the one-day Kenyan trials in Nairobi on Saturday, during which the first three runners across the line will earn automatic qualification for the April 4-15 championships on Australia's Gold Coast. But with the Commonwealth Games coming at an unusual time in the track season, before the summer, athletes have been forced to chose between the event or continuing their preparations for the outdoor track season. Kenyan team officials said both Rudisha and Kiprop have opted to focus on the season of lucrative Diamond League meetings which starts in Doha in May. Others notable absentees include the world 10,000m silver medallist Geoffrey Kamworor, who is preparing to defend his world half marathon title in Valencia on March 24, while the women's .
India snatch ICC ODI top rank from Proteas
India have cemented their number-one ranking in the ICC One Day International (ODI) Team Rankings after victory in fifth of the six-match series against South Africa in Port Elizabeth.This however, confirmed that India will finish the series on top of the table irrespective of how the final match in Centurion pans out.India had entered the six-match series in second position on 119 points, two points behind leaders South Africa.After taking a 4-1 lead, India has moved to 122 points, while South Africa have dropped to 118 points.Even if South Africa wins on Friday, India will remain No.1 on 121 points, while South Africa will end on 119 points. In contrast, if India wins the series 5-1, then they will finish on 123 points, while South Africa will end on 117 points.Tuesday's result has given additional context to the upcoming five-match ODI series between New Zealand and England.Irrespective of the outcome of the final ODI between South Africa and India, if England win all the five ...
Immediate goal is to be healthy: Sania Mirza
Indian tennis sensation Sania Mirza, who has been away from the game for a couple of months owing to a right knee injury, said that her immediate goal is to be healthy so that she can get back on the court."I am not pain-free but I am not in pain all the time. It's called a Jumper's Knee. I have a growth on my knee as well. So, it is something that is a slow process. I need to wait it out and rest it out. For an injury like this, it has only been three and a half months, it will probably take a couple of months. I wish I had a timeline on it. My immediate goal is to try and be healthy; to try to get back on the court," Mirza told ANI at an event here.The 31-year-old also said that post-retirement she would want to contribute to the game of tennis and stay involved."Most definitely. I just don't know in what way. I have my own academy, so that will definitely be one way to stay involved," she said.Talking about the future of Indian tennis, Mirza said that the country has exceptional ...
Canada claims first Winter Olympics curling mixed doubles title
Canada claimed the first Winter Olympics curling mixed doubles title after beating Switzerland 10-3 here on Tuesday.
Collective effort to create history: Kohli
India skipper Virat Kohli on Wednesday was full of praise for the Men in Blue, claiming that the series win in South Africa was a collective team effort."I am very pleased, it was another complete performance from us. They had the pressure of losing this series and we knew that. It's a history and the guys have worked hard for it. Ever since the third Test in Johannesburg, it's been a good time for us. It's been a collective effort to create history," Kohli said in the post-match conference.The Indian team wrapped up the fifth One Day International (ODI) against the Proteas by 73 runs, to register their first bilateral series win in South Africa. They also climbed up to the number one spot in the MFR ICC ODI Team Rankings."For now, 4-1 feels great. We want to win 5-1 for sure, but there might a scenario for a few more guys to get a chance in the next match. But the ultimate priority is to win and we'll do anything we can to win," Kohli added.Meanwhile, Rohit Sharma who scored his ...
Sky wins bulk of Premier League rights as value slips
LONDON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's Sky will pay 3.58 billion pounds to show 128 Premier League matches for three seasons from 2019/20 in a deal that brings to an end rampant inflation in the value of the domestic rights for English top-flight soccer.
Sky pays 3.6 billion pounds to win bulk of new Premier League rights
LONDON (Reuters) - Rupert Murdoch's Sky will pay 3.58 billion pounds to show 128 Premier League matches for three seasons from 2019/20, in a deal that brings to an end rampant inflation in the value of the domestic rights for English top-flight soccer.
India seal historic series win, top spot in ICC ODI rankings
The Men in Blue on Tuesday wrapped up the fifth One Day International (ODI) against the Proteas by 73 runs, to register their first bilateral series win in South Africa. The Indian team also climbed up to the number one spot in the MFR ICC ODI Team Rankings.Being sent in to bat, India posted 274 for seven in their 50 overs.Opener Rohit Sharma scored his maiden century on the South African soil.Sharma (115), who notched up his 17th ODI century, was also declared as the man of the match.Skipper Virat Kohli (36) and Shikhar Dhawan (34) also made an important contribution to the team total.However, the South African collapse was staged by wristspinners, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav.Yadav picked up four wickets and Chahal notched up two.The two spinners have collectively taken 30 out of the 43 South African wickets to fall in five matches, at an average of 13.63.Opener Hashim Amla top-scored for South Africa with 71 runs.The Virat Kohli-led side started the series on the front foot, .
Rohit, Kuldeep guide India to unprecedented series win in South Africa
India clinched their maiden ODI series win on South African soil, taking an unbeatable 4-1 lead after outclassing the hosts by 73 runs in the fifth One-Day International (ODI) at the St. George's Park here on Tuesday.
India clinch ODI series with 73-run win in 4th ODI
India today scripted history winning their first ever away series against South Africa across any formats winning the fifth ODI by 73 runs taking an unassailable lead of 4-1 in the six-match series. India scored 274/7 riding on Rohit Sharma's 115 off 126 balls and then bvowled out South Africa for 201 in 42.2 overs with Kuldeep Yadav getting 4 for 57. Brief Scores: India 274/7 in 50 overs (Rohit Sharma 115, Virat Kohli 36, Lungi Ngidi 4/51) beat South Africa 201 in 42.2 overs (Hashim Amla 71, Kuldeep Yadav 4/57) by 73 runs.
Bengaluru FC beat TCS Maldives 3-2 in AFC Play Off
Bengaluru FC today pipped TC Sports Club Maldives 3-2 in a thrilling away play-off encounter of the AFC Cup football tournament. The Indian club came up trumps in a game which witnessed five second half strikes after a barren first 45 minutes. Semboi Haokip struck twice in the 52nd and 78th minute while Australian defender Erik Paartulu scored one in the 69th minute during visitors' successful away campaign. Winger Toni was also in his element as he contrinuted with perfect flag-kicks during BFC's first two goals which Semboi and Erik headed home. However the home team restored parity with double strike within a space of two minutes. In the 71st minute, Mahudhee provided an assist for Anatoli to slot home and the former within a couple of minutes levelled proceedings latching onto an error from Nishu Kumar.
'Been through worse' says Davis after US flag row
Shani Davis insisted he wasn't distracted by a row over the US flag-bearer for the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics after he finished 19th in the 1,500m speed skating today. "I've been through a lot worse," shrugged Davis, who had prompted a backlash when he suggested a racial motive after losing the right to carry the flag on the toss of a coin. Davis, the most decorated US Winter Olympian with two Olympic golds and two silvers, lost out to Erin Hamlin when America's winter sports federations couldn't decide on the flag bearer, and tossed a coin to settle the matter. The African-American Davis labelled the coin flip "dishonourable" in a Twitter post with the hashtag #BlackHistoryMonth2018, triggering an angry response on social media. "I've been through a lot worse than what's been going on for the past few weeks so it didn't disturb me whatsoever," said Davis, 35, in his first comments on the furore. "I'm OK, nothing distracted me. No excuses for not performing. "I just wasn't strong ...
Winter Olympics: Klaebo crowned in cross-country skiing men's sprint classic
Norwegian Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo bagged the gold in cross-country skiing men's sprint classic at the PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games here on Tuesday.
Mohun Bagan complain AIFF about 'sub-standard refereeing'
City football giants Mohun Bagan once again wrote to the All India Football Federation (AIFF) alleging they were not given a penalty in their I-League game against laggards Gokulam FC which they lost 1-2 on Monday.
Russia to open fan-ID issuance centers ahead of 2018 FIFA World Cup
Russia will open 130 centers for issuing fan-IDs, which are required along with tickets for attending matches of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia this summer, Irina Grigoryeva, an official with the Russian Sports Ministry, said on Tuesday.
Mohun Bagan again cry foul over 'sub-standard refereeing'
Out of title race, former champions Mohun Bagan have complained about "sub-standard refereeing" in the I-League for the second successive day. The 2015 champions suffered the most shocking defeat of the season, going down to Gokulam Kerala FC 1-2 yesterday, a win that lifted the debutants from the bottom place. The loss meant Mohun Bagan's title hopes were all but over with an eight-point gap to bridge against leaders Minerva and four matches to go. That their arch-rivals East Bengal won at Minerva Punjab FC today, has further compounded Mohun Bagan's misery. Levelling charges against referee Palmson Raj in their match against Gokulam, Mohun Bagan director Debashis Dutta said that he made "horrendous mistakes", including denying them a penalty in the 35th minute. "Mr Palmson struggled to keep up with tempo of the game and was often ahead of the play in order to keep up, resulting in wrong decisions and missed fouls," he wrote to All India Football Federation secretary Kushal Das. "He .
India vs South Africa T20: Indian women team wins by 7 runs
India women cricket team on Tuesday won by seven wickets from South Africa in the 1st T20 International match at Potchefstroom.India beat South Africa in the first of the five-match series to mark their highest ever chase in T20Is. It is also the second highest chase in women's T20I cricket.V Krishnamurthy's 6 runs brought her 50 runs partnership with Mithali Raj and also victory to the match.Meanwhile, the Indian team's last T20I of the five-match series will be played on February 24 in Newlands, Cape Town.
West Brom chiefs sacked
English football club West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday sacked their chairman John Williams and chief executive Martin Goodman.
Indians win 4 gold, Suriya runs solo
Indians clinched gold in all the four events contested on the third day of the Asian Games athletics test event even as Suriya Longanathan made a 'solo run' in women's 5000m race here today. Suriya ran a bizzare race as she was the only one to turn up in the women's 5000m race at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium. Despite nobody there to push or pace her, the 28-year-old Indian recorded a career best time of 15 minutes and 39.18 seconds, shaving nearly seven seconds of her previous best of 15:46.92. Her effort will, however, not enter in record books. In the men's 5000m race, Govindan Laxmanan, competing in his first event of the season, easily clinched gold by clocking 13 minutes and 56.30 seconds to finish ahead of Takanori Ichikawa of Japan who was nearly a half minute behind with a time of 14:19:10. N V Sheena then claimed a gold medal in the women's triple jump while Hima Das did the same in the women's 200m race. The 18-year-old Das clocked a career-best 23.59 seconds to finish