Page 469 - Sports
Thiem rallies to deny Federer sixth ATP Indian Wells Masters title
Dominic Thiem denied Roger Federer a record sixth Indian Wells title, beating the Swiss great 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 on Sunday to claim his first ATP Masters 1000 crown. The 25-year-old Austrian, ranked eighth in the world, had fallen in two prior Masters finals, both in Madrid. But he rallied for a third career win over Federer in five meetings, his first over the Swiss on hard courts. "It feels just unreal what happened in this 10 days," Thiem said. "I came from a really bad form in all categories, and now I'm the champion of Indian Wells. "It feels not real at all," added Thiem, the first Austrian to win a masters 1000 title since Thomas Muster at Miami in 1997. Thiem earned the crucial break in the 11th game of the final set, connecting on two sharply angled passing winners off of Federer drop shots to give himself a break point which he converted with a stinging forehand winner. "He stayed cool under pressure there," Federer said. "When he got up to the ball, stayed calm, made the ...
Canadian teen Andreescu topples Kerber to win Indian Wells
Canadian sensation Bianca Andreescu became the first wild card to win the WTA title at Indian Wells on Sunday with a gritty 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber. Andreescu, 18, shook off fatigue to topple the eighth-ranked German, who hasn't won a title since she beat Serena Williams in last year's Wimbledon final for her third Grand Slam crown. Ranked 60th coming into the tournament, Andreescu will rise to 24th in the world with her first WTA title.
See you next year: PSL success boosts Pakistan's cricket revival
- All future Pakistan Super League matches could be played on home soil after the last eight games of the 2019 tournament went off without a hitch in Karachi, boosting hopes of attracting more international teams, said the country's cricket chief at Sunday's final. Quetta Gladiators beat former champions Peshawar Zalmi by eight wickets on Sunday to lift their maiden PSL title in a pulsating atmosphere created by a capacity crowd of 32,000 fans at the National stadium. "Today is a historic day," said Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ehsan Mani at the closing ceremony on Sunday. "Around 230,000 people have watched matches in Karachi which indicates that Pakistan is a safe country and we are gradually returning to normal as far as hosting cricket is concerned." Sri Lanka are in discussions about playing two Tests in Pakistan in October and talks are also taking place with Bangladesh about a tour in early 2020. "I thank all the foreign players who came here and I hope to see them ...
No complacency on World Cup security, says cricket chief Richardson
The deadly New Zealand shootings which Bangladesh cricketers narrowly avoided means security will remain an "absolute priority" going into the World Cup, the head of cricket's governing body said Sunday. Fifty people died in attacks on two mosques in Christchurch on Friday, in what is believed to be the worst assault on Muslims in a Western country. Bangladesh's Test cricketers were just a few minutes from being caught up in the massacre, arriving in a bus at one of the mosques as shooting began. The third Test between Bangladesh and New Zealand which was due to start in Wellington on Saturday was cancelled and the team returned home. Speaking on the sidelines of Pakistan Super League (PSL) final in Karachi, the International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive David Richardson said security had to remain "an absolute priority". "I don't think security is anything new, obviously something happening in New Zealand probably took a lot of people by surprise and it emphasised the need ..
McIlroy secures 15th title on PGA Tour
Rory McIlroy pocketed his 15th PGA Tour title by winning The Players tourney, coming in two under par at 70 at the TPC Sawgrass here.
Genoa hands Ronaldo-less Juventus defeat in Serie A
Without Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo in its squad, Juventus was handed its first Serie A defeat (0-2) at the hands of host Genoa in a matchday-28 contest held at the Luigi Ferraris stadium here.
Gold in mind as Mary Kom prepares for 2020 Olympics
It is said that champions are made and not born. The struggle, effort and the determination to keep trying till you succeed is what makes a champion stand out and none would know this better than champion boxer MC Mary Kom. The only woman boxer to have won a medal in each one of the seven world championships, there is no stopping her. Even though the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is more than 15 months away, Mary Kom is already planning for the biggest event in sporting history.
Di Maria scores brace as PSG beat Marseille
A great performance by Argentina's Angel Di Maria, with two goals and one assist, helped Paris Saint Germain beat Marseille 3-1.
Andreescu beat Kerber to lift Indian Wells title
Young Canadian Bianca Andreescu was proclaimed champion at the Indian Wells Masters, after she overcame the German Angelique Kerber, who was eighth seeded, 6-4, 3-6 and 6-4 in two hours and 18 minutes.
Messi leads Barcelona to 4-1 win over Real Betis
Barcelona consolidated its leadership position atop the La Liga rankings with a 4-1 victory over Real Betis, a win featuring a hat trick by Lionel Messi against a rival who fought until virtually the last moments of the contest.
Bangladesh FIFA official held for 'defaming' PM
Bangladeshi authorities have arrested a senior member of football's world governing body FIFA for allegedly defaming the country's prime minister.
Bengaluru beat FC Goa, win maiden ISL title
Full-back Rahul Bheke scored in second half of extra time as Bengaluru FC edged past FC Goa 1-0 to lift their first Indian Super League (ISL) title, here on Sunday.
Dhoni, other CSK players sweat it out at practice session
: Chennai Super Kings fans had a lot to cheer about at the M A Chidambaram stadium here Sunday as the players took part in a practice match. With fans being allowed free entry into three stands, a huge number gathered to watch the CSK players. Though captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni didn't feature in the 'match', there was a loud cheer when he made an appearance. Dhoni trained for about an hour, sending deliveries into the stands at regular intervals. None of the foreign players in the squad were present on the day. Only one half of the Twenty-20 game was played and Batting Lions had a hit with the willow. Murali Vijay (32) and Ambati Rayudu (40) opened the innings, with the latter donning the role of an accelerator. Rayudu, who smashed five boundaries and a solitary six during his 23-ball stay, was sent back in the 7th over. He was caught off the bowling of veteran Harbhajan Singh. The hugely popular Suresh Raina (56), coming in at number three, was the only batter to post a .
Praneeth loses to top seed Shi in Swiss Open final
India's B. Sai Praneeth gave a tough fight before losing to top seed Shi Yuqi of China in the men's singles final at the Swiss Open badminton tournament, here on Sunday.
Bhullar finishes 5th after holding brief lead in Kenya Open golf
Two double bogeys, one on each side of the turn, cost India's Gaganjeet Bhullar his second European Tour title as he dropped to finish sole fifth in the Magical Kenya Open golf tournament here. It was Bhullar's first top-10 since his tied eighth finish in Shinhan Dongahe in Korea in mid-September, 2018. That was his seventh finish inside top-11 in eight starts. The fifth place finish should put him in right frame as he gets ready for Maybank Championships and Hero Indian Open. Bhullar, starting the day two shots behind co-leaders Guido Migliozzi and Adri Arnaus, had a share of the lead, albeit briefly after birdies on second and third. Despite a double bogey on the fourth, he was briefly there again after a birdie on the sixth. But he bogeyed the ninth. He seemed to make another charge with birdies on 10th and 12th, but once again a double bogey on Par-4 13th thwarted his chances. He did birdie 15th and 17th, but by then Migliozzi kept playing steady to get to 16-under and Arnaus and .
KT Irfan becomes first Indian athlete to qualify for Tokyo Olympics
National record holder KT Irfan Sunday became the first Indian from athletics to qualify for the next year's Olympics while finishing fourth in the 20km event of the Asian Race Walking Championships in Nomi, Japan. The 29-year-old Irfan clocked 1 hour 20 minutes and 57 seconds to better the Tokyo Olympics qualification standard of 1 hour 21 minutes. The Olympics qualification period for race walk events and marathon race has begun from January 1 this year and will run till May 31, 2020. The Olympics qualification period for all other athletics events will start from May 1 this year and will run till June 29, 2020. No other Indian from athletics has so far qualified for Tokyo Olympics. Irfan, who has a personal best as well as national record of 1:20:21 which he did during his 10th place finish in 2012 Olympics, also qualified for this year's World Championships (September 27-October 6) in Doha, Qatar as he bettered the qualifying mark of 1:22:30. The Kerala race walker had won the 20 .
MI shift training to Wankhede
Three-time Indian Premier League champions Mumbai Indians had their first training session of the T20 League at their traditional home venue, the Wankhede Stadium, here on Sunday. Earlier this week the team led by Rohit Sharma and coached by Sri Lankan Mahela Jayawardene had started their pre-season training camp at the Reliance Corporate Park in Ghansoli in neighbouring Navi Mumbai. Mumbai Indians has posted a picture of the team's training session at the Wankhede Stadium on their official Twitter account. A fit-again all-rounder Hardik Pandya, who had missed the T20 and the ODI series against Australia, had joined the MI camp along with his elder brother Krunal in Navi Mumbai. MI begin their IPL season 12 campaign against Delhi Capitals next Sunday at the Wankhede Stadium, a day after the cash-rich T20 tournament begins at Chennai with defending champions Chennai Super Kings taking on Virat Kohli led Royal Challengers Banga;ore at home.
Indian shooting team to fight for 8 Olympic quota places in Mexico Shotgun WC
A 12-member Indian shooting contingent will vie for a total of eight Tokyo Olympics quota places when it open its campaign at the ISSF Shotgun World Cup to be held in Acapulco, Mexico from March 19 to 26. There are two quota places each on offer in women's Trap, men's Trap, women's Skeet and men's Skeet disciplines. However, there are no quota places at the mixed Trap event. A total of five events are scheduled at this year's first Shotgun World Cup, beginning with the qualification rounds of the women's Trap event. The Indian contingent includes former world champion Manavjit Singh Sandhu in the men's Trap and current finals world record holder in the men's Skeet Angad Vir Singh Bajwa. India have won a total of three Tokyo Olympic quotas in shooting so far, among the top five quota winning countries in the world. However, all of them have been in the Rifle and Pistol disciplines. Besides 12 competitors across five medal events, Zoravar Singh Sandhu will also compete in the MQS ...
CCI Snooker: Advani books spot in semis
Indias top-ranked cueist Pankaj Advani of ONGC Sunday enjoyed a smooth passage to the semi-finals as he cruised past home challenger Mukund Bharadia 5-0 in a best-of-9-frame quarter-final matchofthe CCI All India Open Snooker Championship. Advani, winner of multiple world championship gold medals, showed a lot of fluency with his pots and was in complete control against the Cricket Club of India and Maharashtras second ranked player Bharadia. Advani started with a break of 53 in the first frame and then signed off with a 85 in the fifth to complete a 62-10, 71-34, 66-16, 68-42 and 85-7 victory. On the adjacent table, Indias second ranked cueist Laxman Rawat of Indian Oil, was in cracking form and constructed two century breaks, 105 in the second frame and 108 in the fifth to waltz to a 5-1 win against Varun Madan of Delhi in another last eight encounter. Rawat showed great character and superb touch and control as he neatly stitched together those two substantial ...
Annu Rani re-writes national record, adivasi wage labourer wins 10,000m race
Javelin thrower Annu Rani rewrote her own national record to clinch the gold and qualify for both the Asian and World Championships on the third and penultimate day of the Federation Cup National Senior Athletics Championships here on Sunday. The 26-year-old Rani, who represented Uttar Pradesh, hurled the spear to a distance of 62.34m, nearly half a metre more than her earlier national record of 61.86m that she recorded in 2017. Her effort bettered the qualifying standard of 61.50m for the World Championships to be held in Doha in September-October later this year. She also qualified for the Asian Championships, also to be held in Doha next month, for which the qualifying standard of 58m was set by the Athletics Federation of India. Haryana's Kumari Sharmila won the silver with a throw of 54.98m while Rupinder Kaur of Punjab was third with an effort of 53.90m at the National Institute of Sports grounds here. Iavit Murali Kumar, an adivasi athlete who worked as part time labourer in ...