Page 653 - Sports

Barça's Dembele sidelined for 2 weeks due to injury

FC Barcelona on Monday announced that its France forward Ousmane Dembele has been diagnosed with a sprained left ankle that would sideline him for about 15 days.

Tomiyasu's header sends Japan into Asian Cup quarterfinals

Defender Takehiro Tomiyasu on Monday scored Japan's 1-0 winner over Saudi Arabia in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup last-16 encounter held at the Sharjah Stadium here, leading his side to make it through to the quarterfinals.

HC seeks CBI response on wrestler Narsingh Yadav's plea

The Delhi High Court on Monday pulled up the CBI and asked the probe agency to file response on wrestler Narsingh Yadav's plea seeking to expedite investigation into his complaint related to doping filed ahead of 2016 Rio Olympics.

Shuttler Sindhu star attraction at Indonesia Masters (Preview)

Olympic silver medallist P.V. Sindhu will be the star attraction while Saina Nehwal and Kidambi Srikanth will look to continue their impressive run when they start their campaign at the Indonesia Masters, starting with the qualifiers here on Tuesday.

Young Pope aims to play for Australia in all three formats

Australian teenage leg spinner Lloyd Pope, who gave an impressive performance in Sydney Sixers' Big Bash League (BBL) clash against Brisbane Heat, is aiming to play for the national side in all the three formats.The 19-year-old said that as a young cricketer, he is working very hard and trying to improve his performance as a bowler."I don't know how far I will go but I definitely would love to play for Australia in all three formats. That's every young cricketer's dream and I'm going to try my absolute hardest to get there. I have to work on a lot of things - all three facets," ICC quoted Pope, as saying.The right arm bowler, who plays for Sydney Sixers in BBL, was dropped from the team after going wicketless in first few games. He was given another chance by the Sixers in their clash against Brisbane Heats and Pope did not disappoint this time. The spinner scalped key wickets of Jimmy Peirson and Brendon McCullum, helping his side register a 79-run victory over Brisbane Heat.While ...

Serena outslugs top seed Halep as Djokovic battles

A fired-up Serena Williams slugged past world number one Simona Halep Monday as she inches ever closer to a 24th Grand Slam title, while Novak Djokovic survived a battle to stay on course for a record seventh Australian Open crown. In a towering performance, the American great scored her biggest win since having a baby to grind down the Romanian top seed 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 and move into a quarter-final against seventh seed Karolina Pliskova. Czech Pliskova is another form player, winning the warm-up Brisbane International and easing past two-time Grand Slam winner Garbine Muguruza 6-3, 6-1 to set up the Williams clash. "I'm such a fighter, I never give up," declared Williams after the epic encounter. "It was an intense match and there were some incredible points but I love playing tennis and being out here and I love this court, it's really cool to be back." While Williams stayed calm, highly-rated German fourth seed Alexander Zverev lost the plot against Canadian Milos Raonic, crashing ..

We need to delve deep into the head-shaving incident: Gurbux

Former hockey Olympian Gurbux Singh on Monday expressed shock at the incident where junior players were allegedly asked to shave their heads after a loss, saying there is urgent need to go deep into the matter and examine who is at fault as it is a "bad advertisement" for sport in general.

Kohli is the best one-day player, quite easily: Taylor

Ahead of the five-ODI rubber against India, starting here Wednesday, former New Zealand skipper Ross Taylor on Monday praised touring captain Virat Kohli as the best 'one-day player' while cautioning his side against solely focussing on the leader as the men-in-blue have many more match winners.

I will be fit before IPL, says Prithvi Shaw

Recovering from an ankle injury that forced him out of the Australia tour, the young Prithvi Shaw Monday said he will be fit in time for the 12th season of Indian Premier League. The 19-year-old Shaw suffered the injury in Australia before the start of the four-match Test series. "I will be fit before the Indian Premier League and I am trying hard to reach full fitness. I am working on my ankle as well as on my upper body," Shaw told 'India TV'. The Mumbai opener has been retained by Delhi Capitals for what will be his second season. The batsman twisted his ankle while fielding in the deep during India's practice match ahead of the first Test against Australia in Adelaide. Having stayed on with the team hoping to be fit for the second Test in Perth, Shaw was eventually ruled out of the remainder of the series and sent back home for an extensive rehabilitation programme. Recalling the injury, he said, "We were playing the practice match in Sydney ahead of the first Test. I was standing

Never-say-die Nishikori into Open quarters after five-set epic

Japanese fighter Kei Nishikori recovered from two sets down to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals with an epic win over Pablo Carreno Busta 6-7 (8/10), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4, 7-6 (10/8). It was Nishikori's third five-setter of the tournament and the second time the never-say-die eighth seed had recovered from two sets behind. His win over the 23rd seeded Spaniard took a marathon 5hr 5min after an opening set that alone lasted 76 minutes. The former US Open finalist moves into the quarter-finals for the fourth time where he will face either top-ranked Novak Djokovic or 15th seed Daniil Medvedev.

Klopp seeks solutions for Liverpool defensive crisis

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has taken his "warriors" to Dubai for a warm-weather training camp where he will search for a solution to his defensive dilemma. The Premier League leaders, four points ahead of Manchester City, are not in action this coming weekend because they were knocked out of the FA Cup in the last round. But James Milner's sending-off in Saturday's 4-3 win over Crystal Palace leaves Klopp with a headache at right-back for next week's visit of Leicester. Joe Gomez, sidelined with a broken bone in his foot, will step up his recovery in Dubai and could have an outside chance of making the game but Trent Alexander-Arnold is still a couple of weeks away from fitness. Fabinho would have been an option in a position he has played for Brazil but he came off injured late on against Palace and even if fit he may be needed in midfield, with Georginio Wijnaldum out with a hamstring problem. Klopp gave 18-year-old Rafael Camacho his Premier League debut for the final few ...

De Bruyne describes mental challenge of injury-hit season

Kevin De Bruyne has described how coming back from successive knee injuries was "mentally hard" but says he is happy with the way he is playing. The Belgium playmaker was pivotal to Manchester City's title success last season but has been restricted to just eight league appearances during this campaign due to ligament injuries, first in his right knee then in his left knee. De Bruyne returned to action last month but City manager Pep Guardiola has taken a cautious approach with him. "I'm getting better obviously," said De Bruyne. "You need the run of games where you play a lot because I'm not used to playing every three days. "But I'm getting there. I'm happy with the way I'm performing. It's not the same like it was last year, but that's what you can expect. "I've been out since the World Cup and to come back twice is mentally hard, but I'm happy to be here to play football again." The 27-year-old made his first league start since December 26 in Sunday's 3-0 win at managerless ...

Lippi says China need 'more focus' ahead of Iran clash

Marcello Lippi said China need to learn how to focus for an entire game ahead of their crunch Asian Cup quarter-final with Iran, the biggest -- and possibly last -- game of his tenure. The Italian World Cup-winning coach hailed his players after they overcame Thailand 2-1 to reach the last eight, saying they had proved they were among the best in Asia. But Lippi, 70, said China still had a habit of drifting in and out of games after another Jekyll-and-Hyde performance in which they trailed 1-0 midway through the second half. "Chinese players have to improve psychologically," said Lippi, who is expected to leave China after the Asian Cup following two-and-a-half years at the helm. "Sometimes they need to be much more focused and concentrated and pay more attention during the game. It's a psychological thing. "It's very important to have the same intensity, the same determination from the beginning of the game." China were under the cosh against Thailand on Sunday until Lippi switched ..

Halep upbeat despite Serena loss, ranking threat

World number one Simona Halep on Monday shrugged off a fourth-round loss to Serena Williams that ended her Australian Open hopes and threatens her top ranking. The Romanian top seed lost 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 but remained upbeat after a gutsy display against 23-time Grand Slam champion Williams, who is on a mission this year for a record equalling 24th title. Halep, 27, a finalist in 2018, arrived at Melbourne Park on a five-match losing streak, equalling the worst run of her career and trying to shake off a back injury that curtailed her season. After appearing listless through the early rounds, the French Open champion lifted to defeat Venus Williams then played her best tennis of the tournament against Serena after weathering an early onslaught. When asked to rate her campaign she replied: "Close to 10." "I have the courage to say that, because I took the risk to stay home so much (for off-season rest). "I haven't prepared for the highest level in tennis, but I didn't play bad, so I'm ...

In pictures: Serena's triumph and other court battles at Australian Open

Serena Williams knocks out Simona Halep to reach Australian Open quarter-finals

NBA champion Rashard Lewis to visit India

American NBA champion Rashard Lewis will be in India from January 26 to 29, the National Basketball Association announced on Monday. Lewis will meet the participants from the Reliance Foundation Jr NBA program in Bengaluru. "The NBA's contribution to the growth of basketball in India has been amazing. There's a lot more in store for NBA fans in India this year, and I'm excited to be a part of the celebration of the game," Lewis said. Lewis, a 6'10 forward from Pineville, Louisiana, was selected 32nd overall by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 1998 NBA Draft. He was named as an NBA All-Star in 2005 and 2009, and won the NBA Championship with the Miami Heat in 2013. Since 2006, more than 35 active and retired NBA and WNBA players have visited India with the NBA, including Sim Bhullar, Bruce Bowen, Muggsy Bogues, Chris Bosh, Swin Cash, Tamika Catchings, Seth Curry, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard, Brian Shaw, Robin Lopez, Jason Richardson, Kevin Durant, Brook Lopez, and Robert Horry.

India get easy group in FIH Series Finals, venues confirmed too

India were Monday placed in a relatively easy group in the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Series Finals, the first-round qualifiers for the 2020 Olympics, and will play their matches in Bhubaneswar from June 6 to 16. The FIH confirmed the composition of the pools for the six Finals scheduled between April and June this year. "The FIH Series Finals are one of the roads to reach the Olympic Games. Indeed, the top two teams from each FIH Series Finals will secure a place in the Qualification Events for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games which will be held in October and November 2019," the FIH said in a release. Barring Asian Games winners Japan, none of the teams are expected to offer stiff competition to the home team. Besides India and Japan, the other teams in the group are Mexico, Poland, Russia, South Africa, USA and Uzbekistan. The women's team will be battling it out at Hiroshima with Chile, Fiji, Mexico, Poland, Russia and Uruguay from June 15-23. Three pools of eight teams ...

Australian Open: Serena outclasses Halep to seal quarters berth

Twenty-three times Grand Slam champion Serena Williams entered the quarter-final round of the ongoing Australian Open after surpassing world number one Simona Halep in their pre-quarters clash of the women's singles event here at the Rod Laver Arena on Monday.The 37-year-old handled the pressure of a highly-anticipated clash with ease and breezed past her Romanian opponent 6-1, 4-6, 6-4 in the match that lasted one hour and 47 minutes.The match started in a pretty one-sided way as the American player registered the opening set to her name within 20 minutes. She dropped just one game on her way to clinch the set 6-1.The Romanian player fought back in the second set after surrendering her serve four times in the first game. At a point when Halep was trailing 1-2, she sealed her first break point of the match soon and continued with her impressive run to win the set.The deciding set saw some tense moments when Serena gave away three break points in the crucial sixth game. The former ...

Ross Taylor labels Virat Kohli as best player, warns NZ of Indian openers

New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor labelled Indian skipper Virat Kohli as the best one-day player, but warned his side that the visiting batting order is littered with excellent openers Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan.The 34-year-old said Kohli has been in a stellar form that most of the opponents acknowledge and praise his batting skills. However, Taylor, New Zealand's second-most prolific run-scorer of all time behind Stephen Fleming, has warned his side against focusing too much about the Indian skipper."He (Virat Kohli) is a sensational player, the best one-day player going around, quite easily. It is easy to get caught up in him. But you have got two pretty good openers at the top, (Rohit) Sharma and (Shikhar) Dhawan, before he gets in," stuff.co.nz quoted Taylor, as saying on Monday.Taylor, who has been in sublime form in ODIs, began this year with a bang, amassing 281 runs from three innings against Sri Lanka to top the batting charts. "I have played a few internationals now and ..

England look to retain third position in Windies series

England will have to win their upcoming three-match series against West Indies in order to retain their third position in the ICC Test team rankings.England's challenge will start on January 23 in Bridgetown with Joe Root-led side knowing they have to win by at least a 1-0 margin to remain ahead of fourth-ranked New Zealand.A series victory will keep England ahead of New Zealand (107) on decimal points while a drawn series will see them drop to fourth position and 105 points.A 3-0 sweep will lift England to 109 points but they will remain behind India and South Africa, while West Indies will remain at the eighth position irrespective of how the matches pan out.In the other series starting on January 24, Australia and Sri Lanka will remain at the fifth and sixth positions, respectively, whatever the series result.Australia will gain three points and go up to 104 if they win 2-0 with Sri Lanka losing two and going down to 89 in such a scenario. Sri Lanka can go up to 95 points and to ...