Page 661 - Sports
Malaysia Masters: India's campaign ends after Saina's SF loss to Marin
India's campaign in the Malaysia Masters 2019 ended after London Olympics bronze medallist Saina Nehwal went down in straight games 16-21, 13-21 to reigning Olympic champion Carolina Marin of Spain, in the women's singles semi-finals here on Sturday.
Vinesh elated at being nominated for prestigious Laureus award (IANS Interview)
A career-threatening knee injury in the Rio Olympics saw a teary-eyed Vinesh Phogat being strechered out of the ring but two years later, the Haryana wrestler bounced back with a gold each at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and the Jakarta Asian Games besides a silver in the Asian Championships in Bishkek.
Chikka and Atwal only two Indians to make cut at Singapore Open
S Chikkarangappa (72) and Arjun Atwal (70) were the only Indians to make the cut at the SMBC Singapore Open on Saturday after all others missed getting into the weekend rounds. Chikka, who was lying Tied-sixth at one stage midway through the second round, added a third round 72, with just one bogey and no birdies. He is now Tied-26th. Atwal, who shot 67-73 in the first two rounds, added a 70 and is now Tied-36th. After starting from the 10th, Atwal had back-to-back bogeys on 12th and 13th. Shiv Kapur (71-71), Ajeetesh Sandhu (70-74), Rahil Gangjee (76-71), Khalin Joshi (76-73) and Viraj Madappa (77-73) missed the cut while Jeev Milkha Singh and Om Prakash Chouhan withdrew after first round of the weather-hit event. Japan's Yoshinori Fujimoto had a closing birdie which gave him the outright lead after he signed for a third round five-under-par 66. The Japanese's three-day total of 13-under-par 200 gave him a slender one-shot advantage over Thailand's Jazz Janewattananond and Englishman
All-rounder's spot for World Cup remains a concern, says South Africa captain Faf du Plessis
South Africa captain Faf du Plessis has said that the team is more or less sorted for the upcoming 2019 World Cup, but the all-rounder's spot remains a concern.Following the dropping of an injured JP Duminy, du Plessis is hopeful that one among Andile Phehlukwayo, Wiaan Mulder, Chris Morris, and Dwaine Pretorius will cement his position in the team."It is an answer that I am hoping to give to you after this series," ICC quoted du Plessis on Friday when he asked about who can claim the all-rounder's spot"We are hoping that over the next 10 games, over the Sri Lanka series as well, all the all-rounders that are there in Andile Phehlukwayo, Wiaan Mulder, Chris Morris and Dwaine Pretorius, that you will at least have one or two of those guys who really put their hand up and shout to the selectors 'pick me'," he added.Ahead of the five-match ODI series against Pakistan, the captain said that he is still trying to find a balance in his team."Pakistan are a very good one-day side and ...
Halep stuns Venus, sets up Australian Open pre-quarters with Serena
World number one Simona Halep stunned seven-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one Venus Williams of the United States in the ongoing Australian Open to enter the pre-quarters round of women's singles event on Saturday.The 27-year-old defeated Venus 6-2, 6-3 in an imperious fashion in the match that lasted more than an hour. The Romanian player will next face another Williams sister, 23-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams.On the same day, Serena defeated Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine by 6-2, 6-1."I have beat Serena only once in my life, so I cannot say much about this match. Just that it is going to be a huge challenge for me. It is always great to play against Serena because every time I have to learn something from the match," Australian Open quoted Halep, as saying."I have to be smart, aggressive. I have to move her and give my best. I will not super think about this because there is nothing to think, just go there and play natural and with confidence," she ...
Djokovic slams into fourth round of Australian Open
Top-seed Novak Djokovic decimated Canadian teen Denis Shapovalov in a third-round showdown here on Saturday at the Australian Open.
Keys breezes past Mertens into round 4 of Australian Open
Madison Keys defeated 2018 semi-finalist Elise Mertens on Saturday to advance to the round of 16 in the Australian Open.
Saranya goes down fighting to Georgian GM Pantsulaia
Georgian GM Levan Pantsulaia, fresh from his Delhi Open title victory, posted a hard-fought win over Chennai's J Saranya in the second round of the 11th Chennai Open International Grand Master Chess tournament here Saturday. With two points, he shares the lead with GMs Ivan Rozum and Ivan Popov (both Russia), Luka Paichadze (Georgia), Aleksej Aleksandrov, Kirill Stupak (both Belarus), Raset Ziatdinov (USA), Tran Tuan Minh (Vietnam), Megaranto Susanto (Indonesia), Attila Czebe (Hungary), Manik Mikulas (Slovakia) Sundararajan Kidambi and R R Laxman (both India), among others. In a Sicilian game, Saranya held her own against Pantsulaia till the very end. The knight and pawn ending offered minor chances for the Georgian as he squeezed out a tough win after 108 moves. It was the last game to finish, showing the resilience of Saranya against the second-seeded GM. The day saw seeded players enjoying a smooth sailing. On the second board, talented Chennai boy Rajarishi Karthi ...
Minerva Punjab score in injury time to hold Gokulam Kerala 1-1
A 10-man Minerva Punjab FC scored an injury-time goal to snatch a 1-1 draw against Gokulam Kerala FC in their 13th round I-League match here on Saturday. Gokulam Kerala drew the first blood in the 82nd minute through Debutant Marcus Joseph but defending champions Minerva equalized in the final minute of the additional time through Musa Caicedo (90+4 minute) to share the spoils at the Devi Lal Stadium here. The visiting side made their intent clear as soon as the match began and in the second minute itself Pritam Singh found the back of the net off an Abhishek Das cross, but the referee disallowed the goal. Minerva, who are now out of reckoning for the title, suffered a jolt in the 20th minute when forward Zacharie was red carded for an unnecessary foul against Gokulam keeper Arnab Das inside the box. Gokulam kept on attacking but the defending champions denied them any clear chance in the first half. A major part of the second half was a midfield tussle with the home side mostly ...
Desai's maiden ton guides Saurashtra to record-breaking win in Ranji quarters
Harvik Desai hit his maiden first-class century to help Saurashtra pull off the highest run chase in Ranji Trophy history, beating Uttar Pradesh by six wickets to enter the semi-finals here on Saturday. Opener Desai was well-supported by Snell Patel (72), Cheteshwar Pujara (67 not out) and Sheldon Jackson (73 not out) as Saurashtra pulled off the 372-run chase by losing just four wickets in 115.1 overs. Saurashtra, thus, broke the previous highest run chase record of 371 set by Assam against Services in the 2008-09 season. Saurashtra will face Karnataka in the semi-finals, while Vidarbha will lock horns with Kerala in the other last four match. Starting the day at 195 for two, still 177 adrift, Desai started brightly for Saurashtra. But he soon lost the other overnight batsman Kamlesh Makvana for 7, dismissed by Yash Dayal. The wicket hardly had any effect on Desai as he continued aggressively and scored 20 of the 33 runs in the day through boundaries. Desai, however, was dismissed by
Halep sets up Serena showdown as Djokovic relentlessly marches on
World number one Simona Halep set up a headline last 16 showdown with Serena Williams by beating her sister Venus Saturday as Novak Djokovic's relentless drive towards more Australian Open glory cranked up another gear. On day six at Melbourne Park, the Romanian finally hit form to pull off her best win of the year and cruise past the veteran American 6-2, 6-3. "I was super-motivated today," she said after being taken to three sets in both her opening two matches as she bounces back from a herniated disc that ended her 2018 season early. "I have nothing to lose," she added, looking ahead to Monday's clash against 23-time Grand Slam winner Serena. "I playing against a great champion. Its's going to a bigger challenge but I'm ready to face it." Williams crushed Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska 6-2, 6-1 before consoling her at the net as the teenager burst into tears. The ominous 37-year-old, seeded 16, has dropped just nine games in her three matches so far on her first return to the ...
Nadal laments lack of young Spanish players
Spain's Rafael Nadal (2), after defeating Australia's Alex De Minaur (27) in the third round of the Australian Open here, said that tennis has skipped a few generations in Spain and it is probable that it will not be so successful in the coming years.
Vikas wins pro debut in style
Indian boxer Vikas Krishan was off to a winning start in the professional circuit, notching up a Technical Knockout against American Steven Andrade in New York. Vikas, who has signed up with the legendary Bob Arum's Top Rank Promotions, made his debut in what was to be a six-round super welterweight contest. The bout, however, lasted just two rounds on Friday night at the Stone Resort Casino in New York. The fight was the under-card of Olympic silver-medallist Shakur Stevenson's IBF Intercontinental and WBC Continental Americas featherweight title contest against Jessie Cris Rosales. Stevenson knocked out his opponent. "Won my pro debut fight by TKO. Thank you all for your love and support," Vikas tweeted after the bout. Andrade came into the contest with an experience of six fights on the circuit with a 3-3 record. This was his fourth successive loss, the last being in November 2017. The 26-year-old Vikas is one of India's most decorated boxers and has won gold medals at the ...
Sydney Sixers to host Brisbane Heat for WBBL final
Sydney Sixers and Brisbane Heat will lock horns in the final of the Women Big Bash League (WBBL) after conquering respective tightly contested semi-finals at the Drummoyne Oval on Saturday.In the first heart-stopping semi-final, Heat's Haidee Birkett took a stunning catch at the boundary when Sydney Thunder required five runs off the last ball. In the run-chase of 140, Nicola Carey swung the ball produced by Jess Jonassen to get 6 or at least a boundary to take the game to the Super Over. But Birkett ran to her left, stretched out and plucked the ball out of the air to seal Heat's place in the final.The second semi-final, however, resulted in a thriller at the last moment. Melbourne Renegades needed 3 runs off the final delivery in their run-chase of 131. As Sophie Molineux, who stood like a rock throughout the game, and Claire Koski attempted to run 3, a run-out by Sydney Sixers' wicketkeeper Alyssa Healy took the match to the Super Over.Danielle Wyatt came out to share the crease ...
BPL 2019 brings latest technology to revolutionize broadcast standards in Bangladesh
With an aim to revolutionise the domestic viewership standards and change the way the world perceives Bangladesh Premier League, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) introduced some radical changes to this year's BPL.The home-grown T20 league in Bangladesh strives to be a leading domestic league in the world and for that BCB has made some major technological advancements by using state of the art high-tech gadgets to match world-class broadcast standards. From the latest stump cameras, to spider cams, to use of drones in the stadium, this year's BPL is matching the likes of IPL, BBL, when it comes to providing a unique experience to the millions of fans watching the matches on their television screens.The BCB has hired director Tim Finlay, a renowned name in the field of broadcasting, and his firm for the broadcast and coverage of this year's BPL. Mr. Finlay has covered ten IPL seasons and has a vast experience of handling big sporting events.Drone cameras have been introduced for the ..
TN enters final, qualifies for 'A' Division of hockey
Host Hockey Unit of Tamil Nadu edged out Sports Authority of India (SAI) 6-5 via the tie-breaker to enter the final of the Hockey India Senior National men's hockey championship ('B' Division) here Saturday. In an exciting semifinal encounter in which the lead kept changing hands, both the teams were locked 3-all at the end of regulation time. In the penalty shootout, Tamil Nadu converted three of the five attempts, while SAI managed to score only two, enabling the home team seal a place in the final. By reaching the final, Tamil Nadu also qualified for the 'A' Division after a gap of four years. SAI started well and went ahead in the ninth minute through Bobby Singh Dhami, before Tamil Nadu levelled seven minutes later as Shanmugham found the mark. The host took a 2-1 lead in the 20th minute when Vinodhan converted a penalty corner. However, SAI restored parity through Mohit Kumar in the 25th minute. Tamil Nadu regained the lead in the 40th minute when Vinod Rayer got ..
Osaka slams past Hsieh into round 4 of Australian Open
Reigning US Open champion Naomi Osaka of Japan outlasted upset artist Taiwan's Hsieh Su-wei to reach the last 16 of the 2019 Australian Open on Saturday.
Tomic's father threatens 'liar' Hewitt with legal action
Bernard Tomic has called Lleyton Hewitt a "liar" after the Australian Davis Cup captain claimed he had been blackmailed and physically threatened by the firebrand, whose father Saturday said he planned legal action against the veteran. The explosive allegations on Thursday by Hewitt followed an ugly war of words in which Tomic claimed the two-time Grand Slam champion had ruined the national system and "no one likes him any more". Hewitt responded by calling Tomic "a clown", while alleging he attempted to blackmail him by demanding wildcards and threatening to refuse to play Davis Cup. He also said he and his family had been physically threatened. "I think the threats that I have received for me and my family, that I've had for a year-and-a-half now, I don't think anyone would reach out to a person that speaks like that," said Hewitt, with their relationship in tatters. Tomic told the Herald Sun newspaper late Friday: "I have never threatened his family. "Nice, Lleyton. To think how ..
Djokovic's floodlight fury after wobble against Shapovalov
Top seed Novak Djokovic angrily blamed floodlights for dropping a set for the first time at this year's Australian Open after beating Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0 on Saturday. The Serb is looking for a record seventh Aussie crown but was left fuming when leading 3-0 in the third set against the 25th-seeded Canadian when the powerful lights blazed on all around Rod Laver Arena -- in bright sunshine. An irritated Djokovic lost his focus completely and dropped six of the next seven games after querying French umpire Damien Dumusois why the lights were on. "I think there was no sense to turn on lights on court at 5pm when we have another four hours of daylight," fumed the Serb 17-time Grand Slam winner. "Did you guys see the balls well?," he asked the crowd. "I saw them well too," he said to a huge cheer. "Completely unnecessary to turn on the lights. The explanation I got was for TV reasons. I hope the viewers enjoyed it," he added. The normally mild-mannered Djokovic even ...
'Just getting started', says Serena as juggernaut rolls on
Serena Williams marched into the Australian Open last 16 Saturday and warned she was still improving after taking time out to console the latest victim of her quest for a record-equalling 24th major. Williams swatted aside Ukrainian teenager Dayana Yastremska 6-2, 6-1 in a Melbourne Park mauling that reduced the world number 57 to tears. The 37-year-old, who is in the hunt for her first Grand Slam since having a baby, comforted the youngster at the net, telling her: "You did amazing, you're gonna make it, don't cry". But Williams, who is in ominous form and has dropped only nine games in her opening three matches, also had a message for her rivals, saying she was not yet at the top of her game. "I think I'm getting there. I don't feel like I'm there yet," she said. "I feel like I'm still getting there." Williams will face either sister Venus, who is unseeded this year, or world number one Simona Halep in the next round. The 37-year-old won her 23rd Grand Slam Down Under two years ago .