Page 912 - Sports
Defending champion Nagal crashes out; Myneni, Gunneswaran enter semis
Sumit Nagal's dream of defending his Bengaluru Open title went up in smoke after he was knocked out in the quarterfinals of the USD 1,50,000 ATP Challenger event by compatriot Saketh Myneni here Thursday. Nagal lost in straight sets 4-6 4-6 to Myneni, a wild card entrant. Joining Myneni in the semifinals was fourth seed Prajnesh Gunneswaran, who did not have to break a sweat to get the better of Sasi Kumar Mukund, who had to withdraw owing to a severe back pain after losing three service points he managed on the day. In the semifinals, Myneni will clash with Aleksandr Nedovyesov of Kazakhstan, who won 6-4 6-2 over Frederico Ferreira Silva of Portugal while Gunneswaran will meet Canadian Brayden Schnur. Schnur beat Cem Ilkel of Turkey 6-3 6-4 in another quarterfinal encounter. Myneni and Nagal played contrasting tennis. While the former waited for opportunities to catch his opponent on the wrong foot, the latter as usual played with aggression, hitting long and deep shots. With a break
Sindhu crashes out; Srikanth, Sameer enter quarterfinals of Hong Kong Open
Olympic medallist shuttler PV Sindhu suffered an unexpected loss in the second round but Kidambi Srikanth and Sameer Verma advanced to the quarterfinals to keep India's flag flying at the Hong Kong Open World Tour Super 500 tournament here Thursday. World no. 4 Sindhu, who was seeded third here, was shown the door by Hyun Ji Sung of Korea 24-26 20-22 in fighting 59 minute duel. With Sindhu's exit, India's challenge ended in the women's singles after Saina Nehwal had made a first round exit. But India's men's singles shuttlers had a good day in office with Srikanth and Sameer progressing to the last eight round, albeit with contrasting results. Fourth seeded Srikanth, who had claimed a silver medal at this year's Commonwealth Games, had to dig deep in his reservoir to outwit fellow Indian H S Prannoy 18-21 30-29 21-18 in a thrilling match, clocking an hour and seven minutes. Srikanth will face either Japan's Kenta Nishimoto or Thailand's Kantaphon Wangcharoen. Sameer, however, ...
Sharma fails to build on fine start, slips to T-47 after first day at Dubai
Shubhankar Sharma was unable to build on his brilliant start and was placed tied 47th on the opening day of the season-ending DP World Tour Championships. At the Jumeirah Golf Estate's Earth course, Sharma first hit by a three-putt on sixth, missed a short birdie chance on seventh but then had trouble with a shoe bite from the eighth onwards and lost the momentum. "I lost the momentum there (on sixth and seventh) and also misread some of the greens and ended with five three-putts," said a disappointed Sharma. However, the young 22-year-old Indian star, who won twice at the start of the current European Tour season, should still finish the season with one of European Tour's big rewards the Harry Cotton Rookie of the Year award, where he is leading by a big margin. Spain's Adrian Otaegui, winner of Belgian Knock Out and Englishman Jordan Smith posted first rounds of 66 each to take the lead. Otaegui was bogey free, while Smith had a six-under 30 with five birdies, an eagle and a bogey .
I-League: Plaza hattrick helps Churchill beat Lajong 4-2
Churchill Brothers registered their first win of the I-League season with the help of a Willis Plaza hattrick as they beat Shillong Lajong 4-2 at the Tilak Maidan here on Thursday.
Australia tour about batsmen batting well, bowlers already in great space: Kohli
Indian cricket team captain Virat Kohli has asked the batsmen to really "step up" their game ahead of their upcoming Australia tour adding that the bowlers, on the other hand, are in a "great space" at the moment.Further praising the bowlers, Kohli stated that after a long gap the team is well equipped with a bowling attack which is capable of picking twenty wickets in a Test match.Speaking in a press conference, Kohli said, "In Australian conditions, it is about patience and maintaining the pace throughout the day. That's where teams like South Africa have done well. Morkel, Kallis, Steyn and now Rabada- these guys have relentlessly bowled in the right areas to get those wickets for their team. I definitely believe that our guys are good enough to do similar kind of job. We are feeling good that we have a great bowling attack now. But the batsmen need to step up as well.""Our focus will be more on how batsmen bat well together on this tour because bowlers are in great space. They ...
IPL 2019: Rajasthan Royals retain 16 players including Steve Smith
Rajasthan Royals have retained a total of sixteen players for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), including former Australian skipper Steve Smith who is currently serving a 12-month ban for his role in the massive ball-tampering scandal during the Test series against South Africa in March.The team relied on its proven match-winners and young guns who stood up and delivered in the last season. The likes of Jos Buttler, Sanju Samson, Krishnappa Gowtham, Jofra Archer and Shreyas Gopal are some of the names who sparkled and have been retained.The franchise has therefore decided to retain most of the squad. Rajasthan Royals have made some crucial acquisitions in the previous season and build a young squad around some key players of world cricket.Zubin Bharucha, head of cricket for Rajasthan Royals, while commenting on the retained players, said that the result of previous season have made them not to disturb the team combination."The results in the previous season have
IPL: Yuvraj shown the door by Kings XI Punjab
Kings XI Punjab on Thursday parted ways with local boy and India's 2011 World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh along with eight other players that include Australia's limited overs skipper Aaron Finch, ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction next month.
Spinners disappoint as Delhi fail to register outright win vs HP
Delhi's left-arm spin duo Vikas Mishra and Varun Sood put up a disappointing show on a helpful last day track as Himachal Pradesh managed to eke out a point in a Ranji Trophy group B encounter here on Thursday. Needing nine wickets on the final day and Himachal left with an improbable chase of 376, Mishra (2/57 in 33 overs) and Sood (1/51 in 21 overs) failed to break through the opposition middle-order. HP finished their second innings at 266 for 5, primarily due to Nikhil Gangta (66 no, 184 balls) and Rishi Dhawan (52 no, 110 balls). Sumeet Verma (43, 91 balls) also played his part to perfection as Delhi bowlers sans Ishant Sharma (2/42 in 16 overs) looked below-par. Ishant, who is gearing up for the Test series in Australia, bowled with real fire but was unlucky as the edges that flew of batsmen's willow didn't carry to wicketkeeper Anuj Rawat and slip fielders. Only when the India international was bowling, it looked as if something might happen. The pitch played better than the ...
Birla scion Aryaman hits maiden first-class ton, MP salvage draw against Bengal
Left-handed opener Aryaman Birla slammed his maiden first-class century to help Madhya Pradesh salvage a draw following on, as Bengal had to settle for three points in their first Ranji Trophy home match of the season here ion Thursday. Scion of the Birla family, Aryaman remained unbeaten on 103 in his third first-class match, while Shubham Sharma gave him fine support with 100 not out on the fourth day to hand Madhya Pradesh one point in their Ranji Trophy Elite Group B fixture. Bengal, who enjoyed a first innings lead in their last match in Himachal Pradesh, have now six points from two games. Having taken a first innings lead over Tamil Nadu in their last match, Madhya Pradesh now have four points. Reeling at 69 for three in their second innings after being asked to follow-on, the 21-year-old opener showed fine application with Sharma as the duo managed the rescue act in an unbroken 171-run partnership for the fourth wicket. Son of business tycoon Kumar Mangalam Birla, Aryaman hit .
English racer Chadwick sets the pace in MRF Challenge
Jamie Chadwick, the only female driver on the 12-car grid, put the marker down for the first round of the MRF Challenge championship by topping both the free practice sessions at the Dubai Autodrome here on Thursday.
Indonesian shuttlers perform well at Hong Kong Open
One Indonesian shuttler went through to the quarterfinal of the Hong Kong Open badminton tournament and two women's doubles pairs also won their second round matches on Thursday.
Hong Kong Open: Srikanth in quarters, Sindhu bows out
Shuttler Kidambi Srikanth defeated his compatriot H.S Prannoy in an all-Indian men's singles clash to enter the quarter-finals while P.V. Sindhu lost the women's singles tie to crash out of the Hong Kong open tournament on Thursday.
Man City defender out with injury until end of 2018
Manchester City's French international defender Benjamin Mendy faces another spell on the sidelines following an operation on his left knee.
Sushil, Swapna dropped from revised TOPS list
Double Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar and India's first Asian Games gold medallist heptathlete Swapna Barman were Thursday dropped from the latest Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS) which was revised keeping in mind the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Sushil, who won bronze and silver medals respectively in 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics in 66kg freestyle category, crashed out in his first qualification bout at this year's Jakarta Asian Games in the 74kg and the latest result didn't go in his favour. Besides Sushil, another big name to have been dropped from the latest TOPS list, which was reviewed last in July 18 before the Asian Games, is Swapna, who created a flutter in Jakarta by becoming India's first gold medallist in heptathlon. Keeping an eye on 2020 and 2024 Olympics, the government's Mission Olympic Cell on Thursday reviewed three sporting disciplines -- athletics, wrestling and weightlifting. In athletics, the number has been reduced from 31 to just 10, which includes
Want to go for kill as I don't know if I will be around for next Australia tour: Ishant
It's a case of now or never for India's senior most pacer Ishant Sharma, who wants to "go for the kill" in what could well be his fourth and final tour of Australia. The most capped Test player (87 games) in the current team, Ishant had been a part of Indian sides during tours of 2007-08, 2011-2012 and 2014-2015. "I always go for the kill because when you play for your country, you can't think of a second chance. I am 30 right now. I don't know if I will be there for the next tour (of Australia in 2022-23) as I will be 34 by then. I will give my level best on this tour," Ishant said during an interaction after playing his first competitive game in two months since the tour of England. Ishant, who got 18 wickets in five Tests in England, bowled far better than the figure suggests. The 30-year-old feels that he has matured as a bowler and it's the mental state that at times dictates on-field performances. "I am matured right now and I know my field settings and bowl according to ...
IPL: Rajasthan Royals retain Steve Smith; release Unadkat
Rajasthan Royals on Thursday retained banned former Australian skipper Steve Smith while releasing their costliest buy last season -- pacer Jaydev Unadkat, along with Aussie opener D'Arcy Short, fast-medium bowler Ben Laughlin and South African wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich Klaasen, ahead of the 2019 IPL auctions next month.
Coach Shastri a 'Yes Man': No says captain Kohli
Indian captain Virat Kohli on Thursday staunchly supported Ravi Shastri, saying the growing perception of head coach being a "yes" man to the skipper "is the most bizarre thing he has ever heard". "That is the most bizarre thing I have heard. In Indian cricket, I don't think there is anyone else who has said no to me more than him honestly. He is one guy I can speak to and can get an honest opinion. I have made more changes to my game listening to him than anyone else in the past," said Kohli before the team's departure to Australia. "These are very personal things that happen within in a team environment. Things that conveniently need to be put out there will be put out there. We are not going to put up a banner and say 'this is what happens in the Indian team'. As long as our heart is clear and intent is right, we want to keep moving forward." The 30-year-old spoke on a range of issues facing the team ahead of the squad's departure to Australia where it will play three T20s, four ...
Tough road awaits Sarita, Manisha in women's World Boxing
A tough road awaits veteran L Sarita Devi and rookie Manisha Moun as they open India's campaign at the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships here on Friday. The 36-year-old Sarita, who got a first round bye in 60kg category, faces Diana Sandra Brugger of Swizerland in the second round. Brugger had defeated Huswatun Hasanah of Indonesia in the first round as the 10th edition of the championships began at the K D Jhadav Stadium here on Thursday. Sarita, who won a gold in the 2006 edition held here, has come into the tournament after winning a bronze each in the India Open and Silesian Women's Boxing championship in Gliwice, Poland this year. Her opponent Brugger, on the other hand, does not have a formidable reputation. But, it will not be an easy outing for the Manipuri as her opponent has been an experienced campaigner having taken part in World Championships since 2008. Sarita, seeded fourth in the tournament, would be searching for her second gold at home but to do that she will ..
Australia's 'No Sledging' Policy: Kohli happy to play "without altercation"
The Australian players have of late refrained from sledging, which is perfectly fine with Indian captain Virat Kohli, who is happy to compete "without any altercation" during the upcoming series Down Under. The Australian cricket is going through a massive restructuring and the "win at all costs" strategy employed by teams of yesteryears, is not being encouraged anymore. Both Kohli and senior-most pacer Ishant Sharma felt that it is entirely up to the Australians as to how they play their cricket but assured that their players won't be the first ones to indulge in any kind of sledging. "I think that's (no sledging policy) a very personal thing for them. But when it comes to getting engaged in an argument on the field or a fight as people want to call it excitedly, I have been completely ok with playing without the altercation," Kohli told mediapersons at the pre-departure press conference. Kohli, once criticised for his overtly aggressive behaviour said that he has passed that phase .
Constantine includes Nishu, Jackichand for friendly against Jordan
Mid-fielder Jackichand Singh and left back Nishu Kumar were were on Thursday included in India's 22-member squad for the forthcoming away international FIFA friendly against Jordan slated to be held on November 17. Nishu and Jackichand were the only two changes National coach Stephen Constantine made in his squad from the team that played a goal-less draw against China in the last international friendly in October. Constantine emphasised that the forthcoming friendly against Jordan will "aid India's preparation" for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in UAE. "We want to do well in AFC Asian Cup and the clash against Jordan will aid us. Jordan are a good side and they have a number of good players in their ranks," he said. Jordan, who are ranked 112 in the latest FIFA rankings, lost 1-2 to FIFA World Cup 2018 finalists Croatia in their last friendly fixture. The news of recent floods in Jordan did crop up in talk among the players and striker Jeje Lalpekhlua said the team needs to "accept it and ..