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Kuerten ends Federer’s French Open run
Becker too big for Paris clay Aussies wrap up series Basher’s ton ensure satisfying
day for Bangladesh |
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BCCI’s much-awaited spin wing takes off Inzamam pitches for bowling coach, trainer Jones not welcome at
Bislett Games Balraj gets past Sumit, wins gold Dushyant Kohli scores century
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Kuerten ends Federer’s French Open run
Paris, May 29 The hugely popular Brazilian, seeded a lowly 28 after having two years of his career savaged by a hip injury, was carried along to his famous victory by a huge wave of support from a packed Philippe Chatrier Court. His win gave him a match-up against either Spain’s 23rd seed Feliciano Lopez or South Korean lucky loser Lee Hyung-Taik for a place in the quarterfinals. “For me it’s a great pleasure to come here and play,” said Kuerten, the winner in 1997, 2000 and 2001. “I didn’t expect to play because of my physical condition but this is a very special tournament for me. It makes me go over the limit and if it wasn’t for this tournament I wouldn’t be here.” The stunning win ended Federer’s hopes of adding the Roland Garros title to his Wimbledon and Australian crowns and it also overshadowed the relatively sedate progress of former champions Serena Williams and Jennifer Capriati into the fourth round of the women’s singles. “I tried but he didn’t give me much of a chance,” said a dejected Federer. “Usually I can control these kinds of matches but today that wasn’t the case.” In the women’s draw second seed Serena Williams eased into the fourth round with a 6-0, 6-4 victory over unseeded Croatian Silvija Talaja. The American, champion in 2002, made 32 unforced errors but was too good for Talaja, the world No 106, winning in 67 minutes to set up a clash with Shinobu Asagoe of Japan. Seventh seed Jennifer Capriati battled through to the fourth round with a 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Russia’s Elena Bovina. The 28-year-old American was made to fight all the way by 25th seed Bovina, one of the large crop of exciting Russian women’s players on the tour. Champion in 2001, Capriati will next meet 17th seed Francesca Schiavone of Italy. Sixth seed Anastasia Myskina also advanced, ousting Czech Denisa Chladkova 6-3, 7-6. She will next face either Swiss Myriam Casanova or fellow Russian and 11th seed Svetlana Kuznetsova. Kuerten was irrepressible on a scorching hot centre court, absorbing everything the world No 1 had to throw at him and firing winners all over the red court. A single break in each set was all the 28th seed needed to topple the pre-tournament favourite and reach the last 16. He will next face either Spain’s Feliciano Lopez or Lee Hyung-taik of South Korea. Federer’s defeat and the loss of second seed Juan Carlos Ferrero earlier in the week leaves Argentine Guillermo Coria the highest remaining seed in the men’s draw. Monte Carlo Open winner Coria swept past young Croatian Mario Ancic 6-3, 6-1, 6-2, while Rome Masters champion Moya outclassed Dutchman Ramon Sluiter 6-0, 6-3, 6-4. The 22-year-old Coria, the No 3 seed, showed no signs of the abdominal strain that hampered him earlier in the season as he took total control of his tie against Ancic. “I’m really pleased to have won as quickly as that in a match that didn’t look that easy as it means I will stay fresher physically,” said the player known at home as El Mago (The Magician). Fifth-seeded Moya was just as dominant against Sluiter racing into a 6-0, 3-0 lead before allowing his opponent a first game which brought a sympathetic cheer from a subdued centre-court crowd. “I am playing with a lot more consistency than last year, but I’ve got tough opponents to come,” said the 1998 champion. Moya has the tougher assignment in the next round going up against countryman Tommy Robredo who scored a surprisingly easy 6-2, 6-0, 6-2 win over the 11th seeded Nicolas Massu of Chile. Coria takes on France’s Nicolas Escude who came into the tournament with an abysmal record on clay this year, but who has strung three good performances together edging past Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny in four sets in the third round. Should they both win their fourth round ties, Coria and Moya will face-off in a quarterfinal that should decide one of this year’s finalists with world No 1 Roger Federer favoured to come through in the other half of the draw. Others through to the last 16 from the bottom half of the draw were Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina, and Frenchman Olivier Mutis. In the women’s competition third-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France and fifth-seeded Lindsay Davenport of the USA stayed on course for a quarter-final showdown.
— AFP |
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Becker too big for Paris clay Paris, May 29 The German legend won the other three Grand Slam events — Wimbledon, US and Australian Opens — but he never even reached the final in nine attempts at Roland Garros. Like his great rival Pete Sampras that left him one short of the full set that few players have managed, the most recent being Andre Agassi. Becker said it wasn’t a lack of desire that let him down each year in Paris, simply that he was not good enough. “I tried everything, but it was all in vain,” he told L’Equipe sports daily. “The main reason for my failures here was that at base I was a serve-and-volley player and when I saw that at Roland Garros, it was the player who makes the least number of faults who wins, it was hard to accept. “But I was 1.93m tall and weighed in at 90 kg and was playing guys who were 1.70m and 70 kg. “When I moved laterally, I needed more time to get myself back into position than they did.” Becker who has recently brought out his autobiography said that among the current crop of player Roger Federer was the most impressive. “But he needs great rivals to play against. He has to play against the likes of (Andy) Roddick, (Juan Carlos) Ferrero and (Guillermo) Coria in tough, cut-throat games. |
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Aussies wrap up series Harare, May 29 Gillespie’s five for 32 and Clarke’s 105 not out in 102 balls helped Australia wrap up the series of three matches 3-0 without the need to raise their game out of low gear. Australia scored 199 for two in 30.4 overs in reply to Zimbabwe’s 196 all out in 48.5, ending a week for the tourists which tended to feature more golf and wildlife than cricket. In completing the one-sided series — rescheduled after the Test series was canceled — World Cup champions Australia mirrored Sri Lanka’s romp earlier this month. It was Zimbabwe’s 10th successive defeat in 10 matches. SCOREBOARD Zimbabwe: Matsikenyere c Watson
b Gillespie 4 Taylor LBW b Gillespie 1 Sibanda c Gilchrist b Gillespie 2 Taibu LBW b Kasprowicz 27 Vermeulen c&b Gillespie 17 Maragwede b Gillespie 1 Chigumbura b Hogg 77 Nkala b Hogg 47 Mpariwa run out 4 Mwayenga LBW b Hogg 1 Rainsford not out 1 Extras:
(lb-5, w-8, nb-1) 14 Total: (all out in 48.5 over)196 FoW:
1-4, 2-9, 3-10, 4-42, 5-50, 6-61, 7-175, 8-194, 9-195 Bowling:
Jason Gillespie 10-2-32-5, Michael Kasprowicz 10-1-27-1, Glenn McGrath 8-1-28-0, Shane Watson 8-0-38-0, Brad Hogg 6.5-0-37-3, Andrew Symonds 6-0-29-0. Australia: Gilchrist b Mpariwa 44 Clarke not out 105 Symonds c Mwayenga b
Mpariwa 20 Watson not out 18 Extras: (lb-4, w-8) 12 Total: (2 wkts, 30.4 overs) 199 Fall of wickets:
1-68, 2-115. Bowling: Mluleki Nkala 5-0-27-0, Waddington Mwayenga 3-1-22-0, Tawanda Mpariwa 8-0-48-2, Edward Rainsford 7-0-36-0, Stuart Matsikenyeri 5-0-35-0, Elton Chigumbura 2.4-0-27-0.
— AP |
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Basher’s ton ensure satisfying
day for Bangladesh Castries (St. Lucia), May 29 Teenager Mohammad Ashraful chipped in with an unbeaten 65 as the bottom-ranked visitors closed at 278 for seven after winning the toss and choosing to bat yesterday. Bangladesh would have been slightly disappointed after reaching 227 for three at one stage. But the home team fought back in the lengthy final session through their slow bowlers. Leg-spinner Ramnaresh Sarwan (2-20) and off-spinner Chris Gayle (1-31) provided key breakthroughs in miserly spells. Left-arm seamer Pedro Collins took three for 75 off 20 overs to earn the best West Indian bowling figures. Collins provided an instant spark with a wicket off the first delivery of the Test. Opener Hannan Sarkar played no stroke to a big inswinger and umpire Jeremy Lloyds, officiating in his first Test, gave a clear-cut leg before decision. Scoreboard Bangladesh (Ist
innings): Sarkar lbw b Collins 0 Omar c Devon Smith b Collins
32 Bashar c Dwayne Smith b Lawson 113 Saleh c Jacobs b Sarwan
26 Ashraful not out 65 Hossain c Best b Collins 5 Rahman c Jacobs b Sarwan
1 Mashud st Jacobs b Gayle 2 Rafique not out 17 Extras: (lb-3 nb-14) 17 Total: (7 wkts, 90 overs) 278 Fall of wickets:
1-0, 2-121, 3-171, 4-227, 5-238, 6-241, 7-250. Bowling: Collins 20-4-75-3, Edwards 13-1-54-0 , Lawson 10-0-44-1, Best 13-2-46-0, Dwayne Smith 4-1-5-0, Gayle 16-2-31-1, Sarwan 14-6-20-2.
— AP |
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BCCI’s much-awaited spin wing takes off Kolkata, May 29 The third spin conclave, held here during the day, chalked out a strategy to identify rookie talents from various parts of the country and harness them through a comprehensive programme to enable India to produce top-flight spin bowlers once again. Briefing newspersons on the day-long deliberations at a five star hotel, BCCI President Jagmohan Dalmiya announced that the working group, christened as the Spin Wing Committee, would comprise legendary bastman Sunil Gavaskar (Chairman, National Cricket Academy), spin stalwarts Bishen Singh Bedi, EAS Prasanna, VV Kumar, Ravi Shastri, Anil Kumble as also former middle order batsman Brijesh Patel (Director, NCA). BCCI secretary SK Nair would be the convenor while Gavaskar and Patel would be ex-officio members. The BCCI President said the spin wing would be under the NCA and not an autonomous body. He said members of the Spin Wing Committee would periodically visit camps for under-15, under-17, under-19 and under-22 cricketers and also watch the inter-zonal academy tournament to spot talents. The under-15 camp was already in progress at the NCA while the inter-zonal Academy tournament would start shortly followed by camps for the under-22, under-19 and ‘A’ level cricketers. “It has been decided that of the around 200 cricketers selected for the zonal academies, 40 will be spinners,” Dalmiya said. While Kumar was aleady working on the under-15 camp, the conclave decided that Prasanna, Kumble, former spinners Padmakar Shivalkar and Raghuram Bhat would watch the academy tournaments. The other camps would also be attended by committee members and specialist spinners. The identified spin talents would thereafter be called for a four-week camp at the NCA in Bangalore to fine-tune their skills. Bedi, Prasanna and Kumar would be the chief coaches and Shastri and Kumble would also lend assistance provided they were available. The meeting also decided to conduct a camp for the talented wicketkeepers of the country in September at Bangalore to be run along with the spinners camp.
— PTI |
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Inzamam
pitches for bowling coach, trainer
Islamabad, May 29 Inzamam, whose next assignment is the Asia Cup in July, said he would be outlining his requirements to the PCB officials when he meets them on June 4 when plans for the future assignments of the Pakistan team would be drawn up. “We are planning to have a 22-day training camp from June 20. And I want the board to provide us with a bowling coach, a qualified physiotherapist and a trainer who can be with us in the camp and work with the players,” he was quoted as saying by local daily ‘The News’. The prolific batsman made it clear that if the Pakistan team was to move forward it required to have a qualified physio and trainer with it at all times. “I don’t care if the physio and trainer are from Pakistan. I am not asking specifically for foreigners. What I want is that they should be young and well versed with the modern requirements of the sport. “Look at all the other teams today, they all have young qualified physios and trainers attached to them because nowadays we are playing cricket constantly. Cricket is now a science,” Inzamam said. Referring to the spate of injuries to Pakistan bowlers against India, which even prompted the PCB to set up a medical inquiry commission, the skipper admitted that injuries have been affecting the team badly. “Injuries have been a major problem for us in the past and hit us badly in the series against India. We need to overcome this problem,” Inzamam said. “I would like someone like Daryl Foster helping out the players. I have also spoken to Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram and they have said if the board offers them a proper assignment they will do it. But for the time being I have also requested them to come and work with the bowlers in the training camp for 22 days,” he said. Inzamam admitted that he erred in relying greatly on the bowlers and expecting too much from them in the series against India. “I think what we forgot was that we can’t start comparing them to Wasim and Waqar. They (Wasim and Waqar) had a lot of experience behind them where as Sami and Shoaib are still learning and when they faced problems with no-balls and wides and the expectations of the nation they came under pressure. I felt sorry for them,” he said. He also said after doing a review of the series he had come to the conclusion that the Pakistani bowlers, particularly Sami and Shoaib, failed because they simply could not manage to swing the ball. The 34-year old captain, a veteran of 94 Tests and 312 one-dayers, was confident that his team would recover from the defeat to India when it plays in the Asia Cup. “I think we badly need to do well in the Asia Cup, in fact win it. Because we need not only to get our own confidence back but also restore the confidence of the nation. We have to perform much better in the Asia Cup because you have the world’s top two teams — India and Sri Lanka — competing in it.”
Raja to stay, says PCB Brushing aside reports that a move was afoot to replace CEO Ramiz Raja, the PCB said the former cricketer would continue to hold his post. PCB Chairman Shaharyar Khan also denied having differences with Raja or that it had been decided to replace him with a former bureaucrat Abu Shamim Arif. “The PCB emphatically denies reports that refer to imminent changes in the PCB hierarchy. The board also denies speculation of differences between the Chairman and Chief Executive,” a press statement from the PCB said. Local daily ‘The News’ quoted a spokesman of the board as saying the reports were baseless and unfounded. “The Chairman wanted to have the situation cleared after several reports on this issue,” he said. A section of the local media had yesterday reported that Raja was on his way out as the PCB chief was unhappy over his dual role as a TV commentator and CEO. Meanwhile, PCB Treasurer Naeeem Ahmad has quit after levelling charges of irregularities against the board officials. Ahmed has reportedly submitted his resignation letter to the PCB chief.
— PTI |
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Jones not welcome at
Bislett Games Gothenburg (Sweden), May 29 “We absolutely don’t want them,” chief organiser Svein-Arne Hansen told the paper yesterday, adding that the couple, who are both being investigated by US anti-doping officials, would probably not be invited to any Golden League events this year. “We don’t have any agreement yet but I won’t be surprised if the other organisers reach the same decision we did,” Hansen said. Montgomery, a sprinter who ran a world best 9.78 seconds in 100m in Paris in September 2002, and Jones have both denied taking banned supplements. Yesterday, the San Jose Mercury News reported that Montgomery was in 2001 given the then-undetectable designer steroid THG. Jones was interviewed by US Anti-Doping Agency officials who claim they have evidence supplied by the Internal Revenue Service proving she was involved in the BALCO doping ring. — AFP |
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Balraj gets past Sumit, wins gold Jalandhar, May 29 Balraj Singh of Haryana won the gold medal in the 50kg freestyle category defeating Sumit of DAWA on points. The third place was secured by Manoj Kumar of Pondicherry. In the 50kg Greco-Roman category, Haryana’s Jaibir Singh had an easy victory over Sunil of Goa on points to secure a place in the final. He will face Joginder Singh of West Bengal in the final, who defeated Tushar Kadam of Maharashtra on points. Another Haryana wrestler, who secured place in the finals in the 69kg Greco-Roman category was Rajbir, who thrashed Pardeep of Nadani in a one sided semifinal. Rajbir will clash with Rambir of Tamil Nadu in the final. Rambir defeated Sandeep of Maharashtra in the other semifinal. Rakesh Kumar also of Haryana entered the final of the 85kg category in Greco-Roman. He defeated Vishal of Goa on points. Chandigarh’s Raj Kumar entered the final in the 69kg category in freestyle. Results: Greco-Roman: Quarterfinals: Joginder Singh (WB) b Pardeep (Pondicherry), Tushar Kadam (Maharashtra) b Shri Bhagwan (Nidani), Jaivir (Haryana) b Parminder (UP), Sunil (Goa) b Sunil Kumar (DSAW) Semifinals: Joginder Singh (WB) b Tushar Kadan (Maharashtra), Jaibir (Haryana) b Sunil (Goa). 58kg (quarterfinals): Vikas Kumar (Rajasthan) b Manoj Kumar (WB), Narender b Vikram (Pondicherry), Deepak (UP) b Javed (MP), Barangi Yadav (Maharashtra) b Manoj (Karanatka). Semifinals: Vikas Kumar (Rajasthan) b Narender Nidan, Bajrangi Yadav b Deepak (UP). 69kg (quarterfinals): Sandeep (Maharashtra) b Push Pender (Rajasthan), Rambir (TN) b Samundur (Delhi), Rajbir (Haryana) b Jaspal (Chandigarh). Semifinals: Ramvir (Ind) b Sandeep (Maharashtra), Rajbir (Haryana) b Pardeep (Nidani). 85kg (quarterfinals):
Bhim Singh (Pondicherry) b Varun (HP), Parveen (TN) b Karamvir (Jharkhand). Semifinals: Bhim Singh (Pondicherry) b Parveen Kumar, Lokes Kumar (Haryana) b Vishal (Goa). Freestyle
Sumit (DAWA) b Shivraj (SSCB), Yogesh (Chandigarh) b Amit (Nidani), Manoj (PC) b Sukhwinder (Punjab), Balraj (Haryana) b Komal (HP). 58Kg (quarterfinals): Jaibeer (AWAD) b Sandeep (Dawa), Sahib (Haryana) b Sukhjit Singh (Punjab), Amit (DAWA) b Manoj (UP), Bajaj (Haryana) b Baslo (Goa). 69Kg (quarterfinals): Naveen (Haryana) b Parvesh (TN), Sundeep (Nidani) b Gurmail (UTTR), Harmant (Maharashtra) b Jagdish (Rajasthan), Raj Kumar (Chandigarh) b Vichitar (PC). Semifinals: Sandip (Nidani) b Naveen (Haryana), Raj Kumar (Chandigarh) b Hemant (Maharashtra). 76kg (Ist round):
Neeraj (Orissa) b Sanjeev (MP), Nitin (Goa) b Sandeep (WB), Mahesh (Maharashtra) b Rajesh (Bihar), Vivek Rana (UTC) b Krishan (TN), Ashwani (Haryana) b Shiv (AP), Gurmej Singh (Punjab) b Sanjeet (NCR), Dhirah (UP) b Raj Kumar (Dawa), Sandeep (Rajasthan) b Mohan (J&K), Ashok (Nidani) b Nawab Singh (Karnataka). 85kg (semifinals):
Ramesh (Dawa) b Surinder (Haryana), Naresh Kumar (Orissa) b Manupal
(PC). |
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Dushyant
Kohli scores century Ludhiana, May 29 Ludhiana won the toss and decided to bat first. Openers Pankaj and Ashish Vinayak gave a good start to their team, putting up 49 runs for the opening wicket before being separated. Then Dushyant Kohli took control of the proceedings. He, along with Gaurav Kumar (58) added 142 runs for the third wicket. Dushyant hammered 160 runs, which included 24 boundaries. Brief scores: Ludhiana: 361 all out in 88.2 overs (Pankaj 42, Ashish Vinayak 23, Dushyant Kohli 160, Gaurav Kumar 58, Yogesh Kumar 13, Gurpreet 35 and Deepak Gupta 18; Abhinav 2 for 34, Vinay Sharma 3 for 74 and Hardeep Singh 2 for 68)
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Kolkata, May 29
