S P O R T S

Rough ride ahead for Rafa
Paris, May 21
Favourite Rafael Nadal must negotiate a tricky path in his bid for a fifth French Open title following Friday's draw for the claycourt grand slam starting on Sunday. World number two Nadal, however, did not seem too worried by his fate as he was spotted practising on a sunbathed centre court while holders Roger Federer and Svetlana Kuznetsova were making the draw.

KPS Gill says next move after studying judgment
New Delhi, May 21
Super cop KPS Gill, who had refused to step down as the president of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) when the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) took over the reins of hockey, insisting that he was the duly elected chief of the apex hockey body.

KPS Gill

Somdev qualifies for French Open
Paris, May 21
Somdev Devvarman today became the first Indian in 13 years to qualify for the men's singles event of the French Open after scoring a 6-4, 6-1 win over Adrian Mannarino here. It took sixth seed Somdev one hour and 25 minutes to quell the challenge of his French rival in the third and final round and seal one of the 16 main draw spots up for grab. Leander Paes was the last Indian to play in men's singles event of the French Open in 1997 when he made the second round of the clay court Grand Slam. This is for the second time that Somdev has qualified for the men's singles of a Grand Slam tournament. He first played in a tennis Major at the US Open last year and had reached second round.

Inter, Bayern to battle for Europe
Madrid, May 20
Saturday's Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Inter Milan is so much more than just one game of soccer with a myriad of intertwened storylines promising an intriguing night whatever happens on the field. The first final to be played on a Saturday brings together two teams gunning for trebles and is crucial to whether Germany or Italy have four Champions League qualifying berths from 2011.

‘Not bothered by allegations’
Karachi, May 21
Pakistani wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal today vehemently denied his involvement in match fixing during the national team's recent tour of Australia and said he was not bothered about such allegations as had always played clean for the country. ICC had yesterday revealed that it was looking into Pakistan's poor show in their tour of Australia early this year and fingers of suspicion were raised on Akmal who had dropped four catches.

Kamran Akmal

Irfan wants to play with Yusuf
Ludhiana, May 21
The former Indian cricket team’s star all-rounder Irfan Pathan is itching to play along with his big- brother Yusuf Pathan in all formats of the game, be it test, one day for 20-20. While taking to The Tribune here at PAU, he said, “ Yousuf- is a ruthless striker of the cricket ball and it is my dream to play all formats of the games with him”. The former team India pace spearhead, who was dropped from the team Indian following his streak lackluster performance with the ball.

Irfan Pathan in Ludhiana on Friday. Tribune photo: Himanshu Mahajan

Legends
Alfredo di Stéfano Laulhé
Born July 4, 1926 in Barracas, Buenos Aires), born into a family of Italian immigrants from Capri, is an Argentine former footballer and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He is most associated with Real Madrid and was instrumental in their domination of the European Champions' Cup during the 1950s, a period in which the club won the trophy in five consecutive seasons from 1956. Di Stéfano played international football mostly for Spain, but he also played for Argentina and Colombia.

Rough ride ahead for Rafa

Roger Federer participates in the women’s draw of the French Open in Paris, two days ahead of the second Grand Slam of the season. — AFP

Paris, May 21
Favourite Rafael Nadal must negotiate a tricky path in his bid for a fifth French Open title following Friday's draw for the claycourt grand slam starting on Sunday. World number two Nadal, however, did not seem too worried by his fate as he was spotted practising on a sunbathed centre court while holders Roger Federer and Svetlana Kuznetsova were making the draw.

Nadal, beaten for the first time at Roland Garros last year, is in the same half as fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco and third seed Novak Djokovic of Serbia. Following a first-round match against Frenchman Gianni Mina, the Spaniard could meet Australian Lleyton Hewitt and big-serving Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia before a possible quarter-final against Verdasco and a semi-final clash with Djokovic.

Nadal refused to look beyond his first-round opponent. Asked who were his main rivals for the May 23-June 6 tournament, he said: "First round, no? I play against a wildcard from France and that's my toughest opponent now." Nadal, wearing a white cap back to front, practised for more than an hour on centre court, looking relaxed as he punished his sparring partner with his trademark forehand winners in front of his uncle and coach Toni Nadal.

Fourth-seeded Andy Murray, gunning for his first grand-slam title, will face gifted Frenchman Richard Gasquet and the Paris crowd in a treacherous first round. Murray lost two of his three matches against Gasquet but won the last one in a memorable five-set thriller at Wimbledon in 2008.

World number one Federer takes on Australian Peter Luczak in the first round en route to a possible fifth French Open final against Nadal, whom he has never beaten at Roland Garros. He could face France's Gael Monfils in the fourth round and Swede Robin Soderling, whom he defeated in last year's final to win his first and only Paris crown.

In the women's draw, four-times champion Justine Henin, who returned to tennis in January after 20 months in retirement, got a difficult draw with a possible third-round clash with Russia's Maria Sharapova.

A quarter-final match-up with world number one Serena Williams, who takes on Swiss Stefanie Voegele in the first round, looms for the 22nd-seeded Belgian. Holder Kuznetsova, seeded sixth, is in the other half, and had an easier draw with a possible quarter-final match against Dane Caroline Wozniacki, the third seed. She then could face second seed Venus Williams in the semi-finals, but the American will face Patty Schnyder in the first round. — Reuters

KPS Gill says next move after studying judgment
M.S. Unnikrishnan
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, May 21
Super cop KPS Gill, who had refused to step down as the president of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) when the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) took over the reins of hockey, insisting that he was the duly elected chief of the apex hockey body, was a relieved man today, though his reaction to the Delhi High Court order was guarded. Gill told The Tribune that "for the time being, our first priority would be to hold the National Championship in June in Mumbai". He said the IHF would study the judgment in detail, considering all aspects of the case, and then act upon it. "The court order has vindicated our stand that the IOA and the Government had errred in suspending the IHF", Gill said.

Reaction from the IOA was mixed, though none was willing to be quoted. A source pointed out that IOA secretary-general Randhir Singh had quit the ad hoc panel of Hockey India, protesting against the manner in which the IHF was suspended, and a committee was instead formed to run the affairs of the game by the IOA. "Randhir Singh's decision to quit the Hockey India ad hoc panel has been vidicated by the court order", the source pointed out.

The IOA, at the behest of the Government, had suspended the IHF headed by KPS Gill when pressure was brought upon them by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), which felt that the Indian Hockey Confederation (after merging the men's and women's bodies) were not serving the cause of Indian hockey properly. Despite repeated attempts, Hockey India president Vidya Stokes did not answer her mobile phone.

Somdev qualifies for French Open

Paris, May 21
Somdev Devvarman today became the first Indian in 13 years to qualify for the men's singles event of the French Open after scoring a 6-4, 6-1 win over Adrian Mannarino here. It took sixth seed Somdev one hour and 25 minutes to quell the challenge of his French rival in the third and final round and seal one of the 16 main draw spots up for grab. Leander Paes was the last Indian to play in men's singles event of the French Open in 1997 when he made the second round of the clay court Grand Slam. This is for the second time that Somdev has qualified for the men's singles of a Grand Slam tournament. He first played in a tennis Major at the US Open last year and had reached second round.

Somdev's victory means India will not go unrepresented in the singles event of the second Grand Slam of the year since Sania Mirza is giving a miss to women's singles event. Last year, Somdev had stumbled on the last hurdle here as he had lost the final round.

Somdev had to work hard to take first set from Mannarino, ranked 170 spots below him at 289, as the local fought tooth and nail. There were numerous breaks as Somdev lost his serve thrice and Mannarino twice. However, after 58-minute tussle, Somdev succeeded in grabbing the lead. The second set though belonged to the Indian as Somdev broke his rival twice and sealed the set for the loss of one game. — PTI

Inter, Bayern to battle for Europe

This handout photo made available by the UEFA shows Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger addressing a press conference in Madrid on Friday. Inter face Bayern Munich for the UEFA Champions League title at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid on Saturday. — AFP

Madrid, May 20
Saturday's Champions League final between Bayern Munich and Inter Milan is so much more than just one game of soccer with a myriad of intertwened storylines promising an intriguing night whatever happens on the field. The first final to be played on a Saturday brings together two teams gunning for trebles and is crucial to whether Germany or Italy have four Champions League qualifying berths from 2011.

The future of Inter's larger-than-life coach Jose Mourinho, who learnt part of his trade under Bayern boss Louis van Gaal when they were at Barcelona, will also be decided after the game with the Portuguese tempted to quit for Real Madrid. If he does leave after taking 1964 and 1965 winners Inter to their first final since 1972, it will be because of his hatred of the Italian press and soccer establishment rather than any problems he has with the club or his beloved players.

"I love everybody. From the first to the last they give everything. They are great the way they have survived this incredible season playing a match every three days," Mourinho told Reuters. The irony of the final being played in Real's Bernabeu stadium will not have been lost on the savvy Mourinho, who will take two or three days after the game to mull his options whether or not Inter complete an unprecedented Italian treble.

Van Gaal's future appears to be more clear cut after the Dutchman said he would stay even if Bayern seal a treble, reversing a decision he took some months ago. "A defeat can happen in the final... but it would be unbelievable if you won the treble with a new team and a new coach in the first season,." Van Gaal told Reuters.

Many German football fans are viciously envious of the four-times winners but most will be rooting for them on Saturday given a win for Bayern or a draw after 120 minutes would mean four Bundesliga clubs will enter the Champions League pots for the 2011/12 season at the expense of one Italian team. Under UEFA's coefficient rules, Inter need to win without penalties to keep the status quo of Serie A having four Champions League slots, one a qualifying round berth.

The match itself is struggling to avoid becoming a side issue with neutrals moaning that a Bayern v Inter final is one of the most boring they could have imagined. Both coaches have hit back, saying their sides can put on a great show despite their tough-tackling traits. — Reuters

‘Not bothered by allegations’

Karachi, May 21
Pakistani wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal today vehemently denied his involvement in match fixing during the national team's recent tour of Australia and said he was not bothered about such allegations as had always played clean for the country. ICC had yesterday revealed that it was looking into Pakistan's poor show in their tour of Australia early this year and fingers of suspicion were raised on Akmal who had dropped four catches and missed an easy run out chance in the Sydney Test.

Akmal said he was fed up with the constant talk about match-fixing in Pakistan cricket and no longer bothered to even give credence to such stories.

"I don't even try to think about these things because I know I have always played clean cricket for Pakistan. I am really not bothered by these allegations because it is nothing new for me. I don't know how anyone can make such statements without evidence," Akmal told reporters in Lahore. "I have told the PCB everything I had to about my performances in Australia. I just want to focus on my cricket and on our team," Akmal said after returning from London where he had a short shooting stint for an Indian movie. — PTI

Irfan wants to play with Yusuf
Mohit Khanna
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, May 21
The former Indian cricket team’s star all-rounder Irfan Pathan is itching to play along with his big- brother Yusuf Pathan in all formats of the game, be it test, one day for 20-20. While taking to The Tribune here at PAU, he said, “ Yousuf- is a ruthless striker of the cricket ball and it is my dream to play all formats of the games with him”. The former team India pace spearhead, who was dropped from the team Indian following his streak lackluster performance with the ball has also expressed his desire to play with Pathan Sr in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

“Both of us share a good coordination on the field and we would make a formidable combination if we play together in one team,” said Irfan. The southpaw, who is currently working on his bowling action admired the Punjabi hospitality and said his three year stint with the Kings XI Punjab has been memorable. Praising the people of Tricity, he said people of Chandigarh have shown their love and supported the team when the players were not doing well in the IPL.

He echoed the sentiment of Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (MSD) and said, “The IPL parties have certainly made an impact on the cricketers performance. Playing during the day and to attend a party in the evening takes its toll on the player.” He refused to comment of the fitness issue raised by Garry Kirsten. “I know about my fitness, Garry have made this comments, better you should ask Garry about it,” replied Irfan.

Legends
Alfredo di Stéfano Laulhé

Born July 4, 1926 in Barracas, Buenos Aires), born into a family of Italian immigrants from Capri, is an Argentine former footballer and coach, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of all time. He is most associated with Real Madrid and was instrumental in their domination of the European Champions' Cup during the 1950s, a period in which the club won the trophy in five consecutive seasons from 1956. Di Stéfano played international football mostly for Spain, but he also played for Argentina and Colombia.

Blond Arrow

Di Stéfano, nicknamed “Saeta rubia” (“blond arrow”), was a powerful forward with great stamina, tactical versatility, and vision, who could also play almost anywhere on the pitch. He is currently the 4th highest scorer in the history of Spain's top division, and Real Madrid’s 2nd highest league goalscorer of all time, with 216 goals in 282 league matches between 1953 and 1964.

In November 2003, to celebrate UEFA's Jubilee, he was selected as the Golden Player of Spain by the Royal Spanish Football Federation as their most outstanding player of the past 50 years. He was named by Pelé as one of the “top 125 greatest living footballers” in March 2004 (in September 2009 he said di Stéfano was the best player “ever”.