S P O R T S

The Annhilator
New York, September 12
Belgium’s Kim Clijsters won her second straight US Open women’s title on Saturday after crushing seventh-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-2 6-1 in the most lopsided triumph in 34 years. The second-seeded Clijsters hit 17 winners while making just 15 unforced errors against a nervous Zvonareva to match

Kim Clijsters returns a shot against Vera Zvonareva during her women's singles final at the Flushing in New York City on Saturday. — AFP

Dhoni all praise for Badri, bowlers
Durban, September 12
Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was all praise for Subramaniam Badrinath for his superb unbeaten 52 which set up his side's victory over Central Districts in Champions League Twenty20 match here last night.

Cycling squad yet to get new cycles
Patiala, September 12
With only 20 days to go for the Games, the Indian cycling squad is yet to get new cycles. Despite repeated requests and complaints, there still seems to be no hope for cyclists as the deadline for getting the equipment is extending with each passing day.

Alonso paints Monza red
Monza, September 12
Fernando Alonso seized a longed-for victory in his first Italian Grand Prix for Ferrari on Sunday while Lewis Hamilton lasted less than a lap and handed the championship lead back to Australian Mark Webber.



Ferrari's Fernando Alonso drives at the Autodromo Nazionale circuit in Monza on Sunday. Alonso won the race ahead of McLaren Mercedes' Jenson Button and Ferrari's Felipe Massa. — AFP

Jalandhar lads in CWG athletics squad
Jalandhar, September 12
From Narwana in Haryana to Jalandhar to Commonwealth Games, Manjit Singh Chahal appears to be on a fast forward mode. Twenty one-year-old Manjit is one of the top three names in middle distance races in the country. He qualified to take part in the Games in 800m.

RCB down toothless Guyana
Centurion, September 12
Jacques Kallis starred with an all-round performance as Royal Challengers Bangalore crushed underdogs Guyana by nine wickets in their opening Champions League Twenty20 match here today. Kallis captured three wickets for 16 to play a big role in RCB skittling out Guyana for a paltry 103 after captain Anil Kumble put the opposition in and later smashed an unbeaten 43 to help his side overhaul the target with more than seven overs remaining at SuperSport Park here.

The Annhilator

Mother of success

Kim Clijsters from Belgium with her daughter Jada after defeating Russia’s Vera Zvonareva in the women's singles final at US Open in New York on Saturday. — AFP

New York, September 12
Belgium’s Kim Clijsters won her second straight US Open women’s title on Saturday after crushing seventh-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-2 6-1 in the most lopsided triumph in 34 years. The second-seeded Clijsters hit 17 winners while making just 15 unforced errors against a nervous Zvonareva to match

the three games lost by American Chris Evert in her 6-3 6-0 demolition of Australian Evonne Goolagong in 1976.

Clijsters, 27, extended her Flushing Meadows match-winning streak to 21 in a row, having also won the title in 2005 before missing a year due to injury and two more to start a family.

“It's been an incredible year, being back in the Open and for the first time I'm able to defend my title,” Clijsters said at the trophy ceremony. Clijsters cruised through the first set in 27 minutes after twice breaking Zvonareva's serve.

The Russian, appearing in her first final at Flushing Meadows, gifted Clijsters a break in the sixth game with a double fault and three unforced errors. Then Clijsters wrapped up the set with a service break when Zvonareva slapped a backhand into the net. Another double fault by the Russian, runner-up at Wimbledon this season, in the sixth game of the second set put Clijsters up by two breaks and she quickly ended the 59-minute match with a forehand winner in the next game.

Super Mom Kim Clijsters wins US Open women’s title after crushing Vera Zvonareva 6-2, 6-1.

It was the quickest women’s final since officials started keeping track of match times in 1980. “Kim just played tremendously well. She deserved to win,” said the Russian, who burst into tears at the end. Clijsters, the first woman to defend her title at Flushing Meadows since Venus Williams in 2001, tried to console Zvonareva after the match.

“A little bit of experience definitely helps. She has improved so much,” said Clijsters, who lost her first four slam finals before beginning her US open run of success.

Djokovic joins Nadal in final

Novak Djokovic clawed his way back from the brink of defeat to beat Roger Federer in an epic semi-final at the US Open on Saturday and join Rafa Nadal in Sunday’s championship.

Djokovic, who lost to Federer in New York the past three years, twice came back from a set down and saved two match points to win 5-7 6-1 5-7 6-2 7-5 after a match of unrelenting tension and incredible shot making from both players.

The Serbian world number three, who thumped himself in the head with his racket during the third set as the frustration began to build, jubilantly threw his arms into the air after sealing victory and planted a sloppy kiss on the court.

“It's one of those matches you'll always remember in your career. I'm so thrilled to be in the final,” Djokovic said in courtside interview.

“To be honest, I was just closing my eyes and hitting forehands as fast as I can on the match points ... I managed to come back. I was very lucky”.

Djokovic’s nail-biting victory robbed the tennis world of what might have been the ultimate grand slam final. Federer and Nadal have played each other in the final at Wimbledon, the French Open and the Australian Open, but no two men have ever met in the finals of all four majors.

“I can only try to imagine the excitement around the two of us maybe playing,” Federer said. For Federer, a five-time winner of the US Open and a finalist last year, it was his earliest exit from New York since 2003, while Nadal moved tantalisingly close to completing his own career slam.

Only six men, including Federer, have won all four titles and the current world number one only needs the US Open to become the seventh. “It's great for tennis and it's great for him at the young age,” Federer said.

The absence of Federer and the exhausting way Djokovic got through has ensured that Nadal will go into Sunday's final as the overwhelming favourite after he thrashed Russia's Mikhail Youzhny 6-2 6-3 6-4 to reach the final without dropping a set in the entire tournament. — Reuters

Dhoni all praise for Badri, bowlers

Cycling squad yet to get new cycles
Gagan K Teja
Tribune News Service

Patiala, September 12
With only 20 days to go for the Games, the Indian cycling squad is yet to get new cycles. Despite repeated requests and complaints, there still seems to be no hope for cyclists as the deadline for getting the equipment is extending with each passing day.

As per the latest assurance, the cycles will be available within one week. Now what remains to be seen is whether this deadline will be met this time or the cyclists will have to enter the Games with their old machines that are nothing as compared to the latest and sophisticated equipment used by other countries during the Games. Despite the fact that the Australian coach of the team Graham Seers and head coach of the team Chayan Chowdhury had earlier commented that delay in getting the equipment might be a boon in disguise as the cyclists were training even harder on their old bikes, players and other cycling coaches does not seem to approve of the idea.

One of the coaches on condition of anonymity said, “It is almost impossible to adjust to a new equipment within such a short span of time. I don’t want to discourage our players and coaches, but if this attitude persists, I don’t think India stands a chance at the Games”.

“Anyways what is good is that the bikes are reaching India. At least the players will be able to use them in the future,” he added. Players, too, felt that it would have been better if they got the equipment a little early. “We could have got a little more time to adjust to the new bikes in case we got the equipment earlier, but anyways, all we are looking forward right now is the Games,” said a player. President of Cycling Federation of India Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa said the IOA had assured that the bikes would be available by September 22.

“Now that the competition is so close, I think we will get the equipment. We have been assured of 40 bikes that would be used by the cyclists for Commonwealth as well as the Asian Games,” he added. 

Alonso paints Monza red

Final Race Standings

Jalandhar lads in CWG athletics squad
Sarbjit Dhaliwal
Tribune News Service

From Left: Harpreet Singh, Manjit Singh and their coach Sarabjit Singh during a training session. Tribune photo: Malkiat Singh

Jalandhar, September 12
From Narwana in Haryana to Jalandhar to Commonwealth Games, Manjit Singh Chahal appears to be on a fast forward mode. Twenty one-year-old Manjit is one of the top three names in middle distance races in the country. He qualified to take part in the Games in 800m.

At a recent inter-state senior athletic competition, Manjit covered 800m in 1.47.24 minutes to win a slot to compete in the Games. “Though I was on a third spot in the race, I broke the earlier meet record in the event,” said Manjit.

“Before entering in the athletic world, I used to take part in small local-level rural tournaments and win prizes. Someone told me that I have got talent to become a good athlete,” he said, adding, there was no coach available at Narwana.

“A friend of mine told me that there is a coach in Jalandhar, Sarabjit Singh, who has helped in preparing some good international athletes. I came to meet the coach and it was my good luck that I got the coach I wanted,” he said.

A student of local Khalsa College, Manjit won the gold medal in the inter-university athletic meet in 800m in the last competition. Winning the gold medal in the inter-university competition was a big leap forward because he had finished fourth in the inter-college competition of the Guru Nanak Dev University a year earlier.

“I am coaching athletes for the past 15 years, but I have never seen a boy achieving success as has been done by Manjit,” said his coach Sarabjit.

“I am very happy with his progress. Impressed by his performance, the ONGC has given scholarship to Manjit,” he added. “ Though Haryana offers cash awards to the athletes who win medals at the national level, but Manjit, who is from that state, has preferred to represent Punjab in the national meets so far,” said Sarabjit.

Another Jalandhar boy who will be seen at the Games is Harpreet Singh. He has been selected as a member of the 4x400m relay race. Twenty six-year-old Harpreet, who belongs to Dalbir Khera village, near Abohar, was a member of the gold medal winning team at the SAF Games at Dhaka and silver medal winner team at the Asian Indoor Athletic Meet at Tehran. He was also member of the relay team that won bronze medal at the Asian Athletic Championship held in China.

Harpreet, who has joined BSF as sub-inspector, has fought hard to achieve the fame. When he came for trials to join Khalsa College many years ago, he was not selected and was told that he could join practice sessions instead but would have to stay out. But with a strong determination to be an athlete, he continued to practice with other athletes in the college under the guidance of Sarabjit. He runs the distance in 46.8 seconds and is keen to qualify to run 400m flat at the international level.

“I am sure, he will do it some day,” said the coach, adding that he was a committed sportsperson. 

RCB down toothless Guyana