Rafter, Rusedski survive

NEW YORK, Sept 2 (AP) — Patrick Rafter survived a first-round scare from an underdog from Morocco, coming back from two sets down to win as he opened defence of his US Open title.

Never has a defending singles titlist at the US national championships lost in the first round, but the Australian came about as close as possible before rallying to beat Hicham Arazi 4-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1 last night.

It was the fourth time Rafter has rallied from a two-set deficit to win and his ninth straight five-set win. He is 10-2 overall in five-setters.

Arazi appeared to be in control of what would have been by far the biggest upset of the tournament’s first two days, up two sets and two points away from a 3-1 lead in the third.

But he came unglued after a line call went against him at that point and argued repeatedly with umpire Norm Chryst of the USA the rest of the way.

Television replays showed the call, on a crosscourt backhand at deuce, was very close but it was unclear from the tape if the ball was in or out.

Rafter, the ponytailed third seed, hurt himself with mistakes in the first two sets but steadied as Arazi unraveled.

His serve-and-volley game took him from 1-2 down in the third set through the rest of the match without dropping serve, and he built a 5-1 lead in the final set as Arazi was given a warning for his arguments.

"I hate umpires, guys in the chair, I hate them", Arazi screamed at Chryst at one point. Later, on a changeover, he told Chryst: "Why don’t you just get out of here and I don’t see your face no more’’.

Rafter just focused on the court and will play a match he said he didn’t expect to reach.

"Down 2-0 I figured I had a fine vacation coming, be able to watch Pearl Jam,’’ he said. "But I hung in there and came back.’’

Rafter said he was too slow on his volleys at the start, but also indicated that Arazi’s antics may have spurred him on.

"There were a few things out there that annoyed me tonight,’’ he said. "I wanted to make a point.’’

Greg Rusedski, last year’s runner-up and the sixth seed this time, also survived a five-set battle of 190-kph serves with Wayne Ferreira, 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 5-7, 7-6 (9-7), 6-4.

Before Rafter and Arazi took the main court to close the card, the top of the wide open women’s field had been featured, including a spectacular victory by fifth-seeded Venus Williams.

The 18-year-old, the runner-up a year ago, so dominated and frustrated her opponent, Elena Wagner, that the German even tried to serve underhand after all else had failed.

"I was laughing, she was laughing, everybody was laughing,’’ Williams said. "There was no other alternative for her at that moment in time.’’

That unusual tactic merely helped finish off a 6-1, 6-0 victory by Williams.

Earlier in the day, Lindsay Davenport showed a muscle game in a 6-0, 6-2 victory over Catalina Cristea.

The hottest player on the women’s tour with three straight West Coast victories this summer and the Open’s No. 2 seed, Davenport had no problems against the world’s 75th-ranked player, only moments when things could have gone a bit better.

All the better for a player so attuned to what her body has to say.

"My elbow has been bothering me, so I hope I can have more short matches this week,’’ she said.

Davenport took just 16 minutes to complete a first-set shutout.

In the second set she had some hiccups — six wasted break points, for instance, and an embarrassing volley into the net on a rare venture from the baseline but nothing worth more than a frustrated squeal.

Cristea, a 22-year-old from Romania, tried to punch it out with Davenport, but she was badly overmatched. Davenport’s shots started high and hard, clipping the lines and corners and skittering away from Cristea. Davenport saved the only break point against her and allowed just eight points on her serve.

"I think my serve has been a big plus in what I’ve done these weeks and months,’’ Davenport said. I’ve worked on it, changed some things, and I’m definitely holding my serve more.’’

Williams held serve and more, never facing break point and almost doubling Wagner’s 31 points.

And then came the underhand serve.

It was Wagner’s first serve at 0-30, and the second more conventional, except for direction sailed wide, giving Williams triple-match point. It took five deuces and some of the best tennis of the night by Wagner, a 26-year-old German ranked 68th, before the inevitable came. A forehand winner wrapped it up.

Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna, seeded third, scored a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Jennifer Capriati, who is in the midst of another comeback from personal wanderings.

French Open champion Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, the fourth seed, won 6-2, 6-2 over Kristina Brandi.

Eighth-seeded Steffi Graf, a five-time champion trying to find the spark that gave her a Grand Slam sweep a decade ago, survived a second-set blip to beat Corina Morariu 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.

Former Australian Open champion Mary Pierce, the 12th seed, also needed three sets before beating Meike Babel 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. And Anna Kournikova, seeded 15th, beat Lea Ghirardi 6-1, 6-3.

Tendulkar, Jadeja for Games

CHENNAI, Sept 2 (PTI) — Mohd Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja will lead the teams to Toronto (Sahara Cup) and the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur, respectively, while Sachin Tendulkar will be part of the team to Malaysia.

Rohan Gavaskar (Bengal), Amay Khurasia (MP) and Sanjay Raul (Orissa) would be making their debuts for India in one-dayers. Gavaskar and Khurasia would play in Malaysia, while the others would go to Toronto.

Krish Srikkanth will make his debut as coach of the senior team.

Announcing the 14-member teams for the two tournaments, Kishen Rungta, chairman of the five-member selection committee, told reporters. "We are lucky we have enough talent to pick two strong teams. The teams are well balanced and capable of winning both tournaments," he said.

As most questions centred on Tendulkar, Rungta said "I cannot discount Sachin’s capabilities and he is a class player. But one-day games are a different cup of tea and all players are important in this game of chances’.

"Our experience proved that and he has been picked to play in the Commonwealth Games in accordance with the committee’s decision to field two strong teams. We select each player on his merit and Sachin is one of the members of the team."

The committee has dropped Bengal wicket-keeper Saba Karim and Delhi opening bowler Robin Singh (Jr), who were in the original list of 22 probables.

Both Mumbai medium-pacer Paras Mhambrey and Delhi off spinner Nikhil Chopra, who have represented India in one-day internationals, have found berths in the team to Malaysia.

J y Lele, BCCI secretary and selection committee convenor said, "The players to Malaysia would not be getting any logo money or match fees."

Asked how they would be compensated as those playing in Toronto will be receiving money, Lele said "we will see in the general body meeting".

Asked whether BCCI officials had given any directive to the selection committee, Rungta said. 'There was no question of picking players from outside the list of 30 already submitted to IOA".

But one of the selectors said. "We were not given any chance to discuss that though we wanted to include a bowler and a batsman. But Lele directed the committee should pick teams only from the list submitted to the IOA."

Rungta said the performance of youngsters, not yet fully exposed to international opposition, could be assessed better and they could be the nucleus for the future Indian team.

On the compulsions of dividing the teams, Rungta said: "Two important tournaments are played at the same time. We wanted to provide two strong teams and that has been done with a positive approach to win both tournaments."

On reducing the selection committee from five to three members Lele said: "Though there have been recommendations, a decision can be taken only in a special general body meeting, to be convened to amend the board constitution".

Johnson caps season with win

BERLIN, Sep 2 (AP) — Michael Johnson won his event easily yesterday at the Istaf Golden League Track and Field Meet, striding into the curve standing straight up and blasting out ahead of the pack.

But the easy 400 metres win in 44.62, leading an American sweep, ended a tough season for the two-time gold medalist at the Atlanta Olympics.

"This was probably the most difficult year I’ve had", Johnson said. "I’m very proud of this year because I came from ground zero and ended the season no. 1."

Johnson now will head back home for a rest, hoping he doesn’t start the coming season with the same rash of injuries that plagued him this year in May and June.

His 44.62 was almost a second off his best mark of 43.39, although three times he cracked the sub-44 mark this season.

And he still wants to crack Butch Reynolds’ record of 43.29.

"I’m confident if I can stay healthy, then one of the things I can do is run 42 seconds", Johnson said.

Johnson wasn’t the only American sprinter to have a good day at the meet, the sixth of the seven events in the golden league. Marion Jones and Maurice Greene also swept the 100 in meet records.

Despite a chilly evening, Greene set a meet record of 9.94, while Jon Drummond made it 1-2 for Americans with 9.98. Ato Boldon of Trinidad and Tobago was the third to crack 10 seconds in 9.99.

"I am happy, 9.94 is a good time with these temperatures", Greene said. "Too cold for the sprint but I know that I can run a world record if it’s warmer."

Jones captured the women’s 100 in 10.81, stayed unbeaten this year and remained in contention for a share of the 1 million dollars jackpot given to athletes who finish first in all golden league meets.

The series ends on September 5 in Moscow, and four athletes still have a chance of sharing the jackpot.

Hicham el Guerrouj of Morocco also remained in contention for the jackpot, running the last meters of the men’s 1,500-meter race all alone. He finished in three minutes, 30.23 seconds.

That was more than four seconds slower than his world record, but good enough to keep alive his hopes of winning the jackpot and building his parents a house with the money.

"Now I can see that house", he said.

El Guerrouj beat Noah Ngeny of Kenya by more than three seconds. Ngeny clocked 3:33.54, while his countryman Laban Rotich finished third in 3:33.81.

Haile Gebrselassie of Ethiopia also won the 5,000 in a slow time of 12:56.52, but the fourth contender for the prize needed a photo finish to stay in contention.

Bryan Bronson of the USA ran shoulder-to-shoulder down the stretch with France’s Stephane Diagana in the 400-metre hurdles. He clocked 48.03, with world champion Diagana at 48.04.

Another Olympic and world champion, Allen Johnson of the United States, beat world record holder Colin Jackson of Britain in the 110-metre hurdles, winning in 13.12. Jackson was second in 13.20.

Johnson dropped out of the Moscow meet for personal reasons, but he still backed some of the athletes weighing dropping out because they are worried about their safety due to the economic and political turmoil in Russia.

He also said he was tired of hearing that only Americans are thinking of backing out.

"It’s not just the Americans. I know some other athletes thinking of not going", Johnson said.

But Mr Primo Nebiolo, president of the IAAF, said the fears were strictly an American affair.

"I don’t know why they’re scared. If Clinton can go to Moscow, I don’t see why they have a problem", Mr Nebiolo said.

Gabriela Szabo or Romania, the world champion, posted the fastest time this year in the world in winning the women’s 5,000 in 14:31.48. Szabo shaved nearly 10 seconds off her personal best.

Linford Christie of Britain, the former Olympic champion, came out of the retirement briefly to run in the 4x100 relay, but his Commonwealth team finished only sixth.

The foursome of Greene, Boldon, Drummond and Curtis Perry of the USA won in 38.15.

Jaspal Rana aims for double gold

NEW DELHI, Sept 2 (PTI) — Pistol ace Jaspal Rana today gave himself a fine chance of striking gold in both centrefire and air pistol events at the 16th Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur later this month.

"Everybody is shooting well. Our chance of winning both individual and pairs gold is bright," Rana, 23, who will defend the centrefire gold and aim to go one up on the air pistol silver he won in the last games in Victoria, Canada told PTI ahead of the shooting team’s departure for Kuala Lumpur tonight.

Rana, India’s best medal prospect at the games, said he was in excellent form, and more importantly, in a much better frame of mind than during the last six months after JCT agreed to renew total sponsorship for him yesterday.

The star shooter was a frustrated man as no sponsor stepped in after his contract with JCT ended this March and was even contemplating migration to Australia on assurance of citizenship and total support in his pursuit as a professional shooter. "I was on the verge of deciding that, as a last option. But after JCT’s assurance I have decided not to."

Jaspal Rana said he did not want to meet the fate of many former stars who had been reduced to a life of penury by waiting endlessly for back up like sponsorship.

"In fact my application for fresh weapon is lying with the Human Resource Development Ministry for the last one year. By the time they clear, the weapon type asked for will be outdated and fresh imports can be made only after a three-year gap," he added.

The 16-member Indian squad, including six women, promise to reap a good haul of medals.

Trap shooter Mansher Singh, who claimed gold at Victoria with a record score, is just back after a stint in Italy and will leave here on September 6. Woman rifle shooter Roopa Unnikrishnan will reach Kuala Lumpur directly from London where she is studying and training.

The shooting competition will be held from September 13 to 20 at Langkawi Island, 45 minutes by air from the Malaysian capital. The pairs events (Sept 13 - 16) will be held first.

Rana, who teams up with veteran Ashok Pandit to retain the centrefire pairs gold, will aim to better the air pistol pairs bronze four years ago with the young Satendra Kumar.

Assessing the field, Rana said shooters from England, Australia and even Bangladesh (free and air pistol) were good, though the overall standard would be lower than Asian Games.

He was satisfied with his showing in the Barcelona world championship last month where he was sixth in centrefire and standard pistol events and 12th in air pistol with 579/600, missing a final spot (top eight) by two points. The top six qualified to the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

"I didn’t practice much then. But this camp (which ended at the Tughlakabad Range yesterday) was useful. I also shot a few matches and I am in good shape,’ he stated.

The 33-year-old Mansher said the 20-day stint in Italy under the supervision of Marcello Dradi, which included spending useful time at a shooting health institute and taking part in small competitions, had done a world of good for him.

"It was very beneficial. We (seven Indian shooters took part in the programme) and set a pattern for training," Mansher, who scored a record 141 out of 150 to win gold in Victoria, said.

"After the Italian stint one is able to understand competition demands better to identify specific aspects. The experience at the institute was something very new and fresh," he added.

Commonwealth Games was tougher than the Asiad as far as trap was concerned, he said, and named Australian Olympic champion Michael Diamond, who also emerged world champion in Barcelona, and European champion Ian Peel of England as the favourites.

"But I have put in lot of work and I am confident of my abilities and build-up. I want to show this in competition," he added.

Can Indian hockey redeem itself?

CALCUTTA, Sept 2 (PTI) — Indian hockey, caught in a web of mediocrity for too long, has to show a greater degree of consistency to make an impact in the 16th Commonwealth Games to be held at Kuala Lumpur from September 11 to 21.

The Indian team’s pathetic ninth place finish in the recent Utrecht World Cup has drawn sharp criticism from almost all quarters and it would need a much more dedicated and inspired show by the players to erase those bitter memories.

If Utrecht reaffirmed the coronation for Europe as the monarch of contemporary hockey, it showed India had slipped further into a quagmire of inertia in a sport it had dominated for decades together.

The game itself has undergone remarkable changes in style and technique over the years and the Indians have floundered in adapting themselves to modern-day demands of speed, power, fitness and penalty corner conversions.

India, keen to regain some lost glory, open their campaign against the formidable Australia in a group A league match on September 9, two days ahead of the formal opening.

The Indians are also expected to face stiff resistance from New Zealand, whom they beat 1-0 in the final playoff at Utrecht, with South Africa also slowly emerging as a force to reckon with. Wales and Trinidad and Tobago complete group 'A'.

Pakistan, Kenya, Canada, England, Bangladesh and hosts Malaysia are clubbed in group ‘B’.

A decent showing against the Aussies, semifinalists at the World Cup and favourites in the sport making its debut at the games, would be a big morale-booster for the beleaguered Indians.

Both the newly appointed chief coach Maharaj Kishan Kaushik and captain Dhanraj Pillay have promised a vastly improved show at Kuala Lumpur, but mere promises would not pull Indian hockey out of the trough.

"Right now, our performance curve is well below the average mark and it may take years to get it back to normal. Reaching the top is a distant proposition," former Indian captain and coach Zafar Iqbal observed.

Iqbal, who guided India to the silver medal in the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games, felt India’s biggest problems were their inability to convert penalty corners and inconsistency of the forwards.

Constant chopping and changing of coaches - in the last four years, five have held the job - has only compounded the woes. Kaushik has been appointed only till the December Asian Games in Bangkok which would put pressure on him as well.

"Appointing somebody for six months does not make sense. The job includes knowing the players well, co-ordinating with the assistants and physiotherapists. You need time for all these", Iqbal said.

Olympian Mohammed Shahid also felt too much of experimenting with national coaches had resulted in India’s dismal performances. "Its impossible for a coach to motivate the team unless he gets a long term. He must be given adequate time to judge players and build a rapport with them".

He said Vasudevan Baskaran, who was axed as chief coach after the Utrecht debacle, should have continued for some more time. "We finished second in the Junior World Cup (in 1997) under Baskaran. So it was again a case of one step forward and two steps backward by the "IHF", he added.

Fitness has been another worrying factor of late and the Indian team returned from Utrecht amidst controversy over fitness of a number of seniors, including Pillay.

The ousted Baskaran, in a hard-hitting report on the disastrous World Cup campaign, had recommended the axing of at least three seniors — Pillay, Mukesh Kumar and Sabu Varkey.

But the selectors reposed faith on the trio and picked them again in an almost unchanged team for Kuala Lumpur.

Kaushik himself has said that the overall fitness levels had to go up by several notches to meet the demands at the international level.

The return of veteran goalkeeper A. B. Subbaiah, who was inexplicably dropped from the World Cup squad, would make a difference as inexperienced Jude Menezes and Jagdish Ponappa were a bundle of nerves under the bar.

Despite the uncomplimentary report from former coach Baskaran, the players would be relying once again on their captain to deliver the goods. That would be the best way for Pillay to silence his detractors.

Right winger Mukesh Kumar and inside-right Sabu Varkey also have to prove a point after questions were raised on their fitness and focus in World Cup matches.

Dilip Tirkey and Lazarus Barla, the young but talented defenders, would also have to play a vital role if India are to at least make it to the last four and reduce criticism.

Schedule of men’s hockey matches:

September 9: Malaysia vs Bangladesh, Pakistan vs Kenya, England vs Canada, Australia vs India.

September 10: Wales vs Trinidad and Tobago, New Zealand vs South Africa, Kenya vs Malaysia, Bangladesh vs England.

September 11: Rest day (opening ceremony).

September 12: Canada vs Pakistan, South Africa vs India, Trinidad and Tobago vs Australia, Wales vs New Zealand.

September 13: England vs Kenya, Canada vs Bangladesh, Pakistan vs Malaysia.

September 14: Australia vs South Africa, New Zealand vs Trinidad and Tobago, India vs Wales.

September 15: New Zealand vs Australia, Malaysia vs England, Bangladesh vs Pakistan, Kenya vs Canada.

September 16: Trinidad and Tobago vs India, Pakistan vs England, Wales vs South Africa, Kenya vs Bangladesh.

September 17: Canada vs Malaysia, Australia vs Wales, India vs New Zealand, South Africa vs Trinidad and Tobago.

September 18: Rest day.

September 19: Group A winner vs group B runner-up

Group B runner-up vs group A winner.

September 20: Third place play-off. Final.

Lloyd could face the sack

LONDON, Sept 2 (Reuters) — England cricket coach David Lloyd could face the sack for remarks about Sri Lankan spinner Muttiah Muralitharan and a subsequent argument with television commentator Geoffrey Boycott, an England cricket board official said yesterday.

ECB spokesman Richard Peel said Lloyd would be called before board representatives this week to explain his comments about Muralitharan’s bowling action.

"Presumably he could be sacked if we felt that was the appropriate action", Peel said.

"We’re aware that David’s been severely reprimanded before", he added, referring to comments Lloyd made after England played Zimbabwe last year.
"That has to be taken into account. There have been occasions when he’s been indiscreet."

Lloyd had hinted during England’s Test match defeat by Sri Lanka that Muralitharan’s action might be illegal. The Sri Lankan spinner effectively won the match with his 16 wickets, nine of them in England’s second innings.

He has been no-balled for throwing in the past but was cleared by the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport’s governing body.

A statement by the ECB’s chief executive Tim Lamb released today said: "David Lloyd’s remarks were his own and not in line with the position of the ECB, which is happy to abide by the ICC’s ruling on Muralitharan’s action.

"David has been advised that what he said was inappropriate and insensitive, and senior representatives of the board will see him at the earliest possible opportunity to discuss his comments.

"We are taking this, and his public argument with a television presenter, very seriously."

Lloyd has a contract until after the World Cup next year. He is due to coach England at an international tournament in Bangladesh next month and then in the Ashes series in Australia immediately afterwards.

Sri Lanka have not made an official complaint about his remarks, though they protested publicly at the time.

"We need to establish from David what happened in both incidents", said Peel, the ECB’s director of corporate affairs. "He’s a very passionate man but when remarks like this are made, they’re not appropriate."

World Grand Prix volleyball from today

CHENNAI, Sept 2 (UNI) — The stage is set for the country’s biggest ever sporting event — the Indian Oil Servo-World Grand Prix Volleyball Tournament for women — to be held at the multipurpose indoor stadium here, beginning tomorrow.

Four top teams in the world, Olympic champions Cuba, winner of last year’s World Grand Prix Russia, emerging European superpower Italy and fast improving Asian giants Korea will figure in the three-day event, which is the third leg of the circuit.

At a meet-the-press programme with the team coaches here today, Korean coach Hyung-Sil Kim said though the team, which did well last year, was confident of doing well. "All the three teams are quite strong. But we will do our best. We are in the process of preparing for the Asian Games" he added.

Russian coach Nikolai Karpol said "we will show our potential during the game". All the teams are strong and good and we have to struggle with them to win", he added.

Though the team had been reduced to 11 players, with its strong setter, Tatiana, sent back, Russia hopes to do better. Russia, which has an impeccable result in the world circuit, had won the world championships title for five years and had also bagged the world cup and the grand prix title one each, besides the European championship for a record 15 times.

Paes falls in first round

NEW YORK, Sept 2 (PTI) — India number one Leander Paes became the first round casualty when American doubles specialist Alex O'Brien defeated him in straight sets in the men's singles of the US Open Tennis Championship here.

Paes, at his career-high ranking of 73 on the ATP computer, stretched O'Brien to the limits yesterday, but failed to deliver the "killer punch'' with which he often surprises the best opponents and lost 5-7 3-6 6-7 (7/9) in a battle that went for more than two hours.

Though Paes matched O'Brein shot for a shot with fine baseline winners, the 121-ranked American grabbed advantage at the crucial moments and clinched the sets in his favour.

After conceding a 0-2 lead, Paes rediscovered his much vaunted touch and took the third set to a tie-breaker where, despite having a chance of prolonging the tie, the Indian faltered and gifted the match to O'Brien.

Paes, who came into the tournament with some memorable exploits at the Pilot Pen International Tennis Tournament beating world number one Pete Sampras in the third round before having humbled two-time French Open winner Sergi Bruguera of Spain and Switzerland's Marc Rosset, could not even match his last year's performance here.

The 25-year-old Indian had reached the third round before going down to Cedric Pioline of France in a gruelling five-setter in the 1997 edition.

Paes, however, has men's doubles event to look forward to where he would defend his semifinal points earned here last year with his partner Mahesh Bhupathi. The Paes-Bhupathi duo are ranked the world's number three pair.

NZ badminton from Oct 3

CHANDIGARH, Sept 2 (PTI) — The North Zone interstate badminton championship which was scheduled to be held at Jaipur (Rajasthan) from September 25 will now be held from October 3 at the same venue, communication from the Badminton Association of India said today.

This three-day championship will have Rahimtoola Cup for men, Chada Cup for Women, Narang Cup for boys (under 19) and Shafiquereshi Cup for girls (19).

On the basis of last years performance, Delhi have been given the top position in men, women and boys category while Punjab in the girls section.

As many as seven teams namely Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Chandigarh and Haryana are expected to participate. The observer of this meet will be Dr O.D. Sharma of Jammu and Kashmir.

Agarkar felicitated

CHENNAI, Sept 2 (PTI) — Medium pace bowler Ajit Agarkar was felicitated at a function here yesterday to mark his joining the Pepsi team of skipper Mohd Azharuddin, Sachin Tendulkar, Ajay Jadeja and Rahul Dravid.

Speaking on the occasion, P.M. Sinha, chairman, Pepsi Co India Holdings Ltd, said: "Ajit epitomizes youthful spirit, a passion to win".

Twenty-year-old Agarkar, who made his debut for India in the India-Australia Pepsi triangular series in Kochi on April 1, has so far claimed 36 wickets (average 18.22), his best figures being 4 for 35.

Azharuddin said: "When I watched Ajit bowl, I was sure he would play for the country. Now he has improved a lot as a bowler and I wish Ajit becomes a good all-rounder."

Tendulkar said: I congratulate Ajit on his performance. I am sure he will become a permanent member of the Indian team".

Jadeja and Rahul also praised Agarkar's good bowling stints for India.