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| Sunday, June 11, 2000, Chandigarh, India   
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 French Open title
for PiercePARIS, June 10 — Mary Pierce sent a patriotic centre court wild today when she ended a 33-year drought for the host nation and won the French Open tennis women’s singles crown by outclassing Spaniard Conchita Martinez 6-2, 7-5 in the final. Sixth-seeded Pierce won her second Grand Slam singles title and her first since the 1995 Australian Open. Kuerten
beats Ferrero
CBI
summons Navjot Sidhu
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| Immunity offer to Cronje CAPE TOWN, June 10 (Reuters) — Disgraced South African former cricket captain Hansie Cronje has received a guarantee that he will not be prosecuted on criminal charges if he discloses his role in the match-fixing scandal, the secretary to a government inquiry said today. HP seeks Rs 16 crore grant Matthaus doubtful
for opener
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PARIS, June 10 (AFP) — Mary Pierce sent a patriotic centre court wild today when she ended a 33-year drought for the host nation and won the French Open tennis women’s singles crown by outclassing Spaniard Conchita Martinez 6-2, 7-5 in the final. Sixth-seeded Pierce won her second Grand Slam singles title and her first since the 1995 Australian Open. Today’s win in cool, overcast conditions gave Pierce her second title of the year after Hilton Head and the 15th singles success of her career. She picked up a winner’s cheque for 4,028,000 francs (about Rs 2.64 crore) while Martinez takes home exactly half that sum for her efforts. The host nation had been waiting for a female champion here since Francoise Durr triumphed over Lesley Turner of Australia in the 1967 final. Curiously, Durr won her title as the sixth seed — as did Steffi Graf 12 months ago. Canadian-born Pierce, 25, had hoped to end the French drought when she made the final six years ago after dropping a record low of just 10 games en route — but she lost to Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario in straight sets having beaten Graf, top seed that year, earlier. This time she made no mistake. “I can’t explain how I feel. It’s just incredible. I’ll never forget this,” gasped Pierce, who raised both her arms to the air in triumph after sealing the title. “I’ll never, ever forget this day. It’s fabulous. I’m lost for words. This was a dream today. It’s truly incredible,” Pierce said. “It was a really difficult match for me today, especially in the second set, which was very close,” she added. Martinez, in contrast, was distraught after failing to add to her 1994 Wimbledon title. “She played really well,” conceded the sixth-seeded Spaniard. “I started off very badly and I was very nervous. I couldn’t put her under any pressure at all — she was more aggressive. A super-confident Pierce dominated the opening set, during which she managed two breaks and lost just three points on her own service. Martinez, in contrast, showed signs of nerves from early on and had difficulty holding serve to take the opening game. Thereafter she folded in the teeth of an onslaught as Pierce put away almost every ball, taking the vast majority early. Pierce broke to love for 2-1 and 28-year-old Martinez then netted a forehand to gift her opponent a second break for 4-1 before Pierce held to complete a five-game streak. The Frenchwoman then squandered a trio of break points before wrapping up the set in 41min. With victory looming, Pierce started rushing and two double faults handed Martinez a 2-0 second set lead. But the French player soon got back to 2-2 and clicked right back into her early form before breaking for 3-2. |
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NEW DELHI, June 10 (PTI) — Former Test Cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu today said he would be soon appearing before the CBI following a summons issued by the agency probing into the alleged match-fixing scandal. Sidhu, who had deposed before the agency last month, had reportedly denied the allegation made by Manoj Prabhakar that Kapil Dev had offered him a bribe of Rs 25 lakh to play below his potential during a cricket match against Pakistan in 1994. Dev has, however, strongly denied the allegation. When contacted over the telephone, Sidhu told PTI from Patiala that he would soon be appearing before the CBI and record his statement. His re-examination was
necessitated after Prabhakar submitted video tapes, secretly shot by him, in which Sidhu had reportedly corroborated Prabhakar’s allegation. Prabhakar has stated before the CBI that Sidhu, his room-mate at the hotel, was a witness to Kapil Dev making the offer to him. Besides Sidhu, Former Indian cricket team manager Ajit Wadekar would also be re-examined by the agency, which registered a preliminary enquiry into the case on May 2 after a request from the Sports Ministry. Meanwhile Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa today advocated leniency for those Indian players who come forth “honestly” and reveal any information or involvement into the raging cricket match fixing scandal. Referring
to the South African cricket players who revealed their involvement before the commission which is probing the corruption in the game in that country, the Union Minister told PTI “I think leniency should be given to those who reveal the involvement honestly.” “I suggest they (players) come out in open and say it all. It will be good for the country and for the game,” he said. He, however, said it was finally
up to the court to decide upon the fate of the players involved. Asked about the CBI inquiry, Mr Dhindsa said “the agency has told me that they will process the investigations as fast as possible. But it is only the CBI which can tell you at what stage the investigation is on.”
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PARIS, June 10 (AFP) — Gustavo Kuerten, the great Roland Garros escape artist, pulled off another extraordinary comeback yesterday to stay on target for his second French Open men’s singles title in four
years. The fifth-seeded Brazilian trailed by two sets to one and was 1-3 down in the fourth before rallying to beat Spanish upstart Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 4-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 and seal a place against Swede Magnus Norman in Sunday’s final. In the quarterfinals, Kuerten trailed Yevgeny Kafelnikov by two sets to one, 2-4 and 15-40 before making his comeback. He was troubled by back and thigh muscle injuries that needed treatment, but the Brazilian, the champion here in 1997, kept his nerve and broke that of 20-year-old 16th seed Ferrero. While Kuerten was made to fight by Ferrero, third seed Norman barely broke sweat in his semi, playing “a perfect match” as he crushed unseeded Franco Squillari of Argentina. In the Kuerten-Ferrero match, the mop-haired Brazilian broke in the 12th game to take the opener in 53 minutes after Ferrero netted a forehand volley — but the momentum of the match quickly turned. Ferrero broke early in the second set and, after some marvellous rallies, that proved enough to lift him back to one-set-all. Ferrero got breaks in the fifth and seventh games of the third set and again in the first game of the fourth as Kuerten, hampered by his injuries, appeared set to fade. Instead, he pulled off another act of escapology. The South American got back into the match by winning the fourth set on his fourth set point — setting up a thrilling finale. Kuerten broke to lead 4-2 in the decider, saved two break points in the next game and eventually won it in three hours 38 minutes. South African pair Mariaan De Swardt and David Adams clinched the French Open mixed doubles title with a surprise 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win over Australian top seeds Rennae Stubbs and Todd Woodbridge. De Swardt and Adams, the 12th seeds, had ended the hopes of another Australian in the semifinals — Woodbridge’s men’s doubles partner Mark Woodforde, who was playing alongside Kristie Boogert of the Netherlands. Woodbridge and Woodforde can gain ample consolation — and rewrite the history books — today when they take on third-seeded pair Paul Haarhuis and Sandon Stolle in the men’s doubles final. The Woodies are trying to win their fifth title of the season and are bidding to capture their first career title at Roland Garros and complete a career Grand Slam. Woodbridge and Woodforde are also aiming to win their 58th career title as a team, which would break the Open Era record which they currently share with Bob Hewitt and Frew McMillan and Peter Fleming and John McEnroe. |
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Euro 2000: great expectations a worry for France BRUGES (Belgium), June 10 (AFP) — A heavy burden of expectation rests on world champions France as they prepare for their opening group D game tomorrow against an injury-ravaged Denmark side who no one expects to reach the quarterfinals. Denmark are considered the weakest team in the so-called ‘group of death’ which also includes co-hosts and pre-tournament favourites Holland and 1996 finalists the Czech Republic, currently ranked No 2 in the world behind Brazil. A Danish victory would be a major upset against a French side which rivals the Michel Platini-inspired team of the 1980s as the greatest in the country’s history. “Our biggest problem is that we are clear favourites,” says midfielder Youri Djorkaeff. “After winning the World Cup everyone wants to beat us. It is an extra motivation for all our opponents.” It is hard to see a weakness in the French line-up which is likely to feature eight of the players that powered Les Bleus to a 3-0 win over Brazil in the final of France 98. In Fabien Barthez they have a goalkeeper many regard as the best in the world while Lilian Thuram, Marcel Desailly, Bixente Lizarazu and Laurent Blanc make up a highly experienced and formidable rearguard. Zinedine Zidane, one of the greatest players of his generation, will be the creative fulcrum in a midfield alongside three from Emmanuel Petit, Didier Deschamps, Djorkaeff, Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires. France had a major problem with their attack at France 98 - they did not have a truly world-class striker in their squad. Two years later, they still have a problem, but it is a problem that most coaches at Euro 2000 would gladly welcome - they are spoilt for choice. Nicolas Anelka and Thierry Henry, both in devastating form by the end of the club season, are likely to be given the nod ahead of David Trezeguet and Sylvain Wiltord although coach Roger Lemerre could be tempted to play just one striker with Zidane in the hole and an extra man in midfield. “We have never had such great potential in attack as we do now,” says captain Deschamps. “We now have strikers who can win a match with one moment of fabulous skill.” Anelka has found his form at the end of a troubled season at Real Madrid and many, including his team-mate Thuram, believe the former Arsenal striker is poised to make a huge impact at Euro 2000. France, winners of the tournament on home soil in 1984, bristle with individual talent but one of their greatest assets is their team work. However, Denmark will draw hope from the world champions’ curiously inconsistent form in the qualifiers. They beat Russia in Moscow but lost to them in Paris, drew in Iceland and made heavy weather of beating Andorra and Armenia. That unpredictable quality was again in evidence in the recent King Hassan Cup in Morocco. France looked ordinary when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Japan before beating them on penalties but were awesome in a 5 -1 demolition of the host nation in their final warm-up game. Denmark, though, have much more pressing concerns on the mind with a long list of injuries having hampered their preparations. The defence has been hardest hit with Thomas Helveg, Jes Hogh and Michael Schjoenberg all struggling to shake off knocks but the probable absence of forward Martin Jorgensen would also be a major blow. All 22 Danish players did train yesterday for the first time, but doubts still surrounded Jorgensen, Hogh and Brian Steen Nielson. Italy meet Turkey ARNHEM
(Netherlands): Italy kick off their Euro 2000 campaign here on Sunday against Turkey - and if the form book is anything to go by the Azzurri may have to wait another four years for the chance to get their hands on the trophy they last won back in 1968. Since coach Dino Zoff took over as coach, the Italians have failed to live up to the expectations of their demanding public and the media have showed little restraint in their hostility towards their illustrious manager - the 1982 World Cup winning captain. “Poor Zoff, poor Italy,” wrote the daily sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, after another lacklustre display on their way to the finals had failed to inspire a nation where patience is in short supply. Italy were twice held by minnows Belarus in reaching the tournament and in their second encounter against Denmark - a game in which all they required was a point to guarantee automatic qualification - they gave away a two goal lead to lose 2-3 at home. Despite possessing some of the world’s finest players — Alessandro Del Piero, Paolo Maldini and Fabio Cannavaro, to name but a few - the Italians’ lack of creativity in midfield has often left them wanting. However, on their day they can beat anyone and should results go their way early on and the team grow in confidence, they can defy their critics in the Low Countries this summer. Turkey, in contrast, are on something of a high right now. This will be their second consecutive appearance in the finals, although the first time around they came home early after a disastrous campaign. |
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CAPE TOWN, June 10 (Reuters) — Disgraced South African former cricket captain Hansie Cronje has received a guarantee that he will not be prosecuted on criminal charges if he discloses his role in the match-fixing scandal, the secretary to a government inquiry said today. “Shamila Batohi, the King Commission’s advocate, has informed me that Hansie Cronje has been offered indemnity from prosecution if he comes clean to the commission,’’ secretary John Bacon said. The inquiry, headed by Judge Edwin King, began hearings on Wednesday and so far six current and former national squad players have testified. All six have said that bribes were offered to throw important international matches and they have implicated Cronje, in the scandal. Yesterday two players told the inquiry they had been offered bribes totalling $ 35,000 from Cronje to perform badly. Cronje was sacked as national captain on
April 11 after admitting he had accepted up to $ 15,000 from bookmakers for providing pitch and weather information. He has denied match-fixing. Cronje is expected to testify before the inquiry early next week. AFP adds: The offer from the South African Government will not affect any action the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCB) might take against Cronje, who has been the subject of damaging disclosures on the first three days of the King Commission here. Commission Secretary John Bacon said today the indemnity offer had been made by Bulelani Ncguka, Director of public prosecutions. Herschelle Gibbs and Henry Williams, who confessed to accepting offers of $15,000 each from Cronje to under-perform in a one-day international in Nagpur on March 19, were offered immunity before their testimony. The offers of immunity are dependent on the commission, headed by Judge Edwin King, ruling that the players made a full disclosure. Cronje’s legal advisers were considering the offer today. Cronje’s lawyer, John Dickerson, refused to comment. UCB Managing Director Ali Bacher said the players would still face action from the board if they have contravened the codes of conduct of the UCB and the International Cricket Council. |
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HP seeks Rs 16 crore grant NEW DELHI, June 10 — The Himachal Pradesh Government has requested the Centre to sanction a grant of Rs 16 crore to strengthen the sports infrastructure in the state. Himachal Pradesh Youth Services and Sports Minister Parveen Sharma yesterday met Union Minister of State for Sports Shahnawaz Khan and appraised him of the sports potential in the state. Mr Sharma asked the Sports Minister to sanction “liberal assistance” for setting up an indoor stadium and sports hostel at Una, an indoor stadium at Dharamsala, improvement of the ice-skating rink in Shimla, a stadium at Kullu, an indoor stadium at Mandi, a sports hostel at Bilaspur, and various other small schemes. The Himachal minister also brought to the notice of Mr Shahnawaz the “immense potential” in water sports in the state, and requested him to provide coaches from the Sports Authority of India (SAI) at Pong, Bhakra and Chamera and the Pandoh Dam reservoir to train water sport players. Mr Sharma told the Union Minister about the existing hostel facility at Pong Dam and Bilaspur and the need for proper utilisation of it for the benefit of trainees from the northern states. He also requested Mr Shahnawaz to sanction a special assistance of Rs 3.5 crore for organising the South Asian Winter Games at Manali. The Union Minister assured Mr Sharma that the Centre “would provide maximum assistance to the state as per norms fixed by the Central Government”. He appreciated the efforts being made by the state government for the promotion of sports. Mr Kirpal Parmar, MP, and Mr Jai Ram Thakur, MLA, were also present at the meeting. |
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Matthaus doubtful
for opener VAALS, (Netherlands), June 10 (AFP) — Germany midfielder Jens Jeremies shrugged off an injury that forced him to curtail his participation in a Euro 2000 training session but there remains a big question mark over whether Lothar Matthaus will be able to face Romania on Monday in the opening match for the defending champions. Matthaus only took part in light training in a closed session here yesterday and remains doubtful for the match in Liege. Jeremies, meanwhile, played down the knee injury sustained in shooting practice yesterday saying: “I think and I hope that it is not serious.” His optimism was backed up by team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfart, who said that it looked as though the injury was “nothing serious”. |
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Baldev Singh CHANDIGARH, June 10 — The Haryana Government today appointed Mr Baldev Singh, hockey coach, Shahabad (Kurukshetra), as Deputy Director at Kurukshetra with immediate effect. |
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India
has a chance of Asiad bid NEW DELHI, June 10 (PTI) — India has good chance of bagging the bid to host 2006 Asian Games in New Delhi with Indian Olympic Association
(IOA) making an impressive presentation at the recently concluding Rio summit of Association of National Olympic Committees
(ANOC). |
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