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Friday,
July 6, 2001, Chandigarh, India  |
Stage set for contrasting semis |
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Henin upsets
Capriati
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Mixed fortunes in mixed doubles Henmania reigns as Federer
falls Venus battles past Davenport, enters
final Dokic’s transport
claims ‘fabricated’ Stewart, Caddick rescue England
Kumble writes
Greene demolishes top field; Jones struggles
Pillay, Mukesh
called for camp SAI sub-centre likely for
Uttaranchal
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Stage set for contrasting semis London, July 5 Rafter and Agassi will meet for the third straight time in the Wimbledon semis having shared the last two. On both occasions the winner went on to lose to Pete Sampras in the final. Sampras is no longer in the equation this year and the second and third seeds, both in the sunset of their careers, must feel that the winner of their tie will be a strong favourite going into Sunday’s final. The 31-year-old Agassi, the only one of the last four to have won at Wimbledon, albeit nine years ago, has lost only one set en route to his alloted semi-final spot. The Las Vegan got the year off to a storming start by winning the Australian Open and taking big titles at Indian Wells and Miami. But the machine has stalled since then with a run of early defeats and then a stunning upset loss to Sebastien Grosjean in the French Open quarter-finals. Wimbledon is his chance to get it back on the rails, but Rafter is a hug obstacle in the way. “There’s no secret approach out there for either of us”, said Agassi of his looming semi-final. “We both are way too familiar with the other’s game.” “He’s going to have to serve well. I’m going to have to return well. It’s going to be a day like it always is. “The fact that he plays the game so differently than I do really lends to a great variety and level of tennis.” For the 28-year-old Rafter there can be no holding back. He has given every indication that this will be his last year on the circuit and a Wimbledon win would be the perfect way to bring down the curtain. The popular Queenslander has looked below his best so far, but has been able to raise his level when needed. But he knows that against Agassi, whom he has beaten only four times in 13 matches, he will have to find another gear. “I guess it’s starting to become a little bit of a tradition here at Wimbledon,” he said of his match against the American. “There’s nothing more exciting than playing a guy like Andre at Wimbledon.” Henman against Ivanisevic in the other semi-final would not have been the prediction of many before the tournament started. The British hope started strongly, but has staggered past his last two opponents, Todd Martin in five sets in the last 16 and Roger Federer in four sets in the quarter-finals. The pressure is firmly on the 26-year-old from Oxford who is bidding to become the first British player to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936. It is the third time he has reached the last four, losing to sampras in 1998 and 1999. This time Sampras was removed from his path by Federer, but he will now have to dismantle the Ivanisevic ace machine. They have met four times and Henman has won on each occasion. “I’ve got a good record against Goran and hopefully I can continue that,” he said. “I’ve given myself another opportunity and I feel that my game has improved since the last time I was in the semis. “But he is going to serve his aces and it will be my job to make him play as many balls as possible.” The colourful Croatian has been the story of the championships so far coming back from the dead to resurrect his career with a barrage of aces - 150 in five matches so far. He says the pressure has been off him this year because no-one expected he would do well. But after his quarter-final win over Marat Safin, he said for the first time that he believed he could win. So perhaps the pressure is back on. With Ivanisevic you never can tell. He says it’s Henman’s head that is on the block. “There is going to be more pressure on him. All of England,” he said. “I was watching on TV. They were asking people if they should have a Henman holiday on Sunday if he wins. So it’s going to be a huge expectation on his back.”
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Henin upsets
Capriati London, July 5 Capriati, chasing a Grand Slam of major titles, easily won the first set 6-2 against Henin. Henin, playing her first Wimbledon semifinal and making her debut on Centre Court, was overpowered by Capriati early on and dropped her serve in the fourth game after hitting a weak groundstroke into the net. American Capriati, who beat fifth seed Serena Williams in the last round, played solidly throughout and outhit the 19-year-old eighth seed from both sides of the court. The American served well and constantly pressured the Henin serve, gaining her first set point on a double fault. Henin hit a forehand long to lose the set in 21 minutes. But Henin lifted her game and won next two sets to book a berth in the final.
Reuters |
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Mixed fortunes in mixed doubles London, July 5 The fourth-seeded Bhupathi and Likhovtseva yesterday won the match 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. However, Leander Paes, who paired with Lisa Raymond of the USA, could not reach the fourth round as the sixth-seeded pair was upset by unseeded Bob Bryan (USA) and Lisa McShea (Australia) 7-5, 5-7, 5-7.
UNI |
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Henmania reigns as Federer falls London, July 5
Just one Swiss flag was waved by a lonely supporter of Federer, who in the last round had conquered the mighty Pete Sampras. Hearts were all a-flutters in two tingling tie-breaks. “Come on Tiger”, the fans cried. “Go Tiger”, they yelled. “You are going to win Wimbledon”, one shouted. For two weeks a year, the British are obsessed by Wimbledon. And every year, Tim Henman is the centre of that obsession. He is front page news every day. “Day of destiny” scream the banner headlines. Even the garbage collectors outside Wimbledon have a “Henman 2 Win” sticker on their truck. John McEnroe had urged the reticent Henman to make more of an effort to pump up the Centre Court crowd. If he had tried any harder with his cheer-leading yesterday, the roof might come off Centre Court. Tim Henman has been in love with Wimbledon since he first came to the world’s most famous tennis tournament as a little boy of five.
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Agassi understands Goran’s
predicament
The popular Ivanisevic, whose ranking plummeted to 129 at the end of 2000 following a shoulder injury, has taken this year’s tournament by storm, chalking up victories against Andy Roddick, Greg Rusedski and fourth seed Marat Safin. Having battled his way back from 141 in the world rankings in 1997, Agassi understands the predicament faced by Ivanisevic. “Everybody has their reasons for why they fall,” said the 31-year-old American. “With Goran, it’s not because of his game but because of his head. I mean the guy has a great game but he’s always playing against two people out there and that’s unfortunate.” Ivanisevic has kept the punters entertained throughout the tournament by describing how his split personality often leads to his downfall. Agassi, whose marriage with American actress Brooke Shields coincided with his slide, blamed his problems on a loss of conditioning. “With me it was physical. I wasn’t moving well, I wasn’t in the greatest shape and I wasn’t as prepared as I could be,” said Agassi, now dating seven-time Wimbledon champion Steffi Graf. “I needed to go back to square one and work and get myself into a position where I can bring my game out. “That can be difficult because you have to start over at 28 years old. “What Goran is doing is more difficult in a sense. You have to believe when you’ve never given yourself reason to believe.” The Las Vegas showman, facing a third successive semifinal showdown with Australian Pat Rafter on Friday, is now two matches away from winning his second major title of the year following his victory at the Australian Open in January. “I’ve still got another match to play before I even have to deal with the final,” said Agassi, who lost a thirlling five-setter to Rafter 12 months ago. “One of the greatest things about the way the sport of tennis is played is that the best player is still alive. “There are four guys that can win this and I’ve at least got a 25 per cent shot at it,” Agassi added.
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Venus battles past Davenport, enters final
London, July 5
A stream of classy backhands gave Williams her first match point leading 5-4 but she netted a service return. Williams’s forehand began to go off the rails and Davenport raced through the tiebreak to win it on a double fault from the champion. But Davenport again inexplicably lost her form. She failed to win a service game in the third set, went 5-1 down and lost when Williams dinked a volley past her at the net on her second match point. Both players came into the semis without dropping a set, but third seed Davenport failed to make any impact on the Williams serve early in the match and did not earn a break point until the seventh game of the second set. Davenport, who had easily beaten Kim Clijsters and Jelena Dokic in the previous two rounds, even had the opportunity to break Williams in the ninth game for a 5-4 lead but missed her chance by hitting a forehand wide. William’s gained a matchpoint in the 10th game on Davenport’s serve but netted a service return and was taken to a tiebreak. Davenport turned on the power and hit blazing groundstrokes to take the set. Earlier Williams, watched by her father Richard, romped to a 4-1 lead in the first set in less than 15 minutes with a powerful display of serving and accurate groundstokes. Davenport, who lost last year’s final to Williams in straight sets, handed her opponent the initiative after hitting a backhand into the net in the fourth game. Moving sluggishly in a sun-drenched Centre Court, Davenport struggled with her serve early on the match and rarely looked like the player who had triumphed here in 1999. Williams ruthlessly dominated the proceedings with her agression from the baseline and even had the upper hand when she approached the net. Williams won the set in 26 minutes on her fourth set point after breaking Davenport yet again with an easy volley. Reuters |
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Venus may quit soon: father London, July 5 Richard, speaking at the launch of a Channel 4
television documentary on his family, said Venus had a lot of business
interests and pointed out her $40 million contract with Reebok was for three
years rather than five. Serena was knocked out in the Wimbledon quarterfinals on Tuesday by fellow American Jennifer Capriati and said later she had been ill for four days and unable to keep her food down.
Reuters |
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Dokic’s transport claims ‘fabricated’ London, July 5 In fact, hint officials, the charges appear to be totally fabricated. Dokic lit into organisers last Saturday, charging that she had to grab a cab to make it onto court for a third-round win over Austrian Barbara Schett. The teenaged Yugoslav said she had no time to warm up after arriving with only moments to spare. Concerned Wimbledon officials launched an immediate investigation into the possible lapse, but this week gave their organisation a clean bill of health in the matter. Only polite British reserve prevented labelling the outburst a fraud. The club said it surmised that Dokic evidently had her facts back-to-front. “After our inestigation, we conclude there is no record of her having made a booking,” said All-England Club chief executive Chris Gorringe. Officials continued: “Two cars had gone to the Dokic family’s modest hotel of choice in Putney, south London, on Saturday morning, but the player’s father Damir — escorted off the grounds last year after an incident in which he smashed a journalist’s telephone — had sent them away, saying the clan would take a taxi. While Dokic said she was almost late to her match, Wimbledon said it spoke to witnesses who saw her on the grounds two hours before her early 2.15 pm afternoon start. She was also reportedly photographed by a fan while having lunch in the players restaurant at 1 pm. With Dokic now gone for singles, a decision was taken to all but ignore the incident, letting it die its own death.
DPA |
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Stewart, Caddick rescue England Birmingham, July 5
Australia made a perfect start when Gillespie, bowling the second over of the game, struck the initial blow with his first delivery. Trescothick edged it low to first slip where Warne scooped up the catch, the left-handed going to the second ball he had faced. Trescothick has now been dismissed for a duck in his last three innings for England, having been bowled by both Pakistan’s Waqar Younis and Australian Glenn McGrath in the recent triangular one-day series. Butcher, filling the key number three spot in place of the injured Michael Vaughan, got off the mark by edging Gillespie between wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and Warne for four. Apparently unperturbed, he continued in positive mood, straight driving and hitting fluently through extra cover in between one or two more fortuituous strokes. Scoreboard England (first innings): Atherton c Waugh b Gillespie 57 Trescothick c Warne b Gillespie 0 Butcher c Ponting b Warne 38 Hussain lbw b McGrath1 3 Ward b McGrath 23 Stewart lbw b McGrath 65 Afzaal b Warne 4 White lbw b Warne 4 Giles c Gilchrist b Warne 7 Gough c Gillespie b Warne 0 Caddick not out 49 Extras: (b-10 lb-8 nb-16) 34 Total: (all out, 65.3 overs) 294 FOW: 1-2 2-106 3-123 4-136 5-159 6-170 7-174 8-191 9-191 10-294 Bowling:
McGrath 17.3-2-67-3 (nb3), Gillespie 17-3-67-2 (nb4), Lee 12-2-71-0 (nb7), Warne 19-4-71-5 (nb2).
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Kumble writes Another professional performance on Wednesday saw the Indians cruise to the finals of the Coca-Cola Cup with an all win-record. There are murmurs about us having lost a few finals in the last couple of years, but that should not be the case on Saturday. Other than the ICC Trophy last year — which has a knockout format — we haven’t reached the finals of any recent competition by winning all the games. In Zimbabwe, we have been clearly way ahead of the other two teams, and I don’t think that there is any need for negative thoughts ahead of the finals. We have struck the right combination in the course of this one-day tournament. The batsmen are handling the pressure of chasing this totals well and the bowlers have done a great job in restricting the targets. The most heartening feature of course has been the fielding. We have effected at least one run-out in every match and other than the odd half-chance, our catching has been excellent. On Wednesday, the bowlers, especially Mohanty, Nehra and Harbhajan did a great job. Harbhajan put the brakes rather effectively when the West Indians were going along at a pretty brisk pace. At present the team has an embarrassment of riches in the bowling department with everyone making the most of the chances that have come their way. Competition within the team is always a good thing, and it keeps everybody on their toes. Mohanty should figure in the playing eleven on Saturday over Harvinder. While the latter has also bowled pretty well. I think Mohanty will be favoured since he has the experience of playing more one-dayers — around 45 — to go along with his current form. As far as the West Indians are concerned, their openers should look at staying at the wicket longer. It is no use making 30-40 runs and then throwing your wicket away. Ideally one of the openers should bat through the innings for the team to get to a decent score. They are also missing the presence of their main batsman Brian Lara. A player of this calibre is difficult to replace overnight, but some of the youngsters have shown promise and should do their team proud in a couple of years. The Indian opening partnership gave India a solid foundation, and it is evident that the 80-odd against Zimbabwe has helped Ganguly find his form. Sachin topped his marvellous run of big scores with an unbeaten 100, and significantly, he batted through the innings for the third time in the series. While India have not batted first even once during this tri-series, they shouldn’t have a problem if they take first strike on Saturday. All our leading batsmen have scored during the tournament, and it is just a question of the bowlers being able to handle the pressure of bowling second. A fallout of India’s four consecutive run chases is that we have disproved the theory that we are poor chasers. India should not have a problem lifting the Coca-Cola Cup on Saturday. Perhaps the only problem they could face is complacency.
Gameplan |
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Tendulkar keen to score more tons Harare, July 5 “I am not easily satisfied. I want to score many more hundreds,” said Tendulkar yesterday after his unbeaten 122 shaped up India’s six-wicket win against West Indies in the last league match. Tendulkar’s 29th one-day international hundred was the first of the six-week tour where he has played two Tests and four one-day internationals besides a three-day game. The genius said he was disappointed at not getting a century in previous games. “One always goes out to score hundreds. I wanted to score a hundred in both the Tests. But it happens to all the players. If it was not to be so, then all the great players wouldn’t have got out in the 70 and 80s. “When I had embarked on this tour, I had personally decided to try and hang around as much as possible. And that is what I was trying to do. I had told myself not to play big shots, even though that meant I would have to suppress my natural instinct to hit the ball. I basically did it because of the wickets here. I think on these kind of tracks you can’t play the way you play in India or anywhere else.” But, that the batsman does not forget defeat easily was evident when he recalled how the one hour on the fourth morning of the second Test cost India the match. “The tour has gone on very well so far, except for the fourth morning of the second Test. That one hour cost us the match. I thought we didn’t play good cricket and we allowed them to get back into the game. If we had given them 200 or 210 runs to get in the fourth innings it would have been a different story.” India lost the second Test to Zimbabwe by four wickets after they lost seven wickets for 37 runs on the penultimate day. “I thought losing those seven wickets for 37 runs was the key. If you lose so many wickets in no time, it is very difficult to win a Test match. Right until that moment I felt that we were in the driving seat.” “I know it is very hard to express in words as to what we should do and what we shouldn’t do. It just happens,” the former skipper said philosophically. “The only thing one could have done was to wait and hang around there for the new ball to wear out... Such things are going to happen. We can’t pin-point each other. We all need to take responsibility for it and try and ensure that we don’t repeat it.” On the brighter side, Tendulkar said the team had now some very good youngsters. “All the youngsters we have are very talented. They are also hungry to do well. They are prepared to work hard and that is a good sign.” “It augurs well because if you look at the average age of the team it is around 23-24 years. The team is young and if this lot can stick together for years to come, I am sure we can produce better results.” However, Tendulkar said, it was the bowling where India had profited most. “All the bowlers show promise... All the guys have different qualities and that is so important when you form a team. From every end, you have variety.” “Harbhanjan Singh is a top class off spinner and he is only 21. It is an added advantage to the side. Somebody who is so young and done well against quality sides...We can only expect better things from him.” The stalwart from Mumbai was also very pleased with the fitness level of the team. “It has improved by leaps and bounds. Now we are a very good fielding side too”. Tendulkar said he is always keen to lend a helping hand to youngsters in the team. “I know I am the senior-most among the players here. If I see something wrong or an area where somebody can improve, I just go and tell (him) that this is what I feel. Then it is up to the player to take a decision. But as a senior member, I feel I should tell (them) where they are going wrong.”
PTI |
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Greene demolishes top field; Jones struggles Lausanne (Switzerland), July 5 Answering any questions about a rumoured knee injury, Greene led out of blocks and powered across the line in 9.90 seconds, equalling the season’s best time he set at the US trials last month. Left trailing the Olympic and world champion was the man who chased him to gold in Sydney, silver medallist and training partner Ato Boldon of Trinidad in 9.99. Briton Dwain Chambers, fourth at the Sydney Olympics, was third in a personal season’s best time of 10.00. “I wouldn’t say that’s my favourite time but I’m pleased the way I ran today,” said Greene, the 100 metre world record holder. “I won and I’m building up as the season goes on towards the world championships. “As long as I keep getting faster... The most important thing is that I’m first.” While Greene shone, Jones continued to have problems finding top gear in what has been a sluggish start to her outdoor campaign. Jones followed up her win at the Golden Gala in Rome on Friday with another victory, but again the world and Olympic champion failed to impress, clocking an ordinary 11.04 second to narrowly edge out training partner Chandra Sturrup of the Bhamas by 0.01 seconds. Mercy Nku of Nigeria was third in 11.06, followed by Zhanna Pintusevich of Ukraine, who owns the season’s best time of 10.93. “I am not so concerned about my slow start,” said Jones, who will try for four gold medals at the world championships next month in Edmonton, Canada. “I’m happy, I’m healthy and everything will come into place soon. “Technically I was very lousy, I’m happy to come here and get the victory. “Everyone was looking at Pintusevich but if you saw the race in Rome you know Chandra was the one to look out for.” The meeting opened on tense note, when two anti-Beijing protesters raced on to the centre of the track shortly after a speech from outgoing Olympic chief Juan Antonio Samaranch. Unfurling a sign that read: “No to the Olympics in Beijing,” the duo, representing the group Reporters Without Borders, stood quietly in front of the presidential box until they were hustled away by stadium staff. The pair were punched as they were dragged off the field and escorted out of the Pontaise Stadium. But the focus quickly returned to the track, the meeting producing a number of season’s best times, including one in the men’s 1,500 metres by Algeria’s Ali Saidi-Sief. The Olympic silver medallist over 5,000 metres, Saidi-Sief staged a thrilling duel with Kenyans Laban Rotich and Olympic champion Noah Ngeny over the final 100 metres, storming across the line in 3:29.51, bettering the time clocked by world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj set last Friday in Rome. The meet began with American Olympic champion Angelo Taylor clocking a season best of 47.95 in the 400m hurdles and finished with compatriot Ramon Clay doing the same in the 200 metres with 20.05. In between, Kenyan Paul Bitok slashed a little over six seconds off the season’s best time in the 3,000 metres, charging across the line in 7:32.61. He was followed home by four of his countrymen, all going under the previous season best time of 7:38.72. Switzerland’s Andre Bucher delighted the home crowd when he improved the season’s best time in the 800 metres for the second time in six days with 1:43.58.
Reuters |
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Pillay, Mukesh
called for camp New Delhi, July 5 Senior players like Dhanraj Pillay, Mukesh Kumar and Sabu Varkey, whose omission from the 18-member team for the World Cup qualifiers had kicked up a row, now get a golden chance to prove their critics wrong and stake their claim for the Indian team, after attending a 22-day camp in Jammu. The 29 probables are: Goalkeepers: Bharat Chetri (Centre of Excellence, Bangalore), Baljit Singh (Chandigarh) and Subbaiah (J and K). Backs: Bikramjit Singh (Railways), Ignacious Tirkey (Services), Dinesh Nayak (Tamil Nadu), Anurag Raghuvanshi (Bharat Petroleum) and Aftab Ahmed (Railways). Half-backs: S.S. Gill and M.K. Prakash (both Bharat Petroleum), Prabhdeep Singh (Punjab Police), Samsuz Zoha (Indian Oil), Harmeek Singh (Punjab Police), Natarajan (Railways) and Sonu (Centre for Excellence). Forwards:
Dhanraj Pillay (Mumbai), Mukesh Kumar (Indian Airlines, Hyderabad), Sabu Varkey (Bharat Petroleum), Baljit Chandi (Punjab and Sind Bank), Tejbir Singh (Punjab Police), Deepak Thakur (IOC), Inderjit Singh (IOC), Amarjit Pratap (ONGC), M. Senthil (TN), Gurjeet Singh (J&K), Parminder Singh (PSB), Chander Pal (Railways), Ravinder Singh (Indian Airlines), Anoop Anthony (Karnataka) and Arshad Khan (Bhopal). The coaches will be Baldev Singh (Haryana) and Ripudaman Singh (Punjab).
Trainer: Ramesh (SAI, Hyderabad). |
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SAI sub-centre likely for
Uttaranchal Dehra Dun, July 5 This was disclosed by the Sports Minister, Mr Narayan Singh Rana. According to him, the Union Sports Ministry had responded positively to a proposal submitted to it in this regard. Once established the centre would provide the necessary inpetus needed to bring sportspersons of Uttaranchal up to national and international standards. The Union Government was willing to provide Rs 4 crore for the construction of a sports stadium at the Parade Ground, here. The state government had already allocated funds to begin work on it. A swimming pool would also become part of the complex. Rana was hopeful that Uttaranchal would get the opportunity to participate in the coming National Games to be held in Punjab. He was in touch with the officials of the Indian Olympic Association. Meanwhile, all the sports associations in the state had been asked to finalise their teams for the National Games on the basis of performance at the state games. He disclosed that the organisational set-up of the state’s sports directorate had been finalised and would be presented before the Cabinet in its meeting next week. |
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The Wimbledon semi-finals have flung up two contrasting clashes with Pat Rafter going up against Andre Agassi in a battle of old rivals and Tim Henman taking on Goran Ivanisevic in a tie no-one predicted.
Rafter and Agassi will meet for the third straight time in the Wimbledon semis having shared the last two.
On both occasions the winner went on to lose to Pete Sampras in the
final.
