Monday,
July 9, 2001, Chandigarh, India
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Venus overpowers Henin |
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Spaniards
set to dominate Jeev
tied for 3rd place
Sachin,
Zaheer head averages Ganguly
for “best-of-three” finals PCA to
concentrate on coaching Namibia,
UAE advance Love’s
lead trimmed Beijing
confident of winning Olympic bid
IFA
plea to AIFF AIFF
transfers HAU
infrastructure for SAI
|
Venus overpowers Henin London, July 8 Williams had looked to be speeding to the title after a 20-minute first set, but she was rocked by Henin in the second before again imposing her big serves and sledge-hammer groundstrokes in a one-way traffic decider. The match was all over in a rapid 68 minutes as a light drizzle started to fall, Williams performing her usual pirouette of acclaim to the crowd before stepping up to receive the plate for the second year running. “This year was a lot more difficult to win than last year when I was like a deer in headlights. I just kept going,” said Williams. “This year it was a lot harder and I had to think.” Asked why she had not leapt into the air as she did when winning for the first time last year Williams replied: “I couldn’t leap because it was raining and I didn’t want to fall.” Henin paid tribute to her opponent saying: “She’s a great champion and she played better than me today. In the third set she was mentally stronger.” It was a third Grand Slam title for 21-year-old Williams following her wins last year at Wimbledon and the US Open. She lost just one set en route to the title. For Henin there was the consolation that at 19-year-old she can now be counted among the elite in the women’s game having also reached the semi-finals at the French Open. She is now ranked fifth in the world. Both players had to endure an agonising 24-hour wait as rain spoiled the party yesterday and then they were put on hold today while Tim Henman and Goran Ivanisevic completed their business in the men’s semi-finals. At 1.85m, the American towered a full 18 centimetres above her Belgian opponent as they stood side-by-side at the net for the customary pre-match photo. It was the largest difference in size in Wimbledon history. Weight-wise, Williams was 15kg the heavier. Experience was also firmly on the side of the American. She had won 17 tournaments worldwide including two Grand Slam events, the 2000 Wimbledon and US Opens. Williams is also the reigning Olympic champion and the world number two. Henin has won four WTA Tour tournaments, none of them Grand Slams, and she only broke into the top 100 this year. The early exchanges were evenly balanced, but Williams opened up in the fourth game to break the Henin serve on her fifth break point with an exquisite drop volley. The packed Centre Court crowd were firmly behind the underdog Belgian, but all the breaks were going with Williams be it netcords, line-calls or on serve. Another break of serve made it 5-1 to Williams and she made no mistake in the next game powering into the net to put away a smash on set point with Henin left gasping. The first set lasted just 20 minutes. Similar to her upset semi-final win over Jennifer Capriati on Thursday, Henin started to find her range at the start of the second set, encouraging herself with cries of “Allez, allez!” She took a 3-2 lead only for her momentum to be stalled by yet another rain break which this time lasted for 20 minutes. But on the resumption, Henin made her move by breaking the big Williams serve in the eighth game and then served out confidently to level the sets at 1-1. The crowd were on their feet in support of the Belgian but Williams kept her cool at the start of the third, fired up the power and blasted out six straight games to lift the title. Henin saved one match point on her own serve but on the second she fired a backhand into the net.
AFP
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Ivanisevic in Wimbledon final London, July 8 The Croatian, ranked 125 in the world, won 7-5 6-7 0-6 7-6 6-3 on Centre Court after 14 minutes play on the third day of the match. He will play Pat Rafter of Australia, the third seed, in Monday’s final, delayed 24 hours because of rain. It will be Ivanisevic’s fourth final after he lost three in the 1990s. “This is destiny, God wanted me to win — he sent the rain. Tomorrow is the biggest moment of my life”, the 29-year-old said after a match stretching over 44 hours. Henman was bidding to become the first Briton to reach the men’s final at Wimbledon since 1938 and the 26-year-old will probably never have a better chance to win the most prestigious tournament in world tennis. Play stopped on Friday because of bad light with Henman two sets to one ahead and leading 2-1 in the fourth set when bad light stopped play. Ivanisevic won the fourth set in a tiebreak on Saturday and was ahead 3-2 when rain stopped play after only 51 minutes. Henman, 30-15 ahead, held serve immediately on Sunday and went 0-30 ahead on Ivanisevic’s serve before big serving, including his 35 ace, helped the Croat recover to win the game. Behind 4-3, Henman was suddenly 15-40 down as Ivanisevic sent three cracking returns of serve over the net. Henman saved both break points. But the Briton served a double fault to give away another break point and another fine forehand return of serve to Henman’s feet led to the vital break for the wild card. A forehand long by Henman gave Ivanisevic his first match point after 12 minutes play but British hopes were kept alive by an Ivanisevic double fault. A second service ace by Ivanisevic set up another match point and a backhand wide by Henman won the Croatian the match. Henman’s nemesis, seven-times champion Pete Sampras, was removed in the fourth round this year, opening up the Briton’s half of the draw. But he could not douse the self-belief and confidence coursing through the giant Croatian and the British wait for their first Wimbledon champion since Fred Perry in 1936 goes on. Henry “Bunny” Austin reached the final in 1938 but lost to American Don Budge.
Reuters |
Spaniards
set
to dominate Gstaad, July 8 Though the top seeding is held by Russia’s Marat
Safin, the reigning US Open champion will not escape the all-pervasive Spanish connection as he begins first-round play against Davis Cup player Juan
Balcells. Seeded second is one of the two hottest players on clay this season, 21-year-old Juan Carlos
Ferrero, the Barcelona and Rome holder, who should feel right at home on the gritty red surface of this Alpine resort situated at 1,000 metres above sea level in the picturesque Bernese
Oberland. Ferrero put in a respectable appearance on grass at the Wimbledon championships, where he reached the third round in his debut appearance before bowing out to Brit Greg
Rusedski. The Spanish talent opens play against Arnaud di Pasquale of France. Sebastien Grosjean is seeded third for France, one spot ahead of two-time champion Alex
Corretja, the defending champion who lifted the title a year ago over Mariano Puerta of Argentina. That match, like the current Wimbledon men’s final, was played on a Monday after a week of near-constant rain in the mountains. Spaniards hold a comfortable domination of the event which is held at the smallest population centre on the ATP. Home to just a few thousand permanent residents, this chalet-style village is lauded by many players as perhaps the most pleasing venue on the circuit. The altitude insures that the clay plays almost as fast as a
hardcourt, making for a comfortable transition from the grass court season. Since 1990, Spain has lifted nine of 11 titles, two-time French Open winner Sergi Bruguera taking three in a row from 1992-94. The only non-Spaniards to snatch trophy honours were Argentine Martin Jaite in 1990 and Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov five years
later. Safin, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist, is hoping to duplicate the feat of his elder countryman. The 20-year-old is also aiming to re-charge a so-so start this year in which a back injury early on hampered his progress. “It didn’t start very well, I didn’t make any good results for the beginning of the year because I was tired from the last year. I also got injured,” he said.
AFP |
Jeev tied for 3rd place Hiroshima, July 8 Jeev aggregated 11-under 205 for three rounds and was placed alongside Toru Taniguchi. The Chandigarh based pro had earlier finished tied for the fourth place in the Mizuno Open and second in the Tour Players Championship Iiyama Cup in the previous two weeks. The tournament was cut to three rounds after torrential rains and a thunderstorm forced the cancellation of Friday’s second round. Overnight leader Keiichiro Fukabori won the title in thrilling fashion when he slotted home three birdies on the last three holes to catch up with Masashi Ozaki. Ozaki started the day at tied 15th place at six-under and played a superb bogey-free round of seven-under 65. But that was not enough as Fukabori scripted a grandstand finish and then beat him in the playoff after tying for the first place at 13-under 203 at the end of stipulated 54 holes. “It was another solid week for me. I played very well and had a good chance of winning the title. But Ozaki played like a man possessed and Fukabori’s finish was just too strong. But three top-four finish in three weeks is a dream run and I hope it will continue for some more days for me”, said the versatile Indian pro. Jeev, started the final day at eight-under. He made one birdie (on the par-5 second) and eight pars on the front nine. On his return journey, he dropped his only shot of the day on the par-4 13th, but birdies on the 12th, 14th and 15th ensured a three-under 69 card for him. Jeev now heads for the Loch Lomond Invitational on the European Tour. He will be one of the four Indians trying to qualify for the British Open the week after. He then heads for the USA in the first week of August, where he has become the first Indian player to be invited for the $ 4-million The International. Among the other well known names from the Asian PGA Tour, Bunchu Ruangkit of Thailand finished tied for the fifth place at 10-under 206, his best finish of the season so far.
UNI |
England
crash to innings defeat
Birmingham, July 8 Despite a defiant 76 from opener Marcus Trescothick, England finished on 164 for nine in response to Australia’s mammoth 576. The match ended with the fall of the ninth wicket because England captain Nasser Hussain had sustained a broken left little finger while batting, retired hurt and was unable to return to the crease. Delighted Australian captain Steve Waugh saw his policy of fielding first rewarded and afterwards paid tribute to his bowlers and man-of-the match Adam Gilchrist who top-scored with a whirlwind 152. “We didn’t bowl that great first innings but we improved things in the second innings. I was tempted to bat after winning the toss but to win a Test you’ve got to take 20 wickets so why not put the opposition in and try and knock ten over? “It was taking a bit of a gamble but you’ve got to back your bowlers. “You’ve also got to get a good score first innings and Gilly (Gilchrist) was superb,” said Waugh. “There were many times when England were in this match but we pulled away with them during that stand (of 160) between Gilchrist and Damien Martyn.” Fast bowler Jason Gillespie did the damage in more ways than one, taking three for 52 and with the last ball before lunch clean bowling Craig White for nought to cap an impressive spell of three wickets for four runs in 15 balls. After the break leg-spinner Shane Warne took two wickets in two balls on his way to three for 29 and match figures of eight for 100. “He’s still a great bowler,” said Waugh after Warne had taken his 384th Test wicket, one more than England hero Ian Botham. “I’m sure he will be a decisive figure in this series.” Trescothick went for his lunch score of 76 edging Warne to Mark Waugh at slip. He faced 113 balls including two sixes and 11 fours in a gutsy innings that received support merely from Mark Butcher (43), the only other batsman to make double figures. Ashley Giles went the same way as Trescothick for a 12 ball nought and Andrew Caddick was six not out. Hussain, who had already sustained three hand fractures in the last two years, was forced to retire hurt after being hit by Gillespie’s first ball of the day. “It’s too soon to say how bad it is. I’ll have my regular visit to the hand specialist on Monday (tomorrow),” said a rueful Hussain. “Australia completely outplayed us in all three departments.” England today started 234 behind on 48 for one with Tescothick 21 not out and Mark Butcher eight not out. After Glenn McGrath had predictably bowled the first over, Australian captain Waugh decided to attack with Warne at the other end to exploit the left-handed pair’s seeming vulnerability against spin. But after missing one attempted hook against McGrath, Trescothick connected for a magnificent six. Butcher too had his moments against the demon fast bowler, first driving him through the covers and next ball on driving for another boundary. SCOREBOARD England (Ist innings): 294 (A. Stewart 65, M. Atherton 57, S. Warne 5-75). Australia (Ist innings): 576 (A. Gilchrist 152, D. Martyn 105, S. Waugh 105). England (IInd innings): Atherton c M. Waugh b McGrath 4 Trescothick not out 76 Butcher b Gilchrist b Lee 41 Hussain retired hurt 9 Ward b Lee 3 Stewart c Warne b Gillespie 5 Afzaal lbw b Gillespie 2 White b Gillespie 0 Giles c Waugh b Warne 0 Caddick not out 6 Extras: (b-1, lb-5, nb-12) 18 Total: (all out, 42.1 overs) 164 Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-99, 3-142, 4-148, 5-150, 6-154, 7-155, 8-155, 9-164. Bowling: McGrath 13-5-34-1 (5nb), Gillespie 11-2-52-3 (4nb), Warne 10.1-4-29-3 (1nb), M. Waugh 1-0-6-0, Lee 7-0-37-2 (2nb).
Reuters |
Sachin, Zaheer head averages Harare, July 8 Sachin Tendulkar, who remained unbeaten three out of five innings, aggregated 282 runs, the highest in the tournament, for an average of 141 and leads the batting table by miles. His closest competitor was wicket-keeper Samir Dighe who by virtue of his unbeaten 94 in the final yesterday emerged with an average of 103.00 from two innings. Zaheer Khan was the highest wicket-taker in the tournament with nine victims which gave him an average of 17.77 also the best. Saurav Ganguly finished with an average of 39.40. Reetinder Singh Sodhi (83) and Rahul Dravid (40.33) were the other notable performers with the bat. Ashish Nehra who topped the bowling averages in the Test series could manage only four wickets in the one-day series with an average of 39.25. Ajit Agarkar (20.25), Debasish Mohanty (25) and Harvinder Singh (22.50) also had good shows.
PTI |
Ganguly for “best-of-three” finals Harare, July 8 “It is a bit harsh because you play four league games and win all and then lose the one-off final,” Ganguly said. India won all their four league matches convincingly in the triangular one-day series in Zimbabwe and lost the final by 16 runs yesterday. “I have seen this happen to a number of sides. It happened to us in the ICC knock-out mini World Cup in Nairobi where we beat three top teams and then lost to New Zealand who were rated to be an inferior side. It happened to Pakistan in Sharjah where they won four games and then lost to Sri Lanka in the final,” Ganguly said. While chasing an imposing 291 for victory, India had lost their first five wickets for just 80 runs yesterday, and Ganguly said it was a “shame”. “We lost the game at 80 for five. It was a big total but with just three seamers in their side, and (Reon) King not at his very best, we backed ourselves. We just needed to bat properly and play normal cricket.” But Ganguly did not believe any of the players threw his wicket away. “A lot of people might say we have thrown wickets at the top order. I don’t agree with it. The shot V.V.S. Laxman played, it was pitched halfway down the wicket and you play such strokes in one-day cricket where you can’t let balls to go.” He also justified his decision to put West Indies in to bat after winning the toss. “I did think about it (batting first) but then you had won four games bowling first and it was a similar pitch. When at the time of the toss (Carl) Hooper showed me the team he had, any captain would have decided to chase because he had just three bowlers,” he said. But Ganguly’s calculations went awry after the senior batsmen were out within the first 15 overs itself. The captain conceeded the team needed a better performance from the top order batsmen. “They (seniors) have been a bit patchy. They were not as consistent as they normally are, it is off and on kind of display. Me, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Laxman should have probably batted a bit better. “They know it, you can make it out of their faces that they have made a mess of it. “We all try to win, especially in the finals. If we got to be a good side, then there is no place for losers. If you want people to say you are a good side, then you got to win matches, you got to have players scoring runs in important games. “It is a mental kind of a thing. It has to be in the mind rather than ability. If we didn’t have the ability, we would not have reached the final.” But Ganguly was not sure whether the team needed a psychologist to deal with its mental fragility in crunch situations. “As for needing a psychologist, I would say yes and no. I personally feel it is more with an individual.” More than the batsmen it was the bowlers who came under attack by coach John Wright for conceding too many runs. Wright also strongly defended Tendulkar and the shot which got him out. “Sachin never throws his wicket, Sachin has played magnificently. He selected a ball which was a bit high and quicker also and it happens. We can’t continually rely on Sachin Tendulkar to win us games (every time). It has to be a collective effort. The greatest thing about Tendulkar is that he is his hardest critic,” he said. “It does become a difficult game when your three medium pacers go for over six per over. We were just not efficient and accurate enough with the ball. “Chasing that many runs was always going to be demanding. We just lost too many early wickets, it would have been a proper chase if we were 100 for two or something like that. “We have to take this as a learning opportunity, we just have to become tougher and more clinical and how we play in such situations. “The critical stage today was the first 15 overs. Hooper and Shivnaraine Chanderpaul did very well, they rotated the strike well, the left-handed, right-handed kind of thing. “I don’t think our fielding was bad. There sometimes is pressure on the field because the ball is going to all parts of the ground, it is just a fact of life,” Wright said.
PTI |
PCA to concentrate on
coaching SAS Nagar, July 8 Addressing newsmen after the meeting of the PCA, its President I.S. Bindra said that the association would spend a major chunk out of the budget amounting to Rs 30 lakh on coaching of players and providing equipment. He said that the association had increased the prize money for winners and runners up in domestic cricket championships from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 5 lakh. He said that a provision of Rs 25 lakh has been made in the budget for present and past cricketers of the state under “benovalent fund for players”. The meeting also constituted eight sub-committees for the year 2001-2002. The general body approved the annual report of the association for the year 2000-2001. Mr Bindra informed that all PCA cricket teams i.e. u-14 years, u-16 years, u-19 years u-22 years and senior were the champions at league level which is the national record. He further informed that the PCA had started the regional coaching centres at district level and center of excellence at PCA cricket stadium. The balance sheet of the association for the year 2000-2001 was also approved. Mr G.S. Walia, hony treasurer of the association, briefed the house about the salient features of the balance sheet. He informed that keeping in view the fact that PCA had not organised any international match even then the PCA organised all the district level, national and international tournaments. The house also elected the new executive committee of the association. |
Namibia, UAE
advance Toronto, July 8 Namibia, the tournament’s 13th seed, maintained its unbeaten run in the tournament by disposing yesterday of a tired Bermuda team by 75 runs. The UAE defeated the previously undefeated Ugandan team by five wickets with 8.1 overs remaining. Namibia, led by half-centuries from Riaan Walters, Deon Kotze and Mome Kargs, rallied to reach 221 in 49.4 overs in windy and overcast conditions. Bermuda, playing in its third match in as many games, ran out of gas and was dismissed for 146 in the 46th over. Opener Albert Steede batted resolutely for a determined 56 before being ninth out. The UAE, guided by a scintillating 71-ball knock of 61 by Ahmed Nadeem, turned back underdogs Uganda’s strong challenge. The UAE hit 155-5 in 41.5 overs in reply to Uganda’s total of 154 in 46.3 overs.
AP |
Love’s lead trimmed Lemont (Illinois), July 8 Love led by five shots after he chipped in for a birdie at the 15th, but Hoch reeled off birdies at each of the final four holes to put the pressure on his fellow American at Cog Hill. Love, who bogeyed the second hole before bad weather halted play for more than two hours yesterday, shot a 69 for a 14-under-par total of 202, while Hoch carded a 66 for 203. Mark Wiebe (67) and Brandel Chamblee (70) were four strokes off the pace, while Phill Mickelson (67) was on his own on 207. Tiger Woods, back in form after identifying a swing fault on the range on Friday night, returned a 68 which put him in a group of 15 players on 209. Love only entered the Western Open after missing the cut at last week’s Greater hartford Open in Connecticut.
Reuters |
Beijing confident of winning Olympic bid Beijing, July 8 “At present Beijing is the No 1 candidate and we are confident of winning the bid this time,” a senior Chinese Foreign Ministry official told PTI, ahead of the crucial IOC meeting in Moscow. Beijing, Paris, Toronto, Osaka and Istanbul have been short-listed for the 2008 Olympic candidates and the IOC will make its final decision on July 13 in Moscow. While the Chinese official downplayed the significance of the Bush Administration’s decision, Washington’s stance has played a major role in easing the tension that had gripped US-China relations, especially after the April 1 collision between a US spy plane and a Chinese fighter jet. Although neither the US nor other governments have a direct role in choosing Olympic host cities, the lack of any informal US opposition to China’s bid would enhance Beijing’s chances of being chosen, diplomatic sources commented. A second defeat for the Chinese government led by state president and Communist Party general secretary Jiang Zemin in the Olympic bid may have serious political implications since Chinese leaders have made it an emotional one for its 1.3 billion people, one source said. The Chinese government will send senior leader and Vice-Premier Li Lanqing to Moscow to show its full backing of Beijing’s bid to host the 2008 Olympics. In 1993, the US stance on China’s poor human rights record had played a leading role in swinging votes against Beijing’s bid to host the 2000 Olympics, which ultimately went to Sydney. Diplomatic sources also believe that China may release some leading political prisoners ahead of the Moscow vote to appease anti-China sentiments in Washington and other western capitals. Chinese Foreign Ministry did not reject or confirm reports that China may release Chinese scholars like Li Shaomin and Wu Jianmin, both US citizens and permanent US residents Gao Zhan and Tan Guangguang, all detained on spying charges. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Zhang Qiyue said the cases against the scholars would be “processed according to law” and would not be related to Beijing’s Olympic bid. She also stressed that China had “iron-clad” evidence against them that they engaged in spying activities for foreign intelligence agencies. Meanwhile, officials of the Beijing Olympic Bidding Committee (BOBICO) led by Beijing Mayor Liu Qu left here for Moscow yesterday, saying they would display Beijing’s strength and confidence to host the 2008 Olympic Games. “We will try our best to show the world Chinese people’s longing and pursuance for the Olympics as well as our strength and confidence to host the 2008 Olympic Games,” Liu, who is also BOBICO president, said. The BOBICO delegation consists of bid officials, sports officials and reporters. They would attend the 112th session of the IOC, during which the delegation would make the final presentation as the 2008 Olympics candidate. Mr Jia Qinglin, secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), wished the delegation good luck and saw them off. “We are looking forward to your good news here in Beijing,” he was quoted as saying by the official Xinhua news agency. According to the president of the Russian Olympic Committee, Mr Vitaly Smirnov, one city will be washed out at each round of the electronic voting. In case of equal ballots, additional voting will held between the two cities. If a candidate wins over 50 per cent of votes, the election can end ahead of time, Xinhua quoted Mr Smirnov as saying.
PTI |
IFA plea to AIFF Kolkata, July 8 Protesting against the All-India Football Federation’s decision to induct six East Bengal and three Mohun Bagan players for the coaching camp in the run-up to the Indian team’s exposure trip to England, IFA joint secretary Ranjit Gupta said the decision was discriminatory and arbitrary. Mr Gupta said the two clubs had reacted “very seriously” to the apex body’s decision as they were answerable to their members and sponsors if they did not get the services of star players in times of need despite spending astronomical amounts on them. Mr Gupta said the absence of so many top players from the ongoing Kolkata super division football league would put the ‘very survival of the IFA at stake. Pointing out that the AIFF had inducted three players each from the clubs for the pre-World Cup camp earlier this year so as the National League was not disturbed, Mr Gupta said “If you can do that in the interest of your tournament, you should do the same in the interest of a tournament run by one of your affiliates”. “We are not opposed to football, but opposed to the discriminatory and arbitrary policies which may even lead to the liquidation of our body”, he said and requested Mr Colaco to consider cutting down the number of players from the two clubs to two each.
PTI |
AIFF transfers Panaji, July 8 Salim Ansari from Mahindra United to Alwyn, Biswajit Chatterjee (Tollygunga Agragami) to Ageya Chalo (Tripura) Kiran Khongsai (FC Kochin) to Ageya Chalo and Amjad Hussain (Tisco Jamshedpur) to Mohammedan Sporting were among the players who figured in the latest list.
PTI |
HAU infrastructure for
SAI Hisar, July 8 The proposed SAI academy will admit 200 sportspersons for training in boxing, athletics, wrestling, judo and table tennis. As many as 98 of them have already been selected. The remaining seats will be filled on July 14 after interviews. The academy will be formally inaugurated by the Union Sports Minister Ms Uma Bharti. The transfer of infrastructure followed a tripartite agreement signed earlier this year between the Haryana Government, the SAI and the HAU. With this development the HAU’s once famed College of Sports has been finally laid to rest. The college in its initial years produced some excellent athletes and wrestlers from Haryana. Later, however, the standards deteriorated and the students of the college earned notoriety for criminal activities. It was wound up and revived several times in the recent past. However, the entire costly infrastructure was not being put to any use barring hosting of some national level meets now and then. The academy is the brainchild of Mr Ajay Singh Chautala, the legislator son of Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, who evinces keen interest in sports. It was he who persuaded the Haryana Government and the HAU to hand over the properties to SAI so that these could be put to good use. Much will, however, depend on the trainees’ calibre. If it attracts talent from other states too, it might produce good sportspersons. |
Varsity
decision Amritsar |
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