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Monday,
September 10, 2001, Chandigarh, India  
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Venus clinches US Open
crown ‘Pistol Pete’, Hewitt set to clash in the
final Andy Flower props up
struggling Zimbabwe |
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Saurav Ganguly writes Kumble confident of getting his rhythm
back
Baljeet hits ton Sports festival at
Kurukshetra
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Venus clinches US Open
crown
New York, September 9 Fourth seed Venus Williams has won four of the past six Slam titles, having taken her second consecutive Wimbledon title in July. She won $ 850,000 for the triumph. Elder sisters rose to 10-0 in Grand Slam meetings, but the moment of triumph was bittersweet for Venus Williams because it came against Serena. “I always want Serena to win,” Venus said. “So it’s kind of strange. I’m the big sister. I take care of serena. I make sure Serena has everything even if I don’t have anything. I love her too much.” Serena replied: “We always look up to the big sister and always want to win because they’re always older and always ahead of us and they always do.” Serena was in her first Slam final since capturing her only Slam title here in 1999. She settled for second-place money of $ 425,000. “I’m disappointed, but not much,” Serena Williams said: “I’m still young. I’m only 19. I have a few more years.” Not since Maud Watson beat sister Lilian 6-8, 6-3, 6-3 for the first Wimbledon women’s title in 1884 had sisters met in a Grand Slam final. And that 19th century matchup of British siblings was from a field of only 15. Sports, music and entertainment celebrities were among the 23,023 at Arthur Ashe Stadium watching the historic error-filled match between American rivals, the first US Open women’s final to be played at night. “It helps people of colour. It helps tennis. It helps everybody,” women’s tennis pioneer Billie Jean King said. Erratic Serena Williams surrendered breaks in the fifth and seventh games to drop the first set and slapped a forehand wide to hand her older sister a break to open the second set. Serena denied nerves played role. “I wasn’t nervous at all,” serena williams said. “I’ve been in the finals of the US Open before.” But Serena williams, the 10th seed, broke back in the fourth game to level 2-2, winning 10 of 13 points in one stretch as Venus began to spray shots outside the lines. Serena sent a backhand long to give back the break in the next game, screaming as she watched the ball land long to give Venus a 3-2 edge, but broke back on a mis-hit volley in the next game to level again at 3-3. But Serena Williams double faulted twice to open the ninth game and hit a volley wide and surrendered a critical break when Venus hit a backhand winner from the baseline. Venus then served for the match and won on her first match point when Serena netted a baseline shot to end it after 69 minutes. The sisters met and hugged at the net, Venus consoling her sister by saying: “I love you”. Younger sisters were 4-23 against elders in prior WTA matches, including Venus’ 4-2 mark against Serena. But one of those Serena wins came when Venus withdrew from the Indian Wells semi-finals last March with an injury. The sisters, who began playing together as children in an inner-city Los Angeles neighbourhood, practiced against each other briefly and spent much of yesterday before the match napping, their mother Oracene Williams said. The matchup caused trouble for computer scorers, who typically only put last names on computer scoresheets. Not until play began did they realize no one could tell which Williams was which without first initials.
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Mother was rooting for Serena New York, September 9 “I was trying to give here a little edge,” Oracene Williams said of Serena Williams. “I was hoping Serena would win the second set for a little competition. I was just trying to encourage Serena to pick it up just a little. Serena would have Venus on the ropes and let up a little.” Instead, Serena lost to her older sister, Venus 6-2, 6-4 last night. “Venus just played beautifully,” Oracene said of the first women’s final held at night. “She’s a night person. She was awake.” Serena, on the other hand, “did not play her best. I think she wasn’t as focussed. It’s a sibling thing, and it always has been.” Asked why Venus won her second straight US Open, defeating the 1999 US Open winner, Oracene had a ready reply. “Venus is more mature. Serena is still a little raw. Venus plays smart. The wind bothered Serena a little more than Venus,” she said. “And they were playing each other, which was kind of strange.”
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Oracene proud of her daughters New York, September 9 “That’s my one word answer — historical,’’ said Williams, relaxing in the players lounge with her own younger sister, Ruth, after Venus beat Serena 6-4, 6-2 in the 69-minute final yesterday. “What they have achieved after a lifetime of work since they were four is great. It was their dream of playing each other in a Grand Slam final and now they’ve done it.’’ Oracene Williams, who shares the coaching responsibilities for her daughters with estranged husband, Richard, was not overly surprised by Venus coming out on top for the fifth time in six matches the sisters had played. “Venus just played beautifully and as I’ve said before, she’s the night person so the night is better for her,’’ Oracene Williams said. “The match wasn’t as intense for me as when they play other players. I guess that’s because I know how they hit against each other.’’ The mother revealed that Serena spent part of their day waiting to play the first scheduled night time Grand Slam final shopping New York’s famed Fifth Avenue, making stops at upscale Sak’s Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman’s along the way. When asked who did more damage on the shopping spree, Oracene said, “Serena, like always. Did you hear what Venus said that the big sister takes care of her, she meant she spends Venus’s money shopping, too.’’ Oracene was sure that her daughters did not fully comprehend the importance of their being the first sisters in over a century to compete for a Grand Slam trophy. “I don’t think I grasp it so I don’t think they do either,’’ she said. “I think may be in the future but when you’re doing it, you don’t see it. Oracene, who was keeping her fingers crossed the final would go into a third set, is already predicting that Serena will win the Australian Open in January.
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‘Pistol Pete’, Hewitt set to clash in the final New York, September 9 Tenth seed Sampras fired 20 aces, the last at 104 mph on match point, and stretched his streak of consecutive service games held to 87 in a 6-3, 7-6, (7/5), 6-3 triumph here yesterday. “My serve is a big part of my game,” Sampras said. “It is clicking in. As far as the rhythm, it’s there.” The 30-year-old American reached his 17th Grand Slam final and will try to raise his all-time Slam record to 14. He has not won a title in 17 events since setting the all-time Slam crowns mark last year at Wimbledon.
Fourth seed Hewitt, 20, advanced to his first Slam final by inflicting one of the most lopsided semi-final defeats in Slam history upon Russia’s Yevgeny Kafelnikov, ousting the seventh seed 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 in 83 minutes. “It would be a dream,” Hewitt said of winning the title. “It’s an unbelievable feeling right now. It’s obviously a big step.” Sampras has a 4-3 record against Hewitt, but the Aussie has won three of their past four meetings, the most recent a Queen’s semi-final in May on the grass where Sampras typically dominates. “Lleyton is a great competitor,” Sampras said. “He’s an unbelievable mover. He loves to target. He’s going to be fresh because he had a pretty easy match. It should be a great clash.” Hewitt, who has nine career ATP titles and three this year, reached his first Slam semifinal here last year but lost to Sampras. “He’s one of the greats,” Hewitt said. “It’s just a matter of handling my nerves in those pressure situations. I have to take my chances because he doesn’t give you a lot of them.” Sampras, who could be the first man to win a Slam title nine years in a row, became the first man to beat three past champions in a US Open, having made Andre Agassi and Patrick Rafter his two prior victims. Agassi, Ivan Lendl and Bjorn Borg failed in such bids. Sampras, who was last broken by Andre Sa in the first game of the second set of their second round match, broke Safin in the fourth game of the third set on a running forehand topspin lob that Safin watched land just inside the baseline. In the tie-breaker, Sampras fired his 14th ace at 120 mph for two set points. Safin saved the first with a backhand to Sampras’ feet but then smacked a forehand wide to surrender the set. Sampras had saved Safin’s first two break points of the match in the fourth game of the second set, one on a 122 mph ace and the other when Safin netted a forehand. Sampras stretched his streak of consecutive service games held in the 10th game of set two with help from an over-rule call. Sampras was given an ace on a Safin break point when television replays showed the ball was out. On the only break-point chance of the first set, Sampras came to the net on a backhand return and hit two more backhands, the last a leaping winner for a 4-2 lead on his way to winning the set in 29 minutes.
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Andy Flower props up
struggling Zimbabwe
Harare, September 9 Former Zimbabwe captain Flower hit 142 out of their first innings of 286 but could not prevent his side from following on 314 behind. When Zimbabwe batted again he came in after they had slumped to 25 for three and made an unbeaten 43 to lift their score to 97 for three at the close on the third day. Hamilton Masakadza was 37 not out. Starting the day on 143 for four, Zimbabwe were propped up by Flower in an innings lasting four-and-a-half hours in which he faced 200 balls and hit 21 fours and a six. His main ally was Travis Friend, with whom he added 75 for the ninth wicket before Friend fell for 30. Flower was the last man out when he was trapped in front by debutant fast bowler Andre Nel, who took four for 53. Zimbabwe made a poor start to their second innings, with Dion Ebrahim padding up to the fifth ball to be lbw to Pollock for nought and Alistair Campbell being bowled off an inside edge by Kallis in the last over before tea. Pollock followed up by having Craig Wishart caught at first slip. Masakadza, a Harare schoolboy, who made a century on his debut against the West Indies in July, 11 days before his 18th birthday, showed good composure as he provided Flower with the support that his team needed. Flower gave his only chance over his two innings when he had 34 in the second innings. An attempted sweep against Henderson flew off a top edge and Pollock, leaping at slip, got his fingertips to the ball. Pollock enforced the follow on after Zimbabwe were dismissed for 286 in reply to South Africa’s first innings of 600 for three declared. Andy Flower did his best to hold Zimbabwe’s batting together with a fine 142 which saw him at the crease for four-and-a-half hours in which he faced 200 balls and hit 21 fours and a six.
Reuters SCOREBOARD South Africa (1st innings): 600-3 declared Zimbabwe (Ist innings): (overnight 143-4) Ebrahim st Boucher b
Henderson 71 Campbell c Boucher b Nel 0 Masakadza run out (McKenzie) 13 Wishart c Klusener b Kallis 0 A. Flower lbw b Pollock 142 Price c Kirsten b Nel 0 G. Flower c Dippenaar b Nel 0 Whittall b Kallis 16 Streak lbw b Henderson 7 Friend c Pollock b Nel 30 Hondo not out 1 Extras:
(b-4 nb-2) 6 Total: (all out, 90.3 overs) 286 FOW:
1-2, 2-43, 3-51, 4-133, 5-143, 6-143, 7-188, 8-207, 9-282. Bowling: Pollock 22.3-5-62-1, Nel 16-6-53-4, Ntini 13-2-60-0, Kallis 12-1-39-2, Henderson 24-5-55-2, Klusener 3-0-13-0. Zimbabwe (2nd innings): Ebrahim lbw b Pollock 0 Campbell b Kallis 7 Masakadza not out 37 Wishart c Klusener b Pollock 6 A. Flower not out 43 Extras: (lb-1 nb-3) 4 Total: (for 3 wkts, 39 overs) 97 Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-18, 3-25. Bowling: Pollock 8-0-14-2, Nel 6-0-19-0, Kallis 4-1-11-1, Henderson 11-4-26-0, Ntini 9-3-23-0, Klusener 1-0-3-0.
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Saurav Ganguly writes THE
selectors have announced the team for the one-day series in South Africa. It’s good to have all the players back and fighting fit. In my 18-month tenure as captain, I’ll lead a full-strength Indian team for the first time. Injuries to key players do weaken your side. However, I also believe that it provides an opportunity for young players to make a mark for themselves, and from past experiences, I have always seen that India have discovered quality players under such circumstances. But it did not happen this time and this was one reason for the performance being inconsistent at times. I am very happy with the side picked for the series. This probably is the best Indian side at the moment. The choice of the wicketkeeper will spark plenty of debate, but the point is that none of our ‘keepers in the last six months has delivered with the bat. This makes a big difference in the balance of the side, especially when all countries in world cricket have a fair deal of runs scored by their wicketkeepers. Deep Dasgupta has a very good technique with the bat. He is a good backfoot player and an excellent competitor to boot. Shib Sunder Das’ inclusion will strengthen the batting as he looks to be a solid player at the top in Test cricket, and is in very fine form at the moment. This will also be a test of his mental make-up for he will have to adjust his style to suit the requirements of both versions of the game, which sometimes is not easy. The rest of the players automatically select themselves. I think that selecting the team so much ahead of this tour was a smart move, as it gives the boys an opportunity to prepare themselves mentally and physically for the challenges in South Africa. There are a few players who have only just missed the bus. They might feel left out but they should think positive, work harder and take heart from the fact that they are in the minds of the selectors. Badani, Agarkar, Mohanty and Dighe are such examples. It was a good move to have the selection committee chairman present during the last Test in Colombo. It’s a positive thing as he gets to know about what happens on a tour and can give the right feedback to his fellow selectors. Otherwise they get misguided a lot by reports appearing in India, which in most cases are incorrect. Having the chairman around makes the job of a captain and coach much easier, and should be a regular feature in Indian cricket. We are going a week earlier to South Africa to get used to the conditions. This will help the players a lot since they will have time to get used to the bounce. The one-day series being played before the Tests also helps because you can get a hit in the middle and get used to the wickets before the start of the Test series. After all, Test cricket is the ultimate challenge and there we can judge the true quality of the players. These moves are good signs of right thinking, and I thank the BCCI for having more interaction with the senior guys because it helps in creating better relations between the players and the administrators.
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Kumble confident of getting his rhythm back New Delhi, September 9 “I am feeling nice to be back in the national squad after the 11-month-long lay-off because of a shoulder injury. Now it is only a question of getting my rhythm back. Though it takes time, I am sure I will live up to all expectations in the second innings of my career,” Kumble, who has been selected for the one-day tri-series beginning early next month in South Africa, said in an interview to a TV news channel. “I have played five three-day matches, bowled more than 100 overs and grabbed wickets as well. It was a good confidence-building measure for me. Besides, if wickets are the yardstick of fitness, I am close to 100 per cent,” said the Karnataka leggy who is also confident of regaining his place in the team for a three-Test series following the one-day tournament. He hoped that 15 days prior to the practice and the team’s support would help him come back in his old form. “I need to play matches and once I play and perform, I will get real confidence to get me going.” Kumble, India’s second highest Test wicket-taker with 276 scalps behind former skipper Kapil Dev’s 434, has been out of action since last October when he left midway through a one-day series at Sharjah complaining of shoulder pain. The lanky tweaker underwent a surgery on his right shoulder in South Africa in January and returned to action in July by playing in some domestic tournaments. Explaining about his struggle against injury to Hindi news channel Aaj Tak yesterday, Kumble said, “shoulder injury takes a longer time to heal. I have had about eight months since surgery and it was a long time to be out of practice. I really worked hard during the period, but there is a lot more to do. There are areas where I will have to concentrate on while playing and follow a hectic work-out for my shoulder.” He admitted that leg spinners were more prone to shoulder injuries because of their off-beat bowling action. “Leg-spinners try to internally rotate their shoulders each time they bowl. So there is wear and tear of the shoulder over a period of time. Australian Shane Warne also has shoulder problems.” On the post-surgery rehabilitation programme, Kumble said it was not an easy process as he had to use a sling for about five weeks with a few exercises, followed by physiotherapy for three months. “The worst part was that for the first three months I could not even bowl which has been my bread and butter for almost 15 years. And not being able to do what you always love to do is very disappointing for a person. That is when you need support and I have wonderful support from the family, friends and fans. It gives you a lot of confidence.” Advocating the case for the contract system, Kumble said it would definitely help cricketers and provide them security in times of injury. Besides, it would give incentives to win matches. Expressing his eagerness to tango with Punjab off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, Anil said he would enjoy bowling with ‘Bhajji’ who has gained a lot of confidence after he captured 32 wickets to lead India to an upset 2-1 home series win over Australia early this year. However, Singh struggled during India’s recent 2-1 Test series defeat in Sri Lanka and took only four wickets. “The team should not pressurise Harbhajan, and leave him alone with his natural bowling ability,” advised Kumble who took all 10 second innings wickets against Pakistan in February 1999 in New Delhi to equal English spinner Jim Laker’s world record and led India to a series-levelling victory. About India’ chances in South Africa, Anil said, “South Africa is a very good side and it is going to be tough for India. At the same time, we have a side capable of facing tough challenges and need a team effort to make a grade.” Summing up his 15-year-old cricket career, he said, “It feels nice and gives a lot of satisfaction. I am happy. It is a new innings for me and I will have to do much better than the fist one. I will try to perform better than my past performances.” When asked about any pressure on his comeback, Kumble said: “I never feel the pressure as I always take it as a positive thing. It is like a challenge and you need people who expect results out of you. Otherwise you tend to relax and do not deliver. So it is always good to have people behind you who expect a lot. I hope I will be able to deliver goods in the second innings of my career.”
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Wrestling, kabaddi matches in
Pak Amritsar, September 9 He said the SGPC chief had agreed to take a 300-strong group of wrestlers and kabaddi players from Punjab during the celebrations and organise individual and team events with Pakistan teams. He said he is already in touch with Mr Choudhary Arif, secretary general, Pakistan Wrestling Federation who has agreed to invite the Indian wrestlers. Mr Kartar said who at present is posted at Jalandhar as commandant 27 PAP battalion had won gold and silver medals during Asian Games in 1978, 1982 and 1986 said that the entire format of the tournament will be discussed with his Pakistani counterparts during his visit to Islamabad in October during South Asian Federation Games being held there. Mr Kartar said that the celebrations at Nankana Sahib would be held to create goodwill among the people of both the countries. He had already organised similar wrestling festival during tercentenary celebrations of Khalsa Panth at Anandpur Sahib in 1999. |
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Baljeet hits ton Amritsar, September 9 Opting to bat first, Amritsar lost their opener quickly but skipper S.P. Singh and Abhnish Sharma added 145 for the second wicket and later Baljeet Singh hammered the bowling with a superb century, hitting two sixes and 16 fours. Brief score: Amritsar: 366 for 8 (Abhnish Sharma 69, S.P. Singh 69, Baljeet Singh 127, Parney Bhatia 50 no; Ashish Sehgal 5/98, Lov Anynush 3/55). |
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Sports festival at
Kurukshetra Kurukshetra, September 9 Stating this here today, Haryana Olympic Association president Abhey Singh Chautala said that a decision to this effect was taken in the association’s executive meeting held here today. The prestigious Bheem Awards and other cash awards would be awarded on October 24, the closing day of the festival. Haryana Olympic Association, Honorary Secretary General, Mr M.S. Malik, informed that construction of Olympic Bhavan at the cost of Rs 7.60 crores would commence from Haryana Day on November 1, 2001. A competition in 21 disciplines would be played. More than 3500 players are expected to participate. |
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