 |
|
|
Safina, Ivanovic set up final date
Asif’s case deferred to Sunday
Surendra breaks 3000m national record
Pietersen’s century saves England |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Monfils, Djokovic aim to derail Grand Slam kings
Gill promises cash hike for MAKA award
‘Success was my reply to mockery’
Santosh Trophy
Spain labour to 1-0 win
|
|
Safina, Ivanovic set up final date
Paris, June 5 The second seed, runner-up last year, led by a set and 3-1 only for Jankovic to level and go ahead 3-1 in the decider herself, before Ivanovic recovered again to set up a final against Russian 13th seed Dinara Safina. Earlier, in the first semifinal of the day, Dinara Safina spared herself yet another drama to book her first grand slam final place when she saw off fellow Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-3, 6-2. The younger sister of two-times grand slam winner Marat Safin will meet Ana Ivanovic, on Saturday. “I’m doing it for him and for myself, I’m doing it for the family," she added, referring to her brother, who has never reached the final at Roland Garros but won the U.S. Open in 2000 and the Australian Open three years ago. Safina said she would be ready to dig deep in the final but Kuznetsova did not stretch her on Thursday. "It was a horrible match. I could not serve, I could not play my forehand, it was one of my worst matches against her," said Kuznetsova, who had won her last two matches on clay against Safina, including a 7-6, 6-0 quarter-final win at Roland Garros two years ago. “She played every ball, she was more consistent.” On the other hand a relieved Ivanovic said, “It was a very tough match - there were lots of ups and downs. I was just so happy to stay strong in the end and win the match, but it was a very tough one. I think she just started playing really good tennis. Maybe I started to be a bit too passive but she's a very good player and if you give her chances, she is going to take them”. Jankovic had been struggling with right arm and right shoulder injuries throughout the tournament but she came out firing as she raced to a 3-0 lead. Ivanovic, looked in trouble again on the big stage but she bounced back superbly, taking the attack to Jankovic to snatch the set. The second seed had a break point for a 4-1 lead but Jankovic saved it and fought back. Ultimately Ivanovic pulled herself together to clinch a victory that ensures she will overtake Russian Maria Sharapova at the top of the rankings when they are released on Monday. — Reuters
|
|
Asif’s case deferred to Sunday
Karachi/Dubai, June 5 After laboratory reports of the substance recovered from him was received by the authorities, Asif appeared before the public prosecutor and the issue has been deferred to Sunday, Shafqat Naghmi, chief operating officer of the Pakistan Cricket Board, told a news conference in Lahore. Though Naghmi did not disclose the substance recovered from Asif in the airport, a Dubai daily said it was hashish, while Pakistani television channels claimed it to be opium. “His medical reports have been received but we cannot disclose details about them because only our lawyer in Dubai knows what has come in them,” Naghmi told reporters. “But now this issue has been deferred to Sunday and we are still trying our best to resolve this issue and get Asif back home,” he said. Naghmi said Asif told the board that authorities at the Dubai airport had recovered some medicines from him which were given to him by a Hakeem for his elbow injury and better health. “That is what he has told us but we don’t know the exact nature of this medicines he is talking about,” Naghmi said. He also denied that the board was using government and diplomatic channels to get Asif released from detention. “That is not correct. We have hired a law firm which is handling the issue. Our lawyer will meet with the prosecutor this evening for more details of the case,” Naghmi said. However, Pakistani TV channels television claimed laboratory tests had proved that the substance recovered from Asif was at the Dubai airport was opium, around 2.5 grams in quantity. In the past several celebrity figures have been detained by the airport authorities in Dubai for possession of small quantity of drugs. A few have been sentenced and served it while others have been sentenced but then pardoned and sent back home. Earlier, media reports in Dubai claimed that tests at the Dubai General Department of Forensic Science had proved that the substance recovered from Asif was hashish but the authorities may not refer the case to court and deport the player. “The Dubai attorney general is expected to sign administrative deportation orders, thereby ensuring that the case is not referred to the Dubai Courts,” Khaleej Times quoted its sources in the police and attorney general office as saying. Chief prosecutor Mohammed Rustom, meanwhile, made it clear that he would go by the forensic reports. “We will proceed according to reports of the tests from the Dubai General Department of Forensic Science,” he said. Asif remains in the Dubai airport detention centre since Sunday morning when he reached there for a 15-hour transit stay while returning from Mumbai on his way home. — PTI
|
|
Surendra breaks 3000m national record
London, June 5 “I always wanted to register my name in records books. It was good race especially with pacemaker who remained till 2600m which helped to set good timings,” Surendra Said. In the men’s 800m race Sajeesh Joseph took advantage of the pacemaker who set a pace of 52sec for the first lap to win the race with a timing of 1:47.45s while Rajeev Ramesan finished third with 1:48.11s. In the women’s 1500m race, ace runner Sinimole Paulose finished third with 4:14.53 while Preeja Sreedharan shredded 4 seconds off from her personal best timing clocking 4:18.43s. Sushma Devi grabbed third position in the women’s 800m with a timing of 2:04.85s while in the 1500 m, Chaitoli Hamza fought neck to neck with European Silver medalist Mo Farah but in the end Mo emerged winner and Hamza remained on second place with 3:43.50s and teammate Paritam Bind took third place in 3:46.60s. However, coach of Indian team Dr Nikolai, was content with the performances.
|
|
Pietersen’s century saves England Nottingham, June 5 England need only to avoid defeat to claim a series victory after drawing at Lord's and winning the second test at Old Trafford. Pietersen, 27, in his 39th test, reached his century after tea with a firm drive through cover for four. — Reuters Scoreboard England first innings: Strauss c Taylor b Mills 37 Cook b Mills 6 Vaughan b O’Brien 16 Pietersen c Hopkins b O’Brien 115 Bell lbw b O’Brien 0 Collingwood c Taylor b Mills 0 Ambrose c Hopkins b O’Brien 67 Broad not out 15 Anderson not out 1 Extras: (b-4 lb-8 nb-4) 16 Total: (for 7 wkts, 90 overs) 273 FoW: 1-14 2-44 3-84 4-85 5-86 6-247 7-262 Bowling: Martin 12-1-61-0, Mills 24-7-58-3), O’Brien 20-4-61-4, Oram 17-6-26-0, Vettori 17-0-55-0
|
|
|
Monfils, Djokovic aim to derail Grand Slam kings
Paris, June 5 Unseeded Monfils, the swashbuckling, unpredictable Frenchman is the first home player to reach the Roland Garros last four in seven years. A month ago, his career was in such disarray that he was playing in a second tier Challenger in Marrakech trying to salvage his game as well as a fractious relationship with his coach. The 21-year-old takes on Federer who has comfortably won all three of their career meetings and is desperate to add an elusive French Open to his 12-strong Grand Slam title collection. In the other semifinal, Australian Open champion Djokovic, also 21, faces Nadal who’s bidding to join Bjorn Borg as the only man to win four successive French Opens. Nadal has won all 26 matches he has played at Roland Garros while Djokovic, the colourful Serbian who can snatch the Spaniard’s world number two ranking should he win, has been beaten in seven of his 10 career meetings with the champion. Monfils, who reached his first Grand Slam semi-final with a four-set dismissal of Spanish fifth seed David Ferrer, believes destiny could be on his side. It’s exactly 25 years since Yannick Noah won France’s last men’s title and he believes he can use the occasion to his advantage. “It’s the Lakers versus Boston,” said Monfils, the 2004 junior champion, using the NBA championship match-up as his inspiration. “It’s going to be a big match, probably the most important match in my career so far, but it’s not the Game 7 yet”. Federer, beaten here in the last three years by Nadal, including the 2006 and 2007 finals, has reached a record 16th successive Grand Slam semifinal. “This is usually where I hope to play my best and especially here at the French, which is supposed to maybe be the toughest one for me,” said the world number one. Should he get past Monfils and face Nadal again in the final, he insists he won’t make the same mistakes as Nicolas Almagro who was brushed aside by the champion in the quarterfinals 6-1, 6-1, 6-1. “I would have thought Nicolas would have given him a better run for the money,” said Federer. “But I read some quotes before the match like he thought that Rafa is so good and so great and maybe he didn’t really believe in it. So if you don’t believe in it against Rafa, you’re not going to win”. Nadal and Djokovic will square up in the other semifinal determined to ignore the history-tinged implications of their mouthwatering contest. — AFP
|
|
Gill promises cash hike for MAKA award
New Delhi, June 5 The inter-university title winners in individual events will also get a major hike in cash prize as the minister felt that the Rs 50,000 being paid as cash reward was too little since the amount does not go to sports persons, but the university concerned. The minister also accepted the suggestion of the delegation, led by former Olympian Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, to establish a trophy, with cash awards, on the lines of the MAKA trophy, for the National School Games winners to give a major boost to sports at the grass-root-level. |
|
‘Success was my reply to mockery’
Chandigarh, June 5 Girraj lost the lower limbs of his right arm in an accident when he was just six years old. He is a befitting example of “determination” and “will power” which empowered him to fight against all odds, and helped him earn a name in Special Athletics meet. “It was during the National School sports meet held at Faridabad in 1993, when I gave my name for participation in the race, some body made fun of my disability. This was enough to ignite the aggressiveness I had in me. Luckily, I won gold medal in that race. After that I never looked back”. He participated in the 12th Paralympics Competition in 2005, held at Coimbatore. Girraj came to limelight when he won loads of medals consequently in the National Paralympics Athletics meet. He clinched three gold medals in 200 m, 400 m and 800 meters during the seventh Senior National Paralympic Athletics meet held in 2005. In 2006, he won three gold medals in 200m, 400m, 800m and 4x100m relay event and a silver medal in 100 meters race event during the eighth Senior National Paralympics Athletics meet held at Bangalore. Then again in 2007, he bagged six gold medals in 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 100x4 relay and 4x400m relay at the 9th Senior National Athletics meet held at Bangalore for Physically challenged persons. Besides this, he tried his hand at the Volleyball and clinched a bronze there too. Presently working as a JBT teacher in Sanskrit at Faridabad, Girraj hopes that his example would make people wake up to the need of reservation for the physically challenged in the 3 per cent quota for sportspersons. |
|
Swiss to get three-week party underway
Vienna, June 5 The Swiss, along with co-hosts Austria, are expected to be among the eight casualties of the group stage while World Cup winners Italy, beaten finalists France, Germany, Spain and Portugal should all reach the quarterfinals. However, four years after Greece made a mockery of the bookmakers by becoming European champions in Lisbon, there is no certainty of a heavyweight final in Vienna on June 29. Poland and the Czechs, beaten by Germany in the 1996 final at Wembley, could go all the way, helped in large part by a kind draw and a new championship format. Germany are the only traditional powerhouse in Groups A and B, who will play each other all the way to the final, giving Czech, Polish and Croatian fans real hopes of causing an upset. By contrast, one former European champion is certain to fall by the wayside in Group C where Italy, France and Netherlands do battle with Romania. Spain should come through a tight Group D featuring the Greeks, a Russia side that can draw on UEFA Cup winners Zenit St Petersburg, and Sweden. Teams aside, there will be no shortage of individual talent on display. Portugal can count on Cristiano Ronaldo, fresh from Premier League and Champions League glory with Manchester United. Germany will look to captain Michael Ballack, though Italy will be poorer for losing captain Fabio Cannavaro to injury. There should be plenty of excitement up front with 20-year-old Frenchman Karim Benzema and 36-year-old Swede Henrik Larsson on show and Spain praying Fernando Torres matches his prolific season with Liverpool. France coach Domenech, who watched his team beat Colombia 1-0 in their final warmup is clearly expecting more from his strikers. — Reuters
|
|
Services, Kerala reach semis
Srinagar, June 5 Raleng and L Tafela scored for the winners, who led 2-0 at half time, while Punjab reduced the deficit through Harvinder Singh in the 66th minute. Services carried on their scintillating show of the group stages in today’s match and outplayed a lackluster Punjab in all departments of the game. They had most of the ball possession and utilised well the open spaces provided by the Punjab defence. Raleng put Services ahead as early as the seventh minute with a gem of a goal. After collecting the ball around 35 yards from the rival goal, he dodged past two defenders and lobbed the ball over Punjab custodian Karanjeet Singh’s head into the net. Kerala dominated the proceedings right from the word go and striker Javeed O.K. drew first blood for his team in the 11 minute of the game when he dribbled the ball into the hosts goal. The Jammu and Kashmir team players had to fight hard to get an equaliser. However, in the 42nd minute, Ishfaq scored a brilliant field goal to make it 1-1 after beating the Kerala defenders. Both the teams were 1-1 till half time. Abdul Noushad scored yet another goal for the visitors in 6th minute of second half to take the score 2-1. It was Asif Saheer T who made it 3-1 after scoring a brilliant goal in the dying minutes of the game. Kerala could have scored a number of goals in the second half of the game, however, Jammu and Kashmir goal keeper Tanvir dashed their chances. — PTI
|
|
Spain labour to 1-0 win
Santander, June 5 Villa is suffering from a right quadriceps injury after a training ground incident on Tuesday and tests revealed a major bruise. Iniesta missed the match last night because of food poisoning. Aragones almost fielded the same side which had trouble beating Peru 2-1 last Saturday, though Santiago Cazorla and Cesc Fabregas came in for Iniesta and Villa against Bob Bradley’s American side.
— AFP |
| HOME PAGE | |
Punjab | Haryana | Jammu & Kashmir |
Himachal Pradesh | Regional Briefs |
Nation | Opinions | | Business | Sports | World | Letters | Chandigarh | Ludhiana | Delhi | | Calendar | Weather | Archive | Subscribe | Suggestion | E-mail | |
Switzerland will get a rare chance to grab the limelight when the joint hosts and rank outsiders face Czech Republic in Saturday’s Euro 2008 opener. A three-week extravaganza which organisers hope will draw a global TV audience in excess of eight billion viewers gets underway with a relatively low-key game in Basel (2130 IST).
