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Federer, Nadal in title clash
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Anderson's 6-wkt haul rocks Kiwis
Sreesanth doubtful
Trap shooters disappoint
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Paris, June 6 The Swiss top seed, who lost his two previous finals against Spanish second seed Nadal, mixed brilliant winners and ugly unforced errors before going past the penultimate hurdle in his bid for an elusive Musketeers' Cup. Federer blitzed through the first set and thought he had made clear that the unseeded Monfils, the world number 59, would not become the first Frenchman to reach the Roland Garros final since Henri Leconte in 1988. The Parisian did not get the message, however. He took the second set to level the contest and forced Federer to go for plan B. The 12-time grand slam winner attacked the net, shoving Monfils back behind his baseline before prevailing after three hours five minutes. Federer had started brightly, breaking to love in the first game and following up on his serve with a humiliating drop shot. At the change of ends, Monfils called on the trainer to fix a contact lens problem on his left eye but it did not help him much. Just as the clock ticked past the half hour, Federer took the opening set, taking advantage of Monfils's passivity. After falling a break down in the second set, the Frenchman moved forward to attack his opponent, who in a fit of clumsiness was spraying his forehand all over the place. In the 12th game, the Swiss went 40-15 on his serve but the Parisian fought back to earn a set point. The world number one saved it at the net but was helpless on the second, sending another forehand long. However, the five-time Wimbledon champion took his chances at the net to steal Monfils's serve in the third and fifth games. As Federer was serving for the set, the Frenchman pulled a break back with a stunning backhand winner but the Swiss won the following game to take a 2-1 lead. He had to shrug off break points in the third, fifth and seventh games of the fourth set before earning himself two match points on Monfils's serve. Federer blew them both as Centre Court turned into a football stadium cheering for Monfils. It was third time lucky for the Swiss, who took victory with a backhand volley, leaving a frustrated French crowd still waiting for their first Roland Garros champion since Yannick Noah's triumph in 1983. — Reuters Nadal fights off late fightback Spaniard Rafael Nadal withstood a late fightback by Novak Djokovic to beat the world number three 6-4 6-2 7-6 at the French Open on Friday and muscle his way into the final for the fourth consecutive year. The three-time defending champion saved a set point in the third set to win in two hours 49 minutes and advance to a final against either world number one Roger Federer or unseeded Frenchman Gael Monfils. "It was a very high quality match," said Nadal, who is still unbeaten at Roland Garros. "I am just very happy to be in the final again." Having pushed the Spaniard hard on their last meeting in the semi-finals of Hamburg, Djokovic was expected to provide Nadal with by far his toughest test yet. Nadal, however, meant business from the word go and, with Bjorn Borg — the only man to win the title four times in a row — watching in the stands, broke to lead 2-1. Djokovic looked bemused for much of the match. Several times the Serbian thought he had done enough to win a point and Nadal came up with something spectacular to deny him. The Spaniard broke Djokovic in the opening game of the second set and the third seed capitulated in the face of Nadal's relentless hitting. Djokovic had just one chance in the second set - a break point in the fourth game - but Nadal snuffed it out with a good serve and cruised through the rest of the set. After Nadal surged ahead 3-0 in the third set, Djokovic finally broke serve and held his arms aloft in mock celebration. He became more aggressive, breaking back when Nadal served for the match at 5-4 and forcing a set point at 6-5 which Nadal saved. The Spaniard played a brilliant tiebreak, winning it 7-3 to clinch a victory that ensures he will stay ahead of Djokovic as the world number two. Nadal is only the third man in the Open Era, after Borg and Ivan Lendl to reach the final in four successive years. — Reuters
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Asif’s is a 50-50 case: PCB
Karachi, June 6 "The News" quoted an anonymous PCB official as saying that though Asif had tested negative, he has only 50 per cent chance of avoiding conviction after he was found carrying a small amount of opium. "After having taken a thorough look at his (Asif's) situation, I believe he has a 50-50 chance of avoiding any punishment," the official was quoted as saying. Asif, who was caught with an illegal substance in his wallet on Sunday at Dubai on his way to Lahore from India, is due to be produced in a court on coming Sunday, although no charges have been framed against him as yet. The PCB is trying its best to get a clean chit for the player, who has a history of drug-related controversies as he tested positive for banned anabolic steroid nandrolone in 2006, and rushed one of its senior officials to Dubai and also hired a local lawyer to fight Asif's case. Other top PCB officials are also 'working behind the scenes' to get Asif off the hook by trying to use their connections in the influential circles in the UAE, the daily said. However, the official said that the PCB will continue trying its best to get Asif back home. "Our biggest target is to get the player released and bring him back home on the first available flight," he said. — PTI
Detention will disrupt his career: Lawson
Lahore: Pakistan cricket coach Geoff Lawson has said the detention of seamer Mohammad Asif in Dubai for alleged possession of an illegal substance in his wallet would disrupt his career.
The 25-year-old fast bowler was held at Dubai airport on Sunday while returning to Pakistan after a domestic tournament in India and was scheduled to appear before a prosecutor yesterday. ''It's unfortunate and would be disruptive for Asif,'' said Lawson, dealing with the latest in a series of controversies to hit the troubled Pakistani team. ''Personally I don't know the facts, we feel for him, we hope it turns out well for him. We have been thinking about him,'' he said. ''He has been missing quite often due to injury but was making a successful comeback from injury and played against Bangladesh in April and the tri-series would have been one more step on his way back to full form.'' Asif was named in the 16-man Pakistan squad for next week's tri-series in Bangladesh, which also features India, but was dropped and replaced by Sohail Khan on June 4. Pakistan open the tri-series against Bangladesh on June 8. They play India two days later, while India play Bangladesh on June 12. The final is on June 14.
— UNI |
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In-form Miroslav Klose ready to fire
Tenero (Switzerland), June 6 Klose, the top scorer at the 2006 World Cup, was born in Oppeln, Poland, and having picked up the Bundesliga title, German Cup and German League Cup last season with Bayern Munich, he wants to translate his success to the European stage. With 39 goals and 75 caps, Klose will turn 30 the day after Sunday's opening Group B game in Klagenfurt, Austria, and is sure to test the Polish defence. Having scored five goals at both the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, he is vastly experienced and Loew insists he is in the form of his life. "Miroslav has left a fantastic impression in training, I have never seen him that fit, that agile and strong," said Loew at Germany's Euro 2008 base here with his side one of several teams tipped to win the title in Vienna on June 29. "The way he moves in training, you could see his old dynamic self coming back, running into space and physically speaking he is back to his bet." While Loew will have a full strength side to choose from - he is expected to play Klose upfront alongside Germany's player of the year in 2007 Mario Gomez - Polish coach Leo Beenhakker has had to reshuffle his team. Midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski, who plays for Bundeslig side Borussia Dortmund, will miss the entire tournament after aggravating a hamstring injury in training yesterday. Beenhakker also lost left-back Grzegorz Bronowicki from his provisional squad last month because of a knee injury and will have to field a makeshift defence in the Germany match. Both the Polish and German camps insist there is no tension between them despite efforts in the Polish media to raise the ante. The match is regarded as one of the most sensitive of the tournament given the history between the two countries. Polish tabloid Super Express did nothing to help the situation by printing a modified picture of Beenhakker holding the heads of Germany boss Loew and captain Michael Ballack under the headline: "Leo, bring us their heads!". Both Loew and Beenhakker distanced themselves from the controversy with Germany especially keen to end their 12-year wait for a European Championship win - both in terms of a title and games as they are winless since beating the Czech Republic in 1996. — AFP
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Anderson's 6-wkt haul rocks Kiwis
Nottingham, England, June 6 Anderson claimed all the wickets to fall as his six for 42 saw New Zealand crash to 96 for six when bad light stopped play 18 overs short of the scheduled close. Debutant wicketkeeper Gareth Hopkins was 11 not out and skipper Daniel Vettori was on three. It was Anderson's unlikely batting heroics that earlier took England to 364 after he scored 28 and put on 76 with Stuart Broad (64) in a damaging eighth-wicket partnership for the tourists that was not broken until 100 minutes into the day. Scoreboard England (1st innings): 364 New Zealand (1st innings): How c Ambrose b Anderson 40 Redmond b Anderson 1 McCullum b Anderson 9 Taylor c Pietersen b Anderson 21 Flynn lbw b Anderson 0 Hopkins not out 11 Oram c Ambrose b Anderson 7 Vettori not out 3 Extras
(lb-3 w-1): 4 Total (for six wickets, 33.2 overs): 96 Fall of wickets: 1-2 2-14 3-62 4-62 5-77 6-93 Bowling: Sidebottom 11.2-1-36-0, Anderson 15-3-42-6 (1w), Collingwood 2-0-5-0, Broad 5-2-10-0.
— Reuters |
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New Delhi, June 6 ''Sreesanth was injured while playing for the Kings XI Punjab against the Rajasthan Royals on May 28,'' Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) secreatry Niranjan Shah said in a statement. ''Sreesanth, who is in Bangalore at present, has been advised by the BCCI to visit the medical team at the National Cricket Academy (NCA),'' the statement added. ''His availability for the Bangladesh tour will be decided after his assessment at the NCA.'' The Indian team will leave for Bangladesh on Saturday. — UNI
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‘Blend European hockey with Indian style’
Jalandhar, June 6 Jagdey is here in the city to conduct the 12-day hockey training cum clinic camp at Olympian Surjeet Hockey Stadium, Burlton Park. Jagdey said the players needed to understand their strengths first and then work upon their weak points. “There was a time when Indian hockey team was known all over the world for its fine game. But over the last some years we started ignoring our strengths and at the same time did not worked effectively on our weaknesses, as a result of which the game virtually came to a halt”, he said adding that the initiative taken by Director Sports, Punjab, Pargat Singh would definitely bear fruit. Jagdey emphasised on the need to teach a blend of both European and Indian style of hockey which, according to him, would yield desired results. The Indian basics of playing the game coupled with the European technique will definitely do wonders on the turf. “The training camp has been divided into basic, intermediate and advanced level. In this first level of training the focus is on to develop modern tactics of the players. The next level of training would be held in December”, said F.I.H Grade I coach. “At the domestic level our style of playing the game is good. In fact, I have seen some PHL matches and observed the players show fine hockey skills. But somehow our players have not been able to understand the European style of passing and receiving the ball their way of covering all range of angles and running with the ball”. Asked about the strategy as to how the coaches would be trained, Jagdey said, “First of all we need to jot down the short term and long term plans for the team and then work smart to execute them. The need of the hour is to go parallel with these efforts and emerge a winner at the international level too”.
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Trap shooters disappoint
New Delhi, June 6 Shagun Chowdhary had the best performance among the three Indians in the event with the Jaipur girl managing a score 61 (19,21,21) to finish 38th. Seema Tomar shot a poor 57 (20,21,16) to finish 44th, just two ranks above Shreyasi Singh, placed at 46th. Shreyasi, who started shooting just a year back, could manage a score of 50 (16,17,17).
— PTI |
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