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Somdev falters at last hurdle
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Somdev can break into top-100 this season: Cilic
Sharapova pulls out of Australian Open
Limba finds shelter in a garage
On debut, Warner destroys SA
Asif was detained in Dubai for possessing opium
KP wants to be captain again
Mumbai favourite to bag 38th Ranji title
Sharath, Shamini lift TT titles
Soccer tourney
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Chennai, January 11 Somdev's defeat meant that India's wait for an ATP title continues as no player from the host nation has emerged winner on the ATP Tour since Leander Paes' win at Newport in 1998. Nevertheless, the wild card entrant's memorable run at the $ 450,000 event, in which he stunned former world number one Carlos Moya and the king of aces Croatia's Ivo Karlovic, has already given him a superstar status. Somdev, with his brilliant effort, pocketed valuable ranking points which will help take his current 202 placing near to the 150-mark. Somdev and Cilic were locked in an intense battle but in the end the Croatian proved a few notches above the Indian as he did not let the local favourite capitalise on any of the first seven break points. If Cilic handed Somdev a few chances to go up, he had a very strong game to ward off the threat as he compensated the follies with intelligent and piercing ground strokes that were too big to handle for Somdev. Just when it looked the match slipped out of Somdev's hand when he was trailing 1-4 in the second set after having lost the first set, he brought the match alive by breaking Cilic for the first time in the ninth game of the lively encounter. The match was stretched to the tie-breaker, in which Cilic prevailed to win his second ATP singles title. Cilic held his nerves in the tie-breaker, hitting two big aces to take a 4-1 lead and the crowd, cheering and screaming for the local hero, was left disappointed when Cilic notched up a superb win hitting a forehand winner om Somdev's serve. Once Cilic sealed the first set, Somdev looked out of his elements but managed to engage his opponent in the match and finally clawed his way back riding on a break in the ninth game. However, Somdev missed a couple of more breakpoints in the 11th game and finally a deserving candidate was crowned champion. It was a fierce battle from the word go as the 20-year-old Cilic pushed Somdev to his limits but the Indian responded well which he did consistently in the tournament. He fought fire with fire but the six-feet-six-inch Croat made Somdev work very hard for his points. The 23-year-old Indian wild card faced early break points - one each in the second and fourth games - but Somdev saved both staving off the threat. It was then turn of Cilic to hand the opportunity to Somdev to break him following a series of unforced errors by the Croatia's world number 27. Somdev had four breakpoints in the fifth game and two in the seventh to create a lead but Cilic saved all with booming serves and big forehands to escape unscathed. The first set went with serves till the ninth game as both the players played engrossing tennis, refusing to concede even an inch. However, a strategic lapse cost Somdev the first set when he played a drop shot at 30-30 in the 10th game, hoping the Cilic will not get to that but the Croat took long strides and played an easy forehand winner to earn a set point. Serving under pressure to save the set, Somdev committed the second double fault to surrender the set and lead to his opponent. — PTI
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Somdev can break into top-100 this season: Cilic
Chennai, January 11 The Croatian world number 27 inflicted a 6-4 7-6 (3) defeat on Somdev to lift his second ATP singles title but spoke highly of his opponent. "He is of course a very good potential and going to be in top 150 and would have much more confident to work his way for points in Challengers and ATP levels. "I would say that he is going to be at least in the top 100 by the end of the year looking from this tournament and the way he was playing," Cilic said at the post-match press conference. Cilic said though he did not play his best tennis, he was delighted at beginning the season on a winning a note. "It is great to start here this way. I was working hard during my half season for another six weeks. It paid off in this first week. I played off first week and confident going in to Australia. "I would say that it was not my best in the tournament but I would say that in crucial moment I played better, especially on the break points in the second set tie break," he said. Asked about his strategy for the final, he said, "What I saw in his couple of matches that he was pretty good to the court not missing a lot and stepping inside the court and playing aggressively. My plan was also to be aggressive and put him on the back foot and play my game over his back hand."
— PTI |
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Sharapova pulls out of Australian Open
Sydney, January 11 The Russian said she was making steady progress but was not fit enough to compete at the tournament, which starts on January 19. ''I am very sorry to announce that I am not going to be able to defend my title at this year's Australian Open,'' the world number nine said in a statement.
— Reuters |
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Limba finds shelter in a garage
Jaipur, January 11 Thirtyseven-year-old archer, who equalled world record in 30 m category and won gold in the 1992 Beijing Asian Championship, is putting up in a garage of a flat allotted to a congress MLA Arjun Bamania in the MLAs colony (vidhayak nagir) here. Limba Ram, coach of the National Archery Academy and of the Indian Archery team that would compete in ensuing Commonwealth games, was living in flat no 8/12 of BJP MLA Babu Lal for two years. However, the MLA told him to leave immediately. Just outside his house, labourers and beggars live in shanties on the footpath, "I share the same fate despite winning laurels for the country all over the globe," said the ace archer fighting tears. Unmarried and without a family, Limba was living in the flat with two archers whom he was training. It is at such times that he remembered a promise of a house and 25 bigha land made to him by the Rajasthan government in 1992. Sixteen years after that, he is still awaiting a house. "I don't know where would I go. I don't earn much to afford a house. I was told to live in the MLA quarters by the previous government till land or house was found for me." he rued. Dr Kirori Lal Meena, an independent MLA and husband of state minister Golma Devi, has offered him his flat but Limba Ram has refused. "I would live on the road now rather than take such temporary residence. Gurparkash Singh and Wakeel Raj, learning archery from him said they were hugely demoralized, "If this is the fate of our ideal, the star, what is future for us?" Limba Ram has been one of the most celebrated Indian archers. Born in the non-descript Saradit village of Udaipur district and belonging to the Ahari tribe of Rajasthan, Limba has indeed come a long way since his days of game hunting in the jungles of Udaipur. In 1987, Limba Ram along with three other archers, including first Arjuna Award winning archer Sham Lal, were selected in a talent scouting trial conducted by the Sports Authority of India. In the same year he created the national record at the Senior National Archery Championship in the 50 metre and 30 metre events. After stamping his authority in the national circuit, Limba equalled the world record in the 1992 Beijing Asian Championship in the 30 meters event to bag a gold medal.
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Melbourne, January 11 Warner, who became the first Australian player to play in any format of the game without a first-class experience, plundered the South African bowlers mercilessly with seven fours and six clean hits over the ropes. Set to chase a daunting target of 183, South Africa was off to a horrendous start and was bowled out for 130 with JP Duminy (78) once again proving his worth as a top quality batsman for the Proteas. The Proteas, who registered their first-ever Test series win in Australia earlier this month, were completely out of sorts as they were caught unaware by the heroics of Warner who also recorded the second fastest Twenty20 fifty off just 19 deliveries. South Africa began their innings with the worst possible start and lost their first three wickets inside three overs with just 12 runs on the board. While Duminy played the lone hand in South Africa's unsuccessful chase, his team mates failed to come into terms with some power-packed bowling performances from the Aussie bowlers. Duminy's 78 came off just 48 balls and included nine fours and a six. The next best individual score came from Vaughn van Jaarsveld and Albie Morkel (both 12), with Herchell Gibbs, AB de Villiers and Makhaya Ntini failing to even open their account. Scoreboard Australia: Marsh c Morkel b Tsotsobe 9 Warner c de Villiers b Ntini 89 Ponting c Steyn b Morkel 21 D Hussey c de Villiers b Ntini 19 White c Kallis b Morkel 7 M Hussey run out 7 Ronchi c Ntini b Steyn 11 Hopes c Botha b Steyn 13 Bracken b Steyn 1 Hilfenhaus not out 0 Tait not out 1 Extras (b 2, w 2): 4 Total (in 20 overs for 9 wkts): 182 Fall of wickets: 1/38, 2/97, 3/140, 4/140, 5/154, 6/154, 7/168, 8/180, 9/181. Bowling: Makhaya Ntini 4-0-40-2, Lonwabo Tsotsobe 2-0-16-1, Jacques Kallis 2-0-25-0, Dale Steyn 4-0-38-3, Johan Botha 4-0-31-0, Albie Morkel 4-0-30-2. South Africa: Gibbs lbw b Bracken 0 Kallis b Hilfenhaus 4 de Villiers hit wicket b Tait 0 Duminy lbw b D Hussey 78 Jaarsveld c White b Hopes 12 Boucher c M Hussey b D Hussey 5 A Morkel c White b Bracken 12 Botha not out 5 Steyn c Bracken b D Hussey 1 Ntini b Hilfenhaus 0 Tsotsobe b Tait 1 Extras (lb 5, w 7): 12 Total (in 18 overs): 130 Fall of wickets: 1/1, 2/2, 3/12, 4/65, 5/82, 6/120, 7/123, 8/125, 9/127, 10/130 Bowling: Nathan Bracken 3-0-18-2, Shaun Tait 4-0-36-2, Ben Hilfenhaus 3-0-15-2, James Hopes 4-0-31-1, David Hussey 4-0-25-3. — UNI
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Asif was detained in Dubai for possessing opium
Karachi, January 11 Accordingly, the Pakistani cricketer cannot travel to Dubai, according to official documents of the Public Prosecutor's office there. Documents sent by the Public Prosecutor's office in Dubai to an inquiry committee of the Pakistan Cricket Board, that conducted a probe into his detention in Dubai, confirm that Asif had been deported last June for possession of 0.24 grams of opium. The pacer, who is also facing a hearing with the Indian Premier League drugs inquiry tribunal for failing a dope test in the league, was fortunate not to face criminal charges by the Dubai police, the document show. "The felony of procuring and possessing narcotic drugs as evident from the above facts is established and sufficient for putting the accused to criminal trial for facing the prescribed penalty," the prosecution's office noted in its report. "However, and, in view of the facts and circumstances of the case, that the accused was arrested at the Dubai airport before being actually able to enter the state, the trifle amount of the drug, the serious consequence of putting him to trial and enforcing a judgement against him, and for the sake of avoiding pressures on the courts and prisons, the public prosecution is of the opinion that it is appropriate to stop the criminal proceedings against him, by passing an order that there is no ground for pressing a criminal charge against the accused," the documents state. The prosecutor's office
said there was no cause of action for filing a criminal case regarding the charge of bringing and possessing drugs, as the matter is insignificant. "We recommend deporting the accused and his name be entered in the list of persons prohibited from entering the state once again," the report said. Sources close to the PCB inquiry committee stated that although no criminal charges were filed against Asif but he was deported and he cannot enter Dubai again, unless he is given permission by the immigration and police authorities from there.
— PTI |
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''I feel I have got unfinished business as captain ''But right now, I feel it is right for me to go back Pietersen quit on Wednesday after less than six months in the job and standing as captain for just three test matches. Moores was sacked on the same day after what the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) described as an ''irretrievable breakdown'' in the relationship between the two men. However, Pietersen has made it clear that he wants to continue playing for England despite media reports suggesting he had lost the support of his team mates. ''I am committed 100 per cent behind the skipper and winning games of cricket,'' ''I will get up every day and I'll smile and do whatever I can to win games of cricket for England and keep putting the smiles on the public's faces because I know how much people love watching me bat and that's the kind of stuff that turns me on.'' The South African-born Pietersen said he was disappointed that his personality had been criticised since his resignation, insisting he had done what he felt was right for the team. — Reuters
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Dravid not Challengers’ captain yet: Mallya
New Delhi, January 11 Reacting to media reports claiming Dravid has been retained as skipper of the side, a not-too-amused Mallya said, "Who said so? After all,
I am the boss of the team. I will decide who will be the captain." Asked whether he had already made up his mind on retaining Dravid as the captain, Mallya said he will talk to the senior India batsman before taking a final call. The Bangalore side cut a sorry figure in the first edition of the IPL and Mallya didn't hide his disappointment at the composition of the side. Mallya felt his inputs during the IPL auction were completely ignored by Dravid and former CEO Charu Sharma, who eventually got the
boot. The result was a largely Test squad comprising senior players who were not deemed the best choice for the Twenty20 format. Mallya, however, ruled out wholesale changes in the squad and said he would do everything to ensure that the team
performed better this year.
— PTI |
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Mumbai favourite to bag 38th Ranji title
Hyderabad, January 11 The two sides made it to the summit clash of the top domestic tournament in quite contrasting styles. Uttar Pradesh have to their credit just one outright win from the eight matches played till the semi-finals while Mumbai have had a smooth sailing en route the final by winning six out of nine matches. Unbeaten all season, Mumbai will begin firm favourites at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium with the presence of India stars Tendulkar and Zaheer who have been in fine form. A mere presence of Tendulkar is ought to send shivers down the spine of any player at the domestic level and it should be more bad news for Uttar Pradesh that the batting maestro is in the pink of form. He scored a spectacular hundred in the semi-finals against Saurashtra in Chennai. Before the return of Tendulkar, Mumbai batting had centered around captain Wasim Jaffer and Ajinka Rahane, both of whom having scored more than a 1000 runs this Ranji season. — PTI
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Sharath, Shamini lift TT titles
Patna, January 11 Former national champion Mouma Das went down to PSPB's Shamini 2-4 in a keenly contested final, while top seed and India's number one paddler, Sharath, trounced unseeded Pathik Mehta 4-1. Mouma, who earlier clinched the women's doubles title pairing up with another former national champion Poulomi Ghatak, scripted a brilliant comeback during the fourth game of the singles final after Shamini bagged the first three games 11-8, 11-8, 11-6. Although Mouma recaptured her touch late in the match to clinch the next two games at 11-8 each, her effort was not enough to disrupt the rhythm of Chennai girl, who clinched her maiden national crown by winning a thrilling fifth set 13-11. Sharath, who spanked Sourav Chakraborty of RSPB 4-1 in the last-four stage, didn't face much problem in getting past Pathik of Gujarat en route the national title for the fourth time. After winning a close first game 12-10, the 26-year-old Sharath dominated the show to clinch the next two games 11-8, 11-4. — PTI
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Soccer tourney
Nabha, January 11 On day one, Dalbir Football Academy, Patiala scripted a fluent 4-0 win over DFA, Sangrur while Star Impact, Malerkotla downed DFA, Patiala 2-0. Dalbir academy moved ahead when Jaswinder Singh chested a diagonal pass from Rinku Masih and volleyed the ball into the far side of the net. The goal tender Vicky Singh dived towards his left and tried his best to stop the ball but Jaswinder’s shot had too much sting in it to cross the goalline. Dalbir Academy could have had a two goal cushion had it not been for a breathtaking save effected by Vicky Singh. Finding himself in a one-to-one situation with the goalkeeper, medio Pawandeep tried to drive the ball home but Vicky Singh dived full length to his right to make a brilliant save. Sangrur soon ran out of steam which helped the academy boys to pump in three more goals through Rinku Masih and Pawandeep Singh, who ended the proceedings with a brace. Star Impact, Malerkotla beat DFA, Patiala 2-0 in a lacklustre affair.
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London, January 11
Ganguly honoured with ‘Banga Ratna’
Clarke to consult girlfriend before taking up IPL offer