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Lack of practice no
worry: Nadal
Diwakar saves India colts blushes
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JCT to play Dempo on Jan 23
PSEB, SN college set up summit clash
Punjab to the fore in national track cycling
150 elite athletes for Mumbai Marathon
National Games deferred
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Lack of practice no worry: Nadal
Melbourne, January 17 Nadal, who ended Roger Federer's 237-week stranglehold on the world's top ranking last August, finished his 2008 season by withdrawing from the Paris Masters in October. He missed the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai last November and Spain's Davis Cup victory and has played just three competitive matches in 2009, at Doha where he lost in the quarter-finals. ''I was for two months outside of competition, so maybe I need a little bit more matches for (me to) get the rhythm,'' Nadal told reporters at Melbourne Park. ''The tournament is very early in January. (It) seems like you arrive here without knowing exactly how you are. ''You only have one week before, the one tournament before. If you win the tournament, you know you are playing well. I am practising well but I don't have a lot of matches to know exactly how I am. ''But I am okay. I will try my best to be ready for Tuesday. Just try my best every match and expect (to) find my best performance.'' Nadal also pointed to his potential semi-final opponent, in-form British fourth seed Andy Murray, as the player most likely to scupper his title aspirations in Melbourne. ''He's playing well. He's playing good tennis, with confidence,'' Nadal said. ''He started the season very well, winning in Doha. He finished the 2008 season playing well. ''When you win Cincinnati, when you win Madrid, when you win Doha playing against Federer, playing against Roddick, you are ready to win a grand slam. ''So, if he plays well, he can win here.'' — Reuters
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Hewitt, Gonzalez face early hurdles
Lleyton Hewitt and Fernando Gonzalez could not believe their luck as they were drawn in the toughest first round encounter at the Australian Open beginning Monday.
The Chilean, a crowd favourite in Australia given his generous nature and brilliant run to the Open final two years ago, could scarcely believe he had the misfortune of drawing the tournament's most dangerous unseeded player as his opening round opponent. "I know that Lleyton is coming back and he is going to have the crowd with him. Normally you like to start from maybe not that tough round, but he gives a lot of rhythm and you have to be ready for the long fight. "He is a really good player, a great competitor, but I believe in my chances, and I think that at least the crowd is going to watch good tennis." Gonzalez, too, is on a comeback of sorts after taking an extended break following his leading role in Chile's Davis Cup win over Australia in September, a victory that lifted the South Americans into the World Group. Hewitt trails Gonzalez 3-2 in head-to-head matches.
— IANS |
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Federer serves an ominous warning
World number two Roger Federer sounded an ominous warning to his Australian Open opponents, sweeping to a comfortable straight-sets victory over Stanislas Wawrinka in the Kooyong Classic finals today. Federer was ruthless in demolishing fellow Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 6-1 6-3 in just 57 minutes, the Courier Mail reported. The result is an ideal tune-up for Federer as he enters the Australian Open looking to equal Pete Sampras's record of 14 grand slam titles. Federer raced through the first set in 25 minutes, breaking serve in the first, third and final games. He broke immediately in the second to lead 2-0 and was untroubled throughout, despite some uncharacteristic volleying errors. Federer sealed the match with an easy smash after setting up two match points. The pair had met twice previously in ATP events with Federer winning both times in straight sets. It was Federer's second Kooyong title - he won the 2005 edition of the eight-man exhibition event. He described today's match as "wonderful preparation" for the Australian Open. "I don't want to get too excited but I think I played a really great match today against Stan," Federer said. Earlier in the play-off for third Spain's Fernando Verdasco defeated Chilean Fernando Gonzalez 6-4 6-3.
— ANI |
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Diwakar saves India colts blushes
Sydney, January 17 In a high-scoring crowd stunner at the Hockey Centre, Sydney Olympic Park here, Diwakar converted four penalty corners to save the day for the Indians. The two sides were level 3-3 at interval with Diwakar contributing two goals for India till then. He then converted two penalty corners in the final nine minutes after his side was down 3-5 till the 61st minute. The Indian colts will now take on Australia, whom they have defeated in their earlier league encounter, in the summit clash tomorrow. In the girls' event, India at last registered their first victory of the tournament, beating USA 2-0, though the result came too late as the eves were already out of contention for the summit clash after losing their first two matches. They will be up against the same opponents, USA, in the bronze medal match. In the pulsating boy's encounter, Malaysia shocked India in the early stages of the match when Abdul Gaffar found the net in the seventh minute from a short corner. Stung by the early goal, India came out all guns blazing and found the equaliser from Jay Karan's stick two minutes later and then Diwakar doubled the lead in the 19th minute. However, Ahmad Tajuddin helped Malaysia made the scoreline level in the 21st minute only to see the India skipper regain the lead three minutes later. But Gaffar struck again for Malaysia in the 33rd minute to see both the teams go into the breather locked at 3-3. Malaysia surprised the crowd with two quick goals in the opening minutes after the change of ends to make the score 5-3. Down by two goals, India regrouped themselves and launched all out attack on the Malaysian goal but with little result till the 61st minute when Diwakar sounded the board with a fiery drag-flick which the Malaysian custodian had no answer. In the final minutes, Diwakar produced another gem of a drag-flick to find the all-important equaliser and save India from humiliation. Although he was not disappointed with the result, coach AK Bansal admitted his wards were little complacent today knowing that they had already made it to the final. "It was not a tough match, but the boys made it tough as they were complacent. I had initially planned Diwakar won't take a single penalty corner today but was forced to change the plan looking at the scoreline," Bansal said. Asked what strategy he would implement against Australia in the final tomorrow, he said, "The boys are playing very well but against Australia we have to play fast hockey from the beginning. "Penalty corner is our strong point but tomorrow our forwards have to play well and put pressure the Australians from the word go." In the inconsequential women's encounter between India and USA, Anuradha Thokchom (56th) and Rani Ritu Tindal (69th) scored for India to give them their first point in the four-nation tournament. Although Indian eves displayed strong ball skills and coordination, it was the American girls who were hungry for possession, which they maintained throughout the game. — PTI
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JCT to play Dempo on Jan 23
Chandigarh, January 17 They next face Vasco FC on January 31, as their second home game. The JCT side will be boosted by the recent showing of some of their players who were called up for the national camp as well, recently held in Goa. The matches will begin at 2 pm local time, with JCT looking to make good use of the home advantage. |
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PSEB, SN college set up summit clash
Nabha, January 17 In the other semifinal SN College, Banga, continued their winning streak to beat heavyweights CRPF 2-0. The Banga collegians will now meet PSEB in the final slated to be played tomorrow afternoon. Down 1-2, PSEB defender Sandeep Singh handled the ball in the striking area following which the referee signalled a penalty kick. Notwithstanding vociferous protests from the power men, the referee stuck to his decision to award the penalty. RFC medio Gopal Thapa blasted a hard shot, which slowly gained height forcing Bhupinder to leap high in the air to fist out the ball. Bhupinder Singh, with this one block, had become the saviour for PSEB. Earlier, in the first half, PSEB started off the blocks smoothly and opened the scoring through the efforts of Parminder Singh who with his sheer speed and skill darted his way past the defence and calmly netted the ball home to herald the first goal for the power men. |
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Punjab to the fore in national track cycling
Patiala, January 17 For the hosts rider Kiran Inder Singh once again showcased his immense talent by winning the gold in the Keirin race for U-19 boys. In a Kierin race cyclists line up after their positions are determined by draw of lots. The race starts with riders lining up on the track behind the pacer, which normally is a motorcycle which keeps the riders at a standard pace for several laps. It is during these paced laps that riders vie with each other to get a better position and a chance to squeeze their way up in front. Kiran Inder Singh started the race well and ended it superbly as he waltzed his way past Rahul Bonde of Maharshtra and Arun Mohan of Kerala who had to rest content with second and third placed finishes, respectively. With today’s gold, Kiran Inder, a student of government Mohindra college and who trains at the Punjabi university velodrome here, has now won five titles in the ongoing championship. |
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150 elite athletes for Mumbai Marathon
Mumbai, January 17 A quality field, led by two-time men's champion John Kelei of Kenya, has assembled here to vie for the top honours in the race starting at the Chatrapati Shivaji Terminus and ending at the same venue after the athletes touch another site of the terror strike - the Trident Hotel - on their way. The route for the race is more or less the same as last year's with the runners negotiating the Kemp's Corner flyover twice - the toughest part of the otherwise flat course. — PTI |
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National Games deferred
New Delhi, January 17 The IOA reviewed the preparations for the Games to be held in Ranchi, Jamshedpur and Dhanbad and felt that the stadiums and other infrastructure in these centres would not be ready in the next few days to hold the Games on the scheduled dates. “Considering the status of the preparations, it has been decided to postpone the National Games and reschedule the same in the month of June 2009,” the IOA said in a statement. |
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Lack of match practice and two months of recuperating from tendinitis in his knee should not affect his attempts to win his first Australian Open title, top seed Rafael Nadal said
today
If Australian Hewitt manages to escape the first round heat against Chilean Gonzalez, he faces possible encounters against danger men Guillermo Canas or Nicolas Kiefer in the second round, Richard Gasquet in the third and world No 1 Rafael Nadal in the round of 16.
"I mean, it's a tough match, it's going to be one of the toughest first-rounders of all the tournament, but I am ready for that," Gonzalez was quoted as saying in The Australian.
Hewitt's opening-round opponent was always going to be of interest given his rankings slide to No. 74 following an extended stint on the sidelines.
Armstrong says tested 12 times since return: