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World Boxing Championship
India-SL-Nz Tri-Series |
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Roger, Djokovic in semis
World Cup Qualifiers
Man for the big stage
Rain-hit PGTI event cut to three rounds
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World Boxing Championship
New Delhi, September 10 After keeping their guards tight in the first round, when the boxers earned a point each and the Indian utilised the time to size up his opponent, Vijender opened up in the second round to take a decisive 5-3 lead, with left straights and upper cuts, consolidated his lead with absolute ease in the third round, with a 6-0 sweep. “It’s a sensational feeling. I think it’s still just sinking in. But this is not the end of the road. There is a semifinal to go, and then hopefully a final too. I will try my best to change the colour of this medal,” Vijender said while talking to The Trinune. National coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu was all praise for the remarkable, calm and collected manner in Vijender boxed. Vijender, who created history last year when he became the first Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal, lifting a bronze at Beijing, is now ensured of at least a bronze medal, though the World No 2, who is seeded No I in the World Championship, is capable of winning a medal of a better hue. Vijender will meet Abbos Atoev of Uzbekistan in the semifinal. Abbos, a former light heavyweight world champion, has now returned to the middle weight category, but boxing experts feel that Vijender stands a better chance to move into the challenge round. Only two other Indian boxers had come close to winning a medal in the World Championship when they made it into the quarterfinals - Saranjay Singh in the light fly (48kg) in 2005 and Lakhra in the light welter (54kg) at Chicao (US) in 2007.
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India-SL-Nz Tri-Series
Colombo, September 10
Gambhir will return home after straining his groin muscle during practice and has been advised rest for 10 days. Young Dehi middle order batsman Virat Kohli has been named as his replacement. The setback to Gambhir could not come at a more inopportune time and it will no doubt disturb the combination at the top of the order. With the regular pair of Sehwag and Gambhir sidelined, the experienced Sachin Tendulkar and Dinesh Karthik, who has opened the innings in recent times, could take up the responsibility. The brief series assumes importance for India as they are fully aware that a clean sweep in the tournament would make them the number one ODI team in the world. The tag of the number of team will be the main goal for Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men who need to win both their league matches and the final to achieve the feat. The BCCI Corporate trophy provided the Indian players a chance to shrug off the rust following a six-week break even though the fitness of the players were assessed during the off-season. — PTI
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Roger, Djokovic in semis
New York, September 10 Teenager Yanina Wickmayer had a more routine route to her first Grand Slam semifinal, 10 years after she and her father left behind their lives in Belgium to pursue a tennis career in America. The unseeded Wickmayer beat Kateryna Bondarenko 7-5, 6-4 to joins fellow Belgian Kim Clijsters in the semis, where she will face another 19-year-old - ninth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, the first Danish woman to reach the singles semifinals at a Grand Slam. In Saturday’s semifinals, Federer will play No 4 Novak Djokovic, who eliminated No 10 Fernando Verdasco of Spain 7-6 (2), 1-6, 7-5, 6-2. In women’s doubles, Serena and Venus Williams beat Alisa Kleybanova nad Ekatrina Makarova 7-6, 3-6, 6-2 in the semifinal.Federer beat Djokovic in the 2007 final and 2008 semifinals. Wozniacki routed Melanie Oudin 6-2, 6-2. Clijsters will play Serena Williams in semifinal. — AP
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World Cup Qualifiers
Asuncion, September 10 Argentina put on a poor performance even before Juan Sebastian Veron was sent off in the 53rd minute for a second bookable offence. The drop in form was particularly obvious in Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi - arguably the best footballer in the world - who once again failed to live up to expectations for the national team. “Paraguay played very well,” Argentina coach Diego Maradona admitted at a press conference. “We are not yet out of the World Cup,” he stressed. “We have a last chance, we will hold on to that.” Argentina were conspicuously unable to shine on attack, and Paraguay defended their advantage impeccably. Paraguay joined Brazil as South America’s first representatives to qualify for South Africa while the Argentine team, led on the pitch by Messi, appeared to be at risk of not qualifying at all, particularly based on poor recent performances, which have brought their qualifying record to six wins, four draws and six losses. Paraguay’s Argentine-born coach Gerardo Martino was visibly moved by his men’s achievement, but he stressed that it was hard to obtain a World Cup berth. “You suffer through the qualifiers,” he said. — DPA
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Man for the big stage
Chandigarh, September 10 The dasher from Amritsar signed on the dotted line with Mumbai Indians for the Indian Premier League on Monday. He spoke to The Tribune on the way back to his hometown. Q: How important has the BCCI Sahara Corporate Trophy been for you? A: Right from the outset, I knew that this would be a very important tournament for me. I knew that if I get the runs, and add some consistency to them, I would be able to shift the level of my game on a higher plane. The tournament, you can say, has been the turning point. Q: What happened differently this time around, which allowed you to take charge? A: One big thing was that I was batting at the top of the order. It gives you the opportunity to get the runs, if only you can apply yourself. I really have to thank Harbhajan for giving me the opportunity to play. He also gave me confidence after I squandered a good start in the opening game. Also, I got a good chance to improve my fitness as I attended two practice and fitness camps at the PCA before the corporate trophy. Q: You must have had offers from other franchisees as well, so then why did you sign up for Mumbai Indians? A: They are a good team, who play a good mix of youth and experience. They have some big names and I am sure that this will be a great learning experience for me. Am very excited about it, and am really looking forward to it. Q: Looking back, what do you think changed the course of your career? A: It has to be my time at Holy Heart School in Amritsar, where I had my first brush with this beautiful game. The principal, Sethi sir, was my guiding light during those days. Also my time at DAV College, Amritsar, proved very helpful. And last, but not the least, my coach Shammi Kapoor. He was the one who showed immense faith in me. He taught me to stay grounded, even when you aim for the very top.
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Rain-hit PGTI event cut to three rounds
Chandigarh, September 10 The Rs 30 lakh prize money tournament which comes to Chandigarh after a gap of 15 months has been curtailed to three rounds of 17 holes each after heavy rain forced the organisers to abandon the first two days play. Top professional golfers, including the likes of Asian Tour favourite Gaurav Ghei, second-ranked PGTI player Mukesh Kumar and Chandigarh’s fifth ranked Harendra P. Gupta have been virtually caught in the rain. The organisers cancelled the incomplete first round on Thursday due to adverse weather conditions. One green (on hole no. 5) caused the major problem as it was waterlogged due to persistent rain bringing the game to a halt very frequently. The committee therefore decided that keeping the weather conditions in mind, the tournament would now be reduced to a three-round stipulated event comprising 17 holes in each round. The event will now conclude on Sunday, September 10, 2009. The par for the course is now 68 since there will be no further play on hole no. 5. The tournament starts afresh with the first round at 7 am on Friday.
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Vijender Singh Beniwal from Bhiwani created another record when he became the first Indian pugilist to ensure a medal in the World Boxing Championship at Milan.
New York, September 10
Chandigarh, September 10
Roger Federer has moved within two wins of a record sixth US Open title, reaching a 22nd consecutive Grand Slam semifinal with a 6-0, 6-3, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (6) victory over 12th-seeded Robin Soderling. Federer has won 39 consecutive matches at the American Grand Slam tournament, where he is trying to become the first man since Bill Tilden in the 1920s to win six titles in a row.
