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R. Ashwin bowls out Daniel Flynn on Sunday. — Reuters
Kohli feels playing ‘normal’ will do
When you have a lot of time, you don’t have to think about the target; you just play normal cricket. I don’t think the wicket is doing so much that we have to be worried about the target that’s been set —
Virat Kohli |
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Laxman calls decision ‘correct’
Ravichandran Ashwin can complement Bhajji in leading India’s spin attack in the coming series, says Anil Kumble. — Reuters
Smashing Murray!
Andy Murray serves during his four-set third-round victory over Feliciano Lopez. — Reuters
Indian paralympic athlete alleges lack of escorts, officials deny charge
Poland's Ewa Zielinska competes in the long jump F42/44 final athletics event
during the London 2012 Paralympic Games at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday. —
AFP
India beats Cameroon to lift Nehru Cup for the third time in a row
EPL
Arsenal’s Carl Jenkinson is challenged by Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling (R) during their Premier League match in Liverpool on Sunday. Arsenal won 2-0. — Reuters
Strauss has left a huge void: Lee
McGrath replaces Lillee as director of MRF academy
To beat Sloane, I had to be very aggressive:
Ana
Lotus team’s Romain Grosjean, Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso and McLaren Mercedes’s Lewis Hamilton crash at the start of the Belgian F1 Grand Prix on Sunday. — AFP
Maradona becomes Dubai ambassador
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India Vs
New Zealand Day 3
Bangalore, September 2 New Zealand, trailing 1-0 in the two test series, have a lead of 244 runs with their number 10 batsman Jeetan Patel (10) and number 11 Trent Boult (nought) at the crease. Ashwin, who took 12 wickets in the first test at Hyderabad which the hosts won by an innings and 115 runs, and left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha (2-48) got into the act after paceman Umesh Yadav (2-62) sent back the openers.
Right-hander Martin Guptill (seven) fell in the first over after the lunch break when he played a full toss from Yadav on to his stumps. The paceman returned in his next over to dismiss the dangerous Brendon McCullum (23), who got a feather edge to wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni behind the stumps. Kane Williamson (13) was caught by Virender Sehwag at slip off Ashwin while Ojha dismissed first innings centurion Ross Taylor (35), out leg before trying to play the sweep. James Franklin (41) and Kruger van Wyk (31) added 55 for the sixth wicket to extend Kiwi's lead before Ashwin ended the resistance by trapping Van Wyk lbw. The New Zealand batting tail failed to wag after Franklin was out stumped, trying to dance down the wicket to the 25-year-old off-spinner. Earlier, Tim Southee mowed down India's batting lineup with the second new ball to pick up a career-best 7 wickets as the hosts were dismissed for 353. Southee, 23, who took three wickets on Saturday, destroyed India's hopes of a first-innings lead with figures of seven for 64, the best by a New Zealand bowler in an innings in India, to give his team a slim 12-run lead. India's Virat Kohli, unbeaten on 93 overnight, struck two boundaries to complete his second test century before he became Southee's first victim. The 23-year-old (103) hit 14 fours and a six and added 122 runs for the sixth wicket with Dhoni. He misread an incoming delivery from the right-arm paceman, who was drafted in for the second test replacing Martin, and was caught plumb in front of the stumps. Dhoni (62), who hit his 26th half-century in tests, was also out lbw to become Southee's 50th test victim. Zaheer (seven) and Ojha (nought) were next to go. — Reuters Scoreboard N Zealand first innings 365 India first innings 353 N Zealand 2nd innings McCullum c Dhoni b Yadav 23 Guptill b Yadav 7 Williamson c Sehwag b Ashwin 13 Taylor lbw b Ojha 35 Flynn c Sehwag b Ashwin 31 Franklin st Dhoni b Ashwin 41 Wyk lbw b Ashwin 31 Bracewell lbw b Ojha 22 Southee b Ashwin 2 Patel 10 no Boult 0 no Extras (B-4, LB-12, WD-1) 17 Total (9 wkts in 69 overs) 232 Fall of wickets: 1-30, 2-31, 3-69, 4-111, 5-140, 6-195, 7-216, 8-222, 9-222 Bowling: Khan 12-2-37-0, Yadav 14-0-62-2, Ojha 20-6-48-2, Ashwin 22-1-69-5, Raina 1-1-0-0.
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Kohli feels playing ‘normal’ will do
Bangalore, September 2 Kohli said that the match was in India`s favour and the hosts would be looking to take the remaining one wicket to minimise the target with New Zealand ahead by 244 at stumps on the third day with the last pair at the crease. "Well
we'd like to think so. The morning session was really nice for them, but now that we look back after taking nine wickets, it played in our favour because
there's still two more days to go," said Kohli at a Media conference after Sunday`s play. “And as a side setting a total, you always have that in mind - that if you lose wickets, the other side has two days to score the runs. So I think that was the thing that could have put pressure on them and tomorrow if we take an early wicket, we have a lot of time to chase down that score," said Kohli. As for
India's approach chasing a 250-plus target with close to two days in hand, Kohli said: "That's what I said time does to you. When you have a lot of time, you
don't have to think about the target; you just play normal cricket. “I
don't think the wicket is doing so much that we have to be worried about the target
that's been set. If we think to bat 3-4 sessions, we should be in a good position to win the match." At a personal level, Kohli said he was pleased with his batting form and that it was always special to score a century for the country. “It`s always satisfying to get a Test hundred. People asked me this earlier as well, which 100 is most special to you and I said the 100 in Adelaide against Australia. I didn`t have that feeling ever in my life, before or after - and I felt it today again. "I think that is the most satisfying, when you`re being tested and your patience is being tested, your technique is tested - and you manage to score a hundred it always pleases a batsman. “And even the situation I went in to bat, it was really important for the team to come out of that. I`m fortunate that I could be that guy for the team. At the end of the day that was very satisfying. I could have gone on to make it a big one, but a Test hundred is always a satisfying feeling," he said. On his dismissal when he padded up to Tim Southee to be adjudged leg-before, Kohli said: “That was the only ball in my innings in which I didn`t look at the bowler`s hand. All the balls I played before that I was looking at their hands. That ball he bowled with cross seam and I didn`t look. “That was a lapse in concentration and you just need one to get out in international cricket.”
— IANS |
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Laxman calls decision ‘correct’
Bangalore, September 2 “The decision I took was the correct decision," Laxman said on Sunday. Laxman was picked for the series but decided to call it quits, insisting that he was guided by his inner voice even though there was speculation that the right-hander was unhappy with the selectors. Asked if he would want to be a part of the side, Laxman merely stated, "The Indians have done fantastically in the last two matches they played. They bowled well in both the matches and hopefully they will finish the game by tomorrow evening. So, I wish them all the very best. “It was my honour to play for the country. I would also like to thank Anil (Kumble) and the members of KSCA for felicitating me over here." On what lies ahead for him, Laxman said, “At the moment I am looking forward to the Ranji Trophy because I have not played too much for Hyderabad since 2000.” So. I thought it is my moral responsibility to give something back to Hyderabad cricket.”
— Agencies |
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Bangalore, September 2 “Harbhajan is an exceptional bowler and he has served the country well. He should be in the scheme of things if India has to do well against Australia and England who are coming later this year. He will complement the current two spinners (Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha),” Kumble said. "His (Harbhajan's) experience will be important for India against Australia and England. He has taken more than 600 international wickets," Kumble said while doing guest commentary on the third day of the second Test between India and New Zealand at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. After spending more than a year in the wilderness, Harbhajan was named in the Indian squad for the T20 World Cup, to be held in Lanka from September 18. — Agencies
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Smashing Murray!
New York, September 2 With a potential semi-final showdown with Federer looming, Andy Murray remained in the hunt for his first grand slam crown by defeating Spain's Feliciano Lopez to reach the fourth round. Women's second seed Agnieszka Radwanska set up a fourth-round tussle with Italy's Roberta Vinci by stopping Jelena Jankovic 6-3 7-5 at a steamy Arthur Ashe Stadium. "With the hot conditions you really have to fight yourself more than your opponent," said Pole Radwanska, a sentiment echoed by several players. Federer cruised past Fernando Verdasco 6-3 6-4 6-4 in two hours and two minutes, blasting seven aces and 30 winners against the 25th-seeded Spaniard. The Swiss master, however, deviated from his normal baseline game and rushed the net 27 times, a tactic that earned him 26 points. “I had no clue my stats were that good," he said. "Fernando did have some good chances for good passing shots. Looking back, I don't remember missing too many volleys and overheads. “Probably half the time I didn't have to volley because it was hard to hit a good pass. It was windy. Usually when I do come in, it's probably on one I can be very offensive on." Federer has not lost a set at the U.S. Open this year, as he moves closer to a sixth title at the National Tennis Center. Next up is American Mardy Fish for a place in the quarter-finals. Verdasco, 28, had 35 unforced errors and 10 double faults as he lost to Federer for the fifth time in as many meetings. Like Federer, Williams has not lost a set but needed a break of serve in the final game of the opening set to grab the momentum as she ousted Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-4 6-0. Indo-American pair of Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek-Sands moved into the doubles third round. Sania-Bethanie, seeded 13th, defeated the unseeded Croat-Hungarian pair of Darija Jurak and Katalin Marosi 6-4, 6-2. Painful video
The 30-year-old Williams, a three-times U.S. Open winner and 14-times grand slam champion, said it was painful to watch a video of her defeat by Makarova. "Knowing that I lost (I thought it) could definitely happen again," said the Wimbledon and London Olympic champion. “I did not want that to happen. "Whether I learned something from that match, I don't know. I really hate watching matches that I lose unless I'm punishing myself. I didn't punish myself." Williams punished Makarova on Saturday, enjoying a 31-10 advantage in winners and claiming all eight of her service games. Murray, who won Olympic gold last month, recovered from a mid-match lapse to defeat Lopez 7-6 7-6 4-6 7-6 in three hours and 53 minutes.The Briton was leading 4-2 in the third set before Lopez fought back to send the match into a tense fourth set. "The last few sets were tough," said Murray. "I just played a little bit better at the end of the tiebreaks, a little bit more solid than him, and that was the difference." Murray said the oppressive heat made the match "mentally and physically challenging". "I actually felt better towards the end of the match than I did maybe halfway through it," he said. "It was probably down to a combination of things, having not played that much in these conditions. It's just taking a while to get used to it. “I usually have three weeks in Miami before the U.S. Open but I couldn't this year because of the Olympics. It was a nice problem to have though." A sombre Lopez said Murray deserved to win the match. Mardy Fish of the United States outlasted Gilles Simon of France 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-3 to win a third-round match.
— Reuters Clijsters career ends New York, September 2 The three-times U.S. Open singles champion said she would like to be remembered for always giving 100 percent effort. "I always tried to give my best," she told reporters in her post-match news conference. "Even from when I was eight years old until this last match, I always tried to give my best in everything that I did, whether it was sitting here or on the practice court." The 29-year-old said she had remained focused for the doubles and mixed doubles even though it "was a lot more relaxed obviously than my singles". Clijsters said she has no regrets about putting her racket down. "When I was in the shower, I was like, 'whew,' like a big release. It feels right."
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Indian paralympic athlete alleges lack of escorts, officials deny charge
London, September 2 Powerlifter Farman Basha said that he was not provided with an escort and that has affected his performance in the London Paralympic Games. "I do not have an escort here and even my coach was not allowed to stay with me. I have been in London since August 11 and our federation representatives promised that all arrangements will be made but nothing has been taken care of," said Basha, who is competing in the men's 48kg PO classification powerlifting event. "My escort was supposed to take me to the dining area, which is half a kilometre away but he was not available. Only one escort is here for all of us. It is very difficult for us to move around in wheelchairs. “I was confident of a medal but now all my training has gone in vain," he added. A Paralympic Committee of India official, however, said that there were enough escorts and that the problem arose as there was no provision of one escort per athlete. “We cannot have an escort for every athlete. We have 10 athletes and only six people have been sanctioned to stay inside the Games Village. We are managing things with some people coming early at the Village and leaving late in the evening," the official said. "The few people available will have to manage and escort the 10 athletes. We are doing that and managing things." Amit Kumar, who is competing in men's discus throw F51/52/53 category, said that the officials have been doing their best under the circumstances. "I don't know about the athletes of other countries if they also face these kind of issues. But our officials are doing their best under the circumstances. Each of us cannot get a coach and an escort," Kumar
said. India is yet to open an account in the Paralympic Games, which began on August 29. Meanwhile, Sports Minister Ajay Maken said that he has already contacted the Indian High Commission officials as well as the Director General of Sports Authority of India to urgently look into the matter. "Just got in touch with Indian High Commission Officials & DG SAI. Asked them to get in touch with concerned ppl immediately," tweeted Maken.
— PTI |
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India beats Cameroon to lift Nehru Cup for the third time in a row
New Delhi, September 2 Defender Syed Rahim Nabi was named the man of the match while Sunil Chhetri got the man of the tournament trophy. In the tie-breaker while India converted all their five kicks through Robin Singh, Sunil Chhetri, Denzil Franco, Mehtab Hussain and Clifford Miranda, Makon Thierry hit the post, off the vital last kick for Cameroon.India won the cup for the second time in tie-breaker shoot out. India had retained the title in 2009 at the Ambedkar Stadium in tie-breaker shoot-out when Subrata Paul made two superlative saves while today, Cameroon dug their own grave with Theirry, who had a hand in both of Cameroon's goals during regulation play, hitting the post, with the ball bouncing out. Ashu Tambe, Ousmaila Baba, Bebey Kingue Paul and Kingue Mpondo had scored without any flourish. Russia were the only team to lift the cup thrice, when they had played under the Soviet Union banner. India repeated history as in the last two editions, they had triumphed in the final over Syria after losing in the league match. Today, they bested Cameroon for their one-goal defeat in the league match on Friday. Coach Wim Koevermans was elated, as he became the first foreign coach to strike gold, in his very first assignment as the Indian coach, just one month into the job. The Indian triumph was remarkable as they came back strongly to not only equalise, but hold out the relentless Cameroon assaults with the defence playing brilliantly. No quarters were asked and none given, as India fought back manfully to counter the speed and thrust to give give the visitors a tough run. India took the lead first, then trailed 1-2 and came back roaring to net the equaliser by converting a penalty in the 79th minute.Chhetri scored off the spot kick to score his fourth goal of this edition, and ninth in three Nehru Cup tournaments, to overtake Baichung Bhutia’s record of eight goals. The Indian attack was fortified when Robin Singh was brought in for Sanju Pradhan. Robin and Chhetri kept the Cameroon defence on their toes, leading to India’s second goal. Cameroon had fought back forcefully, after being down by a 19th minute goal scored by Gouramangi Singh, to equalize in the 29th minute through Makon Theirry. The Indian team received a cash bounty of $ 2 lakh for winning the Nehru Cup. |
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EPL
London, September 2 Two 0-0 draws following the sale of Robin van Persie to Manchester United had raised questions over Arsenal's firepower but Podolski answered them with an emphatic finish before halftime to put the visitors in charge. Spaniard Cazorla sealed the points after 67 minutes to leave Liverpool's new manager Brendan Rodgers reflecting on just one point from his first three league matches in charge. Arsenal, who are yet to concede a goal this season, moved up to seventh in the fledgling Premier League table with five points while Liverpool languish fourth from bottom. Later on Manchester United face an away trip to Southampton while Newcastle United are at home to Aston Villa. Meanwhile, striker Andy Carroll withdrew from England's squad for this month's World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine after injuring his hamstring on his West Ham United debut on Saturday. Carroll fell awkwardly after colliding with Fulham centre back Brede Hangeland midway through the second half of West Ham's 3-0 Premier League win at Upton Park. The pony-tailed frontman, who joined the London club on a season-long loan from Liverpool on Thursday, immediately clutched his right hamstring and was substituted. The Football Association said on its website (www.thefa.com) that Carroll was ruled out of the England matches, adding that any decision to replace him would "not be made until after the three league fixtures on Sunday have been completed". England, already without injured striker Wayne Rooney, open their Group H campaign in Moldova on Friday before hosting Ukraine four days later. Carroll made an instant impact for West Ham, flicking on a long ball inside the first minute which led to Kevin Nolan's opening goal. "He will probably be on our treatment bench for a while. He was injured in a jump with their centre half and he over-extended himself," West Ham manager Sam Allardyce told the BBC. The 23-year-old Carroll moved to London in search of the form that led Liverpool to pay a club record fee of 35 million pounds to Newcastle United for him in January 2011. Carroll failed to live up to that price tag at Anfield, scoring 11 times, and West Ham have the option of signing him on a permanent deal at the end of the season for an undisclosed fee.
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Strauss has left a huge void: Lee
London, September 2 But 35-year-old opening batsman Strauss retired with a fine record of more than 7,000 runs in exactly 100 Tests at an average of over 40 with 21 hundreds - one shy of England's all-time record. The Middlesex left-hander Strauss also led England to home and away Ashes triumphs, having also starred as a batsman only during their 2005 Test series win against Australia. Lee, who as a new-ball bowler was well-placed to observe Strauss's merits, told BBC Radio Five on Sunday: "If you look as his record as an opening batsman - 100 Test matches and an average of 40, it's absolutely phenomenal. “He was a batsman we were fond of, we thought he was a great player. He was always the top of discussion for us - 'what's the best way to bowl at Andrew Strauss?'He was a respected player and when you got Andrew Strauss out you knew you were bowling pretty well. “He was a very competitive person with a very strong mind. A class act. "He leaves a huge void in the England cricket team," added Lee of Strauss, who has been succeeded as Test captain by opening partner Alastair Cook, already England's one-day skipper. Meanwhile England seamer James Anderson insisted the controversy surrounding Kevin Pietersen's ongoing exile from international cricket had played no part in Strauss's decision. Pietersen has not played for England in any format since making 149 in the drawn second Test against his native South Africa in Leeds last month after it emerged he had sent "provocative" texts to Proteas players - some of which were alleged to be critical of Strauss. But Strauss himself dismissed suggestions the fall-out from the row generated by his predecessor as England captain had played any part in his decision and Anderson supported his former skipper. “People have speculated that the Pietersen issue might have been a factor in Strauss' decision to quit. I don't think it has been ideal but he was thinking about this before that stuff started,” he said.
— AFP |
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McGrath replaces Lillee as director of MRF academy
Chennai, September 2 The 63-year-old Lillee, who was associated with the academy since its inception in 1987 and had successfully turned it into an internationally-renowned destination for fast bowlers looking to sharpen their skills, announced last month that this would be his final year at the foundation. McGrath, who will be officially taking charge from Lillee, said though it would be hard to live up to the legacy, he would strive to do his best."It is a tough assignment and I would be happy if I can achieve half of what Dennis had successfully done. I would like to do what I love to do and would like to give back what I have gained from the game," he said. "It is a great honour for me to work with the MRF Pace foundation. I know it will not be possible to replace someone like the great Dennis Lillee, whose legacy is hard to live up to but I will strive to do my best," added McGrath, who had trained at the academy under Lillee in 1992-93. McGrath hailed India's bowling spearhead Zaheer Khan, saying that he was one of the bowlers to have impressed him the most. Lillee, meanwhile, cited his age as the main reason behind his decision to bid adieu to the academy. "With this 25 years of worthy service and 63 plus age, I do not want to travel away from home anymore. Because of the family and the age, you got to look at new ideas," said Lillee. Praising the MRF management, Lillee said, "My biggest triumph is to have succeeded in starting the academy from the scratch...built it from nothing to what it is today. "Success would not have come but for the support I received from MRF Management. They allowed me to do it my way."
— PTI |
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To beat Sloane, I had to be very aggressive: Ana
Later, Ivanovic described it as a very tough match. Excerpts from her post-match interview: Tougher than last year? Ana Ivanovic: Yeah, definitely. I expected a very tough match this time around. She's a great player. She's improved a lot since last year, as I remembered. Her serve is a lot faster and her forehand, as well. Did you feel you had to be very aggressive and try and get through that defense because she gets so much back? AI: Yeah, definitely. I felt there was a lot of moments where I actually built the point nicely, then I missed on sort of finishing shots. Still, I tried to be aggressive and put a lot of pressure on her. I tried to kind of open up the court a little bit, but she was very solid off both sides. You talked a lot in your first press conference that you would like to get to a quarterfinal. In this one, you will be the higher seeded player. How excited are you? AI: It's just another match for me. I really try to take it like that. She's a great player. She's been in the semifinal of a Grand Slam before. It's not going to be easy. But it's definitely a good chance for me, for her. It's great to be in a position to play for a quarterfinal. Like I said before the tournament, it would be a big goal of mine. So I really want to put my head down and work hard for that match. Do you believe the power of the numbers? AI: I'm not sure, no. I tell you why. This is the third time in your Grand Slam history that you lost the first set in a tiebreak and you have to come back. AI: I think Sloane was by far the toughest opponent of all of them, the most quality player in all of these situations. If I have a good year now, that would be great for me obviously. That was my goal, to return to the top 10 this year. It's still a long way away. The season, it's almost over in a way. But I really want to take it one match at a time. I really want to take care of my next match and then see how it progresses. What was it about her serve, returning her serve, that was working for you? AI: Well, I thought she had a lot more pop on her serves. They were quite fast. She was going for lines on her serves very well. You know, I tried to look for my opportunities in the second serve because she was kicking a lot. I tried to run around sometimes and put more pressure with my forehand. The crowd was very supportive of her tonight. AI: Yeah, I expected that. I played her last year in the same situation. I played Serena a few times here. The crowd is always going to be for home favorite. But I really enjoyed. It was great atmosphere out there. I really tried to stay focused on my game. I had great support from my box, which is always nice. You had Sorana Cirstea in your box. AI: She had to stay for a couple of days. She's leaving tomorrow. Obviously we've been catching up for dinners. I'm like, You can come out and watch. It was great to see her there. We're really close friends. Yeah, it's always nice to support each other. FastScripts by ASAP Sports
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Spa-Francorchamps (Belgium), September 2 Finland's Kimi Raikkonen took third place for Lotus. Alonso, who started the race with a 40 point lead over Red Bull's Australian Mark Webber, had hoped for a record-equalling 24th successive points finish but that was shattered in a cloud of carbon-fibre after a matter of metres. His lead was cut to 24 points, with Vettel moving up to second overall. Webber dropped to third, 32 points adrift of Alonso.The Spaniard could at least consider himself fortunate not to have been hit on the head by the flying Lotus of Frenchman Romain Grosjean, whose car took off after colliding with Hamilton. "It was a good start, then a big boom. I have not seen the image, but the main thing is we are all OK. I do not know if I moved over too quickly," said Grosjean. Sauber's Sergio Perez also retired on the spot in a miserable afternoon for the Swiss team after a Saturday qualifying session that had promised so much with their cars on the front two rows. — Reuters
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Maradona becomes Dubai ambassador
Dubai, September 2 The Argentine voiced a desire to coach in China during a trip to Beijing in August, but has accepted the ambassadorial role with Dubai Sports Council (DSC) after turning down "unsatisfactory" coaching offers. His new role will also help resolve a dispute with Al Wasl, which sacked him in July just over a year into a two-year contract. "Dubai Sports Council and I have discussed a few ideas and they are serious about upgrading the sports sector in Dubai," the 51-year-old World Cup winner told a news conference in Dubai. "For those who think that I have fallen down or I have collapsed, I'm stronger now." The former world player of the year offered few details as to what his job will entail.
— Reuters |
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Bangalore, September 2
Top-ranked Roger Federer continued his dynamic U.S. Open form in near-tropical conditions on Saturday while fourth seed Serena Williams braved the steaming heat to avenge a shock defeat she suffered in January.
With a potential semi-final showdown with Federer looming, Andy Murray remained
in the hunt for his first grand slam crown by defeating Spain's Feliciano Lopez
to reach the fourth round.
Controversy broke out in the Indian Paralympic team on Sunday with an athlete alleging lack of escorts to look after them even as the officials sought to make light of it.
Powerlifter Farman Basha said that he was not provided with an escort and that has affected his performance in the London Paralympic Games.
London, September 2
New York, September 2