Singapore, October 26
Sania Mirza and her Zimbabwean partner Cara Black ended the season and their partnership on a remarkable high by clinching the season-ending finale with a comprehensive triumph in the summit clash here today.

Sania and Cara, making their debut at the year-end WTA championship, prevailed 6-1 6-0 over Su-Wei Hseih of Chinese Taipei and Shuai Peng of China in a clash that lasted just about an hour. In a completely lop-sided contest, third seeds Sania and Cara did not concede a single break point to their second-seeded rivals.

The Indo-Zimbabwean combination, which would be breaking up after this, broke the East Asians thrice in the opening set and were decisively better with their first serve. Sania and Cara were even more dominant in the second set, breaking Hseih and Peng thrice again to race away with the match and the title.

In their two previous matches, Black and Mirza negotiated dramatic finishes, saving match points in both. “That's tennis, it gives you another chance. You've got to fight and this just proves it, and today we won the tournament. It's been an amazing ride, an amazing journey,” Sania said after the win.

Sania and Cara first teamed up at the end of 2013, winning their first two events together, in Tokyo and Beijing. However, Cara, who has two-year-old son, recently announced that she would sit out the 2015 season to spend more time with her family.

“We started off with a bang and now we're ending with a bang. We've had such an amazing year and had so much fun and built a great friendship, which is so special too. It's sad that this is our last tournament, but it's great to have these moments to share,” the Zimbabwean said. —PTI 

Singapore, October 26
Serena Williams destroyed Romania's Simona Halep 6-3 6-0 on Sunday to win the WTA Finals championship, proving once again why she remains the most formidable force in women's tennis.

Williams avenged her “embarrassing” loss to Halep in the group stage of the tournament with a ruthless display, overpowering her pint-sized opponent at every opportunity.

Halep shocked Williams 6-0 6-2 in the group stage of the elite event but was unable to repeat that performance as the American reminded everyone why she is the number one player in the world. “I lost to her a couple of days ago, so I knew she was capable of playing well,” Williams said in a courtside interview. “She started well and I knew I had to play well to beat her and I did play well.” For Williams, it was her third successive win in the WTA Finals, second only in prestige to the four grand slams, and her fifth overall, tied for second with Steffi Graf.

Only Martina Navratilova, with eight titles, has won more, but with Williams showing no signs of slowing down at the age of 33, it is not inconceivable the American could overhaul her. The odds were stacked against Williams winning in Singapore after she pulled out of two events in China because of a knee injury then lost to Halep in the group stages.

But, as she has shown time and time again throughout her illustrious career, Williams has a knack for raising her game when it matters, as Halep learnt the hard way on Sunday. “It was an amazing week for me so I cannot be sad that I lost,” said Halep. “Congratulations to Serena — you are the best.” Just as she did in their previous encounter, Halep made a confident start, holding her first service game to love and putting Williams under early pressure.

She broke Williams' second service game to lead 2-1 but failed to consolidate her early advantage as the American responded by taking her game up a notch.

Williams thumped two forehands past Halep to set up her first break point then levelled the scores at 2-2 when the Romanian dumped a forehand into the net. Staring down Halep with each point she won, a fired-up Williams quickly began to assert her authority, and broke her opponent again to lead 4-2 when Halep hit a backhand long. A lapse in concentration cost Williams the next game as successive double-faults allowed Halep to break back but those mistakes only spurred her on and she proceeded to reel off the final eight games in a row.

She blasted successive aces to clinch the opening set then showed no mercy in the second, out muscling her opponent with her powerful serves, ground strokes and overhead smashes. — Reuters

Macau, October 26
Anirban Lahiri bagged the Venetian Macau Open title by a stroke in a tense finish after leader Scott Hend of Australia bogeyed the final hole on Sunday.

The 27-year-old Lahiri, trailing defending champion Hend by two strokes after the third round, carded a five-under-par 66 in the final round for a total of 17-under. Hend, who came to Macau after winning the last week's Hong Kong Open, missed his par putt on the 18th and a chance to force a playoff and ended tied second with Thailand's Prom Meesawat.

“It's really special. Hendy was playing great golf and it was sad to see him missing that putt on the last hole,” said Lahiri, who finished runner-up to Hend in Macau last season.

“I knew he was playing some good golf and I told myself that I was going to keep coming back, keep coming back and keep attacking. I wanted to make him think I was not going to go away. I think I played really well,” said Lahiri

Hend made a bright start with an eagle on the second and gained two more shots by the eighth hole to build on his lead but bogeys on the ninth, 11th and 14th changed the momentum in favour of the Indian.

Lahiri, who clinched his second win of the season and fifth Asian Tour victory, sunk six birdies against a lone bogey on the seventh hole. He tied Hend for the lead with a birdie on 14th and took the lead with another gain on the next hole. Hend was not ready to give up yet and tied the scores again with a birdie on the 16th before his slip on the final hole.

“I hit too many loose shots and then on the last hole, I had a lip out which I thought I put a good putt on it,” Hend rued. “Unfortunately it lipped out. I looked up to see it lipping out. I thought I had made the putt. “To be honest, the tournament had slipped as the tee shot wasn't in play. I had to hit the fairway which would have made it a lot easier but I missed the fairway which made my job a little bit 
harder.” — Reuters

Colombo, October 26
Sri Lanka captain Angelo Mathews says his team hasn’t had an ideal preparation for the upcoming tour of India as they were concentrating on fitness and not skills during a break from international cricket.

After their series against Pakistan in August, the Lankan players were in the midst of fitness training sessions with the next series coming up against England at home from late next month. But they were told by their board to get ready for the five-ODI series tour of India, beginning November 2. Mathews said there has not been sufficient preparation for the November 2-16 ODI series against India which was hurriedly arranged after the West Indies team decided to abandon their tour midway over players' pay dispute with their board.

“The preparation for the series is not that great, we only had a few practice sessions especially with the weather interrupting. It is not the ideal preparation for an Indian tour but we will do our best to prepare ourselves and take it as it comes,” he said.

“We were preparing for the England series because we knew that there were not any tours coming before that. We were focussed a lot on fitness and we just started batting three days ago. We only had a few skill-training sessions. We needed to reach our peak levels during England series but now that we've been thrown into a challenge, we will try our best to be prepared as much as we can,” Mathew was quoted as saying by 'The Nation'.

Mathews said that Kumar Sangakkara was struggling with a back injury and there was a possibility of Niroshan Dickwella keeping wickets. “Sanga will keep wickets and if Dickwella plays he will play as a batsman. Sanga is struggling a little bit with his back as well, that's why we need to carry a reserve wicket keeper,” said the 27-year-old all-rounder who has scored 3013 runs at an average of 38.13 and taken 80 wickets in 133 ODIs. “Sanga is having a small disc problem in his back but it's nothing serious, he was getting better every day so hopefully he will be okay. We might have to monitor him in the next few days if he can keep, otherwise we will have to play Dickwella,” he said. — PTI

DUBAI, October 26
Pakistan spinners Zulfiqar Babar and Yasir Shah took nine wickets in the second innings as the hosts beat Australia by 221 runs in the first Test on Sunday to take a 1-0 lead in the two-match series.

Australia, resuming on 59 for four, put up stiff resistance throughout the fifth day and managed to drag the match into the final session but were finally all out for 216. Left-armer Babar took his maiden five-wicket haul in his third Test while debutant leg-spinner Shah chipped in with four as Australia's batsmen showed a familiar vulnerability against spin bowling on slow wickets.

Both spinners took seven wickets each in the match while part-time off-spinner Mohammad Hafeez also got a wicket in the first innings.

Steve Smith (55) and Mitchell Johnson (61) scored dogged fifties to delay the inevitable as Pakistan completed a morale-boosting win, sweetened by the fact that they did not have the services of leading bowlers Saeed Ajmal and Junaid Khan.

Smith, who batted for 175 delieveries, added 65 for the eighth wicket with Johnson and the duo thwarted Pakistan's bowlers for 90 minutes in the second session before the former was out caught at short leg off Yasir.

Pakistan had multiple chances to break the partnership but failed to make the opportunities count. Babar was the unlucky bowler on most occassions. Wicketkeeper Sarfraz Ahmed failed to collect the ball with Smith on 37 while captain Misbah-ul-Haq dropped a tough chance at cover with the batsman on 44. Johnson (65) was also dropped twice, both times off the 35-year-old Babar. Sarfraz made amends for his earlier mistake by swiftly taking off the bails to stump Johnson, who also added 43 for the ninth wicket with Siddle, to give Yasir his fourth wicket. Siddle (15) was the last man out to become Babar's fifth wicket.

Australia fought hard in the morning to keep Pakistan at bay for more than 80 minutes but lost three quick wickets once the resistance was broken. Opener Chris Rogers (43) was bowled by debutant Imran Khan for the only wicket to fall to the fast bowlers in Australia's second innings after he and Smith added 43 for the fifth wicket. — Reuters

Brief scores: Pakistan 454 (Sarfraz 109, Younis 106) and 286 for 2 dec (Shehzad 131, Younis 103no); Australia 303 (Warner 133) and 216 (Johnson 61, Smith 55, Babar 5/74, Yasir 4/50).

Kolkata, October 26 
A depleted Atletico de Kolkata, without star forward Fikru Teferra, put up a spirited show but could not score that elusive winner, settling for a 1-1 draw against a lucky Kerala Blasters FC in their ISL encounter here today.

Atletico maintained their top position in the league table with 11 points from five games while Blasters earned their first point in three games. Baljit Sahni scored in the 22nd minute with a powerful angular right-footer beating David James’ outstretched hands.

Just when Atletico looked to press further, Kerala struck the equaliser from nowhere. Iain Hume converted the opportunity with a smart finish, beating a surging Subhasish Roy Chowdhury in the 41st minute.

Luck too deserted Atletico as they failed to bring up the winner despite a superb effort by Sahni who had a field day in the absence of their star players. It was the horizontal that came to the Blasters’ rescue after a stunning shot by Sahni beat James. There was some last minute drama with Atletico pressing for the winner but the 6 feet 5 inches tall James ensured that Blasters returned with a point.

After conceding the equaliser, the Atletico players started indulging in rough play. Kingshuk Debnath could have been shown a yellow card or may be even a red after jabbing Stephen Pearson whose shin guard came out after the tackle as the referee failed to spot it. Atletico had their share of yellow cards as Sahni and substitute Rakesh Masih were cautioned in the second-half.

Suspension blow meant that ATK had a string of changes both in the starting XI and on the officials bench, where assistant coach Angel Diaz Barrachina supervised the proceedings in place of Antonio Habas (four-match suspension) . The absence of Fikru (two-match) meant Llibert started up front, while Debnath began as the right back in place of Denzil Franco (injury). Their marquee player Luis Garcia is recovering from a hamstring injury and failed to make the 18. 

Pune: A striker always remains a striker is what David Trezeguet showed when he rolled back years with an opportunistic strike to help FC Pune City register their maiden win. The home team beat FC Goa 2-0. Trezeguet’s 81st minute strike was preceded by Greece World Cupper Kostas Katsouranis’ volley in the 41st minute which gave Pune the lead.

Far from his best, Trezeguet, 37, didn’t do much during the 90 minutes but when defender Gregory Arnolin tried a back pass to Goa custodian Laxmikant Kattimani, Trezeguet showed why he was able to score 138 goals for Juventus.

The Frenchman latched onto the ball and with Kattimani trying to narrow down the angle, Trezeguet immaculately placed it past the surging goalie to make it 2-0. — PTI

London, October 26 
Robin Van Persie scored a dramatic stoppage time equaliser to earn Manchester United a deserved 1-1 draw at home to Premier League leaders Chelsea on Sunday.

Didier Drogba, 36, playing from the start because Diego Costa was unfit, headed the visitors in front in the 53rd minute from a corner conceded when David De Gea was forced into a fine save from Eden Hazard. 

Chelsea seemed likely to hold out but just before the final whistle Branislav Ivanovic was sent off for a second yellow card and from the free kick Thibaut Courtois saved from Marouane Fellaini but could not keep out Van Persie’s fierce follow-up. The draw extended Chelsea’s lead to four points over second-placed Southampton.

Earlier, Sammy Ameobi scored within eight seconds of coming on as a halftime substitute for Newcastle United in a 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur. In the other early kickoff, Cameroonian veteran Samuel Eto’o scored twice as Everton won 3-1 at struggling Burnley.

Bayern Munich held Berlin: Undefeated Bayern Munich stumbled to a 0-0 draw at Borussia Moenchengladbach that ended a four-game winning streak in the league but they remain four points clear at the top. Bayern lacked the sharpness up front that they showed in the 7-1 win over AS Roma in the Champions League in midweek. — Reuters

Kuala Lumpur, October 26 
Malaysian badminton officials expressed "shock" today in their first response to doping allegations following reports that world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei failed a test.

The officials refused to identify the player, pending a second test, but local media has reported that the top shutter tested positive for a banned substance at the world championships in Denmark in late August.

"One of our athletes in one major tournament has been found positive," Badminton Association of Malaysia deputy president Norza Zakaria said after officials met for more than two hours to discuss the matter. "We are very shocked, sad, and it is an earth-shattering news to us... We are hoping, keeping our fingers crossed that things will come to a positive conclusion at the end of the day." Norza confirmed that a second test would be conducted on November 4 or 5 after an initial test found the banned substance dexamethasone, an anti-inflammatory drug. — PTI

London, October 26
Sammy Ameobi scored within eight seconds of coming on as a halftime substitute for Newcastle United in a 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday. In the other early kickoff in the Premier League, Cameroonian veteran Samuel Eto’o scored twice as Everton won 3-1 at struggling Burnley, who are still without a win.

Kuala Lumpur, October 26
Newly crowned world champion Marc Marquez won a season record-equalling 12th MotoGP race with victory at the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday.

The Spaniard, who clinched his second successive title in Japan two weeks ago, had a poor start from pole but clawed his way back to the front to finish nearly three seconds ahead of runner-up Valentino Rossi. Yamaha rider Jorge Lorenzo briefly held the lead early but was reeled in to finish third.

Marquez’s win equalled Australian Mick Doohan’s 12 race wins from 1997 and the 21-year-old has the chance to claim the record outright with victory in the final race at Valencia. The win also sealed the constructor’s title for Honda. — Reuters

BRIEFLY

Smooth sailing for Advani in World billiards
Leeds: Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani defeated Robin Wilson for his second straight win in the World Billiards Championships (time format) here. Advani, who won the points format title earlier in the tournament, beat Englishman Wilson 1060-376. He had defeated Arun Agarwal in his opening match yesterday. Advani, having started tentatively in the first match, registered the highest score in the Championship by an Indian so far. Compatriot Rupesh Shaw was the other player to cross the 1000 barrier. Shaw outplayed Andrew Draper 1053-117. In an all Indian affair, Balachandra Bhaskar surprised Alok Kumar 623-321.

Japanese Sugita lifts Pune Challenger title
Pune: Japanese Yuichi Sugita lifted the singles title at the ATP Challenger tournament after scoring a close 6-7(1) 6-4 6-4 win over Spaniard Adrain Melendez-Maceiras in the summit clash here on Sunday. The 144th ranked and fourth seed Sugita battled hard for two hours and 54 minutes before prevailing over sixth seed Adrain. The final, which was postponed by a day due to unseasonal rains, turned out to be a thriller with both the players matching each other stroke for stroke. "I'm very happy. I played well and kept many balls in playing this week. I had some good and narrow wins against Indian players. This title will help me to start the new year well," said Sugita. ”

Pallikal enters quarters of squash challenger circuit
Chennai: Dipika Pallikal breezed past Harshit Kaur Jawanda 3-0 to enter the quarterfinals of the Indian Squash Challenger Circuit. Pallikal packed off Jawanda 11-6 11-4 11-3 in 29 minutes. Asian Games gold medallist Harinder Pal Sandhu also showed his mettle in the men's singles by fighting his way past Pakistan's Ahsan Ayaz 11-4 11-7 8-11 9-11 11-7 in a marathon match lasting 81 minutes.

Women hockey team gearing up for WHL
New Delhi: The Indian women's hockey team has started preparing for the World Hockey League Round 2 at a preparatory camp at the Sports Authority of India Centre, Bhopal. The 33 probables will train in Bhopal till December 7. New Delhi will host the big event next year from March 7 to 15. Speaking on the sidelines of the camp, chief coach Neil Hawgood said: “Post their bronze medal at the Asian Games, the team is confident and ready to take on newer and bigger challenges. “ — Agencies