Stefanos Tsitsipas downs Daniil Medvedev to set up Borna Coric clash in Cincinnati Open final
Fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas edged world number one Daniil Medvedev 7-6(6) 3-6 6-3 in an absorbing semi-final at the Cincinnati Open on Saturday to set up a summit clash with Borna Coric after the Croatian's 6-3 6-4 win over Cameron Norrie.
Tsitsipas saved a set point in the opening tie-break to take the lead but collapsed in stunning fashion in the second set, falling behind 5-0 before narrowly avoiding a bagel.But the Greek, who had just two wins in nine matches against Medvedev coming into the encounter, raised his game in the decider and broke the U.S. Open champion at 3-2 before comfortably serving out the match with some exquisite net play.
Sunday will be Tsitsipas' first final appearance in Cincinnati and his fifth overall in 2022.
Coric reached his second ATP Masters 1000 final - and first since undergoing shoulder surgery last year - with a commanding performance against Norrie, who offered little resistance against his opponent's heavy hitting from the baseline.
British ninth seed Norrie started brightly and raced into a 3-1 lead before Coric found his groove to win five straight games and secure the opening set.
"It was a very tough day, a very long day as well," said Coric after both men's semi-finals were delayed due to rain.
"At the beginning I was not there, I was not feeling the ball very well. Then I did find my rhythm. I started to serve better, I started to play much better and I think that was the key to the match."
Coric, who struck 22 winners in all, kept up the momentum in the second set, clinching eight straight points to take a 4-2 lead before closing out the match to set up a third career meeting with Tsitsipas.
Bhagat-Kadam win men's doubles gold, 3 women para shuttlers also emerge champions in Thailand
NEW DELHI: Indian para shuttlers Pramod Bhagat and Sukant Kadam claimed the gold after beating Indonesia's Dwiyoko Dwiyoko and Fredy Setiawan in the men's doubles final of the Thailand Para Badminton International tournament in Pattaya on Saturday.
The Indian duo defeated the Indonesian pair 21-18, 21-13 in the summit clash of SL3-SL4 category.In the men's singles, Bhagat and Kadam had to settle for a silver medal each after losing their respective finals.
While Pramod went down fighting to England's Daniel Bethell 13-21, 19-21, Kadam lost 2-21, 17-21 to France's Lucas Mazur.
"I am happy with my performance throughout the tournament. I wish to congratulate Bethell on the win and now I will head back to the training ground and train harder for the World Championship in Tokyo," Bhagat said in a release.
In other results, Ruthick Ragupathi and Manasi Joshi finished second best in mixed doubles SL3-SU5 class, losing 21-17, 15-21, 7-21 to France's Lucas Mazur and Faustine Noel in the final.
In women's singles, Mandeep Kaur got the better off compatriot Manasi 20-22, 21-19, 21-14 in SL3 finals to claim the gold medal, while Manisha Ramadass also bagged the yellow metal after beating Japan's Kaede Kameyama 20-22, 21-12, 21-19 in SU5 final.
Nithya Sre Sumathy Sivan also won the gold with a 21-9, 24-22 win over England's Rachel Choong 21-9, 24-22 in SH6 final.
Manasi and Shanthiya Viswanathan also combined to sign off with a silver in the women's doubles SL3-SU5 after going down 20-22, 19-21 to Thailand's Nipada Saensupa and Chanida Srinavakul.
BWF World Championships: Praneeth losses, Ashwini-Sikki, Tanisha-Ishaan win on day 1
TOKYO: B Sai Praneeth failed to cross the opening hurdle after losing in three games but India registered twin wins in women's and mixed doubles competition on the opening day of the BWF World Championships here on Monday.
Praneeth, a 2019 bronze medallist, put up a brave effort before going down 15-21 21-15 15-21 to world number 4 Chou Tien Chen of Chinese Taipei in little over an hour. It was yet another forgettable outing in Tokyo for Praneeth, following his struggles at last year's Olympic Games where he participated without a proper coach or physio to eventually bow out early.
However, former Commonwealth Games bronze medallists Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy progressed to the women's doubles second round with a 21-7 21-9 win over Maldives' Aminath Nabeeha Abdul Razzaq and Fathimath Nabaaha Abdul Razzaq.
Ashwini and Sikki will face the uphill task of taming top seeds Chen Qing Chen and Jia Yi Fan of China in the second round.
In mixed doubles, Tanisha Crasto and Ishaan Bhatnagar defeated German duo of Patrick Scheiel and Franziska Volkmann 21-13 21-13 in 29 minutes to also make a positive start to their campaign.
The Indian pair will meet 14th seeds Supak Jomkoh and Supissara Paewsampran of Thailand next.
Last edition's silver and bronze medallists Kidambi Srikanth and Lakshya Sen, and former World No. 8 HS Prannoy will be among the Indian shuttlers competing later in the day.
Durand Cup: PC Lallawmkima's brace guides Army Green to 3-1 win over NorthEast United
GUWAHATI: Skipper PC Lallawmkima scored a brace as Army Green made a winning start to its Durand Cup campaign by inflicting a 3-1 defeat on NorthEast United FC (NEUFC) here on Sunday.
Lallawmkima's twin strikes were accompanied by Somesh Kothari's goal as the Army team dominated NEUFC.
Dipu Mirdha got a consolation for NEUFC in stoppage time.
Both teams began in lively fashion but it was the Army men who were decisive in the middle. They drew first blood in the ninth minute through their captain, whose run was found perfectly by an overhead pass from Sochin Chhetri.
One of the greatest Services footballers of recent times, Lallawmkima, probably in an attempt to reach out and receive, ended up chipping past keeper Nikhil Deka beautifully from a close range.
Army Green stepped up the pressure post the goal with the young NEUFC side finding it difficult to contain the continuous attacks. Chhetri and Roel Lepcha were brilliant in the middle while Gautam Singh was proving to be a menace all across the pitch.
The pressure resulted in the second goal. Somesh started the attack from the right and cushioned the ball to an overlapping Chabin Rabha whose shot was saved by the goalkeeper but the rebound fell kindly back to Somesh, who headed it into an empty net.
In the second half, NEUFC created some chances which could not be converted by Mirdha.
The experience and physicality of the Army men was too much to handle for the youngsters from NEUFC as they continued to attack.
Army Green increased their lead in the 55th minute through Lallawmkima, who deservedly bagged the Man of the Match. A link up play from the left by Somesh and Gautam found the skipper unmarked at the far post, who just had to tap in.
Army Green continued with possession dominance and created chances while the Highlanders could not produce any clear-cut openings and all their attempts were straight at the Army keeper Puia, who did not have to work much to keep them away.
A consolation goal did come the Highlanders way in injury time when Mirdha got to the end off a through ball from Alfred. The goal sent the crowd into a frenzy.
AIFF elections returning officer rejects nomination papers of two presidential candidates
NEW DELHI: Amid uncertainty over the AIFF elections scheduled for August 28, the returning officer on Sunday rejected the candidature of Valanka Alemao and Manvendra Singh for the president's post after their respective seconders denied having signed any nomination paper.
The filing of nomination papers for the election of AIFF's executive committee under the aegis of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) completed on Saturday, even though there's cloud of uncertainty over the world governing body FIFA accepting the poll process.
Alemao, daughter of Goa association president Churchill Alemao, and Rajasthan association chief Manvendra were among the seven who had filed nomination papers for the president's post.
The legendary Bhaichung Bhutia, former goalkeeper Kalyan Chaubey, Shaji Prabhakaran (Football Delhi president), N A Haris (Karnataka association chief) and Ajit Banerjee (IFA head and Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's elder brother) were the others aspiring for the top post.
But a notification by returning officer Umesh Sinha said that Alemao and Menvendra's nomination papers were not legally valid as their respective seconders -- Amit Khemani and Harjinder Singh -- have said that they have not signed any nomination paper for any candidate.
Khemani is the president of Daman and Diu football association while Harjinder is the representative of Chandigarh unit of the AIFF.
"Whereas, Harjinder's name is given as seconder for Manvendra Singh for the post of president and Amit Khemani is the seconder for Valanka Natasha Alemao, a candidate for the post of president, and considering that the aforesaid seconders for the said nominations are not legally valid...
"...the nominations of Manvendra Singh and Valanka Alemao is not acceptable and accordingly (their) nominations for the post of president are rejected," the notification said.
Khemani in an email on Saturday stated that "his name has been used by Valanka Alemao without his knowledge" and he had not signed nomination paper of any candidate.
The matter came to light after a complaint from Goa association member Jonathan de Sousa claimed that Khemani has been out of country since August 16 and he could not have seconded Alemao.
Harjinder, on the other hand, said that he had not proposed or nominated any name for the current elections of the AIFF.
Alemao has also filed nomination papers for the posts of treasurer as well as executive committee member.
The nomination papers of former India midfielder Eugeneson Lyngdoh and Deepak Sharma were also rejected along with Mohd Shahid, who had all filed nominations for contesting executive committee members post.
Lyngdoh's seconder Arif Ali also seconded Menla Ethenpa as candidate for executive committee member. Since no person can either propose or second two candidates and Ethenpa's nomination was submitted earlier than that of Lyngdoh, the latter's candidature was rejected.
All the six nomination papers for the lone post of treasurer were found to be in order.
So, there are five candidates for the post of one president, six for one treasurer and 11 for five executive committee members. Candidates can withdraw their names between Monday and Wednesday.
The Supreme Court will take up a crucial hearing on Monday on the request of the sports ministry after world governing FIFA banned the AIFF for "undue influence from third parties".
The government has moved an application to the top court, making a plea to end the "mandate" of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) and to start the election process 'de novo' (from the beginning).
On August 3, the Supreme Court had ordered holding of AIFF elections on August 28, giving 36 eminent players voting rights. But the FIFA, which was not in favour of individual members forming the electoral college, suspended the AIFF on August 15.
The SC had appointed the three-member CoA headed by former top court judge AR Dave to run the affairs of the AIFF in a May 18 order while ousting Praful Patel as president of the national federation.
Government proposes to end CoA mandate in SC application, accepts all FIFA demands
NEW DELHI: In a desperate move to get the FIFA ban on AIFF revoked, the central government on Sunday moved an application in the Supreme Court, seeking an end to the "mandate" of the Committee of Administrators (CoA), as demanded by the world governing body.
The sports ministry's move, a day before a crucial hearing of the top court, can be seen as an attempt to salvage the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup, scheduled to be held in October.
The world body had on August 15 imposed a ban on All India Football Federation (AIFF) due to "third party interference" and said that the women's age-group showpiece "cannot currently be held in India as planned".
The government in its application has virtually accepted all the demands made by the FIFA, including ending the tenure of the SC-appointed CoA as well as not allowing individual members in the electoral college.
It, however, said that the ousted Praful Patel-led dispensation should be excluded from the AIFF.
"...this Hon'ble Court may be pleased to ... direct that day-to-day management of AIFF shall be looked after by the AIFF administration led by the acting Secretary General to the exclusion of the earlier elected body and the CoA will have no role in the administration of AIFF from 22.08.2022," the application read.
"... to require the CoA to submit the final draft constitution to this Hon'ble Court by the end of 23.08.2022, and that the mandate of the COA be declared to be over in full from 23.08.2022."
In its statement while suspending AIFF, the FIFA had said the lifting of the suspension on AIFF will be subject to repealing of CoA's mandate in full. FIFA also said that it wants the AIFF administration to "be fully in charge of the AIFF's daily affairs".
The world body had said that it wants an "independent electoral committee to be elected by the AIFF general assembly to run the elections of a new executive committee".
It had also said that the AIFF must hold its elections based on the pre-existing membership of the AIFF" (i.e state associations only without individual members).
After the SC approved the holding of AIFF elections on August 28, the process of filing nomination papers was completed on Saturday.
Seven candidates, including the legendary Bhaichung Bhutia, have filed nomination papers for the president's post, though the returning officer on Sunday rejected two of them after the proposer and seconder said they have not signed any nomination paper of any candidate.
One of the government plea, that of not allowing eminent players as individual members in the electoral college, if accepted by the SC may put Bhutia's candidature under a cloud as he has been proposed and seconded by an eminent player each.
"Because of the suggested changes in the electoral college, the process of election may be required to be started 'de novo' since the change in the voters list may affect the validity of some of the nomination forms which may have been proposed/seconded by the player members who are now prayed for being excluded from the voters' list," the government plea read.
The government also made a plea to modify the election programme approved by the top court in its August 3 order but said that the returning officer and his assistant, who were appointed by the CoA to conduct AIFF polls on August 28, be allowed to continue.
"... direct for election from the stage stipulated on 13.08.2022 (date of election notification) based upon the voters list containing representatives of member associations only which already published excluding the 36 players.
"and be pleased to direct the Returning Officers to complete all stages of election up to the counting of votes and declaration of results with such changed dates as this Hon'ble Court may be pleased to specify."
The government also proposed that the Executive Committee of the AIFF may consist of 23 members, including six eminent players.
"The 17 members (inclusive of the president, a treasurer, and one vice president) will be elected by the above electoral college.
"Out of the six eminent payers, four will be men and two will be women. The eminent players may be nominated (co-opted) in the EC and shall have the voting rights in Executive Committee, thus making their representation to be around 25 percent of the EC."
The government said the "problem facing the country is acute and it is of utmost importance that India does not lose its right to host the prestigious FIFA Under-17 Women World Cup, 2022 nor the brilliant football players of the country (irrespective of the age group) are deprived of participating in international competitions.
"An indulgence by this Hon'ble Court is the only way forward and will serve a larger interest of the nation.
"This Honble Court has the power to do complete justice and this would be one of those rarest of rare case where this Hon'ble Court may, if required, bend any procedural rules to do complete justice."
Parul Kumar, Akhil Sheoran win Men's Air Rifle trials; Pankaj Makheja lands double in juniors
NEW DELHI: Shooters Parul Kumar and Akhil Sheoran won the men's 10m Air Rifle T5 and T6 national trials at the Madhya Pradesh State Shooting Academy ranges on Friday.
However, the highlight of the day was shooter Pankaj Makheja landing a double in men's junior 10m Air rifle, winning both the T5 and T6 trials respectively.
Parul, who represents the Indian Air Force (IAF), outsmarted Akash Patidar of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) in the gold medal match with a scoreline reading 16-8 in his favour.
Akhil, who represents the Indian Railways, was more dominant in the T6 decider, as he thrashed local favourite Goldi Gujjar 16-2.
Pankaj, on other hand, beat Himachal Pradesh's Surya Pratap Singh Banshtu 17-5 in the T5 final. He then got the better of Khelo India gold medallist Sartaj Singh Tiwana 16-10 in the T6 final to do an encore.
Praggnanandhaa's winning streak in FTX Crypto Cup ends with loss to Liem Le
MIAMI: Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa's winning run came to an end at the hands of China's Quang Liem Le in the fifth round of the FTX Crypto Cup, the American finale of Champions Chess Tour, here.
Liem Le scored an emphatic 2.5-0.5 win over the teenaged Indian GM, securing victories in games two and three after the opener ended in a draw.
A 43-move win in the third game sealed the deal for Liem Le as Praggnanandhaa's stupendous run was halted.
World No.1 Magnus Carlsen, meanwhile, went down 2-4 in a tie-break to Jan-Krzystof Duda of Poland after the four-game match ended 2-2.
The Norwegian is in sole lead after the fifth round with 13 match points, one ahead of Praggnanandhaa.
The 17-year old Indian prodigy has been in superb form in the tournament, scoring wins over world No.4 Alireza Firouzja, Anish Giri, Levon Aronian and Hans Niemann before the Chinese GM halted the streak.
Praggnanandhaa's coach Ramesh said after the player's first defeat, "Tough loss for @rpragchess against Liem losing with a score of 0.5 - 2.5. Over extended in second game and paid the price. Well done Liem!"
In other matches in the round, Firouzja beat the winless Niemann 2.5-0.5 to close in on Carlsen and Praggnanandhaa with 11 match points.
Dutchman Giri beat Levon Aronian 2.5-0.5 to move into 5th place with 7 points.
The eight-player all-play-all tournament is the American finale of Champions Chess Tour. There is USD $7,500 at stake for each match win at the event.
Each match will be played over four rapid games, with blitz tiebreaks in case of a 2-2 draw.
Vijender Singh knocks out Eliasu Sulley to return to winning ways
RAIPUR: Star Indian boxer Vijender Singh returned to winning ways in style as he notched a knockout win over Ghana's Eliasu Sulley on Wednesday.
Vijender, who delivered India's first Olympic and men's world championship medals in boxing, showed his class as he dominated Sulley.
Vijender landed the winning blow in the second round of what was to be a six-round contest to leave the reigning national West Africa Boxing Union Champion dazed.
The 36-year-old Beijing Olympics bronze medallist needed only five minutes and seven seconds to dispatch the Ghanian, who till now had a 100 per cent knockout record.
It is Vijender's 13th pro-boxing win. His only loss on the professional circuit had come last year in March when he went down to Russia's Artysh Lopsan.
"It's good to be back. We start our season with a victory. It wasn't easy to fight against (Sulley). Will return to the gym in a week and will fight again in December or January," Vijender said after the win.
Walking out to the "So high" song by the late Sidhu Moose Wala, Vijender oozed confidence from the beginning. He used his long reach and straight jabs to good effect, putting his opponent under pressure, to the delight of the partisan crowd.
He relied on a combination of punches to get the job done and was technically far more superior to Sulley.
In the second round, he gave his opponent a chance to attack as he switched to counter attacking.
However, Sulley had no answer to Vijender's onslaught as he fell to the canvas and got the his first count of the night.
The Bhiwani boxer then landed a series of straight jabs, hooks and upper cuts which took the wind out of Sulley as he clinched the rope. Another hook from behind spelt the end of the contest.
In the other fights of the evening, Asad Asif Khan out-punched Amey Nitin in the feather weight category.
Then Ashish Sharma suffered at the hands of Karthik Satish Kumar in the light weight category.
Gurpreet Singh also notched an unanimous decision win over Saikhom Rebaldo while Faizan Anwar registered a knockout victory over Sachin Nautiyal in the welterweight competition.
National Para Athletics Championships: Sumit Antil, Yogesh Kathuniya create new world record
BENGALURU: Tokyo Paralympics champion Javelin thrower Sumit Antil and silver medallist discus thrower Yogesh Kathuniya created new world records at the ongoing fourth Indian Open National Para Athletics Championships at the Sri Kanteerava stadium here on Friday.
Sumit, picked up from here left off in Tokyo, and created a new world record after hurling the spear to a record distance of 68.62m in his event.
The 24-year-old para athlete's previous world record throw of 68.55m in the F64 category came at the Tokyo Games last year. He also broke the world record thrice during his six attempts.
Yogesh, on the other hand, also created a new world record in the discus throw event with a throw of 48.34m.