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TENNIS US Open WASHINGTON, Aug 18: Andre Agassi made winning look easy, which means the six-time Grand .......more
LONDON, Aug 18: Saqlain Mushtaq put in a remarkable performance to take seven wickets for just 11 ........more Australia, South MELBOURNE, Aug 18: Australia and South Afria tied their one-day cricket international in a sensa....more CLTA and Paes En CALCUTTA, Aug 18: Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) and Paes En Sports have formed ........more |
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Basketball Jr boys, girls trials for Nationals on Aug 22 Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Aug 18: The selection trials for the teams in the boys and girls groups for the 51st Junior National Basketball Championship will be held on August 22 and 23 at Basketball courts of the MA Stadium, here..........more Best
performance Excelsior Sports Correspondent RAJOURI, Aug 18: Mr Sita Ram Choudhary, Physical Education Master(PEM) has been awarded with PEM of the year award for distinguished services in the Department of Youth Services and Sports............more Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Aug 18: The A P Singh Memorial Inter-club Volleyball Knock-out Tournament which was to begin on August 20 at Girls Higher Secondary School, Nowshera, has been postponed. Now the competitions will start on September 2 at the same venue........more Top squash players LONDON, Aug 18: The world’s top squash players head for Egypt this weekend for the dazzling Al Ahram International Championships to be played by the stars, under the stars in a glass court set in front of the floodlit pyramids. Now in its fifth year, this feast.........more |
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TENNIS US Open WASHINGTON, Aug 18: Andre Agassi made winning look easy, which means the six-time Grand Slam champion is working hard enough to satisfy himself at his final tuneup before defending his US Open title. Two-time defending champion and top seed Agassi needed only 75 minutes to dispatch 67th-ranked hometown hero Paul Goldstein 6-3 6-2 here yesterday and advance to the quarter-finals of the 800,000-dollar ATP Washington Classic. Agassi, seeking his sixth title here in 11 years, has now won 12 matches in a row in the US capital without dropping a set. He also showed no sign of the back pain that had slowed him in recent weeks after an auto accident in july. Goldstein netted a baseline overhead Smash and a forehand to surrender the first break and trail 4-3. Agassi broke him again to finish the set, but then had to fight off his first break point to hold in game one of the second set. "He played well," Agassi said. "He made me hit a lot of balls. Every game in the second set was close. One thing you can’t coach is fighting spirit, going on `til you die. The guy makes you beat him. Goldy played a lot more aggressive than I’ve seen." Goldstein hit a forehand long to surrender a break in game two of the second set. Agassi had to save another break point with a forehand winner before holding to lead 5-2. Agassi then broke Goldstein again to end the match. "A couple of times I put myself in position to put a dent in his armour and I really didn’t take advantage at all," Goldstein said. Agassi’s next foe will be 17-year-old American wild card Andy Roddick, who upset Slovakia’s 61st-ranked Karol Kucera 7-6 (7/5) 6-1 only hours after learning the US Tennis Association gave him a special US Open invitation. Roddick, the first American since 1959 to win the Australian Open junior title, lost to Agassi in the second round at Miami in March. The rematch against the six-time Grand Slam champion will be Roddick’s eighth ATP match. "I won’t be as intimidated this time," Roddick said. "I have gotten to know him a little better. It’s not like I’m going in cold Turkey. But he is one of the greatest players ever. It’s going to be tough as hell." Roddick suffered a knee injury that kept him out of the Wimbledon junior event. He lost in the first round last week but has won three matches in a row and is assured of doubling his total ATP experience here. "I have grown up a lot in the last two weeks," Roddick said. "I was out of control at the beginning yesterday. Today I was calm. That is the first time I’ve held it together in a really tough tie-breaker. I stayed aggressive." Second-seeded Spaniard Alex Corretja ousted Thailand’s Paradorn Srichaphan 6-3 6-1 and will play for a quarter-final spot against South Africa’s 110th-ranked Wayne Arthurs, who ousted France’s Jerome Golmard 6-3 6-2. Corretja, the 1998 French Open runner-up, won on clay last month at Gstaad and Kitzbuhel but has yet to recapture the hardcourt form that brought a crown in March at Indian Wells. "It’s good to be 100 percent ready mentally and physically," Corretja said. "I have played well all year. Now I have to change my game and adapt to the hardcourts." Third-seeded German Nicolas Kiefer, a semi-finalist here last year, struggled past 140th-ranked Swiss lucky loser Lorenzo Manta 5-7 6-4 6-4. Kiefer next faces fifth-seeded American Jan-Michael Gambill, who beat Belgian Christophe Rochus 6-0 6-1. Sixth seed Byron Black, Agassi’s toughest possible pre-finals foe, ousted Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic 6-1 6-3. The Zimbabwean will face Germany’s David Prinosil for a berth in the semi-finals. (AFP) |
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LONDON, Aug 18: Saqlain Mushtaq put in a remarkable performance to take seven wickets for just 11 runs as leaders Surrey beat Derbyshire at the oval by an innings and 45 runs in just two days in the County Championship first division yesterday. Having put on 68 for their first wicket the visitors look-ed well poised to overhaul their first innings deficit of 142, but Mushtaq soon took over and removed Derbyshire for just 97. Yorkshire skipper Darren Lehmann hit a quick-fire half century despite suffering from a painful back injury as the Tykes hit back at Leicester. Leicestershire had set a total of 351 in their first innings and looked to be in control when Vince Wells left the visitors reeling on 24 for three, but Lehmann (51no) and Gavin Hamilton (58no) steadied the ship. Lancashire had their bowlers to thank for rescuing them against Kent at Old Trafford. The home side had posted a first innings total of 236 on a good batting pitch and relegation-threatened Kent looked on course for a surprise win. But Peter Martin (2/22) and Mike Smethurst (2/12) hit back for third-placed Lancashire and left Kent struggling on 41 for four at close of play. Rain washed out much of the second day’s play at Taunton after Durham, who resumed on 324 for six, had been removed for 378 thanks to some smart bowling from Adrian Pierson, who removed the lower order to finish on three for 41. In response, Somerset started well with Jamie Cox and Mark Lathwell putting on an unbeaten partnership of 58 before rain intervened. Essex were spared the embarrassment of being forced to follow on against Gloucestershire at Colchester after finishing their first innings on 174 in reply to the visitors’ 324. But Gloucestershire captain Mark Alleyne was left to rue his decision not to enforce the follow on as his side finished the day on just 11 for two. (APF) |
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Australia, South Africa tie one-dayer MELBOURNE, Aug 18: Australia and South Afria tied their one-day cricket international in a sensational finish indoors at Colonial Stadium here tonight. South Africa scored 226 for eight off their 50 overs and Australia, who easily won the opening match of the series on Wednesday, appeared to be cruising to victory in the second match at 124 for two after 30 overs. But the South Africans fought back and had Australia needing 28 runs to win in the last three overs with four wickets to spare. Skipper Steve Waugh, who hit a century in the opening game, charged into his counterpart Shaun Pollock, taking 14 runs off his penultimate over, to have the home team needing 14 runs to win off the last two overs. Andrew Hall snared the wickets of injured Michael Bevan for three and Waugh for 30 off 31 balls to take 2-8 off three overs and turn the game South Africa’s way. Heading into the final over bowled by Pollock, Australia needed 13 runs to win. Shane Warne hit a four and a single off the first two deliveries and new batsman Jason Gillespie deflected four leg byes to have Australia just four runs from victory with three balls left. But Gillespie was run out by Pollock trying to give the strike to Warne. Two balls left and Warne deflected Pollock’s last but one ball behind the stumps for two and needed two runs to win off the last ball. Pollock brought all but one of his fielders inside the circle and Warne straight drove past Pollock but it hit the stumps at the bowlers’ end stopping any chance of more than one run for the match to be tied at 226 for nine. It recalled the sensational tied semi-final at last year’s world cup in england when Australia denied the South Africans and went on to play Pakistan in the final. The third and final match of the one-day series takes place in Melbourne on Sunday. (AFP) |
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CLTA and Paes En Sports form junior team CALCUTTA, Aug 18: Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association (CLTA) and Paes En Sports have formed an elite junior team comprising Sunil Kumar, Vinod Sewa and Amanjot Singh to give the youngsters international exposure. The purpose of the programme is to expose these talented juniors to international competitions and training, Dr Vece Paes, one of the directors of Paes En Sports, said here today. Sunil Kumar, who has a current ITF ranking of 92, is a product of Chandigarh Academy of Rural Tennis (CHART) while Vinod Sewa (ITF ranking 143) is a product of International Club/Paes En Sports ace tennis programme. Amanjot Singh is a product of CLTA coaching scheme and his current ranking is 202. Kumar and Sewa together with coach Gary O’brien are currently participating in the US ITF Junior Circuit which will continue till the first week of September, he said. Sunil Kumar, who represented India in the Commonwealth Youth Games in Edinburg, will join the team in new jersey. After the US Open Junior Championship, he will be attending the Sydney Olympics youth programme in Australia. He said Leander Paes will be practicing with the team during the US Open. (PTI) |
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Basketball Jr boys, girls trials for Nationals on Aug 22 Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Aug 18: The selection trials for the teams in the boys and girls groups for the 51st Junior National Basketball Championship will be held on August 22 and 23 at Basketball courts of the MA Stadium, here. The trails for the selection of 14 boys and an equal number girls will be conducted from 3 pm to 6 pm on the above mentioned dates, said Mr Fallail Singh, general secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Basketball Association. It would be followed by 14-day long coaching camp from August 24 to September 7 sponsored by the State Sports Council under the supervision of the basketball coaches. The championship will be held at Ram Das Basketball Stadium, Sarkaghat in district Mandi of Himachal Pradesh from September 9 to 15. Mr Singh further informed that those born on or after January 1, 1982 are eligible to attend the trails. The interested players are advised to bring their date of birth certificates duly signed by their concerned Principals or Head of the Institutions and submit the same to Mr Shaktish Kumar and Mrs Sushma Jamwal, Basketball coaches on August 21 at 4.30 pm. The state contingent will leave for the Championship on September 8. |
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Best performance award for PEM Excelsior Sports Correspondent RAJOURI, Aug 18: Mr Sita Ram Choudhary, Physical Education Master(PEM) has been awarded with PEM of the year award for distinguished services in the Department of Youth Services and Sports. In recognition to his services, he was commended by the Minister for Health, Mr Mian Altaf Ahmed, Deputy Commissioner, Rajouri, Mr B A Runyal and District Youth Services and Sports Officer, Mr Bhaskar Nath Bhat. The commendation certificate handed over to Mr Choudhary said, "he is highly dedicated and duty bound worker. He is an example worth quoted by others in the field of games and Sports. He joined the DYSS in 1974 and is presently posted at the Government Higher Secondary School, Lamberi in Nowshera has won the hearts of his superiors and the students as well during all these years of his service. |
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Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Aug 18: The A P Singh Memorial Inter-club Volleyball Knock-out Tournament which was to begin on August 20 at Girls Higher Secondary School, Nowshera, has been postponed. Now the competitions will start on September 2 at the same venue. According to Rakesh Chowdhary, member secretary of the tournament, the competitions have been postponed due to the Janamashtami celebrations and Inter-school competitions at the venue. He further informed that, in all, 10 clubs from Rajouri, Kalakote, Sunderbani and Nowshera have confirmed their participation. |
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Top squash players face-off at Pyramids LONDON, Aug 18: The world’s top squash players head for Egypt this weekend for the dazzling Al Ahram International Championships to be played by the stars, under the stars in a glass court set in front of the floodlit pyramids. Now in its fifth year, this feast for the eyes, which set a new standard in squash venues, features both men and women, playing for the biggest purse in the sport. Thirty two players of both sexes will fight the qualifying rounds tomorrow and on Sunday for eight places in the 32 player main draw and there are no certainties. Long gone are the days of the vice-like grip that the Khans had on the men’s game. But in 1998 Jansher was finally toppled in the British Open by Scot Peter Nicol, the first British player to win the title since Jonah Barrington last won it in 1973. Before Nicol had time to settle into the top spot, the Charismatic Jonathon power emerged from Canada to scatter the top ten like skittles, using his deception, racket skills and wit to win first the world championship and, last December, the British Open, the first Canadian to do so. In the women’s game the domination came from the Southern Hemisphere, first with the great Australian heather McKay’s 17 year rule in the 60' and 70’s, then Susan Devoy from New Zealand, and, until a year ago, two more Australians, Michelle Martin and Sarah Fitz-Gerald keeping all other players at bay. To win a title, the pretenders had to beat both of them, which as the records show, was an almost impossible task. But in June 1999, Fitz-Gerald underwent a knee operation that was to put her out of action for six months and then, sensationally, in November, Martin announced her retirement from the game. Suddenly the throne was vacant: Cassie Campion, the 27-year-old British number one, who had beaten Martin to win the world championship, needed only to win the British Open last December to confirm her supremacy. But Leilani Joyce, another New Zealander, took advantage of campion’s nerves, caused by the immense pressure put on her by the expectations of the British squash world. In a superb performance, she beat Campion 3/1 in the final to take the title once more to New Zealand. Since then Campion has beaten Joyce three times; they occupy the top two spots in Cairo, but Fitzgerald is back to put further uncertainty into the mix. And that is a lot of uncertainty. Despite a six month absence Fitzgerald, after a faltering start in the British Open in December, showed that she was still a force winning five tournaments in a row, culminating with a stunning victory in Germany in April when she beat all her opponents, including, Campion and Owens, 3/0. Fitzgerald is seeded 10 for the Al Ahram, and is drawn to meet Joyce in the second round. Cassie Campion is relieved that Fitzgerald is not in her half of the draw. "If you ask any player, they would rather not play Sarah. She’s an unknown quantity. After a long absence you would expect her to be rusty, but she proved in Germany how good she is," Campion said. The unknown quantity in the men’s draw is Simon Parke, the 28-year-old englishman who beat both Power and Nicol to win the US Open last November. Now firmly in the world number four spot, Parke pushed Nicol to the very edge in the super series final in June, one of the best finals seen in years, with both players attacking for over 100 minutes of scintillating squash. Nicol scraped by 15-12 in the fifth after a questionable decision put him ahead when they tied at 11-all. Jonathan Power is always an enigma but his last year has been troubled with injuries and his fitness is always suspect. He says his squash depends on the state of his body. World number three Ahmed Barada from Egypt has been making welcome progress after being stabbed near his home in Cairo earlier this year. He beat Power in an exhibition in Alexandria this month and travelled to Nottingham for a charity tournament two weeks ago, anxious to get some world class opposition. And Barada always plays well in front of the pyramids, as does Martin Heath, the Scot who is seeded fifth. (AFP) |
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