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Semifinal first for US DULUTH,(Georgia), Apr 28: Andy Roddick became the first US teenager to reach an ATP semifinal since Michael Chang in 1992 when he beat Brazil’s Fernando Meligeni 6-4 6-4 at the 400,000 Atlanta Challenge last night........more Bhutia suspects ‘foul play’ DUBAI, Apr 28: Indian Football captain Baichung Bhutia today suspected ‘foul play’ in being sent out after being shown two yellow ......more Hair
and Nicholls LONDON, Apr 28: Darrell Hair of Australia and West Indian Ed Nicholls will be the ICC panel umpires for the forthcoming two-test series between .....more India, Pakistan to play hockey series in February DUBAI, Apr 28: India and Pakistan have tentatively agreed to play a hockey series here in February next, a newspaper said today........more |
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Harbans elected president of J&K
Kho-Kho Association Excelsior Sports Correspondent Jammu, Apr 28: The Minister for Sports and Youth Services, S. Harbans Singh today called for the promotion........more Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 28: Three-day Rural Sports cum cultural mela organised by the J&K Rural Sports....more Jammu boy
selected Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 28: Ninth standard Sunil Dev Singh, a budding boxer, has been selected for.....more Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 28: Jammu and Kashmir’s first Indoor Volleyball complex......more |
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Semifinal first for US teenager Roddick DULUTH,(Georgia), Apr 28: Andy Roddick became the first US teenager to reach an ATP semifinal since Michael Chang in 1992 when he beat Brazil’s Fernando Meligeni 6-4 6-4 at the 400,000 Atlanta Challenge last night. The 18-year-old, playing his first ATP event on clay, will face Austrian Stefan Koubek, the 1999 champion, in today’s semifinals. Sixth-seeded Frenchman Jerome Golmard will play Xavier Malisse of Belgium in the other. Roddick won 40 of 48 service points and never allowed Meligeni a break-point opportunity. The young American’s fastest serve was a 134mph ace. "I had to mix up the speeds a little more because he’s standing back, so the hard bomb won’t throw him as much," Roddick said. Meligeni, a French Open semifinalist in 1999, said his opponent gave him no opportunity to break as Roddick made 67 percent of his first serves. "He served like I’ve never seen before on a clay court," Meligeni said. "He didn’t give me a chance to return his serve, so it’s easy for him." The in-form Malisse reached his third semifinal in four ATP events by defeating defending champion and fifth seed Andrew Ilie of Australia 7-5 6-1. Malisse’s win was also his 13th in an ATP match this year, one better than his career-best from 1999. The Belgian was broken in the first game but finished strongly, losing only seven points in his last six service games as he outplayed the more aggressive ilie. "He’s playing great shots that nobody can hit and he makes errors that he shouldn’t," Malisse said of his opponent. "I was prepared for it. Even his great shots, I brought them back and made him play one more." Malisse is working with Briton David Felgate for the first time this week and he credited Tim Henman’s former coach for his unusually even temper in three victories here. "I’ve got to be honest I’ve never been this way," Malisse said. "That’s the way david has brought me along this week, being focused and doing your best, and if you do that, there’s nobody that can blame you for anything." Malisse fell out of the top 100 last year and won only seven ATP matches. He blamed a poor work ethic but now insists he has matured, and recent results bear that out. Golmard, the only seed remaining, beat Christophe Rochus of Belgium 6-1 6-0 to reach his first semifinal of the year. It was the second time Golmard had given up just one game in a match — he also beat Paul Goldstein 6-0 6-1 in the first round. Golmard said four hours of daily physiotherapy had relieved the back pain that has plagued him for the past year. (REUTERS) |
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Bhutia suspects ‘foul play’ in referee’s decision DUBAI, Apr 28: Indian Football captain Baichung Bhutia today suspected ‘foul play’ in being sent out after being shown two yellow cards during the World Cup qualifying match against UAE on Thursday night even as his team geared up to play without him in the next match against Yemen. "When the referee was showing the yellow card, I was just on the scene. In the second incident, both of US (he and rival player) were responsible. It was fifty-fifty mistake from both sides," Bhutia said. "Everybody knows what happened in that match. I suspect some foul play behind the referee’s decision," he said. He however ruled out appealing against the decision of referee Abdul Hamid Halim of Malaysia at any international forum. Veteran striker I M Vijayan echoed his captain’s view saying Bhutia’s mistake did not deserve a red card. Bhutia was booked in the first half for pushing Fahed Ali. His second infringement against the same UAE defender earned him the second yellow card. India lost their sting after Bhutia’s departure and conceded the decisive goal within three minutes of his going out. India went down 0-1 to UAE. However, Bhutia and coach Sukhwinder Singh expressed confidence that their team would defeat Yemen in the next match. "Bhutia is our ace card and his loss will reflect in the performance of the team. But soccer is a team game and our team is fully capable of overcoming the setback with its expertise," Sukhwinder said. "The entire team is aware of the importance of the match against Yemen and we will clinch victory," he said. Bhutia himself was also quite optimistic about India’s chances in the May 4 game. "We are very hopeful of winning the next match against Yemen," he said. Yemen defeated Brunei 1-0 yesterday and now lead the Asian Zone group 8 with seven points from three matches. UAE are placed second with six points from three outings followed by India who have four points. The top team from each of the 10 Asian groups advances to the second qualiying round. (PTI) |
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Hair and Nicholls chosen for England-Pak tests LONDON, Apr 28: Darrell Hair of Australia and West Indian Ed Nicholls will be the ICC panel umpires for the forthcoming two-test series between England and Pakistan, the ICC announced yesterday. Hair will be partnered by England’s Peter Willey for the first test at Lord’s starting on May 17, while Nicholls will stand with home umpire David Shepherd in the second match at Old Trafford between May 31 and June 4. Brian Hastings of New Zealand will be the ICC referee for both the tests against Pakistan and the Natwest one-day series that follows.(REUTERS) |
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India, Pakistan to play hockey series in February DUBAI, Apr 28: India and Pakistan have tentatively agreed to play a hockey series here in February next, a newspaper said today. "We should be able to get the ground and all the facilities ready by that time," UAE Hockey Committee coordinator Reza Abdi was quoted as saying in Gulf News. The newspaper said Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) secretary K Jyotikumaran has expressed India’s willingness to play here during February. Mr Jyotikumaran, who was in Brussels for a meeting of the Federation of International Hockey (FIH), had held talks with Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary, Adbi. "We are very happy to hear the news and we will now have enough time to make arrangements for the match," Mr Abdi said. The India-Pakistan series was to be held in Dubai in April-May this year but was put off as the organisers could not get the ground ready for the matches. The Cricketers’ Benefit Fund series, which organises cricket tournaments in Sharjah, is providing necessary support to the UAE Hockey Committee to stage the Indo-Pak series. Both India and Pakistan have a hectic schedule next year but are relatively free during the month of February. (UNI) |
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Harbans elected president of J&K Kho-Kho Association Excelsior Sports Correspondent Jammu, Apr 28: The Minister for Sports and Youth Services, S. Harbans Singh today called for the promotion of indigenous games like Kho-Kho, Kabaddi and Hockey in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking at the annual general meeting of J&K State Kho-Kho Association, the Minister expressed his satisfaction that Kho-Kho has been reintroduced and has figured as one of the privileged games in the recent government notification. These games have inherit advantage over other popular sports and are also enthusiastically played at national as well as at the international fora. Kho-Kho and Kabaddi has been incorporated as permanent sport in Asian games, informed the Minister. Highlighting the advantages of sports like Kho-Kho and Kabaddi, he said that these are the actively played in the rural areas. Kho-Kho and Kabaddi are both interesting and entertaining games as these involve active participation of all besides promoting team spirit and physical fitness also, added the Minister. Mr Singh said that sports are primarily aimed at mental growth, coordination and cooperation and quick decision making exercise. As such every endeavour has to be made to promote and popularize these sports more especially in the rural and far-flung areas. The Association also held their annual elections and unanimously elected Singh as their president while Trilok Singh was elected as senior vice- president. The president asked the members of the association to work zealously for the promotion and popularity of these indigenous sports. Other present on the occasion include General Secretary, J&K Amateur Kabaddi Association, Mr. Kuldeep Gupta, general secretary Kho-Kho Associatiion, S. Gurmeet Singh, oprganizing secretary, Anil Gupta, Editor Kabaddi Times, Rajeev Jandial, Advocate,Gourav Mahajan, Mr. Gitesh Sharma and Ramkrishan Bhat. |
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Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 28: Three-day Rural Sports cum cultural mela organised by the J&K Rural Sports Club in collaboration with the Department of Youth Services and sports concluded at R S Pura this evening. During the three day long meet, a number of sports and cultural events were organised by involving both students and villagers for creating awareness amongst the youth of border and rural areas. Director, Youth Services and Sports, Syed Asgar Ali was the chief guest, who gave away prizes to the winners in various events. In his address, the Director stressed upon the rural masses to come forward and take part in such programme which were exclusively meant for them. There is tremendous potential in the rural areas in sports and that can only be spotted with the involvement of clubs like J&K Rural Sports Club. Narinder Singh, president of the Club in his address mentioned that during the three-day meet around 1100 participants took part in as many as 14 different events. Besides the trophies, cash prizes were also given to the winners by the chief guest. Others present in the valedictory function included MLA, RS Pura, R C Bhagat, Principal, Forest Training Institute, Brij Sharma, Divisional Youth Services and Sports Officer, Veena Bakshi, District Youth Services and Sports Officer, Jammu, BS Samyal and Pritam Singh. |
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Jammu boy selected for India Boxing camp Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 28: Ninth standard Sunil Dev Singh, a budding boxer, has been selected for the prestigious India camp for the second consecutive year. This upcoming and young boxer from Jammu and Kashmir has not only got berth in the 40-member camp, but has also won two silver medals for the State in the Sub-junior Nationals during the last two years. In this over a month long camp at high altitude station Shilaroo in Himachal Pradesh, these budding boxers will be tought the basics of the game which they otherwise unable to learn at coaching centres in their respective states. Sunil is a product of Sports Council boxing coach Anil Wadera and used to practice under him at M A Stadium. When contacted his coach, he was confident of Sunil’s selection in the Indian Sub-junior team. He said that last year Sunil’s name was figured in the selection list, but could not get into the final list because of his age. |
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‘Swimming Pool
to be made functional from May Ist’ Excelsior Sports Correspondent JAMMU, Apr 28: Jammu and Kashmir’s first Indoor Volleyball complex, established by the Department of Youth Services and Sports at Udhampur, will be declared open on May 5. This was disclosed by the Minister for Sports, Harbans Singh, while speaking in a function organised by the J&K Volleyball Association to welcome the newly nominated members and office bearers of the Jammu and Kashmir State Sports Council, here this evening. He said that the newly constructed complex will not only cater to the need of spikers from district Udhampur, but will also prove helpful to other districts of the State. Minister, who believes in the joint efforts and cooperation among all the agencies and individuals associated with sports, said,"I believe in cooperation and joint efforts for which two separate sports advisory committees will be set up for the State Sports Council and Department of Youth Services and Sports". He also informed the sitting members and office bearers of a few sports associations and coaches that the Council constitution which was framed way back in 1959, has also been amended. A lots of changes have been made in the constitution which will go a long way in the upgradation of sports for the overall growth of the it has been liked by one and all. In response to a demand putforth by the president Volleyball Association, Raj Daluja, the Minister assured that he will see that the game of Volleyball will also get its share in the proposed international standard indoor stadium in Jammu. However, he suggested that the office bearers of other associations should learn from the J&K Volleyball Association, the way they highlighted their demands making efforts for the promotion of the game. In his address, Secretary, State Sports Council, Sheikh Fazal Ahmed felt need for another swimming pool in Kashmir, besides other infrastructure at the root level. He informed that the Swimming Pool at Jammu will be made functional from May Ist. Director, Youth Services and Sports, Syed Asgar Ali and joint secretary, State Sports Council, B K Magotra were also present. Earlier, in his welcome address, president of the J&K Volleyball Association awarded the Minister of their achievements in the national championships, but at the same time expressed inability to complete in the flood lights fitted venues. He offered to open a sports academy in Jammu provided the Government provide the land for that. |
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