Sweden leads 2-0 as Gaudenzi succumbs
to hurt shoulder

MILAN, (ITALY), Dec 5: After five grueling hours, Andrea Gaudenzi succumbed to the pain.

His shoulder aching, his knee bloody, his white outfit caked with clay, Italy’s top player grunted, grimaced and gutted it out deep into the fifth set yesterday against Sweden’s Magnus Norman in the opening match of the Davis Cup final.

But no longer able to get any strength from his injured right shoulder, Gaudenzi retired from the match while serving at 6-6 in the deciding set.

An initial diagnosis found a strained tendon, and Gaudenzi was ruled out of the rest of the competition a serious blow to Italy’s hopes for its first title in 22 years.

He had been slated to play doubles today and another singles match Sunday.

"Right now I can not even lift a glass of water," said Gaudenzi, who fought back from a 4-0 deficit in the last set. "I just could not hit the ball with proper power."

Defending champion Sweden took a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of-5 series later yesterday when Magnus Gustafsson overpowered Italy’s Davide Sanguinetti 6-1, 6-4, 6-0 in a mere 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Sweden can clinch its seventh Davis Cup title today by taking the doubles.

The partisan sellout crowd of 12,000 at the Assago Forum jeered and whistled derisively at Sanguinetti a far cry from the standing Ovation awarded Togaudenzi when he conceded by tossing his racket across the clay court.

That was a sudden end to a long, error-filled match that saw the players alternate taking the first four sets.

Gaudenzi took the first set 7-6 (11-9), Norman the second 7-6 (7-0), the Italian the third 6-4, and the Swede the fourth 6-3. Norman at no. 52, the lowest ranked singles player among the four starters here held a match point while serving at 5-4 in the fifth, but Gaudenzi eliminated it with a forehand winner down the line and later broke serve.

Norman, clearly tiring at the end, totaled 82 unforced errors to 60 for Gaudenzi, who’s 44th in the ATP rankings.

Italy’s Davide Sanguinetti faced Magnus Gustafsson of Sweden, the defending champion, later yesterday in the best-of-5 series’ second match.

It is the first Davis Cup final in the event’s 99 years that does not have any singles players from the top 30.

Gaudenzi had not played a match since helping italy upset the United States in September’s Davis Cup semifinals, and had surgery on the shoulder in October.

"I was bothered by light pain during practice this week," he said, "but I decided to play because it was a Davis Cup final in Italy."

As expected, the crowd was raucous.

Gaudenzi, a former world junior no. 1 who excels in the charged atmosphere of the Davis Cup, started showing signs of trouble in the third game of the third set. He clutched his right arm after sending a backhand into the net, and headed to the locker room during the ensuing changeover.

"I felt pain in the middle of the second set and it really became bad in the middle of the third," Gaudenzi said. "I could not hit the ball the right way."

A trainer massaged the shoulder before the closing set, and again during the final changeover. Gaudenzi hit two weak serves that Norman ripped for winners in the 13th game, and then called it quits after four hours, 56 minutes.

"I was for sure more prepared than he was physically," said Norman, who underwent heart surgery a year ago. "I mean, I feel very sad for Andrea, but I think I deserve to win because I was fighting." (AP)

North zone records emphatic 227-run win over South

MUMBAI, Dec 5: Medium pacers Harvinder Singh (2 for 57), Ashish Mehra (2 for 45) and Virendra Sehwag (2 for 27) bowled North zone to an emphatic 227-run victory over South zone 25 minutes before lunch on the final day of their five-day Duleep Trophy quarter-final cricket match at the Wankhede stadium here today.

South, reduced to 124 for four yesterday by medium pacer Amit Bhandari’s three-wicket haul, failed to put up any resistance today and lost their last six wickets for 34 runs in 18.2 overs.

Only overnight batsmen Vijay Bhardwaj (4, 34b, 9x4) and Somashekar Siraguppi (51, 86 b, 7x4) put up a fight with an 85-run fifth wicket stand as the North bowlers ran through the South’s innings like a hot knife through butter.

The semifinals will be played from December 9 to 13, with North zone taking on Central zone at Valsad and West zone, joint winners along with Central zone last year, meeting East zone at Rajkot.

The finals would be held at Aurangabad (Maharashtra) from December 17 to 21. (PTI)

Thai expects Billiards gold at Asian Games

BANGKOK, Dec 5: Besides being the oldest competitor in the Asian Games, 65-year-old Mongol Kanfahklang figures he has a good chance of becoming the oldest gold medalist as well.

His sport is Billiards, never before included in the Asian Games, and he is playing at home in Thailand.

The five-time Thai national champion is ranked second behind India’s Geet Sethi, whom he expects to meet in the gold medal match. His chances also are considered good in the doubles event.

Mongol started playing Billiards at age 9, but "in my prime years, I was afraid to travel abroad for competition because I had a fear of heights and a fear of flying," he said. "The symptoms were only cured when I became older."

He became a national team player in 1989, competing in the Southeast Asian Games in the Philipines.

"A gold at the Asian Games is my ultimate goal," he said. (AP)

Grenadiers draw with GS Club in Hockey Tourney

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 4: Grenadiers equalled with Gurcharan Singh Memorial Club, Bhore Camp 2-2 in a well contested match in the 13th M S Memorial Hockey Tournament being played at Green Field Grounds here today.

GS Club scored both the goal in the first half taking 2-0 lead but soon after the beginning of the second half Grenadiers build up pressure and equalled the tally.

First goal from GS Bhore was scored by left-in Inderjeet in the 15th minutes, while second goal came in the 25th minutes through Chanchal.

Vijay Singh of Grenadiers score first goal for his team in the 38th minutes, while Ashok Singh equalled the tally 2-2 hitting a goal in the 59th minutes of the match.

In an another match Richiland Club also equaled with Singh Club Bandhu Rakh 1-1. Both the goal came in the second half of the match.

Left-in Omkar Singh of Richiland Club made first goal in the 36th minutes, while right-off Gagandeep of Bandhu Rakh equaled the goal in the 40th minutes.

Tomorrow’s fixture: Khalsa Club, Gol Gujral will take on Grenadiers, while Zorawar Club, Satwari will play with Singh Club, Bandhu Rakh.

He had champagne before continuing the match

LONDON, Dec 5: Revived by a sip of a spectator’s champagne, Yannick Noah survived a match point on the way to a 6-7 (8-6), 7-6 (8-6), 10-8 victory over Pat Cash in the ATP Seniors Tournament at Olympia yesterday.

A set down and at 3-3 in the second, Noah raced towards a ball he failed to reach and jumped in among the spectators. He picked up a glass of champagne belonging to a blonde woman and had a drink before continuing the match.

"That really did me good" he said later.

A backhand from cash clipped the net and gave the Australian match point at 6-5 but Noah saved it with a service winner.

He won the set and the match went into a tiebreak third set of a minimum 10 points.

At 8-8, cash served, came to the net and wrong-footed Noah with a backhand volley. It looked a certain winner, but Noah recovered, slid across the court and from the baseline hit a forehand down the line past the startled Australian.

That gave Noah match point, and he clinched the match on his own serve.

The result gave Noah his second victory after Thursday’s triumph over fellow Frenchman Guy Forget and he will clinch a place in tomorrow’s final if he beats Britain’s John Lloyd today.

Forget scored a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Lloyd and has an outside chance of gaining the final if he beats cash today and Noah loses to Lloyd. (AP)

13th Asian Games open today
High hopes of Indian contingent

BANGKOK, Dec 5: The confidence and hopes of the Indian contingent are high, but it will be a test whether this could be translated into medals as the 13th Asian Games open here tomorrow.

The 320-member contingent, the second largest since the 1986 games, will take part in 23 of 36 disciplines and has set the target of getting the country its biggest ever medal haul.

India should be among the front runners for the gold in billiards and snooker which are being introduced as a medal sport for the first time.

World champions Geet Sethi and Ashok Shandilya will spearhead the Indian challenge in billiards and snooker and chief coach Arvind Savour is very optimistic. "We should strike a gold in the team and individual events," he said. There are in all 30 medals at stake in the debutant discipline.

India is being represented by two women players in Squash-National Champion Mekhla Subedar and Sohini Kumari. The competition is very tough and their chances of being among the medals are rather remote.

For the first time a three- member Indian women’s golf team comprising Nonita Lal Qureshi, Parnita Grewal and Urvashi Sodhi is taking part in the games and given their current form, they should be among the medal-winners.

The Indian women had finished third in Queen Sirikit Cup held here early this year.

National champion Harmeet Kahlon will lead the four- member challenge in the men’s golf. Interestingly, the team includes Amit Luthra, who was a member of the gold medal winning team when golf made its debut in the Asian Games in 1982 in New Delhi.

Other two members of the team are Digvijay Singh and Amit Dube while the team’s non-playing captain is Laxman Singh who was also part of the 1982 squad.

"We have a good chance to win a medal," said Laxman Singh after his players went through a rigorous training session.

Though women’s football was introduced in the last Asian Games, India is taking part in this event for the first time hoping that the team will make it to the last four grade.

The country’s gold medal prospects have suffered a slight setback in tennis with its ace player and Asia’s top ranked at 91, Leander Paes pulling out due to a heel injury. Paes is still nursing his ankle injury suffered during the world doubles championship last month.

However, Mahesh Bhupathi’s current form as reflected in the just concluded Asian championship at Delhi where he led India to victory, puts the team very much in the reckoning for medals.

In athletics, which will see a 28-member Indian squad taking part, all eyes are on P T Usha. The 35- year- old runner, taking part in her record fifth Asian Games, is carrying a hamstring injury and it might effect the team’s chances in the women’s relay where India could pin hopes for at least a silver.

Indians will be depending on their throwers for medals in athletics. The throwers have usually done well for the country in the Asian Games so far.

Nirupama Vaidyanathan is the Indian hope in the women’s tennis section with Manisha Malhotra, Sai Jayalakshmy and Uzma Khan giving her company.

Another medal-winning prospect is the Kabbadi team. India won gold in Beijing and Hiroshima in this event.

The team was embroiled in controversy as two factions held their own camps. A last-minute patch-up by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) led to a ten-member team’s participation.

Indian volleyball team is taking part in the games after a lapse of 12 years with a hope to reach the semifinals.

"Volleyball is a medal winning prospect and that is why we have cleared it," said IOA Chief Suresh Kalmadi.

But the most watched event as far as India is considered will be hockey. The country has won it only once that too here in 1966.

Coach M K Kaushik is confident that his team will "repeat 1966" adding,"I think law of averages should work in our favour this time. We have a balanced side which, I think, is a serious title contender."

The women’s hockey team which finished last in the World Cup earlier this year also hopes to be among the medals. "We are a good side as far as Asia is concerned," commented team manager Rupa Saini.

In badminton, it would be a tall order for Indian shuttlers- Gopi Chand and Aparna Popat - as they will be pitted against the South Asian tigers.

India won two bronze medals in the Asian Games team events in 1974 and 1986.

Though it will be difficult for Gopi Chand and former world junior runners- up Aparna Popat to bag medals, both of them are capable of staging upsets.

Commonwealth gold medal winners Jaspal Rana, Mansher Singh and Roopa Unnikrishnan are the Indian medal hopes in shooting. The 16-member shooting squad has promising youngsters like Manavjit Singh, Zorawar Singh and Gaurav Sondhi.

"The shooters have trained well and if they perform according to their current form, we will have a rich haul of medals" chief coach Sunny Thomas said.

"We have a good mix of shooters in men and women section and we are looking for some good performance from all the shooters" Thomas said.

Another strong squad is that of women’s weightlifters. Kunjurani Devi, Sanamacha Chanu and Karnam Malleswari are almost sure medal winners. Also among the medal winning prospects are Prathima Kumari and Ujwala Mane.

Only two men weightlifters will be representing the country in the games — Satish Rai and A K Pandian — both of whom won medals at the last Commonwealth Games.

In table tennis, olympian Chetan Babbor is the lone Indian entry and nothing extraordinary is expected from him as the field is very strong.

After a gap of eight years, India is taking part in the swimming competition and a seven- member team including five women will be seen in action. Not much is expected from these swimmers as only Sebastian Xavier who clocked 22.89 in the 50 m freestyle qualified as per the IOA criteria but that is nowhere near the medal winning timings in the games.

Besides Xavier, the team has Sanddeep Kakkar, and 4 x200m women’s freestyle team of Nisha Millet, Shikha Tandon, Abhinya Shetty, Richa Mishra and Meghana Narayan.

In wrestling, India’s chances do not look very bright as there would be a very strong mat in the discipline.

The wrestlers have been coached by Erkha Bayar of Mongolia but it will be difficult for them to grapple with the strong challenge from their Iranian and Mongolian rivals besides some erstwhile Soviet Union countries.

The new look Indian archery team will find it hard to garner medals. Veterans like Limba Ram and Lalrem Sanga are not in the squad and the challenge is sprearheaded by Satyadev Prasad, Skaljang Dorji and Mangal Singh.

The country is also taking part in judo, rowing and canoeing and equestrian and one can expect a couple of medals from these events if luck favours the participants.

When hockey star Dhanraj Pillay marches past with the national tricolour leading the Indian contingent at the Rajamangala stadium tomorrow, he will also carry the hopes and prayers of millions of countrymen. (UNI)

Why don’t stars come out for Davis Cup

MILAN, (ITALY) Dec 5: Anders Jarryd says he can’t understand why some top players refuse to play in the Davis Cup.

"You want to grab as many titles as you can because you never know what’s going to happen, when there will be another chance," said the retired doubles specialist, an assistant coach for Sweden’s Davis Cup team at this weekend’s final.

"It’s sad the US team doesn’t have its best players all the time. It’s a shame," Jarryd said.

Fielding a second-string squad, the United States lost to Italy, Sweden’s Davis Cup final opponent, in September’s semifinals.

No. 1 Pete Sampras led the United States to the 1995 title with a memorable performance against Russia in the final, but skipped the team event in 1996 and 1998.

Andre Agassi, sixth in the ATP rankings, didn’t show for the semifinal against Italy citing a prior commitment and then blasted the head of the US Tennis Association.

Jarryd does see something positive in the lack of stars there’s no one in the top 30 at the final.

"It means in a way that tennis is a global sport. Individual rankings don’t mean as much when it’s a team sport, so that’s good," he said.

"Of course, in another way, when you don’t have the top players," he added, "it’s difficult for the general public to understand why."

Jarryd, ninth on the all-time ATP list with 58 career doubles titles, said the lack of Marquee names doesn’t cheapen the year-long competition.

"I think if you look at the long run, it doesn’t mean anything," he said. "The Davis Cup is much bigger than one or two players." Milan on map: It’s been nearly three years since serious tennis graced Italy’s financial capital.

The Assago Forum, on the outskirts of Milan, used to host the ATP’s Italian indoors, but that event was dropped from the schedule because of poor attendance.

At the last edition in early 1996, big-serving Croatian Goran Ivanisevic swept both the singles and doubles titles.

His doubles partner? Andrea Gaudenzi, Italy’s leading Davis Cup player. Parting shots: Italy and Sweden have met 18 times in the Davis Cup, with the Italians holding an 11-7 edge, including 7-2 at home. This is the countries’ first meeting in a final. ... Since the world group format was established in 1981, only three countries have stayed in the top flight the entire time. Italy and Sweden are two, Czech Republic is the other. ... The United States has captured the most Davis Cup titles with 31, the last in 1995. Australia is next with 26. Sweden ranks fifth all-time with its six titles, Italy has one. (AP)

Mike Tyson’s return

NEW YORK, Dec 5: Mike Tyson is going hollywood. A news conference to announce Tyson’s return to boxing will be held Tuesday in Hollywood, California.

Tyson is scheduled to fight Francois Botha of South Africa January 16 in the MGM Grand at Las Vegas.

In a release announcing the news conference at the Hollywood Athletic Club, showtime simply stated that Tyson and Botha would be present. One of the contacts listed on the announcement was the MGM Grand.

Tyson has gotten back his boxing license from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, which revoked it after he was disqualified for biting Evander Holyfield’s ears June 28, 1997, but the former heavyweight champion still has out-of-the-ring problems.

George Walker, the chief probation office for Marion County (Indiana) superior court, has said it appeared Tyson violated terms of his probation on a rape conviction as a result of his no-contest plea to misdemeanor assault charges in Maryland on Tuesday.

It is possible Tyson could be returned to prison.

Tyson, who served three years on the rape conviction before being released in 1995, is scheduled to remain on probation until March.

Tyson was charged with punching one man and kicking another after a traffic accident in Montgomery County, Maryland. He has reached a settlement with the two men to avoid a civil suit.

Although a no-contest plea is not an admission of guilt, Tyson still faces sentencing. A decision is expected in late January or early February. (AP)

Vijay Merchant Trophy
Pranav’s bowling helps J&K to register
victory over Himachal

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 5: Careers best 14 wickets haul by left arm medium pacer Pranav Gupta, who brought Jammu and Kashmir a fine innings and 70 runs victory over Himachal Pradesh in the Vijay Merchant Trophy under-16 match played at M A Stadium here today.

Pranav, who earlier stalled Himachal at 138 runs taking seven wickets in the first innings was the main architect in shaping J&K's superb win clinching an equal number of wickets in the second innings.

With this Pranav has become first bowler in J&K who claimed 28 wickets in the under-16 North Zone Vijay Merchant Trophy.

Earlier, no batsmen, except wicket-keeper Prashant Kumar could stand before the quick bowling of Pranav and Inderjeet Singh, who took wickets in the second innings.

Pranav ended Himachal’s Second innings after he bowled out Prashant and Vinod Kumar in the very first over after the lunch.

Earlier, Himachal Pradesh resumed its innings with overnight score of 34 for the loss of three wickets surrendered before the J&K’s bowling and started losing early wickets after regular intervals.

Naveen Honda and Pankaj Thakur were the highest scorer from Himachal Pradesh with 23 and 15 runs respectively.

SCOREBOARD:

Himachal Pradesh Ist innings 138

Jammu and Kashmir Ist innings 336 declared

Himachal Pradesh 2nd innings

Rohan Sharma b Pranav Gupta 11

Puneet Duttawalia c Asif Jeelani b M Irshad 3

Shashi Kumar c Asif Jeelani b Pranav 8

Umesh Kumar b Pranav 0

Naveen Honda c Mir Muzamill b Pranav 23

Pankaj Thakur c&b Pranav Gupta 15

Amit Kumar c Mir Muzamill b Inderjeet 6

Prashant Kumar b Pranav 42

Chander Mohan c Basu Jasrotia b Inderjeet 3

Varun Bandla not out 10

Vinod Kumar b Pranav 0

Extra: 7

Total 128 all out

Fall of wickets: 1-14, 2-18, 3-18, 4-37, 5-63, 6-66, 7-75, 8-83, 9-128.

Bowlings: Pranav Gupta: 18.3-5-42-7, Mohd Irshad: 9-3-17-1, Sumeet Silwal: 15-2-28-0, Inderjeet Singh: 13-3-34-2.

M S Jamwal Hockey Tourney
Guru Nanak, Zorawar Clubs top in pool ‘B’

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 5: Gurunanak Club, Nanak Nagar has topped, while Zorawar Club managed second place in the pool ‘B’ with nine and three points respectively, in the 13th M S Jamwal Memorial Hockey Tournament being played at Green Fields grounds, here today.

With this pool ‘B’ teams have completed their league matches and entered the semi-final stage.

There will be no match tomorrow, said Mr Avtar Singh, general secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Hockey Association, adding that from Monday pool 'A' matches will be started. Earlier, in today’s match Khalsa Club, Gol Gujral defeated Grenadiers 4-0. In the first half Khalsa Club took lead by two goals which came through left out Jagjeet Singh and right in Surinder Paul in the first and 20th minutes of the match.

Other two goals were made by left-in Amarjeet Singh and Surinder Paul in the 36th and 58th minutes. Grenadiers played equally well game but could not convert the plenty chances into the goals.

In another match, Zorawar Club outplayed Singh Club Bandhu Rakh 2-1. No, doubt Singh Club took first half lead by 1-0 but the in the second half Zorawar Club dominated the field and hit two goals to make it 2-1.

Karanjeet Singh hit the goal for Singh Club in the 10th minutes of the match, while center-forward Rajinder Singh scored two goal in the 40th and 58th minutes to make it a 2-1 win for Zorawar Club.

Messrs. Vijay Vaid, Harjinder Singh and Harmanan were goal-keepers during today’s matches.

Gautam Lakra defeated in Billiards Champ

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Dec 5: Reigning Billiards Champion, Gautam Lakra was defeated today by Kamal Kant Khanna 533-473 in the first semi-final of the State Billiards Championship being played at Billiards hall, M A Stadium, here this evening.

Khanna, who lost to Lakra in the semis in the district championship today managed a good lead right from the beginning of the match. He was leading with 100 points at the end of first session. But soon after the start of second session, Lakra covered the lead and went ahead with 20 points.

Again Khanna took 100 points lead over Lakra, which was never equalised and finally Lakra lost the match by 60 points.

Earlier, Kamal Kant Khanna outplayed Sanjeev Sharma in the quarter-final, while Gautam Lakra registered easy win over Arun Gulathi to enter the quarter-finals stage.

In an other match, Ajay Sachdeva entered the Billiards semi-finals and beating Rajbeer Singh in a close contest to meet Kamal Rohmetra in the second semi-final tomorrow.

Ajay Sachdeva had entered the quarters after he got walkover against Sidharth Sharma in the pre-quarters.

In Snooker first round matches, Sunil Jain outplayed Aditiya Malhotra 3-2, while Jyoti Anand got walkover against Gurvinder Singh.

The score Billiards: Kamal Kant Khanna bt Gautam Lakra 533-473; Ajay Sachdeva bt Sidharth Sharma 286-262; Kamal Kant Khanna bt Sanjeev Sharma 354-249; Gautam Lakra bt Arun Gulati 289-223.

Snooker: Sunil Jain bt Aditiya Malhotra 57-36, 33-61, 40-53, 58-21, 49-40.