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Djokovic, Nadal launch French Open bids as Swiatek places streak on line

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PARIS: Defending champion Novak Djokovic and 13-time French Open winner Rafael Nadal begin their Roland Garros campaigns on a star-studded Monday, whereas girls’s favorite Iga Swiatek begins her quest for a second title in three makes an attempt.

Unseeded Naomi Osaka faces a troublesome first-round check as she returns to Paris a 12 months on from her dramatic withdrawal after she was fined and threatened with a Grand Slam ban for refusing to honour media commitments.

Djokovic performs Yoshihito Nishioka of Japan within the first of 10 evening periods — launched at Roland Garros final 12 months when a pandemic curfew noticed most late matches performed in entrance of empty stands.

It’s the world primary’s first Grand Slam match since his high-profile deportation from Australia. He gained his first title of the 12 months on the Italian Open earlier this month.

“I really feel I’m at all times in that rivalry to combat for any Grand Slam trophy,” stated Djokovic, who’s seeded to satisfy Nadal within the quarter-finals and Spanish teenage sensation Carlos Alcaraz within the final 4.

Djokovic’s final match at a serious was his loss to Daniil Medvedev in final 12 months’s US Open last, a defeat which denied the Serb a calendar Grand Slam.

Nadal has but to win a title on his beloved clay this season, however performed down issues over the power foot subject that resurfaced in Rome.

“There may be nothing to get well,” stated Nadal who faces Austalia’s Jordan Thompson. “What occurred in Rome is one thing that occurred fairly often in my practices.”

“I used to be struggling after that for a few days, however I really feel higher. That’s why I’m right here.”

Nadal started the 12 months with a 20-match profitable run, capturing a second Australian Open title to assert a report twenty first Grand Slam and transfer forward of Djokovic and Roger Federer.

The 35-year-old’s report on the French Open stands at a staggering 105 wins and simply three losses since his 2005 title-winning debut.

Djokovic has been accountable for two of these defeats. One got here within the bruising semi-final 12 months in the past, the newest conflict of the pair’s epic 58-match rivalry.

All eyes on Swiatek, Osaka

Swiatek, the 2020 French Open champion, takes on Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko in spherical one.

The 20-year-old from Poland has swept apart all-comers and remodeled herself into the participant to beat in girls’s tennis because the shock retirement of world primary Ashleigh Barty.

Swiatek has gained her previous 5 tournaments and is unbeaten in 28 matches courting again to Dubai in February. Her profitable streak is the longest on the WTA tour since Serena Williams gained 34 matches in a row in 2013.

“I’m conscious that this streak is one thing which may be coming to an finish quickly, so I don’t wish to be like heartbroken when it’s going to occur,” stated Swiatek.

Japanese celebrity Osaka admitted she was “fearful” over her return to the French Open, fearing she had “offended” folks when she controversially give up the 2021 match.

Osaka, a former world primary and four-time main winner, then took a break from the game, revealing she had been struggling bouts of despair.

“I’m not going to lie. Like after I first got here right here, I used to be very fearful,” the 24-year-old stated final week.

“I used to be simply type of fearful that there have been folks that I offended a way and I’d simply type of stumble upon them.”

She opens in opposition to American twenty seventh seed Amanda Anisimova, a semi-finalist in 2019.

Anisimova knocked Osaka out of the Australian Open within the third spherical this 12 months.

Reigning girls’s champion Barbora Krejcikova will play France’s Diane Parry in spherical. The Czech world quantity two has been sidelined by arm damage since late February and is but to play on clay this 12 months.

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India’s dream run ends in despair as Australia win sixth World Cup title

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  • The win is the acme of success this 12 months, says Pat Cummins

AHMEDABAD: Australia received the Cricket World Cup for a record-extending sixth time Sunday, ending India’s dominant run in its residence event with a six-wicket victory in a low-scoring last on the again of Travis Head’s 137.

A closely partisan crowd contained in the 132,000-capacity Narendra Modi Stadium was silenced as Head mixed with Marnus Labuschagne (58 not out ) in a 192-run partnership to chase down the goal of 241.

Australia was wobbling on 47-3 after seven overs however Head and Labuschagne dug in to assist their nation regain its standing because the king of one-day worldwide cricket, including to its 50-over world titles in 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2015.

Head was dismissed off what proved to be the next-to-last ball of the match, caught within the deep whereas trying to hit a title-clinching boundary. In got here Glenn Maxwell and he ran two off his first ball, securing a victory that prompted fireworks above the world’s largest cricket venue.

The Indians received all 10 of their matches earlier than the ultimate and had been searching for a 3rd trophy of their fourth look in a title match that introduced a rustic of 1.4 billion folks to a digital standstill. They had been outplayed in each division by Australia, although, restricted to 240 all out on a gradual pitch after dropping the toss with solely Virat Kohli (54) and Lokesh Rahul (66) making half-centuries.

Head grew to become solely the seventh participant to attain a century in a males’s World Cup last – and third Australian after Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist – and delivered a big second in India’s innings when taking a diving catch operating again from cowl to take away captain Rohit Sharma (47).

“What an incredible day, I’m simply thrilled to be part of it,” Head mentioned afterward. “It’s lots higher than sitting on the sofa at residence, I’m very fortunate that every thing went nicely and I used to be capable of get again right here.”

Head had began the event sidelined by a damaged left hand.

“I used to be slightly bit nervous, however Marnus performed distinctive and it was simply an incredible partnership. It’s good to be part of it, good to play a task, and it’s going to be an incredible couple of days now,” Head mentioned. “To have the ability to try this on the large stage, in entrance of a giant crowd, it’s fairly particular and one thing that I’ll be completely satisfied to look again on later in my life. It’s good to be right here and good to contribute.”

Head’s ton noticed him be a part of an illustrious checklist, which additionally contains West Indies’ Clive Lloyd and Viv Richards, in addition to Sri Lanka’s Aravinda de Silva and Mahela Jayawardene.

Ponting’s 140 not out had additionally helped Australia beat India within the 2003 last. Jayawardene’s century is the one one in a dropping trigger with India successful the 2011 last.

Australia completed the 2023 event with a run of 9 straight wins, after beginning with back-to-back defeats to India and South Africa.

India received the World Cup in 1983 and 2011. Its final main success was successful the ICC Champions Trophy in 2013.

Scoreboard

INDIA INNINGS: Rohit Sharma c Head b Maxwell 47 (31b, 4×4, 3×6), Shubman Gill c Zampa b Starc 4 (7b), Virat Kohli b Cummins 54 (63b, 4×4), Shreyas Iyer c Inglis b Cummins 4 (3b, 1×4), Okay.L. Rahul c Inglis b Starc 66 (107b, 1×4), Ravindra Jadeja c Inglis b Hazlewood 9 (22b), Suryakumar Yadav c Inglis b Hazlewood 18 (28b, 1×4), Mohammed Shami c Inglis b Starc 6 (10b, 1×4), Jasprit Bumrah lbw b Zampa 1 (3b), Kuldeep Yadav run out 10 (18b), Mohammed Siraj (not out) 9 (8b, 1×4); Extras (lb-3, w-9): 12.

Complete (in 50 overs): 240.

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-30 (Gill, 4.2 overs), 2-76 (Rohit, 9.4), 3-81 (Shreyas, 10.2), 4-148 (Kohli, 28.3), 5-178 (Jadeja, 35.5), 6-203 (Rahul, 41.3), 7-211 (Shami, 43.4), 8-214 (Bumrah, 44.5), 9-226 (Suryakumar, 47.3).

AUSTRALIA BOWLING: Starc 10-0-55-3, Hazlewood 10-0-60-2, Maxwell 6-0-35-1, Cummins 10-0-34-2, Zampa 10-0-44-1, Marsh 2-0-5-0, Head 2-0-4-0.

AUSTRALIA INNINGS: David Warner c Kohli b Shami 7 (3b, 1×4), Travis Head c Gill b Siraj 137 (120b, 15×4, 4×6), Mitchell Marsh c Rahul b Bumrah 15 (15b, 1×4, 1×6), Steve Smith lbw b Bumrah 4 (9b, 1×4), Marnus Labuschagne (not out) 58 (110b, 4×4), Glenn Maxwell (not out) 2 (1b); Extras (b-5, lb-2, w-11): 18.

Complete (for 4 wkts. in 43 overs): 241.

FALL OF WICKETS: 1-16 (Warner, 1.1), 2-41 (Marsh, 4.3), 3-47 (Smith, 6.6), 4-239 (Head, 42.5).

INDIA BOWLING: Bumrah 9-2-43-2, Shami 7-1-47-1, Jadeja 10-0-43-0, Kuldeep 10-0-56-0, Siraj 7-0-45-1.

 



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Djokovic eyes ATP finals file after last-four demolition of Alcaraz

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TURIN, ITALY: Novak Djokovic closed in on a record-breaking seventh ATP Finals title after sweeping previous Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 6-2 in a dominating semi-final show he hailed as his better of the match.

World primary Djokovic will face residence favorite Jannik Sinner on Sunday within the last in Turin, because the 36-year-old makes an attempt to cap an age-defying yr with one more main triumph.

“The most effective match of the match for me, for sure. It got here at proper time actually, after spending a variety of hours on the court docket within the first three matches,” stated Djokovic.

“Tonight, from the very starting, I felt the ball properly. I approached the match with the precise angle, the precise mentality.”

The Serb got here into the Finals on the finish of a yr which has introduced three Grand Slams, taking his whole to an all-time better of 24, and a fortieth Masters 1000 title.

Now solely Sinner stands between Djokovic and victory, which might take him previous his outdated foe and retired nice Roger Federer for season-ending match titles.

Sunday’s last guarantees to be a tricky proposition for Djokovic as he misplaced to Sinner within the group stage and should take care of a partisan Italian crowd that, unusually for him, received’t be on his aspect.

“He’s been enjoying incredible tennis, arguably the very best tennis of his life. On this stage, towards high 10 gamers,” added Djokovic.

“We performed a really tight match the opposite evening, the ambiance was electrical. I don’t count on something lower than what we had within the group stage matchup.”

Djokovic now has the higher of his 5 matches with Wimbledon champion Alcaraz, who at 20 is already a two-time Grand Slam winner and was bidding to grow to be the youngest finalist since Pete Sampras received the title again in 1991.

Saturday’s match didn’t dwell as much as the earlier 4 dramatic clashes nonetheless, as Djokovic placed on a present of pressure which put pretender Alcaraz firmly in his place.

 

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Patrons Aibak Polo Cup: Newage/Grasp Paints, DP rating contrasting victories

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LAHORE: Newage Cables/Grasp Paints recorded an in depth victory in opposition to DS Polo/Sheikhoo Metal, whereas Diamond Paints (DP) delivered a commanding efficiency to conquer Pebble Breaker within the Patrons Aibak Polo Cup 2023 matches at Lahore Polo Membership grounds on Sunday.

The opening match of the day witnessed Newage Cables/Grasp Paints clinching an 8-6½ win in opposition to DS Polo/Sheikhoo Metal. Hamza Mawaz Khan showcased distinctive expertise, contributing seven spectacular objectives, with Adnan Jalil Azam including the essential eighth purpose for Newage Cables/Grasp Paints. On the opposing aspect, Nicholas Roberts scored 4 objectives, whereas Daniyal Sheikh and Lt Col (R) Omer Minhas every struck one purpose for DS Polo/Sheikhoo Metal.

The second match unfolded as a one-sided affair, with Diamond Paints (DP) overpowering Pebble Breaker with a convincing 12-4½ victory. Bilal Hayat Midday and Raja Temur Nadeem performed stellar polo, every securing 4 improbable objectives, whereas Mir Shoaib Ahmed and Saqib Khan Khakwani contributed two objectives every to Diamond Paints’ dominant efficiency.

Ahmed Zubair Butt scored a brace for Pebble Breaker, with Abdul Rehman Monnoo and Agha Musa Ali Khan including one purpose every. The matches drew a big crowd of households and spectators who loved the thrilling encounters on the vacation (Sunday). The joy continues on Tuesday with two pivotal matches scheduled on the Lahore Polo Membership grounds.

 

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