The Indian trio of Tarundeep Rai, Dhiraj Bommadevara and Pravin Jadhav set up a gold medal clash with Olympic champions Korea after storming into the men’s team recurve final of the Archery World Cup Stage 1 here on Thursday. It came a day after India were assured of at least two medals in the compound competition after both the men’s and women’s teams made the finals. The Indian recurve team, which qualified behind reigning world and Olympic champions South Korea, sailed past Italy 5-1 (55-54, 55-55, 56-55) in the last-four stage. India will be up against the South Korea’s Tokyo Olympics gold medal-winning trio of Kim Woojin, Lee Woo Seok and Kim Je Deok in the final slated for Sunday. Also Read: With Olympics in mind, Yuki Bhambri rejoins childhood coach Aditya Sachdev The top-seeded Korean trio defeated their Chinese Taipei rivals Tan Chih-Chun, Lin Zih-Siang and Tai Yu-Hsuan in straight sets 6-0 (57-50, 58-56, 58-54). In the compound event, former world youth champion Priyansh and reigning Asian Games gold-medallist Jyothi Surekha Vennam advanced to their respective individual semi-finals to also remain in the hunt for a medal. The Indian women’s team of Deepika Kumari, Ankita Bhakat and Bhajan Kaur, which got the sixth rank in the qualifiers, managed a below-par show and lost a 3-1 lead to go down to Mexico in its opening clash. Later, World Cup gold-medallist Jyothi, who is seeded second, downed teammate Avneet Kaur 143-142 in a tight finish to make the semis in the compound competition. Priyansh, who is seeded 14th, downed Batuhan Akcaoglu of Turkey to set up a last-four clash against Nick Kappers of the USA. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2024 08:15 AM IST | Shanghai | PTITo make sure that he is ready for the Paris Olympics if an opportunity comes knocking, India’s top player Yuki Bhambri (below) has rejoined forces with childhood coach Aditya Sachdeva. Also Read: Babuta breaks air rifle world record World No. 2 Rohan Bopanna, being a Top 10 player, will have the choice of choosing his partner at the Paris Games and Yuki, who is the next best Indian on the ATP ranking chart at No 56, wants to be ready for the Games in best possible manner. Renowned coach Sachdeva, who spent a major part of his coaching career in National Capital, had moved to Roundglass Sport in Chandigarh in February 2021. Till Yuki was an active singles player, he had trained with Stephen Koon in Bangkok. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2024 08:10 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIArjun Babuta (below) breached the existing finals world record (FWR) in men’s 10m air rifle on way to a commanding win in the ongoing Olympic Selection Trials (OST) 1&2 for Rifle and Pistol at the Karni Singh Range here on Thursday. Also Read: ‘It will be a big match’ Babuta, the 25-year-old Paris Olympics quota winner, shone with a sensational tally of 254.0 in the OST T1 final. The score was 0.3 above the mark set by fellow finalist and India teammate Divyansh Singh Panwar at the Cairo World Cup earlier this year. Also registering wins in their respective OST T1 final matches were Nancy (women’s 10m air rifle), Varun Tomar (men’s 100m air pistol) and Rhythm Sangwan (women’s 10m air pistol). Babuta’s score-sheet had two perfect 10.9s, besides 13 shots which were 10.6 and above. His lowest score of 10.0 came on the 21st shot, by which time he had already established a huge lead over the field, winning by 2.8 points in the end over 2022 world champion Rudrankksh Patil (251.2). Sri Karthik Sabari Raj (229.6) was third. Nancy’s tally of 253.4, missed the world mark by 0.6, but it was sufficient to ward off quota holder Mehuli Ghosh by 0.7 points (252.7). This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2024 08:05 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIIndian chess prodigy D Gukesh on Thursday thanked the legendary Viswanathan Anand for playing a huge role in shaping his career, saying “I wouldn’t have been close to what I am now if it wasn’t for him.” The 17-year-old Grandmaster scripted history on Monday by winning the Candidates Chess Tournament in Toronto to become the youngest ever challenger to the world title, beating a record created by the legendary Garry Kasparov 40 years ago. The triumph paved the way for Gukesh’s clash against reigning world champion Ding Liren of China later this year. Also Read: Cricketer Guy Whittall injured by leopard Ding Liren Speaking about his much-anticipated clash against Liren, Gukesh said, “The biggest challenge against Ding would be how I prepare myself and being in the right state of mind since it will be a big match. There are a lot of expectations and a lot at stake. I have full belief in myself and will be going in with the same strategy. Hopefully, it will work out well.” Hundreds of students from the Velammal Vidyalaya, the school where Gukesh studies, lined up at the airport at least one hour before his flight landed to greet him. His mother Padma, who is a microbiologist, was at the airport to receive him. India to bid for World C’ship hosting rights Newly-elected All India Chess Federation (AICF) secretary Dev Patel on Thursday said the country will bid for the hosting rights of this year’s much-anticipated World Championship clash between D Gukesh and defending champion Ding Liren of China. The dates and venue for the world championship, which will be held in the last quarter of the year, are yet to be finalised. “We are open to discussion with FIDE, the apex chess body, and we are certain that the best world championship will be held in India,” Patel, who is only 24 and heads the Gujarat Chess Association, told PTI.
26 April,2024 08:00 AM IST | Chennai | PTIFormer German tennis star Boris Becker has been discharged from bankruptcy by a London court following a deal with his debtors, the 56-year-old’s German lawyer said on Thursday. Also Read: Mbappe brace takes PSG to brink of title “As a result of an agreement with his insolvency administrators, Boris Becker’s bankruptcy, which began in 2017, was legally terminated by a decision by the High Court in London yesterday,” Becker’s Berlin-based lawyer said in a statement sent to AFP. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2024 07:50 AM IST | Berlin | AgenciesFrench Open organisers have their “fingers crossed” that Rafael Nadal will be able to play this year’s event, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said on Thursday. Also Read: Ten Hag delighted with United’s come-from-behind win Nadal, the record 14-time Roland Garros champion, said on Wednesday he would only play the clay-court Grand Slam this year if he felt “capable enough to compete”. “We’re keeping our fingers crossed for him, but also for us because we want to welcome him here to Roland Garros,” Mauresmo told a press conference. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 April,2024 07:30 AM IST | Paris | AFPIndia's latest chess sensation D Gukesh admires the way charismatic former India skipper MS Dhoni and iconic tennis player Novak Djokovic soak intense pressure, saying he gets inspired by that special trait of the two special athletes. Gukesh, 17, scripted history by winning the Candidates Chess Tournament in Toronto recently to become the youngest ever challenger to the world title, bettering a record created by the legendary Garry Kasparov 40 years ago. The triumph entitles Gukesh a clash against reigning world champion Ding Liren of China in the last quarter of the year. The Chennai-based teen bettered Kasparov's record by quite a distance as the Russian great was 22 when he qualified in 1984 to clash with compatriot Anatoly Karpov. Gukesh, on his return after winning the Candidates, told PTI, "I think the way Dhoni and tennis great Novak Djokovic handle themselves under immense pressure, they are big-game players and always come out on top and bring out their best whenever needed. That is why I am attracted to them." While Dhoni, the former India and Chennai Super Kings skipper, led India to twin World Cup successes and five IPL titles, Serbia's Djokovic has won a record 24 Grand Slam titles, and has enough in the tank to win a few more. Norwegian chess great Magnus Carlsen, the five-time world champion who forfeited his qualification spot for 2024 citing the lack of motivation in playing the longer version of the game in the existing tournament structure, has been a motivation for several youngsters and Gukesh is one of them. "There are a lot of things you can learn from him (Carlsen). Not just chess, but also the mental attitude. He has one of the best mentalities in the world in any sport, I would say." The champion Grandmaster added that all chess players would have felt nervous during their careers but, with experience, they learn to handle it. "We all get nervous, and with experience, we all learn how to deal with it. Yeah, I guess some maturity and practice." Also Read: Gukesh has arrived, and how! Gukesh is looking forward to the challenge from reigning world champion Ding Liren and says his preparations will for the summit clash will start soon. The All India Chess Federation (AICF) is exploring the possibility of hosting the world title contest in the country. "My training for the final will start soon, and I hope it will be very enjoyable. The legendary Kasparov lauded Gukesh's feat in the Candidates Chess Tournament, saying the teenaged GM was "the Indian earthquake in Toronto". The Chennai lad said it means a lot to him. "Kasparov is one of my heroes and one of the greatest chess players of all time, and to get a huge compliment and notice from him, it really means a lot," he said. On cricket, Gukesh said he hadn't been following cricket lately but he was an avid sports lover. "Recently, I haven't followed cricket a lot. But I enjoy all kinds of sports, especially tennis. I like to play some sports, and generally, I am just in love with sports," he said. (With agency inputs)
25 April,2024 07:21 PM IST | Chennai | mid-day online correspondentFrench Open organisers have their "fingers crossed" that Rafael Nadal will be able to play this year's event, tournament director Amelie Mauresmo said on Thursday. Nadal, the record 14-time Roland Garros champion, said on Wednesday he would only play the clay-court Grand Slam this year if he felt "capable enough to compete". The 37-year-old Spaniard did not play last year after the Australian Open due to a hip injury and has hinted strongly he will retire after this season. But Mauresmo is hopeful Nadal will be able to play the French Open, which starts on May 26. "We're keeping our fingers crossed for him, but also for us because we want to welcome him here to Roland Garros," Mauresmo told a press conference. "He is at home (here) and he knows it. Knowing whether there will be a tribute (to Nadal) or not, this year, next year, is very dependent on him and the decisions he takes. We're waiting to see and we will follow his wishes." Also Read: Nadal will only play French Open if he can 'compete well' This year, the French Open will have two covered courts for the first time, with Court Suzanne Lenglen to join Court Philippe Chatrier in having a retractable roof. "The roof will allow us in the event of bad weather to have a little more flexibility in our programming throughout the fortnight," said Mauresmo, who ruled out extra night session matches being played on Court Suzanne Lenglen. The scheduling of night sessions has often been criticised in the past for too often featuring men's matches instead of women's ties. "As we have done from the start, the match-up will decide, the match of the day," said Mauresmo. "If we have a great women's match, we will schedule it. If there are more (great) men's matches, there will be more men's matches. We don't have a quota to fill." (With AFP inputs)
25 April,2024 06:24 PM IST | Paris | mid-day online correspondentIndia squash star Saurav Ghosal, 37, who announced his retirement from the professional circuit on Monday, revealed his preferred career choice had he not been an athlete. Ghosal, who remains the only man from India to reach the World's Top 10, achieving the career-high ranking in April 2019, is a self-proclaimed foodie. When we asked him what he would have loved to be if not an athlete, he told www.mid-day.com: “I think if I didn’t play squash, I would have played some sport. But I would have absolutely loved to be a food critic because I am a foodie. I like to go to restaurants. That’s [food, restaurants] the first thing I look up to when I go play a tournament in any city across the globe.” Any favourites in Mumbai? “I was in Mumbai recently and went to Bombay Canteen, Bastian and Americano and all three were brilliant. Bombay has some top, top restaurants.” Meanwhile, with the workload of playing the pro circuit off his shoulders, Kolkata-based Ghosal wants to spend more time with his family. “I would get to stay in India for two-three months cumulatively. I think being here and spending time with my family is what I missed out on. That’s the priority now. From the past seven-eight years, I made sure we go on a holiday at least once a year, especially during the summers. But this year, we got to do a bit more than one [trip]. Diya [wife] and I pick a new destination each year, but the one constant which we both can travel to anytime has to be London. It has a good vibe, amazing food, some nice bakeries [which I love], art, museums and the West End [in terms of plays],” said Ghosal, who loves everything at home to be neat and clean. Ghosal teamed up with Dipika Pallikal Karthik to win gold for India in the mixed event at the 2022 WSF World Doubles Squash Championships. At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Dipika and Ghosal won silver in the mixed doubles in Gold Coast, Australia and four years later, a bronze in Birmingham. When asked about a quality he admires of his mixed doubles partner Dipika and her sister Diya, who happens to be his wife, Ghosal remarked: “I think they are both very different to begin with. But Dipika is the one who is very, very good at going after what she wants. She is mentally very strong in doing that. That shows on-court as well. Playing with her is an absolute pleasure and my wife, on the other hand, is someone who is unbelievable in taking care of people and is a giver. She is magnanimous and is ready to sacrifice things for people. I would be happy to have a little bit of that myself and do that the best I can for others.”
25 April,2024 11:43 AM IST | Mumbai | SUNDARII IYERIndia cueist Sourav Kothari believes his silver medal-winning feat at the World Matchplay Billiards championship held at Carlow, Ireland, is “unbelievable” considering he landed in the country without his luggage and cue stick. “When I landed in Ireland on April 14, I was shocked to learn that my luggage and cue were not loaded onto the flight. It was a stressful situation and worse still, it was a Sunday, so I was unable to buy anything as most shops were shut. The temperature there was a chilly two degrees and I had a difficult night with my match scheduled the next morning. That night was tough. Thankfully, the organisers rescheduled my 10am match to the next evening and the airline fortunately managed to get my stuff to me by the next morning,” Kolkata-based Kothari, 39, told mid-day on Wednesday. Also Read: CCI Billiards Classic: 305 break for Advani India No. 2 Kothari eventually went down 2-8 to Englishman David Causier 2-8 in the best-of-15-frame summit clash. He had a dream run before that though. In the semi-final, he beat India No. 1 Dhruv Sitwala 7-3 and in the quarter-final, he shocked World No. 1 and reigning world champion Peter Gilchrist 6-4. “Winning gold would have been the ultimate prize, but this silver, in the given circumstances leading up to my first match, is unbelievable. Defeating stalwarts, especially Gilchrist, en route the final was an enriching experience. Throughout the tournament I managed to keep my emotions in check, but in the final, I was a bit patchy against Causier,” Kothari signed off.
25 April,2024 07:01 AM IST | Mumbai | SUNDARII IYERIndian golfers Aditi Ashok (46) and Diksha Dagar (138) are set to participate in the Paris Olympics, whereas Shubhankar Sharma (197) and Gaganjeet Bhullar (232) also have a strong chance of making it to the Games. While it will be a third appearance for Aditi, which is also the most for an Indian, Diksha will be competing for the second time. For Sharma and Bhullar, it would be their maiden appearance. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 April,2024 06:11 AM IST | New Delhi | PTIADVERTISEMENT
