Australian Open 2016: Novak Djokovic bids to extend hot streak in Melbourne

January 17, 2016

Melbourne, Jan 17: Novak Djokovic will look to extend his sensational run of form at the Australian Open on Monday as expectations soar about what he could achieve this year.

NovakAll eyes are on the Serbian world number one and his bid for a calendar-year Grand Slam after he fell just short during his brilliant 2015 season.

The 28-year-old is yet to drop a set this year and his performance in the Qatar Open final was described as "perfect" by his flummoxed opponent, Rafael Nadal.

Djokovic could even pick up the first ever men's 'Golden Slam' if he manages to unite the four major titles and be crowned Olympic champion at Rio de Janeiro in August.

He opens his Grand Slam season against South Korea's Chung Hyeon on Monday and is already having to play down his chances of what could be a historic year.

"It's only the beginning of the season. It's too early to talk about what I can or can't do later in the season. I'm here to focus on Australian Open," he told reporters in Melbourne.

"If I am able to do the same or better, like 2015, I'm not sure," he added. "Honestly, as I said, it's just the beginning. I try to take one tournament at a time."

Roger Federer is also in action on day one, against Georgia's Nikoloz Basilashvili, with Djokovic's other main challengers Andy Murray and Stanislas Wawrinka starting on Tuesday.

Djokovic, who has five Australian Open titles, has only lost once in the last five years at Melbourne Park, when he was stopped by Wawrinka in the 2014 quarter-finals.

One wildcard for the Serb could be Melbourne's intense heat, with temperatures forecast at 37 degrees Celsius (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit) on Monday.

Djokovic retired with "heat illness" during his 2009 Australian Open quarter-final against Andy Roddick, but he has steeled himself physically and outlasted Nadal in the 2012 final which ran for nearly six hours. More (AFP) FK

"Sometimes it's very difficult to handle (the conditions) if it goes over 40 degrees," Djokovic said.

"Again, you're not the only one on the court. There's an opponent across the net. He is, of course, handling it as tough as you are handling it. You got to keep that in your mind and try to be tough.

"Whatever is coming our way tomorrow, I'll try to be ready for it."

Murray also has an enviable record at Melbourne Park, reaching four finals in the past six years -- although he is yet to lift the trophy.

His title bid could be distracted by the imminent birth of his first child, which he is desperate to attend even if it means missing the final.

"For me, my child is more important to me, and my wife is more important to me, than a tennis match," said the British second seed.

Federer, as the third seed, could face Djokovic in the semi-finals as the 17-time Grand Slam champion looks to win his first major title since Wimbledon 2012.

The Swiss has won four Australian Opens, but lost to Djokovic in last year's Wimbledon and US Open finals. At 34, he is running out of time to add to his record haul of majors.

A second Australian Open title for Nadal appears a stretch after his slump in 2015, but Wawrinka, champion in 2014, should be a contender after he beat Djokovic in last year's French Open final.

"It's a new year. Hopefully I can do something good this year," said the Swiss.

Outside the top five, Japan's world number seven Kei Nishikori will be looking to get past the quarters for the first time in Melbourne.

Home interest will focus on the farewell of former world number one Lleyton Hewitt, who is playing his final tournament, and the talented but wayward duo of Bernard Tomic and Nick Kyrgios.

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Agencies
February 12,2020

Mumbai, Feb 12: Former Indian greats Kapil Dev and Mohammad Azharuddin have been left disappointed by the behaviour of the Under-19 team after the World Cup final where they were involved in an altercation with their Bangladeshi counterparts.

After Bangladesh won the final beating India by three wickets (via DLS) at the Senwes Park on Sunday, the players of the two teams were seen engaging in an exchange of words and even some pushing and shoving on the field.

"I would like to see the board (BCCI) take some strict action against the players to set an example. Cricket is not about abusing the opponent. I am sure there is enough reason for these youngsters to be dealt with firmly by BCCI," Kapil was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

"I welcome aggression, nothing wrong in it. But it has to be controlled aggression. You can't cross the line of decency in the name of being competitive. I would say it was unacceptable that youngsters put up such an obnoxious display on the cricket field," he added.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has sanctioned five players, including three from Bangladesh -- Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain and Rakibul Hasan --and two from India --Akash Singh and Ravi Bishnoi for the scuffle.

Azharuddin also reiterated what Kapil said, insisting that players need to be disciplined.

"I would take action against the errant Under 19 players, but I also want to know what role has the support staff played in educating these youngsters. Act now before it is too late. The players have to be disciplined," Azharuddin said.

Earlier, Bishan Singh Bedi has lashed out at the Priyam Garg-led team, saying their behaviour was disgusting and disgraceful.

"You bat, bowl and field badly�happens, but there's no excuse for behaving badly. The behaviour was disgusting and most disgraceful. The innocence of that age was not visible at all," Bedi told Mid Day.

Bedi, who represented India in 67 Tests and 10 ODIs, said the behaviour of the Bangladesh cricketers is not our problem.

"Look, what Bangladesh do is their problem, what our boys do is our problem. You could see that there was abusive language used," he said.

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News Network
May 6,2020

May 6: They have similar impact on their teams but Virat Kohli is driven by sheer passion to subdue the rivals while Steve Smith just enjoys batting, says Australia opener David Warner.

India skipper Kohli and top Australian batsman Smith are arguably the top two cricketers of the current era. They achieve new milestones consistently, invoking debates, who is better between them.

"Virat's passion and drive to score runs is different to what Steve's would be," Warner said while speaking to Harsha Bhogle on 'Cricbuzz in Conversation'.

"Steve is going out there for a hit in the middle, that's how he sees things. He's hitting them out in the middle, he's having fun, he's enjoying himself, just does not want to get out."

Warner feels, while Kohli is batting he is aware that if he sticks around the middle his team will be on top of the proceedings.

"Virat obviously doesn't want to get out but he knows if he spends a certain amount of time out there, he's going to score plenty of runs at a rapid rate. He's going to get on top of you. That allows the guys coming in, especially in the Indian team you've got a lot of players who can be flamboyant as well."

The Australian opener added that both men are mentally strong and a good knock by them boosts the morale of the entire team.

"When it comes to cricket, they both have got the mental strength, the mental capacity to score runs. They both love spending time in the middle.

"They stabilise, they boost morale - if they score runs, everyone else's moral is up. If they are out cheaply you almost sense that on the field that everyone is (down on morale and thinking) 'now we all have to step up'. It's a very bizarre situation," he added.

Asked about the similarities between himself and Kohli, who are both live wires on the field, Warner said the passion to do better than the opponent keeps him going.

"I can't speak for Virat, obviously, but it's almost like we got this thing in us when we go (out to the middle) we need to prove people wrong, prove someone wrong."

"If you're in that contest, and if I'm going at him for example, you're thinking, 'Alright, I'm going to score more runs than him, I'm going to take a quick single on him'. You are trying to better that person in that game. That's where the passion comes from."

Warner also explained how he breaks down a match into smaller competitions.

"Obviously you want to win the game but you almost break it down to: If I can score more runs than Virat, or if Pujara scores more runs than Steve Smith, you have these little contests and that's how you try to narrow the game in the sense that if we do these little things, we can be ahead of the game or we can be behind the game.

"The passion is driven by...I know my sense - one, the will to win and two, wanting to do better than that person in the opposition," said Warner.

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News Network
May 8,2020

Karachi, May 8: A cricket museum based in India has bought a bat auctioned by Pakistan Test captain Azhar Ali to raise funds for the needy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Azhar had put two of his precious belongings -- the bat he used to score 302 runs against the West Indies in a Test in 2016 and the jersey he wore during the 2017 Champions Trophy final win over India -- on an online auction to raise funds for the people affected by the deadly disease.

Both the bat and jersey were signed by members of the Pakistan team.

Azhar announced on social media that he had kept a base price of one million each for the bat and jersey and they had sold for 2.2 million.

He confirmed that Blades of Glory Cricket Museum based in Pune bought the bat by making a winning offer of Rs. 1 million for the bat.

Azhar said that the auction of the shirt also generated a lot of interest and Kash Villani, a Pakistani based in California, came up with the highest bid of Rs. 1.1 million for the shirt before the conclusion of the auction.

Another Pakistani based in New Jersey, Jamal Khan also donated Rs. 100,000 for the cause.

"I put two of my closest belongings on auction with base price of 1 million PKR each to support people suffering due to ongoing crisis. Auction starts now and will close on 11:59 PM 05 May, 2020," Azhar had tweeted.

Ali became the first international player to score a test triple century in Day/Night Test when he scored an unbeaten 302 against the West Indies team in UAE in 2016.

"The shirt is from 2017 Champions Trophy which we won, it has the signature of all the players which were present in the squad," Ali said in a video posted on Twitter.

"Both these things are close to my heart but if it can be used in the difficult times for the benefit of the people I will more than happy."

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