French Open 2016: Djokovic beats Murray to complete career grand slam

June 6, 2016

Jun 6: After years of near misses, Novak Djokovic finally conquered mount Roland Garros on Sunday to win the one trophy he craved like no other -- a maiden French Open title that elevated him into the pantheon of tennis greats.

DjokovicIt was a trophy he had failed to hoist in 11 previous visits to Paris. It was a trophy that was flaunted in front of his face in 2012, 2014 and 2015, only he was not allowed to touch it after finishing runner-up in the three finals On Sunday, the Musketeers' Cup was his at last as he broke Andy Murray's resistance with a 3-6 6-1 6-2 6-4 victory that not only completed his grand slam collection but also made him the first man in nearly half a century to hold all four majors at once.

After such an emotional win, the world number one thanked the fans who had serenaded him with chants of "No-le, No-le, No-le, No-le" throughout the three-hour battle by recreating one of the most famous celebrations seen at Roland Garros.

A la Gustavo Kuerten in 2001, Djokovic drew a giant love-heart into the red clay with his racket before collapsing into the middle of it -- an x-shaped emblem of triumph.

"It's a very special moment, the biggest of my career," Djokovic told the crowd, which included the much-loved Brazilian champion, after capturing his 12th grand slam title.

"I felt today something that I never felt before at Roland Garros, I felt the love of the crowd, I drew the heart on the court, like Guga which he gave me permission to do. My heart will always be with you on this court."

Winning the four majors -- Wimbledon, U.S. Open, Australian Open and the French Open -- in a row is a feat that is so difficult that it had not been achieved by a man since Rod Laver won the second of his calendar Grand Slams in 1969.

Hence, after Djokovic joined an exclusive club, which previously boasted only Laver and Don Budge as members, Murray was quick to applaud the Serb's monumental achievement.

'THIS IS NOVAK'S DAY'

"Novak, this is his day. What he has achieved the last 12 months is phenomenal," said Murray, who had been hoping to become the first British man in 81 years to win the claycourt major.

"Winning all four in one year is amazing. This is something that is so rare in tennis. It has not happened in a long time.

"Everyone who was here was lucky to see it. It sucks to lose the match, but I am proud to be part of today."

It certainly "sucked" for Murray when he was broken in the very first game to love.

It "sucked" again when was almost wiped out 6-0 by Djokovic in the second set -- which the Serb would have done if he had converted either of his two break points in the fourth game.

And it "sucked" big time when he ended a 20-shot rally by smacking a backhand into the net on Djokovic's third match point.

But while Murray's day ended in despair as he reflected on an eighth defeat in 10 grand slam finals, Djokovic's coach Marian Vajda was relieved the Serb had avoided the dubious distinction of becoming the

first man to lose their first four Roland Garros finals.

"Novak is 29 and when you get older your nerves are not that great and it was maybe the last year he could have won here," Vajda said.

The nerves were certainly on show in the opening set when Djokovic, despite breaking Murray for a 1-0 lead, failed to hold serve till the sixth game -- prompting one spectator to shout "Wake up Djoko, wake up!"

He had his army of hollering fans on tenterhooks again when he was broken by Murray the first time he went to serve for the title at 5-2 in the fourth set.

Two games later, he was thumping his chest and waving both arms skywards as he urged the 15,000 crowd to pump up the volume.

Minutes later the deafening roars rocked the Philippe Chatrier arena as Djokovic finally cradled the trophy that meant so much to him.

"In the last point I don't even remember what happened. It's like my spirit had left my body," said Djokovic.

"Kind of out-of-body experience... between 5-2 and closing out the match a lot has happened in my mind, in my soul. In order for me to win this trophy I had to go through that."

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News Network
January 6,2020

Sydney, Jan 6: Nathan Lyon captured five for 50 and 10 match wickets as Australia crushed New Zealand by 279 runs on Monday, capping a golden domestic summer as they swept the three-Test series.

The off-spinner led the powerful Australian bowling attack to dismiss the Kiwis for 136 and seal another heavy win over the Black Caps after similar victories in Perth and Melbourne.

Australia have been unbeatable this season, winning all five Tests at home -- two against Pakistan and three against New Zealand -- after retaining the Ashes by drawing the series 2-2 in England.

"It's been a great summer for the Australian Test side," Lyon said.

"It's pretty special to be part of it, we have been impressive, pretty clinical, the batters have done well and given us bowlers plenty of time."

Australia declared their second innings at 217 for two with David Warner scoring an unbeaten century, leaving the Black Caps with a revised 416-run target in the fourth innings on a wearing Sydney Cricket Ground pitch.

But the Kiwis buckled under the pressure of Australia's superior bowling attack with Mitchell Starc taking three for 25 to support the wiles of spinner Lyon.

"They were clinical in all areas and after the first match they put us under pressure session after session," said skipper Kane Williamson, who missed the Test with a virus.

New Zealand were reeling early at 27-4 and never recovered after Starc and Lyon took two wickets each in the middle session to put the skids under the tourists.

Starc removed both openers, Tom Latham and Tom Blundell, in the first five overs. Blundell fell to a stunning catch by a diving Lyon at point for two and stand-in skipper Latham lost a review for leg before wicket.

Jeet Raval was out in a review to the faintest of edges on 'Snicko' in Lyon's first over for 12.

First-innings top-scorer Glenn Phillips went for a duck after technology detected a faint outside edge to wicketkeeper Paine off Lyon.

Taylor's Kiwi record

Ross Taylor became the leading all-time Kiwi batsman, going past Stephen Fleming (7,172) before he was bowled by Pat Cummins for 22 to take his Test aggregate to 7,174.

Big-hitting Colin de Grandhomme smacked Lyon for six to bring up his fifty but went next ball hoicking to Joe Burns at deep mid-wicket for 52.

Todd Astle was out to a superb diving catch by James Pattinson in the outfield for 17.

Starc yorked William Somerville's middle stump for seven and BJ Watling was the last to fall, caught at backward square leg by Pat Cummins for 19.

Earlier, Warner completed his 24th Test century and remained unbeaten when skipper Paine declared upon the dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne.

"You know you're capable of doing so," Warner said, when asked about how he had bounced back from his disastrous Ashes campaign in England last year.

"I was in the nets hitting the ball well and had the skipper backing me. To be able to play with freedom helped me. It's all paying off."

Labuschagne, who was dropped on four in a regulation caught-and-bowled chance by leg-spinner Astle, was caught at long on off Matt Henry for 59 -- his seventh score over 50 in eight innings this domestic summer.

Labuschagne finished the home five-Test season with a stunning aggregate of 896 runs, made up of his 215 in the first innings, three other centuries and three half-centuries in eight innings.

There was drama late in the Australian innings when Warner was given an official warning by umpire Aleem Dar for running down the middle of the pitch in scampering a single.

It resulted in five penalty runs being added to New Zealand's first innings total meaning their target was revised down from 421 to 416.

The Test was played against the backdrop of one of Australia's most devastating bushfire seasons with at least 24 people losing their lives in blazes raging across the country, including on the outskirts of Sydney.

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News Network
January 10,2020

Karachi, Jan 10: Former Pakistan batsman and current U-19 head coach Ejaz Ahmed feels that his side can beat defending champions and arch-rivals India in the forthcoming ICC Youth World Cup beginning in South Africa on January 17.

"India has a very good cricket system and it is organized but I know that we have more passion than them when we play against each other and that is how we also beat them in the semi-finals of the recent Asian Emerging Nations Cup," Ejaz said.

Ejaz, who has played 60 Test and 250 ODIs, was head coach of the Pakistan Emerging side which beat India before eventually winning the title in Bangladesh last year.

"Even in the past, we beat India because of our greater passion and this time also I know the passion of our players will prevail over them although they have a very strong outfit," he added.

The 51-year-old Ejaz, however, said at the end of the day it would be all about how a team plays on that particular day.

"It is the same in the World Cup it does not matter which team is number one or defending champions what will matter is how a team plays on a given day. I personally feel our team is well balanced," he said.

Ejaz did not believe that India would get advantage of having played a four-nation tournament with South Africa, New Zealand and Zimbabwe in South Africa before the World Cup.

"Our players have also trained hard in Lahore and we have played around 11 matches. We will also reach South Africa nine days before the World Cup and we have some practice games and I think our preparations are also very good for the tournament," he said.

The former batsman also said the absence of fast bowler Naseem Shah will not impact much on the team's performance. Naseem was withdrawn from the Pakistan U-19 squad after he played for the senior team in three Test matches against Australia and Sri Lanka.

"Look there was no controversy at all. The way we now see things is that you can't expect a MBA to go and take BA exams. That is how we look at Naseem Shah, he has made the grade for Pakistan and now he should be performing for the senior team," said the head coach.

"We have a couple of exciting young talent in the ranks. I expect Rohail and Haider to play for the senior team in two to three year's time, they are that good."

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Agencies
January 25,2020

Headingley, Jan 25: England have become the first team in the world to score 500,000 runs in Test cricket. They achieved the feat during the ongoing fourth and final Test against South Africa being played at The Wanderers.

On Friday - the opening day of the Test match -- England captain Joe Root's single through the covers took the Three Lions to a landmark 500,000 run-mark in the longest format of the game. They achieved the feat in their 1022nd Test match.

Australia comes second in the list, with 432,706 runs in 830 Tests. India, meanwhile, are third, with 273,518 runs in 540 Tests, followed by West Indies (270,441 runs in 545 Tests).

In the third Test played at St George's Park in Port Elizabeth, England had become the first team to play 500 Test matches on foreign soil. Australia are the second team to play the most away Test with 404 matches they have played so far.

India have played 268 Tests on foreign soil in which they have won 51, lost 113 and 104 have ended in a draw.

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