Bhupathi-Sania win maiden French Open mixed doubles title

June 8, 2012
sania_bhupathi


India's Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza won their second Grand Slam mixed doubles title together, triumphing in the French Open here on Thursday with an excellent performance in the final.

Bhupathi and Sania defeated Klaudia Jans-Ignacik of Poland and Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico 7-6 (3), 6-1 in one hour and 13 minutes, coming through a tough first set and then sailing through the second.

The Indians had won their first title together at the Australian Open in 2009 and their success today fetched Bhupathi his 12th Grand Slam title – eight ofthem from mixed doubles.

For Sania, it was her second title at a Grand Slam. “It's my first Grand Slam in a long while and the first one after I became a father. This is for her,”said birthday boy Bhupathi, dedicating the title to his four-month old daughter.

Sania, while thanking Bhupathi, joked she didn't have to hunt for a birthday gift for her partner. “He is one of the best doubles players in the world and I am lucky to havehim as partner,”said Sania. Sania and Bhupathi had their chances inthe first set but their rivals pushed it to a tie-break, where the Indians proved a cut above.

They carried the momentum to the second set and broke Gonzalez' serve in the very first game itself. They had chances to break Klaudia's serve in the third game but she hung on tomake it 1-2.

Sania then came up with some cracking winners off both the flanks to hold serve for a 3-1 lead and the Indians again broke Gonzalez serve to take a commanding lead. Bhupathi then held his serve comfortably before Klaudia, serving to stay in the match, crumbled, leaving the Indians worthy winners.

Sharapova faces Errani

It was little wonder Maria Sharapova's jubilant coach was holding aloft his index finger on Thursday as the Russian enjoyed a double celebration after sweeping into her maiden French Open final.

Not only did her 6-3, 6-3 defeat of Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova allow her to move within two sets of fulfilling her dream of completing a career Grand Slam but, after a four-year wait, she was finally back on top of the world.

Whether on not Sharapova becomes the newest member of the Roland Garros champions' club when she takes on Italian outsider Sara Errani, who upset sixth seed Sam Stosur 7-5, 1-6, 6-3, on Saturday, the statuesque Russian's name will be on top of the WTA rankings list on Monday. "A few years ago I don't know if I even had a ranking after having my shoulder surgery (in August 2008) and it's special to be back on top again," a beaming Sharapova told the crowd.

The swirling winds on Philippe Chatrier Court made life difficult for both players initially, with Sharapova facing break points on both of her opening service games but it was Kvitova who blinked first.


Two sloppy forehand errors handed Sharapova the break in the fifth game and the Russian barely needed to move off the baseline as she watched Kvitova implode while trying to stay alive in the set.

The fourth seed was broken to love, a forehand into the tramlines on set point summing up the kind of day she was having. Her day went from bad to worse as she dropped serve for a third time, this time with a double fault, to go 1-3 down in the second set.

She managed to show some fight to level for 3-3 but Sharapova kept on pounding winners from the baseline to break for 5-3 before wrapping up the one-sided contest in 77 minutes with an ace.

Errani upset the heavy-hitting sixth seed Stosur to reach her first Grand Slam final. The petite, yet nimble-footed, Italian had been expected to struggle with Stosur's high, kicking serve and heavy topspin groundstrokes, but contrived to out-think and outmanoeuvre the Australian.

"I have no words, it is incredible," a weepy Errani, who collapsed on to her back in her moment of victory, told an on court interviewer. Stosur had fallen into the 21st seed's intelligently contrived plan to force her opponent out of her comfort zone and nullify her principle weapons.



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News Network
May 10,2020

New Delhi, May 10: Former Australia captain Ian Chappell has proposed radical changes in the LBW laws, stating that a batsman should be given out leg before as long as the ball is hitting the stumps irrespective of the spot of its landing and impact.

Chappell also said captains should agree on one way of working up the ball which will encourage swing bowling, even as the ICC is considering the use of artificial substances to shine the ball instead of sweat and saliva in post-COVID-19 scenario.

"The new lbw law should simply say: 'Any delivery that strikes the pad without first hitting the bat and, in the umpire's opinion, would go on to hit the stumps is out regardless of whether or not a shot is attempted'," he wrote in a column for ESPNcricinfo.

"Forget where the ball pitches and whether it strikes the pad outside the line or not; if it's going to hit the stumps, it's out."

The 76-year-old said the change in lbw law would attract expected criticism from the batsmen but it would make the game more fair.

"There will be screams of horror - particularly from pampered batsmen - but there are numerous positives this change would bring to the game. Most important is fairness.

"If a bowler is prepared to attack the stumps regularly, the batsman should only be able to protect his wicket with the bat. The pads are there to save the batsman from injury not dismissal.

"It would also force batsmen to seek an attacking method to combat a wristspinner pitching in the rough outside the right-hander's leg stump," said Chappell.

He cited Sachin Tendulkar's example on how he negotiated Shane Warne's round the wicket tactic during the 1997-98 Test series in India.

"Contrast Sachin Tendulkar's aggressive and successful approach to Shane Warne coming round the wicket in Chennai in 1997-98 with a batsman who kicks away deliveries pitching in the rough and turning in toward the stumps. Which would you rather watch?

"The current law encourages "pad play" to balls pitching outside leg while this change would force them to use their bat. The change would reward bowlers who attack the stumps and decrease the need for negative wide deliveries to a packed off-side field," he said.

Chappell said his proposed change to the lbw law would also cut down "frivolous" DRS challenges.

"This change to the lbw law would also simplify umpiring and result in fewer frivolous DRS challenges. Consequently, it would speed up a game that has slowed drastically in recent times.

"It would also make four-day Tests an even more viable proposition as mind-numbing huge first-innings totals would be virtually non-existent."

On the substitute of shining the ball without sweat and saliva, Chappell said international captains should find out a way of working up the ball.

"With ball-tampering always a hot topic, in the past I've suggested that administrators ask international captains to construct a list (i.e. the use of natural substances) detailing the things bowlers feel will help them to swing the ball.

"From this list, the administrators should deem one method to be legal with all others being punishable as illegal," the cricketer-turned-commentator added.

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News Network
March 5,2020

Mumbai, Mar 5: Former India spinner Sunil Joshi was on Wednesday named chairman of the national selection panel by the BCCI's Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC), which also picked ex-pacer Harvinder Singh to the five-member group.

The CAC, comprising Madan Lal, R P Singh and Sulakshana Naik, picked the two selectors with Joshi replacing South Zone representative MSK Prasad.

In an unprecedented decision, the BCCI said the CAC will review the panel's performance after one year and make recommendations accordingly.

"The committee recommended Sunil Joshi for the role of chairman of the senior men's selection committee. The CAC will review the candidates after a one-year period and make the recommendations to the BCCI," read a statement from BCCI Secretary Jay Shah.

Harvinder was chosen from central zone and replaces Gagan Khoda in the panel.

The existing members of the selection panel are Jatain Paranjpe, Devang Gandhi and Sarandeep Singh.

"We have picked the best guys for the job," Lal told news agency.

The CAC had shortlisted five candidates for interviews -- Joshi, Harvinder, Venkatesh Prasad, Rajesh Chauhan and L S Sivaramakrishnan -- from a list of 40 applicants.

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News Network
April 21,2020

New Delhi, Apr 21: India skipper Virat Kohli on Tuesday said people seem to have become more compassionate while coping with the COVID-19 pandemic and hoped the sense of gratitude towards frontline workers like doctors and police personnel remains even after the crisis is over.

Speaking in an online class organised by "Unacademy", Kohli and his actor wife Anushka Sharma spoke at length about the challenges they faced before tasting success.

"The one positive out of this crisis that we as a society have become more compassionate. We are showing more gratitude to the frontline workers in this war, be it police personnel, doctors or nurses.

"I hope it stays this way even after we overcome this crisis," said Kohli with Sharma seated next to her.

Kohli said the pandemic has taught the world a very important lesson.

"Life is unpredictable. So, do what makes you happy and not get into comparisons all the time. People have a choice now how to come out of this phase. Life is going to be different after this," said the skipper.

For Sharma, the pandemic has forced people to care about the basics in life.

"There is a learning in all of this. Nothing happens without a reason. If the frontline workers were not there, we would not have access to basics," she said..

"This has taught us that no one is special than the other. Health is everything. We are more connected as a society now," she added.

During the session, Kohli was asked about the moment when he felt most helpless.

"I felt nothing was working for me when I was not picked for the state team initially. I cried the whole night and asked my coach 'why did I not get selected'?" he responded.

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