Sania Mirza-Martina Hingis in China Open quarters

October 8, 2015

Beijing, Oct 8: The Indo-Swiss tennis combine of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis earned a hard-fought victory to move into the women's doubles quarterfinals of the China Open, being played on the hard courts of the Beijing Olympic Green Tennis Center here on Wednesday.

saniaThe top seeds took an hour and 17 minutes to edge past experienced Italian pair of Sara Errani and Flavia Pennetta 1-6, 6-4, 10-6. This is the second victory in as many meetings for the Indo-Swiss pair over their opponents, having beaten the Italians in New York earlier this year.

But it was the end of the road for Rohan Bopanna, who with American partner John Isner, lost his men's doubles first round in straight sets to Uruguayan-Serbian pairing of Pablo Cuevas and Viktor Troicki. The winners took just 54 minutes to easily beat Bopanna and Isner 6-4, 6-3.

Sania and Martina were shocked in the first set as their service games were broken thrice. To add to that, they double faulted twice, giving easy points to the Italian pair and losing the set in a jiffy. They looked totally out of rhythm and could not even earn a single breakpoint chance.

However, they fought back in the second set when they broke Sara and Flavia twice, once more than the Italians did, which was enough to win the set and push the match into the decider.

The reigning Wimbledon and US Open champions proved just a tad bit better in the super tie-break to clinch the match and enter the last eight.

They will next take on German-Czech pairing of Julia Goerges and Karolina Pliskova for a place in the semis.

Leander Paes, with Australia's John Peers, had too lost his opener on Tuesday when the pair went down to Canadian-French fourth seeds Daniel Nestor and Edouard Roger-Vasselin 6-7(1), 6-4, 9-11.

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Agencies
January 26,2020

Chennai, Jan 26: Former India cricketer Kapil Dev on Saturday said that it will be a big loss for the Indian side when MS Dhoni decides to hang up his boots.

"I think he has served the country so well and nobody has done it like him. Everyone has to retire sooner or later. He is not playing matches currently. So I don't know when he will come out one day and say -- I have had enough. I think it will be our loss because he is such a fabulous cricketer," Dev told reporters here.

In the recently released BCCI contracts list, Dhoni did not find a place for himself. The former World Cup winning captain Dev said that it is unfortunate that Dhoni was not included in the contract list.

"I feel sorry that they have not included him. 

Tendulkar, Gavaskar had to witness the same. It's not my job and I am not there to give the contract to anyone. It is the job of the cricket board. So, I don't know. You can ask this question to the cricket board. They will be able to answer this question," Dev said.

The 38-year-old Dhoni is currently enjoying some time away from the game. He last played competitive cricket during the 2019 World Cup.

Dhoni had to face criticism for his slow batting approach during India's matches in the tournament. 

Especially in the games against England and New Zealand (semi-final), he had to bear the brunt of netizens, who deemed him as the reason for the Men in Blue's loss.

BCCI released the list of central contract list of players for the period from October 2019 to September 2020.

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News Network
January 30,2020

Hamilton, Jan 30: Caught unaware about the Super Over scenario, Rohit Sharma took five minutes to “find” his abdomen guard after the third T20 International against New Zealand had ended in a tie on Wednesday.

The India vice-captain said the team had almost given up with New Zealand going great guns at one point.

“Everything was packed. All my stuff was inside my bag. I had to get it out. It literally took me five minutes to find my abdomen guard because I didn’t know where it was,” Rohit said.

“I mean we never thought it would go to the Super Over, the way they were batting at one point. It looked like they could easily win the game,” he added.

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News Network
April 24,2020

New Delhi, Apr 24: India's World Cup-winning former opener Gautam Gambhir performed the last rites of his deceased domestic help after her mortal remains could not be sent to her home in Odisha due to the coronavirus-forced national lockdown.

Gambhir, also a BJP Lok Sabha MP, posted a tribute on his Twitter page for his employee Saraswati Patra, who was working at his residence for the past six years.

"Taking care of my little one can never be domestic help. She was family. Performing her last rites was my duty," he tweeted.

"Always believed in dignity irrespective of caste, creed, religion or social status. Only way to create a better society. That's my idea of India! Om Shanti," said the 38-year-old Gambhir, who played 58 Tests for India between 2004 and 2016.

Media reports in Odisha said the 49-year-old Patra hailed from a village in Jajpur district.

She was admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital a few days ago and was battling diabetes and high blood pressure for a long period. She breathed her last while undergoing treatment on April 21.

Union Minister of Petroleum and Steel Dharmendra Pradhan appreciated Gambhir.

"Taking care of Saraswati throughout the course of her illness, he also ensured her dignity in death by performing her last rites himself since her mortal remains could not be sent to her family back home in Odisha," Pradhan, who also belongs to Odisha, tweeted.

"His act of compassion will enliven the faith in humanity for millions of poor, who are working far from their home for livelihood and will garner respect from all folds of the society."

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