I am working on the mental aspect of my game: PV Sindhu

Agencies
March 17, 2018

Birmingham, Mar 17: Olympic silver medallist P V Sindhu says losing close matches from advantageous position dealt a blow to her confidence and she is looking to overcome it by working on the mental aspect of her game.

Sindhu achieved unprecedented success in the last couple of years but she also lost some heart-breaking losses in the finals of 2016 Rio Olympics, 2017 World Championship, 2017 Dubai Super Series Final and India Open this year.

"I have lost matches were I am leading. I know physically and mentally at times when you lose such matches it hits you, but we have to comeback stronger to ensure that it doesn't happen again," Sindhu said after ekeing out a thrilling win over Japan's Nozomi Okuhara to enter the semifinals of the All England Championship here.

"I have been working on my mental game. My coaches have been telling me, because sometimes I find when I hit out or tap to the net, when you actually have to get points, I lose confidence and get nervous. So they tell me 'let it be its over.' I have been practising that and I think I am getting better," she added.

In a re-match of the epic Glasgow World Championship final, Sindhu saw off Okuhara 20-22 21-18 21-18 in the pulsating clash that lasted one hour and 24 minutes. "It was like the World Championship and Dubai Super Series match, not so long may be but it was not easy to play against Okuhara. We know each other's game so there were long rallies. We had to give our best," Sindhu said.

"In the first game, I was leading 20-19 and I hit at the net. I was nervous, I was also trailing in the second but I knew it is not over till the last moment and I fought back and won 21-18. We can't expect easy points, we have to strategies our game focusing on each point. I was down in the decider and she was leading 16-12 like yesterday against Jindapol. So I am just happy I could fight back and win. It feels really great to be at the semifinal."

Asked what was her strategy against Okuhara, an opponent she has played 10 times now, losing five and winning as many times. "I have to be patient enough, and keep going, keep the shuttle in the court because she is a rally player, so have to be very consistent. She doesn't leave any shuttle, till the last minute, even if you hit the shuttle down, you can't relax and think it is over, you have to pick it up. You have to be ready always," Sindhu said.

The World No. 3 Indian, however, said quick recover will be the key tomorrow as she has played three three-game matches in the last three days. "I am playing well but it has been three-setters right from the start in this tournament and I really need to go back and recover well. It is not over because tomorrow going to be a big match. I have to give my 100 per cent," she said.

India chief coach Pullela Gopichand said he was happy to see Sindhu upset Okuhara today in another pulsating contest.

"It was a tough match and I think both of them are used to playing long matches,and it is good that she ended on the right side this time but Okuhara has been a fantastic fighter and it is great entertainment for the spectators," he said.

"Overall very happy to see Sindhu pull off a great win. They have had a very similar matches all along, and hopefully she will pull through in the next couple of days as well," he said.

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News Network
July 5,2020

Colombo, Jul 5: Sri Lanka batsman Kusal Mendis was on Sunday arrested for knocking down a pedestrian while driving, police said.

Mendis hit a 74-year-old man, killing him in the wee hours, in the Colombo suburb of Panadura.

He is to be produced before a magistrate later today, police said.

The 25-year-old wicket-keeper batsman has represented Sri Lanka in 44 Tests and 76 ODIs. Mendis was part of the national squad which had resumed training after the Covid-19 lockdown.

Sri Lanka's international assignments, including a tour by India, have been cancelled due to the pandemic.

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Agencies
June 7,2020

New Delhi, Jun 7: Former Pakistan spinner Danish Kaneria on Sunday said that Sourav Ganguly would be fit to lead the International Cricket Council (ICC), and added there is no reason for respective cricket boards to not support Ganguly if he wants to hold the post.

In an interaction with media, the former spinner said Ganguly has all the qualities of leading the ICC as he has been a reputed cricketer and knows what a player goes through in his life.

"I also think that it would be really helpful if Sourav Ganguly goes on to lead ICC, it will help cricket and the players as a reputed cricketer will hold such a big post, he has played professional cricket, he has led the Indian side and he has also held an administrative post in the Cricket Association of Bengal," Kaneria told media.

"It depends on all of the boards whether they want to support Ganguly or not, if other boards support Ganguly and PCB doesn't, then also Ganguly would have the maximum number of votes, as a cricketer Ganguly is fit to lead the ICC, he had led the Indian side so well and he has earned a name for himself, so I don't see any reason for boards not supporting Ganguly," he added.

Ganguly had become the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) last year, but speculation continued to rise over the former skipper heading the ICC.

"He is currently the president of the BCCI, he knows in and out of everything, he knows what players have to deal with and he is aware of what cricket needs, he knows what support needs to be given to associate nations, players would be able to put forward their point in front of Ganguly," Kaneria said.

In May this year, Cricket South Africa's (CSA) director of cricket Graeme Smith had backed Ganguly to lead the ICC looking at the current scenario.

"Now it is even more important to have someone in a role who can provide leadership who understands and can navigate the challenges in the game today. I think post-COVID with the things that are going to come our way, to have strong leadership is important. I feel that someone like Sourav Ganguly is best positioned for that at the moment," sport24.co.za had quoted Smith as saying.

"I know him well, I played against him a number of times and worked with him as an administrator and in television. I feel that he has got the credibility, the leadership skills, and is someone that can really take the game forward and I think that, more than anything, that is needed right now at an ICC level," he added.

ICC's elections are slated to be held in July this year and current chairperson Shashank Manohar has already clarified that he is not seeking a tenure extension.

Ganguly was exceptional in making India play its first day-night Test last year.

India had played its inaugural day-night Test against Bangladesh at the Eden Gardens last year.

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News Network
May 11,2020

Mumbai, May 11: The French Open, which was postponed to September from May due to the novel coronavirus outbreak, could be held without fans, the organisers of the claycourt Grand Slam have said.

Roland Garros had been scheduled for May 24 to June 7 before the French tennis federation (FFT) pushed it back to Sept. 20-Oct 4 in a bid to save the tournament from falling victim to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last week the FFT said all tickets purchased for this year's French Open would be cancelled and reimbursed instead of being transferred.

"Organising it without fans would allow a part of the economy to keep turning, (like) television rights and partnerships. It's not to be overlooked," FFT President Bernard Giudicelli told French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche.

"We're not ruling any option out."

The tennis season was suspended in early March due to the pandemic and the hiatus will continue at least until mid-July with many countries in lockdown.

Wimbledon has been cancelled while the status of the U.S. Open, scheduled to take place in late August, is still unclear.

COVID-19 Pandemic Tracker: 15 countries with the highest number of coronavirus cases, deaths

The FFT was widely criticised when they announced in mid-March that the French Open would be switched, with players bemoaning a lack of communication as the new dates clashed with the hardcourt season.

Organisers said last week they had been in talks with the sport's governing bodies to fine tune the calendar amid media reports that the Grand Slam tournament would be delayed further by a week and start on Sept. 27.

The delayed start would give players a two-week window between the end of the U.S. Open, played on the hardcourts of New York, and the Paris tournament.

"The 20th or the 27th, that does not change much," Giudicelli said.

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