Azarenka, Li Na in clash for the crown

January 25, 2013

Li_NaMelbourne, Jan 24: Novak Djokovic installed himself as red-hot favourite for a third straight Australian Open title with a semifinal demolition of David Ferrer on Thursday after Victoria Azarenka had controversially set up a final against Li Na.

Serbian world number one Djokovic was brutally dominant as he pulverised the Spanish fourth seed 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in 89 minutes in Rod Laver Arena to race into Sunday's final against Roger Federer or Andy Murray.

"This was definitely one of the best matches of my career," he said. "Tonight (Thursday) I just played incredible,’’ he added.

China's Li could only be less convincing despite the impressive 6-2, 6-2 win over Russia's 2008 champion Maria Sharapova but it was the second women's semifinal that provided the main talking point of the day.

There was no doubt that defending champion Azarenka was a worthy 6-1, 6-4 winner over American teenager Sloane Stephens but the spectre of gamesmanship was raised when the Belarusian took a lengthy medical timeout after failing to convert five match points.

"I almost did the choke of the year right now," the world number one said at courtside. "At 5-3, having so many chances, couldn't close it out but I'm glad I could close it out. Nerves got into me for sure,’’ she revealed.

Stephens, playing in her first Grand Slam semifinal after upsetting Serena Williams on Wednesday, was not about to make an issue of it and Azarenka clarified her comments in the face of a barrage of questions at her post-match news conference.

Dominant Djoker

Djokovic looked like he barely wanted to take a break even at changeovers as he delivered a one-sided masterpiece of a performance against the fifth best player in men's tennis.

The 25-year-old Serbian won 91 percent of his first serve points, converted all seven of his break points and hit 30 winners as he thrashed Ferrer.

"I have a great feeling about myself on the court at this moment," Djokovic said. "Now I have two days off before the finals which gives me enough time to get ready and recover for the finals,’’ he added.

Perhaps deciding that he had not spent enough time on the main showcourt, Djokovic later reappeared during a seniors doubles match dressed as a doctor to give Henri Leconte mock medical treatment.

While Djokovic's performance had the tennis purists purring, Li's victory would have had the tournament's marketing department grinning from ear to ear.

The self-titled "Grand Slam of the Asia-Pacific" has never had an Asian singles champion and Li, whose first trip to the Melbourne Park final ended in defeat to Kim Clijsters in 2011, has a second chance to put that right. "At the beginning of the match I was nervous," said the 30-year-old Chinese. "I was happy to be back in the semis again.

I'm really hungry for the title," the former French Open champion added. "I think this time should be maybe a different story,’’ Li said. Second seed Sharapova had carved her way ruthlessly through the draw at Melbourne Park, conceding only nine games on her way to the semifinals.

Li has also been in impressive form this year and will be quietly confident that she has the measure of Azarenka.

Certainly, on Thursday, the Chinese showed none of the mental frailties that have dogged her in the past as she broke the Russian in her first service game and never looked back.

“When your opponent is always up and ahead, it's always a little bit mentally easier for them to keep that going," said Sharapova.

"If I would have taken those chances and clawed my way back and made it a bit tougher for her, I'm sure she would have thought a little bit more. But I certainly didn't make her think about anything," the Russian added.

Bhupathi, Sania exit

The Indian campaign came to an end at after Sania Mirza and Mahesh Bhupathi crashed out of the mixed doubles, losing their respective quarterfinal matches in contrasting fashion on Thursday.

Third seeds Sania and her American partner Bob Bryan were stunned 5-7, 4-6 by the unseeded Czech duo of Lucie Hradecka and Frantisek Cermak.

Fifth seeds Bhupathi and his Russian partner Nadia Petrova lost 3-5, 6-3, 11-13 to the Australian combine of Jarmila Gajdosova and Matthew Ebden.

Results (semifinals, prefix denotes seeding): Men’s singles: 1-Novak Djokovic (Srb) beat 4-David Ferrer (Esp) 6-2, 6-2, 6-1. Women’s singles: 1-Victoria Azarenka (Blr) bt 29-Sloane Stephens (US) 6-1, 6-4; 6-Li Na (Chn) bt 2-Maria Sharapova (Rus) 6-2, 6-2. Mixed doubles (Quarterfinals): Jarmila Gajdosova/ Matthew Ebden (Aus) bt 5-Nadia Petrova/ Mahesh Bhupathi (Rus/ Ind) 6-3, 3-6, 13-11; Lucie Hradecka/ Frantisek Cermak (Cze) bt 3-Sania Mirza (Ind)/ Bob Bryan (US) 7-5, 6-4. Men’s doubles (Semifinals): Robin Haase/ Igor Sijsling (Ned) bt 3-Marcel Granollers/ Marc Lopez (Esp) 7-5, 6-4; 1-Bob Bryan/ Mike Bryan (US) bt Simone Bolelli/ Fabio Fognini (Ita) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.

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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
March 27,2020

New Delhi, Mar 27: India skipper Virat Kohli on Friday made a heartfelt appeal to the citizens of the country, asking them to follow social distancing as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus pandemic.
He also went on to say that over the past few days, he has seen some people still taking to the streets, and added that if people still continue to venture out, then they are not being honest with the country.
Kohli released a small video clip on Twitter, making the public appeal and captioned the post as: "Please wake up to the reality and seriousness of the situation and take responsibility. The nation needs our support and honesty"
"Today, I am talking to you as a citizen of the country. Whatever I have seen over the past few days, I have seen people not following the lockdown, it has made me feel that some people are taking the battle against COVID-19 very lightly. I request you all to please follow social distancing, whatever the government is asking you to do, please follow it," Kohli said in the video released on Twitter.
"Think about what can happen to your family members because of your negligence. Our medical experts are fighting this battle day in and day out. If you are still going out to the streets, then I don't think you are being honest to your country," he added.
On Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi decided to impose a 21-day lockdown in the country as a precautionary measure against coronavirus.
According to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the total number of COVID-19 positive cases have risen to 724 in India (including 640 active cases, 66 cured or discharged people) and 17 deaths.
The World Health Organisation had termed the coronavirus outbreak as a pandemic on March 11. 

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News Network
July 16,2020

Kolkata, Jul 16: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday went into home quarantine after his elder brother and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) joint secretary Snehasish Ganguly tested positive for Covid-19.

Snehasish, a former Bengal first-class player, has been admitted to the Belle Vue hospital in Kolkata after his COVID report came positive.

"He was suffering from fever for the last few days and his test report came positive today. He's been admitted to Belle Vue Hospital," a CAB official said.

"The reports arrived late in the evening. As per health protocols, even Sourav will have to be in home quarantine for a stipulated period," a source close to the BCCI President added.

Snehasish had shifted to their ancestral house, where Sourav is based, in Behala after his wife and in-laws at his Mominpur residence tested positive for the dreaded virus.

The former India captain was, however, unavailable for a comment on the development.

Recently, during an interview to India Today, Sourav had spoken about how life around him has changed, making people more vulnerable.

"My brother visits our factories everyday and he is more at risk," the former batting star had said

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