Sindhu enters semis, Saina, Marin stunned in Yonex-Sunrise India Open 2018

coastaldigest.com news network
February 3, 2018

New Delhi, Feb 3: Defending champion PV Sindhu geared up for an encore at the Yonex-Sunrise Dr. Akhilesh Das Gupta India Open 2018, a part of the HSBC BWF World Tour 500, by booking a semifinal spot here on Friday.

But the women's field suffered a massive jolt when it lost two big guns, Saina Nehwal and Carolina Marin, in the quarterfinal rounds at the Siri Fort Badminton Indoor Stadium.

Fifth-seed Beiwen Zhang of USA shocked Saina 21-10, 21-13 in 32 minutes while Cheung Ngan Yi of Hong Kong accounted for second seed Marin 21-12, 21-19.

However, Sindhu kept the Indian flag flying high by going past eighth-seeded Beatriz Corrales 21-12, 19-21, 21-11 in 54 minutes.

The 25-year-old Corrales did well to claim the second game after losing the first 21-12. Down 13-20, the top seed, however, fought back by taking six points on the trot. She couldn’t the next two points though, failing to retrieve a shot despite a valiant dive.

Sindhu's semifinal opponent will be former World Champion and third seed Ratchanok Intanon, who handed out a 21-11, 21-11 drubbing to seventh seed Yip Pui Yin of Hong Kong.

It is not an easy matchup as the Thai star and current World No. 3 holds a 4-2 head to head advantage over the Indian. "She is a tricky opponent. It’s just that I have to play and give my best," Sindhu, who had defeated the 2013 World Champion 21-17, 21-17, three months ago in the Hong Kong Open, said.

Meanwhile, the Indian challenge in men's singles ended as eighth seed Sai Praneeth, Parupalli Kashyap and Sameer Verma bowed out in straight games to stronger opponents in the quarterfinals.

While Sai Praneeth lost to third seed Chou Tien Chien of Chinese Taipei 15-21, 13-21, Kashyap went down 16-21, 18-21 to Chinese Qiao Bin. The winners will clash in the first semifinal on Saturday.

Tien Chien, 28, who was last year's finalist here, held a 3-0 advantage over the Indian in their past three meetings and he extended that domination with a fluent victory in 43 minutes.

The 31-year-old Kashyap, who had lost to Qiao Bin in last year's China Masters, put up a spirited display but failed to get past his world No35-ranked rival.

Malaysian Isqandar Zulqarnain, who had upset Kidambi Srikanth on Thursday, continued his impressive run in the tournament defeating Verma 21-17, 21-14.

He will take on fourth seeded Shi Yuqi, who made it to the semis with a clinical 21-13, 21-12 victory over sixth seeded Wang Tzu Wei of Chinese Taipei.

Eight seeded pair of Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Sikki Reddy were the only Indians to book a semifinal spot in the doubles defeating Chinese duo of Han Chengkai and Cao Tong Wei 21-8, 21-13 in the mixed doubles quarters.

KEY QUARTERFINAL RESULTS

Men's Singles

3-Chou Tien Chen (Tpe) bt 8-Sai Praneeth (Ind) 21-15, 21-13

4-Shi Yuqi (Chn) bt 6-Wang Tzu Wei 23-13, 21-12

Qiao Bin (Chn) bt Parupalli Kashyap (Ind) 21-16, 21-18

Isqandar Zulkarnain (Mas) bt Sameer Verma (Ind) 21-17, 21-14

Women's Singles

1-PV Sindhu (Ind) bt 8-Beatriz Corrales (Esp) 21-12, 19-21, 21-11

6-Cheung Ngan Yi (HKG) bt 2-Carolina Marin (Esp) 21-12, 21-19 

3-Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) bt 7-Yip Pui Yin (HKG) 21-11, 21-11

5-Biewen Zhang (USA) bt 4-Saina Nehwal (Ind) 21-10, 21-13.

Men's Doubles

1-Marcus Gideon/ Kevin Sanjaya (Ina) bt Manu Attiri/ B Sumeeth Reddy 21-19, 21-19

4-Kim Astrup/ Anders Skaarup Rasmussen bt Francis Alwin/ K Nandagopal (Ind) 21-13, 21-14

Women's Doubles

1-Kamilla Rytter Juhl/ Christinna Pedersen (Den) bt 8-Kittipak Dubthuk/ Natcha Saengchote (Tha) 21-11, 21-13

2-Jongkolphan Kititharakul/ Rawinda Prajongjai (Tha) bt Jakkampudi Meghana/ Poorvisha S Ram (Ind) 21-10, 21-15

Du Yue/ Li Yinhui (Chn) bt 6-Ashwini Ponnappa/ Sikki Reddy 21-17, 23-21

Mixed Doubles

5-Mathias Christiansen/ Christinna Pedersen bt Satwiksairaj Rankireddy/ Ashwini Ponnappa 21-17, 21-11

8-Pranaav Jerry Chopra/ Sikki Reddy bt Han Chengkai/ Cao Tong Wei (Chn) 21-8, 21-13

SEMIFINAL LINEUP

Men's Singles

3-Chou Tien Chen (Tpe) v Qiao Bin (Chn)

4-Shi Yuqi (Chn) v Isqandar Zulkarnain (Mas)

Women's Singles

1-PV Sindhu (Ind) v 3-Ratchanok Intanon (Tha)

5-Beiwen Zhang (USA) v 6-Cheung Ngan Yi (HKG)

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Agencies
March 15,2020

Chennai, Mar 15: Wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni has left the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) training camp following the postponement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) amidst the coronavirus scare.

The former India skipper had joined the CSK's camp earlier this month in order to practice for the upcoming IPL season.

CSK's official handle tweeted a video of Dhoni and captioned the post as: "It has become your home sir!" Keep whistling, as #Thala Dhoni bids a short adieu to #AnbuDen".

Thirty-eight-year-old Dhoni has been 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.

Earlier this year, Dhoni did not find a place for himself in the BCCI's centrally contracted players list.

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

On Friday, BCCI decided to postpone the IPL until April 15 as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus pandemic.

On Saturday, all the IPL franchises met in Mumbai to discuss as to how to go on with the tournament in the future.

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Agencies
June 23,2020

Islamabad, Jun 23: Seven more Pakistan cricketers, including Muhammad Hafeez and Wahab Riaz, selected for the tour of England have tested positive for COVID-19, taking the total to 10, the PCB revealed on Tuesday.

The seven who tested positive on Tuesday are Kashif Bhatti, Muhammad Hasnain, Fakhar Zaman, Muhammad Rizwan, Imran Khan, Hafeez and Riaz. Shadab Khan, Haider Ali and Haris Rauf had returned positive tests on Monday.

“It is not a great situation to be in and what it shows is these are 10 fit and young athletes...if it can happen to players it can happen to anyone,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) CEO, Wasim Khan told a media conference.

He said a support staff member, masseur Malang Ali, had also tested positive for COVID-19.

Khan said that the players and officials would now assemble in Lahore and another round of tests would be carried out on June 25 and a revised squad would be announced the next day.

The squad has to leave on June 28 for the series scheduled to be held next month, he said.

“It is a matter of concern but we shouldn’t panic at this time as we have time on our hands,” Khan said.

He said the players and officials would be retested on reaching England.

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Agencies
February 23,2020

Madrid, Feb 23: Lionel Messi scored four goals and Barcelona reclaimed the top spot in the La Liga as Real Madrid suffered a surprise defeat by Levante last night, a week before the Clasico.

Madrid's nightmare afternoon was made worse by another injury to Eden Hazard, who was forced off in the second half of their 1-0 defeat in Valencia and is now doubtful to face Manchester City on Wednesday in the Champions League.

"It doesn't look good," said Real coach Zinedine Zidane afterwards.

Messi, meanwhile, ridiculed talk of a goal drought by scoring four against Eibar after four games without one, while emergency signing Martin Braithwaite made two assists off the bench, teeing up Messi and then Arthur Melo in injury-time.

Their 5-0 rout, coupled with Madrid's defeat, means Barca move back to the summit of La Liga, two points ahead of Zidane's side ahead of next Saturday's showdown at the Santiago Bernabeu.

It amounts to a considerable shift in momentum, with Barcelona away at Napoli in the first leg of the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday.

Madrid host City a day later and the plan had been for Hazard to regain form and fitness in what was only his second start since returning from three months out with a broken right foot.

But the Belgian sat in the dug-out with an ice pack around the same foot after going off and Zidane suggested it was a repeat injury after the match. "It can be weak where you've had an injury," he said.

For Madrid, playing catch-up again next weekend will be a particularly heavy psychological blow, especially given the series of off-field problems engulfing Barcelona in recent weeks.

Yet on the pitch, Messi showed no sign of distraction as the 32-year-old completed the second fastest of his now 36 league hat-tricks, after less than 40 minutes at Camp Nou.

"There's nothing left to do but stand up and applaud," Eibar wrote on Twitter afterwards.

"I won't wash my kit after hugging Messi," said Braithwaite.

Braithwaite's arrival from Leganes drew criticism after Barcelona capitalised on a curious La Liga rule that allows clubs to sign outside of the transfer window if they have lost a player to serious injury.

Brilliant Messi

Messi quickly got to work, scoring a brilliant first goal in the 14th minute after collecting the ball centrally, around 30 yards out. He had three Eibar defenders in front of him but found a way through, nutmegging Anaitz Arbilla before chipping delicately into the corner.

The second came in the 37th minute as Sergio Busquets found Arturo Vidal, who feathered a flick into Messi's path. Messi surged forward, past his stumbling opponents, and fired in.

His third, three minutes later, was the simplest of the trio and arrived only after he tried to play in Antoine Griezmann. His generosity was rewarded as a sloppy Griezmann touch meant the ball cannoned back to Messi, who apologetically poked in.

Coach Quique Setien was able to take Griezmann off with 18 minutes left and introduce Braithwaite for his debut. Braithwaite's first contribution was a skewed cross but things improved immeasurably from there, as two passes across goal gave Messi his fourth and Arthur his first.

Madrid were never in control of a chaotic contest against Levante but might have taken the lead if Hazard had done better with a long ball over the top from Marcelo, which he failed to control and then scuffed into the hands of Aitor Fernandez.

He limped off and Madrid lost their way, finally punished with 11 minutes left by a straight ball through to Morales. Luka Modric, exposed on the right side of Madrid's defence, was unable to recover and Morales caught Courtois by surprise by firing early past the goalkeeper and into the top corner.

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