What ban? Chinese in thrall to tennis 'goddess' Sharapova

Agencies
October 5, 2017

Beijing, Oct 5: One fellow player labelled her "a cheater" and she is said to be unpopular in the locker room, but Maria Sharapova remains a crowd favorite in China despite her doping ban.

"Welcome back goddess," said one banner at the China Open in Beijing this week, while a Russian flag had the words: "I got your back Maria."

The 30-year-old Russian was in the Chinese capital this week for the first time since coming back to tennis in April from a 15-month suspension for taking the banned substance meldonium.

The former No. 1 is now 104 in the world and needed a wildcard to make it to the China Open because of her lowly ranking.

Sharapova's return to the tennis circuit divided opinion, with the Canadian Eugenie Bouchard among her biggest critics, calling the 5-time Grand Slam champion "a cheater" who should never have been allowed to play again.

But try telling that to Sharapova's fans in Beijing, where along with Rafael Nadal she was the biggest draw at the China Open and there were tears among her supporters when she was dumped out on Wednesday.

Sharapova was emphatically beaten by world No. 2 Simona Halep, 6-2, 6-2.

Suky, 26, flew from Xiamen in eastern China to see her hero in the flesh for the first time this week.

Chinese flags flutter all over the country at this time of year to mark the founding of communist China, but the only flag on Suky's right cheek was a smudged Russian tricolor.

On her left arm and chest she had written her version of Sharapova's signature in black biro.

"I love Maria Sharapova," she said, speaking prior to Sharapova's defeat. "She's fair and beautiful, and so powerful and determined, she never gives up."

But what about that doping ban?

"I think that's an American secret," she replied, lowering her voice slightly.

Pushed to expand on her conspiracy theory, she pulled out her smartphone and tapped Chinese into a translation app.

"Political intrigue" popped up on the screen in English. She declined to go into further detail.

- 'Beautiful and so tall' -

Vivian and Lucia, both 20 and volunteers at China's biggest annual tennis event, are also diehard Sharapova fans.

"She fights to win every game, even when it's difficult and hard," said Vivian, a student who only volunteered so she could catch a glimpse of the Russian.

"She's also beautiful and so tall. We walked past her and I was like, 'Gosh!'"

So that makes up for the ban?

"So what? It doesn't matter," Lucia chipped in. "It's in the past. So you never made a mistake?"

Sharapova, who according to reports is not popular with some players because of her supposedly lofty attitude, had an initial two-year ban reduced to 15 months after the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled she was not "an intentional doper".

On her first appearance back, in Stuttgart in April, the crowd gave her a polite reception and then in her Grand Slam return -- at the US Open -- the crowd was largely supportive.

If her Chinese fans are keen to look forward, the Russian is too and in one press conference in Beijing she alluded to being "away from the game for a long time", without saying any more.

But in what was the sixth tournament of her stop-start comeback, she was more forthcoming when asked about the unwavering support she gets in China, where she won the Beijing title in 2014.

"It's always really nice to have that welcome and it's really special to see fans that take the time and effort to make signs, to come up with wording," she said on Tuesday.

"For them to put in that effort is very special. For them to cheer and welcome me back to Beijing is really nice."

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News Network
February 29,2020

Feb 29: India were all out for 242 in their first innings following a stunning battling collapse, triggered by paceman Kyle Jamieson on the opening day of the second cricket Test against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval, here on Saturday.

India were steady at 194 for five at tea but lost wickets in quick succession after the play resumed. Jamieson returned figures of 14-3-45-5.

Hanuma Vihari top-scored for India with his combative 55 while Prithvi Shaw (54) and Cheteshwar Pujara (54) hit contrasting half-centuries.

Virat Kohli's (3) poor run continued while his deputy Ajikya Rahane (7) also fell cheaply.

India lost last five wickets for 48 runs, of which 26 were contributed by last-wicket pair of Mohammed Shami (16) and Jasprit Bumrah (10).

Brief Scores:

India 1st innings: 242 all out in 63 overs. (H Vihari 55, P Shaw 54, C Pujara 54 batting; Kyle Jamieson 5/45, Tim Southee 2/38, ).

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Agencies
August 5,2020

New Delhi, Aug 5: Indian cricketers Suresh Raina and Harmanpreet Kaur were on Wednesday appointed as the global brand ambassadors of the WTF Sports.

Raina is also joining the brand as a Strategic Partner. WTF Sports, a fantasy sports gaming platform, was today formally launched in India and globally.

The announcement was made through a web conference with prominent cricket host, Vikram Sathaye moderating and hosting the webinar and Vinit Bhatia, Manit Parikh and Yash Kadakia Co-Founders - India and Global, WTF Sports introducing the cricketers as the Global Brand Ambassadors.

Kaur said it was a perfect fit for her and she can use her strategy and experience while playing.
"WTF Sports was the perfect fit with me, I can use strategy and my experience while playing, I've actually learnt to strategize better as I've played along. Additionally, when we were under lockdown and I couldn't really practice, it was fun to come on the platform and feel like I'm still playing," Kaur said in a statement.

On the other hand, Raina said, "It is exciting to be a part of a fantasy sports platform like WTF Sports not just as an ambassador but also as the strategic partner, it is everything that I embody and what I believe in, it's fierce, fun and competitive."

The app currently hosts three major sports, multiple playing modes, and exciting contests, ensuring that sports fans can get more skillful by letting them strategize and use their sports knowledge into rewarding behaviour.

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News Network
May 25,2020

Karachi, May 25: Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq believes Babar Azam is destined to be a world-class player and is very close to being in the same league as India skipper Virat Kohli and Australia's Steve Smith.

"I don't like comparisons but Babar is currently very close to being in the same class as Virat Kohli, Steve Smith or Joe Root," Misbah said in an interview to Youtube channel, Cricket Baaz.

"He believes in the work ethic that if you want to better Kohli you have to work harder than him at your skills, fitness and game awareness."

The 25-year-old, who was named captain of the Pakistan T20 team ahead of the Australia series in October last year, was recently handed the reins of ODI team as well.

"Making him the T20 captain was a tester. We wanted to see how he will respond to this challenge. All of us agree that he has done a very good job and his biggest plus is that being among the worlds top players he leads by example," Misbah said.

"If you are a performer like Babar then it becomes easier for you to motivate the rest of the team and get things done.

"Even when I was made captain in 2010 my performances were here and there and I was in and out. But captaincy changed my game and mindset and I became a more hard-working and motivated cricketer."

Misbah said Babar always challenges himself and would get better as a captain with experience.

"He is in a zone of his own. He just doesn't want to be in the team. He just doesn't want to play for money. He wants to be the top performer for Pakistan. He is always pitting himself against other top batsmen like Kohli or Smith," he said.

"He loves challenges in the nets and on the field. He has really matured as a player and in time he will get better as a captain with experience."

Babar was the leading run-scorer of the T20I series against Australia last year. He also scored 210 runs, which included a hundred, at 52.50 in the Test series against the same opponents.

In the two-Test home series against Sri Lanka, Babar ended the series with 262 runs with an average of exactly 262.

Misbah feels Babar had changed as a batsman when he got runs in the Tests in Australia.

"Before that he was getting runs in tests but not consistently. In Australia and in the following tests against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh he changed," he said.

Talking about his experience as a head coach, Misbah said: "Having captained, it has helped me a lot. As captain I had to manage everything and also having played under top coaches ... I have seen closely their work ethics and how they managed things.

"It is a learning process. Having remained captain it is a big advantage for coaching because you know the players and their mood swings. You know which player will respond in a given situation,which player is feeling pressure in a scenario.

Misbah said it is not easy juggling between different roles.

"Most important thing as a coach is mentally and psychologically how you handle a group of players," the former skipper said.

"Sometimes captain and coach is different as you have to take tough decisions. Being chief selector makes it it a bit difficult but I had experience of creating and managing teams, I have been building teams since 2003. Till now it is going well."

Misbah feels in Pakistan cricket there were different parameters for judging foreign and local coaches.

"I don't know why it is like this why do we have different eye for locals and foreigners. Maybe we feel they have something special. It looks like every decision by a foreign coach is right. In contrast we tend to be very critical of local coaches no matter what decision they take," he said.

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