Month: September 2023

New York (TIP)- Daniil Medvedev ended Carlos Alcaraz’s hopes for a second-successive US Open title, as he defeated the world no.1 Spaniard 7-6, 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 in a little more than three hours to enter the final of the 2023 edition. Medvedev will set up the title clash with Novak Djokovic, who beat American youngster Ben Shelton in straight sets to advance to final earlier on Saturday, September 9.
Seeded third, Medvedev had secured his first major title at the 2021 US Open, where he defeated Djokovic in the final. This victory had denied Djokovic the opportunity to achieve the first calendar-year Grand Slam in men’s tennis since 1969. Alcaraz was the defending champion at the Flushing Meadows, having defeated Norway’s Casper Ruud in four sets to win his maiden Grand Slam title last year. This year, the 20-year-old Spaniard added another Slam to his cabinet, clinching the Wimbledon title in an incredible five-setter against Djokovic. Interestingly, prior to the start of the two weeks at US Open, there had been widespread anticipation of a final showdown between Djokovic and Alcaraz.
Medvedev’s 2021 title at the US Open remains his only Grand Slam title to date. Additionally, this marks Medvedv’s fifth major title match overall. His previous finals appearances include a loss to Rafael Nadal in New York in 2019 and defeats to Djokovic at the Australian Open in 2021 and 2022.
The 20-year-old Alcaraz, despite his many accomplishments on the tennis court, has never staged a comeback from being two sets down to win a match. Facing adversity, Alcaraz approached the third set with increased determination after being two-down, securing a crucial break by executing a clever lob to establish a 3-1 lead.
This breakthrough proved to be sufficient for Alcaraz as he maintained his composure to claim the set 6-3, marking the beginning of his comeback effort.
The fourth set evolved into a test of willpower, particularly during a tense sixth game that spanned 13 minutes. In this critical moment, Medvedev secured a hard-fought break, propelling himself to a 4-2 advantage.
With a quick hold, the pressure shifted entirely onto Alcaraz, as his hopes of defending his title hung in the balance, necessitating a break to extend the match.
In a breathtaking and back-and-forth game, Alcaraz made a final stand, requiring Medvedev to fend off four match points to seal the victory.

Oman (TIP)- India beat Pakistan in penalty shootout in the final to win the inaugural Men’s Hockey 5s Asia Cup 2023 in Salalah, Oman, on September 2.
Pakistan led 3-2 at half-time but the men in blue managed to come back and level the score at 4-4 before the full-time whistle. In the shootout, Maninder Singh and Gurjot Singh scored for India while goalkeeper Suraj Karkera saved the attempts of both players from Pakistan – Arshad Liaqat and Muhammad Murtaza.
It was a spirited start from India as it started pushing deep in Pakistan’s half straightaway. But Pakistan intercepted the ball and started threatening from the left flank. Indian goalkeeper Suraj Karkera stepped up to make important saves, but Pakistan broke the resistance with Abdul Rehman (5’) getting the opening goal of the match. However, Pakistan could not keep the Indian attackers quiet for too long, and Jugraj Singh (7’) provided the much-needed equalizer for India. Three minutes later, India took lead as Maninder Singh (10’) scored with a reverse hit from a distance. Pakistan Captain Abdul Rana (13’), and Zikriya Hayat (14’) scored back-to-back late goals and the match went into halftime with Pakistan leading 3-2.
Trailing by a goal, India needed to deliver an urgent response in the second half, and the Mandeep Mor-led side started maintaining possession and pressing deeper in the opposition’s half. But Pakistan made the most of a challenge as Arshad Liaqat (19’) struck the ball into the back of the nets. Mohammed Raheel (19’) gave a response straightaway to pull a goal back for India. India started attacking from all corners, leading to Pakistan making a couple of crucial defensive errors. After receiving a long pass, Mohammed Raheel (26’) dribbled past Pakistan’s defence and struck the ball into the net to level the scoreline.
Hockey India announced Rs 2 Lakh for each player of the team, while Rs 1 Lakh each for the support staff.
India had already qualified for the 2024 FIH Hockey 5s World Cup with its victory over Malaysia in the semifinals.

A three-set defeat after serving an opening-set bagel can be a sour outcome to digest, as Madison Keys would’ve felt after losing her US Open semi-final to Aryna Sabalenka with an astonishing 6-0, 6-7(1), 6-7(5-10) scoreline.
Sabalenka would know, having been through the rare reversal herself in February at a WTA event in Dubai. Turning up for her first tournament since becoming a Grand Slam champion at the Australian Open, Sabalenka imploded in a 6-0, 6-7(2), 1-6 quarter-final loss to Barbora Krejcikova.
The big-hitting Belarusian has been prone to such mid-match breakdowns, and showed signs of that on Thursday as Keys unlocked her beast mode for the first six games. Getting broken again in the third game of the second set, Sabalenka went chattering away to her box, slammed her racquet against the towel stand and flung it towards her team.
The meltdown done; it was immediately dusted. In the next game and on her third break point where Keys struck a backhand wide, Sabalenka stared at her box again, this time with an assured first bump.
That would be the start of the top-drawer turnaround from the world No. 1-in-waiting that put Sabalenka one step away from her career and season’s second Slam triumph, although home favourite Coco Gauff would like one of her own on Saturday.
The Australian Open champion has been a familiar face in the semi-finals of all majors this year— the first woman to do so in a single season since Serena Williams in 2016. This was, however, only her second win from seven outings in the last-four stage of Slams. All the other five defeats came in three-setters, with Sabalenka blowing an opening-set lead in three of them.

Buenos Aires (TIP)- Once again, and now as a World Cup champion, Lionel Messi came to Argentina’s rescue when the team most needed him. The 36-year-old captain scored from a free-kick in the 78th minute to give Argentina a 1-0 win against Ecuador in the first round of the South American World Cup qualifying on Thursday, September 7. It was Messi’s 104th goal in 176 international appearances, including his 29th in World Cup qualifying. Those 29 goals equal the record of Luis Suarez of Uruguay. “Every match needs 100% from us in this qualifying,” Messi said after the match. “This was a tough match to play, a very physical one.”
Dutch blitz sinks Greece
Three first-half goals secured Netherlands a comfortable 3-0 win over Greece in a European Championship qualifier on Thursday.
Marten de Roon, Cody Gakpo and Wout Weghorst scored as the Dutch won their second match in Group B, showing much improvement after crashing out of the Nations League finals they hosted in June. They now have six points, ahead of Greece on goal difference, behind leaders France who have won five out of five.
France took a giant stride towards the Euro 2024 finals as they maintained their perfect qualifying record with a 2-0 home victory over Ireland.
Playing at the Parc des Princes to preserve the Stade de France pitch for the Rugby World Cup opener between France and New Zealand, Les Bleus prevailed thanks to goals by Aurelien Tchouameni and Marcus Thuram in a one-sided match.

Colombo (TIP)- Can KL Rahul keep wickets for the entire duration of an ODI? That question has gathered steam after his inclusion in the India squad for ongoing Asia Cup and the upcoming World Cup. But on Friday, September 8, Rahul might have answered a few sceptics while keeping for nearly 45 minutes at nets.
Even though Rahul has been batting quite fluently at the NCA match simulation process and at nets here, his wicketkeeping remained a subject of speculation.
Rahul’s intense keeping drill at nets might have also brightened his chance of getting included in India’s playing 11 for the Super 4 match against Pakistan on Sunday.
Rahul last played for India in an ODI match against Australia in Chennai in March this year.
Going through various scenarios of a match was at the core of Rahul’s training at the Premadasa Stadium on Friday.
The training started with Rahul standing up to the stumps as two support staff members did the duties of batter and bowler, a simulation of keeping to spinners.
Rahul was given a test on collecting the ball outside off-stump, and the 31-year-old also managed to crouch for the entire duration of training without much discomfort.
It might have given the team management a vivid portend about Rahul’s recovery from a niggle which was independent of the right thigh injury that mandated a surgery and rehabilitation.
Rahul soon shifted his focus to collecting the ball down the leg-side as the support staff aimed his throws in that direction. Rahul aced the test without much difficulty, and glided down the leg to collect the balls. The drill followed an assessment to test his ability to affect stumpings, and later Kuldeep Yadav batted as Rahul’s readiness to keep against a left-handed batter was also put under the test.
The clear indications of his readiness notwithstanding, the team management will have to apply deep thoughts about giving Rahul a place in the 11.
In the absence of Rahul, Ishan Kishan has been playing the wicket-keeper batter role.
Kishan made four half-centuries in as many matches – 3 against the West Indies and one against Pakistan, to impress all. The Jharkhand left-hander also showed heartening adaptability in this interim. Kishan batted in his preferred opening slot against the Windies.
But the management asked him to bat at No. 5 against Pakistan in the Asia Cup league match, and Kishan produced a composed 81-ball 82.
The management might be tempted to continue with Kishan but the return of Rahul might have started a change in thinking.
In the past too one has seen players walking straight back into the 11 after recuperation, with the latest example being Shreyas Iyer. The Mumbaikar, who made a return to the India side during the match against Pakistan at Pallekele after a hiatus of 6 months, was allotted the No. 4 slot, his chosen position. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson, who was the travelling reserve, returned to India after Rahul joined the squad here.
Pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who skipped the Asia Cup league match against Nepal to be with his wife for the birth of their first child, too has rejoined the squad, and sweated it out at the nets. Source: PTI