U Mumba captain Sunil Kumar scripted history after his team clinched a thrilling win against the Bengaluru Bulls, with the scoreline of 34-32 at the Noida Indoor Stadium on Monday. Kumar equalled Fazel Atrachali’s record for most wins as a captain in Pro Kabaddi League history, with both players having 73 wins to their name as captain. Shedding light on his thoughts after etching his name in the history books, he said, “No, I wasn’t thinking about the record before the game because I didn’t remember it. I only wanted to get the win for the team. It was important to win because teams like Jaipur Pink Panthers, Puneri Paltan and Telugu Titans are close to us in the points table. So, it was crucial to win today. I never thought about equalling a record or anything along those lines.” He also put forward his ambitions for the remainder of the season, expressing his desire to win the trophy for U Mumba. “U Mumba haven’t won the trophy since the second season and haven’t been able to make it to the playoffs in the last 3-4 seasons. So, the aim is to qualify and win the trophy for U Mumba,” Sunil Kumar said. Also Read: Mumba coach Mazandarani hails Ajit Chouhan as the ‘raider to watch’ in PKL The captain mentioned how his team have been performing well for most parts this season, while also addressing areas they need to focus on to improve ahead of their next game against the Telugu Titans. “It’s great for the team that we are in second place now. However, the team’s performance for the first 35 minutes was impressive. We played well in that period, but after that we didn’t play that well. “We’re making the same mistake in every game. In the last five minutes of matches, the team is giving away more points and the raiders are getting caught. The good thing is that Manjeet is finding his form now. He did a Super Tackle and got us two points to win us the game,” he added. With some time to reflect on the feat he had just achieved, Sunil Kumar said, “I’m happy with the record. Fazel is a senior player compared to me and has been in the league before me. Today, I’ve equaled his record as captain after this win. So, I’m really happy. I will continue to try and make sure the team wins matches, and I keep playing well.” Preview for matches on November 27 Showstopper Mohammadreza Shadloui will be in action in the first match of the day, which will see the Haryana Steelers go up against Puneri Paltan. Haryana Steelers sit at the top of the table with four wins in their last five matches and have been the in-form team so far this season. They’ll be hoping to keep the momentum going against a Puneri Paltan side that have blown hot and cold recently and sit fourth on the tightly contested points table. In the second game of the day, Dabang Delhi K.C. will take on the Patna Pirates. The two highest-scoring raiders in the league will go toe-to-toe when Ashu Malik and Devank face each other in this game. Dabang Delhi K.C. will coming into this contest with a six-match unbeaten streak, but only a point separates them from the Patna Pirates, who will be eager to get back to winning ways.
26 November,2024 10:32 PM IST | Noida | AgenciesWinning three gold medals each, Shivaansh Athalye of the Chatrrapati Shivaji Maharaj Sports Sankul and Anaahi Jain from Wadala Swimming Pool clinched top honours in the boys and girls U-9 category respectively at the GMAAA Annual Lower Age-group Swim Meet at Khar Gym. Also Read: Dope issue overshadows Sinner’s Davis Cup win Shivaansh triumphed in 50m breast stroke, 50m freestyle and 100m individual medley, while Anaahi topped the 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly and 100m individual medley. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 November,2024 08:06 AM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesWorld No. 1 Jannik Sinner said his off-court turmoil over doping accusations was “heartbreaking”, after winning the Davis Cup with Italy on Sunday night to complete a stellar year. Sinner beat Tallon Griekspoor 7-6 (2), 6-2 for a 2-0 win over the Netherlands after Matteo Berrettini put Italy ahead with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Botic van de Zandschulp. Also Read: ‘Man Utd are confused, afraid’ Sinner, 23, won the Australian Open, US Open and ATP Finals before this Davis Cup triumph, but admitted he’s unable to play with a clear head, awaiting the outcome of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) appeal against his initial exoneration for twice testing positive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March. Sinner said: “It’s in the head a little bit. The important part is the people who know me, trust me. That’s also why I kept playing the level I have. I was emotionally a bit down, a bit heartbroken. Sometimes life gives you difficulties and you just have to [deal with] it.” This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 November,2024 08:04 AM IST | Spain | AFPSt Joseph’s (Wadala) won the boys U-13 crown while Bombay Scottish (Mahim) claimed the girls U-13 title of the MSSA inter-school basketball tournament at Rajhans Vidyalaya, Andheri, recently. Also Read: Lots at stake for us tonight, says Mueller The boys final saw Joseph’s down Bombay Scottish 19-9 in a well-contested final. St Joseph’s were well-served by captain Mayank Tambe, who top-scored with eight points. He received good support from teammates Pranav Kumar (six points), Kaivalya Nage (three) and Nivaan Punjabi (two). Avighna Chury (four points) was the leading scorer for Bombay Scottish. In the girls final, Bombay Scottish got the better of Dhirubhai Mukesh Ambani School (Bandra) 11-4. The Scottish girls dominated the final with Anuriti Singh emerging as the leading scorer with five points while Jeshna Shetty and Anaya Gavand netted two points each and Vritika Shah and Sujata Dhawale added one point to the tally. For Dhirubhai Mukesh Ambani School, Devika Joshi scored all four points.
26 November,2024 07:58 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus VedanayagamDefending champion Ding Liren of China on Monday ended a long winless run to beat teenage challenger Gukesh Dommaraju of India in the opening game of their World Chess Championship match. Ding, 32, had not won a classical chess match since January and he appeared to be on the defensive early on against his opponent, who played with the white pieces, and took up a great deal of his time allotment to contemplate each move. But he turned things around with a bold attack by his queen, and put 18-year-old Gukesh on the back foot and also left him facing time pressure. Ding managed to press home his advantage in masterful fashion and although Gukesh was able to extend the contest, he eventually conceded the game after 42 moves in more than four hours of play. Also Read: Bhuvneshwar leads Indian pacers’ ‘Pay Day’, Shardul goes unsold “For sure I was nervous... it would be surprising if I said I wasn’t nervous, I was surely nervous,” Gukesh told reporters after the match. “But after the game started, I calmed down... I think I was playing some good chess... and then I kind of flipped.” Ding, who took a nine-month break from chess last year due to personal difficulties and depression, said he had ample time to prepare for the match since his last classical game two months ago. Ding counter-attacks Playing the black pieces, Ding said he thought he was at a disadvantage. “But then suddenly I found this idea... I’d be [able] to create counter-breaks on the queen side, and I just moved the piece very quickly,” he said at the after-match news conference. First win after 28 games The result ended a run of 28 classical games without a win for Ding, who had been winless since beating Dutchman Max Warmerdam in January. Ding and Gukesh will face off for game two at Singapore’s Resorts World Sentosa on Tuesday. At his age, Gukesh is the youngest player in history to challenge for the World Championship and he will hope to surpass Garry Kasparov as the youngest undisputed world chess champion. There are 14 match days and four rest days scheduled for the world chess crown. The first player to get 7.5 points will be declared the winner with tie-breaks scheduled if the players are tied on seven points after 14 games. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 November,2024 07:51 AM IST | Singapore | AFPPV Sindhu and Lakshya Sen will aim to end their title droughts when they spearhead India’s challenge at the Syed Modi International Super 300 badminton tournament starting here on Tuesday. Fresh off a semi-final finish in their comeback tournament post the Paris Olympics, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty, the former World No. 1 doubles pair, enter as favourites in the men’s doubles category. Sindhu, a two-time Olympic medallist, last clinched a title at the Singapore Open in 2022, while Lakshya, a 2021 World Championships bronze-medallist, won the Canada Open in 2023. Sindhu, 29, reached the final of the Malaysia Masters earlier this year but has struggled to find her peak form. Also Read: "I will miss Mahi bhai a lot": Tushar Deshpande Lakshya, 23, showed promise with semi-final finishes at the All England Championship, French Open, and Paris Olympics, where he lost the bronze playoff from a strong position to Malaysia’s Lee Zii Jia. Both shuttlers have endured mixed fortunes since their Olympic outings. Lakshya faced early exits at the Arctic Open, Denmark Open, and Kumamoto Masters before recovering to an extent with a quarter-final finish at the China Masters., avenging his Olympic loss to Lee in the process. Lakshya starts his campaign here against a qualifier, hoping to reclaim his spot on the podium. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
26 November,2024 07:46 AM IST | Lucknow | PTIThe weight of expectations sits lightly on his teenaged shoulders and Grandmaster D Gukesh would bank heavily on his calm mind when he takes on Chinese Ding Liren in the World Championship showdown beginning here on Monday, aiming to become the first Indian after Viswanathan Anand to win the coveted title. The majority of the chess world is rooting for the 18-year-old in-form Indian, who already displays the poise of a champion. What remains to be seen is how he handles the pressure during the fortnight-long showpiece. If the first press conference held on Saturday afternoon was any indication, both players have immense respect for each other and yet, both are determined to give their best. Liren had won a match of fluctuating fortunes against Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia in 2023 to be crowned the world champion, but since then, the Chinese has suffered from mental health issues and competed very less compared to Gukesh in the last one year. Also Read: Kasparov: 'I don’t treat this as a World Championship match' “My job is pretty clear — just go into every game as the best version of myself and play the best moves in the position. If I do that, if I keep playing good chess and stay in the right spirits, even with his recent form dip or even at his best, I don’t think it really matters,” Gukesh said on Saturday. This year’s tournament marks the first time in 138 years that two Asian players will be pitted against each other in the marquee clash, that is offering a prize fund of USD 2.5 million. Liren, 32, who has admitted that Gukesh is the runaway favourite, expects an interesting battle. “He [Gukesh] is younger, but has displayed his virtue in many aspects. If we can both perform our best, it will be a great match,” said Liren. Gukesh will be looking to end a title drought for India, dating back to 2013, the year five-time champion Anand lost the crown to Norwegian superstar Magnus Carlsen. $2.5mTotal prize fund for the final All about the final . Final will be best-of-14 games, starting from Nov 25 to Dec 12. . The first to make 7.5 pts will be world champion. . If the score is locked at 7-7 on Dec 12, tie-breaker will be played on Dec 13. . All matches are at 14:30 India time and live on FIDE’s social media handles and Chess.com This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 08:08 AM IST | Singapore | PTIMax Verstappen said he “never thought” he would win four world titles after wrapping up the 2024 Formula One championship under the Las Vegas lights. Verstappen’s success ushered him into an elite club alongside Juan Manuel Fangio, Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Lewis Hamilton and Alain Prost as a four-time champion. Seven wins in the opening 10 races launched Verstappen to this success, but he needed to overcome a mid-season run of 10 without a win before victory in a rain-hit race in Brazil set up his fourth title. Max Verstappen negotiates a corner with his Red Bull F1 car during the Las Vegas GP yesterday. Pics/AFP “At 17, I was just happy to be there and dreaming of potential victories and standing on the podium, just normal things that are already very difficult to achieve,” said the 27-year-old Dutchman whose fifth-place race finish in Las Vegas was enough to guarantee the title. “It was a very challenging season and for me also as a person, at times, it was very challenging and I had to be calm. In a way, I still prefer last season, I enjoyed it a lot, but I think this season it has taught me a lot of lessons. I’m very proud of us as a team and that makes it a very special and beautiful season. It’s been so competitive this time. A special season. A beautiful season.” Also Read: Russell takes pole, Verstappen nips Norris in Championship battle Verstappen also ruled out speculation that he may leave Red Bull. “We’ve been through a lot and this is special, but it’ll be a proper battle next year with a lot of cars so I’m going to enjoy this. I’m proud to be part of this team, celebrating our fourth world title together. Nothing else is on my mind,” said Verstappen who has been on top of the world in an unbroken run since the Spanish GP in 2022. “Max has done an amazing job. He has won eight Grands Prix and the championship with two races to spare. You can’t ask for more. He’s been outstanding all year and we’re proud of him,” said Red Bull boss Christian Horner. F1’s roll of honour . Seven titlesLewis Hamilton (2008, ’14, ’15, ’17, ’18, ’19, ’20), Michael Schumacher (1994, ’95, 2000, ’01, ’02, ’03, ’04). . Five titlesJuan Manuel Fangio (1951, ’54, ’55, ’56, ’57) . Four titlesMax Verstappen (2021, ’22, ’23, ’24) Sebastian Vettel (2010, ’11, ’12, ’13)Alain Prost (1985, ’86, ’89, ’93) This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 08:07 AM IST | Las Vegas | AFPTop-ranked Jannik Sinner and Matteo Berrettini won matches in front of a supportive crowd to lift defending champions Italy past Australia 2-0 and back into the Davis Cup final. Sinner extended his tour-level winning streak to 24 singles sets in a row by beating No. 9 Alex de Minaur 6-3, 6-4 after Berrettini came back to defeat Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-7 (6), 6-3, 7-5. “If we don’t win [the final], it’s still an amazing achievement [to be] playing [in a] final again. We have shown that it was not lucky last year,” Sinner said, inner improved to 9-0 against Di Minaur. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
25 November,2024 08:06 AM IST | Malaga | AFPDream Seller, trained by PS Chouhan, extended his winning streak to four wins (after a hat-trick at Pune) to win the Royal Calcutta Turf Club Trophy, the feature event of the opening day's race-card that ushered in the Mumbai racing season 2024-25 at the Mahalaxmi racecourse. Stalking Democracy (N Bhosale up) who set the pace, jockey R Ajinkya asked for an effort from Dream Seller after passing the two-furlong marker, and the 18/10 favourite soon took charge to lord over the field. However, Dream Seller started shortening his strides as the finish line neared, but Ajinkya did well to stay clear of the rivals who were closing in very fast in the final yards, especially Snowfall (Yash Narredu up) who flew in from the rear to breathe down the winner's neck. Doubles galore Trainer Pesi Shroff led in the winner of the Dr SR Captain Salver (Class III; 1400m) after Jade (Multitude - Majestic Opinion), confidently handled by jockey C Umesh, moved up attractively to collar the leader Fontana in the final furlong, and skipped away so stylishly that the three-year-old bay filly never looked vulnerable even when Dash, the hot favourite with Yash Narredu in the saddle, tried his best to catch up. Shroff completed a back-to-back double in the very next race, sending out another three-year-old Odesseus (a colt by Ulysses out of Hidden Valley) to pick up the PB Avasia Plate. Also Read: 'Maha Laxmi' on offer at Mahalaxmi Jockey Suraj Narredu who rode Odesseus for Shroff also pulled off a quick double, driving public fancy Divine Star to an effortless victory in the Welcome Trophy. The three-year-old Divine Star (Roderic O'Connor - Starletina) was trained by Aman Altaf Hussain. Jockey A Prakash also scored a brace, winning the KJK Irani Plate (Class II; 1600m) with Dream Alliance for trainer Imtiaz Sait, and wrapping up the last race of the day (MD Petit Plate for 4y & older horses in Class V) with the Dallas Todywalla-trained Mi Arion. Fluke to the foreIn the opener of the season--the Fedora Plate for 4y & older horses in bottom class--four-year-old Sorrento Secret (A Prakash up) was the most in demand, but jockey Amyn Merchant astride Anoushka at 6/1 surprised one and all. Amyn Merchant, lying fourth until the turn, made a dash for the lead approaching the 400m marker, and within no time the Faisal Abbas-trained seven-year-old mare passed the front runners to open a three-length gap which only Marlboro Man (H Gore up) could attempt to bridge in the final furlong, but without success.
25 November,2024 08:06 AM IST | Mumbai | Prakash GosaviAfter fighting many pitched battles with him for nearly a decade, former World No.1 Novak Djokovic has appointed his one-time rival Andy Murray as his coach for the 2025 season's first Grand Slam in Australia. The 37-year-old Djokovic of Serbia took to social media on Saturday to announce that longtime friend and rival Andy Murray will be his new coach starting from the next Australian Open in Melbourne. Murray retired from professional tennis earlier this year at the Paris Olympics. Born one week apart in May 1987, both climbed to the top of the ATP Rankings and battled on the world’s biggest stages. Djokovic and Murray clashed in 36 ATP head-to-head showdowns, with the former winning 25 of them. They met in 19 finals, including the championship match at seven majors and the 2016 ATP Finals. They most recently played in the 2017 Doha final. Announcing their partnership in a video message on his social media channel, Djokovic said, "We had some of the most epic battles in our sport. They called us game-changers, risk-takers, and history-makers. I thought our story might be over. It turns out it has one final chapter. It’s time for one of my toughest opponents to step into my corner. Welcome aboard the coach, Andy Murray." Also Read: 'Was worried my kids would come home playing tennis as lefties': Federer’s tribute to Nadal hits all the right notes “I’m excited to have one of my greatest rivals in my team, on the same side of the net, this time as my coach," Djokovic said per his official website. I’m looking forward to starting the season together with Andy and having him by my side in Melbourne, where we’ve shared many extraordinary moments throughout our careers," Djokovic said. Murray too was excited about the partnership. “I’ll be joining Novak’s team during the preparation period, helping him get in the best possible shape for the Australian Open," Murray said. "I’m very excited about it and I am looking forward to being on the same side of the net for a change. I’m also grateful for the opportunity to assist him in achieving his goals for the coming year." In 2024 Djokovic recorded a 37-9 match record according to Infosys ATP Stats. In January he will attempt to win an 11th Australian Open title to reach 100 career titles. Djokovic is the most successful tennis player in the Open Era, having won a record 24 Grand Slam titles, while the 37-year-old Murray won three Grand Slam titles, including the Wimbledon titles in 2013 and 2016. Both of them along with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were part of tennis's Fab Four for many years. (With agency inputs)
24 November,2024 11:53 AM IST | London | IANSADVERTISEMENT
