India’s Arjun Erigaisi leapfrogged to second place in the world chess rankings thanks to his victory over Alexey Sarana in the Chennai Grand Masters on Thursday.He is jointly leading the Masters category alongside Amin Tabatabaei after three rounds. Starting with the black pieces, Arjun reacted to Sarana’s Queen’s Pawn Opening as he engaged him in the Indian Game before swiftly going for an East Indian Defense. Also Read: Sinner, Alcaraz placed in different groups Both players knocked off their kings early in the tie while remaining locked in an intense battle before Arjun earned the upper hand, converting it into his competition’s second win. As a result, the 21-year-old has reclaimed his 2,800 ELO rating, going past Fabiano Caruana to take the second place in the world rankings. Also in Round 3 of the Masters category, Amin Tabatabaei caused a big upset as he beat French Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave with his unique tactical precision. In the meantime, Levon Aronian came up with a dominant victory over Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran, asserting his presence in the event. 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
08 November,2024 07:45 AM IST | Chennai | PTIJannik Sinner avoided his key rival Carlos Alcaraz in the ATP Finals group draw on Thursday, as the Italian aims for his first title at the season-ending event on home soil. World No. 1 Sinner was drawn in the Ilie Nastase Group with Daniil Medvedev, Taylor Fritz and Alex de Minaur at the tournament in Turin, which starts on Sunday. Also Read: India shuttler George storms into quarter finals Reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion Alcaraz, ranked three in the world, was drawn in the John Newcombe with Alexander Zverev, Casper Ruud and Andrey Rublev. The top two players in each group will qualify for the semi-finals. Sinner, who lost last year’s final to Novak Djokovic, tops the rankings. 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
08 November,2024 07:43 AM IST | Rome | AFPIndia’s Kiran George dished out yet another gritty performance to upset third seed Chi Yu Jen of Chinese Taipei and progressed to the men’s singles quarter-finals of the Korea Masters badminton tournament on Thursday. The 24-year-old Indian overcame his Chinese Taipei opponent, ranked 31 in the world, 21-17, 19-21, 21-17. Also Read: Mbappe left out of France squad 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
08 November,2024 07:41 AM IST | Iksan City (Korea) | PTIIndia’s Kiran George produced a gritty performance to eke out a three-game win and advanced to the second round of the Korea Masters here on Wednesday. Also Read: Sandeep Patil says India have to forget NZ loss in order to win in Australia The 24-year-old overcame a sluggish start to defeat Vietnam’s Kuan Lin Kuo 15-21, 21-12, 21-15 in a 57-minute opening round clash of BWF Super 300 tournament. The lone Indian shuttler competing in the tournament, World No. 44 George will take on third seed Chi Yu Jen of Chinese Taipei in the second round. Lin Kuo raced to an 11-4 lead and eventually took the first game with ease. 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
08 November,2024 12:40 AM IST | Iksan City (Korea) | PTIHailing from Kolhapur, swimmer Virdhawal Khade has represented India in several editions of the Asian and South Asian Games. Having participated in the Beijing Olympics 2008 for the men's 50, 100 and 200-meter freestyle swimming, Virdhawal Khade fell short of sealing the semi-final berth but set an Indian national record in the 100-meter freestyle swimming event. Later, the Kolhapur-born swimmer successfully clinched a bronze medal in the 50-meter butterfly event in the 2010 Asian Games which were hosted in China. By claiming a bronze medal, Virdhawal Khade scripted history by becoming the first Indian athlete after Sachin Nag to win a medal in the Asian Games in 24 years. Following his achievement, he was honoured with the Arjuna Award by the Indian government in 2011. Also Read: Nikhat Zareen hails India's bid to host 2036 Olympics, calls for SAI centres in each state Another historic moment in Virdhawal Khade's swimming career was during the 2010 Commonwealth Games. Participating in the 4 X 100 m freestyle relay swimming event, the Indian made the cut to the finals. He finished the event at the sixth position and additionally in the same year, he was also part of the finals for the 50m butterfly event. A remarkable achievement of Khade is that he is the youngest ever Indian swimmer to qualify for an Olympics. Back then he was aged 16 when he made his debut on the biggest sporting event in the world. With a bronze medal in the 2010 Guangzhou Olympics, Virdhawal Khade also won five gold medals in the 2006 South Asian Games, two golds in the 2010 edition, a silver (50 m freestyle) and a gold (50 m butterfly) in the 2016 Guwahati South Asian Games. Additionally, the swimmer also has one gold and three silver medals in the 2019 Kathmandu South Asian Games. Recently, Virdhawal Khade has been accused of misconduct by an 18-year-old girl who he had coached for two years. According to sources, the swimmer forwarded some obscene photographs to the girl. Following the allegations, the Greater Mumbai Amateur Aquatic Association (GMAAA) has taken disciplinary action against Khade, whose appointment as a co-opted member of its managing committee has been suspended. Khade has also received a ban from participating in any meeting held by the GMAA until next year.
07 November,2024 09:54 AM IST | Mumbai | Sujay ShivalkarAfter India's bid to host the Olympics 2036, two-time world champion boxer Nikhat Zareen said that the bid would motivate sportsperson but we need to establish Sports Authority of India (SAI) centres in every state to nurture sports development which is important for staging the mega event in the country. The ambition to host the world's largest sporting event has been backed by strong Indian government support. Previously, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has shown his intent to bring the Olympics to India in 2036. "India hosting the 2036 Olympics will be a huge motivation for athletes. If we want to host major events like the Olympics, I believe every state should have SAI centres. Currently, there are only regional centres. If I need to train, then I have to go to places like Rohtak, Guwahati, Aurangabad, or wherever these centres are located," Nikhat Zareen told IANS. "If I have to struggle so much just to get training, imagine the challenges for young kids preparing with 2036 in mind. I might retire by 2036 (she joked), but for them, it will be difficult. Convincing their parents to send them so far away for training will be very challenging. If every state has an SAI centre with good coaches, it will benefit everyone, and we’ll be able to focus on athletes from the grassroots level," she said. Nikhat, a Deputy Suprindent of Police (DSP) with Telangana Police, further suggested that every state should have multi-facility stadiums to help the young athletes train in better infrastructure. "Along with this, each state's capital should have a good stadium and a policy in place to support young athletes who aren't financially stable. By sponsoring their equipment from the grassroots level, providing quality coaches, and giving them access to facilities, we can give them a solid push, helping them reach the senior level and potentially make the nation proud," she added. Also Read: Sourav Ganguly convincing factor in Wriddhiman Saha's decision to delay retirement Nikaht Zareen's hopes of clinching a medal on her Olympic debut in Paris ended early as she lost against Wu Yu of China by unanimous decision in the Round of 16 of the women’s 50kg boxing event. Reflecting on her Paris Olympics campaign, Nikhat Zareen said, "There was no pressure at all because I had previously won many competitions where no one expected me to win. Paris was my first Olympics, and I was unseeded. In my weight category, I had only two major competitors, the Turkish boxer (Busenaz Cakiroglu), and the Chinese." "I had defeated the Turkish boxer before, but I had no prior experience against the Chinese boxer, so I was clueless. I had only observed her playing but hadn’t sparred with her. Unfortunately, in Paris, I had to face the Chinese boxer in the second round itself, leading to an early exit from the competition," she further said. "More than the loss, what saddened me was seeing the medals go to boxers I had previously defeated. It was really heartbreaking that I missed out on a medal in the Olympics despite being a two-time world champion," Nikhat added. Speaking about how she overcame her loss at the Olympics, the boxer from Telangana said "It wasn't easy", as everyone "becomes coach when you lose" and starts giving their expert advice. "When you win, everyone comes to congratulate you. I noticed that after Paris, only a few people reached out. It stings to see people celebrate your wins, but when you truly need support, they are missing. I’ve come to realise, though, that this is just part of life. "More than anyone else’s expectations, it was my own that weighed on me, and it hurt that I couldn’t meet them. In the past, I’ve faced challenges, overcome them, and made strong comebacks. This time, I’ll return mentally, physically, and emotionally stronger. I’m not pressuring myself; I’m taking it slow," said the 28-year-old boxer. Currently, training at Gopichand Academy in Hyderabad, Nikhat Zareen concluded by saying, "I don’t have a personal coach right now, but I’m not putting any pressure on myself. I’ll take my time and make a steady comeback." (With IANS Inputs)
07 November,2024 08:46 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentCoco Gauff posted a rare victory over Iga Swiatek to punch her ticket to the semi-finals of the WTA Finals in Riyadh on Tuesday, ensuring Aryna Sabalenka will finish the year as the World No. 1. Swiatek, the defending champion, was in a direct battle with Sabalenka for the top spot this week but needed a win over Gauff to keep her chances alive of leapfrogging her Belarusian rival. Gauff, 20, entered the contest having lost 11 of her 12 previous meetings with Swiatek, with the American’s sole victory coming in Cincinnati last year. But she turned the tables on Swiatek on Tuesday, defeating the second seed 6-3, 6-4 to make it two straight-sets wins from two round-robin matches in Riyadh this week. Also Read: Sauber signs Brazilian driver Bortoleto for 2025 “It feels great. I knew going into the match that despite our head-to-head I had a lot of confidence going in,” said Gauff, who hit 11 double faults during the one-hour 48-minute showdown. With the exception of the opening game of the match, Gauff had break point opportunities in every Swiatek service game in the first set. The American third seed made her move in game seven, breaking for 4-3, and she closed out the set with a second break of serve, taking the lead in 49 minutes. Swiatek needed six break points in a marathon third game of the second set to finally take down the Gauff serve but she couldn’t consolidate her advantage. They traded breaks again, as Gauff’s double-fault tally went up to double digits and Swiatek racked up the errors. It was Gauff who eventually steadied the ship, and wrapped up the victory on Swiatek’s 47th unforced error of the match. Swiatek admits her two-month break between the US Open and the WTA Finals and the fact she is playing her first tournament with her new coach Wim Fissette have made things “a bit more tricky and different than usual. “But I’ll force myself to work even better in the next match,” the Pole added. 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
07 November,2024 07:36 AM IST | Riyadh | AFPSauber has signed 20-year-old Brazilian driver Gabriel Bortoleto to make his debut in Formula 1 next year as Nico Hulkenberg’s teammate. Also Read: Chennai Grand Masters: Erigaisi holds Aronian The decision means that Sauber’s current drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are without an F1 seat for 2025. Neither has scored a point all season and Sauber’s car has been largely uncompetitive. Signing Bortoleto, who leads the Formula 2 standings with two rounds to go, gives Sauber a blend of youth and experience alongside Hulkenberg, 37. German automaker Audi is taking over Sauber, which will be rebranded as the Audi works team for 2026. 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
07 November,2024 07:34 AM IST | Hinwil (Switzerland) | AP | PTIIndia’s Arjun Erigaisi continued his strong start to the Chennai Grand Masters by holding the second-highest-ranked player in the tournament, American Grandmaster Levon Aronian, to a draw on Wednesday. Also Read: Kiran George moves into 2nd round of Korea Masters In the Challengers, Vaishali R, one of two female chess players debuting this year, earned her first points by holding top-seed Raunak Sadhwani. 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
07 November,2024 07:32 AM IST | Chennai | PTIJaipur Pink Panthers' captain Arjun Deshwal added another feather to his cap as he became the second fastest player in Pro Kabaddi League history to reach the prestigious 1000 raid points milestone. The achievement came during his team’s 33-30 win over UP Yoddhas, which was also his 97th PKL match. Despite reaching the milestone, a humble Deshwal was more elated about the victory than his personal achievement, “The team's victory was more important than the 1000 points. But both happened together, and I'm happy about that." When asked about who the achievement was dedicated to, Deshwal's response reflected his deep connection to the sport. "If I have to thank anyone, it would be kabaddi first. Whatever name, fame, and success I have today is because of kabaddi, the Pro Kabaddi League and Mashal Sports. Thanks to kabaddi for giving me everything," he said. This achievement is even more remarkable considering Deshwal became the seventh player in PKL history to reach this milestone. His consistent performances and hard work have been key to this accomplishment. "When a player puts in hard work, it always bears fruit sooner or later. So whatever hard work we're putting in is showing results now. " Also Read: Akash Shinde battles adversity in quest for PKL trophy The raider also acknowledged the collective effort behind his individual success. "This is kabaddi - a single player can't achieve anything. Team support and coach support are very crucial. I've received all of this, along with my parents' blessings," he said. Deshwal's leadership has been instrumental in Jaipur Pink Panthers' campaign, with teammates like Neeraj Narwal and stepping up to support him. The milestone came during a strong showing from his team, demonstrating their all-round performance. Preview for matches on November 7 Dabang Delhi K.C. will be hoping to end their losing streak when they take on the Bengal Warriorz in the first match on Thursday. The Bengal Warriorz are currently on an unbeaten four-match streak, and all eyes will be on their raiders Maninder Singh and Sushil Kambrekar, who will face off against a faltering Dabang Delhi K.C. defence. The other game of the day will see the Haryana Steelers take on Gujarat Giants. Looking for some consistency, the Haryana Steelers will pin their hopes on Mohammedreza Shadloui and Jaideep Dahiya. For the Gujarat Giants, they will have to bring back their A-Game if they hope for a win to finish the Hyderabad leg on a high. 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
06 November,2024 08:11 PM IST | Hyderabad | mid-day online correspondentRory McIlroy feels that with Donald Trump sweeping the US presidential elections, a resolution in the PGA Tour-LIV Golf stand-off might be in sight. Media reports this week suggested that the Public Investment Fund (PIF), the sovereign wealth fund of Saudi Arabia and backers of LIV Golf, had reached an agreement with the PGA Tour to invest over a billion dollars in the newly formed PGA Tour Enterprise. The world number three, who is playing this week's Abu Dhabi Championship, resigned from the PGA Tour policy board in November last year. An attempt to return to the board was blocked by some players, but McIlroy was named to a players committee in May to be involved in the negotiations with the PIF. Also Read: Dhoni goes from stumps to swings with Donald Trump in this old viral video PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan reportedly met with PIF chief Yasir Al-Rumayyan in Riyadh last week, leading to speculation about the deal's finalisation. McIlroy was adamant this was not the case and that he had yet to hear about it from Monahan. "It's the first that I've heard of it. I know Jay was in Saudi Arabia last week and was having some meetings. But no, I think I would have heard if there was," said McIlroy, who was outspoken about LIV Golf in its early months but has advocated accepting PIF's investment from the end of last year. "I know he's briefing the transaction committee tonight. So maybe some news comes out of that. But as far as I'm aware, I haven't heard a thing." When asked if he'd be surprised a decision was reached this soon, McIlroy said: "I would. But then, obviously, given today's news with what's happened in America, I think that clears the way a little bit. So we'll see." Also Read: 'I could have done better': 14-year-old World No. 2 golfer Neil Jolly McIlroy closing on Race to Dubai title McIlroy is currently leading the European Tour's Race to Dubai standings, more than 1,500 points ahead of second-placed Thriston Lawrence of South Africa. A win in Abu Dhabi would secure a sixth Order of Merit crown for the 35-year-old, matching the achievement of the legendary Spaniard Seve Ballesteros, before next week's Tour Championship. Only Scotland's Colin Montgomerie (eight) has won more than Ballesteros. "Trying to go for six overall, it's a pretty meaningful thing to do," said McIlroy. "Trying to get to Monty's number of eight, or maybe surpass, is definitely a goal in the future. But right now, just have focus on trying to get that sixth one and go from here. I am a European player and I would like to go down as the most successful European of all time. Obviously, Race to Dubai wins would count to that, but also major championships and hopefully, I've got a few more Ryder Cups ahead of me as well. "I think it is a goal that's quite attainable over the next 10 years." Among those trying to stop McIlroy this week include Tommy Fleetwood, Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Billy Horschel, Adam Scott and Robert MacIntyre, as well as LIV Golf stars Joaquin Niemann and Tyrrell Hatton. (With agency inputs)
06 November,2024 06:18 PM IST | Abu Dhabi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
