Author: robin24

Sriram Balaji and Rithvik Bollipalli on Thursday attracted the highest bids of Rs 12 lakh each by Gurgaon Grand Slammers and Chennai Smashers, respectively, in the Tennis Premier League (TPL) auction on Thursday. The seventh edition of the TPL will be played in Ahmedabad from December 9–14. The Rohan Bopanna-led SG Pipers Bengaluru roped in star female player Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, who is in top form having recently won the Billie Jean King Cup Asia/Oceania Group 1 for India. “We are happy with the team we have built this season, with Rohan Bopanna, Shrivalli Bhamidipaty, and Ramkumar Ramanathan. We…

Arjun Tendulkar of Mumbai Indians Arjun Tendulkar had a forgettable outing with the bat, scoring just 1 run off 6 balls in the Elite Group B clash between Goa and Chandigarh at the Goa Cricket Association Academy Ground in Porvorim on Thursday. He was caught by substitute fielder Raman Bishnoi off Vishu Kashyap’s bowling.Goa posted a massive total of 566 in 160.4 overs, powered by double centuries from Lalit Yadav (213) and Abhinav Tejrana (205). Chandigarh’s Vishu Kashyap was the standout bowler, picking up 7 for 173. In reply, Chandigarh reached 34 for 1 in eight overs, with Arjun Azad…

Mohun Bagan Super Giant defeated United SC 2-0.© X/@mohunbagansg Mohun Bagan Super Giant set up a marquee IFA Shield final clash with arch-rivals East Bengal, the third Kolkata derby in less than three months, after defeating United SC 2-0 in a group clash in Kolkata on Wednesday. Bagan went ahead through a Dimitri Petratos strike in the 44th minute and then forced an own goal in the 49th minute as the Mariners produced a clinical display to top Group B and book their berth in Saturday’s final at the Salt Lake Stadium. East Bengal had earlier topped Group…

This weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix was on Thursday declared an official Formula One “Heat Hazard” — the first time a new rule to help drivers stay cool has been invoked. Race director Rui Marques issued a statement on Thursday afternoon notifying the teams of the regulation — which means drivers will be able to wear cooling vests — because ambient temperatures are expected to be 31 Celsius or higher. “Having received a forecast from the official Weather Service predicting that the Heat Index will be greater than 31C at some time during the race… a Heat Hazard is…

Aryna Sabalenka in action© AFP Aryna Sabalenka extended her winning streak at Wuhan to 20 matches with a 6-3, 6-3 victory over eighth-seeded Elena Rybakina on Friday to reach the semifinals of the WTA 1000-level tournament. The U.S. Open champion won the Wuhan Open title in 2018, ’19 and again last year on her return to the Chinese city.Top-ranked Sabalenka broke Rybakina’s serve three times in the 1-hour, 25-minute match to advance into the semifinals for the 11th time this season, and then waved and blew kisses to the crowd.“We have a really huge history against each other,”…

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen said Thursday he has “nothing to lose” as he looks to extend his late-season resurgence at the Singapore Grand Prix. The Red Bull driver was all but out of the title race two months ago as the McLarens of championship leader Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris dominated. But back-to-back wins in Monza and Baku have left third-placed Verstappen 69 points behind Piastri, who crashed last time out, and 44 behind Norris. But Verstappen is not thinking of the title, not yet anyway, even with seven grands prix and three sprints remaining, starting with…

England coach Paul Collingwood England’s assistant coach Paul Collingwood’s disappearance, citing “personal reasons,” has created quite a stir ahead of the Ashes.Collingwood’s last public media appearance came during England’s Third Test in Hamilton, New Zealand, last December.Paul Collingwood, England’s first-ever World Cup-winning cricket captain, is unlikely to be included in England’s backroom team for the Ashes, the Daily Mail has reported.Leaked photos and tapesWithin 56 days of being appointed temporary head coach for a series in the West Indies, images emerged of him kissing a woman in the sea on a Barbados beach. His England side had just lost by…

File image of Enzo Maresca© AFP Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca was given a one-match touchline ban on Wednesday for dissent and over-celebrating a last-gasp goal in a 2-1 Premier League win over Liverpool on October 4. The Italian will now be banned from the touchline for Chelsea’s match away to Nottingham Forest in the Premier League on Saturday. He has also been fined 8,000 pounds ($10,685) and the Football Association said Maresca openly admitted the misconduct charge. He was given a yellow card for railing against a penalty decision and picked up a second one in the sixth…

Arthur Rinderknech in action at Shanghai Masters© AFP France’s Arthur Rinderknech joined his cousin in the semi-finals of the Shanghai Masters on Friday as he claimed the scalp of another seed in Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime, 6-3, 6-4. Rinderknech, ranked 54th at the beginning of the tournament, has had a dream run in Shanghai, including beating world number three Alexander Zverev.The 30-year-old’s success has been matched by his cousin, Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot, who booked his place in the last four on Thursday by eliminating Denmark’s Holger Rune.Rinderknech will face the winner of Friday’s later match between Daniil Medvedev and…

It’s the one race on this year’s Formula 1 calendar that Max Verstappen has never won. It could be crucial to his chances of a series comeback. Verstappen heads into this week’s Singapore Grand Prix with back-to-back wins which have made a fifth consecutive title go from near-impossible to merely unlikely. Meanwhile, standings leader Oscar Piastri had an awful weekend at the last race in Azerbaijan, title rival Lando Norris couldn’t capitalize, and their McLaren team has started making mistakes at pit stops. Verstappen is “genuinely a challenger,” Norris said Thursday. “A couple of weeks ago they brought…