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Nadal beat Verdasco in straight sets and reach semis
In a historically good US Open for men from Spain, Rafael stood tall as the only Spaniard to reach championship weekend, courtesy of a 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 dousing of countryman Fernando Verdasco. The victory again moves Nadal within two matches of winning the US Open and completing a career Grand Slam, and one win from the final and a potential showdown with his on-court nemesis Roger Federer. Nadal lost in the semifinals here the last two years.
"It's great news for me, especially this year without losing a set," Nadal said. "So is very good news. I think I played every day better. Today I played for the conditions, I think I played a great match against very difficult opponent like Fernando. So for me, be in semifinals is amazing. But I have to keep going and keep playing better if I really want to have chances to be in the final."
"This year I think I know how important is the US Open for me right now, and I know I have to arrive to this tournament fresh if I want to have any chance to have a very good result. That's what I tried. I think I did. I am at the right round without problems, so that's very positive
Right now remain the most difficult thing."
"It's great news for me, especially this year without losing a set," Nadal said. "So is very good news. I think I played every day better. Today I played for the conditions, I think I played a great match against very difficult opponent like Fernando. So for me, be in semifinals is amazing. But I have to keep going and keep playing better if I really want to have chances to be in the final."
"This year I think I know how important is the US Open for me right now, and I know I have to arrive to this tournament fresh if I want to have any chance to have a very good result. That's what I tried. I think I did. I am at the right round without problems, so that's very positive
Right now remain the most difficult thing."
Sachin says Playing for Mumbai always special
He has been playing cricket for over 20 years now but Sachin Tendulkar says he remains as passionate about the game as he was in his initial days in the sport.
"The passion doesn't disappear. You know it is as strong and above all, I respect cricket. It doesn't matter where I play. I will always play to the best of my ability because I care about playing cricket, good, quality cricket. I always wanted to go out and compete hard," the Mumbai Indians skipper said ahead of the Champions League Twenty20 match against Highveld Lions here.
"Playing for Mumbai has always meant special for me and playing for India also has been extremely special. It was a dream and I am living that dream and when Mumbai and India are combined together, it becomes Mumbai Indians," he added.
Talking about the disappointment of losing the IPL final to Chennai Super Kings after being almost unbeatable in the league stages, Tendulkar said, "You know I was determined like every other time I was determined. My preparations were exactly the same.
"Sometimes you score runs sometimes you don't but I can assure you the effort put in was always the same," he added
"The passion doesn't disappear. You know it is as strong and above all, I respect cricket. It doesn't matter where I play. I will always play to the best of my ability because I care about playing cricket, good, quality cricket. I always wanted to go out and compete hard," the Mumbai Indians skipper said ahead of the Champions League Twenty20 match against Highveld Lions here.
"Playing for Mumbai has always meant special for me and playing for India also has been extremely special. It was a dream and I am living that dream and when Mumbai and India are combined together, it becomes Mumbai Indians," he added.
Talking about the disappointment of losing the IPL final to Chennai Super Kings after being almost unbeatable in the league stages, Tendulkar said, "You know I was determined like every other time I was determined. My preparations were exactly the same.
"Sometimes you score runs sometimes you don't but I can assure you the effort put in was always the same," he added
Bryans, Bopanna-Qureshi set for historic final
If you've got a ticket to the women's singles semifinals Friday, you won't want to arrive at Arthur Ashe Stadium later than 12 p.m. That's because an intriguing men's doubles final opens play.
"The focus has always been on Grand Slams for us," said Bob Bryan. "It's what we are going to be remembered for…We won a couple [titles] leading up to the French Open, and then lost in the second round. We went home and people were like, 'Geez, bad luck over there in Europe, guys.' And we were like, 'Geez, we had an incredible run.' But all they cared about was the French Open."
"Us doing well, on the bigger circuit and the bigger level, is getting the message across throughout the world and among all the Pakistanis and Indians," said Qureshi. "I've always said that if me and Rohan can get along so well on and off the court, there's no reason the Indians and Pakistanis can't get along with each other.
"The crowd is getting better," said Qureshi. "More Indians and Pakistanis are coming. They're all mixed together, sitting in the crowd. You can't tell who is Pakistani and who is Indian. That's the beauty about sports."
What him and Bopanna are doing for world peace is incredible," Bob Bryan said during the mixed doubles trophy presentation. "We want to make a generous donation on behalf of the Bryan Brothers Foundation to the Pakistani flood relief today."
"The focus has always been on Grand Slams for us," said Bob Bryan. "It's what we are going to be remembered for…We won a couple [titles] leading up to the French Open, and then lost in the second round. We went home and people were like, 'Geez, bad luck over there in Europe, guys.' And we were like, 'Geez, we had an incredible run.' But all they cared about was the French Open."
"Us doing well, on the bigger circuit and the bigger level, is getting the message across throughout the world and among all the Pakistanis and Indians," said Qureshi. "I've always said that if me and Rohan can get along so well on and off the court, there's no reason the Indians and Pakistanis can't get along with each other.
"The crowd is getting better," said Qureshi. "More Indians and Pakistanis are coming. They're all mixed together, sitting in the crowd. You can't tell who is Pakistani and who is Indian. That's the beauty about sports."
What him and Bopanna are doing for world peace is incredible," Bob Bryan said during the mixed doubles trophy presentation. "We want to make a generous donation on behalf of the Bryan Brothers Foundation to the Pakistani flood relief today."
Sangakkara says "No Lankan player has link with any bookie"
Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara on Friday rubbished media reports that Tilakaratne Dilshan was under the ICC scanner for his alleged links with bookmakers and said none of his team-mates were suspected of "fraternising with shady characters".
"All these stories going around about Dilshan are absolutely baseless. No Sri Lankan player to my knowledge is in suspicion of fraternising with these so-called bookies by their team-mates nor by team management and Sri Lanka Cricket Board. As far as I know there was no report to SLC or ICC's Anti-corruption Unit," Sangakkara said.
"I have never reported against any player specifically. All the players are very open in communicating with me and team management. No one including me have voiced our suspicion over any of our team-mates at any time nor reported specifically to the team manager or SLC," he asserted.
"If there is any report of any suspicion on any player, then it is better to ask the SLC and the team management about that but as far as I know ,there is no such thing," he told Times Now.
"We don’t go by speculation or what any newspaper wants to say. We don't want to go by such reports. The Anti-corruption Unit of the ICC has not reported any such involvement of any player. We can’t go by speculation. This has not been brought to our notice by the anti-corruption unit of the ICC. There is no evidence against any Sri Lankan player," Jayasekara told PTI.
"All these stories going around about Dilshan are absolutely baseless. No Sri Lankan player to my knowledge is in suspicion of fraternising with these so-called bookies by their team-mates nor by team management and Sri Lanka Cricket Board. As far as I know there was no report to SLC or ICC's Anti-corruption Unit," Sangakkara said.
"I have never reported against any player specifically. All the players are very open in communicating with me and team management. No one including me have voiced our suspicion over any of our team-mates at any time nor reported specifically to the team manager or SLC," he asserted.
"If there is any report of any suspicion on any player, then it is better to ask the SLC and the team management about that but as far as I know ,there is no such thing," he told Times Now.
"We don’t go by speculation or what any newspaper wants to say. We don't want to go by such reports. The Anti-corruption Unit of the ICC has not reported any such involvement of any player. We can’t go by speculation. This has not been brought to our notice by the anti-corruption unit of the ICC. There is no evidence against any Sri Lankan player," Jayasekara told PTI.
Rooney may be dropped for Everton clash over 'slanging over sexcapade' fears
Manchester United is reportedly considering dropping striker Wayne Rooney for Saturday's Premier League match against Everton.
Rooney is under intense personal pressure following revelations about his private life, and accusations that he used 1,200 pounds-a-night prostitutes while his wife Coleen was pregnant with son Kai.
The 24-year-old had scored in England's 3-1 Euro 2012 win in Switzerland on Tuesday.
"Everyone has assumed Wayne will play because of how bravely he performed in Basel, but playing hundreds of miles away in Switzerland is a lot different to stepping out at Goodison Park, where there will be a lot of hatred and abuse flying around - all of it directed at Wayne," The Sun quoted an Old Trafford insider, as saying.
"How can anyone give their best for 90 minutes in front of a baying crowd with all that turmoil going on in their private life," he added.
According to reports, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson would leave it until the last minute before deciding whether the striker is in the right frame of mind to face Everton.
Rooney is under intense personal pressure following revelations about his private life, and accusations that he used 1,200 pounds-a-night prostitutes while his wife Coleen was pregnant with son Kai.
The 24-year-old had scored in England's 3-1 Euro 2012 win in Switzerland on Tuesday.
"Everyone has assumed Wayne will play because of how bravely he performed in Basel, but playing hundreds of miles away in Switzerland is a lot different to stepping out at Goodison Park, where there will be a lot of hatred and abuse flying around - all of it directed at Wayne," The Sun quoted an Old Trafford insider, as saying.
"How can anyone give their best for 90 minutes in front of a baying crowd with all that turmoil going on in their private life," he added.
According to reports, United manager Sir Alex Ferguson would leave it until the last minute before deciding whether the striker is in the right frame of mind to face Everton.
Strauss says Match fixing is a cancer for cricket
England captain Andrew Strauss has described the latest match-fixing scandal as "a cancer in the game" of cricket.
"Every one of these allegations hurts the game of cricket more. Every cricketer in the world has received a short, sharp slap in the face about where this game is at the moment and where it needs to go in the future," The Sun quoted Strauss, as saying.
"We must try to iron out these allegations because they are a cancer that can spread and devalue the game," he added.
"If these things are proved, then it will make me think whether games were strictly as I saw them. I can understand people being reluctant to pay to watch matches now. The allegations have overshadowed the cricket, but we realize our responsibility as players is to get out on the pitch and play well," Strauss said.
"Despite these allegations, I maintain that cricket generally is a very clean sport. I don't worry for the future of the game of cricket. It has survived many controversies over the years," he added.
England: Strauss (captain), Davies (wicketkeeper), Trott, Collingwood, Morgan, Bopara, Yardy, Bresnan, Swann, Broad, Anderson.
Pakistan: Shahzaib Hasan, Kamran Akmal (wicketkeeper), Mohammad Yousuf, Fawad Alam, Umar Akmal, Shahid Afridi (captain), Abdur Razzaq, Umar Gul, Saeed Ajmal, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Irfan.
Youzhny beat Wawrinka to reach semifinals
Stanislas Wawrinka played another protracted match at the US Open. Unfortunately for the Swiss, this time he didn't prevail.
Mikhail Youzhny rallied to beat Wawrinka 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in exactly four hours Thursday to reach a second US Open semifinal. As a bonus, the gifted Russian will now return to the Top 10.
"I was a little bit lucky," Youzhny said afterwards on court.
Youzhny saved a break point at 4-4 with a punishing forehand down the line, and a tiebreak was later needed.
Youzhny earned the first mini break for 5-4. Wawrinka saved three set points, but Youzhny earned a fourth by curling a forehand pass cross court. A devastating inside out forehand levelled proceedings.
Youzhny, in a highlight reel point, broke Wawrinka in the first game of the fifth with a dazzling backhand pass. Broken at 2-1, he called for the trainer, seemingly getting his right big toe taped. The delay cooled Wawrinka, and the 25th seed dropped serve. That was that.
Youzhny probably faces Rafael Nadal, who he toppled at the U.S. Open in 2006, on Saturday if the world No. 1 seed can take down Fernando Verdasco. He'll thus need as much rest as he can get.
Mikhail Youzhny rallied to beat Wawrinka 3-6, 7-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 in exactly four hours Thursday to reach a second US Open semifinal. As a bonus, the gifted Russian will now return to the Top 10.
"I was a little bit lucky," Youzhny said afterwards on court.
Youzhny saved a break point at 4-4 with a punishing forehand down the line, and a tiebreak was later needed.
Youzhny earned the first mini break for 5-4. Wawrinka saved three set points, but Youzhny earned a fourth by curling a forehand pass cross court. A devastating inside out forehand levelled proceedings.
Youzhny, in a highlight reel point, broke Wawrinka in the first game of the fifth with a dazzling backhand pass. Broken at 2-1, he called for the trainer, seemingly getting his right big toe taped. The delay cooled Wawrinka, and the 25th seed dropped serve. That was that.
Youzhny probably faces Rafael Nadal, who he toppled at the U.S. Open in 2006, on Saturday if the world No. 1 seed can take down Fernando Verdasco. He'll thus need as much rest as he can get.
Ronaldo ready to advertise a watch campaign
Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has striped off for an ad campaign for a Spanish watch brand.
The 25-year-old forward is the brand new face and the celebrity spokesman for Spanish watchmakers Timeforce.
In the advertising campaign, he not only stripped, but also adopted a strange facial expression towards the camera as he flashed the watch.
He even managed to draw the attention away from stunning Spanish actress Elsa Pataky, the female face of the brand.
"Any opportunity to bare his body is
right up his street," the Daily Mail quoted a source as saying.
The 25-year-old forward is the brand new face and the celebrity spokesman for Spanish watchmakers Timeforce.
In the advertising campaign, he not only stripped, but also adopted a strange facial expression towards the camera as he flashed the watch.
He even managed to draw the attention away from stunning Spanish actress Elsa Pataky, the female face of the brand.
"Any opportunity to bare his body is
right up his street," the Daily Mail quoted a source as saying.Pietersen gets green signal from CSA to play for Dolphins
South African domestic side Dolphins' request to let out-of-form England batsman Kevin Pietersen play two matches for his native club next month has been approved by the cricket board.
Kevin Pietersen will work towards regaining his lost form by playing for South African domestic team Dolphins.
The South African-born England batsman, going through a lean patch, will look to use the matches against Warriors (October 7-10) and Titans (14-17) in the domestic SuperSport Series to regain his form ahead of the Ashes in Australia.
Pietersen made his
first-class debut for the Dolphins, erstwhile Natal, in 1997 before pursuing a career in England.
The aggressive batsman was recently dropped from England's Twenty20 and one-day teams last week and hasn't scored an international century in 18 months.
Kevin Pietersen will work towards regaining his lost form by playing for South African domestic team Dolphins.
The South African-born England batsman, going through a lean patch, will look to use the matches against Warriors (October 7-10) and Titans (14-17) in the domestic SuperSport Series to regain his form ahead of the Ashes in Australia.
Pietersen made his
first-class debut for the Dolphins, erstwhile Natal, in 1997 before pursuing a career in England.The aggressive batsman was recently dropped from England's Twenty20 and one-day teams last week and hasn't scored an international century in 18 months.
Mumbai look to hunt the Lions i clt20 first match
Fan favourites and boasting of a star studded line-up, Mumbai Indians are the team to back in the opening game of the Champions League T20 when they take on local lads Highveld Lions at the Wanderers Stadium here on Friday.
The Mumbai Indians finished runners-up in the third edition of the Indian Premier League and with skipper Sachin Tendulkar in red-hot form, the team is sure to get over its practice game loss to Victoria Bushrangers and show just who is the boss on the field.
The Lions, who have better knowledge of local conditions, could still end up being the hunted with the likes of Keiron Pollard, Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh all capable of putting up match-winning performances.
The Mumbai batting too is a fine unit. Tendulkar was the top run-getter in the IPL and the likes of Ambati Rayudu and Saurabh Tiwary all have it in them to dispatch the ball many a mile.
Rayudi and Dwayne Bravo, in fact, have the great ability to pace their innings, while Pollard and Tiwary can launch the fireworks at will.
Zaheer Khan and Malinga are among the most potent opening pacers in the tournament and their ability to swing the ball both ways on South African pitches will surely serve them well. Harbhajan will be difficult to read and with Pollard and Bravo always there to chip in with the wickets, the Mumbai Indians have a team all set to rock CL T20.
This bowling will surely test the Highveld Lions, who boast of a bunch of players with solid domestic experience. The Alviro Petersen-led team is full of all-rounders and seem ideal for the T20 format, but have no big names and the lack of big match experience may cost them.
Zander de Bryun is one of the finest players the Lions possess. The 35-year old all-rounder has excelled with both bat and ball and has been in superb form in domestic cricket.
In the bowling department, the Lions will rely heavily on Craig Alexander and Ethan O'Rielly. O'Rielly is more experienced of the pair. Though he is not known for restricting the run-scoring, he has the happy knack of picking up important wickets for the team.
And even though skipper Petersen believes they could pull off some surprises, Mumbai are the favourites to start off the tournament with a win.
The Mumbai Indians finished runners-up in the third edition of the Indian Premier League and with skipper Sachin Tendulkar in red-hot form, the team is sure to get over its practice game loss to Victoria Bushrangers and show just who is the boss on the field.
The Lions, who have better knowledge of local conditions, could still end up being the hunted with the likes of Keiron Pollard, Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh all capable of putting up match-winning performances.
The Mumbai batting too is a fine unit. Tendulkar was the top run-getter in the IPL and the likes of Ambati Rayudu and Saurabh Tiwary all have it in them to dispatch the ball many a mile.
Rayudi and Dwayne Bravo, in fact, have the great ability to pace their innings, while Pollard and Tiwary can launch the fireworks at will.
Zaheer Khan and Malinga are among the most potent opening pacers in the tournament and their ability to swing the ball both ways on South African pitches will surely serve them well. Harbhajan will be difficult to read and with Pollard and Bravo always there to chip in with the wickets, the Mumbai Indians have a team all set to rock CL T20.
This bowling will surely test the Highveld Lions, who boast of a bunch of players with solid domestic experience. The Alviro Petersen-led team is full of all-rounders and seem ideal for the T20 format, but have no big names and the lack of big match experience may cost them.
Zander de Bryun is one of the finest players the Lions possess. The 35-year old all-rounder has excelled with both bat and ball and has been in superb form in domestic cricket.
In the bowling department, the Lions will rely heavily on Craig Alexander and Ethan O'Rielly. O'Rielly is more experienced of the pair. Though he is not known for restricting the run-scoring, he has the happy knack of picking up important wickets for the team.
And even though skipper Petersen believes they could pull off some surprises, Mumbai are the favourites to start off the tournament with a win.
Fourth Season Of IPL Likely To Comprise 74 Games
The fourth season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) looks set to comprise 74 matches with the ten participating teams split into two groups.
A change in format was necessary after two new teams, the Sahara Pune Warriors and a franchise from Kochi were added. Last year, 60 matches were played as all eight teams met each other home and away before semi-finals, a third/fourth place play-off and a final.
A repeat with ten teams would have meant a barely manageable 94 games would have to be played.
The IPL governing council met in Mumbai to develop a format for season four of the competition while it is understood that the eight original franchises will be able to retain their players and that there will be an auction for new and discarded players in November.
Chennai Super Kings are the reigning champions.
A change in format was necessary after two new teams, the Sahara Pune Warriors and a franchise from Kochi were added. Last year, 60 matches were played as all eight teams met each other home and away before semi-finals, a third/fourth place play-off and a final.
A repeat with ten teams would have meant a barely manageable 94 games would have to be played.
The IPL governing council met in Mumbai to develop a format for season four of the competition while it is understood that the eight original franchises will be able to retain their players and that there will be an auction for new and discarded players in November.
Chennai Super Kings are the reigning champions.
SL player Dilshan ICC scanner for bookie link
In a shocking turn of events, top Sri Lankan batsman Tillakaratne Dilshan has turned out
to be the leading Sri Lankan cricketer the ICC's Anti-corruption and Security Unit has
been monitoring for alleged links with a bookmaker.
The 'Daily Mail' on Friday claimed that Dilshan was the player named in a Sri Lankan
Cricket Board report to ICC's ACSU last year after he was allegedly spotted with a
suspected illegal bookmaker in a London nightclub.
"The player concerned has been under the ICC's scanner since the Twenty20 World Cup
in England in 2009," it said.
"There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on the part of Dilshan. The Sri Lankans
followed the ICC's protocol to the letter, reporting the alleged incident as soon as it was made known to the team management," the 'Daily Mail' report said.
"He has done nothing wrong. There is no evidence against any of the Sri Lankan
players. None of them are guilty. These allegations are being drummed up by
unscrupulous elements who are trying to upset Sri Lanka's plans for the (2011) World
Cup," the spokesman was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir were suspended by the ICC and interrogated by Scotland Yard after a British tabloid claimed in a sting operation that they took bribe from a bookie to bowl deliberate no-balls during a Test match against England at Lord's two weeks ago.
to be the leading Sri Lankan cricketer the ICC's Anti-corruption and Security Unit hasbeen monitoring for alleged links with a bookmaker.
The 'Daily Mail' on Friday claimed that Dilshan was the player named in a Sri Lankan
Cricket Board report to ICC's ACSU last year after he was allegedly spotted with a
suspected illegal bookmaker in a London nightclub.
"The player concerned has been under the ICC's scanner since the Twenty20 World Cup
in England in 2009," it said.
"There is no suggestion of any wrongdoing on the part of Dilshan. The Sri Lankans
followed the ICC's protocol to the letter, reporting the alleged incident as soon as it was made known to the team management," the 'Daily Mail' report said.
"He has done nothing wrong. There is no evidence against any of the Sri Lankan
players. None of them are guilty. These allegations are being drummed up by
unscrupulous elements who are trying to upset Sri Lanka's plans for the (2011) World
Cup," the spokesman was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
Pakistan Test captain Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir were suspended by the ICC and interrogated by Scotland Yard after a British tabloid claimed in a sting operation that they took bribe from a bookie to bowl deliberate no-balls during a Test match against England at Lord's two weeks ago.
American team crowned first US Open champions
The first trophy of the 2010 US Open tournament was awarded Thursday afternoon, with the top-seeded American team of Liezel Huber and Bob Bryan crowned as the mixed doubles champions over Kveta Peschke and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi 6-4, 6-4.
"We tell each other to be aggressive," Bryan said. "I think that's when we play our best tennis. We sometimes have a tendency to guide the ball a little bit. So, you know, I tell her, be aggressive, she tells me (the same thing)."
Added Huber, "Our first match was really a good learning lesson for us to play. We haven't played in like a year and a half, and it's only the second time ever we played. We played against Melanie Oudin and Ryan Harrison, and we were just guiding and pushing the ball. When we started being aggressive, it was much easier."
"Those guys (Qureshi and his doubles partner Rohan Bopanna) are great guys," Bryan said. "Everyone in the locker room likes them. Just hearing about the problem in Pakistan, I talked about it with my brother and my dad, and we just wanted to do it. Qureshi didn't know about it, but as soon as this tournament is over we'll write a check and do it."
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