Shobhit Chandola, Mumbai Uncensored, 11th July 2022:
On Sunday, 10th July 2022, the epic battle for the Wimbledon trophy for the men’s singles was played between World No.7 Novak Djokovic and the 45 ranks seeded Aussie Nick Krygios. The Gentlemen’s Singles final lasted for 4 sets in which the 6 times Serbian emerged victorious. Novak defeated Krygios 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 ( 7/3 ) to clinch his 21st Grand slam, just one behind Nadal’s overall 22.
In the 1st set, Nick Krygios looked in his beast mode by playing out a sharp serve and volley game. Throughout the set, Djokovic had no answer for the aces. Thus, Krygios won the set by 6-4 making Djokovic get into the backseat.
But in the next set, Djokovic was in his true self exploiting the weakness of Krygios’s weak backhand and making him go for unforced errors. Most of the drop shots from Djokovic had no answer from Krygios’s end. The trailing Djokovic in the 1st set made it to 5-3 in the second set before scoring the advantage from the serve to seal the set with 6-3.
In the 3rd set, the bad boy Krygios once again looked lethal with the serve to begin and got the 1st break point with an excellent drop shot in the left flank of the court which even made Djokovic appreciate him. But Djokovic used his vast experience of GS finals to make it 4-4 and won with the final set result of 6-4 with the serve which Nick Krygios made it out of the line.
The decider 4th set witnessed a highly motivated Djoker but a more than intense Krygios who made the set go for a Match tie-breaker. But in the clutch tie-breaker, the man of Clutch sets- Djokovic used his brilliance to gain the 7 points against the loss of 2 just to end up lifting the title.
Given the match result, it is safer to say that Krygios was let down in the same manner as expected in the clutch sets. Picking up argument with the chair umpire in the the typical hot tempered Krygios style and getting an emotional meltdown once the Djokovic won 2 sets in a row made Mr. Wild Thing hysterical towards Novak’s box. What makes it evident is the Post Match Conference when Noval told ESPN that Nick lost it in the moment when the 3rd set was tied with 4-4 and Krygios leading with 40-0 but then a recurring summary of unforced errors in a row with dropping a volley, double fault and unsuccessful backhand of Nick hitting the net made it 5-4 and made Djoker almost closer to the match.
Djokovic said- “I didn’t win it, he lost that game with his unforced errors. I stayed there, pushed him to the limit and got the reward.”
The suggestion that Kyrgios “lost it” will haunt Kyrgios for the rest of his career. But the Aussie must be proud of playing to his potential even after getting a walkover against Rafael Nadal due to the latter’s abdominal injury. So far Nick led the H2H record with 2-0 which is now 2-1.
Sunday, September 22, 2024, marked a day etched in the annals of Indian chess history. The Indian men’s team, led by a formidable trio of young prodigies, clinched the coveted gold medal at the 45th Chess Olympiad, a feat that had eluded the nation for decades.
The architects of this historic triumph were D. Gukesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and R. Praggnanadhaa. These three young Grandmasters, each with their unique style and strategic acumen, formed the backbone of the Indian team. Their performances throughout the tournament were nothing short of exceptional, showcasing a level of chess that belied their age.
The final round against Slovenia was a tense affair, but it was the Indian team that emerged victorious. Gukesh, Erigaisi, and Praggnanadhaa delivered decisive victories on their respective boards, securing a 3-0 win and sealing India’s gold medal. Their performances were marked by a combination of tactical brilliance, strategic depth, and nerves of steel.
This victory was a culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and talent. It was a testament to the strength of Indian chess, a sport that has seen a meteoric rise in popularity in recent years. The Indian team’s success has inspired a new generation of chess players, and it is hoped that this victory will serve as a catalyst for even greater achievements in the future.
Beyond the individual brilliance of Gukesh, Erigaisi, and Praggnanadhaa, the Indian team’s success was also a product of excellent teamwork and support. The team’s captain, Srinath Narayanan, provided invaluable leadership, while the coaching staff played a crucial role in preparing the players for the tournament.
India’s gold medal at the Chess Olympiad is a moment to cherish. It is a testament to the country’s growing stature in the world of sports and a source of immense pride for chess enthusiasts everywhere. As the Indian team celebrates this historic achievement, the chess world eagerly awaits to see what the future holds for these young talents.
The cricket team from Pakistan arrived in India on Wednesday under heavy security as it gets ready to compete in the next, seven-week World Cup. Pakistan is travelling to India for the first time since 2016, and as the team’s captain Babar Azam and other players arrived at the airport in Hyderabad, large groups of enthusiastic fans shouted and chanted their names while being restrained by security agents. On October 5, the ODI competition is set to begin, and Pakistan will play their first match the following day.
Political difficulties between India and Pakistan have a long history, hence the two countries’ international matches are mainly limited to regional and global competitions. However, Pakistan was given a warm welcome in India on Wednesday, and the players posted about it on their official social media account. Babar Azam, the team’s captain, Shaheen Afridi, and wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan were among the players to express gratitude to the Indian government and crowd on social media.
The World Cup will consist of 48 games played over 46 days at 10 different venues, with the championship game taking place on November 19. Pakistan will play two exhibition games, one on September 29 against New Zealand and the other on October 3 against Australia, both in Hyderabad. After evaluating the security measures for a significant festival that day, the game against New Zealand will be played behind closed doors.
Babar added that the sid is not under any pressure but will miss its fans when it plays the World Cup matches in India during his pre-departure press conference in Pakistan.
“We’re all happy of the World Cup trip we took. We haven’t played in India before, but we don’t feel any pressure. We’ve done our investigation, and we’ve heard that the circumstances are comparable to those in other Asian nations. Being the captain this time around is an honour, and I sincerely hope we return with a trophy.
We shall regrettably be without the supporters. We will play in crowded stadiums since, as far as I know, all of the games are sold out. Even though they won’t be present, our followers will still show their support by posting on social media. Although I have not personally witnessed it yet, I have heard that Indian fans also display their devotion, which makes me want to play there as well.
During the Asia Cup final cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka, India’s Mohammed Siraj celebrates the wicket of Sri Lanka’s Dhananjaya de Silva.
Mohammed Siraj, an Indian fast bowler, has recaptured the top spot in the ODI bowler rankings in advance of the ICC World Cup. Siraj advanced eight spots as a result of his outstanding performance in the Asia Cup final against Sri Lanka. He rose to the top spot because to his outstanding performance spell in which he needed only 6/21 to bowl out Sri Lanka for just 50 runs. Siraj had dropped to second place in March of this year, but he has since surpassed elite bowlers like Mitchell Starc, Rashid Khan, and Trent Boult.
Siraj’s comeback to the top of the standings is a huge boost for India as the World Cup approaches. His current form and consistency have made him an invaluable asset for the club, and he has replaced Mohammed Shami, who missed the majority of the Asia Cup this month, as the first choice in the playing XI.
Along with Siraj, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Rashid Khan, two Afghan spinners, saw an increase in their rankings. Rashid Khan is currently rated fifth in the ODI bowling rankings, while Mujeeb Ur Rahman is currently ranked fourth. Both spinners have contributed significantly to Afghanistan’s limited-overs cricket success and will be essential to their team’s World Cup run.
Keshav Maharaj of South Africa, who finished outside the top 10, had a remarkable rise in the rankings. Maharaj climbed ten spots to number 15 in the rankings, a career-high performance, because to his performance in the most recent ODI series against Australia, where he claimed eight wickets at an average of 16.87 and an economy rate of just 4.07 per over.
Heinrich Klaasen of South Africa moved up one spot to ninth in the ODI batting rankings after an outstanding performance against Australia in the fourth ODI, in which he scored 174 runs at a 209.64 strike rate. Ben Stokes, who recently announced his retirement, made an incredible return to ODI cricket at The Oval with a stunning 182-run innings, moving him up to position 36 in the rankings.