Sports (96)
Chelsea's implosion leaves incoming Conte with tough job
If Leicester's rise to the top of English soccer is the most bewildering aspect of this chaotic season in the Premier League, then the implosion of Chelsea runs a close second. A 3-2 loss to Sunderland on Saturday made it official: Chelsea will end the season with the worst title defense in the 24-year history of the Premier League. The Blues can finish no higher than ninth place and could still drop as low as 11th. That's much worse than Manchester United's seventh-place finish under David Moyes in his woeful 10 months in charge in 2013-14, which is some achievement in itself. And there's still one ignominy left in this sorry campaign for Chelsea: On Sunday, the team will give a guard of honor to Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri and his players when the new champions come to Stamford Bridge on the final day of the season. Ranieri was the coach fired by Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich in 2004 as he chased the signature of Jose Mourinho.
Nishikori extends winning sreak in Barcelona
Defending champion Kei Nishikori extended his unbeaten run at the Barcelona Open to 11 matches with a comfortable 6-4, 6-2 win over the Netherlands' Thiemo de Bakker on Wednesday. The Japanese needed just over an hour to dispose of the world number 102 as he broke in the first game of each set and held serve throughout to win his first match of the season on clay.
Suarez hits four, Barca bounce back with 8-0 rout
Barcelona bounced back from their worst run of La Liga defeats for 13 years in emphatic fashion as Luis Suarez scored four in an 8-0 thrashing of Deportivo la Coruna on Wednesday. Ivan Rakitic, Lionel Messi, Marc Bartra and Neymar were also on target as Barca reasserted their control on the Spanish title race. Victory moved Barca back three points ahead of Atletico Madrid and four clear of third-placed Real Madrid with both sides from the capital in action later on Wednesday against Athletic Bilbao and Villarreal respectively. Barca had taken just one point from their last possible 12 in the league and been dumped out of the Champions League amidst a run of just one win in six games that threatened to derail their season.
Djokovic retains ATP rankings lead, Kyrgios into top 20
Novak Djokovic remains streets ahead of the rest in the ATP world rankings, after claiming a record-equalling sixth Miami Open title on Sunday. The Serb beat world number six Kei Nishikori in straight sets in the final to add to his Indian Wells success. There are no movers in the top 10, but 20-year-old Australian Nick Kyrgios has broken into the top 20 for the first time by reaching the semi-finals. Belgian David Goffin jumps a couple of places despite losing to Djokovic in the last four. ATP world top 20 1. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 16,540 pts 2. Andy Murray (GBR) 7,815 3. Roger Federer (SUI) 7,695 4. Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 6,370 5. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 4,955 6. Kei Nishikori (JPN) 4,490 7. Tomas Berdych (CZE) 3,630 8. David Ferrer (ESP) 3,370 9. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 3,130 10. Richard Gasquet (FRA) 2,840 11. Marin Cilic (CRO) 2,770 12. Milos Raonic (CAN) 2,740 13. David Goffin (BEL) 2,560 (+2) 14. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 2,420 15. John Isner (USA) 2,235 (-2) 16. Gael Monfils (FRA) 2,220 17. Robert Bautista Agut (ESP) 2,015 (+1) 18. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 1,930 (-1) 19. Gilles Simon (FRA) 1,900 20. Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 1,765 (+6)
Real Madrid suffer shock first leg defeat at Wolfsburg
Zinedine Zidane's Real Madrid suffered a shock 2-0 Champions League defeat at Wolfsburg in Wednesday's quarter-final, first-leg to leave them on the verge of a European exit. Just five days after ending Barcelona's 39-game unbeaten run with a 2-1 away win in El Clasico, Real were humbled as Wolfsburg ignored their struggling mid-table form in Germany's top flight. Real never recovered as first-half goals from Swiss defender Ricardo Rodriguez and Maximilian Arnold put the hosts 2-0 up at the Volkswagen Arena with 25 minutes gone.
Nadal and Djokovic book semi-final clash
Novak Djokovic set up a mouthwatering Indian Wells semi-final showdown with nine-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal, who the world number one Serb considers his biggest rival on the ATP Tour. Both Nadal and Djokovic eased through their Indian Wells quarter-final contests in straight sets on Friday and will now square off in a match worthy of a title clash. "It is going to be a game of cat and mouse," Djokovic said. "I enjoy the rivalry against Rafa. It is probably the most exciting rivalry I have had in my career." World number five Nadal survived an early assault to defeat Japan's Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-3 in the joint ATP and WTA Tour hardcourt tournament in the California desert. The Nadal-Nishikori match kicked off a star-studded pair of Indian Wells quarter-finals on Friday featuring four of the world's top 10 players.
Barcelona out to avenge Atletico in Champions League quarters
Holders Barcelona and their feared attacking trident drew fellow Spaniards and 2014 finalists Atletico Madrid in the Champions League last eight on Friday. Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar, Barcelona's feared attacking trio, will seek revenge for their 2-1 aggregate quarter-finals exit at the hands of Diego Simeone's formidable charges two seasons ago. "With Atletico Madrid everything is complicated," said Barcelona representative Javier Bordas, who was in Nyon for the draw. "Their strengths are well known. They are water-tight at the back and can hurt you in attack," he said of the side who have shipped just three goals in the competition so far. "They are our number one rival in the Spanish league, I don't believe there was a tougher side we could have drawn. We know this is going to be really tough." In another tantalising pair up new money outfits Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain face off after Swedish giant Zlatan Ibrahimovic's side toppled Chelsea in the last round. It is a first ever quarter-finals for City. PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi seemed convinced his up and coming side can get to their first semi-final in twenty years.
Roger Federer sidelined after undergoing knee surgery
Roger Federer will be out of action for up to a month after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in Switzerland to repair a torn meniscus, his agent at TEAM8 Tony Godsick said on Wednesday. The 17-time grand slam champion suffered the injury the day after his Australian Open run ended in the semi-finals last week. Federer has withdrawn from the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam (Feb. 8-21) and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in Dubai (Feb. 22-27).
Kevin Gameiro double puts Sevilla on verge of Copa del Rey final
French striker Kevin Gameiro struck twice and missed a penalty to put Sevilla on the brink of reaching a Copa del Rey final against Barcelona with a 4-0 semi-final, first-leg win over Celta Vigo on Thursday. Barca's place in a fifth final in six years is assured after they thrashed Valencia 7-0 in the first-leg of their semi-final on Wednesday. Sevilla have now won 12 consecutive games at home in all competitions and were worthy winners, even if the scoreline flattered Unai Emery's men. Gameiro had a great chance to open the scoring after half an hour but saw his spot-kick brilliantly saved by Ruben Blanco.
Double the fun as Paes, Mirza won multiple Slams in 2015
Indo-Swiss collaboration was the flavour of the season; it worked like a dream for two of our biggest tennis icons - the path-breaking Sania Mirza and the evergreen Leander Paes. With Martina Hingis as the common link, they lifted five Grand Slam doubles trophies in 2015. Sania's run to the summit of women's doubles gathered steam when she teamed up with Martina in March following a failed partnership with Taipei girl Hsieh Su-wei. The duo swept through the first three tournaments they entered, catapulting Sania to No. 1. Five quiet weeks followed, before Sania and Martina got back their mojo.
Tags
More Headline
- Mann Ki Baat: Nation stands in solidarity with flood-hit Kerala, says Narendra Modi Be the first to comment!
- 'Fictional series cannot change facts; my father lived and died for India'-Rahul Be the first to comment!
- US-China trade war could flood India with steel Be the first to comment!
- Superstar Gergiev makes no apologies for singing Putin's praises Be the first to comment!
- Salman Khan and family “shocked” over Arbaaz Khan’s involvement in cricket betting scandal? Be the first to comment!
- Upbeat Afghanistan look to seal series Be the first to comment!
Galleries
Who's Online
We have 24 guests and no members online