Sports
Sania Mirza no. 1 rank with Charleston title
Sania Mirza on Sunday created history by becoming the first female tennis player from India to achieve the world number one rank in doubles, following her stupendous title win at the WTA Family Circle Cup with partner Martina Hingis. The top-seeded Indo-Swiss pair blew away the challenge of Casey Dellacqua and Darija Jurak 6-0, 6-4 in just 57 minutes in the lop-sided final of the $ 731,000 clay court event.
Petkovic advances, Errani upset in Charleston
Andrea Petkovic battled back to advance to the semifinals at the Family Circle Cup in Charleston, South Carolina on Friday while Czech qualifier Lucie Hradecka upset yet another seed with a victory over Sara Errani. Last year's champion Petkovic had to rally from a set down to overcome qualifier Danka Kovinic 2-6, 6-3, 6-1 to set up a semifinal against fifth-seeded fellow German Angelique Kerber, who beat Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu 7-6, 7-6. "She played really well in the first set," the third-seeded Petkovic said in a courtside interview. "She has a tremendous serve for her height. It's really one of the best serves that I had to return on the WTA tour." Hradecka's victory continued a string of upsets at the tournament, which has had several early exits of top seeds including Canada's Eugenie Bouchard and Russian Ekaterina Makarova. A decorated doubles player, but ranked only 110th in singles, Hradecka beat fourth seed Errani 6-2 6-4, her third victory against a seeded player on her way to the semi-finals. Hradecka will face seventh-seed Madison Keys, who overpowered qualifier Lauren Davis 6-2 6-2.
Saina Nehwal Becomes World No. 1
Saina Nehwal created history on Saturday as she became the first Indian woman shuttler to attain the world number one ranking after her closest challenger for the spot, Spain's Carolina Marin, lost in the India Open Super Series semifinal here. Though the official rankings will be out only on Thursday next week, the 25-year-old Indian has been assured of her ascent to the top thanks to Marin's loss in the last-four stage. The reigning world champion, who was seeded second, lost to third seed Thai Ratchanok Intanon 21-19 21-23 22-20. Prakash Padukone had the distinction of being the No. 1 men's badminton player but Saina became the first Indian woman to achieve this feat. Saina plays Japan's Yui Hashimoto in the second semifinal but the Indian ace will be No. 1 irrespective of her result today. The London Olympic bronze-medallist has won a staggering 14 international titles in her glorious career, and most recently she became the first Indian woman to make the finals of the prestigious All England Championships in Manchester. If Saina loses in semifinals, she will finish with 75761 points after pocketing 6420 for reaching the last four. Carolina, on the other hand, will gain 6420 points for her semifinal finish here which will take her total points to tally to 73618.
Saina Nehwal Scripted History
London Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal on Saturday scripted history by reaching the final of the prestigious All England Badminton Championship with a straight-game victory over Sun Yu of China in the women's singles competition. The World No. 3 Indian, who reached the semifinals of the event in 2010 and 2013, defeated the unseeded Sun 21-13, 21-13 in a match that lasted for 50 minutes at the Barclaycard Arena. Saina is now just one step away from joining Indian legends Prakash Padukone (1980) and P Gopichand (2001) who have bagged the prestigious title in the past.
Manila Mavericks win over Singapore Slammers
Mark Philippoussis had a tough Legends' Singles match in which he prevailed 6-5 over Patrick Rafter. Philipp Kohlschreiber then thrashed Tomas Berdych 6-2 in the Men's Singles to create a 12-7 lead for the Manila. Manila consolidated their lead as Daniel Nestor and Kirsten Flipkens came out all guns blazing for a 6-1 rout of Singapore pairing of Nick Kyrgios and Daniela Hantuchova. In the men's doubles Philipp Kohlschreiber and Nestor kept the momentum going with a 6-4 win over Lleyton Hewitt and Bruno Soares. Kirsten then signed off with a resounding 6-3 win over Hantuchova in the women's singles.
Rafter gets top job at Tennis Australia
Two-time Grand Slam champion and former world number one Pat Rafter was Wednesday appointed as Tennis Australia's new director of performance. The role is effectively the most powerful within the nation's professional tennis ranks, with Rafter reporting directly to Tennis Australia chief Craig Tiley. "It's a challenge I am really looking forward to. There is so much I can learn but also a lot I think I can contribute," said Rafter, Australia's current Davis Cup captain. "I feel the time is right to step into this role and help us take the next step.
Sania-Cara record nervy win, enter WTA Finals
Sania Mirza and Cara Black showed nerves of steel as they saved three match points in the Super Tie Break against Kveta Peschke and Katarina Srebotnik to cruise into the summit clash of the WTA Finals on Saturday. The third-seeded Indo-Zimbabwean pair was trailing 6-9 but showed amazing resilience to reel off five straight points in a tense Super tie breaker to clinch the issue 4-6, 7-5, 11-9 against the Czech-Slovenian combo. Playing the year-end finals for the first time but combining for the last time together, Sania and Cara came back from a set down to win the thrilling semifinal in two hours and one minute.
Saina lose in Denmark Open quarters
Indian shuttlers had a disappointing outing at the Denmark Open Super Series Premier as Saina Nehwal, PV Sindhu and Kidambi Srikanth lost their respective quarterfinal matches on Friday. While 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist Saina lost to World No. 2 Shixian Wang of China 20-22, 15-21 in 45 minutes while two-time World Championships bronze medal winner Sindhu went down 23-25, 20-22 to South Korea's Sung Ji Hyun. Rising male shuttler Srikanth failed to move past South Korea's Wan Ho Son, who won 23-21, 21-17 in a 45-minute encounter at the Odense Sports Park.
Ana Ivanovic beats Caroline Wozniacki to win Pan Pacific Open
Ana Ivanovic charged the net repeatedly to overcome US Open finalist Caroline Wozniacki 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) in the final of the WTA Pan Pacific Open in Tokyo on Sunday. The 26-year-old Serb needed 99 minutes to win the battle of the former world number ones, stretching her head-to-head tally of wins over the second-seeded Dane to five-two. "It was so hard physically. We had a lot of long rallies but to win the title is amazing," said the third-seeded Ivanovic, who had ousted Germany's top-seed Angelique Kerber in the semifinals.
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