Salgaocar ready to take on Pune F C

Deepak Jain Sat, Jan 16 10 04:49 PM

Margao, Jan 16 (PTI) Salgaocar would be looking to exploit the home advantage when they take on an in-form Pune FC in the 10th round of the I-League tomorrow at Nehru stadium here. Both the teams are seperated by two points and Pune who have played one match more for their nine points. Salgaocar have seven points from eight points. Salgaocar will be without striker Manjit Singh who is nursing an injury. While Ekene will not be able to play on account of a double booking. But Salgaocar''s coach Tim Hankison is confident that his team will emerge victors against Pune FC. "Our boys have played well in Mumbai against Mumbai FC but failed to convert the chances that came our way which saw us ending on losing side. Hopefully, they do not commit the same mistakes," stated Hankison. Pune F C who have not lost in their last four matches will be looking to keep their good run. They have injury worries as defenders Caitano Costa and Chika Wali is ruled out tomorrow''s match due to injuries along with striker Edmar and Jeje. "Going by form, we have a good chance to pick full points. But we have to be cautious against our rivals as they are a good side and have advantage of playing at home, so we should play to our potential for a win," stated Derrick Pereira, Pune F C coach.

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Monday's order of play at the Australian Open

Deepak Jain Sat, Jan 16 10 04:19 PM

Monday's order of play on the showcourts on day one of the Australian Open (prefix denotes seeding, times GMT):

Rod Laver Arena - play starts at 0000 14-Maria Sharapova (Russia) v Maria Kirilenko (Russia)

15-Kim Clijsters (Belgium) v Valerie Tetreault (Canada)

5-Andy Murray (Britain) v Kevin Anderson (South Africa)

From 0800

2-Rafa Nadal (Spain) v Peter Luczak (Australia)

Jelena Dokic (Australia) v 27-Alisa Kleybanova (Russia)

Hisense Arena - play starts at 0000 2-Dinara Safina (Russia) v Magdalena Rybarikova (Slovakia)

7-Andy Roddick (U.S.) v Thiemo de Bakker (Netherlands)

4-Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) v Michael Russell (U.S.)

Justine Henin (Belgium) v Kirsten Flipkens (Belgium)

Margaret Court Arena - play starts at 0000

Yanina Wickmayer (Belgium) v Alexandra Dulgheru (Romania)

Guillaume Rufin (France) v Bernard Tomic (Australia)

5-Elena Dementieva (Russia) v Vera Dushevina (Russia)

8-Jelena Jankovic (Serbia) v Monica Niculescu (Romania)

From 0830

Matthew Ebden (Australia) v 12-Gael Monfils (France)

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Miandad wants to sack indisciplined Pak players

Deepak Jain Sat, Jan 16 10 03:59 PM

Karachi, Jan 16 (PTI) Livid with Pakistan''s shambolic performance in the ongoing Test series against Australia, PCB Director General and former captain Javed Miandad called the team "indisciplined" and said he would have sacked some players if he had the authority. "If I had the authority, I would sack all those players who regularly violated the clauses of their central contracts by giving unnecessary statements that only damage the image of Pakistan cricket," Miandad said. "If I had my way I would drop them from the team and select new players because as it is this team is not winning us any matches in Australia," he added. The former great said the players lacked the application to do well in Test cricket. "Twenty20 has clearly damaged our cricket. When it first started, I had warned that it would damage us the most because already we have a weak domestic system to groom our players," the former Pakistan coach said. He said Pakistani players lacked the discipline and temperament to play long innings in Test matches.

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Fatherhood won't affect my game: Federer

Deepak Jain>Sat, Jan 16 10 03:49 PM

London, Jan. 16 (ANI): As he gears up for his first Australian Open as a dad after the birth of twin daughters, Swiss tennis ace Roger Federar has expressed confidence that fatherhood won't affect his career.

The world No.1 has wife Mirka and six-month-old daughters Myla and Charlene in tow at Melbourne Park as he attempts to add to his record 15 grand slam triumphs, The Mirror reports.

The three times Australian Open champion will have to rewrite history if he wants to continue his grand slam winning ways.

Only eight players have won grand slam singles titles after becoming fathers, with just American Jimmy Connors managing the achievement more than once.

But Federer insists it will be business as usual when he kicks off his Open campaign against Russian Igor Andreev.

"There's always going to be speculation once you have a family, you look at history and see some players don't win when they have a family. The hunger's still there - I'm working as hard as I have been, I haven't just been babysitting," he said.

"I've been putting in the big hours and I feel my game's where it's supposed to be," he added.

Former world No.1 John McEnroe is among those who believe Federer the father is facing one of his biggest challenges.

"There's no tougher opponent than kids. When you try to juggle that, try to spend the time necessary to be the best player in the world and be a great father and husband, it gets more complicated," McEnroe, a father of six, said.

"I'm not going to say that (it will be the start of Federer's decline) because Roger loves the game so much - maybe he'll be different. I know from my own - when I had kids I thought I could handle both things," he added. (ANI)

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Olympic Gold medal winner Bindra wants to quit shooting

Deepak Jain>Sat, Jan 16 10 03:39 PM

Chandigarh, Jan 16 (ANI): Annoyed by the negligence of the National Rifles Association India's first and only individual Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra is planning to move out of shooting range forever.

The 27-year-old Bindra, who clinched the historic Olympic gold medal in the 10m air rifle event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, is tired of being at loggerheads with the NRAI.

Abinav's father A S Bindra informed the media that he (Abhinav) is annoyed that his point of view is not being taken properly by the national body and is being treated like a Mr. Nobody.

"He needs space to do his training and prepare himself for this year's Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games the way he prepared for the Olympics," A S Bindra said.

Earlier, Abhinav defied NRAI by openly criticising its functioning.

Recently the NRAI insisted that Bindra should be present at national level trials.

A S Bindra said that Abhinav has been asked to undergo trials and he even agreed to it.

On December 18m 2009, Abhinav came from Germany where he is undergoing training for trials but to his dismay, the NRAI postponed the trials.

"He has requested that he be exempted from such trials not once but twice. He can't be harassed like this," A S Bindra added.

"His (Abhinav) emotional state is very low. He is planning that if 'I am subjected to such harassment then it's better to quit then confront'," he said.

The NRAI, however, dismissed Abhinav's allegations and said the body never misinformed him about the trial schedule. (ANI)

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India need win to thwart threat on number one Test spot

Deepak Jain Sat, Jan 16 10 03:23 PM

Philem Dipak Singh Chittagong, Jan 16 (PTI) Aware that the number one spot in the ICC Test rankings can change hands after every series, top ranked India would settle for nothing less than a victory when they take on lowly Bangladesh in the first of the two-match Test series starting here tomorrow. With India playing not many Tests this year and other teams -- including South Africa, Australia and England -- closely behind them, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men will have to get maximum result from the Bangladesh series. India is expected to maintain their world number one status if they win the series against Bangladesh 2-0 as South Africa, engaged in a Test series against England at home, is left with no chance of toppling the Dhoni-led side. Even though some of the Indian players, who were part of the just concluded tri-series squad, would be a bit low in morale after losing the final to Sri Lanka, they will have to get over the disappointment and concentrate at the job at hand. Notwithstanding the unimpressive start in 50-over format, the Indians would be aiming to begin with a bang in Test cricket. The complexion of the team has also changed after six players, including stalwarts Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, joining the touring squad. More PTI PDS SSC MRM

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Clijsters back at unfamiliar Melbourne Park

Deepak Jain>Sat, Jan 16 10 03:19 PM

U.S. Open champion Kim Clijsters, who came out of retirement last year after a two-year break, was left feeling disorientated on her return to the Australian Open.

The 26-year-old, who gave birth to a daughter during her time away from the game, plays a qualifier in the first round on her competitive return to an altered Melbourne Park.

"Obviously a lot of things have changed around the courts and everything ... so that took a few days to get used to," the 15th seed, who lost to compatriot Justine Henin in the 2004 final, told reporters on Saturday.

"It's just nice to see (it) again, because I never thought it would happen again (returning), obviously to be playing tennis here."

Clijsters, who won the U.S. Open title as a wild card in just her third tournament back after retiring, was victorious at the Brisbane International last week, beating Henin in three sets and is considered one of the favourites in Melbourne.

While she put her return to her best tennis down to sheer hard work, the pace of her progress has come as a surprise.

However, it would not mean she would be throwing herself back into the tour like she had prior to motherhood.

"My schedule is this year obviously far from being busy. Obviously I hope to do well at the tournaments but I think I'll play about 15 or 16 tournaments maybe including Fed Cups and everything.

"My focus is not really based on rankings as much as probably trying to really aim for the big tournaments, of course.

"It's something that's done talking a lot with my coach, my fitness coaches too, because I really want to be able to peak at the right time."

Clijsters said the days of signing up for doubles as well as singles at tournaments were behind her, a regime which may have pushed her towards the exit door.

"Obviously my situation too with the family, I think it's important for me to also have the life at home a little bit."

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