Sumit Nagal to compete in World Tennis League
Abu Dhabi, Oct 4: India’s top singles player Sumit Nagal will feature in the upcoming World Tennis League which have many global stars such as world number five Daniil Medvedev and women’s US Open champion Aryna Sabalenka, the organisers announced on Friday. It is not yet known which team Nagal, ranked 83 in the world, would play for in the League, scheduled to take place at the iconic Etihad Arena from December 19 to 22. The WTL features two Olympic gold medallists, five Grand Slam champions, six of the top 12 male players, and six of the top 10 female players, including world No. 1 and French Open champion Iga Swiatek. Reigning Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcíková and women’s doubles Paris Olympics gold medallist Jasmine Paolini will make their debut. Medvedev, world number six Andrey Rublev, who were part of the WTL 2023 title-winning team Eagles, will compete again along with 2024 US Open runner-up Taylor Fritz (Men’s World No. 7), Hubert Hurkacz (Men’s World no. 8) and Casper Ruud (Men’s World No. 9). (PTI)
Bopanna-Dodig pair advances to second round of Shanghai Masters
Shanghai, Oct 4: India’s Rohan Bopanna and his Croatian partner Ivan Dodig cherished their first win after joining forces, moving to the second round of the ATP Shanghai Masters with a straight-set victory over Pablo Carreno Busta and Pedro Martinez, here Friday. The fifth-seed Indo-Croatian pair won 6-4, 6-3 in the opening round match that lasted 63 minutes. Bopanna and Dodig fired five aces to none of their rivals, and converted three of the eight break points they faced. They also saved four break chances on their service games, dropping serve only once in the match. India’s singles challenge has already ended with both Sumit Nagal and Ramkumar Ramanathan making first round exits. Ramkumar had made it to the main draw through qualifying round while Nagal had earned a direct entry. (PTI)
Target set to take India among top-5 Olympic medallist by 2047
Gwalior, Oct 4: Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said target has been set to position India among the top five Olympics medal-winning countries by 2047, when it celebrates the centenary of its independence. In order to achieve this target, the country needs a talent-pool of world-level coaches and training, the Youth Affairs and Sports Minister told reporters here after taking part in the 10th Convocation ceremony of Laxmibai National Institute of Physical Education (LNIPE) here. “I am happy to be in Gwalior as it is the workplace of late Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia. The country is marching ahead in the sports sector. When India hosts the Olympics in 2036, it should rank among the top 10 nations in sports,” Mandaviya said. “And when the nation celebrates 100 years of independence in 2047, the country should rank among the top five countries in the field of sports,” he said. “For achieving this target, the country needs a talent pool of world-level coaches and training and the LNIPE in Gwalior is playing a major role in it,” the minister added. (PTI)