Tennis: Top seed Rublev shocked at ATP Hong Kong Open
Hong Kong, Jan 2: Top seed and defending champion Andrey Rublev of Russia suffered a surprising defeat to Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan in the second round of the ATP Hong Kong Open on Thursday. The world No. 8 fell to 58th-ranked Marozsan 5-7, 6-3, 3-6 after a match that lasted one hour and 58 minutes at Victoria Park. Marozsan will face China’s Shang Juncheng in the quarterfinals. 19-year-old Shang advanced comfortably, defeating seventh seed Pedro Martinez of Spain 6-3, 6-1. In the day’s other action, second seed Lorenzo Musetti of Italy triumphed over qualifier Gabriel Diallo of Canada, while Spain’s Jaume Munar upset fifth seed Nuno Borges of Portugal 6-3, 7-5, reports Xinhua. The year 2024 was a good one for Rublev as he won his first title of the season in Hong Kong, defeating Liam Broady, Arthur Fils, Shang Juncheng, and Emil Ruusuvuori in the process. At the Australian Open, Rublev reached the quarterfinals, before losing to fourth seed and eventual champion Jannik Sinner. En route to the quarterfinal in Melbourne, Rublev recorded his 300th win, defeating tenth seed Alex de Minaur from 2–1 down and winning in five sets. Seeded second in Dubai and reached the semifinals before being defaulted for verbally abusing a line judge. However, the ATP later restored Rublev’s ranking points and prize money from the tournament. In 2024, Rublev won his second Masters 1000 title in Madrid, becoming the only man to win in both singles and doubles in the event. He reached his sixth Masters 1000 final defeating Matteo Arnaldi in straight sets. (IANS)
Swiatek powers Poland to United Cup semis with win over Boulter
Sydney, Jan 2: Iga Swiatek showcased her resilience and determination, overcoming Great Britain’s Katie Boulter 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-4 to secure Poland’s spot in the United Cup semifinals at Ken Rosewall Arena. Poland now have an unassailable 2-0 lead over Great Britain. Swiatek’s win came on the heels of Hubert Hurkacz’s 7-6 (3), 7-5 straight-set victory against Billy Harris, sealing the tie for Poland and ensuring their place in the final four for the third consecutive year. Poland will now face Kazakhstan in a bid to reach their second straight United Cup final. Swiatek’s clash with Boulter was their first career meeting, and it lived up to expectations. The opening set saw both players battling fiercely from the baseline. Swiatek’s early dominance – highlighted by a 3-0 lead and a marathon service game where she saved four break points – suggested the former World No.1 was in control. But Boulter, ranked 24th, showcased her grit and flat, powerful hitting to claw her way back into the match. The Briton’s backhand proved decisive in the opening set, as she forced a tiebreak with a series of deep, penetrating shots that disrupted Swiatek’s rhythm. In the tiebreak, Boulter’s fearless baseline play earned her back-to-back winners, sealing the set in 74 minutes and giving Great Britain a glimmer of hope. Down a set, Swiatek immediately adjusted her strategy in the second set. Tightening her baseline consistency and increasing her aggression, she raced to a double-break lead. Swiatek’s relentless precision overwhelmed Boulter, who managed just four winners compared to her 17 in the first set. Swiatek’s dominance culminated in a commanding 6-1 win, sending the match into a decider. The deciding set brought more drama as Boulter earned an early break to lead 2-1, capitalising on Swiatek’s momentary lapse in concentration. Swiatek, however, took an off-court medical timeout and returned with her upper right leg strapped. Despite the setback, she immediately found her rhythm, winning eight consecutive points to shift the momentum back in her favour. Both players delivered their best under pressure in the final games. Serving at 4-3, Boulter saved two break points with gritty defensive play, prevailing in extended rallies to keep her hopes alive. But Swiatek, known as the WTA’s best returner, turned the tables at 5-4. With a stunning display of precision and power, she broke Boulter’s serve at love to close out the 2-hour and 57-minute match. (IANS)
India’s top air rifle shooters to compete at 15th RR Lakshya Cup
Mumbai, Jan 2: India’s promising air rifle shooters will fight it out at the 15th RR Lakshya Cup 2024 on January 4 and 5, 2025 at the fully electronic Lakshya Shooting Club at Karnala Sports Academy in Panvel, Navi Mumbai. The reigning men’s and women’s national air rifle shooting champions, Shahu Mane, an alumnus of Lakshya Shooting Club, and Ananya Naidu will be among the leading air rifle shooters from the country who will be vying for top honours at the 15th RR Lakshya Cup. Also featuring will be Olympians including Divyansh Singh Panwar, Arjun Babuta, and Sandeep Singh. Suma Shirur, High-Performance Director, Lakshya Shooting Club, said, “At RR LAKSHYA Cup, we aim to recognize talent, reward excellence, and provide a platform for shooters to showcase their skills at the highest level. This tournament is not just a competition. It’s a celebration of hard work, dedication, and the spirit of sportsmanship. It’s a great prospect to see the current national champions square off against each other for the coveted silver trophy. That’s what the Lakshya Cup stands for.” The respective 2018 and 2017 winners, Divyansh Singh Panwar of Rajasthan and Deepak Kumar of Air Force had won the Tokyo Olympic Quota places as did the runner-up in 2017, Anjum Moudgil. The 9th RR Lakshya Cup 2017 Junior gold medal winner, Shahu Mane, went on to win silver at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires in 2018. The junior 10m air rifle junior final will be held at 2 pm and will be followed by the senior final at 3.30 pm on January 5. (IANS)
Golf goes indoors on prime time with high-tech TGL league
Palm Beach Gardens (US), Jan 2: Xander Schauffele is making his season debut twice in the span of seven days at venues separated by a lot more than some 5,000 miles. One is at The Sentry, the season opener on the PGA Tour that starts Thursday on hilly terrain in Maui with endless views of the Pacific Ocean. Schauffele knows what to expect at Kapalua having won the tournament six years ago with a 62 in the final round. The other starts next Tuesday inside a 250,000-square-foot building on the campus of Palm Beach State College, a technological wonder when it comes to golf and a game that will only look familiar because of the players involved. This one makes Schauffele curiously excited. It’s the debut of the TMRW Golf League, a six-team league featuring Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy among 24 players – 13 of them major champions – in fast-paced, two-hour matches to be televised in prime time on ESPN platforms. (AP)