Asmita rowing league for women all set for historic start in Hyderabad
Hyderabad, Feb 25: The Hussain Sagar Lake here will stage the country’s first-ever city-based rowing league – ASMITA Rowing League – from February 26 in what could be a huge fillip to the sport. Backed by the Government of India’s Khelo India mission, the league will see participation by eight teams – Bhopal Waves Queen, Chennai Ranis, Cochin Queens, Cuttack Rowing, Deccan Queen Pune, Hyderabad Queen, Kolkata R-Oars and Ludhiana Team Rowing – and 250 girls in U-19 and U-23 age groups and five different events. Organised in collaboration with the Rowing Federation of India, the tournament will also reward the top-6 finishers in each event – Single Sculls (W1x), Double Sculls (W2x), Quadruple Sculls (W4x), Coxless Pairs (W2) and Coxless Fours (W4) – with attractive cash incentives. (PTI)
Mannepalli makes it to main draw of German Open
Mulheim, Feb 25: India’s T Mannepalli advanced to the main draw of the German Open badminton tournament, while Sankar Subramanian and Rithvik Satish Kumar were eliminated in the qualifying rounds of the Super 300 tournament here on Tuesday. Mannepalli, ranked 59th in the world, defeated Liao Jhuo-Fu of Chinese-Taipei 21-11, 22-20 in the first round of qualifiers before overcoming Israel’s lower-ranked player Misha Zilberman 21-14, 16-21, 21-11 in the next round. He will take on world No. 54 Magnus Johannesen of Denmark in the opening round of the main draw. In women’s singles qualification, upcoming shuttler Unnati Hooda defeated France’s Anna Tatranova 21-13, 21-16. Ayush Shetty, Kidambi Srikanth, Priyanshu Rajawat, Kiran George have been given direct entry into the main draw, which will commence on Wednesday. (PTI)
Yuki-Popyrin pair stuns world No.1 duo in Dubai
Dubai, Feb 25: India’s Yuki Bhambri and his Australian partner Alexei Popyrin combined brilliantly to stun the world number one pair of Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic in their men’s doubles round of 16 match at the Dubai Tennis Championships here on Tuesday. After dropping the first set, Bhambri and Popyrin staged an incredible comeback to defeat the top seeds from El Salvador and Croatia 4-6, 7-6(1), 10-3. (PTI)
Qualifier Barton causes major upset on bad day for India players
Bengaluru, Feb 25: Qualifier Hynek Barton caused a massive upset in the Bengaluru Open here on Tuesday by knocking out top seed Vit Kopriva in a round of 32 clash, even as the India players, including Ramkumar Ramanathan, suffered reverses. Czech Republic’s Barton came from a set down to shock compatriot Kopriva 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in a tightly contested match, which lasted a little over two hours on Court 2 at the KSLTA Tennis Stadium. Indian teen sensation Manas Dhamne’s journey came to an end in the first round, despite him putting up a brave fight against qualifier Petr Bar Biryukov. Dhamne lost 3-6, 6-3, 6(3)-7. Elsewhere, Karan Singh’s campaign ended in the first round of the main draw as he fell to Jurij Rodionov in a hard-fought 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(3) battle. Meanwhile, wild card Ramkumar put up a strong challenge against seventh seed Shintaro Mochizuki, pushing the Japanese star to the brink in both sets before bowing out 7-6(3), 7-5. (PTI)
Matthew Mott appointed as Delhi Capitals assistant coach
New Delhi, Feb 25: Former England white-ball coach Matthew Mott was on Tuesday appointed assistant coach of IPL franchise Delhi Capitals for the upcoming season. The 51-year-old Mott will assist former India cricketer Hemang Badani, who was named head coach in October last year. The Australian joins director of cricket Venugopal Rao and bowling coach Munaf Patel in the Delhi Capitals’ support staff. Mott, following an extremely successful stint with the Australian women’s cricket team – he guided them to two T20 World Cups, one ODI World Cup and four Ashes series wins – over seven years, became the England men’s team white-ball coach in 2022. The former first-class cricketer stepped down as England coach in July last year after guiding them to the T20 World Cup title in Australia in 2022. (PTI)