Indian GM P. Iniyan wins Dole Open International Chess title
New Delhi, July 28: Indian Grandmaster P Iniyan clinched the 2nd Dole Open International Chess title defeating Poland’s Jan Malek in the tie-breaker after both the players were deadlocked at the top with 7.5 points apiece in the French city of Aix-en-Provence. Iniyan, 22, who hails from Erode in Tamil Nadu, remained undefeated in the tournament, scoring six wins, including against International Masters from Uzbekistan, Madagascar, Turkey, France and Poland, besides three draws. He scored 7.5 points in nine games and was tied for first place with GM Malek, in a tournament that had 276 participants, including 39GMs, from 43 countries. In fact, Iniyan won the last four games in a row, especially the crucial penultimate and final games. The first game of the tie-break against the Polish GM ended in a draw. In the second game, Iniyan, playing with black pieces, won to take his tally to 1.5-0.5 and clinch the title. GM Pavel Eljanov of Ukraine, who was leading the tournament until the last game which he lost, finished third. (PTI)
Indian biker Harith Noah finishes fifth at Baja Aragón 2025
New Delhi, July 28: India’s Harith Noah, representing the Sherco TVS Rally Factory Team, delivered a gritty and determined performance to finish overall fifth in the 450cc category of the FIM Bajas World Cup at Baja Aragón 2025 in Spain. Over the course of three challenging stages across the Spanish desert terrain, Harith clocked a total time of 7:16:32.0s, placing him among the elite finishers in a field stacked with top international competitors. Held from July 25 to 27 in Teruel, Spain, the 41st edition of Baja Aragón tested riders with its demanding mix of high-speed gravel tracks, rocky climbs, and soaring summer temperatures, true to its reputation as one of the most iconic events on the rally-raid calendar. Harith’s finish came as part of a competitive top five, which included fellow Sherco TVS rider and rally veteran Lorenzo Santolino Sánchez of Spain, who clinched the overall victory with a time of 6:38:59.0s. (PTI)
Leylah Fernandez, Alex de Minaur win DC Open titles
Washington, July 28: The biggest tennis title of Leylah Fernandez’s career arrived at the DC Open on Sunday with the help of a terrific backhand, some superb returning – and energy courtesy of Shake Shack’s burgers and fries. The left-handed Fernandez, a 22-year-old from Canada who is ranked 36th, wrapped up a big week of tight matches with a lopsided victory, defeating Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 in the final. The men’s trophy was won by No. 7 seed Alex de Minaur, who earned his 10th ATP title by saving three championship points in a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (3) win over No. 12 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. (AP)