Hendricks, Bosch lead SA to 55-run T20 win over Pakistan
RAWALPINDI, Oct 29: South Africa opener Reeza Hendricks struck 60 from 40 balls and seamer Corbin Bosch took a career-best 4-14 in four overs to help their side to a 55-run victory over hosts Pakistan in the first Twenty20 International in Rawalpindi on Tuesday.The visitors were sent into bat and amassed 194 for nine in their 20 overs, before restricting Pakistan to 139 all out in reply. Hendricks and fellow opener Quinton de Kock (23 from 13 balls) got their side off to a fast start, before debutant in this format, Tony de Zorzi, added a quickfire 33 from 16 deliveries and all-rounder George Linde 36 from 22. Left-arm spinner Mohammad Nawaz was excellent with the ball for Pakistan and returned figures of 3-26 in four overs.Pakistan were restricted by the South African seamers in their reply and never managed to build momentum in the innings, despite 37 from 28 balls at the top of the order from Saim Ayub.Babar Azam, playing his first T20 international since December last year, did not last long as he spooned a catch to Hendricks at cover off Bosch for a two-ball duck.South Africa spinner Linde was expensive early on but finished with 3-31. (Agencies)
France’s marathon man Mahut calls time on tennis career
PARIS, Oct 29: Frenchman Nicolas Mahut delivered an emotional farewell to professional tennis after his doubles defeat at the Paris Masters.Mahut, 43, won five Grand Slam doubles titles in a career spanning 25 years, but he is best known for losing the longest professional tennis match in history against American John Isner at Wimbledon in 2010. The match lasted 11 hours and five minutes and took place over three days, with the last set alone – eight hours 11 minutes – being long enough to have broken the previous longest-match record. Mahut bid adieu to the sport on home soil alongside Grigor Dimitrov on Tuesday, losing 6-4, 5-7, 10-4 to Hugo Nys and Edouard Roger-Vasselin.“Being able to win Grand Slams was for me one of the best memories,” an emotional Mahut said after the match.“That’s what I will remember,” he said. “Beyond the titles, the trophies that I may have, it’s also ultimately everything that happened in order for me to achieve those trophies and victories.”“It’s all the doubts, the questioning, the mistakes I made. That is ultimately what makes a career rich and mine is very rich in that regard.”Asked about his record-setting match with Isner, Mahut said:“I now enjoy talking about that match because it was a crazy experience. It brought me a lot as a player and as a man.” (Agencies)
TT: Sudhanshu Maini rises to career-high 22 in U-17 rankings
NEW DELHI, Oct 29: Delhi-based table tennis player Sudhanshu Maini has catapulted to a career high 22 in the U-17 world rankings following a stellar run that culminated with three gold medals.Maini has risen in the rankings following title wins in the WTT Youth Contender Caracas, WTT Youth Contender Caracas II and WTT Youth Contender in Cuenca.Maini is also ranked 47th in the U-19 world rankings, following two bronze medals at the WTT Youth Contenders in Perth and Venezuela held consecutively this month.Adding to his success, the rising player also brought home a silver medal in the mixed doubles category at the Perth Youth Contender, partnering with fellow Indian Jennifer Varghese. (PTI)
Top badminton player banned 4 years for betting on courtside
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29: The Danish former coach of a two-time Olympic badminton quarterfinalist has been banned from the sport for four years for betting on games courtside.The Badminton World Federation said Joachim Persson placed bets on his mobile phone during a match at the Japan Open last year – played two weeks after the Paris Olympics – and did not cooperate with investigators.A document detailing the verdict Tuesday said Persson was spotted and filmed by a player making the in-game bets and displayed “a mixture of shock’ and emotion’” when confronted.Persson, a former player who was the European Championship singles silver medallist in 2008, was then fired by Anders Antonsen as his coach.Antonsen is now the world No. 3 and a quarterfinalist in the singles at the past two Olympics held in Tokyo and Paris.“This latest decision is a timely reminder that betting on badminton in any capacity will not be tolerated, as well as highlighting the importance of reporting such wrongdoing,” the Malaysia-based governing body said in a statement.A four-year ban was imposed because of aggravated circumstances including Persson having previously served a ban for betting, using a proxy online gambling account under a false name and his access to inside information as a coach at the tournament.Investigators said checks with the betting provider showed the account Persson used placed nine bets on the game in Tokyo for a total of 5,205 Danish krone (USD 810). Seven bets won for a return of 9,821 krone (USD 1,530), the published verdict said. (PTI)
