Iga Swiatek Marks Birthday With Comfortable At At French Open, Jannik Sinner Advances

Iga Swiatek Marks Birthday With Comfortable At At French Open, Jannik Sinner Advances

Reigning champion Iga Swiatek celebrated her 23rd birthday by brushing aside Marie Bouzkova to reach the French Open last 16 on Friday. Swiatek had to save a match point to avoid an upset defeat by fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in a second-round thriller, but she was never in trouble during a 6-4, 6-2 win over Czech Bouzkova. The world number one is a red-hot favourite to lift the Coupe Suzanne Lenglen for a third straight year and become only the fourth woman to win four Roland Garros titles in the Open era. She was much closer to her best form on Friday, hitting 34 winners and making only 19 unforced errors. Swiatek will play Russia’s Anastasia Potapova in the next round on Sunday. The Polish star’s win-loss record at the tournament stands at 32-2 and she has never failed to reach the second week. Earlier on Friday, Jannik Sinner continued his serene progress at the French Open with a straight-sets victory over Russian Pavel Kotov in the third round. The Australian Open champion, who will usurp Novak Djokovic as world number one if he reaches the final at Roland Garros, struck 36 winners and saved the only break point he faced in a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win. Sinner will next take on either home hope Corentin Moutet or Austrian Sebastian Ofner for a place in the quarter-finals. The Italian, who has only lost two matches so far this year, is yet to drop a set in the tournament. Coco Gauff also eased into the second week for a fourth straight year. Gauff held off a late fightback from Australian Open semi-finalist Dayana Yastremska to win 6-2, 6-4 in the first match of the day on Court Philippe Chatrier. The reigning US Open champion has an excellent record at Roland Garros, having previously reached two quarter-finals and the 2022 final which she lost to Swiatek. The 20-year-old failed to serve out the match when leading 5-2 in the second set, but saved three break points in the 10th game before getting over the line. Topics mentioned in this article Iga Swiatek Jannik Sinner Coco Gauff French Open 2024 Tennis

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T20 World Cup in the US: Will ICC’s big gamble pay off? | Sledging Room, S2 EP 35

T20 World Cup in the US: Will ICC’s big gamble pay off? | Sledging Room, S2 EP 35

The IPL is over and the biggest T20 carnival is here. The USA and the West Indies will co-host the men’s T20 World Cup from June 1 to June 29. The USA will host a cricket tournament of such magnitude for the first time in its history. 3 venues are hosting the T20 World Cup in the USA and the big India vs Pakistan clash will be played in New York. The ICC’s move to award the USA the hosting rights is seen as a major step toward making the game global. One of the most popular sports in the world is heading to the biggest sports market. Will ICC’s gamble work? Yes, the Asian community in the USA will lap it up. But will the T20 World Cup make some noise in the USA? Well, at least, it’s start.  More importantly, the ninth edition of the men’s T20 World Cup will have 20 teams — as many sides for the first time in history. Is it going to affect the competitiveness of the tournament? Well, more teams will add to the flavour of the tournament and is a big step toward making the game global. Don’t count out the associates. Each one of them have deserved to be here. It’s going to an exciting World Cup for sure.  Can India progress to the semi-final and go all the way? Are Pakistan riding on chaos? Will England be able to defend their crown?  Akshay Ramesh, Saurabh Kumar and Alan John discuss the buzz around the T20 World Cup. Tune In! 

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"Things Change During World Cup": Ex-India Star Aheaad Of Pakistan Clash

“Things Change During World Cup”: Ex-India Star Aheaad Of Pakistan Clash

Former India pacer RP Singh believes there will be a lot of pressure on the players during the high-voltage clash between India and Pakistan in the upcoming T20 World Cup. The marquee event is set to kick off on June 1 in the USA and the West Indies. One of the greatest rivalries in the history of cricket, India and Pakistan, will write a new chapter in their story on June 9 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York. While India’s World Cup-bound players were engaged in the recently concluded Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 season to prepare for the tournament, Pakistan played the T20I bilateral series against New Zealand, Ireland, and England. They drew the five-match T20I series against New Zealand (2-2), won the three-match series against Ireland (2-1), and lost the four-match series against England by 2-0. Despite Pakistan’s dwindling form, RP Singh believes that things change during the World Cup and the level of pressure will be different on the players. “Pakistan is also a good team. They played against Ireland and suffered a defeat. Things change during the World Cup. The match is always high-voltage so there is a lot of pressure on the players. Indians’ performance in the World Cup has always been good. We just lost one match last time, and were dominant throughout,” RP Singh told the media during the jersey launch of the World Championship of Legends team India Champions. The level of pressure on the players and the emotional connection of the fans were visible during their last encounter in the World Cup. In 2022, the Men in Green were far ahead in the game against India. The Men in Blue needed 28 runs off a mere 8 deliveries to walk away with a victory. With Virat Kohli on strike against Haris Rauf, the stalwart batter took a step back and struck a towering six right over the head of the Pakistan speedster. In an emotion-packed game, commentator Gerard Whateley delivered the iconic “That is a shot of an emperor” line to describe Kohli’s masterclass. He tonked another maximum on the next ball, which laid the foundation for a successful 160-run chase for India. The match lived up to its hype, and the fans will be expecting another cracker of a match. Before the epic clash between the two cricketing giants, India will take on Ireland in their tournament opener on June 5. Pakistan will meet the USA in their opening clash on June 6. The fans will be expecting a similarly intense clash between the two Asian Giants that keeps them on the edge of their seats. India T20 WC Squad: Rohit Sharma (c), Hardik Pandya, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Siraj. Pakistan T20 WC Squad: Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Amir, Mohammad Rizwan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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Wolvaardt to lead SA in Test, ODIs during India tour

Wolvaardt to lead SA in Test, ODIs during India tour

South African batswoman Laura Wolvaardt is clean bowled by Deepti Sharma in the first women’s one-day international cricket match between India and South Africa at the Reliance Cricket Ground in Vadodara on October 09, 2019. | Photo Credit: VIJAY SONEJI Top-order batter Laura Wolvaardt was on Friday named as captain of South Africa’s Test and ODI teams for the tour of India, beginning from June 16. The tour will start with three ODIs in Bengaluru before the visitors to move to Chennai for one-off Test and T20Is, for which the squad will be announced later. South Africa will be without the services of experienced Lara Goodall (hamstring injury), Chloe Tryon (back) and Ayanda Hlubi (groin), as they are currently under recuperation. However, they might be included in the T20I side later. Interim coach Dillon du Preez said negating Indian spinners has been an important part of their preparation for the tour. “We had big focus on options against spin and it was good to see the buy-in from the team. We also have new management involved. “So, this would be a great opportunity for them to find their feet before we come back and start our preparation for the (women’s T20) World Cup (in September in Bangladesh,” said Du Preez in a release. The former South African all-rounder urged the team to remain calm under pressure. “The key for us would be to assess the conditions as soon as possible, be calm under pressure and try and play key moments in the game better than the opposition. “We all know a series against India in India will always be tough,” he added. South Africa Test/ODI squad: Laura Wolvaardt (c), Anneke Bosch, Tazmin Brits, Nadine de Klerk, Annerie Dercksen, Mieke de Ridder, Sinalo Jafta, Marizanne Kapp, Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Sune Luus, Eliz-Mari Marx, Nonkululeko Mlaba, Tumi Sekhukhune, Nondumiso Shangase, Delmi Tucker.

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Roma Spoil Olivier Giroud's AC Milan Farewell In Perth

Roma Spoil Olivier Giroud’s AC Milan Farewell In Perth

Veteran French striker Olivier Giroud bid farewell to AC Milan in subdued fashion as they slipped to a 5-2 defeat at the hands of AS Roma in an entertaining post-season friendly in Perth on Friday. Just days after the Serie A season ended, Roma had the edge in a high-octane contest in front of 56,522 fans at the Optus Stadium. All eyes were on 37-year-old Giroud as he leaves Europe, where he has played at the top level in France, England and Italy, to head next season to Los Angeles FC. The 2018 World Cup winning striker is France’s record goalscorer with 57 in 131 internationals and will have a chance to add to that tally at the Euros later this month, after which he will bow out of international football. “I learned so much from him. He is such a legend,” said Swiss striker Noah Okafor, who replaced Giroud at half-time. “Big respect that he can perform at that age. I’m going to miss him….just going to enjoy these last hours together.”  Giroud, who won the Champions League with Chelsea and the Serie A title with Milan in 2021-2022, signed off from league duty in Italy with a goal in a 3-3 draw with Salernitana on Saturday. He almost replicated that effort in the 30th minute against Roma, only to hit the post.  But Giroud struggled to get involved and was constantly crowded out by Roma defenders aiming to deny him a farewell flourish, and he was substituted at half-time.  Roma midfielder Tommaso Baldanzi broke the deadlock in the 27th minute, firing past Marco Sportiello.  Giroud almost equalised straight away, but it was French left-back Theo Hernandez who tied things up with a fierce shot from outside the area in the 37th minute. Roma reclaimed the lead just before half-time through England international Tammy Abraham, who has been linked with a return to the Premier League after being made available for transfer.  It was all-out attack in the second-half, with both teams having made a slew of changes.  Angelino made it 3-1 early in the half and although Okafor pulled one back for Milan, Paulo Dybala and Sardar Azmoun rounded out the victory for Roma. It was the only match of the tour with the teams set to fly out of Perth just hours after the game, having arrived on Wednesday morning. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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India vs Bangladesh match at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium – India TV

India vs Bangladesh match at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium – India TV

Image Source : ICC/X Rohit Sharma with the ICC T20 World Cup trophy in New York on May 31, 2024 IND vs BAN pitch report: Indian cricket team will kick off their final preparations for the T20 World Cup 2024 with a warm-up clash against Bangladesh at New York’s Nassau County International Cricket Stadium on Saturday, June 1. Bangladesh’s first warm-up game against was washed out due to rain in Dallas. Najmul Shanto’s men were stunned by the United States with 1-2 loss in the bilateral series last week but Bangladesh registered a dominating 10-wicket win in the last match to gain some confidence ahead of the warm-up fixture. On the other hand, the Indian cricket team will be playing their first t20 game in the last four months. Players were heavily involved in the recent Indian Premier League 2024 and are expected to gain some momentum in the practice game. India will play Ireland in their opening match on June 5 and will clash against rivals Pakistan in New York on June 9.  Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York Pitch Report New York is set to host it’s first ever cricket game at the brand new pitch and ground. The venue will be hosting it’s first t20 game and the pitched were dropped in from Australia. It is hard to predict the surface of the wicket as fresh pitch but according to various reports suggest a batting-friendly conditions. Fans can expect a high-scoring game as experts believe a flat pitch to entertain and attract fans at the new venue. IND vs BAN probable playing XIs: India predicted playing XI: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rohit Sharma (c), Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, Rishabh Pant (wk), Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal. Bangladesh predicted playing XI: Tanzid Hasan, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto (c), Towhid Hridoy, Mahmudullah, Shakib Al Hasan, Litton Das (wk), Rishad Hossain, Tanzim Hasan, Hasan Mahmud, Mustafizur Rahman.

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Kylian Mbappe Move To Real Madrid Expected Early Next Week: Report

Kylian Mbappe Move To Real Madrid Expected Early Next Week: Report

Kylian Mbappe’s highly anticipated move to Real Madrid will be made official next week.© AFP Kylian Mbappe’s highly anticipated move to Spanish champions Real Madrid will be made official early next week, AFP learned on Friday from a source close to the negotiations. The captain of the French national team, who will be available on June 30 when his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires, has decided to sign for Real after seven seasons in Paris. Contacted by AFP, his entourage did not immediately respond.  If the move is announced as expected on Monday or Tuesday, Mbappe is unlikely, according to several media outlets, to be presented in the Spanish capital before the end of Euro 2024, which runs from June 14 to July 14.  For the moment, he is expected to remain with the France team which has been in camp in Clairefontaine since Wednesday ahead of two Euro warm-up matches.  They face Luxembourg in Metz on Wednesday and Canada in Bordeaux four days later. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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Virat Kohli joins Indian team for T20 World Cup campaign | Cricket News

Virat Kohli joins Indian team for T20 World Cup campaign | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: Virat Kohli, India’s top batsman, reached New York on Friday to join his team for the upcoming T20 World Cup. His arrival comes five days after the rest of the Indian squad landed in the city.However, there is still uncertainty surrounding Kohli’s participation in the warm-up match against Bangladesh, which is scheduled to take place on Saturday. “Virat Kohli has checked in at the team hotel and after a long flight, he would be taking rest,” a senior BCCI source confirmed his arrival.After a lengthy 16-hour journey to reach the ‘Big Apple’, Kohli’s involvement in the practice match will hinge on his personal inclination and readiness to face the Bangladesh team at the Nassau County Cricket Ground.With an impressive tally of 741 runs in 15 IPL matches, Kohli’s need for additional match practice is minimal. Moreover, he is scheduled to participate in three high-quality net sessions prior to the opening encounter against Ireland on June 5.Friday morning saw an optional training session, during which Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, and Mohammed Siraj put in the hard yards under the watchful eyes of the support staff.The team management and the BCCI have a history of granting special considerations to Kohli regarding his joining the national squad. In a previous instance, he was allowed a break before the South Africa Test series, arriving in the “Rainbow Nation” only to depart for the UK due to personal matters before eventually rejoining the team.Kohli prioritized family over cricket earlier this year when he opted out of the entire Test series against England at home to be present for the birth of his second child.As the Indian team prepares for the upcoming T20 World Cup, the players have been arriving in batches. The first group landed on May 25, while the second contingent reached on May 28.Although Kohli has been absent from three training sessions so far, the team management remains unconcerned. They acknowledge that the legend knows his stuff and his routines won’t be tinkered with, demonstrating their trust in Kohli’s ability to prepare himself adequately for the tournament.(With PTI inputs)

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T20 World Cup 2024: Hope having both Rohit and Virat works out well for India, says Sanjay Manjrekar

T20 World Cup 2024: Hope having both Rohit and Virat works out well for India, says Sanjay Manjrekar

Former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar thinks he would have chosen a much younger Indian group for the T20 World Cup, since overloading the team with seniors hasn’t worked in the past. Manjrekar stated that India currently has no choice but to combine Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli in the opening spot, despite his preference for the youthful and promising Yashaswi Jaiswal. Rohit and Kohli did not play many T20 matches for India last year, but they returned as selectors trusted the experienced players. “Ideally, I would not have gone that way; I would have stuck with a slightly more younger kind of, core set of players but the selectors have committed themselves to the icons, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli,” Manjrekar said on Star Sports’ Press Room World Cup edition on Friday. “Now that they are in the squad, it’s impossible to have Virat Kohli batting at No. 3 because then you don’t get the full rally of Virat. Rohit Sharma has to open, so now, India in a way have forced themselves to have only one kind of combination — two right-handers,” he said. T20 WORLD CUP 2024: FULL COVERAGE Manjrekar does not think Jaiswal would find a place in the Indian XI. “Unfortunately, Jaiswal will have to sit out. I would have gone completely with a new lot (and) then he would have had a lot more flair and it would be something different,” he said. “(But) India have trusted the seniors a move that hasn’t worked over the years let’s hope it works this time,” Manjrekar added. The former India batsman also addressed concerns that Mohammed Amir and Shaheen Shah Afridi would pose a threat to the Indian hitters in the two arch-rivals’ showdown on June 9. “Mohammed Amir played his last international T20 seven years back. We have no idea what his form is like today. Shaheen Afridi is not the same bowler that he was two years ago. India have handled him really well, if you remember the Asia Cup, even in the 50-overs World Cup we had a one-sided match. I do not see Pakistan as a major threat to India, plus the names (of) Mohammed Amir and Shaheen Shah Afridi. I do not think this is a problem for India,” he added. Published By: Saurabh Kumar Published On: May 31, 2024

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"Australia May Not Need Me": David Warner On Playing 2025 Champions Trophy

“Australia May Not Need Me”: David Warner On Playing 2025 Champions Trophy

Port of Spain : The seasoned Australia batter David Warner is aiming for a spectacular finish on his final lap as an international player, saying that Aussies will play “fearless” cricket during the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup to create a unique piece of history. The veteran opener also feels Australia may not need him for the 2025 Champions Trophy. Warner announced his retirement from the longer formats of the game, and he left the door open for a possible return to the next major ICC event if the Men in Yellow require an opening batter. Although he announced his retirement from the longer formats of the game, he left the door ajar for a potential return to the next major ICC event, should the Men in Yellow need an opening batter. After winning the World Test Championship and one-day World Cup in the previous 12 months, Australia is aiming for cricket’s grand slam at the T20 World Cup, which has been enlarged to 20 nations. It will be played in the West Indies and the United States throughout June, with all of Australia’s matches taking place in the Caribbean. The 37-year-old Warner is one of just four players with a chance of becoming the first team to win three International Cricket Council trophies at the same time, alongside Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, and Travis Head. “Being part of that potential history, you only sit back and reflect on those things when you’re completely done and dusted,” Warner, who is in Trinidad, said as quoted by The Sydney Morning Herald. “I did an interview with the ICC recently asking me about it and all the tournaments I’ve been a part of, and I can’t remember them all, but it’s been great,” he added. However, he continues to indicate that it may not be the end, citing the ICC’s revived Champions Trophy, a mini-World Cup slated for Pakistan next year. “They may not need me,” he added with a laugh. Warner was unable to complete this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) due to injury in his left hand but demonstrated his fitness with 54 from 21 balls in a practice match against Namibia in Trinidad last week. However, he will not play until Australia’s first match, against Oman in Barbados on Thursday. His farewell from the big stage has been quite a trip. Australia defeated India in India to win the ODI World Cup in November, he said goodbye to the conventional game at the Sydney Test in January, and he will most likely say goodbye to T20 internationals in the Caribbean. Whenever the star batter does go, Warner is bound to go out all guns blazing against any team face. “We’ve always played fearless and I think that’s why we’ve been so successful over the last few years. We don’t care about our spot in a team, we just care about doing the best that we can, and making sure that whatever we’re doing, we’re trying to be that match winner,” he said. “And the fortunate thing is that we’ve got so many of them. One might come off one day, the next day someone else will come off. So we just know that one person in that top six, if they can get anywhere between 60 to 80 runs at a good strike rate, we know we’re always going to post a good total. It’s the same with the new ball. If Starcy [Mitchell Starc] is swinging the ball, we’ll get early wickets, and that brings the spinners into the game,” he added. Warner believes Australia’s emphatic World Cup victory over India late last year, followed by a great performance against South Africa in the semi-final, has given them a “upper edge” over other teams. “If you look at the way that we performed with our backs up against the wall after the first couple of games [losing badly to India and South Africa], you just never count us out,” he said. (This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Topics mentioned in this article

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