Sania Mirza talk about partnership with Cara Black

Sania Mirza talk about partnership with Cara Black

 MUMBAI: With an impressive year of tennis behind her, Sania Mirza has her eyes set on a brand new start in the New Year. Not only did she win five WTA titles, the doubles star also reached the semifinals of the US Open and the mixed doubles quarterfinals of the Australian Open in 2013.

"I have had a very good year. You try to outdo yourself every year. But you have to put it behind with the new season starting. So I am looking at a fresh start," Sania said on the sidelines of the ITPA Tennis Doubles Masters event at Khar Gymkhana on Saturday.

Sania will try to extend her unbeaten run with her Zimbabwean doubles partner Cara Black in the coming season but in the Australian Open mixed doubles, she will collaborate with Horia Tecau of Romania.

"Cara and I haven't lost a match. We won all the three tournaments we played. We are looking forward to our new partnership. She was in Hyderabad practising with me. We are doing the right things and are very excited," said the Hyderabadi.

"I will be leaving for Australia on January 2. Before the Australian Open, I will participate in a tournament in Sydney." Her partnership choices for the Asian Games, however, are comparatively unclear.

"That (Asian Games) is a long time (away). A tennis player plays 25 weeks a year. So, we have to worry about four Grand Slams much before we worry about anything else," said the 27-year-old."I have always said I am always on national duty.

Whenever or whoever needs me to play with I have played in the past and I will play in the future as well." Asked if she would consider playing in the singles format, Sania said, "I can't predict what is going to happen one year from now in the Asian Games in October.

If my body feels up to the task, I might play. But at the moment it seems unlikely." Having frequently changed her doubles partner in the past year, Sania claims finding the right chemistry is essential.

"Every partner has a share of goods and bads. But once you get along with most people that is when you form a good partnership and it depends on your chemistry. It will be unfair to name one person.

"Bethanie (Mattek-Sands) has been my best friend on tour and off it. So it is lot of fun to play with her. We had some great results a well. Unfortunately due to her health we had to stop playing together," Sania said, when asked to name her favourite partner.

"But I have a good partnership with Cara and we get along. More than that, she is too experienced. She has done it all. She has won Grand Slams, so I learn a lot from her as well. She is extremely humble. At the moment I will have to say Cara Black because I am playing with her," she added.

South Africa 138/2 against India at stumps on Day 4

 JOHANNESBURG: The first Test between India and South Africa seemed headed for an exciting finish with the hosts needing to score 320 runs with eight wickets remaining on a tricky last day to pull off a record-breaking victory.

Set a stiff target of 458 for victory after India scored 421 in their second innings, the hosts put up a better batting display to reach 138 for two at close on the penultimate day on Saturday on a Wanderers track which seemed to have eased out quite a bit.

Alviro Petersen (76 batting) and Faf du Plessis (10 batting) were at the crease at stumps on another absorbing day's play which has set the stage for a thrilling finish with all three results a possibility.

A South African victory looks remote at this stage as no team has ever successfully chased down a target of 458 in Test history so far. The highest successful run chase in Test cricket has been achieved by West Indies who scored 418 for seven to beat Australia in St Johns in 2003.

With the pitch showing no signs of any rapid deterioration, the Indians may find the going tough to push for a 1-0 series lead on the final day's play on Sunday, considering that the Proteas have a strong batting line-up.

The Proteas, on the other hand, will look to bat out the entire day to avoid the embarrassment of a defeat at home.

Resuming at the overnight score of 284 for two, the Indians rode on the marathon 222-run partnership between Cheteshwar Pujara (153) and Virat Kohli (96) for the third wicket to take a substantial lead.

The 222-run partnership was the highest stand for third wicket in a Test match second innings overseas. They bettered the long-standing record of 211 runs for the third wicket between Vinoo Mankad and Vijay Hazare at the Lord's in 1952.

Kohli was unlucky to miss out on a twin century as he was out for 96 in the opening session after hitting 119 in India's first innings.

South Africa's paceman Morne Morkel had twisted his ankle on Day three and it's doubtful if he will bat on Sunday, if at all required.

Earlier, after India were all out for 421 in the post-lunch session, captain Graeme Smith (44) and Peterson carefully negotiated the opening salvo from visiting bowlers for an hour to take the home side to 38 for no loss at tea.

Smith was nearly out in the third over of the innings, playing Zaheer off his pads towards leg gully where Virat Kohli nearly held on to a tough chance, getting his fingers to the ball. The South African captain was on one at that time.

Smith and Petersen batted in the same resolute manner after tea also, watching the incoming balls carefully and scoring runs whenever the bowlers strayed onto their pads.

To the Indian bowlers' credit, they bowled a lot better line than their counterparts managed all day. The trio of Zaheer Khan (9-0-29-0), Ishant Sharma (9-0-28-0) and Mohammed Shami (8-1-30-1) went past their bats on numerous occasions, unlucky to get a breakthrough in the first hour of play in the final session.

The two South African openers added 54 runs, with Petersen completing his half century in the 18th over. He contributed the majority of runs in the first-wicket partnership as Smith slowly built his innings. He was definitely more edgy of the two batsmen, with R Ashwin (16-3-40-0) nearly bowling him in the 23rd over and then Zaheer almost getting an edge in the 26th.

Notably, Ashwin bowled 16 out of the 45 overs sent down in the final session, pointing to the fact that the pitch may have something on the final day on Sunday.

In the 30th over, they reached the 100-run mark with worrisome faces on the Indian team. But Ajinkya Rahane eased their tensions when he ran out Smith with a direct hit in the next over. Smith hit six boundaries in his 73-ball innings.

Ten runs later, their number three batsman, Hashim Amla (4) was out just like in the first innings, out-bowled leaving a delivery from Shami, when he should have been playing at it.

Du Plessis was sent ahead of Jacques Kallis, owing to his lack of runs. It became cloudy thereafter and the Indians tried every trick to keep the opposition batting, with Murali Vijay (1-0-3-0) and skipper Dhoni (2-0-4-0) coming on to bowl, as Virat Kohli kept wickets. Dhoni even kept wickets without his protective pads to hurry the overs in.

Earlier in the opening session, Pujara slammed 153 while Kohli missed out on an opportunity to score centuries in both innings by four runs.

The two batsmen put on 222 runs for the third wicket to set the hosts a daunting fourth innings' target of 458 runs for a win at the Wanderers stadium.

The 222-run partnership for the third wicket between Pujara and Kohli was the highest stand for third wicket for India in a Test second innings overseas. They beat the long standing record of Vinoo Mankad and Vijay Hazare, 211 versus England at Lord's in 1952.

Pujara and Kohli began the day on individual scores of 135 and 77, and team score of 284 for 2. The Proteas immediately took the new ball when it became due and the run-scoring did slow down as a result, but the milestones never stopped.

The 300 for India, in this second innings, came in the 85th over, while Pujara completed his 150 two overs later. This was the fourth time in his 16-Test career so far that he had gone past this individual score in an innings. He looked good for a bigger one, but the need to get runs quickly meant that he played an uncharacteristic cut stroke off a Jacques Kallis delivery, which was close to his body.

Kohli, meanwhile, carried on, even as Rohit Sharma (6) suffered another failure. He was bowled by Kallis in the 94th over, off an in-swinging delivery that stayed low. The big wicket for South Africa came when Kohli went on the backfoot for a cut off Duminy, in the 99th over of the innings, and was out caught behind. He was flustered with his dismissal, even so walked off to a standing ovation.
Dhoni then Ajinkya Rahane to muster some quick runs. They added 31 runs for the sixth wicket. But Rahane (15) fell at the stroke of lunch, out caught at slip off Duminy. India went to lunch with a hearty lead, placed at 358 for 6. 

Le Tour de Truth -Verbruggen fights to rescue his reputation

Le Tour de Truth -Verbruggen fights to rescue his reputation

he world of international sports administration has thrown up some characters over the years, but few have come with as much baggage as Hein Verbruggen, quite literally, as he is carrying a leather holdall stuffed with binders and folders when we meet.
The former president of the International Cycling Union (UCI) has come to a TV production company's office in Geneva to give his first interview to the BBC since we reported allegations the UCI had taken money to get keirin into the Olympic velodrome.
The 72-year-old Dutchman has got an explanation for that in his bag, but that is not why we are meeting.
We are here to find out who is telling the truth: Lance Armstrong, the teller of perhaps the biggest lie ever told in professional sport, or Verbruggen, a man described by a contact of mine that morning as knowing "where all the bodies are buried".
It is almost a year since Armstrong told Oprah Winfrey at least some of the truth about what fuelled his seven Tour de France victories between 1999 and 2005.
Since then the fallen idol has largely been playing footsie with those seeking a bit more truth before they consider reducing his lifetime ban from most organised sport.

Last month, the Texan decided to float a bit more of his story, telling a British newspaper   he tested positive for corticosteroids at the 1999 Tour, but asked Verbruggen "to come up with something" that would get him, and cycling, off the hook.

According to Armstrong, Verbruggen agreed, telling him to backdate a sick note and blame it on an ointment for saddle sores.
Verbruggen remembers it differently. He says there was no positive test, just an "adverse analytical finding" of which only a quarter progress to full-blown positive status.
He adds that it was the French anti-doping agency, not the UCI, that did the test, and it was the French who decided not to pursue it.
Just to emphasise the point, Verbruggen showed me emails from Armstrong and the rider's team boss at the time, Johan Bruyneel, from 2011 and 2012 that clearly state there was no positive test at the 1999 Tour, or anywhere else for that matter.
Verbruggen does admit he might have had a conversation with "somebody" about Armstrong's test at the time, but categorically denies telling the rider how to bury a positive.
The partially-remembered phone call does ring my alarm bells, but not quite as loudly as Armstrong does with his evolving narrative.
So three hours after the start of our interview, as Verbruggen bids me a cheery "bon voyage" at the airport, I am confused: have we perhaps got Hein wrong?
Before I try to answer that, let me go back to the beginning.
Our interview took place in a nondescript street squeezed between Geneva's lake and station. It was, by coincidence, around the corner from the UCI's old headquarters, a few rooms above another nondescript street.

  

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Clean athletics unrealistic idea - Michael Johnson

Athletics free from doping is an unrealistic idea - Michael Johnson

 

Four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson believes it is "unrealistic" to think athletics will ever be drug-free.

Six Jamaicans, including former 100m world-record holder Asafa Powell and 2004 Olympic sprint relay champion Sherone Simpson, tested positive for banned substances earlier this year.
"Athletics is a microcosm of real life," said American Johnson.
"In real life you will always have people who cheat. It's unrealistic to expect athletics to be drug-free."

ohnson, who won 4x400m gold at the 1992 Barcelona Games, the 200m and 400m double in Atlanta four years later, and the 400m title in Sydney in 2000, believes the Olympics is the saving grace of athletics but thinks the sport needs to adapt in order to improve its appeal.

"Other sports may have fans that can put up with [doping] but in athletics the fans want to see the Olympians hold true to the Olympic ideal and values," he said.
"To be honest, if it weren't for the Olympics, athletics would be dead. Off the face of the earth."
He added: "Everyone loves to see people have a race but we're seeing too much emphasis placed on world records and not on the battle between the athletes.
"We must look closely at the sport and see what it is that people actually want to watch.
"Do we need the women's discus? A 3000m steeplechase and 5000m at the same meeting? Nothing has happened to change the sport in my time.
"We need to look at a new format, package it better to engage more fans. Other sports have done it to increase their fan base, why can't athletics?"

 

Nico Rosberg suffers tyre failure at 200mph

Nico Rosberg suffers tyre failure in Bahrain Pirelli test

Nico Rosberg suffered a 200mph tyre failure on Thursday at a private Pirelli test in Bahrain.

The German's Mercedes outfit are among four teams helping F1 supplier Pirelli with development work in the Gulf state this week.
Rosberg tweeted: "Just spun at full speed 320km/h on Bahrain straight because my tyre blew up without warning."

The tweet was deleted within a few minutes of being posted.

A Pirelli statement said: "The tyre tests in Bahrain regarded a number of prototypes, which were completely innovative in terms of structure and compounds, with the aim of developing the most suitable solutions for the next season.
"This morning Nico Rosberg's Mercedes was fitted with one of these prototypes, a tyre which had only been tested in the laboratory and which will not be proposed again.
"Thus, the safety of the tyres which will be supplied for the next championship is not in question.
"The accident which happened to Rosberg's car is being investigated and the findings will be communicated to the FIA and the teams."
Damage to Rosberg's Mercedes caused by the spin and the tyre failure meant the team had to end its programme for the week.
Red Bull, Ferrari and Toro Rosso are also taking part in the test,  which started on Tuesday and ends on Thursday.
Pirelli asked for the test because it felt it was important to do more development work on its tyres ahead of the 2014 season, when major rules changes come into force.
It is concerned that the greater torque of the new turbo engines will put more demands on the tyres and it wants to avoid the problems it suffered this year.
Pirelli needed to change the design of its tyres in the middle of the season following a series of dramatic failures, culminating in six issues at the British Grand Prix.

The FIA, which governs the sport, has an observer at the test and will expect an explanation for the tyre failure.
It was understood Pirelli would no longer conduct safety testing on the track and that the testing would be done on a rig, before durability and performance testing was conducted on a circuit.
Pirelli has constantly complained, since it became F1's tyre supplier in 2011, that the severe limitations on testing in the sport were making its job impossible.
As a result, F1 has introduced four in-season tests in 2014 to help Pirelli develop its tyres.
Pirelli has a contract with F1 for the next five years but the FIA has not yet made clear its status as the sport's official tyre supplier in 2014.
Earlier on Thursday, a Pirelli spokesman said: "The test in Bahrain is a private tyre test, so most data generated from it is confidential. However, incidents can happen, this is what testing is for. Our testing programme will continue as planned."

Michael Laverty signs up for second year in MotoGP

Northern Ireland's Michael Laverty will compete in MotoGP for a second year with the Paul Bird team in 2014.

The 32-year-old Toomebridge rider will be joined by Australian Broc Parkes on board the PBM Aprilias.
Laverty, the British Supersport champion in 2004, ended his debut MotoGP season in 25th place overall, with a best result of 13th at Jerez.
Parkes, 31, raced a Kawasaki for the PBM team in World Superbikes in 2009.
"We learned so much in year one and I am delighted Paul has continued his involvement with MotoGP and given me the opportunity to continue with the project," said Laverty.
"Everyone has told me that year two is much easier, so the aim is to put into place what we have learned and to raise our game.
"The class is going to be a lot tougher with the new production bikes, but our aim is to consistently score points."

Steven Finn and Joe Root support Andy Flower

Steven Finn and Joe Root support Andy Flower

England seamer Steven Finn says it would be "a great loss" if Andy Flower left his position as England coach.

Flower will not comment on his future beyond the end of the Ashes series, which England lost to Australia with two Tests still to play.

"He's been fantastic for the group," Finn told BBC Radio 5 live.

"He's always working extremely hard to make sure that we're as prepared as we can possibly be for Test matches. It would be a great loss if he goes."
Finn, who was given his Test debut by Flower on England's tour of Bangladesh in March 2010, added: "I've had a really good working relationship with him and a personal relationship."
England had won three successive Ashes series under Flower.
The 45-year-old Zimbabwean also guided the team to victory in the ICC W
orld Twenty20 competition in 2010 and led them to the top of the Test rankings a year later. But former England captain Geoffrey Boycott said the coach must decide on his future quickly so the side can plan ahead.
Batsman Joe Root has also offered his support for Flower.
"He has done a fantastic thing for English cricket over his career," said the 22-year-old. "He's been very good for my development as a player. It's been great working with him and hopefully that can continue."
Root also said the team should not look further ahead than the fourth Test in Melbourne, starting on Boxing Day.
"It's a massive game for us and we want to put a lot of things right," he said. "If we start looking too far ahead, things could slip away.