|
|
|
A
round-up of the best, the brightest and the bunk in sporting action
worldwide
|
 |
Sania to feature in WTA Dubai Open
Tennis sensation Sania Mirza will return to the million-dollar WTA Tour Dubai Duty Free tennis championships to be held from February 20. A wild card entrant last year, Sania will return to the star-studded event as a genuine contender for the title. She not only attracted sell out crowds in Dubai last year, the teenager backed up the expectations by claiming a stunning first round victory over the reigning US Open champion, Svetlana Kuznetsova. “The atmosphere in the Dubai Tennis Stadium when Sania was playing last year was unforgettable and she will no doubt draw on that support once again to help her against some of the top players in the world.” |
|
|
 Saina Nehwal has potential to be a top international player
Badminton legend Prakash Padukone says Hyderabadi girl Saina Nehwal has all the ingredients to become a top shuttler at the international level if she remains focussed. “She (Saina) has got a lot of promise; one of the most promising girls. Very sincere and dedicated,” Padukone said when asked to comment on Saina, who is creating waves on the Indian badminton scene. “She has the potential to go all the way, at the moment she has to maintain it but it depends on a lot of factors like how she conducts herself and whether she remains focussed,” the former All England Badminton Champion said. “She has got the right game, technically. She is physically and mentally very strong”. Saina has already won the national sub-junior girls singles and national junior girls singles titles this year, and is now looking to add senior title in the national badminton championships beginning here this week.
|
|
|
Counter-attack was calculated risk: Dhoni
India’s batting hero in the second Test, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, described his match-saving counter-attacking knock as a calculated risk he had to take considering the tricky situation his team was in. “It was a calculated risk. I had to go for my strokes at some point of time and I decided that it was the right time and I should go for it,” said the 24-year-old Ranchi-born player who made 148 in 152 balls, hitting 19 fours and four sixes.
Dhoni, who rescued the sinking Indian innings from 281 for five with his maiden century and a record sixth wicket partnership with Irfan Pathan, said he wanted to first check the pace and bounce of the wicket before going for his shots. “It was a challenge for me. I just wanted to hang in there for a while, get adjusted to the bounce and pace of the wicket.”
|
|
|
|
|
Indo-Pak hockey Test series in Feb
The Indian and Pakistani hockey teams will play a six-match Test series between February 15 and 25, with both the countries hosting three matches each. Pakistan Hockey Federation secretary Musarratullah Khan said that India would host the first three games while the Pakistan-leg matches will be played between February 21 and 25. “The series was finalised when I met Indian hockey officials during the Champions Trophy and it has been slotted keeping in mind that Pakistan has to participate in the Commonwealth Games in March-April while India and Pakistan would have organised their national events before the series,” Musarratullah said.
|
|
|
|
|
 High-flier singhania among sportspersons given Padma awards
Tennis star Sania Mirza was among four sportspersons conferred the Padma civilian awards on the eve of India’s Republic Day.
Sania, currently ranked 34th in the world, has been awarded the Padma
Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award. Boxer Mangte Chungneijang Mary
Kom, who won a gold medal at the just-concluded women’s world boxing championships, badminton star Madhumita Bisht and shot putter Bahadur Singh have also been conferred the Padma
Shri. Industrialist Vijaypat Singhania, who last month established a new world altitude record in a hot air balloon, has been awarded a Padma
Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award, in the category for sportspersons. A total of 106 Padma awards have been conferred this year. The awards are traditionally announced on the eve of Republic Day.
|
|
Formula 1: Narain living in hope
There’s still a flicker of hope for the fastest Indian on wheels. A day after Williams F1 announced that Austrian Alexander Wurz would be their test and reserve driver for the coming Formula One season, team principal Sir Frank Williams told “Alex’s appointment as official test driver does not mean that the team has no additional role for Narain Karthikeyan. The team and Narain are still in dialogue and the possibility of a second testing role for him still exists.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
February 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
