India to host Wimbledon event
New Delhi: Former Great Britain No.1 Tim Henman will be in India to spearhead a new initiative aimed at boosting the development of junior tennis in the country. India will host the first Wimbledon tennis event outside the UK as 11-time-Tour winner Henman will be in Delhi and Mumbai later this month to launch 'The Road to Wimbledon' with a series of coaching clinics and events offering local children the chance to play at Wimbledon next August. The clinics are part of two Under-14 National singles events in Delhi (RK Khanna Tennis Centre) and Mumbai (MSlTA Tennis Centre). The top sixteen boys and girls from these two events are invited to the Wimbledon Foundation Junior Masters in Delhi in April with the two boys and two girls finalists invited to compete in the UK HSBC National Finals on the grass at Wimbledon. "India has a special place in my heart — 2014 marks twenty years since I made my breakthrough on the Indian satellite circuit, winning eighteen successive singles matches. This is pretty much where it started for me and thanks to The Wimbledon Foundation and HSBC this could be the start for a whole generation of Indian children," Henman said. "The activity in January is just the beginning of The Road to Wimbledon India and I can't wait to see how we can help develop tennis in India over the coming years," he added.
Pique wants end to verbal attacks
Madrid: FC Barcelona defender Gerard Pique has called for a stop to the unfair criticism on his club. It has been a difficult year for Barcelona. Apart from questions raised over the style of play, the club has also had to contend with accusations of corruption raised against club president Sandro Rosell over the purchase of Brazilian striker Neymar, while lionel Messi was also accused of tax evasion along with his father, Jorge, reports Xinhua. Madrid newspaper El Mundo also launched accusations, later denied by authorities, that Jorge Messi was being investigated for money laundering on behalf of drug cartels. "We are being attacked from all sides. There has to come a moment when you have to say enough is enough," he said. Messi has been the target for many of these accusations and Pique defended his teammate, who returns to Spain Thursday after close to a month in his home in Argentina recovering from a muscle injury. "There are laws and rules and someone who puts down those rules and imposes the law. There is a time to stop. Somebody should start to impose justice for all the rubbish that is being thrown in Messi's direction," continued the Spanish defender.
IAAF chief urges China to clean up
Beijing: IAAF president lamine Diack has urged Chinese authorities to curb air pollution amid a boom of marathon races in the country. speaking on the sidelines of the Xiamen International Marathon, Diack said Thursday good air quality is of vital importance for the health of distance runners. "Xiamen is well known for its natural environment. It is Xiamen Marathon's unique resources to step to the top-level," Diack told Xinhua. "Not all the cities share the same good environment as Xiamen." Official data showed that 2013 has had the most smoggy days of any year in China over the last 52 years.
Solskjaer is Cardiff City manager
london: Former Manchester United footballer Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been appointed as Cardiff City's new manager, replacing Malky Mackay. The 40-year-old, who watched Cardiff City's 0-2 loss to Arsenal Wednesday, met his new squad at the club's training ground Thursday and then was unveiled to the media at the stadium, reports Xinhua.