Prajnesh, Ankita reach best ranking
New Delhi: Indian tennis player Prajnesh Gunneswaran, who played his maiden Grand Slam main draw in Australia, and Singapore ITF title winner Ankita Raina on Monday, achieved their career-best ranking. Prajnesh is now ranked 102 in the men's singles rankings with a jump of seven places while Ankita leapfrogged 35 places to a career-high 168 in the women's singles. The Chennai left-hander will spearhead India's challenge in the Davis Cup World Group Qualifiers against Italy in Kolkata this week while Ankita will lead country's challenge in Fed Cup in Astana, Kazakhstan next week. In the ATP list, Ramkumar Ramanathan dropped two places to 133 while injured Yuki Bhambri (151) slipped out of top-150 with a steep fall of 13 places. In the doubles, all top five Indian players slid in the ranking table. Rohan Bopanna is now ranked 37 (-3) and is followed by Divij Sharan (40, -3), Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (76, -3), Leander Paes (78, -19) and Purav Raja (103, -12).
Anand finishes joint 3rd after draw
Wijk Aan Zee: Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand had to be content with a joint third place finish following a draw with compatriot Vidit Gujrathi in the 13th and final round of the Tata Steel Masters here. With three victories, a lone loss against winner Magnus Carlsen of Norway and nine draws, Anand ended the event on 7.5 points and will add six points to his existing rating. He is now sixth in world rankings. Carlsen expectedly won the event after drawing rather easily with Anish Giri of Holland in the final round. Leading by a half point over Giri, Carlsen started the day with black pieces and went for his recent pet Sveshnikov Sicilian. This was Carlsen's seventh victory in the super tournament. Anand has won this event five times earlier.
Betis stadium to host CDR final
Madrid: This season's Copa del Rey final will be plated at the Benito Villamarin home of Real Betis on Saturday, May 25, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced on Monday. The Seville club's ground, with a capacity of almost 61,000, was chosen ahead of Valencia's Mestalla home for the right to stage the game. Last year's final was played at Atletico Madrid's Wanda Metropolitano, where Barcelona beat Sevilla 5-0 to win the trophy for the fourth season in a row. It is the first time the venue for the final has been announced before the finalists are known. This season's competition is at the quarter-final stage, with the second legs due to be played this midweek. Betis are still in the tournament, having drawn 1-1 away to Espanyol in the first leg last week. It will be the fourth time that the Copa del Rey final has been played in Seville, but the first at home of Betis, who are two-time winners of the trophy.
India women hold Spain to 1-1 draw
Murcia: Indian women earned a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Spain in the second international hockey match after having lost the opening encounter by a close margin. Gurjit Kaur's 43rd minute strike was nullified by home team's Maria Tost in the 49th minute during an encounter on Sunday evening. Having lost 2-3 to Spain in their opening match on Saturday, the Indian team put up a spirited performance in a high-voltage second encounter here. Dragflicker Gurjit Kaur opened the scoring via short corner in the 43rd minute but the joy of 1-0 lead against the 2018 Women's World Cup Bronze Medal winners was shortlived as a defensive lapse by India gave way to Spain scoring a beautiful field goal through Tost in the 49th minute which levelled the scores 1-1.