When Modi ended Ankita's worries
New Delhi: He has promised to treat sportspersons at par with soldiers and much before taking over over as Prime Minister, Narendra Modi showed just how serious he is about that vision when he resolved the travel woes of India's number one singles tennis player, Ankita Raina, in just one meeting. Modi was still the Chief Minister of Gujarat when Ankita approached the state's sports authority last year for help. The budding player competed in just 11 competitions outside the country in the whole of 2013 due to financial constraints. But thanks to Modi's intervention, she has already travelled for seven tournaments abroad in a mere five months this season. "His reassurance to me was 'you play, we will take care of the rest'," Ankita recollected in an interview just before catching a flight to Uzbekistan to compete in her eighth event abroad this season.. It was a chance meeting but Ankita cannot forget how promptly Modi reacted when she approached him with her travel worries. After the meeting with Modi, the youngster was immediately made beneficiary of the state government scheme, Shaktidhoot Yojna. She has already received financial support of Rs 15 lakh, which is helping her expand her horizons on the massively expensive circuit.
lahiri continues to be on top
Singapore: Indian golfer Anirban lahiri continued to occupy the top spot, while Rahil Gangjee took the fourth spot in the latest Asian Tour Order of Merit released on Monday. lahiri continued to take pole position with earnings of USD 245,910 despite a tied-37th finish at the Queen's Cup on Sunday. Gangjee, who tied ninth in the event, took his season's earnings to USD 108,997. The other Indians in the top-10 are SSP Chowrasia and Rashid Khan. While Chowrasia is seventh with earnings of USD 87,457, Rashid stands 10th with USD 77,697. Bangladeshi Siddikur Rahman, who finished with a share of third place, is in ninth place after amassing USD 79,879. Meanwhile, there was no stopping the evergreen Thaworn Wiratchant. Even age cannot inhibit the Thai, who is 47, from a record breaking run which already includes being the oldest Asian Tour Order of Merit champion in 2012 and becoming the all-time leading Asian Tour winner.
Thulasi, Akshay-Pradnya win titles
New Delhi: Young shuttler P C Thulasi and the mixed doubles pair of Akshay Dewalkar and Pradnya Gadre made it a double delight for India in the Sri lanka Open International Badminton Challenge by winning the titles in Colombo. Sixth seed Thulasi came back from a game down to edge out Singapore's Jiayuan Chen, seeded fourth, 17-21, 21-15, 21-18 in the women's singles final which lasted for an hour and five minutes on Sunday. Fourth seeded combo of Akshay and Pradnya too prevailed over the Malaysian pair of Vountus Indra Mawan and Prajakta Sawant 21-16, 21-18 in another final to clinch the mixed doubles title at the Sugathadasa Indoor Sports Complex. However, the rest of the Indians in fray could not cross the final hurdle and finished runners-up.
career-best ranking of six for Sania
New Delhi: Touching a new high, India's tennis ace Sania Mirza today became world number six in doubles, her career-best ranking, as the new chart was released following the conclusion of the French Open. Courtesy a quarterfinals appearance at the Roland Garros, Sania earned 430 ranking points along with partner Cara Black to jump eight places in the ranking charts. Sania and Cara had lost to eventual champions Shuai Peng and Su-Wei Hsieh. India's number one singles player Ankita Raina also achieved her career-best rank, 262, with a jump of 28 places. Ankita had ended runner-up at a USD 25,000 event in Indonesia to earn 30 points. In the ATP rankings, Somdev Devvarman dropped out of top-100 as he lot 23 places to be 119.
Sindhu, Srikanth lead indian charge
Tokyo: With ace shuttler Saina Nehwal taking a break after a gruelling Uber Cup campaign, the Indian challenge will be led by P V Sindhu and K Srikanth at the USD 2,50,000 Japan Open Super Series which gets underway with the qualifiers here on Tuesday. Olympic bronze-medallist Saina, who was in red-hot form last month as she led India to their maiden bronze medal at the Uber Cup in New Delhi, decided to skip the Japan Open due to fatigue and concentrate on the next two events at Indonesia and Australia later in the month. In Saina's absence, Sindhu and young Tanvi lad will represent India in women's singles, while Srikanth will spearhead the challenge in the men's singles.
Pune FC appoint Bencherifa as coach
Pune: Pune FC have appointed experienced Moroccan Karim Bencherifa as coach for a two-year term ahead of the 2014-15 season. A former I-league and Federation Cup winning coach, Bencherifa becomes Pune FC's fourth foreign coach since its inception in 2007. Pune FC Owner, Nandan Piramal said: "I would like to welcome Karim to Pune FC and would like to wish him the very best of luck." Having coached twelve different teams in five different countries from three continents in a career spanning over two decades, Bencherifa brings along a wealth of experience. Bencherifa said: "I would like to thank the Pune FC management for offering me the position of chief coach of the team." PNS/Agencies