smooth start for advani
leeds: Ace Indian cueist Pankaj Advani defeated Robin Wilson for his second straight win in the World Billiards Championships (time format) here. Advani, who won the points format title earlier in the tournament, beat Englishman Wilson 1060-376. He had defeated Arun Agarwal in his opening match on Saturday. Advani, having started tentatively in the first match, registered the highest score in the Championship by an Indian so far. Compatriot Rupesh Shaw was the other player to cross the 1000 barrier. Shaw outplayed Andrew Draper 1053-117. In an all Indian affair, Balachandra Bhaskar surprised Alok Kumar 623-321.
Pallikal enters JSW Squash QF
Chennai: India’s top squash player Dipika Pallikal breezed past Harshit Kaur Jawanda 3-0 to enter the quarterfinals of the JSW Indian Squash Challenger Circuit here on Sunday. Pallikal packed off Jawanda 11-6 11-4 11-3 in 29 minutes. The event is the fourth and final leg of the Circuit. In another match, lakshya Ragavendran got past compatriot Aparajitha Balamurukan 14-12 11-9 4-11 12-10. Asian Games gold medallist Harinder Pal Sandhu also showed his mettle in the men’s singles by fighting his way past Pakistan’s Ahsan Ayaz 11-4 11-7 8-11 9-11 11-7 in a marathon match lasting 81 minutes.
Vasco SC in Durand knockouts
Mapusa: Vasco SC and Tuff laxmi Prasad scored victories in their respective matches to qualify for the quarter-finals league cum knock out stage of the 127th Durand Cup, here on Sunday. Vasco SC found the net in each half to down AIFF U-19. In the other match later in the day, Tuff laxmi Prasad beat Sesa Football Academy by a solitary goal to make it to the next stage. The third team to make it to the next stage will be decided on Monday as semi-finals losers AIFF and Sesa Football Academy will clash for the last available spot. The winners will join last year’s winner Mohammedan Sportings, I-league Champions Bengaluru FC, Salgaocar FC, Sporting Clube de Goa, Churchill Brothers, Pune FC, United SC, Air India and Indian Navy in the knockout stage, which will commence from October 29 at Rai ground.
Doping claims shock malaysia
Kuala lumpur: Malaysian badminton officials expressed “shock” in their first response to doping allegations following reports that world number one lee Chong Wei failed a test. The officials refused to identify the player, pending a second test, but local media has reported that the top shutter tested positive for a banned substance at the world championships in Denmark in late August. “One of our athletes in one major tournament has been found positive,” Badminton Association of Malaysia deputy president Norza Zakaria told reporters after officials met for more than two hours to discuss the matter. “We are very shocked, sad, and it is earth-shattering news to us... We are hoping, keeping our fingers crossed that things will come to a positive conclusion at the end of the day.”
federer wins home tournament
Basel: Top-seeded Roger Federer won a sixth Swiss Indoors title, comfortably defeating David Goffin in straight sets to end a run of two successive final defeats at his hometown tournament. Federer took just 52 minutes to win 6-2, 6-2, delighting the partisan crowd as he inflicted what was only Goffin’s third defeat in 46 matches. The first set lasted 23 minutes as Federer dropped just one point in the final three games. The 33-year-old Federer also moved a step closer to clinching the year-end No. 1 spot for a record-equaling sixth time as he moved to less than 500 points behind Novak Djokovic. Goffin had been in remarkable form since his straight sets defeat to Andy Murray at Wimbledon but knew it would be a tough task against his childhood idol.
Germans dominate himalayan run
New Delhi: The 24th International Himalayan Run & Trek Annual Events went off successfully during 18 - 22 October, 2014. Adventurers from 9 countries including UK, USA, Germany, Spain, South Africa, India, Argentina, El Salvador, New Zealand took part in this novel event. The central ambition behind this eco-adventure sport mission is to preserve the environment and local heritage of Indian Himalaya for future generations. Gabriel Seiberth (Germany) won the 100 mile Stage Race and in the women’s category Sonja Braun (Germany) won first position. The oldest participant was Garry Griffin from USA (65 years).
dutt sacked by werder bremen
Berlin: Bundesliga coach Robin Dutt has been sacked by Werder Bremen owing to the team’s poor start in the league. Bremen, in 18th, have lost all nine games so far.