singles

Jwala-Ashwini in final

Calgary (Canada):  Commonwealth Games silver-medallist duo of Jwala Gutta and Ashwini Ponnappa entered the women’s doubles final of the Canada Open badminton tournament after posting a straight-game victory over Shiho Tanaka and Koharu Yonemoto here on Sunday.The third-seeded Indian combo outplayed the Japanese pair of 21-17, 21-16 in their semi-final match that lasted just half-an-hour. The bronze medal winners of the 2011 World Championship, Jwala and Ashwini will clash with the top seeded Dutch pair of Selena Piek and Eefje Muskens in the final. It was an easy match for Jwala and Ashwini, who hardly broke a sweat against their Japanese opponents.

Abhijeet Gupta unstoppable

New Delhi: Grandmaster and former champion Abhijeet Gupta remained on course for regaining the crown after a crushing victory against defending champion Deep Sengupta in the seventh round of the Commonwealth Chess championship here on Sunday. With his seventh victory in a row, Abhijeet also crossed a personal landmark as the former world junior champion could not recall the last time he had won first seven games in an International event.The victory means Gupta increased his lead to a full points as the nearest contenders for the crown are now on six points. Grandmasters Abhijit Kunte, Deepan Chakkravarthy and International Masters Arghyadip Das and S Ravi Teja are all sharing the second spot with six points apiece.

‘jimmy will ‘cop it’ in Ashes’

london: Australia great Shane Warne has told England new-ball duo James Anderson and Stuart Broad to expect plenty of “sledging”, or verbal abuse, to come their way during the upcoming Ashes series. Anderson has contrasted the sporting atmosphere which prevailed during England’s recent series with New Zealand to the ‘needle’ that existed during the last Ashes campaign, which Australia won 5-0 on home soil in 2013/14. Infamously told by Australia captain Michael Clarke to “get ready for a broken fucking arm” during the first Test in Brisbane while batting as a tailender, Anderson said he hoped the latest series between the arch-rivals could be played in the same spirit as England’s series with New Zealand. However, retired leg-spin star Warne, in a column for Britain’s Sunday Times newspaper, wrote: “Are you for real JimmyIJ Seriously! This is the Ashes and I can tell Jimmy now that he is going to cop it from the Aussies more than anyone. When he’s batting, it will be 11 against one in the middle.” he said.

Six archers in books of records

Vijaywada: Six archers, all aged below 12, entered the Indian Book of Records and Asia Book of Records by pulling off spectacular performance at a mixed team event held at Cherukuri Volga Archery Academy here on Sunday. While archers Dolly Shivani and Nischal jointly scored 110 points, Shivani and Virat Sai scored 85 and the duo of Shivani and Datta Sai 90. The event was held in varying ranges at 10 metres, 9 metres, 8 metres, 7 metres and 6 metres. Chief Editor of the India Book of Records Viswaroop Roy Chowdary attended the event as observer. He said names of the archers would be entered in both the books of records.

Bolt withdraws

San Juan (Jamaica): Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt is not participating in the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Association National Senior Championship. The six-time Olympic champion is already guaranteed a spot on the Jamaican team competing in the August 22-30 World Championships in Beijing, where Bolt will defend his 100 metre and 200m titles, reports Efe. Bolt’s agent Rick Simms said the runner was not “confirmed” to take part in the Jamaican trials for Beijing, but had signed up only “to have the option” to run. The world record-holder was expected to vie with Asafa Powell, Yohan Blake, Kemar Bailey-Cole, Nesta Carter and Nickel Ashmeade at the senior championship in Kingston, the Jamaica Observer newspaper reported Friday. A spokeswoman for the JAAA declined to provide more details.

Joshi finishes fifth in bali

Bali: Khalin Joshi was the best-placed Indian golfer as he finished tied sixth at the $76,000 Bali National Golf Championship here on Sunday. Joshi, coming back with contrasting scores of four-over 39 and five-under 32 on back nine, carded one-under 71 and finished at five-under 288 in tied sixth place. Also finishing in top-10 was Himmat Rai (74) in tied ninth and Chiragh Kumar (75) was tied 15th. Joshi dropped a shot on fourth and then three in a row from seventh to ninth. On the back nine, he totally reversed the form with an eagle 2 on par-4 10th and three more birdies. Himmat had a double and a triple bogey besides two other bogeys.