Somdev backs new ATP ranking system
Thane: Former India Davis Cup singles stalwart Somdev Devvarman on Friday backed the new ATP ranking system, saying it will be a good thing for the Indian players in the long run. From 2020, ATP Ranking points will begin at the ATP Challenger Tour, a change that could significantly reduce the number of ATP-ranked players in the country. Conceding the new ranking format will hurt Indians initially, Devvarman said it will be beneficial to youngsters in the longer run. "It is going to hurt in the beginning. But towards the end a lot of junior players, between 17-19 (years) who are taking that decision whether to turn pro immediately or to go to college for four years and then turn pro, will find it a lot simpler because nobody wants to be on the transition tour for four years. "I think it will be a good thing for the Indian players in the long run if they treat it in a correct way," he said.
isl: Mumbai beat Pune 2-0 in maha derby
Mumbai: Mumbai City FC defeated arch-rivals FC Pune City 2-0 to record their first win in the Indian Super League here on Friday. For Mumbai, Modou Sougou (25th minute) and Rafael Bastos (45th minute on penalty) were on target. Mumbai after their first win are now placed sixth with three points from as many games while Pune are currently ninth with a point from two games.Mumbai's repeated raids finally paid off in the 25th minute when Senegalese Sougou broke the deadlock. Machado cross from wide left hit the post and Sougou tapped it on a rebound to get his team the lead. In the 45th minute, Bastos converted a spot-kick to make it 2-0 after an onrushing Sougou was felled by Fanai with a rash sliding tackle as referee pointed at the dreaded spot.
Aus A complete clean sweep, win 3rd ODI
Mumbai: Australia A Women completed a 3-0 sweep against India A Women by beating the latter by five wickets in the third One-Day International here on Friday. The clash was a dead rubber as Australia A had taken an inaccessible 2-0 lead after beating the hosts in the the first two ODIs by 91 runs and four wickets respectively. Choosing to bat, skipper Punam Raut led from the front with a 98-run knock from 123 balls as the hosts managed to put 254/8 in the allotted 50 overs. Mona Meshram (57) too played her part to perfection while wicket-keeper Sushma Verma remained unbeaten on 40. But Australian opener Georgia Redmayne laid the foundation of the win with her 123-ball 98. She was ably supported by Tahil McGrath (62) and Josephine Dooley (67) as the Aussies hammered a listless Indian attack.
tough day for Shubhankar in Korea
Jeju Island: Indian golfer Shubhankar Sharma started with a birdie from the tenth hole but failed to maintain the momentum and slipped to T-71st place at the halfway stage of the CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES tournament on Friday. Sharma ended the second day at 3-over 75 for a two-day total of 5-over 149. With no cut being applied in the limited field event, Sharma stayed on for the weekend with a chance to improve his scores and position. Brooks Koepka, recently named the PGA TOUR player of the year, gave himself a chance to become the No 1 player in the world as he shot a 7-under par 65 to move to within one shot of the lead. Koepka will move to the top of world rankings on Monday if he wins the tournament, as long as former No 1 Justin Thomas, the defending champion here, does not finish any better than second.
Wolf takes 4-shot lead at Indian Open
Gurgaon: Austrian Christine Wolf slotted birdies almost at will to card a second successive 4-under 68 and open up a massive four-shot lead over the rest of the field at the halfway stage of the Hero Women's Indian Open here on Friday. Wolf, who had never shot a round in the 60s in her previous four visits to India, including three of them to this DLF Golf and Country Club course, has now done it twice in last two days. With seven birdies in a sparkling nine-hole stretch and three bogeys, she shot 68 to set herself up for her maiden LET win in a six-year long pro career. Her best at HWIO is T-11 in 2016, when she had a share of the lead after the first day.
bailey to captain pm xi against sa
Sydney: Australia's former Twenty20 skipper George Bailey was named captain of a Prime Minister's XI Friday to face South Africa in a one-day warm-up match that kicks off their short tour later this month. He is one of four players with international experience picked for the October 31 day-night clash at Canberra's Manuka Oval, alongside Nic Maddinson, Jason Behrendorff and Gurinder Sandhu. Former Test opener Chris Rogers will coach the team, which also features budding future stars Jack Edwards, Max Bryant, Jason Sangha and Josh Philippe. South Africa play three ODIs against Australia in Perth, Adelaide and Hobart from November 4-11.
guptill pulls out of pakistan series
Wellington: New Zealand's limited overs opening batsman Martin Guptill will miss the upcoming series against Pakistan after straining his calf playing domestic cricket, officials said on Friday. Selector Gavin Larsen said Guptill had no choice but to withdraw from the one-day international and Twenty20 squads to face Pakistan in the UAE. Larsen said selectors had not yet decided on a replacement. Guptill, 32, is a mainstay of New Zealand's limited overs line-up, averaging 42.99 runs in ODIs and 34.40 in T20s. New Zealand will play three T20s from October 21, followed by three ODI and three Tests, although Guptill is not part of the Test squad.