Moscow:
World champion Viswanathan Anand opened his account with a draw against
lowest-ranked Dmitry Andreikin of Russia in the second round of Tal
Memorial Chess tournament here.
After suffering a shock defeat at
the hands of Italian Fabiano Caruana, Anand was back as a perfect
defender against Andreikin who recently won the Russian championship.
World
number one Magnus Carlsen of Norway surged ahead in one of the
strongest tournament ever after signing peace with Sergey Karjanik of
Russia along with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov of Azerbaijan and Boris Gelfand
of Israel. For the records, Alexander Morozevich drew with Mamedyarov
while Gelfand scored a fine victory against Caruana.
Carlsen, Gelfand and Mamedyarov
took their tally to 1.5 points out of two rounds and they are now
trailed by Hikaru Nakamura of the United States, Sergey Karjakin of
Russia, Morozevich, Caruana and Andreikin a half point behind.
Anand
is at the ninth spot on half point while Russian Vladimir Kramnik is at
the bottom of the table as he is yet to open his account.
The
day produced two decisive games out of a possible five. Gelfand defeated
Caruana showing better preparation out of an English attack game while
Nakamura got the better of Kramnik.
For Anand the day was not so
tough with black as Andreikin went for a solid setup in the Slav
defense. Anand had to think a little but the Russian spent most of his
time after the trade of queens in trying to work out an advantage that
was not forthcoming.
At one point Andreikin sacrificed a few
pawns but Anand gave them back at the right juncture to ensure there was
no imminent danger to his position. The draw was a just result.
Kramnik convincingly got a
slight better position against Nakamura`s King Indian defense and had
all the chances to push for a victory. Instead the Russian went haywire
and opted for an erroneous continuation that gave Nakamura enough
counterplay and the American pounced on his chances to come out
victorious.
Carlsen, meanwhile, had little problems with black
against Karjakin whose handling of the Anti-Berlin did not come good. At
ease with himself, the Norwegian equalised without much problems and
the draw did not hamper his lead.
In the other decisive game, Gelfand scored with black against Caruana but this result was not expected by the chess pundits.
Out of a Sicilian Najdorf, Gelfand worked his way and capitalised on a blunder on move 32 to collect his first full point.
Results
after Round 2: Dmitry Andreikin (RUS, 1) drew with Vishwanathan Anand
(IND, 0.5); Sergey Karjakin (RUS, 1) drew with Magnus Carlsen (NOR,
1.5); Fabiano Caruana (ITA, 1) lost to Boris Gelfand (ISR, 1.5);
Vladimir Kramnik (RUS, 0) lost to Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 1); Alexander
Morozevich (RUS, 1) drew with Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE).
Tokyo:
Japan made history on Saturday by beating Six Nations champions Wales
23-8 for their first ever victory over a major rugby nation in nearly 80
years of international competition.
Second-half tries from
foreign-born players Craig Wing and Michael Broadhurst helped re-write
the record books for Japan against a depleted Wales, who were missing
their head coach and 15 players because of the British and Irish Lions
tour.
Despite the unfamiliar Welsh line-up, the result is a boost
for rugby in Japan, the hosts of the 2019 World Cup who have played in
all seven editions of the tournament so far but have won only once,
against minnows Zimbabwe in 1991.
"I`m very proud of the team.
They have created a history today to become the first Japanese team to
beat a top 10 team in the world," said Japan coach Eddie Jones.
"Obviously
Wales haven`t the best 15 players, but today we played a very good game
of Test rugby and it`s another step forward for the team."
Japan played their first
international fixtures in the 1930s, and they first took on a Wales XV
in Cardiff in 1973. In nine full Tests with Wales, Japan have been on
the wrong end of some giant scores including a 98-0 blow-out in 2004.
However,
steeled by last week`s narrow 22-18 defeat, Japan edged the first half
6-3 thanks to the boot of fullback Ayumu Goromaru, and after a Welsh try
on 44 minutes they hit back with two of their own before wrapping up a
worthy win.
"I`m very happy to play the game in front of so many
people. We were really unhappy last week in Osaka, so I really wanted to
live up to their expectations," said Japan`s captain Toshiaki Hirose.
"But this is only one win. I`m happy today, but I`ll continue to work hard aiming to reach top 10 in the world," he added.
In
hot and humid conditions at Tokyo`s Chichibunomiya Stadium, Japan took
an early lead through a Goromaru penalty but visiting flyhalf Dan Biggar
levelled the scores before Welsh wing Harry Robinson came close to the
opening try.
However, a long-range potshot from Goromaru six
minutes before half-time gave Japan their three-point lead at the break,
raising hopes of a famous win.
Wales came out firing at the
start of the second half and Robinson again went close before left wing
Tom Prydie finally crossed following great work from replacement back
Rhys Patchell and a long pass from Biggar.
But Japan quickly regained the
initiative at 13-8 when Wing, a former rugby league international for
Australia, went over after steady build-up play involving a number of
phases.
Wales responded by making a raft of substitutions, but
they were forced into some last-ditch defending when Robinson and Liam
Williams combined to halt Japanese number eight Takashi Kikutani just
short of the line.
And New Zealand-born Broadhurst extended
Japan`s lead when he went over in the right corner for their second try
on the hour-mark, with Goromaru slotting the extras for a 20-8 lead with
20 minutes to go.
Welsh hopes took another hit when they were
controversially denied a try after Patchell pounced on a grubber kick by
Biggar, only to be judged not to have grounded the ball.
With
three minutes left, Goromaru landed his third penalty to make sure of a
win which prompted celebrations in Tokyo, and will also lift 15th-ranked
Japan in their fight to join rugby`s top 10 by the next World Cup in
2015.
"We didn`t lose because of the (hot) weather. We didn`t
take the chances just (because of) individual mistakes. Sometimes in
rugby those things happen," said Wales captain Bradley Davies.
"Everything went wrong for us and everything went well for Japan."
Mulhouse
(France): India went down fighting to Germany 0-2 in the 5-8 positions
play-off that lasted nearly three hours in the men’s WSF World Team
Squash Championship here.
In the first singles Friday, Saurav Ghosal squandered a 2-1 lead and went down in five games to Simon Rosner in 91 minutes.
Raphael Kandra too was taken to five games but overcame a fighting Harinder Pal Sandhu.
The results:
5th-8th
place play-offs: 6-Germany beat 8-India 2-0: Simon Rosner bt Saurav
Ghosal 3-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7 (91 min); Raphael Kandra bt
Harinder Pal Sandhu 11-9, 14-12, 5-11, 3-11, 12-10 (84 min).
Varna
(Bulgaria): Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi outwitted International Master
Petar Arnaudov of Bulgaria to jump to sole third spot on 4.5 points
after the end of the fifth round of Grand Europe Golden Sands
International Chess tournament here.
Playing black, Gujrathi
scored his fourth victory of the tournament when Arnaudov could not keep
track of his pawns and from a pawn plus position which was a likely
draw, walked in to a hopeless endgame after losing two pawns.
The
victory made Gujrathi the best performing Indian so far in the
tournament as the Nasik boy took his tally to an enviable 4.5 points.
The lead is shared by Zbynyk Hracek of Czech Republic and Vladislav
Nevednichy of Romania who both have five points apiece from five rounds.
With
four rounds still to come, Gujrathi is followed by as many as 24
players on four points each and this includes six Indians: Grandmasters
Abhijeet Gupta, Sahaj Grover, M R Venkatesh, G N Gopal and S Arun Prasad
and International Master Ashwin Jayaram.
Abhijeet Gupta rose
back in the tournament at the expense of Zurab Javakhadze of Georgia
after his king got stuck in the center early in the opening. However,
the Indian made good use of his pair of Bishops to keep the attack in
check and won with some deft manoeuvring.
Sahaj Grover was
surprised by the draw offer coming from higher rated Bulgarian
Grandmaster Rusev Krasimir wherein the latter had an extra pawn after
the trade of queens. As it transpired, Krasimir had missed a knight
sortie that would have kept the game alive and thought Grover was
excellently placed.
The Grandmaster norm hopes by Anurag Mahamal
and Shardul Gagare received a setback after they lost to S Arun Prasad
and G N Gopal respectively. M R Venkatesh defeated Vladimir Sveshnikov
of Latvia while Ashwin Jayaram scored a fine victory over compatriot
Woman Grandmaster Kiran Manisha Mohanty.
R Bharathi lost her first game
in the tournament running into national women's champion Mary Ann Gomes.
Despite the loss, Bharathi stands an excellent chance to pick an
International Women Master norm and remains in the running for the Woman
Grandmaster norm as well.
The young Indian brigade made in an
impression while the norm seekers suffered a slight setback. Aravindh
Chithambaram held highly rated Grandmaster Boris Chatalbashev of
Bulgaria to a draw while Diptayan Ghosh and Murali Karthikeyan made good
comebacks defeating Russian Vadim Skomorokhin and Margarita Voiska
respectively.
The huge Indian representation comes on the back of
support given by the Sports Authority of India that has cleared
participation of 34 Indian players here as part of exposure trip.
Important
and Indian results round 5 (Indians unless specified): Tamir Nabaty
(Isr, 4) lost to Zbynyk Hracek (Cze, 5); Dragan Solak (Tur, 3.5) lost to
Vladislav Nevednichy (Rou, 5); Rusev Krasimir (Bul, 4) drew with Sahaj
Grover (4); Petar Arnaudov (Bul, 3.5) lost to Vidit Gujrathi (4.5);
Swapnil Dhopade (3) lost to Tigran Petrosian (Arm, 4); Zurab Javakhadze
(Geo, 3) lost to Abhijeet Gupta (4); Deep Sengupta (3.5) drew with
Evgenij Ermenkov (Bul, 3.5); Anurag Mhamal (3) lost to S Arun Prasad
(4); G N Gopal (4) beat Shardul Gagare (3); Eesha Karavade (3) lost to
Evgeny Sveshnikov (Lat, 4); M R Venkatesh (4) beat Vladimir Sveshnikov
(Lat, 3); Iveri Chighladze (Geo, 3.5) drew with M Shyam Sundar (3.5); G A
Stany (3) lost to Danny Raznikov (Isr, 4); Debashis Das (3.5) drew with
Cosmin Parligras (Rou, 3.5); Vitaliy Bernadskiy (ukr, 4) beat Soumya
Swaminathan (3); Kiran Manisha Mohanty (3) lost to Ashwin Jayaram (4);
Boris Chatalbashev (Bul, 3) drew with Aravindh Chithambaram (3); Vadim
Skomorokhin (Rus, 2.5) lost to Diptayan Ghosh (3.5); N Srinath (3.5)
beat Abdalla Luiz Guilherme Aurell (Bra, 2.5); G Akash (3) drew with
Alin-Mile Berescu (Rou, 3); M Karthikeyan (3.5) beat Margarita Voiska
(Bul, 2.5); Mary Ann Gomes (3.5) beat R Bharathi (2.5); Sagar Shah (3)
beat Philipp Limbourg (Ger, 2); Alexej Gorbatov (Rus, 2.5) drew with
Gireman Ja (2.5); Antonios Xylogiannopoulos (Gre, 2) lost to Sayantan
Das (3); Atanas Tonchev Kolev (Bul, 2.5) drew with Nisha Mohota (2.5);
Bogdan Posedaru (Rou, 2.5) drew with Rucha Pujari (2.5); Maria Velcheva
(Bul, 3) beat G K Monnisha (2); R Vaishali (2.5) beat Olga Dolzhikova
(Nor, 1.5); Diril Dogus (Tur, 1.5) lost to Bhakti Kulkarni (2.5);
Sidhant Mohapatra (2.5) beat Vladyslav Sumin (Ukr, 1.5); Sunyasakta
Satpathy (1.5) lost to Calin Dragomirescu (Rou, 2.5); Nicolae Simion
(Rou, 1.5) drew with N Raghavi (1.5); Natalia Beliaeva (Rus, 2) beat Y
Saranya (1); Riya Savant (2) beat Mihai Hlinschi (Rou, 1); Srija
Seshadri (2) beat Ismet Turek (Tur, 1); Parnali Dharia (2) beat Timofai
Zibarev (Rus, 1)
Jakarta:
An erratic Saina Nehwal failed to defend her title at the Indonesian
Super Series Premier after suffering a three-game defeat to Germany's
Juliane Schenk in the semifinals of the women's singles competition here
on Saturday.
World number two Saina, who won the title three
times -- in 2009, 2010 and 2012 -- lost 21-12 13-21 14-21 to Schenk,
ranked fourth, in a contest that lasted for 52 minutes at the Istora
Gelora Bung Karno stadium.
It was not Saina's day as the Indian,
who holds a 8-3 record against the German, was too erroneous in the
execution of her strokes, which helped her opponent to seal a place in
the final.
In the first game, Juliane took a 12-10 lead after a
fierce battle early on, but Saina wrested back the advantage by
involving the German in long rallies and catching up her at the net.
Juliane
failed to gauge Saina's strokes and faltered with her execution as she
kept hitting long and found the net too often to allow the Indian to
race away with the first game with straight 11 points. Saina sealed the
game with an over-the-head half smash.
After changing sides,
Juliane moved to a 4-0 lead in a flash as nothing went Saina's way. The
Indian tried to engage Juliane in rallies and kept pushing the shuttle
back and froth but Juliane was up to the task as she moved to 6-0 with
Saina hitting wide.
Egged on by a vociferous crowd who chanted
'Saina Saina', the Indian gathered four points but Juliane had her nose
ahead at 11-4 during the interval.
Juliane kept the shuttle flat
during serve, retrieved everything and smashed hard to move to 14-6. A
couple of missed strokes at the net gave Saina two points but the Indian
committed too many unforced errors to allow Juliane gain nine game
points at 20-11.
Saina saved two game points but
Juliane soon roared back into the contest with an elegant cross-court
flick at the nets which caught the Indian napping at the forecourt.
In
the decider, Saina looked to play more rallies but Juliane matched the
Indian and waited for her to commit mistakes. Saina once again started
hitting long and wide to allow Juliane to get hold of the lead at 6-4.
Juliane
looked at ease and her smashes and aggressive net play left Saina
looking for answers as the German went into the breather at 11-5.
After
the breather, Juliane found the net and hit long to give Saina a couple
of points but the Indian once again failed to get the length of her
stokes right as Juliane reached 14-7. Saina tried to keep her cool and
tried to push Juliane to make mistakes to slowly narrow the gap to
14-16.
However, a cross court smash, a brilliant net play and another down the line smash helped Juliane to make it 19-14.
What
came next was a long rally, which culminated with Saina hitting wide,
giving Juliane six match points. Another missed point at the net, and
Juliane was celebrating.
Juliane will next take on the winner of world number one Xuerui Li of China and Pui Yin Yip of Hong Kong.
New
Delhi: India will play Malaysia for the 7th-8th position in the Men`s
World Team Squash Championship after losing out to Germany in their
classification match in Mulhouse, France.
India lost to Germany
in 5th-8th place play-off with Saurav Ghosal and Harinder Pal Sandhu
putting up a decent fight in matches that went the full distance.
Eight-time
Indian National Champion Ghosal was first up on court against six-time
German Champion Simon Rosner. Saurav started off well controlling World
no.12 Simon and raced away with the first game on the back of some
aggressive play.
Saurav continued with his aggression throughout
the match, taking chances, playing the volleys and drops. But, Simon
pounced on the slightest mistake from Saurav and racked up the points.
In
an intense battle, where both players had chances to win, Simon won the
second, while Saurav snatched the third leaving the two to battle it
out in the fifth and final game.
Saurav played well but could not
stop Simon from getting infront of him, making it incredibly difficult
to come up with decisive strokes. Simon packed off Saurav in the fourth
and final game to take the first point for Germany.
Harinder was
next on court against Raphael Kandra in a match India needed to win to
keep their hopes alive. Harinder matched Raphael stroke for stroke and
kept pace with the German all the way but Raphael made the better
choices when it came to the crunch, pocketing the first two games 11-9
14-12.
Both played well below their best but Harinder showed
glimpses of his ability in taking the next two games in emphatic manner,
levelling the match at 2-2.
In the deciding game, Harinder and
Raphael yielded no quarter and were locked in a fascinating duel of
nerves. Raphael had the last laugh winning the fifth game 14-12 and
sealing Germany`s progress through 5th-6th place shoot-off against South
Africa.
India will play Malaysia after the latter was beaten by South Africa in the second play-off.
Results:
[6] GERMANY bt [8] INDIA 2/0
Simon Rosner bt Saurav Ghosal 3-11, 11-8, 10-12, 11-8, 11-7 (91m)
Raphael Kandra bt Harinder Pal Sandhu 11-9, 14-12, 5-11, 3-11, 12-10 (84m).
Kolkata:
Rajat Chouhan and Manjudha Soy lost out by one point in the compound
mixed team final to earn India a solitary silver medal in the Archery
World Cup Stage II at Antalya, Turkey on Saturday.
According to
information received here, the unheralded Indian duo had a slender
112-111 lead against the Italian world champions Sergio Pagni and
Marcella Toniolli at the end of third set.
But the inexperienced Indians faltered by a couple of millimetres in the final arrow to go down 149-150 in a thrilling contest.
India
have never won a gold medal in the compound section and their previous
best in this format was in the Ogden World Cup 2011 (Stage III) when the
women`s team of Manjudha, Gagandeep Kaur and Jhano Hansdah had won a
silver.
This is a second World Cup silver for Railways girl
Manjudha, who hails from Jharkhand, while it`s a first-ever silver in
the mixed team event in the compound section.
Having just won a
team bronze this morning, Pagni quickly adapted to the windy condition
along with his partner as the Italian opened up a three-point lead
(39-36) in the first end.
However Tonioli was caught by the wind in the second end with a 6 but Italy still held their lead (74-73) at the midway stage.
India`s score of 39 in the third end put them in the driving seat as they snatched the lead (112-111).
But the match resulted in a tie before the final two arrows and Italy shot two perfect 10s to put pressure on India.
The
duo crumbled under pressure with a 10-9, the last arrow being just a
couple of millimetres out to miss out on what could have been a historic
gold for India.
Earlier, the fancied Indian recurve archers had
crashed out before the quarters as India concluded their campaign with
the silver lining from the compound archers.
Rotterdam:
India showed urgency but it was too little, too late as they suffered a
0-2 defeat at the hands of the Netherlands in their FIH World League
Round 3 match here on Saturday.
Billy Baker and Joren
Heretzberger scored for the Netherlands in the second and 17th minute
respectively as India failed to post a win for the second time in a row.
India were held to a draw by lower-ranked Ireland in their tournament opener.
The
Indians have had a couple of clear chances towards the end but lacked
finishing abilities, which gave Netherlands their first win of the
tournament.
Ranked third in the world, the current Olympic silver-medallists joined New Zealand at the top of Pool B.
Three minutes before the final hooter, India wasted a sitter as Nitin Kumar, positioned in front of goal, failed to connect.
A
minute later, Kothajit Singh`s good cross from the left flank went
abegging as not a single Indian player was to be seen inside the D.
With
a deficit of two gaols against a team like the Netherlands, India ought
to have produced a much better performance to make a match of it.
Meanwhile,
seven minutes into the second half, the Netherlands came close to
adding a third one to their tally, but the attempt off a penalty corner
missed the target by whisker.
Following the close shave, India won a couple of penalty corners, but the lack of finishing ability again let them down.
Despite
conceding two early goals, India grew in confidence as the first half
progressed, but the Dutch did not let the visitors breach their citadel.
India`s
quest continued in the second half with the visitors earning a few
penalty corners, but they just could not find the goal, which was well
guarded by Netherlands goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann.
Sandeep Singh
came close to scoring with a powerful penalty corner drag-flick, but
Stockmann dived to his left to thwart the attempt with his glove.
Earlier,
the hosts started the match on a brisk note scoring as early as the
second minute, thanks to a brilliant work by Baker who whacked the ball
through the outstretched legs of Indian goalie P R Sreejesh.
The Dutch could have done even better in the first half had it not been for Sreejesh`s good work under the post.
However, India had no answer to Hertzberger`s shot in the 17th minute.
Jakarta:
Indonesia went out of contention in the men`s singles and mixed doubles
as their shuttlers were beaten in the semifinals of the Indonesia Open
Super Series Premier here Saturday.
Tommy Sugiarto was stopped by German Marc Zwiebler in the men`s singles. The German won 21-17, 21-10.
In
mixed doubles, seeded Indonesians Tantowi Ahmad and Lilyana Natsir had
to let go of a final berth after they were defeated by fourth seeded
Danish pairing Joachim Fischer Nielsen and Christinna Pedersen 21-14,
21-15.
The No.2 players committed several errors that made them
nervous. The Indonesian seeded pairing was expected to win the match at
home.
"We met them three times this year. It`s really great to have a chance to win the match today," said Pedersen.
Her teammate Joachim added that their Indonesian opponents have been well regarded for their defence skills at the back.
Noumea
(New Caledonia): Gaurav Gill (co-driver Glenn Macneall) took a
commanding 12-minute lead for the MRF Tyres Rally team after Day 1 of
the Rally of New Caledonia, the second round of the FIA Asia Pacific
Rally Championship (APRC) here Saturday.
Held in the rugged hills
north of Noumea, Gill ran at a steady no-risk pace in an S2000 Skoda
Fabia factory-backed car while others, including teammate Esapekka Lappi
(Janne Ferm) who retired, fell victim to the extremely demanding roads.
The day that began in bright sunshine sawthe weather turning overcast and by late afternoon light rain began to fall, turning the gravel roads slippery.
Gill
won the first two stages from Lappi and had built a 12-second lead.
However, the Finn champion gained on Gill in the next stage with the
Indian losing 30 seconds due to a spin.
The third stage was tight
and technical, complete with 12 hairpins. It was on one of these that
Gill had a half spin. “It was a silly moment, I could not select gears
and lost 30 second getting going again,” said Gill.
The cars
serviced and returned to do battle running over the same three high
speed tests. On the very stage that Lappi felt most at home because it
was wide and fast, he ran wide on a downhill section, hit a rock and
tore the right rear suspension from the car.
“It was a mistake,
completely my fault and I was not pushing because of the 20-second lead I
had over Gill,” said a remorseful Lappi. “The service crew have a big
job to fix the car, maybe it will be repaired by tomorrow and I can get
some points from the event.”
Meanwhile, four of the other APRC
contenders had crashed, all over jumps. It left another Indian Sanjay
Takale (Sean Gregory), in a Subaru Impreza, in second place, over 12
minutes behind Gill.
The grin on Takale’s face said it all. “I am
getting quicker as I get used to my Subaru but I did not think I would
be in second place,” he said.
The event concludes Sunday with a further 113 kms of high speed stages run over the same tests but in the reverse direction.
Barcelona: Mahindra rider Miguel Oliveira claimed his second front-row start of the year for Sunday’s Catalunyan Grand Prix.
Team-mate
Efren Vazquez will start behind him, qualifying a best-yet sixth to put
international motorcycle racing`s only Indian team in a strong position
for the race.
Rising teenage Portuguese star Oliveira is fresh from a fourth-place finish in Italy after challenging throughout. The more experienced Spaniard Vazquez is back after pulling out of that race, recovering from collar-bone surgery.
Both
are riding the first development version of the Mahindra MGP3O Moto3?
machine. Engine performance and aerodynamics have both been enhanced as
development of the brand-new bike continues apace. The white-and-red
streamliner is in only its sixth race.
Today’s qualifying
continues a positive trend for the Mahindra squad. Six months after the
bike first hit the drawing board, shake-down tests proved speed and
reliability; results have improved race by race. At the same time the
first developments were undergoing thorough tests, before finding their
way to the race-track at Catalunya.
The result underlines
Mahindra`s growing credibility and status in the paddock, and has
further quickened interest in the machine from other teams, interested
in the prospect of running the MGP3O in next year`s series.
"We
have the infrastructure for supplying the MGP3O to other Moto3 teams
next year as per the Moto3 regulations for 2014," explained Mahindra
Racing CEO Mufaddal Choonia.
"It`s quite an exciting time in the
paddock because we are getting approaches from a number of teams
interested in Mahindra and the possibility of using the MGP3O as their
official bike next season.
"And it would be extremely satisfying to see more Mahindra MGP3Os on the grid. It would certainly make us proud."
London:
Indian tennis pair Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna reached the
semi-finals of the Aegon Championships men`s doubles with a hard fought
victory over fifth seeded British pair Colin Fleming and Jonathan Marray
here Friday.
The third seeds edged the local pairing 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 10-4 in an hour and 32 minutes.
The Indians will face fourth seeds Alexander Peya of Austria and Bruce Soares of Brazil next.
IANS
London:
British tennis ace Andy Murray has said that he believed that an early
exit from the French Open may have enhanced his preparation for the
Wimbledon, which kicks off in ten days` time.
However, the World
No.2 admitted that he would rather have been competing at the sharp end
of the French Open at Roland Garros than warming up for the Aegeon
Championships despite the additional playing time on grass.
The
reigning US Open Champion took the decision to miss the French Open due
to a back injury and used his time away from the grand slam to build up
towards the start of the grass court season, although he revealed that
the pain of missing the French Open was something he could have done
without.
Despite an impressive early form at Queen`s ahead of
another tilt at the Wimbledon title, Murray, who will face German
Benjamin Becker in the quarter-finals at Queen`s, said that although he
got to spend more time on the grass to prepare for Wimbledon, he would
rather have been at the French Open than being at home for two weeks.
However,
Murray, who lost to Roger Federer in the final at Wimbledon last year,
before beating the Swiss ace in the Olympic final just weeks later, said
that he felt more confident coming into this grass court season because
of his successful performances during the past year.
According to Murray, he had tasted success last year as he had a good practice session, moved well and was aggressive on court.
London:
Top seed Andy Murray entered the semifinals of the Queen`s Club grass
court championship for the third time defeating Germany`s Benjamin
Becker here.
Murray, ranked second in the world and twice a
Queen`s champion, won a testing match 6-4, 7-6(3) Friday to set up a
semifinal showdown against French star Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.
Tsonga, a beaten semifinalist at the French Open, beat American Denis Kudla 6-3, 6-2.
Bad
weather had forced Murray to complete his opening two matches Thursday
but he saw off Becker in bright sunshine and a stiff breeze, despite a
rather more uneven performance.
Lleyton Hewitt upset Argentine
third seed Juan Martin del Potro 6-2, 2-6, 6-2. The Australian veteran
will take on defending champion Marin Cilic, who shocked second seed
Tomas Berdych 7-5, 7-6(4).
Beijing:
China Open organisers have confirmed the participation of 12-time major
champion Rafael Nadal of Spain at this year’s tournament, making it his
first appearance here in four years.
“We are excited to present
the best players in the world in Beijing for our fans. Rafael Nadal is a
global superstar and his participation is a great way for the fans to
celebrate the China Open’s 10th anniversary,” said Alfred Zhang, China
Open tournament director in a statement.
"Rafa was the 2005
champion and has always been in close relationship with our tournament.
It is so gratifying to see him back on court in great form and we look
forward to welcoming him back in Beijing."
The Spaniard is the
first of many ATP World Tour players confirmed to play and Beijing
remains a special place for Nadal after his 2008 Olympic success here
helping him to complete the rare achievement of a career golden slam.
“I
am really looking forward to the China Open this year. I have heard
great things about the Diamond Court but haven`t played there yet so I
hope to see all my Chinese fans there in Beijing in October,” said
Nadal.
Held at the National Tennis Centre from Sep 22 to Oct 6,
the tournament is a combined WTA-ATP tournament and is the final premier
mandatory stop on the WTA calendar, making the event mandatory for the
top 47 female players.
Halle
(Germany): World No.3 Roger Federer of Switzerland Saturday avenged his
defeat to German Tommy Haas in last year’s Gerry Weber Open final.
The Swiss advanced to his eighth successive final here with a 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory in the men`s singles semifinals.
The
31-year-old Federer is bidding to win his first ATP World Tour title of
the season and will face either Mikhail Youzhny or second seed Richard
Gasquet in Sunday’s final at this ATP World Tour 250 grass-court tennis
tournament.
"It would be very nice to win any title during the
season because it gives you incredible confidence. You know that you`re
on the right track, you know you`re doing the right things, the hard
work is paying off and your scheduling seems to make sense. Winning
tournaments is everything," Federer said.
"For me, it would be
great to win the final. It comes at the right time. If I don`t, I know I
can still build on something because I`ve had a good few weeks so far.
But, no doubt about it, I`ll try everything in my power to win
tomorrow."
Having finished runner-up in 2010 and 2012, Federer is looking to reclaim the trophy he won from 2003-06 and 2008.
Rio
de Janeiro: Mario Balotelli could miss Italy`s opening match of the
Confederations Cup against Mexico Sunday after suffering a thigh injury
while training.
Italy team doctor Enrico Castellacci said medical
staff would carefully monitor the 22-year-old Saturday before making a
decision on his fitness.
"He felt pain and was taken off.
I think he will be able to play but we can`t make any guarantees
because the players have not had a break after a long and arduous
season," Castellacci said.
Balotelli`s absence would leave
Azzurri coach Cesare Prandelli needing to decide between Stephan El
Shaarawy, Alberto Gilardino and Sebastian Giovincoand Alessio Cerci as
the AC Milan striker`s replacement.
"Mario is our principal
striker and is feared by our rivals but we also have other forwards who
are able to contribute," Italy defender Andrea Barzagli said.
Both Italy and Mexico will train
at the Maracana Stadium Saturday. Organisers said Sunday`s match had
already sold more than 60,000 tickets.
Brasilia:
Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni said Brazil deserved to be favourites to
win the Confederations Cup for a record fourth time.
Zaccheroni`s side will meet the host nation in the opening match of the tournament here Saturday.
Despite
conceding his team will be underdogs, the Italian manager told his
players Friday not to be overawed by an expected 70,000 partisan fans at
the Mane Garrincha Stadium.
"Brazil have won this tournament the
past two times and are at home, so they are favourites. But we have to
remember that top level athletes always look to get the best out of
themselves. We are here to make the most of this chance," Zaccheroni
said.
"I hope we can play to our strengths and impose ourselves
on the match by taking the initiative. We respect our opponents but no
team will enter the match with an advantage over the other."
Neymar is my idol: ScolariBrasilia: Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari says striker Neymar is his idol too.
Speaking on the eve of Saturday`s opening match of the Confederations Cup between Brazil and Japan, Scolari said the newly signed Barcelona striker, while deserving his status alongside football`s elite, was still on a steep learning curve.
"He is a 21-year-old player. He is an idol to the Brazilian fans and he is my idol too. He is someone who can dictate the game, he can run, pass, he can get past opponents. But he will become even better when he becomes a team player, but this can take time," Scolari said.
"Right now I am very pleased with what he has done for the team, he has done everything asked of him but he can and will get better as he gets older and more experienced."
While Neymar will be the fans` chief attention grabber during Saturday`s match at the Mane Garrincha Stadium, Brazil are not short of other idols-in-the-making.
Among them is Corinthians midfielder Paulinho, who has reportedly drawn interest from Roma and Tottenham Hotspur. Paulinho has become one of the first men picked by Scolari since he replaced Mano Menezes as national boss in November.
The 24-year-old has mainly been used as a defensive midfielder but showed his attacking quality with a twisting volley goal in Brazil`s 2-2 draw against England June 2.
"Paulinho is free to go forward when the situation is right. But the national team is different to Corinthians. He has to adapt to the players who are around him," Scolari said.Brasilia: Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari says striker Neymar is his idol too.
Speaking
on the eve of Saturday`s opening match of the Confederations Cup
between Brazil and Japan, Scolari said the newly signed Barcelona
striker, while deserving his status alongside football`s elite, was
still on a steep learning curve.
"He is a 21-year-old player.
He is an idol to the Brazilian fans and he is my idol too. He is
someone who can dictate the game, he can run, pass, he can get past
opponents. But he will become even better when he becomes a team player,
but this can take time," Scolari said.
"Right now I am very
pleased with what he has done for the team, he has done everything asked
of him but he can and will get better as he gets older and more
experienced."
While Neymar will be the fans` chief attention
grabber during Saturday`s match at the Mane Garrincha Stadium, Brazil
are not short of other idols-in-the-making.
Among them is
Corinthians midfielder Paulinho, who has reportedly drawn interest from
Roma and Tottenham Hotspur. Paulinho has become one of the first men
picked by Scolari since he replaced Mano Menezes as national boss in
November.
The 24-year-old has mainly been used as a defensive
midfielder but showed his attacking quality with a twisting volley goal
in Brazil`s 2-2 draw against England June 2.
"Paulinho is free to
go forward when the situation is right. But the national team is
different to Corinthians. He has to adapt to the players who are around
him," Scolari said.
Rio
de Janeiro: Fittingly, for a man who owns a vineyard, the enduring
brilliance of Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo continues to prove the old
adage that some things get better with age.
The 34-year-old is
expected to make his 100th international appearance against Mexico at
the Confederations Cup on Sunday, and with each game, he gives AC Milan
fresh reason to regret letting him go in 2011.
Pirlo accumulated a
sizeable trophy haul at San Siro, including two Serie A crowns and
Champions League titles in 2003 and 2007, but the club elected not to
offer him a new contract.
It was thus with extra determination
that Pirlo crossed northern Italy to Juventus two years ago, and in his
time in Turin he has confirmed his reputation as one of the pre-eminent
midfielders of his generation.
Pirlo was crowned Serie A Player
of the Year after Juve romped to the title unbeaten in his first season
and he was every bit as influential as Antonio Conte`s side repeated the
feat in 2012-13.
Having bowed out at Milan with a Scudetto
success in 2011, it means Pirlo will be targeting a fourth successive
league title when next season`s Italian championship gets under way
later this year.
According to Juve and Italy
team-mate Gianluigi Buffon, one of four players to have already reached
the 100-cap mark for Italy, the Old Lady`s acquisition of Pirlo was "the
buy of the century".
Pirlo announced last month that he will
bring the curtain down on his storied international career after next
year`s World Cup in Brazil.
Having made his international debut
against Azerbaijan in September 2002, he was a key figure in Italy`s
2006 World Cup triumph in Germany.
His cunningly disguised
reverse pass teed up Fabio Grosso for the opening goal in a hard-fought
semi-final win over the hosts and he also netted a penalty in the
shoot-out victory over France in the final.
His performances at
Euro 2012 last year helped secure his legacy, with regal displays of
passing capped by an ice-cool panenka spot-kick in the Azzurri`s penalty
shoot-out win against England in the quarter-finals.
"You try to
keep Pirlo in check, but a player of that quality will always find a
way around it when you put players on him," said rueful England manager
Roy Hodgson.
Pirlo is perhaps the foremost example of what
Italians call a `regista`: a cultured midfield player who sits in front
of the back four and organises his team`s play.
He began his
career as a more classic playmaker, or `trequartista`, but while on loan
at formative club Brescia from Inter Milan in 2001, coach Carlo Mazzone
moved him into a withdrawn role. It proved a masterstroke.
"He`s an attacker who plays a
few metres back, but with all the qualities of a number 10," said then
Italy manager Giovanni Trapattoni of Pirlo`s reinvention.
"He is like Zico or (Gianni) Rivera at their time when they made the move back to midfield. It`s a new and interesting role."
Allied
to his pinpoint passing and elegance in possession, Pirlo is also a
menace from set-pieces and recently scored a picture-perfect 25-yard
free-kick in a 4-0 World Cup qualifying win against San Marino.
Bearded,
tanned, and with an artfully tousled mane of dark hair, he manages to
maintain an air of unhurried sophistication despite playing in the most
turbulent area of the pitch.
A consummate performer is nothing
without a suitable stage, and in Rio de Janeiro`s mythical Maracana on
Sunday, he will find an appropriately stylish venue for his 100th cap.
Manchester:
Manuel Pellegrini has pledged to bring titles and style to Manchester
City after being named as the new manager of the English Premier League
giants.
The 59-year-old Chilean left Malaga to pen a three-year deal as Roberto Mancini`s replacement.
His
task is to snatch the league title back from neighbours Manchester
United and go deep into the Champions League where Mancini constantly
fell short.
"Everyone knows if you arrive at a club like
Manchester City you need to win titles," Pellegrini, nicknamed `The
Engineer` told ManCity TV.
"I think Manchester City have invested a lot of money to improve the squad every year and try, every year, to win titles.
"They
were not successful in winning some titles but I am sure we are going
to win - maybe the Premier League, the Champions League. We will try to
win a lot.
"My first message is to tell all
the supporters they will enjoy the season. I am sure they will enjoy
the way our team will play.
"We will play an attractive, offensive play."
Pellegrini
has more than 25 years` of managerial experience in South America and
Spain and has taken Malaga and Villarreal to the latter stages of the
Champions League.
He spent a single season in charge of Real Madrid before he was succeeded by Jose Mourinho, also now back in England at Chelsea.
"With
Malaga I reached the quarter-final of the Champions League, with
Villarreal also and the semi-final. All my experience will be very
useful for me.
"I am sure we are going to have a very good season. I can tell all the fans of Manchester City I work very hard."
Pellegrini will have plenty of
talent at his disposal at Eastlands after Fernandinho and Jesus Navas
signed earlier in the summer for a combined initial cost of almost
£45million.
City have also been linked with Malaga playmaker Isco and Napoli striker Edinson Cavani.
Pellegrini brings with him assistant Ruben Cousillas, goalkeeping coach Xabier Mancisidor and fitness coach Jose Cabello.
But Mancini`s assistant manager Brian Kidd will also remain as part of the set-up.
Kidd
said: "I am pleased. It is a compliment and a great honour that I am
stopping with the club. I am very pleased that Mr Pellegrini wants me to
stay."
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, who has ploughed
millions into the club, said of Pellegrini`s appointment: "Manuel is a
hugely experienced and successful manager with a proven track record.
"We
have been greatly impressed throughout the selection process by his
philosophy, his attitude and his commitment to the long term development
of Manchester City.
"I am delighted that he has joined us."
Chief
executive Ferran Soriano described Pellegrini as "a very experienced
coach with a recognised ability to get the most out of his players and
build cohesive teams.
"He shares the club`s approach to football
and our ambition to achieve on-field success, coordinating with the
wider football support teams to ensure natural progression from the
Academy to senior level."
Pellegrini`s appointment at City came shortly after Malaga named former Real boss Bernd Schuster, as his successor.
London:
The Spaniard has been compared to the troubled Uruguayan in terms of
his talent and temperament, but insists he will be his own man at
Anfield.
Liverpool new-boy Iago Aspas insists he has not been signed to replace Luis Suarez.
The
25-year-old Spaniard`s €8 million move to Anfield was confirmed this
week, just as the controversial Uruguayan prepares for the
Confederations Cup with his club future under a cloud.
But Aspas,
a skilful attacker with a fiery temper - highlighted in the four-match
ban he received for headbutting Carlos Marchena last season - has
rejected any form of comparison with Suarez.
“Liverpool are one
of the biggest clubs in the world and I am going there to take an
important step in my career, not to be a replacement for anyone,” he
said.
“I think it is time for me to take the next step in my
career and Liverpool can help me do that. I have confidence in my
ability to move forward and to grow as a player.
“I described the
move as emotional for me because it is such a big club and it means
I’ve reached another level. But I am calm because I feel I am ready.
“I want to show that I am capable of playing at the level of this huge club.”
Aspas
also revealed he fully expects to be partnering Suarez up front for
Liverpool next season, rather than watching him turn out for Real
Madrid.
“I am excited to be going to England – I want to play in the Premier League,” he added.
“And I hope I will be helped to settle there by all the Spanish speakers at the club... including Luis Suarez.”
Spain: The Brazil legend has warned the striker to focus solely on football rather than on his activities off the pitch.
Ronaldo believes the plight of Adriano should serve as a warning to Mario Balotelli not to waste his talent.
The
Italy international has arguably made the headlines more for his
behaviour off the pitch than on it and Ronaldo has not forgotten about
what happened his former Brazil team-mate.
"We have all done some
stupid things at some point in our lifes, but it`s important to realise
when it`s time to quit. I remember the example of Adriano, although
that is not necessarily related to Balotelli`s situation, because it`s a
bit different," said the retired Selecao legend.
"Adriano had
crazy skills and a fantastic physique. He could do whatever he wanted on
the pitch. However, at some point he simply couldn`t do it anymore. So
the only advice I can give Balotelli is to focus on his football and not
to throw away his talent.
"Balotelli has a certain talent, the
way he strikes the ball and scores goals. He`s not there yet, though. He
can still improve and has plenty of time to do just that. But his age
must not become an excuse.
"Balotelli has everything to become a
great, but he must win titles first. The difference between becoming a
champion or just a good player is whether you win important trophies."
The
22-year-old will be looking to add his first piece of silverware with
Italy`s senior side to his trophy cabinet this summer as they take part
in the Confederations Cup.
New
Delhi: Indian national team captain Sunil Chhetri will conduct a
football summer camp at the Ambedkar Stadium here from Sunday onwards.
The camp being organised by LetzPlay FC in association with the Delhi Soccer Association will continue till June 23.
Chhetri,
who captained India to two successive tournament triumphs -- the SAFF
Championship 2012 and the Nehru Cup 2013 -- sounded excited at the
prospect of interacting and teaching young kids the finer aspects of the
game.
Sunil said: "It’s not just a camp pulled out from the
dictionary; rather, the kids will be taking back home how they need to
take it up further. The idea is to give the kids a proper feeling of how
a training process should be."
He added: "I will personally be
talking and interacting with the kids and tell them about the mistakes
which I made at their age. I will also have a separate session with the
parents."
London:
The Chilean has signed a three-year deal to replace Roberto Mancini,
while the club have already sanctioned over €59 million in spending as
they bid to regain the title.
New Manchester City signing Jesus Navas insists he cannot wait to start working with boss Manuel Pellegrini.
City
confirmed on Friday that Pellegrini had signed a three-year contract to
replace Roberto Mancini, who was sacked just a year after guiding City
to their first league title since 1968.
The club have also made
their intentions clear in the transfer market, spending over €59 million
to acquire Navas and Fernandinho from Shakhtar Donetsk, and the
Spaniard is excited about the new season.
“Everything I know
about him is positive. Every team he coaches plays well, and everyone in
the city will support him,” Navas told the club`s official website.
“He`s important because he will help the team and we all know the importance of a good manager and a good person that we trust.
“I think [his teams are good] defensively as well.”
Brazil:
The former Japan boss is not convinced the Selecao are strong enough in
defence and thinks Japan can cause them problems.
Zico believes that Brazil`s defensive frailties could be their undoing against Japan in Saturday`s Confederations Cup opener.
Selecao
beat France 3-0 earlier this month in their last warm-up friendly
before this summer`s tournament, but previously struggled against the
likes of England and Chile.
"From what I’ve seen Brazil are still
a little too exposed for my liking and they allow teams too much space,
especially for shots outside the box, which is what we saw in the games
against England and France," said Zico.
"We’re not compact
enough. England didn’t score twice from outside the area by chance, you
know. That’s dangerous against a team with players who can shoot from
distance, like [Keisuke] Honda, [Yasuhito] Endo and [Makoto] Hasebe.
"There’s every chance of this game being one of the toughest ever between the two sides, and that’s for two reasons.
"Firstly,
the Japanese are getting stronger all the time, with more and more
players in leagues like Germany, Italy, England and Russia. Secondly,
Brazil are still looking for their best starting XI and the right
formation.
"All in all, it should be a fascinating game."
Brazil meet Mexico in their second group game before taking on Italy on matchday 3.
Brazil:
The Brazilian giants claim the 25-year-old turned down offers from
Santos, Gremio and Cruzeiro to return to Morumbi on a free transfer.
Former Arsenal midfielder Denilson has rejoined Sao Paulo on a permanent deal after being released by the Gunners.
The
25-year-old arrived at the Emirates Stadium as a teenager in 2006 and
made 108 appearances in all competitions, but never managed to hold down
a regular first-team place.
A lack of action saw Denilson
shipped out to Sao Paulo on loan in each of the last two seasons, and
earlier this month he was released, along with Andrey Arshavin and
Sebastien Squillaci, following the expiration of his contract with the
north London side.
On their official website, the Brazilian
giants claimed the midfielder had turned down offers from rivals Santos,
Cruzeiro and Gremio to rejoin the club on a permanent basis.
Brazil:
The Selecao legend believes that the competition could turn Felip
Scolari`s young side into a top international outfit - with Neymar
leading from the front.
Dunga has claimed that the upcoming
Confederations Cup could prove vital to Brazil`s hopes of winning the
2014 World Cup on home soil next year.
The former Selecao coach
believes that the current generation are still in a developmental phase
and that facing stern challenges against strong sides this month,
including Japan, Mexico and Italy, is exactly what is required to take
the hosts to the next level.
"The team [Brazil] is in a stage of
maturation, and, not having to play qualifiers [for the World Cup],
needs to play matches with `real` opponents who present a challenge,"
Dunga said.
The 49-year-old also asserted that Brazil`s World Cup
and Confederation Cup hopes rest largely on Neymar, and was quick to
praise his countryman - but recognised that he can`t win tournaments for
Brazil single-handedly.
"Technically, [Neymar] has fantastic
shots. Certainly in Brazil he has started many changes. [However], one
boy cannot solve all of the Selecao`s problems. He can be a leader, but
he needs a team around him."
Dunga recognised that the prodigious
talent could initially struggle at Barcelona but said that he has
little doubt that he will succeed.
"There is some risk," the
former midfield ace mused. "But I`m sure that Neymar will do just fine.
Because here in Brazil, the whole opposing team tried to block him to
stop [Santos], whereas in Barcelona there is Messi, Iniesta, Xavi ....
"He
will be less of a God [to the fans] but will have more freedom. He will
play at Camp Nou as he would on the beach: trying to have fun."
Dunga skippered Brazil to World Cup glory in the United States in 1994.
Paris:
The forward`s father has revealed that there is a great deal of
interest in his son following a wonderful year in France, but that the
Stade Louis II is his preferred destination.
Pierre Emerick
Aubeyang could be set to join the likes of Radamel Falcao and James
Rodriguez to create a formidable attacking trident at Monaco, according
to his father.
The Saint-Etienne forward has been linked with
moves to Borussia Dortmund, Anzhi Makhachkala and a host of English
sides after he scored more 19 goals in Ligue 1 this season.
"Much
of the Germany talk is true, but proposals come from everywhere,"
Aubameyang senior, himself a former professional footballer, told RTL.
"I believe that we will be able to continue the discussions."
However,
whilst he reused to close doors, the striker`s father made it clear
that his preference would be for his son to move to the Stade Louis II.
"Monaco?
If they come see or see me directly, it is clear that there will be an
exchange with them. When you see the Monaco project, [it can be seen
that] this will be a serious competitor of PSG. This kind of club will
be successful in a year or two. That is what I am now looking for my
son."
Gabon international Aubameyang began his career at AC Milan
but failed to make the grade at San Siro and joined Saint-Etienne on a
permanent basis two years ago, after a short spell on loan to les Verts.
Paris:
The young Italian looks set to remain in the French capital for the
foreseeable future - despite the potential departure of coach Carlo
Ancelotti for Real Madrid.
Marco Verratti has moved to play down
reports linking him with a move away from Paris Saint-Germain by
unequivocally stating his desire to remain at the Parc des Princes.
With
coach Carlo Ancelotti seemingly set to become Jose Mourinho`s
replacement at Real Madrid, it had been suggested that Verratti could
follow his fellow Italian to Spain.
However, Verratti says that
he has no desire to leave the Ligue 1 champions and will not be swayed
by any potential approach from los Blancos.
"My future isn`t tied
to the coach`s. I am very happy in Paris; we`ll see what happens in the
future, but for now I want to stay at PSG," Verratti is reported as
having said by Marca.
Verratti added that while he will be sad to
see Ancelotti go, he is delighted that the former AC Milan boss seems
bound for the Bernabeu.
"I heard about Ancelotti a few days ago
and I think he`s going to leave. If this is the case, I`ll be happy for
him because he`d be going to a big club."
Verratti has impressed many at PSG after arriving from Pescara in 2012 with his imperious yet creative displays from midfield.
London:
The striker is looking increasingly likely to move club this summer
after again hinting at his desire to join Real Madrid, but he
acknowledges his loyalties lie with the Reds.
Liverpool striker Luis Suarez has called on the club to "listen" to him amid talk of a possible summer exit from Anfield.
The
Uruguay international has recently admitted his desire to join Real
Madrid, describing it as a "dream", while revealing he is keen to leave
England due to negative press attention.
Suarez, though, has
acknowledged his loyalities must lie with his contracted club,
Liverpool, but was keen to stress the importance of a player`s wishes.
"First,
I have a contract with the club, but if one day I want to sign [for
another club], Liverpool will hear the offer, as it does with other
players," he told Marca.
"They must agree with other teams, but
the word of the player, in this case mine, is important. If you need a
change, you should listen to the player.
"Every player aspires
[to be the best] and if you ask a child of eight years they would say
one day they would go to Real Madrid or Barcelona."
Suarez has
repeatedly attracted controversy during his time in England, being
handed an eight-game ban for racially abusing Manchester United defender
Patrice Evra before a 10-game ban for biting Chelsea`s Branislav
Ivanovic.
Liverpool fans have supported the striker throughout his spell at Anfield, and Suarez insists he will always care for the club.
"The
love I have for Liverpool I will never forget," he added. "I love the
city, the club and the people and everyone is welcome. All I ask is for
respect for all the things that have been said."
Suarez maintains
he has been singled out by British media, but accepts there are areas
of his on-field behaviour which he could improve on.
"There are moments of importance [in games] and I have lived football in a very particular way since childhood," he said.
"But I know I can play tricks. Sometimes I protest too much to the referee. I have to take it a bit better."
Suarez, who is currently in Brazil preparing for the Confederations Cup with Uruguay, joined Liverpool from Ajax in 2011.
England:
The 20-year-old, who sealed a switch from FC Nordsjaelland to Villa
Park on Thursday, is looking forward to working with Paul Lambert after
turning down the Europa League winners.
New Aston Villa defender
Jores Okore has revealed he turned down an approach from Chelsea to seal
a switch to the Birmingham-based club.
The highly-rated
20-year-old, who played against the Blues for FC Nordsjaelland in the
Champions League last term, joined Paul Lambert`s side on Thursday for a
fee believed to be in the region of €4.7 million.
And the
centre-back has claimed the Europa League holders were also keen on
securing his signature ahead of his move to Villa, but he is sure he
made the correct choice.
"I have a good feeling it was the right decision to turn down Chelsea," Okore told Sporten.dk.
Okore
says Lambert was a key influence on his decision to choose last
season`s 15th-placed finishers in the Premier League, and is looking
forward to progression in England`s top flight.
"I`ve got a good insight into Lambert and his plans," Okore continued.
"He knows what I stand for, and he knows what I can do. He hopes that I am myself and play the football I want to play.
"He believes that I can develop as a footballer, and therefore it was easy to say yes to him."
Okore, who was born in Ivory Coast, has been capped seven times by Denmark.
Karachi:
If Pakistan fail to end their disappointing Champions Trophy campaign
with a win over arch-rivals India, it could lead to a lot of heads
rolling not only in the national team and management but also in the
PCB.
Already the cracks within the board and differences between
the team management and national selectors are becoming increasingly
visible with the blame game becoming more prominent.
To make
matters worse, the Islamabad High Court has also suspended Zaka Ashraf
from working as chairman of the board and apparently their appears to be
no direction in cricket affairs at the moment.
When asked to
comment on the team`s poor performance in the Champions Trophy, Ashraf,
who is in London, said only the players were responsible for their
performances.
"The chairman has nothing to do with the players`
performance so how can he be blamed if the team does not perform well,"
Ashraf said.
"I have nothing to do with the team`s performance.
It depends on the players` performance. Moreover, I`m restrained by the
court and as such I am not involved in such affairs. (But) the court
hasn`t given its final ruling yet," he said.
With the writing on
the wall becoming increasingly clear for Ashraf after the IHC ruled
yesterday that he will not represent Pakistan at the annual meeting of
the ICC in London this month, things are not looking good even within
the team.
The national selection committee has privately expressed its disappointment at being blamed for the poor performance.
"Why
blame us... We sent the best possible team and in-form players to
England. If they don`t perform or what playing eleven the captain or
coach field is not our responsibility," a selector told PTI.
Many
former players have called for the selectors and for changes in the
team management after Pakistan lost to the West Indies and South Africa
to tumble out of the tournament.
Pakistan have one final chance of returning home with pride, provided they beat India in their final group match.
"What
sense was there to drop Asad Shafiq from the game against South Africa
when he was our best player against them in the Test series this year,"
the selector asked.
