Melbourne, (IANS/RIA Novosti) The Australian Open tennis tournament director has tipped Andy Murray and Maria Sharapova to win the singles titles at the first Grand Slam of 2013. World No.1 Novak Djokovic looks to defend his crown against a likely resurgent Rafael Nadal, who is returning to the action after missing half a year with [...]

Chandigarh, (IANS) With a record prize money of Rs.4.54 crore, including Rs.2 crore for the winner, the third World Cup Kabaddi, featuring a total of 23 teams, will begin at Bathinda Dec 1, Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal announced here Tuesday. Badal, who is also the state sports minister, said that teams from [...]

Mumbai, Nov 26 (IANS) England bounced back from their first Test loss at Ahmedabad against India to win the second match on the fourth day by 10 wickets to level the series 1-1 at the Wankhede Stadium here Monday. Resuming the day at 117/7, India could only hold out for 11.1 overs and manage 25 [...]

Kolkata, (IANS) Suggesting that Indian skipper M.S. Dhoni should not opt for a turner in the coming Test match here against England, former skipper Sourav Ganguly Monday said there “could be lot of changes” in Indian cricket if the home side lost at Eden Gardens. “Dhoni should not seek a turner. If the ball turns, [...]

Hong Kong, (IANS) The Chinese team took all five titles at the 2012 Hong Kong Badminton Open after Sunday’s finals here. World’s No. 2 ranking Chen Long edged out Lee Chong-Wei of Malaysia 21-19, 21-17 to take the men’s singles’ gold. It’s Chen’s third title after the London Olympic Games and also his second in [...]

New Delhi, (IANS) Indian Olympic Association (IOA) president Vijay Kumar Malhotra Friday made an impassioned appeal to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene and withdraw the “ill-conceived” Sports Code after the apex body of world sports threatened to ban the national Olympic committee (NOC) if its Dec 5 election was not held as per the [...]

Chennai, (IANS) Woman FIDE Master M. Mahalakshmi, a student of Velammal Group of Schools, caused a big upset bringing down Grandmaster Sahaj Grover in an exciting Nimzo-Indian game in the Apollo Engineering College Commonwealth Chess Championship that began here Friday. After a sedate start, Mahalakshmi went for a king-side assault that had the Delhi-based Grandmaster [...]

Perth, (IANS) India went down 1-2 to England in their opening match of the nine-a-side Lanco International Super Series hockey here Thursday. Gurvinder Singh Chandi put India in the lead before Dan Fox levelled the match towards the end of the first half. David Condon scored the decisive goal in the second half to seal [...]

Port-of-Spain, Nov 21 (IANS/CMC) Trinidad and Tobago opening batsman Adrian Barath has turned to a West Indies legend to improve his batting as he attempts to regain his place in the regional side. Barath has sought the services of former West Indies opening batsman Gordon Greenidge ahead of three major cricket competitions in the region, [...]

Nyon (Switzerland), (IANS/RIA Novosti) Ongoing violence in the Gaza Strip means a Europa League tie between Israel’s Hapoel Kiryat Shmona and Spain’s Athletic Bilbao has been postponed, UEFA said Wednesday. Clashes in Gaza are in their eighth day since Israeli forces began air strikes on the disputed territory in response to a surge in rocket [...]

By Bharat Sharma New Delhi, (IANS) A youthful Indian hockey team will have its first big Test post the London disaster when they play in the Champions Trophy next month. Coach Michael Nobbs wants his wards to see Olympic Champions Germany as their model and hopes they respond well to the changes in the style [...]

Bangalore, (IANS) Karnataka A were struggling to stay in the match after conceding a first innings lead of 227 runs to Punjab A on the third and penultimate day of their CK Nayudu Trophy cricket match here Monday. Replying to visitors’ score of 493, Karnataka, overnight 120 for five, were bundled out for 266 with [...]

New Delhi, (IANS) Baroda need to pick up seven wickets on the final day of the Ranji Trophy Group B tie against Delhi to bag three points from a first innings lead, as the hosts finished the third day at 215/3 here Monday. At the close of play, Mithun Manhas and Rajat Bhatia were batting [...]

New Delhi, (IANS) The internecine war in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) ahead of elections to the apex sports body flared up again with the Abhay Singh Chautala faction writing to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief accusing IOC member Randhir Singh of flouting the Olympic Charter. In separate letters more or less on similar [...]