Srikanth, Saina to start new season at Malaysia Masters
KUALALUMPUR: Kidambi Srikanth and Saina Nehwal will begin the season with renewed verve at the Malaysian Open World Tour Super 500 tournament which gets underway with the qualifiers here on Tuesday.
World No 8 Srikanth endured a below-par season where he topped the BWF ranking for a brief period and also claimed the Commonwealth Games silver medal, but failed to win a single title. The 25-year-old from Guntur will hope to continue his unbeaten run takes on Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long Angus.
Saina, on the other hand, has been one of the top achievers in 2018, claiming a second gold in the CWG and securing a bronze at the Asian Games and Asian Championship. She also reached the finals at Indonesia Masters, Denmark Open and Syed Modi International. The 28-year-old from Hyderabad, who recently married fellow shuttler P Kashyap, will also face a Hong Kong player in Deng Joy Xuan in her women’s singles first round.
LAHIRI ROUNDS OFF WITH 66, ENDS T-43RD
HONOLULU: Anirban Lahiri rounded off the week with a fourunder 66 that included six birdies and a double bogey to finish tied 43rd in the Sony Open. Lahiri totalled seven-under 273 with rounds of 68, 68, 73 and 66. Matt Kuchar won the title with a final card of 22-under 258, which is his second title in three starts.
SHAKIL SETS RECORD IN INDOOR ROWING
KOLKATA:ASIAN Cup gold medallist Shakil Ahmed set up a world record in indoor rowing by completing 1,00,000 metres in above-40 years category here on Sunday. Shakil began his feat in Salt Lake stadium complex at 8 am on Sunday and achieved the milestone of covering 1,00,000m of simulated distance in 10 hours.
CHENNAI CITY FC BEAT EAST BENGAL 2-1
COIMBATORE: Spanish striker Pedro Manzi continued his goalscoring spree, inspiring Chhenai City FC to a 2-1 win over East Bengal to consolidate the side’s top position in I-league on Monday. Manzi scored his 11th goal of the I-league season in the 48th minute and Romario Jesuraj netted the other in the 70th minute after Laldanmawia Ralte had given East Bengal a ninth minute lead.
KERALA, PATIALA PLAY OUT 4-4 DRAW
CHENNAI: Kerala and Patiala played out a 4-4 draw in a Pool E match in the 9th Hockey India Senior National Hockey Championship for men’s ‘B’ Division.
In other matches, Hockey Coorg beat Steel Plant Sports Board 2-1 and Sports Authority of India defeated All India Police Sports Control Board 2-1.