CONGRATULATION TO MOHD JIRONI RIDUAN FOR THE TWO GOLD MEDALS IN 2013 SEA GAMES!!!
Friday 20 December 2013
JIRONI THE KING!!!
CONGRATULATION TO MOHD JIRONI RIDUAN FOR THE TWO GOLD MEDALS IN 2013 SEA GAMES!!!
Thursday 19 December 2013
Thursday 14 March 2013
INDIAN WELLS 2013
INDIAN WELLS (California): The women's quarter-finals at Indian Wells
ended with a whimper on Thursday as defending champion Victoria
Azarenka and seventh seed Sam Stosur both pulled out with injuries.
Azarenka's bid to become the first woman since Martina Navratilova in 1990-91 to retain her title in the California desert crashed to a halt as the world No. 2 from Belarus withdrew before her clash with Caroline Wozniacki with tendinitis and inflammation in her right foot and ankle.
Stosur, a former US Open champion, pulled out with a right calf injury, granting fourth seed Angelique Kerber of Germany a walkover.
"I think the situation is very strange for the tournament," Kerber said. "It's not great. I think everybody would like to play and win of course. Caroline now has the same situation, so I think we are both ready for Friday's match."
The other women's semi was set on Wednesday, with second-seeded Maria Sharapova setting up a meeting with fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko.
Sharapova won Indian Wells in 2006 and was runner-up to Azarenka last year. She's in the semi-finals for the sixth time.
Kirilenko, who upset third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska in the fourth round and fifth-seeded former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the quarters, reached the final four for the first time in 10 appearances here.
Both Azarenka and Stosur withdrew after trying to warm up for their matches. Now both are just hoping to be fit for the hard court tournament in Miami that starts next week.
"I'll talk to the physios and the doctors and work out a good plan for how many days off I need to take off and go from there," said Stosur, who said she "felt something go" in her calf in the last game of her fourth-round win over Mona Barthel on Tuesday.
"It's all a bit up in the air at the moment because I've never been through this type of injury before, so it's a matter of wait and see, talking to the people who know and reassessing each day," she said. Azarenka was in much the same boat.
"That's frustrating for me as a player, not knowing," she said over the uncertainty of her expected recovery time.
"Sometimes you think, OK, well, I rest three days and I'm going to be fine with it. But when you don't know the healing process it's a little bit frustrating."
Azarenka is unbeaten on the court in 2013, a 17-0 run that includes an Australian Open triumph and a title in Doha.
But this is the second time she has surrendered a walkover. She withdrew before her scheduled semi-final against Serena Williams in Brisbane with an infected toe. - AFP
Azarenka's bid to become the first woman since Martina Navratilova in 1990-91 to retain her title in the California desert crashed to a halt as the world No. 2 from Belarus withdrew before her clash with Caroline Wozniacki with tendinitis and inflammation in her right foot and ankle.
Stosur, a former US Open champion, pulled out with a right calf injury, granting fourth seed Angelique Kerber of Germany a walkover.
"I think the situation is very strange for the tournament," Kerber said. "It's not great. I think everybody would like to play and win of course. Caroline now has the same situation, so I think we are both ready for Friday's match."
The other women's semi was set on Wednesday, with second-seeded Maria Sharapova setting up a meeting with fellow Russian Maria Kirilenko.
Sharapova won Indian Wells in 2006 and was runner-up to Azarenka last year. She's in the semi-finals for the sixth time.
Kirilenko, who upset third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska in the fourth round and fifth-seeded former Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the quarters, reached the final four for the first time in 10 appearances here.
Both Azarenka and Stosur withdrew after trying to warm up for their matches. Now both are just hoping to be fit for the hard court tournament in Miami that starts next week.
"I'll talk to the physios and the doctors and work out a good plan for how many days off I need to take off and go from there," said Stosur, who said she "felt something go" in her calf in the last game of her fourth-round win over Mona Barthel on Tuesday.
"It's all a bit up in the air at the moment because I've never been through this type of injury before, so it's a matter of wait and see, talking to the people who know and reassessing each day," she said. Azarenka was in much the same boat.
"That's frustrating for me as a player, not knowing," she said over the uncertainty of her expected recovery time.
"Sometimes you think, OK, well, I rest three days and I'm going to be fine with it. But when you don't know the healing process it's a little bit frustrating."
Azarenka is unbeaten on the court in 2013, a 17-0 run that includes an Australian Open triumph and a title in Doha.
But this is the second time she has surrendered a walkover. She withdrew before her scheduled semi-final against Serena Williams in Brisbane with an infected toe. - AFP
Sunday 30 September 2012
Thursday 15 March 2012
MANCHESTER UNITED BUNDLED OUT
(Reuters) – Manchester United and Manchester City were bundled out of the Europa League by less glamorous opponents on Thursday as their wretched continental seasons ended in last-16 defeat.
Both had parachuted into the second-tier competition after group-stage exits from the elite Champions League and both boasted much bigger resources than their conquerors. But the manner of the exits could not have been more different.
City clawed their way back from 2-0 down on the night to win 3-2 against visiting Sporting Lisbon but went out on away goals after a 3-3 aggregate result.
United were outclassed in both legs by Athletic Bilbao, losing 2-1 on the night in Spain and 5-3 overall.
Two down at halftime at Eastlands, City staged a breathtaking rally with two goals by Sergio Aguero and a Mario Balotelli penalty to stand on the verge of a remarkable comeback.
A fairytale ending was millimetres away when goalkeeper Joe Hart’s header whizzed just wide in the last minute of stoppage time.
There was no such passion on show by an apathetic United who were undone by a stunning first-half volley from Fernando Llorente and a deflected strike from Oscar de Marcos.
United forward Wayne Rooney scored a superb 80th-minute consolation goal but the damage was already done as the enthusiasm and talent of La Liga’s seventh-placed side proved too much for the English Premier League champions.
“I don’t think we can complain,” United manager Alex Ferguson told Channel Five television. “There are always lessons in every football match whether you win or lose.”
Sporting and Bilbao are joined in the last eight by Valencia, who drew 1-1 at PSV Eindhoven to go through 5-3 overall, and Hanover 96 who beat Standard Liege 4-0 for a 6-2 aggregate win.
AZ Alkmaar also progressed despite going down to 10 men after two minutes when Nick Viergever was sent off and falling two goals behind in the first quarter of an hour at Udinese.
The Dutch side eventually lost 2-1 but squeezed through 3-2 on aggregate.
Three La Liga sides advanced with Atletico Madrid joining Bilbao and Valencia in the next round after a 3-0 win at Besiktas gave them a 6-1 aggregate triumph.
Schalke 04 also made the quarter-finals having overhauled a first-leg deficit to beat Twente Enschede 4-1 on the night and 4-2 overall.
Metalist Kharkiv of Ukraine progressed on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate result against Olympiakos Piraeus.
Both had parachuted into the second-tier competition after group-stage exits from the elite Champions League and both boasted much bigger resources than their conquerors. But the manner of the exits could not have been more different.
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney shoots to score during their Europa League soccer match against Athletic Bilbao in Bilbao. - REUTERS
United were outclassed in both legs by Athletic Bilbao, losing 2-1 on the night in Spain and 5-3 overall.
Two down at halftime at Eastlands, City staged a breathtaking rally with two goals by Sergio Aguero and a Mario Balotelli penalty to stand on the verge of a remarkable comeback.
A fairytale ending was millimetres away when goalkeeper Joe Hart’s header whizzed just wide in the last minute of stoppage time.
There was no such passion on show by an apathetic United who were undone by a stunning first-half volley from Fernando Llorente and a deflected strike from Oscar de Marcos.
United forward Wayne Rooney scored a superb 80th-minute consolation goal but the damage was already done as the enthusiasm and talent of La Liga’s seventh-placed side proved too much for the English Premier League champions.
“I don’t think we can complain,” United manager Alex Ferguson told Channel Five television. “There are always lessons in every football match whether you win or lose.”
Sporting and Bilbao are joined in the last eight by Valencia, who drew 1-1 at PSV Eindhoven to go through 5-3 overall, and Hanover 96 who beat Standard Liege 4-0 for a 6-2 aggregate win.
AZ Alkmaar also progressed despite going down to 10 men after two minutes when Nick Viergever was sent off and falling two goals behind in the first quarter of an hour at Udinese.
The Dutch side eventually lost 2-1 but squeezed through 3-2 on aggregate.
Three La Liga sides advanced with Atletico Madrid joining Bilbao and Valencia in the next round after a 3-0 win at Besiktas gave them a 6-1 aggregate triumph.
Schalke 04 also made the quarter-finals having overhauled a first-leg deficit to beat Twente Enschede 4-1 on the night and 4-2 overall.
Metalist Kharkiv of Ukraine progressed on away goals after a 2-2 aggregate result against Olympiakos Piraeus.
Wednesday 14 March 2012
INDIAN WELLS ATP 2012
INDIAN WELLS, California (Reuters) - Fifth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer was ousted from the Indian Wells ATP tournament on Tuesday as Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer both moved into the fourth round.
Roger Federer of Switzerland give a thumbs up to the crowd after defeating Milos Raonic of Canada in their match at the Indian Wells ATP tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, March 13, 2012. REUTERS/Danny Moloshok
Ferrer was upset 6-4 6-3 by Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin, Nadal swept past fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers 6-1 6-4 and Federer survived an early storm from Milos Raonic before completing a 6-7 6-2 6-4 victory.
A winner of three titles this year, Ferrer had lost only once in 20 ATP matches this season before struggling badly on his second serve as he was outplayed by the 51st-ranked Istomin.
"I didn't play a good match even though I don't want to take credit from him," the Spaniard Tweeted in his native language. "He was the better player today and played very well, a fair winner."
Claycourt specialist Ferrer, a former world number four, had won titles in Auckland, Buenos Aires and Acapulco this year.
Second seed Nadal, Indian Wells champion in 2007 and 2009, dominated Granollers with his superb baseline game but lost a bit of momentum in the second set before triumphing in one hour, 25 minutes with an ace on his fifth match point.
"I played well. It was a comfortable first set," Nadal said. "I didn't play my best in the second. I had a few mistakes, especially for the backhand, and then I was in a little bit trouble. But I am happy that I finished the match well."
Federer was stunned by Raonic's power serving in the opening set but delivered a master class in the next two before wrapping up the win in just over two hours when the towering Canadian netted a forehand.
The Swiss, who had never previously played the 21-year-old, will next face Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, who benefited from a walkover when Russian Nikolay Davydenko withdrew due to illness.
FEDERER PRAISE
"I was impressed (by Raonic)," triple champion Federer said. "He played great and made it hard for me by winning that first set tiebreaker.
"He kept himself in the match till the very end, and obviously put a lot of pressure on me. I think the longer I stayed out there the better I started feeling."
Big-serving Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina survived a shaky second set to beat Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco 6-2 7-6 in the first match of the day on the stadium court.
Del Potro, who won his first grand slam title at the 2009 U.S. Open, breezed through his opening set in 39 minutes before struggling against his opponent's fluent ground strokes.
The six-foot six-inch (1.98m) Argentine saved four set points on his own serve in a marathon 10th game, and two more in the tiebreak, before sealing victory when a Verdasco backhand flew long.
Del Potro clenched his fists in delight before making a sign of the cross on his chest and looking skywards in relief as the stadium court crowd erupted in applause.
"I am still very nervous from that moment when Fernando played much better than me in the second set," the 23-year-old said. "Verdasco is a really difficult opponent, especially in the early rounds of the big tournaments.
"He's very, very tough and very dangerous. Sometimes you are lucky to win these kinds of matches."
Sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France battled back to beat Czech Radek Stepanek 6-7 6-3 6-2 while Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov scraped past Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-4 5-7 6-4.
Roger Federer of Switzerland give a thumbs up to the crowd after defeating Milos Raonic of Canada in their match at the Indian Wells ATP tennis tournament in Indian Wells, California, March 13, 2012. REUTERS/Danny MoloshokFerrer was upset 6-4 6-3 by Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin, Nadal swept past fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers 6-1 6-4 and Federer survived an early storm from Milos Raonic before completing a 6-7 6-2 6-4 victory.
A winner of three titles this year, Ferrer had lost only once in 20 ATP matches this season before struggling badly on his second serve as he was outplayed by the 51st-ranked Istomin.
"I didn't play a good match even though I don't want to take credit from him," the Spaniard Tweeted in his native language. "He was the better player today and played very well, a fair winner."
Claycourt specialist Ferrer, a former world number four, had won titles in Auckland, Buenos Aires and Acapulco this year.
Second seed Nadal, Indian Wells champion in 2007 and 2009, dominated Granollers with his superb baseline game but lost a bit of momentum in the second set before triumphing in one hour, 25 minutes with an ace on his fifth match point.
"I played well. It was a comfortable first set," Nadal said. "I didn't play my best in the second. I had a few mistakes, especially for the backhand, and then I was in a little bit trouble. But I am happy that I finished the match well."
Federer was stunned by Raonic's power serving in the opening set but delivered a master class in the next two before wrapping up the win in just over two hours when the towering Canadian netted a forehand.
The Swiss, who had never previously played the 21-year-old, will next face Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, who benefited from a walkover when Russian Nikolay Davydenko withdrew due to illness.
FEDERER PRAISE
"I was impressed (by Raonic)," triple champion Federer said. "He played great and made it hard for me by winning that first set tiebreaker.
"He kept himself in the match till the very end, and obviously put a lot of pressure on me. I think the longer I stayed out there the better I started feeling."
Big-serving Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina survived a shaky second set to beat Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco 6-2 7-6 in the first match of the day on the stadium court.
Del Potro, who won his first grand slam title at the 2009 U.S. Open, breezed through his opening set in 39 minutes before struggling against his opponent's fluent ground strokes.
The six-foot six-inch (1.98m) Argentine saved four set points on his own serve in a marathon 10th game, and two more in the tiebreak, before sealing victory when a Verdasco backhand flew long.
Del Potro clenched his fists in delight before making a sign of the cross on his chest and looking skywards in relief as the stadium court crowd erupted in applause.
"I am still very nervous from that moment when Fernando played much better than me in the second set," the 23-year-old said. "Verdasco is a really difficult opponent, especially in the early rounds of the big tournaments.
"He's very, very tough and very dangerous. Sometimes you are lucky to win these kinds of matches."
Sixth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga of France battled back to beat Czech Radek Stepanek 6-7 6-3 6-2 while Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov scraped past Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-4 5-7 6-4.
Tuesday 13 March 2012
CAN TIGER WOOD WIN?
MIAMI: Tiger Woods said on Monday that he has suffered only a mild strain of his left Achilles tendon and that he is hopeful of playing in the US PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational next week as planned.
Woods withdrew from the World Golf Championships event at Doral on Sunday after hitting his tee shot on the 12th hole, complaining of a tightness in his left Achilles tendon, the same one he hurt at last year’s Masters tournament.
After a physician examined Woods on Monday, the former World No. 1 reported the progress on his Twitter microblogging website.
In pain: Tiger Woods grimaces after hitting off the 12th tee during the final round of the Cadillac Championship golf tournament on Sunday. He withdrew from the tournament after that and was driven away in a cart. — AP
“Got good news from doc tonight. Only mild strain of left Achilles,” Woods posted on Twitter.
“Can resume hitting balls late in week and hopeful for next week.”
Woods had planned to play next week’s PGA event at Bay Hill as his final tuneup for the year’s first Major, the Masters, which tees off on April 5 at Augusta National Golf Club.
The latest injury scare for Woods has the golf world wondering if the 14-time Major champion will ever win again, much less challenge the all-time record of 18 Major titles won by Jack Nicklaus.
The former World No. 1 has not won an official event on any Tour since the Australian Masters on Nov 15, 2009, just before the revelations of a secret sex life that led to his divorce from wife Elin Nordegren.
For the fourth time in five years, Woods faces a major setback to his season, having battled through a left knee injury in 2008 to win the US Open, knee and tendon pain last year and the aftermath to his sex scandal in 2010.
Woods has undergone four operations on his left knee, including reconstructive surgery after he limped through a playoff to win the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines, his most recent Major triumph.
The biggest concern about the timing of the latest health scare for Woods is that he risks missing the Masters, the one major Woods has never missed since his 1995 debut as an amateur.
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, the reigning US Open champion and a solid favourite at the Masters with or without Woods in the field, hopes to see Woods among the pine trees at Augusta.
“It’s probably just precautionary but I really hope he’s ready for the Masters,” McIlroy said on Sunday.
“It’s a shame because he looked like he was coming out this year swinging it really well, playing good, getting himself into contention.
“Tiger Woods has been the face of golf for the last 15 years. Feeling like he’s coming back to his best, or something near his best, it’s great for the game. He can spark an interest in the game that no one else can.” – AFP
SOURCE : Thestar
Woods withdrew from the World Golf Championships event at Doral on Sunday after hitting his tee shot on the 12th hole, complaining of a tightness in his left Achilles tendon, the same one he hurt at last year’s Masters tournament.
After a physician examined Woods on Monday, the former World No. 1 reported the progress on his Twitter microblogging website.
In pain: Tiger Woods grimaces after hitting off the 12th tee during the final round of the Cadillac Championship golf tournament on Sunday. He withdrew from the tournament after that and was driven away in a cart. — AP “Got good news from doc tonight. Only mild strain of left Achilles,” Woods posted on Twitter.
“Can resume hitting balls late in week and hopeful for next week.”
Woods had planned to play next week’s PGA event at Bay Hill as his final tuneup for the year’s first Major, the Masters, which tees off on April 5 at Augusta National Golf Club.
The latest injury scare for Woods has the golf world wondering if the 14-time Major champion will ever win again, much less challenge the all-time record of 18 Major titles won by Jack Nicklaus.
The former World No. 1 has not won an official event on any Tour since the Australian Masters on Nov 15, 2009, just before the revelations of a secret sex life that led to his divorce from wife Elin Nordegren.
For the fourth time in five years, Woods faces a major setback to his season, having battled through a left knee injury in 2008 to win the US Open, knee and tendon pain last year and the aftermath to his sex scandal in 2010.
Woods has undergone four operations on his left knee, including reconstructive surgery after he limped through a playoff to win the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines, his most recent Major triumph.
The biggest concern about the timing of the latest health scare for Woods is that he risks missing the Masters, the one major Woods has never missed since his 1995 debut as an amateur.
World No. 1 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, the reigning US Open champion and a solid favourite at the Masters with or without Woods in the field, hopes to see Woods among the pine trees at Augusta.
“It’s probably just precautionary but I really hope he’s ready for the Masters,” McIlroy said on Sunday.
“It’s a shame because he looked like he was coming out this year swinging it really well, playing good, getting himself into contention.
“Tiger Woods has been the face of golf for the last 15 years. Feeling like he’s coming back to his best, or something near his best, it’s great for the game. He can spark an interest in the game that no one else can.” – AFP
SOURCE : Thestar
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