Tsonga through to second round at Melbourne Park

Last year's runner-up Jo-Wilfried Tsonga overcame a patchy first set to thrash Argentine Juan Monaco 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 and advance to the second round of the Australian Open on Tuesday.

Tsonga was broken once in the first set by the world number 49, though Monaco was broken twice himself and saved one other opportunity before the Frenchman won the set in 40 minutes.

The second set followed a similar pattern before world number seven Tsonga ran away with the third set.

Tsonga converted all three of his break opportunities in the final set and sealed the match when he served to love to set up a second round clash with either Croatia's Ivan Ljubicic or Russia's Igor Kunitsyn.

Soruce: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4006447.cms

I followed my heart, says Kaka

MILAN: Brazilian superstar Kaka has revealed that he followed his heart in choosing to stay at AC Milan rather than take up an offer of a reported 15 million euros a season to join Manchester City.

Milan president and Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi announced the news late on Monday to end one of the most dramatic transfer sagas of all time. Moneybags City, owned by the Abu Dhabi Group, had bid a reported world record 100 million euros for the former World Player of the Year and Milan gave the 26-year-old permission to talk to the English Premier League club.

But Kaka has told Milan's official TV channel that the Italian giants' fans had played a significant role in convincing him to stay. "All the messages I received convinced me to choose with my heart and I think in the end that's what I did. It was definitely not a financial decision," he said.

"There were bits of information, claims, a lot of speculation which over these last few days even created a bad impression of my father. That's not the case, I've never argued with my father. I always make decisions within the family, my wife has also been wonderful, she helped me a lot and has always supported me in my decisions. My family have been great and never tried to push me one way or another. In the end it is my history which has been decisive, where my legacy is and where in reality my heart is."

Kaka denied that he was using the interest from City to try to get a pay rise at Milan, where he is already supposedly the second highest paid player in Italy behind Inter Milan's Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

"There have also been claims made that every time offers are made for me it's because I want to renew my contract," he added. "That's not true. Every time a team has come and proposed something to me it's Milan who have tried to please me. For this I have to thank everyone who works at Milan."

Kaka, somewhat diplomatically, described Berlusconi and Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani as incredible people and thanked Milan's technical director and his compatriot Leonardo, a former player at the club.

"He is more than a friend, someone who is always close by," he said. "Right now I don't want to change anything, I want some peace and quiet."

A devout evangelical Christian who removes his jersey to display a T-shirt bearing the message 'I Belong to Jesus' whenever Milan win something, Kaka revealed he had prayed a lot over these last few days. "It was an emotional and unforgettable night," he said about Monday. "My team-mates have been great, they supported me, they touched me."

Fans who on Monday had protested against the proposed sale outside Kaka's home and Milan's headquarters on Monday quickly began celebrating. "He's staying with us, he's staying with us," went up the cheer after news broke that the Brazilian had rejected City.

Berlusconi, who had previously said Milan could not stand in Kaka's way with such a sum of money on the table, praised the attacking midfielder for rejecting financial riches. "We're all delighted," he said. "But he didn't want to leave even for a perfect offer from Manchester (City) and he said no without even knowing what the offer was. Hence, he is staying with us and we can't be anything but delighted because money is important but there are other things more important than money."

And the Italian prime minister insisted Milan had never accepted City's bid.

"No, we told Kaka to think about it, as we did with (Andrei) Shevchenko (when he joined Chelsea), we said we didn't want to prohibit someone from considering an offer that was double what Milan could pay, also because it was clear we could not make a counter offer because had we, we would have had to do likewise with all the other players and that wouldn't have been logical or in our budget. Kaka never expected us to make an offer and as a fan I have to say I'm delighted."

Galliani for his part said Milan's fans had to thank Berlusconi for not taking the money on offer. "Once more the fans should thank president Berlusconi for his economic strength," he said.

"Because there was a strong temptation in front of us and a number that was a stratospheric world record."

Source; http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/I_followed_my_heart_says_Kaka/articleshow/4006977.cms

Nadal blows Rochus off court

MELBOURNE: World number one Rafael Nadal sent out an ominous warning to his rivals when he blew Belgium's Christophe Rochus off court 6-0, 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of the Australian Open on Tuesday.

The Spaniard was in devastating form, serving 10 aces and blasting 44 winners in a virtuoso display of power and precision.

Rochus was almost reduced to a spectator at times as Nadal's ground stokes either landed deep in the corner or hugged the sidelines.

When the Belgian tried something different and came forward to the net, Nadal's passing shots whistled by, leaving Rochus either stranded on the service line or lunging at thin air.

Nadal broke Rochus three times in the first set and barely conceded a point off his own serve as he won the set 6-0 in only 19 minutes.

Rochus finally got on the scoreboard in the ninth game of the match, but with his first serves hovering just below 180kmh and his second serves barely passing 130kmh, every service game was a struggle.

The second set lasted just 10 minutes longer than the first but at least Rochus began to get into the match.

However, Nadal was never in danger and he broke Rochus another two times in the third to take the match in a lightning quick 77 minutes.

Nadal, who took over from Roger Federer as world number one during 2009, said he felt little different coming to the year's first Grand Slam as the world's best player.

"I feel the same -- I am just trying to play my best tennis," he said.

"All that's changed is a number." He said he had been happy being number two and now he was just as pleased being in the top spot. "But in tennis your career continues -- you can't just stop (because you're number one)," he said.

Soruce: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Ruthless_Nadal_blows_Rochus_off_court/articleshow/4007958.cms

Man United tap Sahara for sponsorship deal

NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW: Imagine the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney turning out to play for their club with the name of an Indian company prominently emblazoned on their shirts.

This is no idle fantasy. Manchester United, the world's biggest football club, has reportedly approached the Sahara group for a sponsorship deal.

Sources said the club has been seeking sponsors and has sent a proposal to Sahara - which supports the Indian cricket team - for sponsoring the team's shirt.

Abhijit Sarkar, the head of Sahara's corporate communication, confirmed receiving the proposal but declined to comment further.

When TOI contacted Man U, a club official said, "We have been in touch with a lot of sponsors and hope to strike something in the near future."

Currently, American International Group (AIG) has a contract for sponsoring Man U shirts for £56.5 million (about Rs 415 crore). The four-year deal began in 2006.

But with AIG being hit hard by the financial meltdown, the deal appears to have run into trouble. That could explain Manchester United's search for new avenues of sponsorship.

Sahara keen on Man U proposal

World's premier football club Manchester United has sent a proposal to Sahara group for sponsoring the team's shirt.

According to sources, Man U's commercial director Richard Arnold has sent a proposal letter to the Lucknow-based group along with a host of related material like the club T-shirt with Sahara logo and a detailed dossier displaying pictures of Ronaldo and Rooney wearing T-shirts with the company name.

Sahara currently pays BCCI more than Rs 400 crore for shirt sponsorship of Team India for January 2006 to December 2009. The original amount was Rs 313 crore for three years, but the payout increased after the Indian board decided to play more One-day and Twenty20 matches.

This is the first time that any English football club - leave alone Man U, which has around 333 million fans worldwide - has looked to an Indian firm for sponsorship. Evidently, Sahara India's association with Indian cricket and hockey teams for more than a decade attracted the attention of Man U's bosses.

Sources in Sahara said they were keen on opening a dialogue with Man U but officials were tightlipped on proposal details.

"We have a healthy partnership with BCCI and the Indian Hockey Federation. Our foray into sports sponsorship has been very fruitful. But I can neither confirm nor deny the latest Man U move at the moment," said a top Sahara official.

Sources said Sahara wants the English club to first come to India and play a few matches. If Sahara does put its name on the Man-U shirt it will join the likes of AIG, Vodafone and Sharp who have done so earlier.


Sponsor Team Deal amount
Sahara Indian cricket team Over Rs 400cr
Tamoil Juventus 15m pounds a year
BenQ Real Madrid 14m pounds a year (2006)
T-Mobile Bayern Munich 11.4m pounds a year
Samsung Chelsea 10m pounds a year
Emirates Arsenal 100m pounds
AIG Man United 14m pounds a year
Carlsberg Liverpool 8m pounds a year

Arsenal amount also includes a 15-year stadium naming rights and eight-year team’s shirt deal

Source: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/eplarticleshow/4004105.cms

Murray eyes top spot in six months

MELBOURNE: Britain's Andy Murray on Tuesday said that his sublime form could make him world number one in six months as he targets a maiden Grand Slam title in Melbourne.

Murray, 21, reached the Australian Open second round after just 12 games when veteran Romanian Andrei Pavel pulled out injured with the scores at 6-2, 3-1, and later quit.

The result means Murray has already bettered last year's first-round defeat to eventual finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga as he hunts the first British Grand Slam win since 1936.

The Scot is currently the hottest player in world tennis, defeating all his fellow top-four players over the past year and reaching his first Grand Slam final at the US Open.

"I'd obviously love to be number one. I'm sure all players would at some point in their career. But I'd want to try and win a Slam first. I think that's the next step for me," he said.

"But if I play well the first six months of this year, I don't have a whole lot of points to defend. So there is a chance that I'd do it.

"I'm going to have to play like I did for the second part of the year last year. I'm going to have to do the same in the first part of this year, try and be very consistent."

Despite searing heat on Rod Laver Arena, Murray was coasting through the match after breaking twice to take the opening set in 31 minutes.

Pavel, playing in his 10th Australian Open and the second oldest man here at 34, called for treatment on his long-standing back injury between sets and lasted just four more games before pulling out, grimacing with pain.

Murray said it was a "shame" the Romanian's career was over. But he was glad to limit his playing time on Rod Laver Arena as temperatures soared to 40 C (104 F) in bright sun.

"Even when you sit down at the change of ends, you're expecting to go and chill out a little bit in the shade and it's roasting even when you're just sitting there," he said.

"That was tough. And if you have a long point, you can feel your feet burning a little bit."

The Florida-based Murray admitted he wasn't sure how he would cope with the conditions in a longer match but hoped his playing style, which relies heavily on drop shots and changes of pace, would help.

"I've trained as hard as I could and prepared very well. But when it's as hot as this, I don't know," he said.

"I think you just got to trust the work that you put in, you know, is good enough. When it's this temperature everyone's going to feel it. You just have to try and make your opponent do more running than you."

Murray won back-to-back Masters series titles either side of the US Open last year, taking his total to five for the season and his ranking to fourth, both British records.

He has already beaten Nadal and 13-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer in a six-match unbeaten run this year, raising hopes that the 73-year British Slam drought may be nearly over.

Soruce: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4004965.cms

I am ready to take on Nadia, says Sania

NEW DELHI: Sania Mirza survived a late onslaught from world number 61 Marta Domachowhska to set up a second-round clash with Russian 10th seed Nadia Petrova in the women's singles of the Australian Open, in Melbourne and Sania says 'she is ready'

Speaking exclusively to TIMES NOW, Sania said, "I am playing well, serving well and my forehand is back as before. I am not thinking about the match and am ready to take on Nadia."

On beating Domachowhska, she said, "It is 1-all now. She beat me once and I beat her now."

The unseeded Indian battled past the Pole 6-1, 6-4 in the first round. Nadia beat Kazakhstan Yaroslava Shvedova 6-3, 7-6 (3) in her opening round match.

Sania, playing her first singles match of the season after a long injury-lay off, was happy with her comeback match.

"It was a great way to begin after such a long break. I've not played a match in almost six months now. I'm just happy to have come through," she said after the match. Sania raced away with the first set in just 25 minutes, breaking the Polish player thrice.

The Indian led 2-0 in the second set before Marta stepped on the gas, winning four games on the trot, breaking Sania in the third and fifth games.

From a comfortable 2-0, Sania found herself trailing 2-4 in no time.

Under pressure, the 22-year-old Hyderabadi got her act together and went on to win the next four games to seal the issue.

Sania broke Marta in the eighth and 10th games in the process.

Sania had lost to Marta in 2003 in their first meeting and now the head-to-head record stands at 1-1.

Source: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4004876.cms

Murray, Williams sisters take easy route as Open sizzles

MELBOURNE: Andy Murray and the Williams sisters took the easy route at the Australian Open on Tuesday, breezing into the second round in furnace-like conditions.

As temperatures soared past 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), fourth seed Murray barely broke a sweat against Romanian Davis Cup captain Andrei Pavel who retired with a back injury when the Scot was leading 6-2, 3-1.

Second-seeded Serena Williams was equally comfortable in her 6-3, 6-2 mauling of China's Meng Yuan, not needing the ice vests offered to players between games in such sizzling heat.

Matching her sister, sixth seed Venus barely broke stride as she sauntered past Germany's Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-3.

While they cruised, Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva survived a gruelling test before grinding down Germany's Kristina Barrois in three sets, while Polish ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska became the biggest casualty so far.

Australian hope Lleyton Hewitt joined Radwanska on the scrap heap after slumping in five sets to Chilean 13th seed Fernando Gonzalez.

Murray is now undefeated in six matches this season as he goes in search of Britain's first Grand Slam title since 1936.

"Obviously you don't want to finish a match like that. Andrei's been having problems with his back for a year," said the world number four.

"It's unfortunate I had to stop but I felt like I was hitting the ball well. I guess if you want to do well in the tournament, it's good to conserve some energy. Hopefully that was a good thing."

The Scot, who was coasting through the match after breaking twice to take the opening set in 31 minutes, is the form player of recent months and is seen as a real chance to win his maiden Grand Slam title.

The experienced Williams is looking for her 10th major crown and her fourth in Melbourne.

Only a few select women, including Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, have won more major titles than the formidable 27-year-old.

Forgoing her usual flashy outfits for a nondescript dark blue number, the American powered past Meng in just 75 minutes.

"I think I hit some pretty solid shots, sometimes I even went for some shots just to try something different," she said, downplaying the effect of the heat.

"There wasn't so much humidity out there, the dry heat is actually better than the humidity. But it was definitely extreme conditions."

Venus, who has yet to lift the Melbourne title, was untroubled by Kerber.

"I'm feeling the best that I can and I'm glad to be in the second round," she said.

Dementieva is widely regarded as a dark horse for the championship after already winning two titles this year.

But the Beijing Olympic gold medallist was pushed to the limit in the 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-1 win, emerging victorious to take her recent unbeaten run to 11 matches.

"I'm just happy to survive," she said.

Other players to progress included 13th seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, while China's unseeded Peng Shuai sent Italian 28th seed Francesca Schiavone packing. Wimbledon semi-finalist Zheng Jie beat France's Camille Pin.

Amelie Mauresmo, the champion in 2006, showed no signs of the thigh strain that forced her out of the Brisbane International in her 6-4, 6-3 win over Olga Govortsova.

On the men's side, French sixth seed Giles Simon quiety went about his business to beat unseeded Spaniard Pablo Andujar in straight sets.

World number one and top seed Rafael Nadal plays later on Tuesday.

Source: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4004841.cms

Murray, Williams sisters take easy route as Open sizzles

MELBOURNE: Andy Murray and the Williams sisters took the easy route at the Australian Open on Tuesday, breezing into the second round in furnace-like conditions.

As temperatures soared past 40 Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), fourth seed Murray barely broke a sweat against Romanian Davis Cup captain Andrei Pavel who retired with a back injury when the Scot was leading 6-2, 3-1.

Second-seeded Serena Williams was equally comfortable in her 6-3, 6-2 mauling of China's Meng Yuan, not needing the ice vests offered to players between games in such sizzling heat.

Matching her sister, sixth seed Venus barely broke stride as she sauntered past Germany's Angelique Kerber 6-3, 6-3.

While they cruised, Russian fourth seed Elena Dementieva survived a gruelling test before grinding down Germany's Kristina Barrois in three sets, while Polish ninth seed Agnieszka Radwanska became the biggest casualty so far.

Australian hope Lleyton Hewitt joined Radwanska on the scrap heap after slumping in five sets to Chilean 13th seed Fernando Gonzalez.

Murray is now undefeated in six matches this season as he goes in search of Britain's first Grand Slam title since 1936.

"Obviously you don't want to finish a match like that. Andrei's been having problems with his back for a year," said the world number four.

"It's unfortunate I had to stop but I felt like I was hitting the ball well. I guess if you want to do well in the tournament, it's good to conserve some energy. Hopefully that was a good thing."

The Scot, who was coasting through the match after breaking twice to take the opening set in 31 minutes, is the form player of recent months and is seen as a real chance to win his maiden Grand Slam title.

The experienced Williams is looking for her 10th major crown and her fourth in Melbourne.

Only a few select women, including Steffi Graf, Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, have won more major titles than the formidable 27-year-old.

Forgoing her usual flashy outfits for a nondescript dark blue number, the American powered past Meng in just 75 minutes.

"I think I hit some pretty solid shots, sometimes I even went for some shots just to try something different," she said, downplaying the effect of the heat.

"There wasn't so much humidity out there, the dry heat is actually better than the humidity. But it was definitely extreme conditions."

Venus, who has yet to lift the Melbourne title, was untroubled by Kerber.

"I'm feeling the best that I can and I'm glad to be in the second round," she said.

Dementieva is widely regarded as a dark horse for the championship after already winning two titles this year.

But the Beijing Olympic gold medallist was pushed to the limit in the 7-6 (7/4), 2-6, 6-1 win, emerging victorious to take her recent unbeaten run to 11 matches.

"I'm just happy to survive," she said.

Other players to progress included 13th seed Victoria Azarenka of Belarus, while China's unseeded Peng Shuai sent Italian 28th seed Francesca Schiavone packing. Wimbledon semi-finalist Zheng Jie beat France's Camille Pin.

Amelie Mauresmo, the champion in 2006, showed no signs of the thigh strain that forced her out of the Brisbane International in her 6-4, 6-3 win over Olga Govortsova.

On the men's side, French sixth seed Giles Simon quiety went about his business to beat unseeded Spaniard Pablo Andujar in straight sets.

World number one and top seed Rafael Nadal plays later on Tuesday.

Source: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/4004841.cms

India beat Argentina, take 2-0 lead

MAR DEL PLATA (Argentina): India registered their second successive win, defeating Argentina 3-2 in the keenly-contested second hockey Test at the Es tadio Panamericano on Tuesday to take a 2-0 lead in the four-match series.

India, who made a comeback to international hockey after almost a year, beat Argentine 2-0 in the first Test on Monday.

Centre-forward Shivendra Singh (12th min), Prabhjot Singh (40th min) and captain Sandeep Singh (59th min) scored the goals for the visitors while Mario Almada (13th) and Pedro Ibarra (46th) found the net for Argentina.

Eight-time Olympic champions, India, started from where they left yesterday and launched a flurry of attacks on the Argentine goal from the word go.

Indian forward line of Prabhjot, last match's goal scorer Deepak Thakur and Shivendra continuously unnerved the experienced Argentine defence with frequent raids while Tushar Khandker was exemplary on the left flank.

As early as in the fourth minute, India had a chance of taking the lead but Argentina goalkeeper Juan Manuel Vivaldi saved Shivendra's deflection from a Prabhjot set up.

For the second consecutive day, the Indian mid-fielders and linkmen Vikram Pillay, Rajpal Singh and VS Vinaya were outstanding at their work, setting up the forwards with accurately measured passes.

The constant pressure on the Argentina goal finally bore fruit in the 12th minute when Shivendra deflected home from a Sandeep set piece to give India a 1-0 lead after Argentine medio Tomas Argento obstructed Thakur just outside the box.

However, the lead was shortlived as the hosts equalised in the very next minute through wily Almada who was lurking dangerously around the Indian striking circle and was quick to wrong foot the Indian defence.

Source: http://sports.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_beat_Argentina_take_2-0_lead/articleshow/4005796.cms