Novak Djokovic endured a fierce challenge to his Melbourne Park reign before overhauling Dominic Thiem 6-4 4-6 2-6 6-3 6-4 in a thriller to clinch an eighth Australian Open crown and reclaim the world number one ranking.
India Pulls Off a rare T20I Series Whitewash
In a rare feat, the Indian cricket team registered a 5-0 series whitewash against New Zealand with a seven-run win in the fifth and final T20 International at Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui.
The tourists choked the Black Caps yet again to turn it around for a victory and a series clean sweep in the shortest format after setting a 164-run target for the hosts to chase.
This is only the third time that India has whitewashed opponents in away T20 series and the first time in a five-match series. India had blanked the West Indies 3-0 in 2019 and beat Australia 3-0 in 2016.
NADA Apologises after Goof-up in Wrestler's Doping Case
The National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) apologised for wrongly attributing a wrestler caught for doping as a U-23 World Championships medallist.
Wrestler Ravinder Kumar was banned for four years for failing a dope test, but the NADA created confusion by identifying him as a World U-23 silver medallist which was not the case.
It was Ravinder Dahiya — not Ravinder Kumar — who had won a silver medal in the U-23 World Championships last year. Ravinder Dahiya said that he had not been tested by the NADA.
Feb 02, 2020
BCCI Names Madan Lal and R. P. Singh in Cricket Advisory Committee
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the appointment of its three-member Cricket Advisory Committee.
The committee comprises Madan Lal, Rudra Pratap Singh and Sulakshana Naik.
The term of appointment will be for one year.
The CAC's immediate task will be to pick replacements for outgoing selectors MSK Prasad and Gagan Khoda.
India vs New Zealand 4th T20
Team India scripted history as they thumped New Zealand in Super Over to take a 4-0 series lead in five-match series at Westpac Stadium in Wellington. Virat Kohli and his troops had earlier won the third T20I in similar fashion and this is the first time in history that two successive matches have ended in a tie, let alone victories for a team in back-to-back Super Overs.
Chasing 166, New Zealand were coasting at one stage before the hosts imploded to be restricted to 165/7. Needing 7 runs off Shardul Thakur's last over, the Kiwis buckled under pressure and lost four wickets as India took the match into the Super Over for the second consecutive game.
The Kiwis scored 13 runs in the Super Over giving India a target of 14 runs. Rahul hit a 6 and a boundary (4) in the first two balls, respectively. Kohli smashed a boundary (4) in the fifth ball to seal India's victory.
Australian Open 2020
Dominic Thiem defeated German Alexander Zverev and made his first Australian Open final, booking a showdown with seven-time champion Novak Djokovic. The 26-year-old fifth seed, the first player from Austria ever to reach the Melbourne decider, battled past seventh-ranked Zverev 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/4). Defending champion Djokovic awaits him after the second seed ended Roger Federer's dreams in straight sets to make his eighth Melbourne Park final.
Thiem has his work cut out against the Serb who is on a 12-match unbeaten streak this season and has won all seven of the Australian Open deciders he has contested.
Feb 01, 2020
Saina and Sindhu to Skip Asia Team Event
Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu have decided to skip the Badminton Asia Team Championships, to be held in Manila from February 11-16, to focus on Olympic preparation.
After trials, the Badminton Association of India (BAI) fielded a 17-member contingent—nine men and eight women—for the biennial competition, based on the Thomas and Uber Cup format.
The men will be represented by MR Arjun, Subhankar Dey, Dhruv Kapila, Kidambi Srikanth, HS Prannoy, Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, B. Sai Praneeth, Lakshya Sen and Chirag Shetty. India has been placed with holders Indonesia and hosts Philippines.
Malvika Bansod, Ashwini Bhat, Ashmita Chaliha, Shikha Gautam, Aakarshi Kashyap, K Maneesha, Rutaparna Panda and Gayatri Gopichand form the women's team, who are clubbed with South Korea and Kazakhstan.
Jan 31, 2020
Australian Open 2020
The Indian challenge at the Australian Open ended after Rohan Bopanna and his Ukrainian partner Nadiia Kichenok were knocked out in straight sets in the quarterfinals of the mixed doubles event.
The Indo-Ukrainian pair went down 0-6 2-6 to fifth seed Croatian-Czech pair Nikola Mektic and Barbora Krejcikova.
Garbine Muguruza prevailed 7-6(8) 7-5 against world number three Simona Halep to reach her first Australian Open final. The unseeded Spaniard arrived at Melbourne Park with low expectations but will now face American 14th seed Sofia Kenin bidding to win her third major title.
Novak Djokovic continued his winning streak against Roger Federer with a straight sets victory in the semi-finals of the Australian Open.
This will be Djokovic's 8th final appearance at the Australian Open.
Brazil World Cup winner Lucio Bids Adieu to Football
Brazil World Cup winner Lucio announced his retirement from football after a professional career spanning 22 years.
The 41-year-old centre-back said that the decision was born out of a desire to spend more time with his family, though he hopes to remain involved in football.
Lucio, who earned 105 Brazil caps, was a key member of the Ronaldo-inspired side that won the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea. He captained the Selecao from 2006 to 2011.
Jan 30, 2020
Olympics 2020: Organisers Unveil Sustainable 'Plaza' Made from Donated Wood
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic organisers unveiled the "Village Plaza", a key part of the Athletes' Village that is being built from wood donated by municipalities across Japan.
The facility will be a gathering place for athletes and their teams, as well as the site of welcome ceremonies and press briefings during the Games.
The unusual structure is made mostly from wood, with the floors, walls and parts of the roof using timber including larch, Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress.
The vast complex nods to both modern and traditional elements.
The wood has been donated by 63 municipalities across the country, and the facility will be dismantled after the Games, with the timber returned for re-use, a model organisers tout as part of their commitment to a sustainable Olympics.
Neeraj Makes it to the Olympics in Style
Almost nine months after he underwent surgery, Neeraj Chopra finally returned to action in the most comprehensive manner — by qualifying for Tokyo Olympics in his very first competitive outing of the year.
The 22-year-old, who missed out on the entire 2019 season after an elbow surgery in early May 2019, threw 87.86 m, well past the 85-metre qualifying mark, on his fourth attempt at the ACNW League Meeting in Potchefstroom, South Africa.
India clinches maiden T20I series win in New Zealand via Super Over, with two games remaining.
Rohit Sharma belted two sixes off the final two deliveries of a Super Over to give India victory in the third T20I against New Zealand at Seddon Park. The visitors thus clinched the series 3-0 with two games to spare.
Rohit finished on 15 not out after he hit two sixes off Tim Southee to lead India to 20-0 after the Kiwis had scored 17-0 off Jasprit Bumrah (Kane Williamson 11, Martin Guptill 5).