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text-decoration:none; } img {border:none;} The Sport Review: “Djokovic
targets title and No2 ranking at Indian Wells” plus 5 more- Djokovic targets title and No2 ranking at Indian Wells - Bernie Ecclestone: Australia is ‘as important as Monaco’ - Six Nations 2011: O’Driscoll issues Ireland rallying cry - Arsenal need Chamakh to rediscover early season form - Europa exit is a wake-up call for Dalglish’s Liverpool - Champions League draw: Chelsea face Man Utd Djokovic targets title and No2 ranking at Indian Wells Posted: 18 Mar 2011 07:15 PM PDT The final stages of the Indian Wells Masters have an all-too-familiar look. Though the qualifiers and the wild cards made their mark—two of them all the way to the fourth round—the cream has risen to the top and the quarter-finals were jam-packed with star-quality. Three of the eight were former champions: Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic. Four more were former top 10 players: Tommy Robredo (No5 in 2006), Juan Martin Del Potro (No4 less than a year ago), Richard Gasquet (No7 in 2007), and Stanislas Wawrinka (No9 in 2008). And the eighth man? Ivo Karlovic—a former No14—may have slumped to 239 after missing much of last year with an Achilles tendon injury, but the giant Croat had rediscovered the skills that make him such a formidable opponent in the right conditions: and Indians Wells has the right conditions. He led the tournament with aces—53; with first serve points won—87 percent; and with service games won—98 percent. Karlovic also happened, just a fortnight ago, to produce the fastest ever serve: 156mph. So while Nadal was favourite to beat him, a quick look at their head-to-head foretold how close it would be. Indeed on the grass of Queens, it took three tie-breakers to decide in Nadal's favour. It proved to be a mighty close affair again, with Karlovic taking first blood 7-5. Nadal stormed the second set 6-1 but there was nothing between the men in the final set which went, with a certain inevitability, to a tie-break. It took the world No1 three match points, but he did eventually seal his semi-final place, nine points to seven. His opponent there had a considerably easier ride. Del Potro—very tired after his tight fourth-round battle—must have been grateful that his scheduled opponent, Robredo, pulled out at the 11th hour when an MRI scan confirmed a muscle injury that will also sideline him from the Miami Masters. It was a bitter blow for the Spaniard, who has found a fine stretch of form in 2011. He won his 10th ATP title in Santiago last month, reached the semis of Buenos Aires, and got the better of Sam Querrey in this Masters' fourth round for the loss of just four games. Importantly for Del Potro, though, it has given him some precious rest before taking on Nadal and, if the Argentine's form of the last week or two holds up, it could be a hotly contested semi-final. There was much to relish in the bottom half of the draw, where no fewer than three of the four men wielded that most wonderful of tennis shots, the single-handed backhand. The most artistic of them—waving his racket like a magic wand—was Gasquet, and he would need every magic spell in the book against Djokovic. The Serb came into this quarter-final with breathtaking stats: unbeaten in all 15 matches this year, dropping only three sets along the way, and losing just six games so far at Indian Wells. The Frenchman, though, with a new coaching team in his corner, had been reminding those with a long memory of just why, when he soared inside the top 10 as a teenager, he was heralded as the next Federer. This week, he had already beaten two top-10 players back-to-back for the first time, and he will return to the top 20 next week after drifting to 86 a year ago. So it was with some relief—and pleasure—that Gasquet stepped into this match with some superb Gallic shot-making to win a quick break and a 2-0 lead. His fire, though, was soon dampened. The third game—all 13 minutes and seven deuces of it—felt pivotal, and it was. Djokovic got the break back and stormed through six straight games for the set. Gasquet had, despite the knock-back, thrown some great tennis at the Serb. One of the best single-handed backhands fired off against possibly the best double-handed backhand in long and complex rallies of real quality. And the Gasquet backhand, with some all-too-infrequent bursts to the net, gave the Frenchman the advantage, and a 3-0 lead, in the second set, too. The superior fitness and movement of the Serb quickly fuelled a retort and—one smashed racket aside—he confidently stormed the second set with five straight games, closing it out at 6-3. Gasquet may take some confidence from winning as many games from the player of the moment as the last three men put together. He may also take away a hard-earned lesson that his attacking, aggressive game will win him more big matches than a long-drawn-out baseline game. What the result offered up, though, was the tantalising prospect of the third showdown of the season between Djokovic and Federer. The Serb has won the last two, in Melbourne and Dubai. If he does so again, he will also take the Swiss's No2 ranking with it. The most-anticipated match of the tournament was confirmed even faster than Djokovic's victory over Gasquet. It took the superior Swiss around an hour to dispose of his hapless compatriot, Stan Wawrinka, just as he had done in all their four meetings of the last 10 months. No matter how much Wawrinka improves—and he has certainly improved since last summer under the tutelage of Peter Lundgren—he cannot make ground over the greater variety, imagination and movement of his friend-foe. His game plan, to take the attack to Federer, yielded some great points but also many errors, and Federer fed off his pace and depth with enthusiasm. It was, then, a straightforward win for world No2. For the 22nd instalment of his compelling rivalry against Djokovic, it will be anything but straightforward. But it could—in terms of ranking—be one of the most significant matches of the season. Bernie Ecclestone: Australia is ‘as important as Monaco’ Posted: 18 Mar 2011 07:07 PM PDT Bernie Ecclestone believes the Australian Grand Prix is as important as Formula 1's iconic race in Monaco. The race at Melbourne's Albert Park is under growing threat from locals in Victoria, with some politicians calling for the state-supported event to be scrapped after it failed to make a profit in recent years. Ecclestone had previously conceded that he would end the contract, which runs until 2015, if it was requested, but had hoped to persuade them to remain in the sport. "Australia is as important to us as Monaco," Ecclestone told Reuters. "It's part of the world championship and has been for an awful long time. We'd hate to think that we're going to lose Australia. "In the case of Melbourne, if the product is too expensive for them, we understand that and when the contract comes to an end there's no need to renew it. We wouldn’t force somebody to buy something that they don't want or think is too expensive. "We get massive worldwide television coverage–if that's not important well, OK, don’t buy the product," added Ecclestone. Victoria's trade and tourism minister Louise Asher subsequently issued a statement saying Victoria would like to keep the race, but would not be bullied by Ecclestone into signing a deal that wasn't beneficial to the state and its people when renewal discussions are held in 2013 or 2014. "We would like to (extend the contract), but we will sit down and we will negotiate about it,” Asher told Reuters. "There's no doubt about it that the Victorian government would want to secure the Grand Prix. It's just that we're not going to be bunnies in contractual negotiations." Melbourne's Lord Mayor Robert Doyle, and Lawmaker Michael Danby, were both vocal in calling for the race to be scrapped after the event posted year-on-year losses in excess of A$40m (£24.48m), with Doyle suggesting the city should look at a more cost-effective alternative event. Liberal Party minister Asher has also turned the situation political, blaming the Labor Party, who were recently deposed after 11 years in charge. "We've inherited a contract that Labor has signed up to, and I just have to deal with it," said Asher, who helped bring Formula 1 to Melbourne from Adelaide as the state's major events minister in 1996. "So my opinion of what might be an acceptable loss is irrelevant because the event is contracted until 2015, so what we’re trying to do is manage what we've inherited. Like many other races, Australia has suffered a downturn in attendances and sponsorship, ultimately leading to a loss on the event itself. However, wider tourism in the state continues to benefit each year, with a private report suggesting the race was worth A$175m (£107.1m) to the state. "Everyone’s entitled to their opinion and they can say whatever they like, but there’s a significant economic benefit to hosting the event," Asher continued. "Victorian tourism's had to really fight for everything we've achieved. Sydney's got the harbour and Brisbane's got the Great Barrier Reef, and we've had to brand ourselves by events or being a city of things to do. "Now we've got sporting events, cultural events and theatre events which are taxpayer-sponsored as well, so we've really had to work hard at brand Melbourne up. "And particularly for internationals to know Melbourne exists and want to come to Melbourne and also for the interstate people to actually view Melbourne as exciting again." Melbourne will host the opening race of the 2011 season on 27 March 27 at 07:00GMT following the postponement of the Bahrain Grand Prix. Six Nations 2011: O’Driscoll issues Ireland rallying cry Posted: 18 Mar 2011 06:53 PM PDT Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll has issued a rallying cry ahead of England’s Six Nations visit to the Aviva Stadium. Martin Johnson's men are a win away from securing their first grand slam and Six Nations Championship since 2003 in Dublin on Saturday. But O'Driscoll has underlined Ireland's desire to deny England a valuable two points and to restore some pride following a dismal championship. “Any time we play England there’s great passion,” said the Ireland captain, who was Grand Slam champion in 2009. “It’s a big game, more so for England because there’s a Slam at the end of it, but from our own point of view, it’s another chance to play top-class opposition. The Ireland skipper continued: “We also have big motivation in that we lost our only other home game in this Six Nations to France and we don’t want to lose two from two. “If we needed added impetus that will be right up there. When you win two and lose two and don’t have anything tangible to play for – we’re not going to win a championship or Triple Crown. “It’s an opportunity to build something heading into an important six or seven month period. “We’d prefer to win more game than we lose in this Six Nations and that’s what this game gives us the opportunity to do.” O’Driscoll also dismissed suggestions that this would be his final Six Nations match, but the 32-year-old admitted young emerging Irish talent means his position is under threat. “I haven’t planned on this being my last Six Nations game, but I don’t take anything for granted anymore,” he added. “The quality in this squad is better than ever.n Both at provincial and Test level I felt more pressure from younger players coming through than ever before. “That makes you perform better and puts extra pressure on you when you take to the pitch. You look at each international as your last and while you hope it won’t be, only time will tell.” Arsenal need Chamakh to rediscover early season form Posted: 18 Mar 2011 06:03 PM PDT Both Marouane Chamakh's dip in form and Arsène Wenger's reluctance to call upon the Moroccan striker threaten to undermine Arsenal's Premier League title bid. It's been a torrid couple of weeks for Wenger's men. Their shock defeat by Birmingham City in the Carling Cup final was swiftly followed by a premature Champions League exit at the hands of Barcelona. Title rivals Manchester United then ended their hopes of an FA Cup triumph to leave the league as the Gunners' only chance of ending their six-year wait for a trophy this season. It was a crucial and decisive period, but throughout it Chamakh has been used sparingly. The Moroccan's recent anonymity is in stark contrast to his contribution in the first half of the season. The 27-year-old forward had scored seven league goals by the end of November after having featured heavily in late 2010 when covering for the injured Robin van Persie. But the Dutchman's return to action in December pushed Chamakh down the Emirates pecking order – and it was perhaps unjust given the manner in which the Moroccan had blossomed as Arsenal's first-choice front-man early in the season. Unlike many other imports from Ligue 1—including Chelsea hit-man Didier Drogba—Chamakh appeared to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League with consummate ease. He opened his account in his second game and goals soon followed in all competitions. His imposing presence and ability in the air are attributes which make him well-suited to English football, but more importantly he adds physicality otherwise absent from Arsenal's offensive line in seasons past. And the forward’s impact did not go unnoticed. Gunners skipper Cesc Fàbregas recently paid tribute to the striker's early-season form. The Spaniard said: "He did very, very well in the first half of the season – he carried us really at times – scoring goals and really playing for the team. "Sometimes you forget what happened earlier in the season, but I really think he's been amazing for us, especially when you remember it's his first season." Chamakh has only featured sporadically of late and just five starts in three-months highlights his slump – and the inconsistent Nicklas Bendtner has seemingly have moved above the Moroccan in Wenger’s pecking order. Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdés admitted that he had "never heard" of Chamakh in the wake of Barcelona’s clash with the London side – a comment which perhaps perfectly encapsulates his current situation. Chamakh himself acknowledges that he has fallen off the pace since bursting onto the scene last August. “I started the season very well, then, I'm human, I played a lot of games and I got tired and for me that's the explanation of why I had that dip of form,” he said. “It's my first season in England, there is no winter break, we play on Boxing day with a lot of games in a row. “For me this season is to learn to see how things go, how English football is. To be honest I didn't think that I would play many games this season.” Wenger must entrust his faith in Chamakh as the season reaches his climax. The striker already has experience in securing a domestic league title – he netted 13 times during Bourdeaux’s successful Ligue 1 campaign in 2008—09. And the Moroccan insists he is ready for the run-in. “I rested a lot and I worked hard because I knew I would be back at my best level,” said Chamakh in a recent interview. “I am happy because like the boss says I am working hard in training and I can see the benefits in the games. “All this hard work will pay, I can now feel already the benefits of it, I'm feeling much better and hopefully I will finish the season strongly.” His manager echoes his optimism. “We need Chamakh with the games we have in front of us,” said Wenger after Chamakh scored his first goal since November against Leyton Orient earlier this month. “He had a great start to the season until the end of November and after he had a little bit of burn-out. Now he looks, even in training, to be coming back.” Europa exit is a wake-up call for Dalglish’s Liverpool Posted: 18 Mar 2011 05:49 AM PDT Liverpool principle owner John W Henry watched from the director's box as the Reds played out a goalless draw with Portuguese outfit Braga on Thursday night, putting an end to their Europa League run for another year. Despite going into the game with a one-goal disadvantage there was a belief around Merseyside that Kenny Dalglish’s men would be able to overturn the deficit at Anfield – a hope bolstered by the inclusion of Andy Carroll in the starting line-up, marking the £35m striker's first start for Liverpool since arriving from Newcastle in January. Dirk Kuyt, Joe Cole and Maxi Rodriguez all accompanied Carroll in the final third of the pitch while the in-form Raul Meireles featured in a slightly deeper role to help support an attacking Liverpool line-up clearly sent out to cause as much trouble as possible for a Braga defence that managed to keep a clean sheet when the sides met last week. But despite sending out such a forward thinking line-up Reds boss Dalglish will have been disappointed with the manner in which his side approached the game. Liverpool played long-ball and slow-paced football often associated with the Roy Hodgson era rather than the pass-and-move approach that has been on display against teams such as Chelsea and Manchester United under Dalglish. Cole and Carroll both started well, but ultimately a lack of match fitness let them down when Liverpool were pushing for a goal in the latter stages of the game. Kuyt and Rodriguez rarely threatened going forward, with the former caught offside on too many occasions, much to the frustration of the Anfield faithful. At the back the Reds looked solid, though full-back Danny Wilson often looked shaky in his makeshift position. And while Martin Skrtel and Jamie Carragher played well as a defensive unit their distribution of the ball was often poor, with both choosing to loft ineffectual long balls towards Carroll, who had little luck in making anything of the speculative passes. Neither Meireles nor Lucas could make up for the drive and dynamism that Steven Gerrard brings to the centre of the park while the missing Martin Kelly—who has impressed so much that an England call-up has been rumoured—would have undoubtedly have added an extra dimension to the Reds' counter-attacking moves. Up front the creativity and agility of Luis Suarez, who was one of the key players in Liverpool's recent win over Manchester United, was sorely missed as the Kuyt—Carroll partnership provided little to suggest that Liverpool can cope without their star players. The result is unlikely to alter the mind of Henry and his colleagues at Fenway Sports Group over who should be given the manager's job on a permanent basis. In just three months Dalglish has proved he is the right man for the job. It is likely, however, to highlight the rebuilding project that FSG has bought into at Anfield. Significant investment will once again be needed at Anfield in the summer to ensure Liverpool have the strength in depth to once again challenge for a place in the Champions League. Champions League draw: Chelsea face Man Utd Posted: 18 Mar 2011 04:21 AM PDT Chelsea will play Manchester United for a place in the Champions League semi-finals after the two English clubs were paired together in Friday’s draw. Harry Redknapp’s Tottenham Hotspur will travel to the Bernabéu to face nine-time winners Real Madrid in their quarter-final first-leg while tournament favourites Barcelona will host Shakhtar Donetsk. Defending champions Inter Milan will play Schalke for a place in the last four. Chelsea or United will then go on to face either Inter or Schalke, with the winners of the other two last eight ties set to meet in the other semi-final. The first leg of the clash between the Premier League rivals will take place at Stamford Bridge with United at home for the second leg. Champions League quarter-finals Real Madrid v Tottenham Hotspur Chelsea v Manchester United Barcelona v Shakhtar Donetsk Inter Milan v Schalke First legs: 5/6 April Second legs: 12/13 April Champions League semi-finals Inter/Schalke v Chelsea/Manchester United Real Madrid/Tottenham Hotspur v Barcelona/Shakhtar Donetsk First Legs: 26/27 April Second legs: 3/4 May You are subscribed to email updates from The Sport Review To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. Email delivery powered by Google Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 -- Posted By Mas Item Arekjowo to The Sport Review at 3/19/2011 12:09:00 AM -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Gugukluhayat" group. To post to this group, send email to gugukluhayat@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to gugukluhayat+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/gugukluhayat?hl=en.
