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THURSDAY, APRIL 9, 2015 SPORTS India’s Nehwal confident of reclaiming top spot NEW DELHI: Far from mourning the end of her brief beat Nehwal in the semi-final of the Malaysian ruthlessly dominated. cess at this year’s India Open, underlining the reign as the world number one, Indian shuttler Super Series Premier event last week, which effec- “It is very difficult to fight the Chinese players,” steady progress the country has made in recent Saina Nehwal is happy that she at least made it to tively means the Indian would lose the number one said the London Olympic bronze medallist, times. where no other non-Chinese could reach in the last position when new rankings are announced on acknowledging China’s deeper talent pool. “They “Winning India Open is an indication that four years. Since Dane Tine Baun’s rise to the top in Thursday. “Number one is number one, however have four to six world class players. They are well- Indians are capable of winning big tournaments. It late 2010, China’s badminton hegemony has brief or long the duration is,” Nehwal told Reuters in trained and hungry for opportunities.” was an open tournament and (shuttlers from) a lot ensured one of their own topped women’s singles an email interview. “The records are indelible. Thanks to their talent pool and a state-run sys- of countries were fighting to win,” Nehwal added. rankings until late last month. Nobody can change my name there (at the top) for tem to groom them, China’s badminton dominance India’s rise has caught the attention of the Nehwal ended that streak when she stormed that duration. “It is one of the best (feeling),” said the may not end anytime soon but India, of late, have sport’s world governing body as well. “What’s tran- into the final of the India Open in the last week of 25-year-old, convinced she can reclaim the top spot made significant progress. spired in Indian badminton over recent years is a March. The Indian toppled Olympic champion Li again just by staying fit and playing consistently. Late last year, Nehwal won the women’s title in great example of how one sport can capture a Xuerui, who had played nine events compared to “Many more chances will come where I can show China Open Super Series Premier event while com- country’s imagination and how vital support can Nehwal’s 13 in the preceding 52 week-period that even better results.” Even if for a week, Nehwal’s rise patriot Kidambi Srikanth won the men’s crown, help it to flourish...” Badminton World Federation are taken into account while calculating rankings. to the top of singles rankings is a significant devel- stunning two-time Olympic champion Lin Dan in Secretary General Thomas Lund said in a statement The Indian’s joy, however, proved shortlived. Li opment in women’s badminton which China has the final. Nehwal and Srikanth replicated that suc- yesterday. — Reuters LOS ANGELES: San Diego Padres shortstop Alexi Amarista (right) loses control of the ball and a chance at a double play after forcing out Los Angeles Dodgers’ Adrian Gonzalez at second on a ball hit by Howie Kendrick during the fourth inning. — AP Braves down Marlins, Orioles win MIAMI: The Atlanta Braves scored seven runs in the fifth, and the Rangers got another run on an error by first inning off Mat Latos and beat the Miami Marlins right fielder Craig Gentry. Keone Kela escaped a bases- Mercedes keen to for the second day in a row to start the season, 12-2 loaded jam in the seventh in his big league debut. on Tuesday night. Neftali Feliz closed for his first save. Jesse Hahn (0-1) Latos (0-1), acquired in the offseason, lasted only yielded three runs and seven hits in six innings. bite back in China two-thirds of an inning in the shortest outing of his career. He was booed as he left the game, his first for ROCKIES 5, BREWERS 2 SHANGHAI: Mercedes will be looking to outfit will be happy to race at a circuit that his hometown team, and departed with an ERA of Jordan Lyles pitched six effective innings and reassert their Formula One dominance at the suits the car with track temperatures far less 94.50. Freddie Freeman, Christian Bethancourt and Colorado hit six doubles for the second consecutive Chinese Grand Prix this weekend after the demanding on the Pirelli tyres. Chris Johnson hit RBI doubles in the first. Alex Wood game in a victory over Milwaukee. Rockies hitters team received the loudest of wake-up calls in “We left Malaysia with plenty to think (1-0) allowed two runs in five innings, and three reliev- have 12 doubles in the first two games of the season, Malaysia by Sebastian Vettel’s revitalised about. It may have been a good result for the ers completed a five-hitter. matching a major league record set by the New York Ferrari. Lewis Hamilton led a Mercedes one- sport... but for us, it was a wake-up call,” Giants in 1912. Lyles (1-0) limited the Brewers to two two ahead of Nico Rosberg in the season Mercedes motorsport head Toto Wolff said. ORIOLES 6, RAYS 5 runs and five hits. Colorado pitchers retired their final opener in Melbourne last month, the pair “Our opposition has raised its game and Adam Jones hit a two-run double during a four- 13 batters, and LaTroy Hawkins got his first save of the enjoying a Sunday stroll around Albert Park we must now raise ours even further. As we run first inning off Nathan Karns (0-1), who gave up six season. Matt Garza (0-1) gave up four runs and eight that left the rest of the field trailing in their have said since Melbourne, we expect a sea- runs and five hits in 5 2-3 innings. hits in five innings. wake and fans fearing the worst. son-long battle for both world championships Steve Pearce homered for the second straight Another procession was expected in and we must maximise every opportunity,” he game, a two-run drive that made it 6-0 in the second. DIAMONDBACKS 7, GIANTS 6 Malaysia but Vettel and Ferrari had other added. Baltimore’s Chris Davis went 0 for 3 and was hit by a in Jake Lamb and David Peralta each hit a three-run ideas with both winning a race for the first “China is the next chance to do that... a cir- his return after a 25-game suspension for a positive homer to power Arizona past San Francisco. Lamb fin- time since 2013, thanks to a car that was cuit which has been a good hunting ground amphetamine test. Kevin Gausman (1-0) pitched 2 1-3 ished with four RBIs, giving him a club-record seven in much kinder on the tyres in the sweltering for the team.” Hamilton beat Rosberg to the innings, and Zach Britton struck out three straight bat- Arizona’s first two games. All seven runs were charged heat and a tactical masterclass from race engi- chequered flag in Shanghai a year ago and ters for his first save. to Ryan Vogelsong (0-1), who allowed six hits in 4 2-3 neers. Mercedes are now fully aware they while recent trends make Mercedes favourites PHOENIX: Arizona Diamondbacks’ Paul innings. Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford homered have a real title fight on their hands from a at the 5.451 km Hermann Tilke-designed cir- ANGELS 2, MARINERS 0 Goldschmidt (left) tags out San Francisco for the Giants. Posey had a two-run shot off Rubby De team that stumbled from one crisis to another cuit, Ferrari won the race in 2013 and will be CJ Wilson allowed two hits over eight innings and Giants’ Buster Posey on a pick-off during the La Rosa (1-0), who gave up six runs and eight hits over in a winless 2014 campaign, but the German keen to prevent the Briton from registering a David Freese provided all the offense with a two-run seventh inning of a baseball game. — AP 5 1-3 innings in his Diamondbacks debut. record-extending fourth win in China. homer in Los Angeles’ win over Seattle. Addison Reed earned the save, giving Arizona Wilson (1-0) wriggled out of a second-inning jam Rangers were shut out on opening night when Sonny manager Chip Hale his first career victory. Giants RUDE AWAKENING and retiring the final 17 batters he faced. The left-han- Gray took a no-hit bid into the eighth for the Athletics. pitcher Matt Cain was placed on the 15-day disabled Fernando Alonso was another driver given der allowed three baserunners and needed only two Texas snapped a scoreless streak of 21 regular-sea- list before the game with a right forearm injury. First a rude awakening in Malaysia and while the strikeouts to shut down the Mariners. son innings when Fielder punched a single to shallow baseman Brandon Belt left in the fourth with a Spaniard put a brave face on an early with- Albert Pujols doubled with one out in the fourth, center in the third. Fielder also had an RBI single in the strained groin. — AP drawal on his seasonal debut for McLaren the first hit off Seattle starter James Paxton (0-1), and after missing Melbourne due to concussion, Freese followed with a shot to right-center that barely the sight of his old employers storming to vic- cleared the fence.