FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2019 12

India need to win big tournaments: Ganguly Roger Federer to play French Open next year Federer will be at Roland Garros again in 2020 after losing in semi-finals this year

AFP | Paris that,” he said. In Tokyo he will be in com- wiss tennis legend Roger petition for a men’s singles gold Federer said yesterday he medal, the only major prize he Swill play the French Open has yet to win. in Paris next year. Earlier this week he said he India’s players celebrate their innings victory over South Africa (file photo) “I will play the French Open. had been debating with his team I probably won’t play much be- on his programme after Wim- Reuters | New Delhi fore that because I need some bledon and before the US Open. time away from it (tennis) and “At the end of the day my ndia’s Virat Kohli is - I need some time with the fam- heart decided to play the Olym- Iing an enormously talented ily,” the 38-year-old told CNN. pic Games again,” he said. team, but the players need to The 20-time Grand Slam Federer has won all four of adjust their mentality to win KNOW WHAT champion returned to Roland the Grand Slam tournaments, as big tournaments, having failed Garros this year after a three well as the ATP Tour Finals six in the last seven, ex-captain year absence, falling to Rafael times, but is still waiting to grab Sourav Ganguly said as he Virat Kohli’s men lead Nadal in the semi-finals. Olympic singles gold. prepares to head the national the World Test Cham- Federer confirmed he will He did win a doubles gold Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a return against Alexander Zverev of Germany board. pionship table but In- compete at next year’s Tokyo alongside fellow Swiss Stan dduring their men’s singles quarter-final match at the Shanghai Masters Kohli’s men lead the World Olympics after Wimbledon and Wawrinka at Beijing in 2008, Test Championship table but dia have not won any prior to the US Open. but when he got to the Lon - the 2017 Wimbledon title be- the scene for a highly compet- India have not won any global global tournament But his priority before the don singles final in 2012 he was fore losing an epic final in the itive tournament. tournament since lifting the since lifting the 2013 French Open which he has won hammered 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 by an grass-court Grand Slam to No- Federer is third in the world 2013 Champions Trophy under Champions Trophy only once in 2009 will be a fam- inspired Andy Murray. vak Djokovic earlier this year. rankings, while Nadal and Djok- Mahendra Singh Dhoni. under MS Dhoni ily vacation. Federer did not compete at Serbia’s Djokovic, and Feder- ovic won all four Grand Slams “It is a very good side. My “We need a vacation, we need Rio 2016, where Murray won er’s eternal rival Nadal, have between them this year.Federer only thing is that they need to dress. And that doesn’t happen a break, and especially if I am again, but has since twice won both already said they will com- lost to Nadal at the French Open win big tournaments,” Gangu- in the boardroom.” playing the Olympics and all the Australian Open and took pete at Tokyo, the trio setting semi-finals this year ly, president-elect of the Board India topped the group stage of Control for Cricket in India, at this year’s 50-overs World told reporters in Kolkata. Cup but were beaten by New “I’m not saying they need to Zealand in the semi-finals. win every time. It’s not possi- As he completes his transi- ble. But we have gone through tion from a star player to a top ‘It was like war’: S.Korea slams N.Korean seven big tournaments with- administrator, one of Gangu- out winning one.” ly’s initial tasks would be to “They are a much better side decide the future of Dhoni, players’ aggression in black-out clash than that. That is the only area who has taken a break from where they need to get them- international cricket after the AFP | Seoul not allowed to use their cell selves ready mentally. World Cup in England. phones during their stay in “Talent is enormous, other- While many believe the pop- outh Korea’s Tottenham Pyongyang, but the star player wise they couldn’t have played ular stumper should not be SHotspur star Son Heung-min said he personally didn’t mind. so well in the World Cup till pushed into retirement, others said the historic World Cup “I liked it because I got to the semi-finals. So that’s an want clarity about the future of qualifier in Pyongyang was a sleep a lot,” he said. issue which Virat needs to ad- the 38-year-old. “very aggressive” match that The match comes in the wake made him fear injuries, with of a series of North Korean mis- North Korean players even sile tests that raised tensions in swearing at him and his team- the region, and after the break- mates. down of talks with the United Marsh set to miss Pakistan The match in the North Korea States over Pyongyang’s weap- capital ended 0-0 on Tuesday, ons programmes. Test after punching wall in front of FIFA president Gi- Since the collapse of the Ha- anni Infantino but in an other- noi summit between leader Kim AFP | Sydney Tasmania on Sunday. wise empty stadium and almost Jong Un and US President Don- Scans revealed a fracture, completely blocked off from the South Korea’s Hwang Ui-jo and North Korea’s Ri Yong Jik fight for the ball ald Trump in February, Pyong- ll-rounder Mitchell Marsh and an apologetic Marsh said outside world. during the World Cup 2022 Qualifying match in Pyongyang yang has regularly excoriated Ais set to miss the open - he faced up to six weeks on the The showdown between the Seoul, ruling out prospects of ing Test against Pakistan af- sidelines. two sides -- whose countries return safely without being in- tion, added: “It was like war. I’ve inter-Korean dialogue. ter fracturing his right hand That would almost certainly are still technically at war -- jured,” Son told reporters upon never seen such (aggression) in South Korea’s coach Paulo punching a wall, with Australi- rule him out of the opening took place at Pyongyang’s Kim returning to Incheon airport football until now.” Bento said the qualifier was “not an coach Justin Langer brand- Test against Pakistan in Bris- Il Sung Stadium with no live yesterday morning. About the empty stadium, a good match”, saying it “halted ing him “an idiot”. bane starting on November 21. broadcast, no supporters and “North Korean players were however, Son, who captained too frequently” as the referee The Western Australia cap- “It’s my middle finger, just no foreign media in attendance. sensitive and aggressive. ... South Korea, said he wasn’t was forced to repeatedly give tain took his frustrations out below the wrist -- a fracture “It’s too bad that we didn’t There was a lot of severe swear- shocked. “It rather made me warnings to players. in the changing rooms after straight through the bone,” win, but the match was very ag- ing (from them).” think that (the North Koreans) FIFA president Infantino said he was dismissed for 53 in a Marsh, who was sporting a gressive to a degree that I think Choi Young-il, the vice presi- thought us as a strong team.” he was “disappointed” after at- Sheffield Shield match against cast on his arm, told reporters. it’s a huge achievement just to dent of Korea Football Associa- South Korean players were tending the event. South Africa’s Markram to miss final test with wrist injury

Reuters | New Delhi wash in Ranchi, where the final it,” the 25-year-old said in the test begins on Saturday. statement. outh Africa opener Aiden “The injury took place follow- It’s sad to be going “It’s unacceptable in a Proteas SMarkram will miss the third ing the opener’s dismissal in the home on this note environment and to let the team and final test against India due second innings of the match,” down is what hurts me the most. to a wrist injury after he lashed (CSA) said and I completely I’ve learned a lot from this and out in frustration at his own per- in a statement. understand what I’ve the other players I’m sure, have formance in the previous match “In a moment of frustration done wrong and take learned from it as well. in Pune, the tourists said yes- with his own performance, he full accountability for “We understand in sport that terday. lashed out at a solid object, re- it emotions run high and some- Markram scored five and 39 sulting in his injury.” AIDEN MARKRAM times the frustration gets the in the series opener in Vizag The CSA did not specify what better of you as it did for me, but and registered a pair of ducks the “solid object” was. It added like I said, it’s no excuse. in Pune. that Markram had left for home that was no excuse. “I’ve taken full responsibility His struggles at the top of the and no replacement has been “It’s sad to be going home on for it, I have apologised to the order mirror the batting frailties called. this note and I completely un- team and hopefully I can make of a South African side staring at Markram admitted emotions derstand what I’ve done wrong it up to them and the people of the prospect of a series white- had got the better of him but said South Africa’s Aiden Markram takes a catch (file photo) and take full accountability for South Africa soon.”