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India ready to host England Tests in Murray makes triumphant start February: Ganguly to year at US Open tuneup

Andy Murray won in his first ATP match of the year in the US Open quarantine bubble in New York Sourav Ganguly

AFP | New Delhi Murray defeated • ndia are committed to American Frances Ihosting England in Feb- Tiafoe at the Western ruary next year ahead of the and Southern Open KNOW WHAT 2021 season, the country’s AFP | New York chief Sourav Ganguly said. Murray was the 2008 England’s original white- and 2011 winner in this ball tour to India in Septem- ritain’s Andy Murray Grand Slam tuneup ber-October was a casualty made a triumphant ATP of the coronavirus pandem- Bcomeback Saturday, de- event, usually staged in ic. feating Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (8/6), Cincinnati but moved According to the Inter- 3-6, 6-1 in his first match of 2020 to New York due to the national cricket Council’s at the Western and Southern COVID-19 pandemic Future Tours Programme Open. that wiped out much of (FTP), India are scheduled The 33-year-old Scotsman ad- the season to tour Australia in Decem- vanced in hot and humid con- ber and host England for ditions to a second-round date their last five world Test with German fifth seed Alex- after a win. championship matches in ander Zverev at the COVID-19 He said the unusual quiet on early 2021. quarantine bubble that will also the court made him even more Ganguly, president of the be used for the US Open, which alert to any stray noise. Board of Control for Cricket starts on August 31. “The smallest noise or the in India, said in an email Murray won the 2012 US Open Britain’s Andy Murray hits a return smallest movement was even to state associations: “The as well as the 2013 and 2016 more of a distraction because BCCI and the Indian cricket Wimbledon titles plus the 2012 Murray broke Tiafoe for a 2-0 In the tie-breaker, Tiafoe Ashe Stadium or Louis Arm- there was no noise and you team will continue to fulfil and 2016 Olympic gold medals. lead in the third set when the jumped ahead 5-2 before Mur- strong Stadium. just heard every noise or every its FTP commitments. Former world number one American missed a volley, broke ray roared back, saving a set movement around,” he said. “It “The senior Indian men’s Murray, now ranked 129th, again to 5-1 with a backhand point to reach 6-6 when Tiafoe ATP back in action was weird.” team will travel to Australia suffered a pelvic injury at the return winner and held at love sent a backhand wide and tak- Other men advancing Satur- On the women’s side, Greek for its series starting in De- Davis Cup last November and to finish matters after two hours ing the set two points later on a day included Canadian Felix 13th seed Maria Sakkari defeat- cember this year, and will that, combined with the pan- and 28 minutes. passing forehand winner. Auger-Aliassime, who defeated ed US teen Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-3 in come back to the country demic shutdown, kept him out Murray was the 2008 and 2011 Tiafoe, whose only ATP title Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-4, 6-1 in 64 minutes. Sakkari could face for a series against England of competition until he faced winner in this Grand Slam tune- came at the 2018 Delray Beach the day’s opening match -- the 23-time Grand Slam winner Ser- starting February next year,” 22-year-old Tiafoe in a meeting up event, usually staged in Cin- Open, saved a break point with first ATP contest since the tour ena Williams in the third round. Ganguly said in the letter of wildcard entrants. cinnati but moved to New York an ace in the fifth game of the was shut down amid the corona- Sakkari said she didn’t find the seen by AFP. “I thought I moved well to- due to the COVID-19 pandemic second set and took the first virus pandemic in March. experience of playing in a large “This will be followed by day,” Murray said. “That was that wiped out much of the sea- break of the match for a 5-3 When Basilashvili buried a stadium with no fans was less IPL 2021 in April (the nor- probably the thing I was most son, including Wimbledon. lead on a backhand drop volley forehand in the net on match off-putting than she expected. mal month for it to start).” happy with and probably the Tiafoe, ranked 81st, forced winner before holding to force point, Auger-Aliassime was at “I thought it would be worse,” After many delays, the thing I was most apprehensive the only break point of the first a third set. something of a loss, with no she said. “Maybe on like a bigger 13th edition of the IPL, the about going into the match. set in the 11th game with a lob The match was played on the crowd to acknowledge the mo- match, like maybe a semi-final world’s richest “My tennis could have been winner but Murray dismissed National Tennis Center Grand- ment. or final it’s going to feel weird. tournament, will now start better. I did some things well at it with a service winner up the stand court, the event’s feature “I actually threw a ball at my “But today I was already on September 19 in the the end, but I could definitely middle and held to 6-5 on a sec- court with no matches until the coach,” said Auger-Aliassime, pumped by myself, and that was United Arab Emirates with improve in terms of my game.” ond-serve ace. US Open scheduled at Arthur who usually tosses a ball to a fan more than enough.” the final on November 10.

Smith admits he’ll miss Carey ‘disappointed’ to lose Australia white-ball vice-captaincy AFP | jeering English fans lex Carey has admitted he AFP | Sydney Awas “disappointed” at los- ing the vice-captaincy of Aus- I would love to still teve Smith said he’ll miss tralia’s white-ball team for their have the title next Sbeing jeered and heckled series in England, but said he to my name but it’s by English crowds during their understood the rationale. not going to change upcoming limited-overs tour, The wicketkeeper-batsman admitting the booing moti- had shared the duties with anything from my vates him to do better. pace spearhead end. I’m still going The master Australian bats- since took over to rock up with a big man bore the brunt of the hos- as coach in 2018. smile on my face and tile English fans on their trip But a decision, backed by cap- try really hard around there last year after returning tain , was made to the group. It’s going from a ban for ball-tampering. streamline the leadership, with back to the old model, But he thrived on the taunts Cummins anointed sole deputy and potshots, scoring an in- the team will fly to England. for next month’s three one-day which has worked in credible 774 runs in four Tests, “Still, there’s going to be internationals and three Twen- the past at an average 110.57, including plenty of eyes on the TV and it ty20s in England. twin centuries on his Test re- is going to be great to be back “You’re always going to be turn at Edgbaston. out there playing.” disappointed with that but I’m “I do like there, un- Australia’s 21-man squad also really grateful and thankful fortunately there’s going to be will initially quarantine in for the opportunity I’ve had in no crowd there to egg me on Derby due to the coronavirus that role in the past 24 months,” wanted continue until the one- and give me a bit more motiva- pandemic before the first of Carey told cricket.com.au late day World Cup in 2023, or Test tion,” he said at Sydney airport three in Southamp- Saturday. Australia’s Alex Carey in action during a match (file photo) skipper , who will be en route to Perth, from where ton on September 4 in empty “I would love to still have the 36 this year. stadiums. title next to my name but it’s not with me now.” you just get to a point where and Cummins are They also play three ODIs at going to change anything from Finch, who captains both the you have so much advice,” he the current Test vice-captains Manchester, with both ven- my end. ODI and Twenty20 teams, said said. and are widely seen as leader- ues having hotels attached so “I’m still going to rock up with having a single line of contact “So for Pat to be able to filter ship candidates along with Car- they can remain in bio-secure a big smile on my face and try was important for him on Aus- that out on the field will be a ey, former Steve Smith bubbles. really hard around the group. tralia’s first tour since the coro- huge help.” and . 774 “I’m looking forward to get- It’s going back to the old mod- navirus pandemic brought sport The squad left from Perth for Former vice-captain David runs wre scored by Steve Smith in four ting back into it, obviously it’s el, which has worked in the to a halt in March. England yesterday. Warner, a fixture in all three Tests during the trip going to be a bit different than past.” “At times if you have seven insist there formats, is banned from holding last year what we’re used to being in Carey, who has played 26 ODIs or eight guys going to three or are no captaincy succession a leadership position ever again a bubble and playing with no and 28 Twenty20s, added: “The four people, sometimes it can plans in place for 33-year-old for his part in the 2018 ball-tam- crowds,” Smith said. decision sits really comfortably feel a little bit clouded and Finch, who recently said he pering scandal.