THE HIMALAYAN MAIL JAMMU Q SUNDAY Q JUNE 13, 2021 11

Djokovic topples Nadal in French 's white-ball squad to have Open semi-final classic 14-day quarantine in Mumbai, match Nadal's record at Roland Garros since winning the title on his debut in 2005 now stands at 105-3 simulation ahead of Lanka games PARIS, JUNE 12: No- year's final in which Nadal NEW DELHI, JUNE 12: India's vak Djokovic came from a won the first set 6-0 flooded white ball squad, led by Shikhar set down in a spellbinding back. Dhawan, will quarantine in Mumbai French Open semi-final to Djokovic did not flinch, from June 14 to 28 and undergo six inflict only a third ever de- clawing back three games RT-PCR tests on alternate days before feat on the Parisian clay for before Nadal took an hour- flying off to Colombo for the six-match Rafa Nadal, moving long opener on his sixth set series against Sri Lanka, starting on through 3-6 6-3 7-6(4) 6-2 point. July 13. in front of mesmerised Though trailing, the 34- It is understood that all the Standard crowd on Friday. year-old Djokovic had es- Operating Procedures (SOPs) that will The two warriors pro- tablished a foothold in the be followed by the Lanka-bound squad duced superhuman tennis red dirt and shifted the mo- will be the same as those of the first as the 58th duel between mentum, breaking serve team currently in the United Kingdom them arguably rivalled any- twice to take the second set. for the World Test Championship fi- thing they had conjured Unbelievably, the ferocity nal and five-match series against Eng- against each other since Djokovic, looking fresh de- "First I want to say it is a of the tennis increased in spite slugging it out for four privilege to be on this court land. "All the rules will be the same, as they first locked horns in the third set as the players we followed in England. The outsta- 2006. hours with the world's with Rafael Nadal," wrestled for control in rally greatest ever claycourter, Djokovic said on court. tion players will come by charter flight Nadal, bidding for a after brilliant rally. and some fly business class of com- record-extending 14th ruthlessly closed in. "The biggest match I have Djokovic began to turn mercial airline," a BCCI source privy starts on July 13, it is expected that the training will be held. French Open title, won the After breaking a tiring ever played here in Paris. the screws and jogged to his to development told PTI on conditions Indian team will have match simula- "You can't have your main players first five games and looked Nadal's serve for a 4-2 lead Also the best match with the chair after breaking serve at of anonymity. tion practice (situational training) after get out off the first ball and not bat on course to repeat his in the fourth set, the end best atmosphere for both 2-2 when Nadal netted a "They will do seven days of room individual sessions, following three again or bat for the whole innings. drubbing of the Serb in last came quickly as the Serb in- players. dropshot. quarantine and then can meet in com- days of room quarantine at the team Everyone needs training, so it won't be year's final. flicted a first defeat on The win against Rafa on It was the first time mon areas inside the bio-bubble. The hotel in Colombo. practice games as such," the source But world number one Nadal at the French Open this court you have to play Djokovic had been in front players will do gym sessions in stag- "It will be just like what's happening said. The Indian teams over the years Djokovic seized the mo- since he beat him in the your best tennis, and but Nadal hit back immedi- gered manner." in England. Match situations will be have always stayed at the Taj Samudra mentum, winning the sec- 2015 quarter-final. tonight I played my best ately to break back with a While the three-match ODI series created and that's how the intra-squad Hotel in Colombo. ond set and then edging a Nadal's record at Roland tennis." Nadal, whose only forehand winner only to pulsating 97-minute third Garros since winning the ti- other defeat apart from the drop serve again as set on a tiebreak, having tle on his debut in 2005 one to Djokovic came Djokovic moved 5-3 ahead. saved a set point. now stands at 105-3. against Swede Robin Soder- With chants of "Rafa, When I am sad, I watch Messi’s videos The soccer-style atmos- Djokovic will play ling in 2009 when he was Rafa" and "Nole, Nole" fill- phere created by a crowd of Greece's Stefanos Tsitsipas suffering knee issues, was ing the night air, the match around 5,000 inside Court in Sunday's final with the typically gracious in defeat. took another twist as Nadal chance to not only add to "Well done for him. It was and it makes me happy: Chhetri Philippe Chatrier reached a found another gear to hit crescendo towards the end his 2016 French Open title a good fight out there. I back and lead 6-5 and cre- DOHA, JUNE 12: Li- Bhaichung da. I was telling of the third set as the Paris but also move to 19 Grand tried my best, and today ate a set point which onel Messi’s mesmerising him how I miss the old COVID-19 curfew loomed. Slam titles, just one behind was not my day," Nadal told Djokovic saved with am runs on a football pitch can camp, purely because now I Thankfully, the Parisian the men's record 20 held by reporters. outrageous dropshot. make a sad don’t hang out with anyone. authorities, reportedly after Nadal and Roger Federer. Any doubt that the duo's In the tiebreak Nadal happy, the talismanic India I’m in my room only. a request from French pres- Djokovic now leads his 17th meeting in a Grand double-faulted then had his captain said on Saturday, “I learnt a lot from him. ident Emmanuel Macron, series with Nadal 30-28 but Slam would live up to pre- head in his hands after fluff- and made it clear that com- He was relentless in the way granted an exemption to this win was perhaps the match hype was erased dur- ing a volley to hand paring him with the Argen- he approached a game. His the 11pm cut-off, meaning a sweetest. While in 2015 his ing a sensational opening Djokovic a 5-3 lead. tine virtuoso is akin to liv- mentality was bulletproof. magnificent and brutal con- straight sets win was aster- game which saw Nadal save Djokovic banged down an ing in a “stupid cocoon”. He was at it, every game. test continued to be graced isked by the fact Nadal was break points before holding ace and duly took the set. The 36-year-old Chhetri The first challenge, the first by a live audience. struggling to recover from serve after eight electrifying With the crowd allowed has more than once tackle was always But there was no reprieve injuries, this time both play- minutes. to stay, Nadal was re-ener- brushed aside any compari- Bhaichung da. for the 35-year-old Nadal as ers were at their best. The Spaniard then went gised at the start of the son with Messi whom he To fight for lost causes His celebrations were 5-0 ahead and Djokovic's has overtaken to be the sec- was always Bhaichung da. his seemingly inexhaustible fourth, taking a 2-0 lead, I am just happy that I get an Chhetri came to the scene in low-key, however, such is fans might have been ex- ond highest international And when as a senior you resolve was finally broken. but Djokovic clicked into opportunity to score for my the national team, there the respect he holds for cused for covering their goal-scorer among active saw that our captain, the He hung on like the gear and reeled off the final country and I feel proud. were stalwarts like Nadal. eyes as the memory of last players. most senior guy was work- champion he is but six games. “(But) I don’t get into the , Renedy “When I am sad, I watch ing so hard, it rubbed on us. stupid cocoon of comparing Singh and Mahesh Gawli. Messi’s videos and it makes There’s nobody better than myself with all those great Now, at 36, he is the senior- me happy, so when I meet Bhaichung da.” Chhetri Real Kashmir FC coach Robertson honoured with players. There are thou- most player and he some- him, I will tell him I am a said his competitive spirit sands of players who are times feels lonely among fan (of him), give him a nice came mostly from his better than me, and all of the “kids”. handshake, and that is mother, a former Nepal in- British Empire Medal for his football work in valley them are also fans of Lionel “... (it feels like) just yes- about it,” Chhetri said in an ternational footballer, who "Manager, Real Kashmir time the team has com- son told PTI from his home Messi. That’s the gap.” terday, that these two kids AIFF interview to mark his would play with him many Football Club, India, re- peted at this level," the offi- in Scotland that it has been It was on this day 16 years came in - Sandesh (Jhin- 16 years of international ca- indoor and outdoor games ceives a British Empire cial list read. an amazing journey of al- ago that Chhetri donned the gan) and Gurpreet (Singh). reer. during his childhood. Medal (BEM) for services to "The last season of the I- most five years of working India jersey for the first And now those two are the “I would say ‘Hi, I am “I remember I always the community in Kashmir League saw RKFC attain the with the people of Kashmir time, in a match against main players here, that’s Sunil Chhetri and I am a big wanted to beat my mum, and UK-India relations." highest number of home and the club. in Quetta under how time flies. fan’. I will not trouble him. but till the time I was 13, I The awards were an- ground match attendees, "I remember the initial then head coach “There are so many kids If I meet him, I will be could not beat her. And she nounced on Saturday by the averaging 25,000 people days when barely a few Sukhwinder Singh. who are now calling them happy, if I don’t, I am still never wanted to lose either. British government to mark per match." Robertson said dozen turned up for a match Since then, he has gone ‘Sandesh bhai’, ‘Gurpreet good,” he said when asked I think the fact that I don’t the monarch's official birth- he was "absolutely de- of RKFC to a crowd watch- on to play 117 matches for bhai’. The gap is huge now. I what he would do if he like losing, a big part of that NEW DELHI, JUNE day. lighted" and honoured to ing from even trees and India, scoring 74 goals—the don’t have anyone even meets Messi. comes from my mum. 12: David Alexander The 52-year-old Robert- have been recognised and nearby building tops and second-most for an active close to my age or era. Chhetri overtook Messi “One day, I was com- Robertson, coach of Kash- son, who has been the coach awarded this honour for his cheering the team," Robert- international player. He is “But it’s good to be (72 goals) with his second plaining that I had nobody mir's famous football club of Real Kashmir Football work in Kashmir. son said. just three goals shy of the around kids. They teach me goal—and 74th overall—in to play with, and my mum Real Kashmir FC, has been Club, has received a British "I have enjoyed every "I dedicate this to my club great Pele’s tally. a lot of stuff with their ex- India’s 2-0 win over came to play with me in the honoured with British Em- Empire Medal (BEM) in the minute spent in Kashmir. It especially my owner “It has been a wonderful citement and fearlessness. I Bangladesh in a World Cup heat of Delhi summer. pire Medal (BEM) for his Queen's Birthday Honours has been a real pleasure to Sandeep Chattoo and peo- and amazing journey. To try to grasp whatever I can qualifying round match on There would be loo blowing services to the community List for services to the local have worked and met so ple of Kashmir." The story play for the number of years from this lot.” Chhetri still June 7 here. outside. For the whole 10-15 in the valley and strength- community. many wonderful people. I of RKFC is all about deter- for the national team, to takes advice from former ening UK-India relations, a “Along with everyone else days of summer vacation, I "The award recognises think of Kashmir as my sec- mination to achieve the best represent the country the captain Bhutia who has a feat he dedicated to the peo- in the world, I am also a used to play foot tennis with Mr Robertson's outstand- ond home," he said. in football and win millions number of times I have, it’s huge influence on him. ple of Kashmir and the team huge fan of Messi. There is my mum, and that was ing contribution to the sport The BEM is a British and of hearts across the globe, been outstanding. It is be- “Just two days back, I was he has been engaged with. no comparison whatsoever. amazing.” and the community as head Commonwealth award for he said. yond a dream.” When having a chat with According to the list re- coach of RKFC since Janu- meritorious civil or military Talking about his owner, leased on the occasion of ary 2017. This included service worthy of recogni- David said Chattoo is unlike Queen Elizabeth II's birth- guiding the football team tion by the Crown. other club owners and day on Friday evening, into the I-League – the first When contacted, Robert- added. Shakib Al Hasan banned for 4 games New handball guidance made clear in opening Euro 2020 game of Dhaka Premier League: Reports GENEVA, JUNE 12: coaches in the past month. DHAKA, JUNE 12: will not be able to play the time, he rushed from mid- chaired by Kazi Imam. There's a new interpreta- The panel stated that “not Star Bangladesh cricketer eighth, ninth, tenth and off and uprooted the Shakib's boorish behav- tion of the handball law in every touch of a player's Shakib Al Hasan has been eleventh round matches of stumps. iour went viral as video soccer and the first game at hand/arm with the ball is let off lightly with a four- the DPL." The match did start and footage of him uprooting the European Champi- an offense.” In a pre-tour- match suspension from While his team Mo- Shakib's team won easily, the stumps has since then onship set the tone that nament briefing, UEFA di- Dhaka T20 Premier hammedan won the match but he also misbehaved been shared more than a there should be fewer cheap rector of refereeing Roberto League, following his on- easily by DLS method, with rival team officials and million times from various penalties given. Rosetti said the handball Twice during the first half law was applied too strictly field meltdown during a Shakib lost his cool twice former Bangladesh captain social media handles. in Rome, Italy's players in some European coun- match between Mo- during the game—once Khaled Mahmud Sujon. Shakib is Bangladesh's pleaded with UEFA's hand- tries. hammedan Sporting and when he kicked the stumps Later, Shakib tendered most prolific international picked referee for the pres- “The way the law is Abahani Limited. after a strong leg-before an unconditional apology cricketer with more than tige game, Danny Makkelie, referees (VARs). change in soccer's law that rewritten is more according According to leading appeal against his on his official facebook 10,000 international runs to award a penalty when the But Makkelie waved away otherwise takes effect on to the spirit of football and Bangladesh cricket portal Bangladesh teammate page, but his act of trying to across formats along with ball struck a Turkey de- both appeals, and Italy's July 1 already made an im- to give to the players the 'BDCrictime', "Mo- Mushfiqur Rahim and sec- damage match property is nearly 600 wickets. fender on the arm. second-half flourish in a 3-0 pact. One key phrase stood freedom to play football,” hammedan Sporting Club ondly when umpires called as good as a Level III of- He has already been Fans in domestic leagues win meant his decisions out in the clarifications ap- Rosetti said on June 4. captain Shakib Al Hasan for covers with one ball left fence. banned for one year after have become used to seeing were not a key post-match proved in March by soccer's The new guidance is that has been banned for four to complete a minimum of The portal also reported failing to report a corrupt such handballs rewarded talking point. law-making panel, known it's not a penalty if the de- matches due to his arro- six overs of the Abahani in- that the decision was taken approach during an earlier with penalties in the era of Still, UEFA opting to fast- as IFAB, and briefed to all fender's arm did not move gant behaviour in the nings which would be re- by Cricket Committee of edition of Indian Premier review by video assistant track the clarification Euro 2020 players and toward the ball. Dhaka Premier League. He quired for a result. This Dhaka Metropolis (CCDM) League.