The Real Saina Nehwal has emerged

Former India badminton player Sanjay Sharma raises a toast to Saina after Denmark Open triumph

Saina Nehwal is only 22! But, she has broken enough records in Indian sport to be called a living legend. On a typical cold Sunday evening in Copenhagen, Saina cat-walked her way to yet another honour. She became the only Indian after Prakash Padukone (in 1980) to win a Danish Open Superseries title. And that too, without dropping a single game in the tournament.

Her 21-17, 21-8 victory in the final over Juliane Schenk of Germany was as emphatic as it was cruelly one-sided. An elated Pullela Gopichand, who has coached and nurtured Saina since she was 13, said after the final: “Saina was sharp, exceedingly efficient and explosive when it mattered. This was a drubbing and she was comfortable almost throughout, especially in the second game which was one-sided.”

Saina Nehwal poses with the Denmark Open Superseries trophy in
Copenhagen yesterday. Pic/AFP

This is her sixth Superseries title — a premier event in the sport — and like the Indonesian Open earlier in the year, this one too has cemented her place among the legends of world badminton. The Denmark Open was a huge field with three of the top-most Chinese stars competing.

The star-studded line-up included World No 1 and London Olympics silver medallist Wang Yihan, whom Saina had never beaten in their last six clashes. The heart-wrenching losses included a one-sided win for Wang in the semi-finals at London.

In Copenhagen though, Saina was in a different zone. The Hyderabadi hammered Wang 21-12, 12-7 in the semis before the lanky Chinese retired. The final frontier was thus conquered, and the fabled Chinese wall was demolished.

Saina has well and truly arrived! There is no one among the top players who she has not defeated. All the best names of her generation have now bitten the dust.

“It is all due to her work ethic. She is a glutton for hard work. She never says no for any sort of training schedule. And what is most mind-boggling for me, is that I can feel that her best is yet to come.

“Saina is just 22, still learning a few things. But what is important is that the more she wins, the more she wants to learn,” said Gopi.

I never expected to win here: Saina

Olympic bronze-medallist Saina Nehwal was not expecting to win the Denmark Open due to a slight niggle in her right knee. But she battled through the pain to triumph here and that to without dropping a set.

The 22-year-old defeated sixth seed German Juliane Schenk 21-17 21-8 in 35 minutes. Saina, who had beaten World No 1 Yihan Wang in the semi-finals, said: "I never expected to win this tournament. There were a lot of things which I did after Olympics which made me fresh but every tournament is tough. My right knee was not really in perfect shape but I thank god for giving me the energy to win the title.” 

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Lance Armstrong saga makes it hard to trust cycling - Brailsford

Lance Armstrong has made it hard for anyone to trust cycling, says British Cycling boss Dave Brailsford.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency has banned him for life and stripped him of his seven Tour de France titles.

"It is understandable now for people to look at any results in cycling and question that," said Brailsford."It completely and utterly lost its way and I think it lost its moral compass."

Brailsford said he was staggered by the extent of the systemic doping revealed by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada).

"It is shocking, it's jaw dropping and it is very unpleasant," he told BBC Radio 5 live. "It's not very palatable and anybody who says it is would be lying wouldn't they?"

He also criticised Armstrong.

"I think there are plenty of people out there who saw this guy and what he did as an amazing achievement," said Brailsford.

"He is one of the first cyclists that maybe transcended the sport and became a hero beyond cycling.

"It was an amazing thing and people got behind that. So to now find out what was behind [it] is, of course, disappointing."

Brailsford insisted cycling is trying to right the wrongs of the past and said his own outfit, Team Sky, was leading the fightback.

This year's Tour de France was won by a Team Sky rider, Britain's Bradley Wiggins.

"Everybody has recalibrated and several teams like ourselves are hell-bent on doing it the right way and doing it clean," said Brailsford.

But one of the 11 of Armstrong's former team-mates who testified against him was Michael Barry, who admitted to doping while a member of Armstrong's US Postal Service Pro Cycling (USPS) team between 2002 and 2006, and who rode under Brailsford for Team Sky from 2010.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, the Canadian insisted he had not doped again from the summer of 2006.

"We signed Michael from HTC which was, at the time, highly regarded as being a very sound, clean team," said Brailsford.

"During his time at Team Sky, we have had absolutely no cause for concern whatsoever, there has never been any question in terms of his performances, his training, his behaviour on the team. There have never been any issues in that respect. But ultimately he lied.

"We set out with a zero tolerance policy, so we said that anyone who has had a doping conviction from the past or proved to have been involved in doping hasn't got a place on Team Sky. That is our policy.

"When you take someone you ask them a question and if someone lies to you and you find out later it's disappointing."

In his statement, Barry said: "I apologise to those I deceived. I will accept my suspension and any other consequences. I will work hard to regain people's trust."

According to Usada chief executive Travis T Tygart, there is "conclusive and undeniable proof" of a team-run doping conspiracy at USPS.

Armstrong has always denied doping but chose not to fight the doping charges filed against him.

Usada claimed the Texan supplied banned drugs to other riders on his team, pressured them into participating in the doping programme and threatened to get them removed from the team if they refused.

"You can see how the sport got lost in itself and got more and more extreme because it seemed to be systematic and everybody seemed to be doing it at the time," Brailsford added.

Martin Bruin, a former chief doping inspector at the Tour de France during the time Armstrong was competing, said he had been left "speechless" by Usada's report.

"I've just heard the whole story and the proof is there," he told Radio 5 live. "We are only human beings, we did our best to test and bring samples to labs according to rules, but I'm speechless about the systematic use, very disappointed.

"It's terrible for sport in general, for riders, I'm really disappointed. You are always running behind the facts.

"You're always trying your very best to clean up the business, to achieve and do what is possible. But what can you do?"

BBC Radio 5 live Sport will have a special programme, "Peddlers: Cycling's Dirty Truth", at 19:00 BST on Monday looking at the whole Lance Armstrong saga, including a full interview with former team-mate Tyler Hamilton.

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Messi poses headache for South American rivals

BUENOS AIRES - Stopping Lionel Messi is the primary concern of South American teams facing Argentina in the World Cup qualifiers. This week it is Uruguay's turn.

Argentina defend their lead in the South American group at home to Uruguay in Mendoza on Friday (0100 GMT Saturday). After seven matches they have 14 points, one more than Colombia and Ecuadorand two ahead of Uruguay and Chile.

They will be looking to make amends for a poor performance in their last match, a 1-1 draw with Peru in Lima where Messi, who had scored 10 goals in his previous six internationals, had one of his quietest games for his country.

South American champions Uruguay want a second successive upset over their neighbours after their Copa America quarter-final victory on penalties last year.

Uruguay's coach Oscar Washington Tabarez does not believe in man-marking Messi, but rather in preventing Argentina from functioning in support of the Barcelona ace.

"Messi is a great player, among the best seen in the history of football...so I'm not going to say too much about that because it would be redundant," Tabarez told reporters in Montevideo on Tuesday.

"But Messi has a team around him trying to ensure be shows all his potential.

"So we have to work on and counter everything Argentina does for the ball to get to Messi and after Messi takes it try to mark him."

The Uruguayans, World Cup semi-finalists in 2010, need to recover from a poor September when they lost 4-0 away to Colombia and only managed a 1-1 draw at home to Ecuador.

Captain Diego Lugano believes this double away fixture will be the hardest trip for Uruguay, who play Bolivia at high altitude in La Paz next week, in the 16-match qualifying series.

"These are key (qualifying) points, much more so after the last double-header when we didn't do well," Lugano said.

'MOST DIFFICULT'

"We're facing two matches that are surely the most difficult of the qualifying series. An Argentina-Bolivia sequence (away) is very hard and we're practically obliged to bring back some points," the central defender said.

Uruguay have to manage without left wing back Alvaro Pereyra, who is suspended, and injured midfielders Diego Perez and Gaston Ramirez.

Argentina, who beat Paraguay 3-1 at home then drew 1-1 away to Peru last month, welcome back Sergio Agüero but have lost fellow striker Ezequiel Lavezzi to injury.

Midfielder Javier Mascherano said good results against Uruguay and then Chile away in Santiago four days later would put Argentina well on course for a berth in the 2014 finals in Brazil.

"If we can get six out of six points it would be ideal and we would be well on track to qualifying, not certain but on the right track," Mascherano said at Argentina's training base outside Buenos Aires.

"For us, the match against Uruguay is a classic. The last ones we have played against them were very tight (and) if we win we'd go with more confidence to Chile."

The Chileans, whose coach Claudio Borghi is serving a four-match suspension for dissent, first travel to play Ecuador in the rarefied air of Quito nearly 3,000 metres above sea level on Friday (2100 GMT).

Colombia, with striker Falcao in red-hot scoring form, are at home to bottom team Paraguay in their favourite Caribbean cauldron in Barranquilla (2030 GMT) and Bolivia, at home in both fixtures, host Peru in La Paz (2000 GMT).

Venezuela, in sixth place with 11 points having already played eight matches, have a bye at the halfway stage in the competition.

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Germany's Goetze and Podolski fit despite minor injuries

BERLIN - Germany's Mario Goetze and Lukas Podolski are nursing minor injuries but will be fit for Friday's World Cup soccer qualifier against Ireland in Dublin, assistant coach Hansi Flick said on Wednesday.

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Goetze was rested towards the end of training on Wednesday, feeling the effects of a minor muscle injury. Arsenal winger Podolski is recovering from an ankle injury and both players missed training on Tuesday.

"Today was the first day that every player was there," Flick told reporters.

"Yesterday Lukas and Mario received treatment. Lukas Podolski had some problems with his ankle, Mario with some muscle problems. We decided to spare him towards the end of training today when it became a bit more intensive.

"Goetze did individual training."

Flick said the depth of Germany's squad allowed them to easily adapt to any changes.

The Germans are already without injured defender Mats Hummels, midfielders Ilkay Guendogan and Lars Bender while captain Philipp Lahm is suspended.

"Even despite the missing players we can handle any absence because of our team's strength."

Germany are looking to make it three wins in three qualifiers in Dublin before heading back to Berlin for a match against Sweden next Tuesday.

Flick said his team has been practising defensive plays, knowing that the Irish would be looking for chances of a quick break.

"Our focus is absolutely the defence. We have been working on the basics which at times have not worked that well in the past," said Flick.

"Defence starts from attack and we need to be compact. We need to have order and move well. Our offensive players will also need to do a lot of defensive work and we have been training in that."

Germany top qualifying Group C with six points, three ahead of Sweden and Ireland.

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F1 title race turning into Alonso v Vettel

SUZUKA, Japan (Reuters) - The Formula One title battle is turning into a straight duel between Ferrari's Fernando Alonso and Red Bull's Sebastian Vettel for the honour of becoming the youngest triple world champion.

By winning Sunday's Japanese Grand Prix after Alonso had spun off at the start, 25-year-old Vettel slashed the 31-year-old Spaniard's lead to four points with five races - a maximum 125 points - remaining.

Finland's 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen is third for Lotus but 37 points off the lead and has yet to win a race this season while McLaren's Lewis Hamilton is fourth a further five points adrift.

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner refused to rule out McLaren, winners of five races this year, and Lotus but he also spelled out where the real challenge lay for the champions.

"Luck tends to balance itself out over a 20-race season and it will be down to what the two of them do on track now and the relative performances of the cars over the remaining five races," he told reporters.

Vettel has suffered two alternator failures and not scored on three of his races, while Alonso has twice drawn a blank - both coming in the last four outings and due to first lap incidents beyond his control.

Raikkonen is where he is because of consistency - 12 races in a row in the points - while 2008 champion Hamilton and his car have been quick but erratic.

"The championship now is effectively a battle of five races between Fernando and Sebastian," said Horner. "You can't rule out the others but whoever does the best job over the next five races will ultimately prevail."

FERRARI PRESSURE

After the first seven races of the season were won by an unprecedented seven different drivers, the championship has settled into a familiar pattern with the focus on Ferrari, McLaren and Red Bull.

Vettel's commanding pole-to-flag triumph, with the fastest lap thrown in as well, at Suzuka made him the first driver this season to chalk up back-to-back wins and he joined Alonso and Hamilton as a three-times winner in 2012.

As in 2010, when the German became the youngest champion, the season appears to be coming good for Vettel at just the right time.

Alonso had led by 29 points before Suzuka but he could lose his advantage altogether when Formula One re-groups in South Korea for the 16th round of the season this weekend.

"I guess Fernando will be going home more unhappy than most, he is under pressure, more pressure frankly from Sebastian than from us but we have closed that gap and we have five races to go," McLaren principal Martin Whitmarsh told reporters in the Suzuka paddock on Sunday.

"Red Bull were on form here and at the moment Ferrari are under some pressure from us and Red Bull," added the Briton, who had Jenson Button fourth and future Mercedes driver Hamilton fifth on Sunday.

Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo expected his team to hold their nerve.

"We know we can count on the strongest driver around at the moment and it's only mistakes from others at Spa and again at Suzuka that have prevented him from having a more comfortable lead over his rivals," he said of Alonso on the team website (www.ferrari.com).

"But for those two collisions, today Fernando would have had at least 30 points more and that's a conservative estimate. In sport, as in life, the wheel turns and we must not forget that."

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'I don't think I have plenty of cricket left in me'

Sachin Tendulkar: "I am looking at it series by series.

 As long as I feel that I can deliver, I will continue playing." 

Sachin Tendulkar has said that he will reassess his cricketing future in November, when he plays the home Tests against England. Tendulkar, who has previously been non-committal on questions about his retirement, also said any decision about ending a 23-year career will depend on both his form and his motivation levels.

"I need not take a call right now. When I play in November, I will re-assess things," Tendulkar was quoted as saying in Times of India.

"I am 39 and I don't think I have plenty of cricket left in me. But it depends on my frame of mind and my physical ability to deliver. When I feel that I am not delivering what is needed, and then I will re-look at the scheme of things. I am already 39 and no one expects me to go on playing forever."

In his latest series, the home Tests against New Zealand, he was bowled in each of his three innings for low scores. Sunil Gavaskar was among those concerned by Tendulkar's poor form. "The gap between the pad and the bat is a worrying sign," Gavaskar had said. "This is never a good sign for a great batsman."

Tendulkar, however, felt that it was natural for the questions to be asked. "There are two different things - scoring runs and what I feel. For instance, if this three-wicket ordeal had happened when I was 25, no one would have questioned it. Incidentally, it happened when I am 39, so questions were raised. This is natural."

Tendulkar has played 190 Tests and he said he is not chasing any particular mark. India play England in a four-Test series starting November followed by another four-Test series against Australia early next year.

"I am looking at it series by series. As long as I feel that I can deliver, I will continue playing. It also depends on what the team feels and whether I am motivated enough to continue being on top of the game."

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Ryder Cup: Europe stuns USA with a sensational comeback to win the title

Medinah (Illinois): Europe won the Ryder Cup to complete one of the greatest comebacks in golf to defeat United States on Sunday.

The visitors were in hunt for the eight points that would have helped them to retain the trophy and began well winning the six of the first eight clashes.

Martin Kaymer stood over a 6-foot par putt on the 18th hole to clinch the title.

"It will go down in the history books of the Ryder Cup," said European captain Jose Maria Olazabal.

Already parallels have been drawn with the American comeback at Brookline in 1999 and some are suggesting this win to be even better.

Europe looked certain to lose the trophy until Justin Rose and Sergio Garcia lead the turnaround filling the scoreboard with European blue.

"What you did out there today was outstanding," Olazabal was quoted as saying to his team in media reports. "You believed and you delivered. And I`m very proud that you have kept Europe`s hands on this Ryder Cup. All men die, but not all men live. And you made me feel alive again this week."

The Americans were simply stunned.

Three times they came to the 17th hole with a chance to win a match, only for Europe to deliver the key shots that win the Ryder Cup. Ian Poulter won the last two holes, and so did Rose, a birdie-birdie finish to beat Phil Mickelson. Garcia won the last two holes with pars to beat Jim Furyk.

Furyk had beaten Garcia at Brookline in a pivotal match.

If Kaymer had missed the putt and halved his match with Steve Stricker, the Americans would have been one point away from winning — with Tiger Woods in the fairway and 1 up over Francesco Molinari.

Woods wound up missing a 3½-foot par putt and conceded a par to the Italian from the same distance to halve their match. That extra half-point made it a clear-cut win for Europe, 14½-13½. Woods and Stricker, the anchors in the lineup, didn`t win a single match at Medinah.

Love became the first US captain to sit every player at least once before Sunday, wanting them to be fresh for the decisive day. Instead, the Americans faltered at the end — especially Furyk and Stricker, two of his captain`s picks.

The only US points came from Dustin Johnson, who went 3-0 in this Ryder Cup, Zach Johnson and unheralded Jason Dufner.

Agencies 

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India begin Super Eight campaign today against Australia in the Group of Death

Michael Hussey couldn’t have put it more aptly when he said that his side’s clash against India would be deemed as a mini grand final considering the formidable line-ups and the pressure involved. Australia has looked one of the most convincing teams in the World Cup thus far, and their Indian counterparts aren’t far behind either. This Super Eight group involving India, Australia, South Africa and Pakistan has been termed as ‘Group of Death’ for obvious reasons, and to draw first blood would provide huge impetus as the tournament progresses.

India

Strengths

India’s ruthless performance against England would have done their confidence a world of good. To dismiss the defending champions to a paltry total of 80, despite fielding a second-strength bowling attack, is a huge morale booster. Moreover, the fact that the Indians haven’t lost more than five wickets since the last many T20 games speaks volumes of the strength the line-up possesses. But the probability of Virender Sehwag making way for a fifth bowler in the form of off-spinner Harbhajan Singh could prove to be a gamble. Nevertheless, it’s a move that could also pay rich dividends.

Virat Kohli’s stupendous form with the bat is another plus for India. Not only has he been India’s Most Valuable Player  since the last few seasons, he’s carried the Indian batting on his shoulders whenever need be. Also, he’s a livewire on the field and can certainly lift the side’s spirits up when the going gets a little sombre.

Weakness

The Indian bowlers have copped severe criticism since the last few years, yet, bowling continues to be an area of vulnerability. The likes of Irfan Pathan and Lakshmipathy Balaji haven’t come out all guns blazing yet. A the dip In Zaheer Khan’s form implies that the batsmen must add a few more than usual to the scoreboard to compensate for the bowling weaknesses.

Ravichandran Ashwin has been India’s most productive bowler in the overs-limit format of the game, and the fact that Harbhajan Singh too is beginning to find his foothold augurs well for the team.

Australia

Strengths

The duo of David Warner and Shane Watson can dent the confidence of an opposition with their swashbuckling style of play early on in the innings, and there is little doubt that the Australians will be looking at the two to get the side off to a flyer. Watson’s heroics with both the bat and ball during the league stages will hold him in good stead, and he’ll be hoping to carry the momentum throughout the Super Eights where tougher opponents could present a roadblock. Also, Michael Hussey’s experience and the stability he adds to the side cannot be counted out.

Mitchell Starc has been impressive in the bowling department, and his economy rate and average provide ample evidence of that. Moreover, all eyes will be on him, since it’d be interesting to see how the Indians react to his open threat of “chin music”.

Weakness

Although formidable, the Australian middle-order hasn’t been tested much in Sri Lankan conditions. They’re also devoid of a player like Andrew Symonds who can instantly instil fear in the opposition. Moreover, their proficiency against spin is an unknown quantity. There’s little doubt that India will unleash its spin artillery against them, and the middle-order could eventually have a big role to play in the outcome of the match. Can they fight it out?

Previous encounters

The two teams have played six T20 Internationals thus far, winning three each. The last encounter between these two sides was seven months ago at Melbourne, as India romped home with eight wickets to spare. The margin of difference has been significant during five of the six games played. The other occasion was during the 2007 T20 World Cup, a match that India went on to win by just 15 runs.

India will have a psychological edge owing to the fact that they managed to oust Australia during the 2007 T20 World Cup as well as the one that was held last year. On both occasions, India went on to win the coveted titles, and they’ll be hoping to replicate the scenario this time around as well.

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