Bits and Pieces
BB Shaheed International Tennis starts
KARACHI: On the opening day of Second Benazir Bhutto Shaheed International Tennis Championships, a total of 24 matches were played in the men’s singles qualifying draw of 64 at Islamabad Tennis Complex in Islamabad.Senators Taj Haider and Mushahid Hussain and Tournament Director Kamran Khalil were present at the opening ceremony. This is the second edition of BB Shaheed International Tournament, which has attracted foreign players from Iran and Saudi Arabia. It carries prize money of Rs600,000. More than 200 players will be seen in action in seven events: men’s singles, men’s doubles, Junior U18, boys U14, boys U10, ladies singles and Senior 45 Plus.
PNF names squad for Asian Men’s Netball Championship
KARACHI: Pakistan Netball Federation (PNF) on Sunday announced the squad for Asian Men’s Netball Championship 2016, which will be held in Kuala Lumpur from December 9 to 11.
Mohammad Akhtar has been named to lead the team during the tournament. India, Hong Kong, Brunei and Singapore will also be seen in action during the championship.
Pakistan will open their campaign with a match against Singapore on December 9. Later on the same day, they will face Hong Kong.
On December 10, Pakistan will face Brunei, followed by a match against traditional rival India and then hosts Malaysia.
On the last day on December 11, third position match will be followed by the summit clash.
Squad: Muhammad Akhtar (captain), Muhammad Zohair, Samad Masood, Umair Hassan, Ejaz ul Haque, Amir Rasheed, Fasial ur Rehman, Zahid Iqbal, Abdul Haq, Usman Bashir, Khurshid Ahmed, Ali Raza, Zahid Sultan (standby).
Officials: Anwar Ahmed Ansari (coach), Yasir Javed (assistant coach and physical trainer), Muhammad Riaz (manager).
Conte hails reformed match-winner Costa
MANCHESTER: Chelsea manager Antonio Conte lauded Diego Costa after the striker made a decisive contribution — and kept his cool — in the Premier League leaders’ tempestuous 3-1 win at Manchester City.
Costa cancelled out Gary Cahill’s own goal opener and set up Willian for Chelsea’s second goal as Conte’s men came from behind on Saturday to record an eighth successive victory.
The combative Spain international even acted as a peacemaker during an injury-time melee in which City pair Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho were sent off, belying his reputation as a firebrand.
“Diego is showing he is using his passion in the right way and I’m very happy about that,” said Conte, whose team put four points between themselves and Pep Guardiola’s City.
Costa has frequently fallen foul of England’s football authorities since joining Chelsea from Atletico Madrid in 2014.
His form slumped last season as Chelsea’s title defence disintegrated, but he is the Premier League’s joint-top scorer with 11 goals and believes he has benefited from keeping his head.“I want to be on the pitch and I want to be cool,” Costa said.
Ground-breaking US diver Lee dies at 96
LOS ANGELES, California: Legendary diver Sammy Lee, the first Asian American to win Olympic gold for the United States, has died of complications from pneumonia at the age of 96.
Lee’s son, Sammy Lee II, said Saturday that his father died peacefully in a Southern California hospital.
Born in Fresno to Korean immigrant parents, Lee won Olympic gold for the United States in London in 1948 and successfully defended his 10-meter diving Olympic championship in Helsinki in 1952.
He was the first male diver to repeat as Olympic champion.
He later coached some of the United States’ best Olympic divers, including Greg Louganis, Bob Webster and Pat McCormick.
In addition to his involvement in the sport, Lee served in the US Army for 13 years, retiring with the rank of major.
He earned his medical degree from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles and served for a time on the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports.
He was appointed US Presidential Representative to the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, 1972 Munich Olympics and 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Lapadula saves Milan blushes with Crotone winner
MILAN: Gianluca Lapadula struck a late winner as AC Milan maintained their early season challenge to champions Juventus with a 2-1 defeat of defiant Crotone on Sunday.
Milan looked to be heading for a share of the spoils against the Serie A newcomers, who had garnered just one win and three draws from their previous 14 games, after Mario Pasalic’s 41st minute strike levelled Diego Falcinelli’s 26th minute opener for the visitors.
Vincenzo Montella’s men dug in during the final, frantic minutes and were rewarded at a corner.A poor clearance saw the ball fall to Lapadula, who turned to beat Alex Cordaz down low to secure the points four minutes from the end.
Kareem, Asad enter senior tennis events’ finals
KARACHI: Kareem Gul cruised into the final of men’s 55-plus singles event, while Asad Ali Bhagat made it to the climax of men’s singles 35-plus in the inaugural Karachi Gymkhana Toyota Pakistan ITF Seniors Tennis Championship here at Karachi Gymkhana on Sunday. Kareem Gul overpowered Humayun Ayub in the pre-final clash and recorded a 6-2, 6-2 victory.Asad Ali Bhagat also pulled off a straight-set triumph, in the semifinal clash, beating Ali Bhagat by 6-3, 6-1.
Israr, Asim out of London Open
By our correspondent
KARACHI: Israr Ahmed and Asim Khan lost in the quarter-finals of the $10,000 London Open at Cumberland Lawn Tennis Club, London, the other day. Eighth seed Israr was beaten by third seed Tom Ford of England 5-11, 9-11, 5-11 in just 33 minutes and seventh seed Asim lost to Mohd Syafiq Kamal of Malaysia 8-11, 5-11, 9-11 in 40 minutes.