Cerundolo upsets two-time champ Zverev in Madrid Open

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Madrid, April 30 (IANS) Francisco Cerundolo recorded an upset 7-5, 6-3 win over two-time champion Alexander Zverev at Madrid Open. The Argentine ended German’s seven-match winning streak, which dated back to the start of his Munich title run.

In a rematch of their fourth-round encounter from one year ago, Cerundolo, who also beat Zverev this season in Buenos Aires, saved the only break point he faced, according to ATP Stats.

“I’m super happy because I know he loves playing here. He told me last year when I beat him. He’s an incredible player. I have a great relationship with him, so super happy to get another win and to be in the quarter-finals again,” Cerundolo said.

With the win, Cerundolo joined Arthur Fils as the only players to reach three ATP Masters 1000 quarterfinals this season. He also leads the ATP Tour with seven quarter-finals and 15 clay-court wins on the 2025 season, ATP reports.

While Cerundolo is through to his seventh career Masters 1000 quarter-final, Zverev was denied his 100th quarter-final appearance at that prestigious level.

Meanwhile, Ninth seed Daniil Medvedev avoided an upset of his own to match his career-best Madrid result. The 29-year-old advanced to the last eight by rallying past 31st-seeded American Brandon Nakashima 3-6, 6-1, 6-4, closing the one-hour, 49-minute encounter on his fifth match point.

“I feel like for both of us, because we both made a lot of unforced errors. I got pretty angry at the end of the first set because I couldn’t control what I was doing on the court, but I felt like I’m not far from winning games and then winning the match, so I knew that I just had to stay tougher, play just a tiny bit better and I managed to do it,” Medvedev said.

Medvedev will next face third seed 14th seed Casper Ruud. Should Medvedev win, he will become the fifth man to complete the set of semi-finals at all active ATP Masters 1000 events, alongside Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray.

Ruud defeated Taylor Fritz 7-5, 6-4 to reach his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final since Monte-Carlo last year and 13th overall.

–IANS

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Nagesh Trophy: Gujarat, Maharashtra dominate action on Day 3

Hyderabad, Dec 25 (IANS) Gujarat and Maharashtra secured big wins on Day 3 of the ongoing 7th edition of the Men’s National T20 Cricket Tournament for the Blind 2024-25, popularly known as the Nagesh Trophy, here on Wednesday.

The Group D league matches of the 7th edition of Nagesh Trophy commenced here on Tuesday with a total of five teams competing for glory in this leg of the prestigious tournament.

In the first match of the day at JB Cricket Ground, Uttarakhand faced Maharashtra. The match was reduced to 10 overs due to rain. Maharashtra won the toss and elected to bat. Maharashtra lost wickets at regular intervals and were bowled out for 74 runs in 10 overs. Uttarakhand lost their important players early as they managed to score only 72/5 in 10 overs and failed to win the match. Maharashtra won the match by two runs. Shobhit Dhyani of Uttarakhand was named Player of the Match for his stellar performance. He picked up five wickets giving away just six runs in two overs.

In the second match, Gujarat faced Jammu & Kashmir. Jammu & Kashmir won the toss and elected to field first. Batting first, Gujarat set a competitive target of 133 in 10 overs without any loss of wickets. Jammu & Kashmir managed to only score 49/3 in 10 overs failing to chase the target. Dinesh Rathva was named Player of the Match for an outstanding knock of 70 runs off 32 balls.

Both the matches were reduced to 10 overs due to rain.

This year’s league matches are being held across six venues and will culminate in the Super 8 stage in February 2025. A total of 28 teams, including those representing states, union territories, and Indian Railways, are competing for honours in the championships.

–IANS

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IPL 2025: Length is the key focus for me across formats, says DC’s Kuldeep Yadav

Chennai, April 4 (IANS) Ahead of Delhi Capitals taking on five-time IPL champions Chennai Super Kings at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav stated that his key focus on excelling in the tournament has been about getting his lengths right.

While CSK are coming on the back of two consecutive defeats, DC are arriving without losing any game in the tournament. “In all the formats, I am especially focusing on the length. Length is very important, and it’s been like my fourth year with DC, so nothing changes. You get mature after playing so many games and understand what your strength is, and obviously spinning the ball is my strength.

“So, I am just keeping it very simple by focusing on the length and we have been talking about that. I talk about this a lot in all the interviews I have done. So, the length is the key for me,” said Kuldeep in the pre-match press conference on Friday.

The match will also be interesting from a left-arm wrist-spinner face-off perspective, as CSK have one in Afghanistan’s Noor Ahmad, who’s been their standout spinner so far. Kuldeep revealed Noor has been known to him personally and he had chats with him about the art of left-arm wrist-spin bowling.

“He is bowling really well and I know him personally. He is someone who is trying to learn from everyone. We had a chat last night as well. I was sitting with him and we had a chat about how to go about the leg spin. Obviously, he has a lovely wrong’un and with that kind of a pace, it’s very difficult for a batter to pick and especially when you play in Chennai, it’s always very difficult to score against any wrist-spinner.

“I believe wrist spin, whether you bowl right or left arm, you have to adapt and learn the skill of spinning the ball and that’s what I have done over the years. Even now, I just look at how I can improve and become a better spinner, especially when my target is to play with the red ball as well.

“So, you have to develop that skill as well to spin the ball – like the normal deliveries like the chinaman, the normal leg spin. When you play T20 format, it’s totally different because you have to contain the runs as well. But at the same time, you have to pick wickets in the middle,” he elaborated.

The match-up of Kuldeep and captain Axar Patel against CSK’s misfiring top order will be a decisive contest in deciding the game’s outcome. But the spinner himself admitted there hasn’t been much special preparation to outclass the likes of Rachin Ravindra, Rahul Tripathi and Ruturaj Gaikwad, apart from CSK’s designated spin hitter in Shivam Dube.

“Not really, to be honest. They are all quality players and when you play in T20 format, they have to take on the ball. So, obviously, you have seen in a lot of games and my plan is very simple to get them out – as simple as that.

“You have to stay relevant in every game and you have to practice each and every day in order to just keep working on reading the batters, like what they are doing, especially on game day and that’s what I’m doing. I’m just trying to read the batter, what they are doing and sticking with my strength, as it means that I will be keeping things very simple.”

Kuldeep signed off by saying he doesn’t put much thoughts into sequencing his deliveries in T20s, something that is the complete opposite of what fellow wrist-spinner Varun Chakaravarthy does. “Varun has been brilliant for the last one year. Obviously, he has been doing very well for KKR over the years.

“He has played some really good cricket coming up to this moment. Regarding me, I am very flexible. I don’t have any sequence like how to go about. Just read the batter, what he thinks of me and what is the best delivery to bowl to any batter. I don’t have any sequence like 1, 2, 3 – I don’t have it.”

–IANS

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Nico stars for Spain; Germany, Denmark, Croatia win in Nations League

Madrid, March 21 (IANS) Nico Williams helped Spain to a 2-2 draw away to the Netherlands in a thrilling UEFA Nations League quarterfinal first leg match the athletic Bilbao forward opened the scoring for his side and then had a big role in a late equaliser

Spain took the lead in the ninth minute when high pressure saw Jorrel Hato robbed high up the pitch by Lamine Yamal, who connected with Pedri. The Barcelona midfielder slid the ball in for Williams to turn and beat goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen from around six meters out.

Cody Gakpo levelled for the Netherlands in the 28th minute after the ball came to him on the left of the Spain penalty area, reports Xinhua.

Spain lost defender Pau Cubarsi to injury after 40 minutes, with 19-year-old Dean Huijsen, who was born in Amsterdam but brought up in Spain, making his debut.

The Netherlands almost took the lead when Tijjani Reijnders’ volley brushed the top of the crossbar.

Less than a minute into the second half, the Netherlands took the lead after the impressive Jeremie Frimpong left Marc Cucurella for pace and pulled the ball back for the unmarked Reijnders to place his shot beyond the reach of goalkeeper Unai Simon.

De la Fuente brought Dani Olmo, Ayoze Perez and Mikel Oyarzabal on for Yamal, Pedri and Alvaro Morata, and they gave Spain more stability, although Perez saw a yellow card which means he is suspended for Sunday’s return leg in Valencia.

Hato’s late challenge on Robin Le Normand left the Netherlands to defend the last 10 minutes with a player less, and Spain leveled in the 93rd minute after more magic from Williams, who cut inside and produced a shot that Verbruggen could only parry to the feet of Mikel Merino.

Elsewhere, Germany fought back from a goal down to claim a valuable 2-1 win away to Italy.

Sandro Tonali fired Italy ahead after nine minutes after the Germany defense failed to clear a ball from the right. The Newcastle midfielder ran in and powered home with his right foot.

Despite Germany dominating ball possession, it was Italy that created genuine chances when Tonali’s scorcher tested goalkeeper Oliver Baumann in the 30th minute, moments before Moise Kean sprung the offside trap but only saw his attempt denied by Baumann again.

The visitors got back on level terms straight after the break when Joshua Kimmich assisted unmarked substitute Tim Kleindienst for a header.

Kimmich was the provider again for Leon Goretzka to put Germany ahead in the 76th minute.

Croatia won 2-0 at home to France, despite Andrej Kramaric seeing an eighth-minute penalty saved by Mike Maignan, before Ante Budimir put the home side ahead after 26 minutes with a close-range header following Ivan Perisic’s cross.

Perisic doubled Croatia’s lead with a right-foot shot on the stroke of halftime.

Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund scored a 78th-minute winner as Denmark took a narrow but deserved 1-0 win at home to Portugal. The Danes managed 23 shots in the game, with nine on target and saw Christian Eriksen miss a first-half penalty, while Portugal only worked home goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel twice in the game.