Juana Rosario Arrendel of the Dominican Republic, winner of the women's high jump at the Pan American Games, holds up her countries flag after winning the gold medal with a leap of 6 feet, 4 inches, Wednesday, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. — AP/PTI

Hussain unlikely for third Test MANCHESTER, Aug 4 — England will make a late decision on whether captain Nasser Hussain can lead the side in the third Test against New Zealand starting at Old Trafford tomorrow. Hussain, who fractured his right middle finger during the nine-wicket second Test defeat at Lord’s 10 days ago, picked up a bat for the first time since the injury during a tentative practice yesterday. Henman, Ivanisevic upset at Canadian Open MONTREAL, Aug 4 — Fourth seed Tim Henman made an early exit at the $ 2.45-million Canadian Open while number 13 Goran Ivanisevic lost and then lamented a lack of form which has plagued his game all year.

Injured Graf retires; Hingis advances
CARLSBAD (USA), Aug 4 — Four-time champion Steffi Graf was forced to make an early exit from the Tig Classic when she suffered a strained left hamstring during her second-round match with Amy Frazier

USA beat S. Arabia to take 3rd spot
GUADALAJARA (Mexico), Aug 4 — The USA bounced back from Sunday’s heart-breaking semifinal golden goal defeat to Mexico to clinch third place in the Confederations Cup soccer tournament with a 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia.

Baskaran exudes confidence
NEW DELHI, Aug 4 — The Indian hockey squad for the five Test series against South Africa will commence their conditioning camp here from August 6 before their departure on August 12 from Mumbai.

Baboor moves into 2nd round
NEW DELHI, Aug 4 — India’s national champion Chetan Baboor fought a five-game thriller against British qualifier Terry Young to reach the men’s singles second round at the 45th World Table Tennis Championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands today.

PM’s assurance to LDCA
NEW DELHI, Aug 4 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, has assured the Ludhiana District Cricket Association, sports lovers and young cricketers of the city that the Government would undertake all necessary steps to repair any damage caused to the ground or the pitch following the proposed rally there on Saturday.

De Silva’s behaviour criticised
COLOMBO, Aug 4 — Photo Journalists Association of Sri Lanka yesterday condemned veteran batsman Aravinda de Sliva for his alleged attempt to assault a photographer when the latter was taking pictures of the team training under new coach Dave Whatmore.

Ashutosh, Gurmehar crash out
CHENNAI, Aug 4 — Third seed Alok Bhide of Maharashtra rallied brilliantly from a set down to quell the challenge of Karnataka’s Siddharth Sudhakar in boys’ singles pre-quarterfinals at the National Junior Hard Court Tennis Championship (U-18) here today.

Johnson appeals for reinstatement
MONTE CARLO, Aug 4 — Disgraced sprinter Ben Johnson met with officials from athletics’ world governing body yesterday in a last-ditch bid for reinstatement before his fate is decided at the end of the month.

Indian wrestlers leave for Poland
NEW DELHI, Aug 4 — The Indian sub-junior wrestling team, including 10 women grapplers, left for Poland last night for the August 4 to 7 world championships.

Aid recommended for Parduman
CHANDIGARH, Aug 4 — The Union Commerce Minister, Mr R K Hegde, has in a letter to Ms Uma Bharti, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, recommended financial assistance and life pension to Parduman Singh, a veteran athlete.

Chinese paddlers mean business

EINDHOVEN (Netherlands) Aug 4 (AFP) — China’s men and women laid down the gauntlet to Europe here today with their top men and women showing that they are keen to mark the 50th jubilee of the Communist revolution this year by clinching both singles titles in the 45th World Table Tennis Championships.

The principle obstacle to success in the women’s event comes from Chinese-born exiles in Europe, but the men have all too often played second fiddle to European-born players in the last decade with only one success in the singles during the 1990s.

However, the Chinese men are convinced the long march to success is nearly over and both their top contenders made strong starts in the men’s tournament that started here today.

Former world champion Kong Linghui and second seed Lui Guoliang made short shrift of their first round opponents.

Liu saw off Norwegian qualifier Raymond Gonzales with a straight games 21-13, 21-9, 21-17 scoreline.

Apart from a brief lapse in concentration in the third game — at one point Liu trailed 14-9 — Liu looked at the top of his game. He faces Sweden’s Thomas Van Scheele later today in the second round.

Kong, champion in 1995, looked like a man with a mission as he brushed aside Hungarian qualifier Zoltan Varga 21-15, 21-10, 21-11 to set up a second round clash with South Korean Park Sang Joon.

Varga tried to make the running with an aggressive style but 23-year-old Kong — a men’s doubles gold medallist at the Atlanta Olympics — picked him off at will with well-chosen counter-attacks.

Five members of the Chinese team joined the Communist Party just before the tournament and there is a new sense of pride in the men’s game with the team’s coach Cai Zhenhua vowing to bring the title back to its spiritual home.

Apart from Kong’s solitary success in 1995 European-born players have dominated the men’s singles in recent years with three previous winners — Swedish Pair Jan Ove Waldner and Jorgen Persson and France’s Jean-Philippe Gatien in the field.

Reigning world champion Waldner served notice that he will not relinquish his crown without a fight with a straight sets triumph over qualifier Chang Yuan Su from Taipei. Waldner prevailed 2-10, 21-19, 21-14 and next faces Russian Sergei Andrianov.

Gatien, seeded 10 this year, overcame Israeli qualifier Shimon Rabinovich.

However, another European hope Vladimir Samsonov — the top seed - was far less impressive against another Hungarian qualifier Ferenc Pazsy, limping through 21-14, 19-21, 23-21, 21-13. Samsonov, from Belarus, faces Frenchman Nicolas Chatelain in his second round match later today.

Heavy fine on Akram recommended: report

ISLAMABAD, Aug 4 (PTI) — Pakistan’s accountability bureau that inquired into betting and match-fixing charges against leading cricketers, has reportedly recommended a heavy fine on suspended skipper Wasim Akram, while urging that he be cleared to represent the country for the coming season.

The English daily The News reported this yesterday quoting sources, which also said the bureau had submitted a “balanced report” to President Mohammad Rafiq Tarar on Monday to protect Pakistan’s image and ensure the match-fixing issue was closed for good.

A final outcome on the probe is expected only after the one-man judicial commission headed by Lahore High Court judge Malik Mohammad Qayyum submits its report later this month.

Akram and two other leading players, Salim Malik and Ijaz Ahmed, have been suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) ad hoc committee chairman, Mujeebur Rehman, who has said the trio will not be considered for selection to the national team till they clear their names of the charges.

The Ehtesab (accountability) Bureau had questioned the three on the basis of a PCB probe committee’s interim report submitted in August last year. (AFP has quoted officials as saying that a decision has not been taken whether to make the EB findings public).

The Ehtesab Bureau chief told the paper that “there was a lot of evidence made available to the EB, but now the matter is with the President, Lahore High Court and PCB”.

Saifur Rehman said “only three cricketers, Akram, Malik and Ijaz were probed by the bureau officials,” and maintained that “we have not frozen their (players’) accounts and nobody was put on the exit control list (to prevent players from leaving the country)”.

He said the bureau had not interrogated any cricketer other than the three suspended players.

Meanwhile, Akram has warned that the entire Pakistan team might revolt if players continued to receive “the same treatment” from the authorities.

Hussain unlikely for third Test

MANCHESTER, Aug 4 (AFP) — England will make a late decision on whether captain Nasser Hussain can lead the side in the third Test against New Zealand starting at Old Trafford tomorrow.

Hussain, who fractured his right middle finger during the nine-wicket second Test defeat at Lord’s 10 days ago, picked up a bat for the first time since the injury during a tentative practice yesterday.

But his clear discomfort means England are resigned to losing both their captain and most in-form batsman. If Hussain doesn’t make it, Mark Butcher will skipper the side against the upbeat Kiwis.

“He hasn’t ruled himself out of selection just yet, but if I’m honest I wouldn’t put him at any more than 50-50 at present,” said physio Wayne Morton.

“He wants to do himself and the team justice if he plays and the great concern is that he does not do himself any more harm.”

Yet while Hussain faces the possibility of a frustrating spell on the sidelines watching Butcher lead England out, long-term colleague Michael Atherton is relishing a return to the Test arena with the enthusiasm of a youngster making his debut.

Recalled in a desperate attempt to stiffen a batting order described as “haemorrhaging” by manager David Graveney, the discipline and stubborn refusal to sell his wicket short is exactly what England require if they are to wrest control of the series away from New Zealand.

“Test match cricket is five days long, it’s a long game, and if you bat first you should be looking to bat for two days as a team and that takes a lot of effort,” said Atherton, when asked about his approach to international cricket.

“Mental preparation is the key, to try and be determined to bat and to bat for a long time. You can still go out and play with an aggressive intent, but you still want to put a high price on your wicket.

“You often find in Test cricket that, as a batsman, you go through really tough periods where either they are bowling really well or your team may have lost a couple of wickets.

Teams — England (from): Nasser Hussain, Mark Butcher, Mike Atherton, Alec Stewart, Graham Thorpe, Mark Ramprakash, Graeme Hick, Chris Read, Andy Caddick, Alan Mullally, Peter Such, Chris Silverwood, Dean Headley, Phil Tufnell

New Zealand (probable): Matthew Horne, Matthew Bell, Craig McMillan, Nathan Astle, Stephen Fleming, Roger Twose, Adam Parore, Chris Cairns, Dion Nash, Daniel Vettori, Geoff Allott.

Henman, Ivanisevic upset at Canadian Open

MONTREAL, Aug 4 (DPA) — Fourth seed Tim Henman made an early exit at the $ 2.45-million Canadian Open while number 13 Goran Ivanisevic lost and then lamented a lack of form which has plagued his game all year.

Henman left it a bit too long to stage a comeback against court-smart former world number 1 Jim Courier, going out in a 6-1, 6-7 (3-7), 6-4 decision against the 46th-ranked American veteran yesterday.

Ivanisevic tarnished a perfect 6-0 record against Zimbabwe’s Byron Black, bowing out listlessly 6-4, 6-4 in the first round.

“Something has not been right with my game for eight months,” complained the Croat, a three-time Wimbledon finalist and possibly the best player never to have won a Grand Slam.

“I don’t know what I’m doing, I have no ideas on court. I look so bad. I haven’t done anything for eight months.”

The malaise for the Croat star shows on his ATP Tour ranking, which now stands 28th and includes a 13-16 mark for 1999.

Ivanisevic has not gotten past a tournament quarterfinal in 15 events so far this year.

“He was not doing anything, but my game was not having any effect,” said Ivanisevic of Black, whose doubles team beat one featuring the Croatian in Sunday’s final in Los Angeles.

Black, ranked 58th, said that winning the doubles gave him singles confidence. He also played a strategy game with Ivanisevic after both had to travel from the American west coast, a five-hour flight.

“I only arrived a 2 a.m. this morning,” said Black, the cornerstone of his African nation’s Davis Cup team. “But I slept Sunday night in LA. I know Goran chose to fly all through Sunday night.

“I also knew his serve from doubles and a lot of times I was guessing right today.”

Henman levelled his match against Courier after the American rampaged through the opening set in quick time. But in the third, a break by Courier in the final game spelled the end of Henman’s hopes.

It was the world number 5 player’s second consecutive opening-round loss on North American hard court.

“I was disappointed losing last week in LA, I had wanted a good start to the hardcourt season,” said Wimbledon semifinalist Henman.

“Suddenly I lose and I’ve only played one match in a month (since Wimbledon).

“There are never any easy ones here. Courier is always tough and his win on Monday gave him confidence, it helped him, he had a match under his belt.

“I had a poor start and began to recover but couldn’t finish.

“There is no magic secret, I’ve got to hit a lot of balls. I don’t like losing at the best of times. I need to keep training.”

The match between the Anglo-American pair was the third in a recent series, with both of the previous going to five-sets.

Former world number 1 Courier helped the USA to a Davis Cup first-round win in Birmingham in April, while Henman produced a fourth-round Wimbledon victory over the 46th-ranked American.

The two matches totalled more than eight hours on court.

Tournament officials were apparently trying to save the best for as long as possible, scheduling top seed and holder Pat Rafter, number 2 Andre Agassi and third seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov for Wednesday opening matches after byes.

Agassi, losing finalist at the weekend against newly re-crowned world number 1 Pete Sampras, gave a taste his draw power, packing out the stands of a side court for a Tuesday training session.

The popular American plays against compatriot and fellow veteran Richey Reneberg.

Rafter starts with American Alex O’Brien, who booked a spot over Italy’s Gianluca Pozzi 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 on Tuesday. Kafelnikov faces Canadian Daniel Nestor.

In first-round results, 17th seed Wayne Ferreira, seeded when Australian Lleyton Hewitt pulled out with an ankle sprain, outlasted Aussie Mark Woodforde 6-3, 5-7, 7-6 (8-6).

Jan-Michael Gambill of the USA, embarrassed inexperienced Canadian Jocelyn Robichaud, 682 in the world, with a 6-0, 6-0 thrashing.

Frenchman Guillaume Raoux beat Magnus Larsson 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-1), bringing the number of Swedish victims to three in two days on the cement.

Max Miryni of Belarus ousted Wayne Black of Zimbabwe 7-5, 7-5, while Australian wild man Andrew Ilie defeated Czech Martin Damm 6-4, 7-6 (8-6).

Injured Graf retires; Hingis advances

CARLSBAD (USA), Aug 4 (Reuters) — Four-time champion Steffi Graf was forced to make an early exit from the Tig Classic when she suffered a strained left hamstring during her second-round match with Amy Frazier.

Frazier, a semifinalist last week in Los Angeles, advanced 4-6 7-5 2-1 when the third-seeded Graf retired yesterday during the fourth game of the third set. But the 26th-ranked American had no illusions about the likely outcome had Graf stayed healthy.

“I don’t really consider it a win,’’ said Frazier, who had taken just one set in six previous encounters with the former world number one.

“It was 2-1 in the third, she probably would’ve won. I didn’t win, and to say that I beat her isn’t really correct. I’m just happy with the way I played,” Frazier said.

Graf nearly escaped unscathed but suffered the injury at match point in the second set.

“It happened at 5-4 on set point,” Graf said.

“It felt like a little pull and then I had trouble going up for my serve. Being so close at match point makes it difficult. But it happens and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

After Frazier broke to go ahead 6-5, Graf had her left hamstring taped by the WTA trainer. It apparently did not help as Frazier held serve to force a third set.

At 30-30 in the fourth game, Graf told the chair umpire she was unable to continue. “It was a very easy decision to make because it was hurtful,” she told reporters.

Another former champion had a better night as second seed Martina Hingis outlasted American Chanda Rubin 7-5 6-3 in her first match since her shocking first-round loss at Wimbledon.

Hingis looked a bit rusty after a five-week layoff but was pleased with her result.

“Maybe it wasn’t the best match but I won at the end, and that’s the best strategy,’’ said the 1997 champion. “It doesn’t matter what you do as long as you win the last point.”

With the US Open less than a month away, Hingis hopes this tournament can provide a stepping stone back to her winning form.

Confederations Cup

USA beat S. Arabia to take 3rd spot

GUADALAJARA (Mexico), Aug 4 (Reuters) — The USA bounced back from Sunday’s heart-breaking semifinal golden goal defeat to Mexico to clinch third place in the Confederations Cup soccer tournament with a 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia.

Paul Bravo scored the first goal for the USA in the 27th minute yesterday by squeezing the ball past the near post after Saudi defender Mohsin Harthi inadvertently deflected a cross from Gregg Berhalter.

The USA were reduced to 10 men in the second half after Paraguayan referee Ubaldo Aquino sent off midfielder Matt McKeon for a second yellow card.

But Saudi Arabia were unable to break down the disciplined American defence to create any opportunities for goalscoring sensation Marzouk al Otaibi.

An unmarked Brian McBride clinched victory in the 78th minute with his second goal of the tournament when he headed in a long cross from Eddie Lewis.

Playing their fifth game in 10 days, Saudi Arabia’s roller-coaster tournament contained a final twist when Aquino awarded a first-half goal by Abdullah Bin Shehan before consulting with his linesman and reversing the decision for an adjudged handball by Bin Shehan who received a yellow card.

With six goals, Saudi striker Otaibi remains the 12-day tournament’s joint top scorer with Brazilian Ronaldo Assis.

Assis gets a chance to take sole possession of the scoring lead in today’s final in Mexico City’s Aztec Stadium between the host nation and defending champions Brazil.

Repeating its third-place showing in the 1992 four-nation Confederations Cup, American coach Bruce Arena’s squad completed a highly successful tournament with a surprise group victory over Germany and a narrow defeat to recently crowned Copa America champions Brazil.

Baskaran exudes confidence

NEW DELHI, Aug 4 (UNI) — The Indian hockey squad for the five Test series against South Africa will commence their conditioning camp here from August 6 before their departure on August 12 from Mumbai.

Chief national coach Vasudevan Baskaran, who has taken over the for the fourth time, was optimistic of squad’s performance in South Africa and felt that there was sufficient bench strength in the attack line despite star forward Baljit Singh Dhillon being forced to pull out due to a ligament injury.

Dhillon suffered the injury two minutes prior to the finish of the final trial match at the camp held last month at Amritsar. The selectors, in the meanwhile had already included the Punjab Police striker in the team.

The Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) has replaced Dhillon with winger Harbhajan Singh.

This will be India’s second hockey tour to South Africa. The first visit was in 1993, where incidentally, Dhillon had made his debut for the country.

Baskaran, who last coached India for the Utrecht World Cup in 1998, was of the view that South Africa had improved vastly over the years. They had played in a four nation tournament at Chennai in 1996 and had exhibited good potential at the Commonwealth Games at Kaula Lumpur, last year. Though they did not make the semifinals, like Pakistan, they were a very fit side physically, the Indian coach said.

The Indians will play all the five test matches at Johannesburg from August 13 to 19. South Africa will host the All-African games from mid September with the winner of the hockey tournament being an automatic qualifier for the Sydney Olympics.

The Indian frontline will be spearheaded by centre forward Gagan Ajit Singh and his Air India team-mate Deepak Thakur. The right flank choice would fall on the sturdy shoulders of the ‘never say die’ armyman Kamal Horo, with Tamil Nadu forward Prabhakaran effective in short spurts.

Coach Baskaran has a good choice for the left flank too. He has the options to play all or either Samir Dad, Brojen Singh and Harbhajan, depending on his gameplan.

While the midfield is the most experienced, the weak links could possibly be the full-backs and the goalkeepers.

Skipper Mohammad Riaz has developed into a very mature pivot and can propel incisions from the right, as can his right-half Baljit Singh Saini. Thirumalavalvan and Ramandeep Singh will add soundness to the midfield strength.

Baboor moves into 2nd round

NEW DELHI, Aug 4 (PTI) — India’s national champion Chetan Baboor fought a five-game thriller against British qualifier Terry Young to reach the men’s singles second round at the 45th World Table Tennis Championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands today.

Baboor, the lone Indian in the main draw, was taken to the wire but prevailed 21-19 16-21 21-11 17-21 21-13 in an exciting battle in the top half of the draw, according to information received here.

The 26-year-old Indian takes on another qualifier — Israels’ Izak Abramov, who upset 27th seeded Austrian Qian Qianli, in the second round later tonight.

Baboor won the first game 21-19 but Abramov clawed his way back by winning the next 21-16. The Indian took a 2-1 lead by grabbing the third 21-11 with ease only for the Israeli to sqaure the contest winning the fourth 21-17.

In a fantastic battle, Baboor snatched initiative in the decider before winning it 21-13.

With seeded player Qianli out of the way, Baboor, who made it to the pre-quarterfinals at last year’s Bangkok Asian Games, has a good chance of making it to the third round.

If Baboor makes the third round, he will either face Belgian Philippe Saive or the 16th seeded Frenchman Christophe Legout who both struggled to beat their respective opponents.

Earlier in the day, four Indian paddlers crashed out in the qualifiers for the men’s singles, leaving Baboor as the only Indian representative.

National champion Paulami Ghatak and N.R. Indu on Tuesday failed to qualify for the women’s singles main draw finishing second in their respective qualifying groups.

Azharuddin out of contention

MUMBAI, Aug 4 (UNI) — Disposed captain Mohammed Azharuddin has ruled himself out of contention for the berth in the Sri Lanka bound Indian team due to the slow recovery from his shoulder operation.

Azharuddin, replaced by Sachin Tendulkar at the helm of the affairs last week here, was to tender his fitness certificate by tomorrow, a day before selection committee was scheduled to meet at Baroda. But today he informed Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Raj Singh Dungarpur that his recovery was not fast enough for him to don Indian colours in the triangular one-day contest between India, Australia and hosts Sri Lanka starting in Colombo from August 22.

Mr Raj Singh quoting the former captain said Azharuddin reckoned that he would be fit by the end of this month. When asked whether he was referring to any doctor’s certificate, Mr Raj Singh said Azharuddin should be in the best position to know about his fitness.

Azharuddin went for his throwing arm shoulder operation in England soon after the World Cup, which he said required some mending after the wear and tear of about 16 years of international cricket. Later he said he did not want to rush into the arena if he had even the slightest doubt about his fitness.

PM’s assurance to LDCA
Tribune News Service

NEW DELHI, Aug 4 — The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, has assured the Ludhiana District Cricket Association, sports lovers and young cricketers of the city that the Government would undertake all necessary steps to repair any damage caused to the ground or the pitch following the proposed rally there on Saturday.

The Prime Minister’s assurance comes in response to a letter written to him by former test cricketer Yashpal Sharma, a PMO official said today.

The Test cricketer had drawn the attention of the Prime Minister to apprehension in a section of the media that the cricket pitch was likely to be spoiled during the proposed rally to be addressed by the Prime Minister and the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal.

Yashpal Sharma had yesterday appealed to the Prime Minister to change the venue of the meeting from Government Colleges for Boys ground as it would damage the only proper facility in the city.

De Silva’s behaviour criticised

COLOMBO, Aug 4 (PTI) — Photo Journalists Association of Sri Lanka yesterday condemned veteran batsman Aravinda de Sliva for his alleged attempt to assault a photographer when the latter was taking pictures of the team training under new coach Dave Whatmore.

The association said in a statement that the senior cricketer made rude gestures to the photographer representing an international news agency with his mobile phone yesterday and later abused him in foul language without any provocation.

The incident took place when the photographer, Anurudha Lokuapuarachchi, was taking pictures of Whatmore’s first day with the players at the practice session.

The association has also protested with the Sri Lankan Cricket Control Board about the incident.

The association said it appreciated attempts by the board to instil discipline among the senior players and demanded that the board should warn Aravinda against repeating such behaviour.

Ashutosh, Gurmehar crash out

CHENNAI, Aug 4 (PTI) — Third seed Alok Bhide of Maharashtra rallied brilliantly from a set down to quell the challenge of Karnataka’s Siddharth Sudhakar in boys’ singles pre-quarterfinals at the National Junior Hard Court Tennis Championship (U-18) here today.

Bhide won 6-7, (1-7), 6-3, 6-1 in a shade over two hours as a four seeded players led by top seed Kar Tembe (Maharashtra) reached the last eight stage.

Tembe beat R. Arun Prakash (TN) 6-2, 6-4 in the battle of left-handers while sixth seed N. Mukundan (TN) was stretched by Chandigarh’s Ashutosh Singh but managed to win 1-6, 6-4, 7-5.

The last seed to make it to the quarterfinals was eighth ranked Ravikiran Bhat (Karnataka), who put it across Anant Sitaram (AP), 6-3, 6-3.

For the organisers, it was a heartening day as no further upsets were witnessed in the boys’ singles as in the girls’ section, where top seeded G. Sheetal was beaten yesterday in the pre-quarterfinals.

The match of the day, for the enthralling fare it offered, was between Bhide and Sudhakar.

Sudhakar served and volleyed perfectly and had Bhide on the mat. But, true to his seeding, Bhide took his time to settle and then unleashed his repertoire of shots.

In the first set, Sudhakar was leading 5-2 when Bhide started the fight back. From 0-30 down on serve, he managed to hold to 3-5 and then broke Sudhakar in the next with some fine down-the-line shots. Games then went with serve and in the tie-break the Karnataka boy prevailed 7-1.

In the second set, Bhide ran up a 5-2 lead and had a setpoint on Sudhakar’s serve in the incident-filled eighth game.

But Sudhakar saved that, forced two deuces, and won the game after a disputed call — which Bhide felt was ‘good’ but the chair umpire ruled it out.

Bhide kept muttering ‘the ball was in’, and for a moment looked as if he could discontinue. But he regained his composure and held his serve in the next game to take the second set 6-3.

Bhide was on a song in the third as he lobbed,volleyed and returned perfectly to snuff out Sudhakar’s resistance (6-1). In fact, Sudhakar managed to hold only his first service game.

Top seed Tembe did ‘lose focus’ in the second set after taking the first set 6-2 against Arun Prakash.

“I started to choke, made too many errors. I am not happy with the way I played the second set,” Tembe told PTI after Prakash gave him a scare breaking the top seed in the seventh game, and held to draw level 4-4. But Tembe held serve and broke Prakash in the 10th game to move into the last eight.

Both the boys and girls singles quarterfinals will be held tomorrow evening.

Results:

Boys’ singles: Kedar Tembe (Mah) bt R. Arun Prakash (TN) 6-2, 6-4; Vel Murugan (TN) bt Gurmehar Singh (Chd) 6-3, 6-2; Benjamin Xavier (Mah) bt Vinod K. Sewa (WB) 6-2, 7-5; Vimal Kirthi (TN) b P. Vishal (AP) 5-7, 7-6, 7-6; N. Mukundan (TN) b Ashutosh Singh (Chd) 1-6, 6-4, 7-5; Alok Bhide (Mah) b S. Sudhakar (Kar) 6-7 ,7-1, 6-3, 6-1; Ravikiran Bhat (Kar) b Anant Sitaram (AP) 6-3, 6-3; V. Kamala Kannan (TN) b K. Arvind Prakash (TN) 6-3, 6-2.

Johnson appeals for reinstatement

MONTE CARLO, Aug 4 (AP) — Disgraced sprinter Ben Johnson met with officials from athletics’ world governing body yesterday in a last-ditch bid for reinstatement before his fate is decided at the end of the month.

Johnson, his agent and legal team put their case to an International Amateur Athletics Federation subcommittee which was set up to deal with his reinstatement application.

The three-man subcommittee, led by IAAF General-Secretary Istvan Gyulai, will make its recommendation to the body’s council which will rule on the matter on August 17 in Seville, Spain.

The IAAF confirmed that a meeting, the location of which was changed at the last minute, took place. But officials declined to comment further.

“I can’t speculate on what’s happened,” said IAAF spokesman Georgio Reineri. “But the heart of the case is to know whether Athletics Canada made a mistake in its procedure.”

Maurice Chrobotek, the Canadian runner’s agent, claimed that the Johnson case shows the whole system of doping control is flawed. Chrobotek said Johnson was tested three times within one week in 1993.

“The first and third were negative and the second positive. How can that make sense?” he said.

Johnson, now 37, was stripped of his Olympic gold medal and 100-metre world record after testing positive for steroids at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He was given a life ban after a second positive test in 1993.

Indian wrestlers leave for Poland

NEW DELHI, Aug 4 (PTI) — The Indian sub-junior wrestling team, including 10 women grapplers, left for Poland last night for the August 4 to 7 world championships.

The 27-member sub-junior squad, which was cleared by the government, had some trouble getting visas on the final day yesterday before their departure for Warsaw, a Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) official told PTI.

The eves team, appearing in an international event for the first time, is being coached by WFI co-secretary, Khalifa Jasram.

The sub-junior world championships will be held for boys and girls aged between 15 to 17 years.

Girls: Raminder Kaur (38 kg), Manju (40), Kamini (43), Sumail Khan (46), Anjali (49), Naina Rana (52), Sunita (56), Manisha (60), Kiran (65), Sonika (70).

Aid recommended for Parduman
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Aug 4 — The Union Commerce Minister, Mr R K Hegde, has in a letter to Ms Uma Bharti, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports, recommended financial assistance and life pension to Parduman Singh, a veteran athlete.

It may be recalled that Parduman had won five medals in the Asian Games and is now lying in a precarious condition at his village Bhagta Bhai in Bathinda district of Punjab.

Earlier a social worker of Chandigarh, Mr Narinder Singh, personally met and gave a representation to Mr Hegde during the latter’s visit to the city last month appealing for help to the ailing athlete.