Chang unperturbed by lack of success
HAMBURG, May 4 — Just two years ago he was pressing for number one. Now, Michael Chang would be happy just to stay in the top 50.

Top seed Spadea upset
DELRAY BEACH (Florida), May 4 — South Florida’s Vince Spadea, playing his first ATP Tournament as a top seed, failed to live up to his seeding on opening night of the Citrix Tennis Championships.

Akshay, Sunil for European tourneys
CHANDIGARH, May 4 — Akshay Vishal Rao, a tennis player of the city, has been selected by the International Tennis Federation to participate in the ITF junior tennis tournaments in Europe from June 26 to August 1.

BCCI to set up cricket academy
MUMBAI, May 4 — The Indian cricket board’s dream of setting up a national academy on the lines of the one established in Australia is expected to be fulfilled in the next season following a meeting yesterday of the special committee set up for the matter in Calcutta.

Radhika, Sai win as 4 seeds enter last 8

NEW DELHI, May 4 (PTI) — Top seed Radhika Tulpule made short work of Sumitra Rao while Sai Jayalakshmi struggled initially before coasting home in straight sets against Karishma Patel as four seeded players cruised into the quarter-finals of ITF Women’s Futures Tennis Tournament here today.

The 17-year-old Radhika, winner of Mumbai leg, beat a rusty Sumitra 6-1 6-2 in her second round match in the third leg, and will await winner of the tie between Anna Nefedova and Geeta Manohar for her opponent in the last eight round.

India number three Sai Jayalakshmi, who fell on circuit points below Radhika following some dismal performances in the first two legs, was stretched in the first set by Karishma Patel. Sai won it on tiebreaker 7-6 (7/3) and in the second she breezed past luckless Karishma 6-1 to set up a last eight meeting with either Nikita Bhardwaj or Archana Venkatraman.

Second seeded Sai, with a break in the fifth game, rushed into 5-4 lead but Karishma came up with some powerful double-fisted crosscourt winners to draw parity. Sai won the tiebreaker 7-3. The second set was a virtual walkover as Karishma gave up meekly to lose in one hour and 33 minutes.

Bangalore winner Shruti Dhawan, carrying a slight back pain that restricted her backhand play, was too good for Nandini Perumal as she won 6-1 6-2. Fifth seed Sheetal Gautham struggled against blazing sun and some accurate passing shots by Nandini but emerged an eventual 6-3 6-1 winner.

In first round action, Geeta Manohar caused a small upset when she beat Tara Kanbargimath 7-5 7-5 in 1hr 45 minutes in one of the longest matches in Delhi leg.

A confident-looking Radhika raced to 5-0 lead in first set breaking Sumitra in the second and fourth games. Radhika used her powerful forehand returns to perfection and Sumitra found her down the line passing shots hard to tackle.

The 19-year-old Sumitra looked tired under scorching heat and any points she won were due to Radhika’s unforced errors.

After Radhika won the first set 6-1, the second was an interesting affair as both the players broke each others’ serves for five games before Radhika held on in the sixth. The Pune girl, who has already sounded her arrival to the senior girls, served a few aces to outgun Sumitra.

She led 5-2 in the second set and while serving for the match, Radhika smashed a crosscourt winner to Sumitra’s wrong side and the latter did not even attempt to go for it.

Later she combined with Janaki Krishnamoorthy to upset fourth seeded pair of Nikita Bhardwaj and Harsimran Kaur to cruise into the quarter-finals of doubles tournament.

Radhik/Janaki pair blanked the fourth seeds 6-0 6-0 in just under an hour to set up a last-eight tie against Karishma Patel and Nandini Perumal, who beat Geeta Manohar and Stuti Smit 6-4 6-3 in another first round match.

Fourth seed Shruti Dhawan traded a break with Nandini in the first two games of the opening set, but then never looked back as she dished out amazing returns, breaking her opponent in third, fifth and seventh games despite her back problem.

In the second set, both held their serves in the first four game before Shruti moved 4-2 ahead with break in sixth. Shruti again outshone Nandini to win the set 6-2.

In the only first round tie remaining, Tara Kanbargimath faced a tough challenge from Geeta Manohar and finally succumbed 5-7 5-7 in just under two hours.

The seventh seed gave her best but it was Geeta’s day who tired Tara with long rallies. Geeta should have won the match when she was one set and a matchpoint up. Tara saved once to level 5-5 but then lost the momentum and the match.

In doubles, Kalpita Raje and Sricharanya Thiagrajan beat Mahalingam sisters - Padma Pritam and Vishnu Pritam - 6-1 6-3 and will be up against second seeds Shruti/Sheethal in a quarter-final tie in the bottom half of the draw.

Maharashtra’s Radhika Mandke and Sonal Phadke caused further agony to Sumitra and Tara after their singles loss.

Sumitra/Tara were beaten 1-6 5-7 by Radhika Mandke/Sonal Phadke, who take on top seeded combination of Sai/Rushmi Chakravarthy in the top half of the draw.

Results:
Singles (second round): Radhika Tulpule b Sumitra Rao 6-1 6-2; Sai Jayalakshmi b Karishma Patel 7-6 (7/3) 6-1; Shruti Dhawan b Nandini Perumal 6-1 6-2; Sheethal Gautham b Sandhya Kanury 6-3 6-1.

Swing bowling India’s key to success?

CALCUTTA, May 4 (PTI) — India’s quest for regaining the coveted cricket World Cup after a long gap of 16 years would largely depend on how well its medium pacers swing the ball under helpful conditions during the mega event in England.

India’s memorable World Cup triumph in the summer of 1983 was mainly scripted by the medium pace bowlers who managed to swing the ball appreciably, capitalising on the soft wicket and the heavy atmosphere.

Swing rather than pace would be the key factor for Mohammed Azharuddin and his men as they prepare for their seventh World Cup campaign in England where cricket’s biggest extravaganza returns after 16 years.

History has proved that the conditions in England in May-June would favour the medium pacers as of the 106 wickets claimed by the Indians in the three England-hosted World Cups so far, the medium pacers have accounted for as many 84 wickets while the spinners have claimed just seven wickets. There were 15 run outs.

Barring captain Kapil Dev, the other bowlers like Roger Binny, Madan Lal, Balwinder Sandhu and Mohinder Amarnath in the 1983 team were not fast but it was their ability to swing the ball that made them successful in England.

Madal Lal, with 22 wickets and an average of 19.36, has proved to be the most successful Indian bowler in World Cup matches in England, which hosted the first three editions (1975, 1979 and 1983) of the championship.

Roger Binny, who was a huge success in the 1983 World Cup, had an impressive haul of 18 wickets (average 18.66) while Mohinder Amarnath with 16 wickets (ave 26.93) and Kapil Dev with 14 wickets (ave 27.28) were behind him.

Balwinder Sandhu (8 wkts, ave 21.75) and Syed Abid Ali (6 wkts, ave 19.16) were the two other medium pacers who have taken wickets for India in World Cup matches in England.

Despite the fact that India did have a number of quality spinners in their ranks in the 70’s and early 80’s, the tweakers could not make much of an impact in England, managing till date just seven wickets.

Left-arm spinner Ravi Shastri has been the most successful spinner with four wickets (ave 21.75) while left arm orthodox Bishan Singh Bedi (2 wkts, ave 74.00) and offie Kirti Azad (1 wkt, ave 42.00) were other wicket-taking spinners in England.

Strangely, S. Venkatraghavan, who led India in the 1975 and 1979 World Cup championships, could not claim a single wicket in England though he bowled a total of 72 overs.

Kapil Dev’s 5-43 against Australia at Nottingham in 1983 is still the best bowling performance by an Indian in World Cup matches in England.

The Indians, who have featured in 14 World Cup matches in England so far, have a decent bowling economy rate of 3.86 runs per over with England having the best rate of 3.26.

West Indies, who won the World Cup in 1975 and 1979, have an economy rate of 3.77 runs per over in England while the economy rate of the other countries was: New Zealand (3.80), Pakistan (3.86), Australia (4.15), Sri Lanka (4.70) and Zimbabwe (4.21).

Lukewarm response in England

LONDON, May 4 (PTI) — Though the Indian sub-continent may be in the grip of World Cup fever, the event has received lukewarm response in England, where it gets underway on May 14 with European football and the English premier league claiming their attention.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the hosts, and the local media yesterday came together to rouse interest among the fans with just 11 days to go to the mega event.

Consequently, the English were given a rude warning with major newspapers carrying special World Cup 1999 supplements, telling the British: "It is time to wake up that this major cricket tournament is round the corner".

Tim Lamb, ECB chief executive, was quoted by the local media as saying: "We want to appeal to everybody that a carnival of cricket is coming up".

Cricket writers are warning that the "low profile" of the upcoming World Cup may have something to do with cricket’s inability to reach beyond its natural constituency.

However, Tim Lamb insists that the picture is not as "black as painted". He said ticket sales have gone well, a healthy 80 per cent. "Granted half decent weather in venues like Edinburgh, Dublic and Amsterdam, the tournament should gather momentum."

Lamb’s words were described as "brave" by the Daily Telegraph, which said the organisers were four sponsors short, adding that the projected profit of more than £ 15 million now appears to be working out closer to only £ 11 million.

Media reports attribute the apparent lack of interest so far to bizarre sequences of events that have preceded it like West Indies batsman Carl Hooper announcing his retirement just a fortnight before, Javed Miandad resigning as Pakistan team’s coach over reported differences with players.

The indictment for rape of Makhaya Ntini, the sole black player in the South African squad, and the recent crowd trouble during the Caribbean tour of Australia are also being cited as reasons for fans not taking much interest in the World Cup.

"It is time to come off the fence," the Telegraph screamed in a banner story.

Mike Marqusee commented: "For months now television networks, cricket administrations and a bevy of private corporations have subjected South Asian cricket fans to an increasing barrage of advance promotions for the World Cup".

But, he said: "Here, where the World Cup is being staged, in contrast, the hoopla is belated and subdued", adding "we have to get the World Cup fever going".

Other writers felt the reason for the lack of interest is that so many participating teams were entering the World Cup with a baggage of domestic controversies.

Donald hits out at Lara

LONDON, May 4 (Reuters) — South African strike bowler Allan Donald said today he had lost all respect for Brian Lara as a captain after West Indies’ 5-0 series loss in the republic this year.

In an extract from his biography, published in the Express, Donald said West Indies has looked demoralised even before the series began while Lara had lacked the dynamism and professionalism to pull them round.

"I lost all respect for him as a captain last winter," Donald said.

"I’ve known Brian since 1992 and I was saddened to see how he had changed over the years. I found it difficult even to have a conversation with him during the West Indies tour of South Africa."

Donald also has some harsh words for England allrounder Dominic Cork, a member of the side who beat South Africa in England last year.

"Cork is just a show-pony who likes to get under an opponent’s skin rather than get him out," he said.

"He is all talk but nowhere near as good as he thinks he is."

Both Donald and Lara will feature in the World Cup opening on May 14 but Cork has not been included in the England squad.

Chang unperturbed by lack of success

HAMBURG, May 4 (AFP) — Just two years ago he was pressing for number one. Now, Michael Chang would be happy just to stay in the top 50.

The golden days are gone for a one-time American hero who arrived on the tennis scene with Pete Sampras, Jim Courier and Andre Agassi.

These are tough days for them all. Sampras has been struggling with form and motivation for months as he desperately tries to cling to his number one ranking. Courier is now only able to pull out the magic when he competes in the Davis Cup and Agassi continues to ride a roller coaster between winning titles or slumping out in the early rounds.

Chang, 27, was hampered by injury for much of last year. In March he sprained his knee while practising at Indian Wells and at the Italian Open, where he had his only win all year against a top 10 opponent when he beat Sampras, he injured his wrist. Towards the end of the year he injured a knee again.

That continued to trouble him for the remainder of the year, and at the US Open he crashed out in the second round, his earliest exit since 1987. There were only two bright spots, as he won titles in Boston and Shanghai.

"I would hate to go through another year dealing with the kind of injuries I had last year", said Chang.

But he is still not winning. He reached the semifinals in San Jose in February, but the remainder of his season has been a disaster. In his other nine events Chang has failed to get beyond the second round, and he has lost four opening round matches, including his defeat at the hands of Sjeng Shalken at the German Open in Hamburg this week.

Chang said: "It’s tough to explain. So far it has been a hard year for me, and I need to keep plugging away and working at things.

"The losses do not get me down quite as much as they did, which is kind of a good thing because the more you do get down, the more difficult it is to bounce back".

Now ranked 42 and falling, Chang is convinced that he is not far from emerging from the mess he is in. The problem is, and it is obvious to anyone who watches him play, that his game is now distinctly average.

"Honestly, I don’t feel like that much is missing", he insists. "I don’t feel I’m playing horribly, but I don’t think I’m playing great tennis either. And at this level you have to come out and play really good tennis in order to expect to win".

Although power players now often dominate the game, Chang believes that does not lay behind his demise and he is able to adapt to the challenge they present.

"I don’t feel a threat to be overpowered", he said. "I work pretty hard on becoming stronger. I know they are going to miss some balls, and it is important for me to play smart tennis to neutralise their power.

"My strength may not be as obvious as a guy like (Richard) Krajicek with his serve. My strength is my mind and my heart and my ability to go out and think my way through matches".

Despite his struggle to challenge for a place in the top 10 once again, he has not become discouraged by his lack of success or thought of hanging up his racquets. Far from it.

Akshay, Sunil for European tourneys
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, May 4 — Akshay Vishal Rao, a tennis player of the city, has been selected by the International Tennis Federation to participate in the ITF junior tennis tournaments in Europe from June 26 to August 1. The project is being financed by the Grand Slam Development Fund of International Tennis Federation. The following is his schedule:

June 26-28: training camp at Holland;

June 29 to July 4: 43rd Schuteffecton Van Keeken Tournament Castricum, Holland;

July 6 to 11: 23rd German Junior Open Essen, Germany;

July 13 to 16: Swiss Junior Tournament, Davos Platz, Switzerland;

July 21 to 25: Ex Plazen Czeck Republic;

July 27 to August 1: BMW Junior Open, International Junior Championships, Luxemburg.

While giving this information Mr Rajan Kashyap, chairman CLTA, stated that another young Chandigarh player Sunil Kumar has also been selected by the ITF to play in Italy and France in July 1999. Sunil returned from Japan only today after playing the NEC World Youth Tennis Tournament at Hiroshima. The Indian team finished seventh out of the 18 teams which participated in the tournament.

Chatwinder Singh, another young city player is playing in Jakarta in the world junior tennis competitions.

Mr Harpal Singh, Hony Secretary, CLTA stated that Chandigarh is occupying the place of pride in tennis in the country at the junior level and the city is sure to produce more international tennis players in the near future.

Akshay Vishal Rao and Sunil Kumar are playing in PUNWIRE tennis development programme in the CLTA tennis complex under supervision of Mr Kawaljeet Singh, Chief Coach, PUNWIRE and CLTA.

Top seed Spadea upset

DELRAY BEACH (Florida), May 4 (Reuters) — South Florida’s Vince Spadea, playing his first ATP Tournament as a top seed, failed to live up to his seeding on opening night of the Citrix Tennis Championships.

Bothered by an ailing back and recovering from a bout with the flu, Spadea was upset by Mikael Tillstrom of Sweden 7-5 0-6 6-4 yesterday.

The three other seeded players in first-round action all advanced.

Third seed Scott Draper of Australia defeated Juan Antonio Marin of Costa Rica 6-4 7-5, and fourth seed Magnus Norman of Sweden downed Lucas Arnold of Argentina 6-4 6-3.

Sixth-seeded Australian Lleyton Hewitt had a much tougher battle on his hands but outlasted a cramping Guillermo Canas of Argentina 6-7 6-2 6-4 after dropping the marathon first-set tie-break 12-14.

At 26th in the world, Spadea, who turned pro in 1993, is currently the highest-ranked player on the ATP Tour without a title to his credit. At an event which may have presented his best chance yet to end that distinction, he came up well short.

"I just played a match and happened to lose and got outplayed at the end," said the 24-year-old Spadea, who reached his first career Grand Slam quarter-final at the Australian Open in January.

"When your preparation is not that good, you’re not as good, as you are on paper," he said.

BCCI to set up cricket academy

MUMBAI, May 4 (PTI) — The Indian cricket board’s dream of setting up a national academy on the lines of the one established in Australia is expected to be fulfilled in the next season following a meeting yesterday of the special committee set up for the matter in Calcutta.

The most likely venue of the academy would be the Sports Authority of India (SAI) Centre at Bangalore and negotiations are on with SAI, according to board sources.

"The meeting could not discuss in detail the location of the academy and the other parameters like who is to head it because the three former cricketers in the committee Kapil Dev, Sunil Gavaskar and Brijesh Patel, could not attend the yesterday’s meeting", the sources said.

Gavaskar, left here for England to be part of the TV commentary team for the World Cup, Kapil Dev has gone to Kathmandu while Patel is with the Indian World Cup team as its manager.

"The board has already set aside Rs 3 crore for the academy in its budget", the sources added.

World Cup matches on giant screens

CALCUTTA, May 4 (PTI) — In keeping with the current hype, the West Bengal Government has decided to show live World Cup cricket matches featuring India in a simulated stadium ambience on giant screens in and around the city.

"This would enable a larger number of cricket aficionados to sit together and cheer their favourite heroes Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly," state sports secretary Sumantra Chowdhury told PTI today.

He said special projectors would be used to show the matches telecast by Doordarshan live on 30 giant screens to be put up on open grounds in Calcutta and its adjoining districts — Howrah, North and South 24 Parganas.

If India entered the semi-finals, more giant screens would be put up, he added.

Such giant screens put up during the soccer World Cup in France last year were an instant hit with the public, with the young and the old staying up till the wee hours to watch the skills and wizardry of the football heroes.

Punjab kabaddi from June 11

CHANDIGARH, May 4 (FOSR) — Punjab Amateur Circle Kabaddi Association will organise second Punjab Amateur Circle Kabaddi championship for men and women at Chandigarh from June 11 to 13, according to Mr J.P. Sharma, secretary of the PACKA.

During the championship Punjab men’s team for five circle kabaddi Test matches against Punjab (Pakistan) in the month of September this year will also be selected.