Author: AsiaOne

The Indian men’s and women’s 4x400m relay teams secured spots in the Paris Olympics by finishing second in their respective heats at the World Athletics Relays.

The men’s team, which included Muhammad Anas Yahiya, Muhammad Ajmal, Arokia Rajiv, and Amoj Jacob, finished in 3:03.23, while the women’s team, which included Rupal Chaudhary, MR Poovamma, Jyothika Sri Dandi, and Subha Venkatesan, finished in 3:29.35. They qualified after placing second behind Jamaica and the US, respectively.

The women’s qualification came as a bit of a surprise considering the attention that has been paid to the men’s team’s accomplishments, despite their impressive performance in recent events.

The women placed fifth in the first qualifying rounds, while one athlete’s mid-race withdrawal owing to cramps caused problems for the men. However, the men’s team made a remarkable comeback, securing their spot with a splendid finish by anchor-leg runner Amoj Jacob.

In addition to the teams’ qualification, India will send 19 track and field competitors, including Neeraj Chopra, to the Olympics in Paris. The men’s team is participating in its fourth Olympics, while the women’s team is making its eighth appearance.

Beginning on August 1st, the Games’ athletics programme will feature 70 relay teams that qualified after the World Athletics Relays.

Andrey Rublev clinched the Madrid Open title in a thrilling match against Felix Auger-Aliassime, winning 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 for his second Masters 1000 title. Rublev credited his extraordinary recovery to the creativity of his medical team, despite his recent challenges and worries regarding his participation.

Rublev got off to the worst possible start with two double faults in the opening game of the match. The Russian soon found himself behind 4-1 as Auger-Aliassime unleashed multiple winners.

The Canadian was already well in control of the match when the seventh seed rallied and defeated Auger-Aliassime. He served effectively to make full use of his powerful forehand and won the opening set at the net.

However, Rublev came back stronger than ever, increasing his aggressiveness and breaking Auger-Aliassime to force a crucial third set. The last set was close throughout, with Rublev winning a vital break at 6-5, demonstrating the tenacity of both players. Under extreme pressure to continue in the match, Auger-Aliassime failed with two double faults, giving Rublev the victory in the end.

Even with the defeat, Auger-Aliassime graciously thanked Rublev and his squad for their well-deserved win.

Aryna Sabalenka found encouragement in her performances at the Madrid Open, despite her defeat to Iga Swiatek in the final. Looking back on her path, she admitted that she had struggled recently after defending her Australian Open championship, winning just four more matches in the following tournaments. But in Madrid, Sabalenka proved her strength by overcoming strong opponents like Danielle Collins and Elena Rybakina, and then she and Swiatek battled off in a tough final.

Speaking with reporters, Sabalenka expressed that she was happy with her performance and the work she put into the competition. Her emphasis on the beneficial lessons she took away from her time in Madrid demonstrated that she was leaving with optimistic ideas. Although she acknowledged that she had difficulties after the Australian Open, she was happy to have found her form in Madrid and anticipated more development in the future.

Sabalenka is looking forward to her upcoming challenge at the Italian Open in Rome. She expressed her delight about going back to one of her favourite competitions, pointing out how appealing the stunning venue and city are. The 26-year-old made a lighthearted joke about how much she was looking forward to pasta, highlighting her love of Rome and her excitement for the tournament.

The Women’s T20 World Cup is scheduled to take place in Bangladesh from October 3 to October 20. Group A consists of India, Australia, New Zealand, and Pakistan.

India’s games, which are slated to take place at Sylhet, will begin on October 4 against New Zealand and on October 6 against Pakistan. On October 9, they will face an as-yet-undetermined Qualifier 1 team; on October 13, they will take on six-time champions Australia. Each side will play four group matches, with the top two teams from each group moving on to the semi-finals on October 17 and 18, which will precede the final in Dhaka on October 20.

Across 19 days, a total of 23 matches will be played in Dhaka and Sylhet, with reserve days allocated for both the semi-finals and final if needed. In Group B, hosts Bangladesh are joined by South Africa, England, the West Indies, and Qualifier 2.

Meanwhile, Scotland defeated Ireland in the semi-final of the qualifying tournament hosted at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi to earn their first-ever spot in the Women’s T20 World Cup. Scotland reached the goal by scoring 112 for two after holding Ireland to 110 for nine. Later in the day, the UAE will play Sri Lanka in the second semi-final.