Chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa surpassed his idol Vishwanathan Anand to become India’s No.1 chess player. He was ranked No. 1 in FIDE’s live ratings for his new total of 2748.3, which is slightly above Anand’s 2748 score. On Tuesday, the 18-year-old from Chennai became the second Indian to beat reigning world champion China’s Ding Liren at the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. By using the black pieces, he played a flawless game in the classical format. He had also previously defeated Ding last year on the same occasion to become No. 2. While achieving his p
On Wednesday, day 4 of the Grand Slam 2024, the future generation of women tennis players, Mirra Andreeva and Maria Timofeeva, emerged as the shining stars at the Rod Laver Arena. The young Russians outplayed sixth seed Ons Jabeur and previous champion Caroline Wozniacki in the Australian Open second round. The 16-year-old Mirra Andreeva defeated 29-year-old Jabeur 6-0, 6-2, in just fifty-four minutes. Andreeva will next face Diane Pary of France in the third round, or her fellow Russian player, Kamilla Rakhimova. Additionally, it was Andreeva's second appearance on Melbourne's centre cour
On Monday, Karnataka batter Prakhar Chaturvedi broke Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh’s 24-year-old record. Chaturvedi scored 404 runs in 636 balls in the U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy final against Mumbai. He outshined Singh’s 1999 record of 358 runs for Punjab against Bihar, and interestingly, MS Dhoni was part of the Bihar team. Singh held the record for the highest individual score for more than twenty years. The BCCI appreciated the 18-year-old's smashing record on their official account X. He smashed 46 fours and three sixes, which helped the team earn 890 for eight in reply to Mumbai’s
On Monday, January 15, Argentina World Cup winner Lionel Messi enjoyed another major win by clinching FIFA’s best men’s player for 2023 by defeating rivals Erling Haaland of Norway and Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain. It was Messi’s third win in the last four years. In October, he added the Ballon d'Or to his list of individual accolades. Since Haaland had a higher chance of winning the award, Messi was absent for the controversial award. Arsenal and France player Thierry Henry picked up the award on Messi’s behalf. Meanwhile, Haaland and Mbappe were absent from the event as w
On Saturday, the United Kingdom’s tennis player, Jack Draper, will face Czech Republic player Jiri Lehecka for the championship match at the Adelaide International final. The Adeleine International finals will be held on Saturday in Melbourne, Australia. It will be Draper’s first chance to win the ATP final since he lost to French player Adrian Mannarino at the Sofia Open last November. The 22-year-old defeated Kazakhstan’s No. 8 player, Alexander Bublik, by 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 to prepare for the Australian Open. Even though Draper has never won an ATP title, he enjoyed a confident lead of
In a thrilling display of skill, determination, and sportsmanship, Indian badminton ace Kidambi Srikanth left spectators in awe as he pulled off a stunning victory against Jonatan Christie in the Malaysia Open. The pulsating match showcased Srikanth's exceptional prowess on the badminton court and underlined his resilience as he emerged triumphant against a formidable opponent. The win not only adds another feather to Srikanth's cap but also solidifies his standing as one of India's premier badminton players. The Malaysia Open witnessed an electrifying showdown between two badminton titans
In a spectacular display of skill and precision, Indian shooters Varun Singh and Esha Singh clinched the gold medal in the 10m air pistol mixed team event at the international shooting competition in Jakarta. The victory not only adds another feather to India's growing shooting achievements but also earns the talented duo coveted quota spots for the Paris Olympics in 2024. Varun Singh and Esha Singh showcased exceptional marksmanship throughout the competition, maintaining their composure in a tightly contested final. The duo's synchronization and accuracy in the 10m air pistol event impre
Dominic Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion, has received a second chance at Australian Open glory after lucky loser status propelled him into the main draw following the withdrawal of American Reilly Opelka. Thiem, currently ranked 98th in the world, had been facing the prospect of battling through the grueling qualifying rounds after a first-round defeat at the Brisbane International. However, Opelka's unexpected pullout due to a persistent toe injury opened the door for the Austrian to make a dramatic return to the Melbourne Park limelight. This is a welcome turn of events for Thiem, wh
Rafael Nadal marked his comeback to singles action with a commanding victory over rival Dominic Thiem at the Brisbane International. In his first singles match in nearly a year, Nadal displayed top form, defeating Thiem 7-5, 6-1 in a dynamic hour and 30 minutes of play. This victory adds to Nadal's 10-6 win-loss record against Thiem. Having been sidelined for almost a year due to a hip injury and subsequent surgery, Nadal expressed pride in his positive return to competitive tennis. The 37-year-old acknowledged the challenges of the past year and appreciated the support from his team an
Sheetal Devi has etched her name in the annals of Indian sports history by becoming the first Indian archer to win a prestigious World Archery award. This monumental achievement not only highlights her exceptional talent but also marks a significant milestone for Indian archery on the global stage. Devi, who has been a rising star in the Indian archery circuit, clinched this accolade amidst stiff competition from some of the world’s best archers. Her journey to this triumphant moment is a testament to her relentless dedication, rigorous training, and unwavering focus. The World Archer