Image Source : TWITTER/PAKISTAN CRICKET Asia Cup 2023 gets underway today
The much-anticipated Asia Cup is starting from today (August 30) and it will see Nepal making its debut in the tournament. Hosts Pakistan will face the debutants in the opening game of the tournament. The Babar Azam-led side is in great form at the moment and are coming off a stunning 3-0 series win over Afghanistan in Sri Lanka. Pakistan players have been playing consistently over the last month or so in some or the other T20 league and will be eager to dominate in the Asian tournament.
They are also the number one ODI side in the world at the moment which keeps them in good stead ahead of the game against arch-rivals India on Saturday (September 2). Meanwhile, Nepal are led by Rohit Paudel and they have a good opportunity to impress in the matches against Pakistan and India. A decent show in this tournament will give them a lot of confidence and the players will be looking forward to this tournament. They have a star spinner Sandeep Lamichhane in their line-up who has the experience of featuring in the T20 leagues across the world.
Match Details
Match: Asia Cup 2023, Match 1
Venue: Multan Cricket Stadium, Multan
Time: 3 PM IST
Broadcast and Live Streaming: Star Sports Network and Hotstar
Probable Playing XIs
Pakistan (already announced) – Fakhar Zama, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam (C), Mohammad Rizwan (WK), Agha Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Haris Rauf
Multan hosted three ODIs between West Indies and Pakistan last year and all the matches witnessed scores over 250. The home team chased down 306 runs in the first game of the series. Moreover, the spinner dominated the proceedings in that series. With the weather also expected to be hot and dry, the spinner will come into play as the match progresses. There is no chance of rain whatsoever.
Predictions
Best Batter of the Match – Fakhar Zaman
If Pakistan bat first, expect them to put up a big score. Fakhar Zaman will open the innings for the hosts and the swashbuckling batter is expected to put pressure on the debutants early in the innings. Once he gets set, it is tough to get Fakhar out. The man likes to play big knocks and it shouldn’t be a surprise if he pummels Nepal bowling line-up.
Best Bowler of the Match – Haris Rauf
While all the focus is on Shaheen Afridi, another pacer Haris Rauf often takes all the limelight. Rauf stunned Afghanistan in the first ODI last week picking up a five-wicket haul as well. He could turn out to be too hot for Nepal’s batters especially in the middle overs. Expect another starry outing for Rauf.
Carlos Alcaraz returns a shot to Dominik Koepfer, of Germany, during the first round of the U.S. Open tennis championships, on August 29, 2023, in New York
| Photo Credit: AP
Carlos Alcaraz has surrendered the number one world ranking but got his U.S. Open title defence off to an easy start as injured German Dominik Koepfer retired against the 20-year-old top seed on Tuesday.
The season’s final Grand Slam began on Monday with a change at the top after Novak Djokovic demolished Frenchman Alexandre Muller to ease into the second round — a result that meant the Serb will replace Alcaraz as world number one when the rankings are updated on Sept. 11.
But Alcaraz will have the number one attached to his name for the duration of the Flushing Meadows fortnight and advanced to the second round after Koepfer twisted his ankle minutes into the match and later retired with the Spaniard up 6-2 3-2.
Alcaraz, bidding to become the first man to retain his U.S. Open crown since Roger Federer won five straight from 2004 to 2008, appeared unsteady at times on the North American hardcourts ahead of the season’s final Grand Slam but kept his composure on Tuesday with few errors.
“I’m not thinking about defending the title. I was not thinking about I was the champion last year,” he told reporters.
“I just focus on play my best level, to recover the level that I played last year, try to do same things that I did last year. That’s the only thing that I’m thinking right now.”
With Alcaraz and Djokovic hogging the spotlight, Daniil Medvedev had been the forgotten man but the third seeded Russian remains a threat to claim his second U.S. Open title in three years.
He got everyone’s attention when he dispatched Hungarian Attila Balazs 6-1 6-1 6-0 in a speedy affair to kick off the action on Arthur Ashe Stadium, firing off 41 winners to set up a second round meeting with Australian Christopher O’Connell.
Andy Murray, the 2012 U.S. Open champion, recorded a landmark 200th Grand Slam match win as he turned back the clock to beat young Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-2 7-5 6-3.
The 36-year-old Scotsman said he was playing some of the best tennis on a consistent level since 2017. He faces Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov in the second round.
Italian sixth seed Jannik Sinner handily beat German Yannick Hanfmann 6-3 6-1 6-1 and will play compatriot Lorenzo Sonego next.
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka sent off Belgian Maryna Zanevska 6-3 6-2, closing out the action on Louis Armstrong Stadium with 27 winners to set up a meeting with Britain’s Jodie Burrage.
“I think she played an unbelievable match – she fought until the end,” the Australian Open champion said in on-court remarks. “I think I’m most pleased with my focus… Hopefully I’ll do better with every game.”
American Jessica Pegula took her place in the U.S. charge into the second round as she fired off eight aces to swat aside Italy’s Camila Giorgi 6-2 6-2.
The third seed has taken a backseat to compatriot Coco Gauff in the headlines, as local fans hope to see an American hoist the trophy for the first time since 2017, but said she has no problem ceding the spotlight.
“Coco can take it, that pressure, not me,” said Pegula, who will play Romanian Patricia Maria Tig next. “It’s nice that there is a lot of us that are doing well and that have chances to go deep here.”
Seven-time Grand Slam winner Venus Williams came up short of her goal to make it past the opening round for the first time since 2019, losing 6-1 6-1 to Belgian qualifier Greet Minnen in her 100th U.S. Open match.
Indian prodigy R Praggnanandhaa, who made history by clinching the silver medal in the 2023 FIDE World Cup, and entered the FIDE Candidates tournament, was accorded a rousing reception upon his arrival at the airport here on Wednesday.
Praggnanandhaa arrives to hero’s welcome
The officials from the state sports department received him at the airport. His fans eagerly waited at the exit gate and presented him a crown of flowers, a shawl and bouquets. Flowers were strewn on his path as he stepped out and artists performed Karagattam and Oyilattam, folk dances of Tamil Nadu, on the occasion.
The teenager took his time watching the media persons swarm on either side of the vehicle into which he got into, and reacted: “I am very happy over the reception.” He accepted the national tricolour offered to him and waved it.
His mother Nagalakshmi too expressed glee over the grand reception accorded to her 18-year-old son.
Indian Grandmaster Praggnanandhaa’s dream run in the FIDE World Cup ended at the hands of Norwegian Magnus Carlsen, who beat him 1.5-0.5 in the tie-break at Baku, Azerbaijan, on August 24 after the classical games ended in a stalemate.
Despite the final result, Praggnanandhaa’s achievement resonated with the dreams of 140 crore people, Chief Minister M K Stalin had said and congratulated him for clinching the silver medal and entering the FIDE Candidates tournament.
The young Grand Master has an elder sister R Vaishali, who is two times youth chess champion. His parents Rameshbabu, a manager at the TNSC Bank and mother have been great source of inspiration to Praggnanandhaa.
World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz sportingly debunked the claim that his coaches sought to give him a one-handed backhand when he was a kid.
Alcaraz, the defending champion at the US Open 2023, had a dramatic first-round match against Dominik Koepfer. The Serbian advanced to the next round after Koepfer retired from the match following an ankle injury.
Carlos Alcaraz was asked if it’s true his coaches tried to give him a one-handed backhand as a kid:
“I think it’s not true ð. When I was young, I loved to try new things. One-handed backhand was 1 of the things I practiced just 1 day. I loved to do different shots & things onâæ pic.twitter.com/jOoDN3t8RW
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 30, 2023
Alcaraz was leading at 6-2, 3-2 when Koepfer withdrew from the tournament. This incident brought mixed reactions, as the Spaniard admitted that he didn’t aspire to secure a win in such a way, but was quite pleased with his performance.
After the win, when Alcaraz was asked about the rumoured one-handed backhand story, he said: “I think it’s not true. When I was young, I loved to try new things. One-handed backhand was 1 of the things I practiced just 1 day. I loved to do different shots & things on court. Probably that day, I watched Roger Federer’s match & tried to imitate him.”
Alcaraz is aiming to become the first player since Roger Federer to uphold his US Open singles title. His upcoming face-off with South Africa’s Lloyd Harris holds immense significance.
The 20-year old Spanish player added that he was content with his first-round performance at the US Open. His hopes are pinned on maintaining this rhythm in the forthcoming rounds. “This is a court that I love playing in,” Alcaraz admitted about the Arthur Ashe Stadium, stating that he witnessed the same energy level he enjoyed during the previous year.
The future of India in chess is truly bright. While R Praggnanandhaa went as far as the final of the FIDE Chess World Cup, there remain many other Grandmasters who have really stepped up in the last few years. Praggnanandhaa couldn’t go all the way in the final, losing the title decider to World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. But, he still made history in Indian sports, giving inspiration to many others like him to continue dreaming. After the 18-year-old’s defeat in the final, however, a dream of his parents was also fulfilled by industrialist Anand Mahindra.
Making a big announcement on social media, The Mahindra Group decided to gift Praggnanandha an all-electric SUV, to honour his accomplishments in chess. Anand Mahindra himself floated the idea on ‘X’ (formerly Twitter).
“Appreciate your sentiment, Krishlay, & many, like you, have been urging me to gift a Thar to @rpragchess But I have another idea … I would like to encourage parents to introduce their children to Chess & support them as they pursue this cerebral game (despite the surge in popularity of video games!). It’s an investment in a better future for our planet, just like EVs. And so, I think we should gift an XUV4OO EV to the PARENTS of @rpragchess Shrimati Nagalakshmi & Shri Rameshbabu, who deserve our gratitude for nurturing their son’s passion & for giving him their untiring support. What do you think, @rajesh664?,” Anand Mahindra wrote.
“Congratulations @rpragchess for your spectacular achievement.Thanks @anandmahindra for the idea of recognising PARENTS of @rpragchess Shrimati Nagalakshmi & Shri Rameshbabu.The All Electric SUV XUV400 would be perfect-our team will connect for a special edition and delivery,” The Mahindra Group’s Executive Director and CEO responded.
Congratulations @rpragchess for your spectacular achievement.Thanks @anandmahindra for the idea of recognising PARENTS of @rpragchess Shrimati Nagalakshmi & Shri Rameshbabu.The All Electric SUV XUV400 would be perfect-our team will connect for a special edition and delivery
Reacting to the gesture, Praggnanandhaa said that it was a long-term dream of his parents to own an electric car, which is now being completed.
“No words to express my Gratitude Thank you very much @anandmahindrasir and @rajesh664 sir. It is a long-term dream of my parents to own an EV car thanks for making it a reality!,” Praggnanandhaa said.
“The ultimate goal of a car manufacturer is to turn dreams into reality,” Anand Mahindra replied to the chess prodigy’s post.
The ultimate goal of a car manufacturer is to turn dreams into reality… https://t.co/hoRiOIoQHH
A round of thunderous applause is not enough for 25-year-old Amoj Jacob as his alma mater Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur (SGTB) Khalsa, Delhi University (DU), is jubilant since the Indian men’s 4×400 relay team broke the Asian record! The team comprising Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Anas Yahiya, Muhammad Ajmal Variyathodi and Rajesh Ramesh Asian record of 2:59.51, which was held by the Japanese team. As the boys from India came fifth at the World Athletics Championships, in Budapest (Hungary), a wave of jubilation struck his alma mater in North Campus.
The Indian men’s 4x400m relay broke the Asian record at the World Athletics Championships, in Budapest. (Photo: Petr David Josek/AP)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the four runners on their record on X. (Screengrab: X, formerlyTwitter)
Jaswinder Singh, principal of SGTB Khalsa, swelled with pride talking about his former student, and tells us, “We are prepping to celebrate this feat in college! I remember, Amoj was the star athlete of our college in those days. He got admission to the college in 2016 in BCom (Prog) and went on to represent Khalsa College and DU at the national and the international levels. SGTB Khalsa has a wonderful sports culture and the fact that we have seven Arjuna awardees among our alumni community is testament to that… Ab Arjuna Award toh uska hai hi, but he will get much more! I feel he will get Padma Bhushan one day and we will be there cheering for him!”
His sports coach from that time, Arvind Kapoor, also cuts a happy father figure as he gushes: “Amoj has been training with me since he was in class V. He is like my child only! I trained him while in school (St Xavier’s Senior Secondary School) and then when he enrolled at DU’s Khalsa College… In fact, after school, he used to come to my house to eat lunch and we used to go together to the stadium for training. He has suffered injuries, but there is no pressure. He has proved his mettle and will go on to win huge accolades for the country.”
Jacob’s childhood coach (right) Arvind Kapoor feels the athlete has proved his mettle and will win huge accolades for the country.
“Amoj has always been one of the brightest persons in the 400m category seen in the university,” adds Anil Kumar Kalkal, director of the DU Sports Council, adding, “He accompanied me in the 2017 World University Games in Chinese Taipei, and I have seen his dedication as an excellent student. We were unhappy when he couldn’t participate in the 2019 World University Games due to his injuries. But, we all know he has a bright future ahead as he continues to make the university proud!”
An inspiration for the current batch of students, Jacob has already become an idol for many like Pradeep Singh, a first-year History (Hons) student at SGTB Khalsa. Singh says, “Bhaiyya has made us all so proud! We’ve been celebrating non-stop. Humare senior college se padhkar itna upar gaye hain, internationally records break kar rahe hain, it’s brilliant! He’s taught us about resilience and dedication with his performance and sports trajectory. He has proved to everyone that Khalsa College is more than just its bhangra team.”
The battle lines have been drawn and the rumble to contest for Asia’s biggest cricketing crown is about to get underway.
This year’s Asia Cup is going to be special for a lot of reasons but none bigger than the fact that it will serve as a dress rehearsal for the ODI World Cup starting October 5.
One of the prime contenders to win the continental tournament this year, Pakistan, seem firm on winning the event and their on-the-field as well as off-the-field approach says the same.
The Green Brigade recently played a three-match ODI series against Afghanistan and won it 3-0. However, it is not known to many that the bilateral contest was reportedly going to be played in the UAE.
The last-minute scheduling of the series in Sri Lanka was done to make sure it lays down an ideal preparatory ground for the Asia Cup as nine of its matches are to be played in the island nation.
Having registered a clean sweep against the Afghans, the Pakistan team would love to win the continental tournament and stake a claim on the biggest marquee 50-overs tournament that the calendar year has to offer.
Strengths
Pace is pace
The two-time Asia Cup winners arguably have the most lethal pace battery leading into the event. With the trio of Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi and Haris Rauf firing on all cylinders, teams can only ignore its presence at their peril.
Naseem Shah, the youngest of the lot has picked up 15 wickets this year in just seven games at an excellent average of 19.46 and economy rate of 4.78.
Shaheen, who will be spearheading the pace battery has bagged 14 scalps in the same number of games at an average of 21 and an economy rate of 5.01. He finished as the leading wicket-taker in the recently concluded ODI series against Afghanistan with six poles. Haris too has fairly identical numbers to Shaheen and was the second-leading wicket-taker in the Afghanistan series.
Batters in blazing form
Skipper Babar Azam is leading the two-time Asian champions from the front and his batting numbers are a testament to the same. Ranked No. 1 in ICC ODI batting rankings, the 28-year-old has racked up 538 runs at an average of 48.90, including one ton and six half-centuries in 11 games this year.
He has been ably supported by his wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan who has notched up 433 runs in the same number of games as Babar at a better average of 54.12 and a strike rate reading 92.12.
While these two batters have been superb in the ongoing calendar year, a major chunk of their success can also be credited to Imam-ul-Haq. Batting up front, Imam seems to be enjoying his time. He ended the series against Afghanistan as the leading run-getter for Pakistan with 165 runs, including two fifty-plus scores and averages 44.50 in 2023.
Weaknesses
Who after Babar-Rizwan?
The lower middle order of Pakistan is thin on experience and that might cost them a few crucial games in this edition. Agha Salman has shown plenty of promise in his short ODI stint but he is yet to be tested fully.
Having played just 14 ODIs, Salman has done justice to the opportunities that have been presented to him with 396 runs at an average of 44.00. However, what needs to be seen is whether he can thrive under high-octane pressure if the team finds itself under the pump after losing a few quick wickets up front.
Quite akin to Salman, Iftikhar Ahmed too hasn’t played enough ODIs to his liking. With the same number of ODI games under his belt as Salman, Iftikhar’s numbers do not make a very good reading. The 32-year-old has just scored 293 runs at an average of 36.62. Hence, these two batters will have to do a lot of heavy lifting if Pakistan suffer a collapse and it might go either way.
Fakhar’s sudden slump and Shadab’s dry spell
After powering his way through three consecutive tons against New Zealand earlier this year, Fakhar Zaman’s form is experiencing a downward spiral.
27, 30, 2, 33, 14, 19 – a string of low scores illustrate how the southpaw has struggled to make the most of his time at the top of the order lately. He was seen battling the moving ball against Fazalhaq Farooqi recently and with more gun pacers across teams in the Asia Cup, Fakhar’s struggle might continue.
Shadab Khan has been Pakistan’s go-to option in white-ball cricket for years now. The wily leggie has also won the team numerous games with his bowling ability but his recent outings vividly hint at his struggle to snare wickets when needed.
The bowling allrounder has played six games in 2023 thus far and has proved hard to get away for opposition batters but what creates headaches aplenty is his wickets column. Shadab has only claimed seven wickets this year and that figure might worry the captain as he’ll have to shoulder the onus of providing the team with crucial breakthroughs in the middle overs.
Opportunities
The ‘Favourites’ tag
Pakistan have entered the last few editions of the ODI World Cup as anything but favourites. However, after perhaps for the first time since 2011 several experts are billing them as one of the top contenders to win the marquee tournament in India.
If Pakistan really have to stake a claim at the World Cup and prove the billing right, they need to win the Asia Cup first. With all the top-tier Asian sides featuring in the continental affair, Pakistan’s successful campaign will go a long way in adding a concrete reason to the billing.
Three-time champions?
For a country that has been nothing short of an absolute powerhouse in Asia, Pakistan haven’t quite done justice to their stature in Asia Cup.
Being one of the first few countries that have featured in the tournament since the very beginning, it beggars belief that the Green Brigade has only managed to win the tournament twice. Hence, with the kind of core that they have put together for the upcoming edition, it triggers more than just hope that the Babar Azam-led outfit might claim their third Asia Cup title in history.
Threats
Undercooked
One of the reasons that may end up hurting the 1992 World Cup winners this time is their lack of game time in the ODI format. Pakistan have played just 31 matches in the ongoing World Cup cycle which is 20 less than their opponents in Asia Cup’s opening affair – Nepal (51). The lack of game time in the ODI format can play a decisive role and hurt the two-time Asian champions.
A hapless historic account
Pakistan’s loss percentage – 40%, is the most compared to the two most successful teams in the history of the tournament i.e. India (32.65) and Sri Lanka (32.00).
It narrates a sad saga of the Pakistan teams that have chanced their fortunes in the tournament earlier and perished. While the 2023 edition will be a fresh start, it only takes one bad game to bring back old and unpleasant memories from the past.
The pressure to win has been there ever since India lifted the 1983 World Cup, but fitness, both mental and physical, holds the key, says Roger Binny.
| Photo Credit: File Photo
The process of selecting the cricket team for the 2023 World Cup is on, and it will be a very well balanced side with a potential to win the cup, says BCCI president Roger Binny.
Mr. Binny, a former cricketer who was a part of the team that had lifted the 1983 Prudential World Cup, was interacting with select media persons here on August 29 (Tuesday).
“We have in place a team for the ensuing Asia Cup. We have a few good batsmen in the form of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Shubman Gill as our mainstay, and good fast bowlers, all-rounders and good spinners. Even our tail-enders can chip in with the bat, if required. But the only area of concern is injuries. Two of our main middle-order batsmen, Shreyas Iyer and K.L. Rahul, are recuperating after suffering injuries, and we hope that they will stay fit and play some good knocks,” Mr. Binny said.
The pressure to win had always been there ever since India lifted the 1983 World Cup. After the epic win, India had won a cup again in 2011, and we were semi-finalists for four times, he recalled. “This has aggravated the pressure on the side, and it, at times, has its toll on the team,” Mr. Binny observed.
Mr. Binny, the six-foot strapping fast bowler who still looks fit to bowl a spell, said that “fitness, both mental and physical, holds the key.”
A natural athlete, Mr. Binny had also represented his home State, Karnataka, in the javelin throw, hockey and football. “Give me a seaming track, I can still bowl a spell,” Mr. Binny said with a smile.
“No side can be taken lightly. Every side, be it Pakistan, England, Australia or New Zealand, has the potential, and there will always be a few surprises.”Roger Binny BCCI president
Referring to the ensuing World Cup that would be played in India from October 5, he said, “No side can be taken lightly. Every side, be it Pakistan, England, Australia or New Zealand, has the potential, and there will always be a few surprises.”
Talking about the changing phase of cricket after the 1983 win, Mr. Binny said that cricket then was in patches.
In a year we had a few Ranji Trophy games and a few Duleep Trophy matches. Moreover, the moment we started playing for Ranji, our main goal had been to hunt for a job, as cricket then was not self-sustaining. “But now, cricket has become more competitive, players have more exposure, there are bigger platforms like the IPL, and even the Ranji gives more exposure. Players now can sustain just by playing cricket and need not look for an alternative earning platform. This enables them to focus on the game and improve,” Mr. Binny said.
Bench strength
Speaking about the current bench strength, Mr. Binny said, “Unlike the yesteryear players, today we have a very big bench strength. We have the strength to have three different teams for three different formats.”
“The BCCI is focussing on this, and that is why we are experimenting with our strength by sending our younger players for tours to West Indies and Ireland. Apart from improving our bench strength and giving the youngsters good match experience, we want to avoid the burnout syndrome for our senior and top players,” he added.
When asked why the Indian team had problems on bouncy and seaming tracks, Mr. Binny said, “Sending the team for a practice session on a bouncy and seaming track just before a tour will not do the required good. We need to develop bouncy and seaming tracks for domestic cricket across the country. The young cricketers have to be groomed early playing on these tracks, and we are working on it.”
On when did the team believed that it could do something in the 1983 World Cup, Mr. Binny said, “We felt that we could do something immediately after defeating the world champions, the West Indies, in the very first match. Later, it was reinforced after Kapil Dev’s heroic 175 against Zimbabwe. Even in the final match, though our score was just 183, we did not lose hope, and had a feeling that we would achieve it.”
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has been welcomed back into the Cameroon national team, nine months after he abruptly left the squad during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Rigobert Song, the coach of the Cameroon team, announced Onana’s inclusion in the lineup for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Burundi. The match is set to take place in Garoua on September 12th. The Indomitable Lions only need a draw to secure their spot in the finals, which will be held in Ivory Coast in January.
Onana, who is 27 years old, had a falling out with Coach Song over training methods and tactics during the World Cup in Qatar. This disagreement occurred after their first group game against Switzerland in November. Following this incident, the Cameroon Football Federation suspended Onana and sent him home. Since then, he has not represented his country, having declared his retirement from international football.
Cameroon would end up exiting the World Cup in the group stages as they lost the first match to Switzerland and ended up drawing their second game against Serbia. They were able to pull off an upset over Brazil in the final group game, which proved to be a consolation win for them.
At a recent press conference in Yaounde, Coach Song refuted claims of any issues with Onana. He stated that it was only logical to include Onana in the squad, given his status as the best available goalkeeper.
“There was never a problem with Andre, the door has always been open to him and we are happy he is coming back to join the group,” said Song.
Onana had a fantastic 2022/23 campaign for Inter Milan and played a big role in their run to the Champions League final last season. He was then reunited with Erik ten Hag during the summer transfer window as he replaced David de Gea at the club.
Away from the hurly-burly of Novak Djokovic’s record-breaking run and Carlos Alcaraz’s title defence, this year’s US Open has emerged as a stage for a host of players to make their comebacks. From Caroline Wozniacki and Elina Svitolina to Milos Raonic, the list of returning players is quite long and illustrious. While some of them have already appeared at Louis Armstrong Stadium in New York City on Monday night, a number of other big names await their first-round match at the Flushing Meadows.
Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki celebrates her victory over Russia’s Tatiana Prozorova during the US Open(AFP)
After remaining out of action for almost two years, Jennifer Brady completed her return to competitive tennis at the US Open. Playing in front of her home crowd, the 28-year-old came up with a clinical display to breeze past Australian Kimberly Birrell 6-3, 7-6 (4) at Court 5. The fixture against Birrell marked Brady’s first WTA tour match since 2021.
“I feel like people just don’t know what to do with their lives. Maybe they see prize money going up and think they can get back to where they were. Because of where I left off — semifinals of a Grand Slam; final of a Grand Slam — there’s expectations and goals. But I don’t want to really put pressure on myself to get back there right away,” the 2020 US Open semi-finalist was quoted as saying by news agency AP.
Former number one-ranked player Caroline Wozniacki also scripted a winning comeback in the first round of the US Open. Wozniacki had announced her retirement following the Australian Open in 2020. The Danish player decided to reverse her retirement decision just less than two months back and made a winning comeback to competitive tennis in Montreal. The 33-year-old earned a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 win against Russia’s Tatiana Prozorova in the first round of the US Open. Wozniacki, a mother of two and a two-time runner-up at the U.S. Open, appeared in her first Grand Slam match since 2020 on Monday.
Ajla Tomljanovic is another big name who recorded a remarkable return to competitive tennis. Having been out of action for 10 months due to a left knee injury, Tomljanovic started her US Open campaign with a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 win against Hungary’s Panna Udvardy at Court 4.
“It was a high emotionally but I’m very realistic. … I know this was a moment that, yeah it was great, but I’m very realistic with where my body and my knee is at. I’m still happy that I managed to get through a match like today, to get the win and feel the emotions that you do, those 10 seconds, 20 seconds after. It’s what we play for,” the 30-year-old said.
The second day of the US Open will see players like Elina Svitolina and Barbora Strycova start their journey. While three-time major semifinalist Svitolina will face Germany’s Anna-Lena Friedsam, Strycova will be up against Estonian Kaia Kanepi in the first round of the US Open.
Donald Glover would still love to return to play Lando Calrissian and teases that he’s been “talking about it” with Lucasfilm.
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