Ravichandran Ashwin completed a magnificent all-round performance with seven wickets to bowl India to a crushing victory by an innings and 92 runs on the fourth day of the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua on Sunday. 
 
His haul of seven for 83 off 25 overs followed his third Test hundred - 113, is India&#39;s massive first innings total of 566 for eight declared at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. 
 
Resuming their second innings following on at the overnight position of 21 for one, the West Indies were dismissed for 231 in another abject batting display, despite half-centuries by Marlon Samuels and Carlos Brathwaite and a ninth-wicket stand of 95 between Brathwaite and Devendra Bishoo (45). 
 
This result was India&#39;s largest margin of victory in a Test match outside of Asia. 
 
&quot;We were really eager to get going in this series,&quot; said a delighted Indian captain Virat Kohli after the match. 
 
&quot;Everything came together nicely, from the batting performance to dismissing the West Indies twice. We went with three seamers because of the amount of grass on the wicket and it worked for us.&quot; 
 
 
&quot;Virat told me I needed to put in a good spell&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Wicketless throughout the first innings and for the first nine overs of his second innings effort, Ashwin scythed through the heart of the home side&#39;s batting in the afternoon session, reaping a five-wicket haul and then finishing off the match with the last two wickets just after tea to give India a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. 
 
He was fortunate to claim his first wicket, opening batsman Rajendra Chandrika adjudged caught at the wicket for a painstaking 31 in over three hours at the crease.&nbsp; 
 
But there was no doubt about the demolition effected thereafter, including dismissing Samuels for his first half-century in 12 Test innings, as six wickets tumbled for 44 runs. 
 
&quot;Virat told me I needed to put in a good spell this afternoon and I&#39;m glad I was able to deliver,&quot; said Ashwin, reflecting on his superb performance with the ball. 
 
&quot;I wasn&#39;t getting the right sort of rhythm yesterday but today was very different.&quot; 
 
Such was the speed of the collapse that India looked on course to complete the win well before the tea interval. 
 
However Brathwaite and Bishoo offered resistance that was entertaining for the few home fans in the stands and more than a little irritating for Virat Kohli and his men who were kept waiting to celebrate a comprehensive win. 
 
Brathwaite finished unbeaten on 51, his third half-century in as many Tests, but with just one wicket for 242 runs so far in his young career, his value as a frontline bowler remains highly questionable. 
 
&quot;We obviously need to bowl a bit better,&quot; said a downcast West Indies captain Jason Holder in the aftermath of the heavy defeat.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;I`m not sure what we can expect from the pitch for the next Test in Jamaica. It&#39;s been a bit flat of late but we`ll have to see what our options are when we get there.&quot; 
 
Apart from earning the West Indies a modicum of respect, the ninth-wicket pairing`s defiance also embarrassed the frontline batting which once again failed to cope with India&#39;s potent combination of pace and spin. 
 
Umesh Yadav got his team off to the perfect start in the morning, the fast bowler claiming the important wicket of Darren Bravo without any addition to the overnight score.&nbsp; 
 
Samuels then made the most of a narrow escape when an appeal for a catch to the wicketkeeper off Mohammed Shami was turned down after consideration of the television replays. 
 
Amid growing questions about his place in the side following 11 consecutive Test innings of scores lower than 20, the elegant right-hander stroked 11 fours in an even 50 before being bowled by Ashwin.&nbsp; 
 
His demise came just after Jermaine Blackwood fell for his second duck of the match and Ashwin added the wickets of Roston Chase and captain Jason Holder to turn the match into a formality. 
 
Wrist-spinner Amit Mishra accounted for Shane Dowrich in the midst of the rout before Brathwaite and Bishoo held up the victory celebrations. 
 
Fittingly, it was left to Ashwin to claim the final two wickets in the space of three deliveries and make his team even heavier favourites going into the second Test beginning on Saturday in Jamaica. 
 
(AFP)

This result was India's largest margin of victory in a Test match outside of Asia

Ravichandran Ashwin completed a magnificent all-round performance with seven wickets to bowl India to a crushing victory by an innings and 92 runs on the fourth day of the first Test against the West Indies in Antigua on Sunday. His haul of seven for 83 off 25 overs followed his third Test hundred - 113, is India's massive first innings total of 566 for eight declared at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Resuming their second innings following on at the overnight position of 21 for one, the West Indies were dismissed for 231 in another abject batting display, despite half-centuries by Marlon Samuels and Carlos Brathwaite and a ninth-wicket stand of 95 between Brathwaite and Devendra Bishoo (45). This result was India's largest margin of victory in a Test match outside of Asia. "We were really eager to get going in this series," said a delighted Indian captain Virat Kohli after the match. "Everything came together nicely, from the batting performance to dismissing the West Indies twice. We went with three seamers because of the amount of grass on the wicket and it worked for us." "Virat told me I needed to put in a good spell" Wicketless throughout the first innings and for the first nine overs of his second innings effort, Ashwin scythed through the heart of the home side's batting in the afternoon session, reaping a five-wicket haul and then finishing off the match with the last two wickets just after tea to give India a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. He was fortunate to claim his first wicket, opening batsman Rajendra Chandrika adjudged caught at the wicket for a painstaking 31 in over three hours at the crease. But there was no doubt about the demolition effected thereafter, including dismissing Samuels for his first half-century in 12 Test innings, as six wickets tumbled for 44 runs. "Virat told me I needed to put in a good spell this afternoon and I'm glad I was able to deliver," said Ashwin, reflecting on his superb performance with the ball. "I wasn't getting the right sort of rhythm yesterday but today was very different." Such was the speed of the collapse that India looked on course to complete the win well before the tea interval. However Brathwaite and Bishoo offered resistance that was entertaining for the few home fans in the stands and more than a little irritating for Virat Kohli and his men who were kept waiting to celebrate a comprehensive win. Brathwaite finished unbeaten on 51, his third half-century in as many Tests, but with just one wicket for 242 runs so far in his young career, his value as a frontline bowler remains highly questionable. "We obviously need to bowl a bit better," said a downcast West Indies captain Jason Holder in the aftermath of the heavy defeat. "I`m not sure what we can expect from the pitch for the next Test in Jamaica. It's been a bit flat of late but we`ll have to see what our options are when we get there." Apart from earning the West Indies a modicum of respect, the ninth-wicket pairing`s defiance also embarrassed the frontline batting which once again failed to cope with India's potent combination of pace and spin. Umesh Yadav got his team off to the perfect start in the morning, the fast bowler claiming the important wicket of Darren Bravo without any addition to the overnight score. Samuels then made the most of a narrow escape when an appeal for a catch to the wicketkeeper off Mohammed Shami was turned down after consideration of the television replays. Amid growing questions about his place in the side following 11 consecutive Test innings of scores lower than 20, the elegant right-hander stroked 11 fours in an even 50 before being bowled by Ashwin. His demise came just after Jermaine Blackwood fell for his second duck of the match and Ashwin added the wickets of Roston Chase and captain Jason Holder to turn the match into a formality. Wrist-spinner Amit Mishra accounted for Shane Dowrich in the midst of the rout before Brathwaite and Bishoo held up the victory celebrations. Fittingly, it was left to Ashwin to claim the final two wickets in the space of three deliveries and make his team even heavier favourites going into the second Test beginning on Saturday in Jamaica. (AFP)

?Ashwin spins India to crushing 1st Test victory against West Indies

India skipper Virat Kohli, calling on his side to create a winning habit,&nbsp;has admitted that they are looking forward to a series whitewash against West Indies after claiming an emphatic win by an innings and 92 runs against the hosts in the first Test here at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium last evening. 
 
&quot;If we have a chance to win 4-0, then why not. We don&#39;t need to get complacent. If we end up getting a 2-0 lead, it&#39;s not that we&#39;re playing for a draw in the next two tests. We want to create winning habits, good habits. And you know, winning is contagious. As we know, if we learn to win Test matches, then we&#39;ll learn how to win Tests everywhere. We will learn how to play in different situations and we will know exactly what to do when a certain situation is going a certain way,&quot; said Kohli, who scored his maiden double century. 
 
Off-Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was adjudged &#39;Man of the match&#39;, led from the front as he contributed 113 runs in his side&#39;s innings before claiming seven wickets as the Caribbean side were bundled out for 231 in their second innings. 
 
India declared their first innings at 566-8. 
 
Reflecting on India&#39;s strategy, an ecstatic Kohli revealed that his side would not pay attention to their previous laurels and would focus on one game at a time. 
 
&quot;That&#39;s what we need to do. We need to look at every game as a fresh game and execute our plans and win as a team. Everyone is looking to contribute and that`s the most important thing with this team. I certainly feel very positive going forward with the way we have played,&quot; he added. 
 
Describing the win as &#39;perfect&#39;, the 27-year-old swashbuckling batsman credited his side&#39;s bowling department for the massive victory while adding that his side executed the plan really well. 
 
&quot;If you look at it logically, that&#39;s probably the perfect finish, which every team looks for. The seamers usually dominate the first innings when you play away from home. The wicket tires out on day four and five. That&#39;s when the spinners come into play. In the first innings, spinners are taking couple of the breakthrough wickets. In the second innings, fast bowlers are doing this for you and then the spinners will open it up again. I think it was a wonderful partnership bowling by all our bowlers in the two innings. And the batsmen as well,&quot; he added. 
 
India, which is bidding to clinch third consecutive series whitewash against the Caribbean side, have now taken a one-nil lead in the four-match series. 
 
The two sides will play the second match at Sabina Park in Jamaica from July 30. 
 
(ANI)&nbsp;

'We need to look at every game as a fresh game and execute our plans and win as a team'

India skipper Virat Kohli, calling on his side to create a winning habit, has admitted that they are looking forward to a series whitewash against West Indies after claiming an emphatic win by an innings and 92 runs against the hosts in the first Test here at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium last evening. "If we have a chance to win 4-0, then why not. We don't need to get complacent. If we end up getting a 2-0 lead, it's not that we're playing for a draw in the next two tests. We want to create winning habits, good habits. And you know, winning is contagious. As we know, if we learn to win Test matches, then we'll learn how to win Tests everywhere. We will learn how to play in different situations and we will know exactly what to do when a certain situation is going a certain way," said Kohli, who scored his maiden double century. Off-Spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, who was adjudged 'Man of the match', led from the front as he contributed 113 runs in his side's innings before claiming seven wickets as the Caribbean side were bundled out for 231 in their second innings. India declared their first innings at 566-8. Reflecting on India's strategy, an ecstatic Kohli revealed that his side would not pay attention to their previous laurels and would focus on one game at a time. "That's what we need to do. We need to look at every game as a fresh game and execute our plans and win as a team. Everyone is looking to contribute and that`s the most important thing with this team. I certainly feel very positive going forward with the way we have played," he added. Describing the win as 'perfect', the 27-year-old swashbuckling batsman credited his side's bowling department for the massive victory while adding that his side executed the plan really well. "If you look at it logically, that's probably the perfect finish, which every team looks for. The seamers usually dominate the first innings when you play away from home. The wicket tires out on day four and five. That's when the spinners come into play. In the first innings, spinners are taking couple of the breakthrough wickets. In the second innings, fast bowlers are doing this for you and then the spinners will open it up again. I think it was a wonderful partnership bowling by all our bowlers in the two innings. And the batsmen as well," he added. India, which is bidding to clinch third consecutive series whitewash against the Caribbean side, have now taken a one-nil lead in the four-match series. The two sides will play the second match at Sabina Park in Jamaica from July 30. (ANI)

Indian skipper Kohli calls on teammates not to get complacent post Antigua Test win

Formula One drivers have called for the sport&#39;s rules to be made clearer after several high-profile incidents over the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend triggered debate on how they should be applied. 
 
Nico Rosberg was allowed to keep pole position for Sunday&rsquo;s race after stewards deemed he had slowed enough for waved double yellow flags, despite the German going faster in the sector in which the flags were shown on his way to his benchmark time. 
 
Drivers are required to reduce speed significantly and be prepared to change direction or stop under double waved yellow flags, which can be deployed to warn them of marshals, stranded cars, or recovery vehicles on or beside the track. 
 
Other drivers, including team mate Lewis Hamilton who was forced to abort his final crack at pole, slowed down enough to hinder their overall laps. 
 
Stewards&#39; acceptance of Rosberg&rsquo;s argument he had slowed enough, raised questions over just how much drivers were required to reduce speed. 
 
&ldquo;The issue is not that he didn&rsquo;t get a penalty,&rdquo; said reigning triple champion Hamilton, who won the race. 
 
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s about being prepared to be able to slow down...if there was a marshal back there... None of us want to take out a marshal or a driver.&quot; 
 
&ldquo;We didn&rsquo;t set a correct example yesterday,&rdquo; Ferrari&rsquo;s four times champion Sebastian Vettel said. 
 
&quot;Next week there will be a go-karting race and there will be a double yellow waved flag somewhere... Then, the way the kids think is, well I don&rsquo;t need to lift much because in Formula One it&rsquo;s okay.&rdquo; 
 
In another incident after qualifying, several drivers, including Red Bull&rsquo;s third-placed Daniel Ricciardo, were at risk of losing their grid slots for not qualifying within 107 per cent of the fastest time in the opening 18-minute phase. 
 
Stewards decided to let some of those drivers keep their positions, while those who hadn&rsquo;t made it past first phase had their times taken away, even though the grid order didn&rsquo;t change. 
 
In Sunday&rsquo;s race, Jenson Button ran foul of tightened radio rules, collecting a drive through penalty when his McLaren team informed him how to get around a hydraulics issue that was causing him brake problems. 
 
&ldquo;The sport is good in so many ways, there are so many improvements coming, but I mean common sense should prevail and we shouldn&rsquo;t get a penalty for stopping an incident,&rdquo; said the former world champion. 
 
&ldquo;It&rsquo;s a shame that the sport is where it is with these regulations.&rdquo; 
 
(Reuters)

Top F1 drivers urge on improvements after several high-profile incidents triggered debates

Formula One drivers have called for the sport's rules to be made clearer after several high-profile incidents over the Hungarian Grand Prix weekend triggered debate on how they should be applied. Nico Rosberg was allowed to keep pole position for Sunday’s race after stewards deemed he had slowed enough for waved double yellow flags, despite the German going faster in the sector in which the flags were shown on his way to his benchmark time. Drivers are required to reduce speed significantly and be prepared to change direction or stop under double waved yellow flags, which can be deployed to warn them of marshals, stranded cars, or recovery vehicles on or beside the track. Other drivers, including team mate Lewis Hamilton who was forced to abort his final crack at pole, slowed down enough to hinder their overall laps. Stewards' acceptance of Rosberg’s argument he had slowed enough, raised questions over just how much drivers were required to reduce speed. “The issue is not that he didn’t get a penalty,” said reigning triple champion Hamilton, who won the race. “It’s about being prepared to be able to slow down...if there was a marshal back there... None of us want to take out a marshal or a driver." “We didn’t set a correct example yesterday,” Ferrari’s four times champion Sebastian Vettel said. "Next week there will be a go-karting race and there will be a double yellow waved flag somewhere... Then, the way the kids think is, well I don’t need to lift much because in Formula One it’s okay.” In another incident after qualifying, several drivers, including Red Bull’s third-placed Daniel Ricciardo, were at risk of losing their grid slots for not qualifying within 107 per cent of the fastest time in the opening 18-minute phase. Stewards decided to let some of those drivers keep their positions, while those who hadn’t made it past first phase had their times taken away, even though the grid order didn’t change. In Sunday’s race, Jenson Button ran foul of tightened radio rules, collecting a drive through penalty when his McLaren team informed him how to get around a hydraulics issue that was causing him brake problems. “The sport is good in so many ways, there are so many improvements coming, but I mean common sense should prevail and we shouldn’t get a penalty for stopping an incident,” said the former world champion. “It’s a shame that the sport is where it is with these regulations.” (Reuters)

Hungarian Grand Prix: Formula One drivers call for clearer rules

Britain&#39;s Johanna Konta captured her first WTA title in style on Sunday, beating former world number one Venus Williams 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 at the WTA hardcourt tournament in Stanford, California. 
 
Konta, ranked 18th in the world and seeded third, appeared on her way to an emphatic victory in her first career final after racing to a 4-1 lead with two breaks of serve in the second set. 
 
But Williams, seeking her 50th career title, won six of the next seven games to knot the match at a set apiece. 
 
The 25-year-old Konta, who fired 12 aces to three from Williams, didn&#39;t let the seven-time Grand Slam champion&#39;s resurgence rattle her. 
 
&quot;Quite honestly you&#39;d expect nothing less of a champion that she is,&quot; Konta said. &quot;That&#39;s what great champions do. They raise their level. They definitely don&#39;t give away a match.&quot; 
 
Refreshed after a brief bathroom break, she broke Williams in the third game of the final set, and took a 3-1 lead with her 10th ace of the match. 
 
She broke Williams again to serve for the match at 5-2, and despite a couple of nervy missteps in the final game sealed the victory on her third match point. 
 
&quot;It was quite an incredibly humbling experience,&quot; said Konta, the first Briton to win the tournament since Sue Barker in 1977. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s a great validation of the hard work you do put in, and it&#39;s a great motivator on the things you want to keep getting better at, the length you want to go to become that much more better at your discipline. &quot; 
 
Konta had launched her career-best season with a win over Williams in the first round of the Australian Open, where she went on to reach the semi-finals. 
 
Britain&#39;s top player has since gone from strength to strength, making the second week of both Indian Wells and Miami, and reaching the semi-finals at Eastbourne. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s daily work,&quot; Konta said of her rise. &quot;It&#39;s daily desire to keep getting better.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Johanna Konta, who ranked 18th in the world is the first Briton to win the tournament since Sue Barker in 1977

Britain's Johanna Konta captured her first WTA title in style on Sunday, beating former world number one Venus Williams 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 at the WTA hardcourt tournament in Stanford, California. Konta, ranked 18th in the world and seeded third, appeared on her way to an emphatic victory in her first career final after racing to a 4-1 lead with two breaks of serve in the second set. But Williams, seeking her 50th career title, won six of the next seven games to knot the match at a set apiece. The 25-year-old Konta, who fired 12 aces to three from Williams, didn't let the seven-time Grand Slam champion's resurgence rattle her. "Quite honestly you'd expect nothing less of a champion that she is," Konta said. "That's what great champions do. They raise their level. They definitely don't give away a match." Refreshed after a brief bathroom break, she broke Williams in the third game of the final set, and took a 3-1 lead with her 10th ace of the match. She broke Williams again to serve for the match at 5-2, and despite a couple of nervy missteps in the final game sealed the victory on her third match point. "It was quite an incredibly humbling experience," said Konta, the first Briton to win the tournament since Sue Barker in 1977. "It's a great validation of the hard work you do put in, and it's a great motivator on the things you want to keep getting better at, the length you want to go to become that much more better at your discipline. " Konta had launched her career-best season with a win over Williams in the first round of the Australian Open, where she went on to reach the semi-finals. Britain's top player has since gone from strength to strength, making the second week of both Indian Wells and Miami, and reaching the semi-finals at Eastbourne. "It's daily work," Konta said of her rise. "It's daily desire to keep getting better." (AFP)

Konta topples Venus for first WTA title

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt brushed aside concerns surrounding his fitness ahead of next month&#39;s Rio Olympics as he cruised to victory in the 200 metres at the London Anniversary Games. 
 
The six-time Olympic gold medallist showed no signs of rust, winning the race in 19.89 seconds in his return following a pelvic injury, the Mirror reported. 
 
The world&#39;s fastest man will aim to become the first person to win the 100 metre and 200 metre double at three consecutive Games when he will feature in the Rio Olympics.&nbsp; 
 
(ANI)

Usain Bolt, the six-time Olympic gold medallist, won the race in 19.89 seconds in his return following a pelvic injury

Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt brushed aside concerns surrounding his fitness ahead of next month's Rio Olympics as he cruised to victory in the 200 metres at the London Anniversary Games. The six-time Olympic gold medallist showed no signs of rust, winning the race in 19.89 seconds in his return following a pelvic injury, the Mirror reported. The world's fastest man will aim to become the first person to win the 100 metre and 200 metre double at three consecutive Games when he will feature in the Rio Olympics. (ANI)

Bolt quashes fitness concerns, cruises to 200m victory in London

To those who dip into swimming only when the Olympic Games come around, it may seem odd to hear a pool described as &#39;fast&#39; when it looks much like any other large rectangle filled with water.

And while coaches hammer into their young charges that fast swimmers make fast pools, like swimmers, some pools are faster than others, and even Michael Phelps goes quicker with the application of science.

In 2013, after British swimmers had flopped at the London Games and that year&#39;s world championships, head coach Bill Furniss suggested Sheffield&#39;s Ponds Forge Olympic standard pool was hampering their development because it was too fast.&nbsp;Cue jokey headlines suggesting swimmers were training in the &quot;wrong kind of water&quot; -&nbsp;an echo of the &quot;wrong kind of snow/rain/sunshine&quot; excuses familiar to downtrodden commuters when Britain&#39;s weather halts the trains.

At the international level, however, the biggest waves are the ones given by the swimmers to the crowd as they climb out.&nbsp;Rio&#39;s new 50-metre Olympic pool, where records may be set as dreams and duels play out, should stand out like a gleaming Ferrari among functional family runabouts.

The technology in such a pool, from energy-absorbing lane dividers and wave-swallowing drainage to the depth and temperature, is all designed to help the world&#39;s best swimmers go faster than ever.

&quot;Years and years ago, when pools had gutters on the side and walls, if you were on the outside lane then the waves were splashing back and hitting you,&quot; Britain&#39;s 4x100 mixed medley world gold medallist Chris Walker-Hebborn told Reuters at an Adidas event.

&quot;That was what I perceived as a slow pool back then.&nbsp;Everything we race in now, it (the water) runs off the edge into a drain so you are at no more disadvantage being in lane eight than you are in lane four, other than not being in the middle of the race.&quot;

Beijing&#39;s &#39;Water Cube&#39; was dubbed the fastest pool in the world, when 25 world records were broken at the 2008 Olympics and various factors contributed to that.

 
The now-banned drag-reducing high-tech suits, with Phelps using Speedo&#39;s LZR bodysuit to win eight golds, were a huge factor, but the pool was also wider and significantly deeper than the one used in Athens in 2004.&nbsp;Unlike Athens, it was also indoors.

That uniform three metre depth, now recommended by world body FINA and considered the norm since Beijing, makes the water more buoyant and less turbulent.&nbsp;The temperature of the water,&nbsp;all 3.7 million litres of it,&nbsp;is kept between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius. Too warm, and the body can over-relax, Too cold, and muscles may tighten.

 
The Rio Aquatics Stadium, a temporary structure, has had 15,000 strategically positioned holes drilled into it as part of a natural ventilation system.&nbsp;The lighting, the crowd, the acoustics also all help create an atmosphere that crackles with anticipation and plays into the mental side. In Rio, the front-row seats will be just 10 metres from the action.

British swimmer Adam Peaty, who set a 100 metres breaststroke world record of 57.92 seconds in London last year, said the psychological factor of swimmers going fast because they know the pool is state-of-the-art was not to be underestimated.

&quot;It&#39;s more of an idea than a thing; The idea of performing at an Olympics and being one of the best in the world, and that pool is the idea,&quot; Peaty said after this year&#39;s European championships.&nbsp;&quot;It sounds very metaphorical, but every time I see that (London) pool I just want to be the best in the world.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

Rio's new 50-metre Olympic pool, where records may be set as dreams and duels play out, should stand out like a gleaming Ferrari

To those who dip into swimming only when the Olympic Games come around, it may seem odd to hear a pool described as 'fast' when it looks much like any other large rectangle filled with water. And while coaches hammer into their young charges that fast swimmers make fast pools, like swimmers, some pools are faster than others, and even Michael Phelps goes quicker with the application of science. In 2013, after British swimmers had flopped at the London Games and that year's world championships, head coach Bill Furniss suggested Sheffield's Ponds Forge Olympic standard pool was hampering their development because it was too fast. Cue jokey headlines suggesting swimmers were training in the "wrong kind of water" - an echo of the "wrong kind of snow/rain/sunshine" excuses familiar to downtrodden commuters when Britain's weather halts the trains. At the international level, however, the biggest waves are the ones given by the swimmers to the crowd as they climb out. Rio's new 50-metre Olympic pool, where records may be set as dreams and duels play out, should stand out like a gleaming Ferrari among functional family runabouts. The technology in such a pool, from energy-absorbing lane dividers and wave-swallowing drainage to the depth and temperature, is all designed to help the world's best swimmers go faster than ever. "Years and years ago, when pools had gutters on the side and walls, if you were on the outside lane then the waves were splashing back and hitting you," Britain's 4x100 mixed medley world gold medallist Chris Walker-Hebborn told Reuters at an Adidas event. "That was what I perceived as a slow pool back then. Everything we race in now, it (the water) runs off the edge into a drain so you are at no more disadvantage being in lane eight than you are in lane four, other than not being in the middle of the race." Beijing's 'Water Cube' was dubbed the fastest pool in the world, when 25 world records were broken at the 2008 Olympics and various factors contributed to that. The now-banned drag-reducing high-tech suits, with Phelps using Speedo's LZR bodysuit to win eight golds, were a huge factor, but the pool was also wider and significantly deeper than the one used in Athens in 2004. Unlike Athens, it was also indoors. That uniform three metre depth, now recommended by world body FINA and considered the norm since Beijing, makes the water more buoyant and less turbulent. The temperature of the water, all 3.7 million litres of it, is kept between 25 and 28 degrees Celsius. Too warm, and the body can over-relax, Too cold, and muscles may tighten. The Rio Aquatics Stadium, a temporary structure, has had 15,000 strategically positioned holes drilled into it as part of a natural ventilation system. The lighting, the crowd, the acoustics also all help create an atmosphere that crackles with anticipation and plays into the mental side. In Rio, the front-row seats will be just 10 metres from the action. British swimmer Adam Peaty, who set a 100 metres breaststroke world record of 57.92 seconds in London last year, said the psychological factor of swimmers going fast because they know the pool is state-of-the-art was not to be underestimated. "It's more of an idea than a thing; The idea of performing at an Olympics and being one of the best in the world, and that pool is the idea," Peaty said after this year's European championships. "It sounds very metaphorical, but every time I see that (London) pool I just want to be the best in the world." (Reuters)

Technology in pools makes Olympic athletes swim faster

Formula One championship leader Nico Rosberg has signed a new contract that will keep him at Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton until the end of the 2018 season, the team said today. 
 
The team tweeted video of the 31-year-old German, runner up to Briton Hamilton in the championship for the last two years, signing the contract to race for the team in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. 
 
&quot;We are delighted to announce that the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team has signed a two-year contract extension with Nico Rosberg for the 2017 and 2018 Formula One seasons,&quot; Mercedes later confirmed in a statement. 
 
&quot;Nico has been a core member of the Silver Arrows since the team returned to the sport in 2010 and has played a crucial role in the team&#39;s success in that time.&quot; 
 
Rosberg joined Mercedes from Williams in 2010 and has won 19 grand prix for the team, including five this year. He has helped Mercedes to the manufacturers title for the last two seasons.&nbsp;Three-times Formula One champion Hamilton signed a three-year deal with the team through to the end of the 2018 season in May last year.&nbsp;Rosberg holds a one-point lead over Hamilton in the drivers standings heading into this weekend&#39;s Hungarian Grand Prix, down from an imposing 43 points in May. 
 
The pair have exasperated team bosses with their on-track rivalry at times this season, particularly after they collided on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix with the result that Rosberg finished fourth in a damaged car.&nbsp;The team said before the British Grand Prix earlier this month, however, that they would not impose &quot;team orders&quot; on their drivers. 
 
(Reuters)

Rosberg joined Mercedes from Williams in 2010 and has won 19 grands prix for the team, including five this year

Formula One championship leader Nico Rosberg has signed a new contract that will keep him at Mercedes with Lewis Hamilton until the end of the 2018 season, the team said today. The team tweeted video of the 31-year-old German, runner up to Briton Hamilton in the championship for the last two years, signing the contract to race for the team in the 2017 and 2018 seasons. "We are delighted to announce that the Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula 1 Team has signed a two-year contract extension with Nico Rosberg for the 2017 and 2018 Formula One seasons," Mercedes later confirmed in a statement. "Nico has been a core member of the Silver Arrows since the team returned to the sport in 2010 and has played a crucial role in the team's success in that time." Rosberg joined Mercedes from Williams in 2010 and has won 19 grand prix for the team, including five this year. He has helped Mercedes to the manufacturers title for the last two seasons. Three-times Formula One champion Hamilton signed a three-year deal with the team through to the end of the 2018 season in May last year. Rosberg holds a one-point lead over Hamilton in the drivers standings heading into this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, down from an imposing 43 points in May. The pair have exasperated team bosses with their on-track rivalry at times this season, particularly after they collided on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix with the result that Rosberg finished fourth in a damaged car. The team said before the British Grand Prix earlier this month, however, that they would not impose "team orders" on their drivers. (Reuters)

Nico Rosberg signs deal to stay at Mercedes until 2018

World number two Dustin Johnson eagled the final hole to earn a share of the lead with fellow American Luke List after the first round at the RBC Canadian Open on Thursday. 
 
Johnson sank a 12-foot putt at the par-five 18th to cap a roller-coaster afternoon round that also included seven birdies, a bogey and double-bogey at sun-baked Glen Abbey Golf Club outside Toronto.&nbsp;Defending champion Jason Day was also rewarded for his aggressive approach with a 69.&nbsp;Day used his driver liberally and collected four birdies, along with a chip-in eagle. 
 
Leaders Johnson and List headed fellow Americans Kelly Kraft and Chesson Hadley, Spain&#39;s Jon Rahm and Canadian amateur Jared du Toit by one shot.&nbsp;List, ranked 309th in the world, compiled his six birdies with a minimum of fuss, picking up a stroke at each of the four par-five holes.&nbsp; 
 
Du Toit, meanwhile, found himself in lofty company after a round that included an unlikely eagle from 154 yards from a fairway bunker at the par-four 17th.&nbsp;The 21-year-old from British Columbia is currently a college golfer at Arizona State, and would be the first Canadian to win his national open since 1954. 
 
(Reuters)

Defending champion Jason Day was also rewarded for his aggressive approach with a 69

World number two Dustin Johnson eagled the final hole to earn a share of the lead with fellow American Luke List after the first round at the RBC Canadian Open on Thursday. Johnson sank a 12-foot putt at the par-five 18th to cap a roller-coaster afternoon round that also included seven birdies, a bogey and double-bogey at sun-baked Glen Abbey Golf Club outside Toronto. Defending champion Jason Day was also rewarded for his aggressive approach with a 69. Day used his driver liberally and collected four birdies, along with a chip-in eagle. Leaders Johnson and List headed fellow Americans Kelly Kraft and Chesson Hadley, Spain's Jon Rahm and Canadian amateur Jared du Toit by one shot. List, ranked 309th in the world, compiled his six birdies with a minimum of fuss, picking up a stroke at each of the four par-five holes. Du Toit, meanwhile, found himself in lofty company after a round that included an unlikely eagle from 154 yards from a fairway bunker at the par-four 17th. The 21-year-old from British Columbia is currently a college golfer at Arizona State, and would be the first Canadian to win his national open since 1954. (Reuters)

Dustin Johnson fires opening round 66 to share lead in Canadian Open

Former world champion Sebastian Vettel has slammed Formula One&#39;s decision to tighten radio rules, saying that drivers and teams should be free to say whatever they want to each other during a race. 
 
&quot;All the radio issues we&#39;ve had, I think it&#39;s a joke,&quot; the Ferrari driver told reporters on Thursday during preparations for this weekend&#39;s Hungarian Grand Prix. 
 
The governing International Automobile Federation&#39;s (FIA) Formula One race director Charlie Whiting issued a &quot;technical directive&quot; to teams on Wednesday to clarify what they are allowed to tell their drivers over the radio. 
 
According to the document, seen by Reuters, teams can inform a driver about concerns with their vehicle but &quot;any message of this sort must include an irreversible instruction to enter the pits to rectify the problem or to retire the car&quot;. 
 
The fresh directive also underlined that the radio restrictions will not apply if a car is in the pitlane, whereas earlier they kicked in as soon as the vehicle left the garage. 
 
The clarification came after Nico Rosberg, who had help from Mercedes in getting around gearbox gremlins at this month&#39;s British Grand Prix, was found to be in breach of the rule barring teams from giving drivers assistance over the radio. 
 
A week earlier Force India&#39;s Sergio Perez crashed out on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix with brake problems because the team felt the rules prevented them from informing the Mexican of the issue. 
 
German Vettel, 29, said curbing radio transmissions was the wrong way to go, given the technological complexity of modern-day cars, and called for the restrictions to be lifted. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s not our mistake, as in the drivers, that the cars are so complicated these days that they need a big manual and a steering wheel full of buttons to operate it,&quot; the four-times world champion said. 
 
Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton, however, brushed off the change, saying it &quot;doesn&rsquo;t make any difference to me&quot; while team-mate Rosberg said he did not have an opinion on it. 
 
(Reuters)

Sebastian Vettel said curbing radio transmissions was the wrong way to go and called for the restrictions to be lifted

Former world champion Sebastian Vettel has slammed Formula One's decision to tighten radio rules, saying that drivers and teams should be free to say whatever they want to each other during a race. "All the radio issues we've had, I think it's a joke," the Ferrari driver told reporters on Thursday during preparations for this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. The governing International Automobile Federation's (FIA) Formula One race director Charlie Whiting issued a "technical directive" to teams on Wednesday to clarify what they are allowed to tell their drivers over the radio. According to the document, seen by Reuters, teams can inform a driver about concerns with their vehicle but "any message of this sort must include an irreversible instruction to enter the pits to rectify the problem or to retire the car". The fresh directive also underlined that the radio restrictions will not apply if a car is in the pitlane, whereas earlier they kicked in as soon as the vehicle left the garage. The clarification came after Nico Rosberg, who had help from Mercedes in getting around gearbox gremlins at this month's British Grand Prix, was found to be in breach of the rule barring teams from giving drivers assistance over the radio. A week earlier Force India's Sergio Perez crashed out on the last lap of the Austrian Grand Prix with brake problems because the team felt the rules prevented them from informing the Mexican of the issue. German Vettel, 29, said curbing radio transmissions was the wrong way to go, given the technological complexity of modern-day cars, and called for the restrictions to be lifted. "It's not our mistake, as in the drivers, that the cars are so complicated these days that they need a big manual and a steering wheel full of buttons to operate it," the four-times world champion said. Triple world champion Lewis Hamilton, however, brushed off the change, saying it "doesn’t make any difference to me" while team-mate Rosberg said he did not have an opinion on it. (Reuters)

Vettel slams radio rules as 'joke'

Zimbabwe have appointed Graeme Cremer as captain of a 16-man squad named on Thursday for the two-test series against New Zealand starting next week. 
 
The 29-year-old spinner replaces Brendan Taylor in the role for Zimbabwe&rsquo;s first test since they lost three matches in Bangladesh in late 2014. 
 
Four uncapped players &ndash; Chamu Chibhabha, Prince Masvaure, Peter Moor and Taurai Muzarabani were selected in the squad for the matches in Bulawayo. 
 
The first test begins next Thursday and the second on Aug. 6. 
 
It will be the first test at the Queens Sports Club in almost five years since New Zealand won a one-off match there by 34 runs in November 2011. 
 
New Zealand play Zimbabwe A in a three-day practice match at the Harare Sports Club on Friday before flying to Bulawayo. 
 
Squad 
 
Graeme Cremer (captain), Sikandar Raza Butt, Regis Chakabva, Brian Chari, Tendai Chatara, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Hamilton Masakadza, Prince Masvaure, Peter Moor, Richmond Mutumbami, Taurai Muzarabani, Njabulo Ncube, Donald Tiripano, Sean Williams. 
 
(Reuters)

The 29-year-old spinner replaces Brendan Taylor in the role for Zimbabwe?s first test since they lost three matches in Bangladesh in 2014

Zimbabwe have appointed Graeme Cremer as captain of a 16-man squad named on Thursday for the two-test series against New Zealand starting next week. The 29-year-old spinner replaces Brendan Taylor in the role for Zimbabwe’s first test since they lost three matches in Bangladesh in late 2014. Four uncapped players – Chamu Chibhabha, Prince Masvaure, Peter Moor and Taurai Muzarabani were selected in the squad for the matches in Bulawayo. The first test begins next Thursday and the second on Aug. 6. It will be the first test at the Queens Sports Club in almost five years since New Zealand won a one-off match there by 34 runs in November 2011. New Zealand play Zimbabwe A in a three-day practice match at the Harare Sports Club on Friday before flying to Bulawayo. Squad Graeme Cremer (captain), Sikandar Raza Butt, Regis Chakabva, Brian Chari, Tendai Chatara, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Hamilton Masakadza, Prince Masvaure, Peter Moor, Richmond Mutumbami, Taurai Muzarabani, Njabulo Ncube, Donald Tiripano, Sean Williams. (Reuters)

Cremer named Zimbabwe captain for test return

West Indies vice-captain Kraigg Brathwaite has admitted that his side will face an uphill task against overwhelming favourites India and insisted that the hosts will need to produce an all-round performance to begin the four-match series on a winning note. 
 
The 23-year-old opener observed that his side&#39;s batsmen need to be perseverant on sluggish surfaces while bowlers need to be disciplined in terms of line and length to maintain stranglehold over the Virat Kohli-led side in the opening Test starting at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground today. 
 
&quot;I think the main thing with these pitches in the Caribbean is patience and I think once we carry that both facing their pacers and spinners we will make some big targets. You know it`s important for that first innings total,&quot; Brathwaite was quoted as saying by the WICB website. 
 
&quot;Will need that 300 and above and once we do that we put ourselves in a good position to go forward in the game positively. Looking at their batting again it`s not going to be easy but we are accustomed to these conditions so we know once we get our lengths right and we bowl to some specific field. We will be good,&quot; he said. 
 
Brathwaite, however, said he was satisfied with the performance of bowlers and batsmen during the camp session in Barbados last weekend. 
 
He said, &quot;The bowlers got some good spells and the batsmen got some good spells from the bowlers and the assistant bowlers that came and help. Also I think the guys are looking well coming from that camp. I think we are ready for this series&#39;&#39;. 
 
The opener also stated his primary motive will be to provide a solid foundation for his side so that middle order batsmen can capitalise on it to post big totals. 
 
(ANI)

The opener stated his primary motive will be to provide a solid foundation for his side so that middle order batsmen can capitalise on it

West Indies vice-captain Kraigg Brathwaite has admitted that his side will face an uphill task against overwhelming favourites India and insisted that the hosts will need to produce an all-round performance to begin the four-match series on a winning note. The 23-year-old opener observed that his side's batsmen need to be perseverant on sluggish surfaces while bowlers need to be disciplined in terms of line and length to maintain stranglehold over the Virat Kohli-led side in the opening Test starting at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground today. "I think the main thing with these pitches in the Caribbean is patience and I think once we carry that both facing their pacers and spinners we will make some big targets. You know it`s important for that first innings total," Brathwaite was quoted as saying by the WICB website. "Will need that 300 and above and once we do that we put ourselves in a good position to go forward in the game positively. Looking at their batting again it`s not going to be easy but we are accustomed to these conditions so we know once we get our lengths right and we bowl to some specific field. We will be good," he said. Brathwaite, however, said he was satisfied with the performance of bowlers and batsmen during the camp session in Barbados last weekend. He said, "The bowlers got some good spells and the batsmen got some good spells from the bowlers and the assistant bowlers that came and help. Also I think the guys are looking well coming from that camp. I think we are ready for this series''. The opener also stated his primary motive will be to provide a solid foundation for his side so that middle order batsmen can capitalise on it to post big totals. (ANI)

It's not going to be easy against India, says West Indies Vice-Captain Brathwaite

Roger Federer will kick off his 20th season as a professional at the Hopman Cup next year, returning to the international team tournament in Perth for the first time since he teamed up with his now wife Mirka in 2002. 
 
The 34-year-old Swiss will be partnered at the Perth Arena from Jan. 1-7 by compatriot Belinda Bencic, who was a year old when Federer turned professional in July, 1998. 
 
&quot;I do remember it was a good preparation way back when so I thought it would be nice to do it again,&quot; the 17-times grand slam champion, a Hopman Cup winner with Martina Hingis in 2001, said in a video release. 
 
&quot;I can&#39;t wait to come back because I think it will be the perfect way to start the new season.&quot; 
 
Federer and the then Miroslava Vavrinec lost two of their three group matches at the 2002 Hopman Cup, which was won by Tommy Robredo and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario for Spain. 
 
Earlier this year, Nick Kyrgios and Daria Gavrilova teamed up to give Australia their first Hopman Cup triumph since 1999. 
 
(Reuters)

Roger Federer returns to the international team tournament in Perth for the first time since he teamed up with his now wife Mirka in 2000

Roger Federer will kick off his 20th season as a professional at the Hopman Cup next year, returning to the international team tournament in Perth for the first time since he teamed up with his now wife Mirka in 2002. The 34-year-old Swiss will be partnered at the Perth Arena from Jan. 1-7 by compatriot Belinda Bencic, who was a year old when Federer turned professional in July, 1998. "I do remember it was a good preparation way back when so I thought it would be nice to do it again," the 17-times grand slam champion, a Hopman Cup winner with Martina Hingis in 2001, said in a video release. "I can't wait to come back because I think it will be the perfect way to start the new season." Federer and the then Miroslava Vavrinec lost two of their three group matches at the 2002 Hopman Cup, which was won by Tommy Robredo and Arantxa Sanchez Vicario for Spain. Earlier this year, Nick Kyrgios and Daria Gavrilova teamed up to give Australia their first Hopman Cup triumph since 1999. (Reuters)

Federer to open 20th pro season at Hopman Cup

The top seed at the Citi Open in Washington, US player John Isner, produced a dominating display against Australia&#39;s James Duckworth, winning his second round match 6-3, 6-4.&nbsp;The 31 year-old Isner hit 14 aces and lost just three points on his first serve, beating his 24-year-old opponent in just over an hour.&nbsp;Isner has made it through to the final of the Citi Open three times, and will be looking to go seven consecutive seasons winning at least one ATP World Tour title. 
 
France&#39;s Gael Monfils, who made it through the Washington final in 2011, defeated Taiwan&#39;s Yen-Hsun Lu 6-3, 6-2.&nbsp;It was a strong showing from Monfils, who has barely played over the last two months due to a virus, making 10 aces and did not face a break point.&nbsp;He now goes on to face Croatia&#39;s Borna Coric. 
 
Australian third seed Bernard Tomic beat US player Donald Young 7-6(4), 6-3.&nbsp;He won the game in just under an hour and half, and now goes on to face Ivo Karlovic in the third round.&nbsp;In a match between two young up-and-coming talents, Germany&#39;s 19-year-old Alexander Zverev defeated Taylor Fritz, winning 6-4, 6-2. 
 
(Reuters)

John Isner has made it through the the Citi Open final three times, and looks to go seven consecutive seasons winning at least one ATP title

The top seed at the Citi Open in Washington, US player John Isner, produced a dominating display against Australia's James Duckworth, winning his second round match 6-3, 6-4. The 31 year-old Isner hit 14 aces and lost just three points on his first serve, beating his 24-year-old opponent in just over an hour. Isner has made it through to the final of the Citi Open three times, and will be looking to go seven consecutive seasons winning at least one ATP World Tour title. France's Gael Monfils, who made it through the Washington final in 2011, defeated Taiwan's Yen-Hsun Lu 6-3, 6-2. It was a strong showing from Monfils, who has barely played over the last two months due to a virus, making 10 aces and did not face a break point. He now goes on to face Croatia's Borna Coric. Australian third seed Bernard Tomic beat US player Donald Young 7-6(4), 6-3. He won the game in just under an hour and half, and now goes on to face Ivo Karlovic in the third round. In a match between two young up-and-coming talents, Germany's 19-year-old Alexander Zverev defeated Taylor Fritz, winning 6-4, 6-2. (Reuters)

Isner, Monfils win at ATP Washington Open

Soccer&#39;s world ruling body FIFA has promised &quot;appropriate steps&quot; after a report on Monday said a dozen positive doping cases in Russian football were among hundreds covered up by Moscow. 
 
However, FIFA did not comment directly on allegations in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report that Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, who sits on its supervisory FIFA Council, had ordered the cover-up in the cases of the footballers. 
 
The independent WADA report, which followed an investigation led by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, concentrated on allegations of systematic doping by Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. 
 
It said that Moscow had concealed hundreds of positive doping cases from a variety of sports, including soccer, in the run-up to the games. 
 
&quot;FIFA will request from WADA all details concerning the individual cases of doping in Russian football that are referred in the McClaren report,&quot; FIFA said in a statement to Reuters. 
 
&quot;Once FIFA receives this information from WADA, it will take the appropriate next steps.&quot; 
 
The report said that Russian Deputy Sports Minister Yuri Nagornykh had decided which athletes would benefit from a cover-up, known as a SAVE order, although Mutko appeared to make the decision with regard to footballers. 
 
&quot;The (chief investigator) is aware of at least one foreign footballer playing in the Russian League who had that benefit of a SAVE order,&quot; it said. 
 
&quot;That SAVE decision was made by Minister Mutko and not Deputy Minister Nagornykh.&quot; 
 
Eleven Russian footballers also benefited from a cover-up after failing a doping test, the report said. 
 
&quot;Email evidence available... shows that the SAVE decision for the football players was the final decision of &#39;VL&#39;. VL is the first name and patronymic name initials of the Minister of Sport, Vitaly Leontiyevich Mutko.&quot; 
 
Mutko, president of the organising committee for the 2018 World Cup which will be hosted by Russia, has not commented since the release of the McLaren report. 
 
However, when the same allegations were made in June by German broadcaster ARD/WDR, he described them as &quot;silly&quot; and said that he and Russia were being smeared as payback for winning the right to host the 2018 World Cup. 
 
Asked bout Mutko&#39;s situation, FIFA said &quot;the Ethics Committee is an independent body of FIFA and only it can decide what actions to take in respect to this issue.&quot; 
 
The ethics committee could not immediately be reached for comment. 
 
(Reuters)

The report said a dozen doping cases in Russian football were among hundreds covered up by Moscow

Soccer's world ruling body FIFA has promised "appropriate steps" after a report on Monday said a dozen positive doping cases in Russian football were among hundreds covered up by Moscow. However, FIFA did not comment directly on allegations in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report that Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, who sits on its supervisory FIFA Council, had ordered the cover-up in the cases of the footballers. The independent WADA report, which followed an investigation led by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, concentrated on allegations of systematic doping by Russian athletes at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. It said that Moscow had concealed hundreds of positive doping cases from a variety of sports, including soccer, in the run-up to the games. "FIFA will request from WADA all details concerning the individual cases of doping in Russian football that are referred in the McClaren report," FIFA said in a statement to Reuters. "Once FIFA receives this information from WADA, it will take the appropriate next steps." The report said that Russian Deputy Sports Minister Yuri Nagornykh had decided which athletes would benefit from a cover-up, known as a SAVE order, although Mutko appeared to make the decision with regard to footballers. "The (chief investigator) is aware of at least one foreign footballer playing in the Russian League who had that benefit of a SAVE order," it said. "That SAVE decision was made by Minister Mutko and not Deputy Minister Nagornykh." Eleven Russian footballers also benefited from a cover-up after failing a doping test, the report said. "Email evidence available... shows that the SAVE decision for the football players was the final decision of 'VL'. VL is the first name and patronymic name initials of the Minister of Sport, Vitaly Leontiyevich Mutko." Mutko, president of the organising committee for the 2018 World Cup which will be hosted by Russia, has not commented since the release of the McLaren report. However, when the same allegations were made in June by German broadcaster ARD/WDR, he described them as "silly" and said that he and Russia were being smeared as payback for winning the right to host the 2018 World Cup. Asked bout Mutko's situation, FIFA said "the Ethics Committee is an independent body of FIFA and only it can decide what actions to take in respect to this issue." The ethics committee could not immediately be reached for comment. (Reuters)

FIFA promises 'appropriate steps' after WADA report on doping in Russia

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday gave a rousing send-off to the Rio-bound contingent at an event in New Delhi. 
 
The show was attended by several dignitaries including IOA President Narayana Ramachandran, Secretary General Rajeev Mehta and Indian Sports Minister Vijay Goel. 
 
Goodwill ambassadors for Rio, Indian actor Salman Khan and musician AR Rahman, were also present. 
 
The event marked the unveiling of the official Olympics kit of Team India. 
 
Officials interacted with the Rio-bound athletes and wished them luck in their endeavour. 
 
&quot;The fact that 121 athletes have qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympics, nearly one-third more than what was qualified for the last Olympic Games, that itself is a clear indication that Indian athletes have started to perform and they will perform well,&quot; said Ramachandran. 
 
Also part of the send-off was Dipa Karmakar, the first Indian female gymnast to qualify for the Olympics in 52 years. She expressed hope of bagging a medal at the mega event. 
 
&quot;Preparations are going very well. Before the qualifiers, our preparation was strong and now my target is to replicate the performance which I have been doing and learnt here,&quot; said Karmakar. 
 
The Indian contingent for Rio is the country&#39;s biggest ever for any Olympic games. The previous highest was 83 that the country sent to the 2012 Olympics in London. 
 
The Summer Olympics this year will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 5 to 21. 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

121 athletes have qualified for Rio 2016, nearly a third more than the number that qualified for the last Games

The Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Monday gave a rousing send-off to the Rio-bound contingent at an event in New Delhi. The show was attended by several dignitaries including IOA President Narayana Ramachandran, Secretary General Rajeev Mehta and Indian Sports Minister Vijay Goel. Goodwill ambassadors for Rio, Indian actor Salman Khan and musician AR Rahman, were also present. The event marked the unveiling of the official Olympics kit of Team India. Officials interacted with the Rio-bound athletes and wished them luck in their endeavour. "The fact that 121 athletes have qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympics, nearly one-third more than what was qualified for the last Olympic Games, that itself is a clear indication that Indian athletes have started to perform and they will perform well," said Ramachandran. Also part of the send-off was Dipa Karmakar, the first Indian female gymnast to qualify for the Olympics in 52 years. She expressed hope of bagging a medal at the mega event. "Preparations are going very well. Before the qualifiers, our preparation was strong and now my target is to replicate the performance which I have been doing and learnt here," said Karmakar. The Indian contingent for Rio is the country's biggest ever for any Olympic games. The previous highest was 83 that the country sent to the 2012 Olympics in London. The Summer Olympics this year will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from August 5 to 21. (Reuters)

India?s Rio contingent given rousing send-off in Delhi

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc was sued on Monday by Jimmy &quot;Superfly&quot; Snuka and dozens of other retired male and female wrestlers seeking to hold it responsible for neurological injuries that they claim they suffer from because of having participated in its bouts. 
 
The complaint was filed on behalf of more than 50 plaintiffs who have performed with WWE or its predecessors since the 1970s, including Joseph &quot;Road Warrior Animal&quot; Laurinaitis and Paul &quot;Mr Wonderful&quot; Orndorff. 
 
It accused Stamford, Connecticut-based WWE and Chairman Vince McMahon of intentionally classifying wrestlers as &quot;independent contractors&quot; rather than employees, as a means to avoid liability under applicable worker protection laws. 
 
&quot;WWE placed corporate gain over its wrestlers&#39; health, safety, and financial security, choosing to leave the plaintiffs severely injured and with no recourse to treat their damaged minds and bodies,&quot; the complaint said. 
 
The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as improved medical monitoring. 
 
WWE, in a statement, called the lawsuit another attempt to hold it liable by a lawyer who had two earlier lawsuits dismissed and added that &quot;we&#39;re confident this lawsuit will suffer the same fate&quot;. 
 
WWE has won the dismissal of some claims in other lawsuits accusing it of hiding the risks of head trauma from wrestling. 
 
The National Football League and National Hockey League have also been sued by retired players over head injuries. 
 
Monday&#39;s complaint was filed with the federal court in New Haven, Connecticut. 
 
The plaintiffs accused WWE of concealing the risks of the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other traumatic brain injuries attributable to wrestling, including through &quot;scripted&quot; moves it choreographed. 
 
Konstantine Kyros, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, in an email said WWE&#39;s &quot;exploitative business model&quot; kept his clients from learning their rights under laws such as the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act. 
 
According to the complaint, Laurinaitis, 55; Snuka, 72; and Orndorff, 66, suffer from cognitive difficulties including headaches, dizziness and memory loss, while Snuka and Orndorff also experience confusion, depression and mood swings. 
 
The plaintiffs also include former referees and identical twins Earl and Dave Hebner, 66, who according the complaint have experienced cognitive difficulties. Dave Hebner has also been diagnosed with Parkinson&#39;s disease, the complaint said. 
 
(Reuters)

The complaint accuses WWE of intentionally classifying them as 'independent contractors' rather than employees to avoid liability

World Wrestling Entertainment Inc was sued on Monday by Jimmy "Superfly" Snuka and dozens of other retired male and female wrestlers seeking to hold it responsible for neurological injuries that they claim they suffer from because of having participated in its bouts. The complaint was filed on behalf of more than 50 plaintiffs who have performed with WWE or its predecessors since the 1970s, including Joseph "Road Warrior Animal" Laurinaitis and Paul "Mr Wonderful" Orndorff. It accused Stamford, Connecticut-based WWE and Chairman Vince McMahon of intentionally classifying wrestlers as "independent contractors" rather than employees, as a means to avoid liability under applicable worker protection laws. "WWE placed corporate gain over its wrestlers' health, safety, and financial security, choosing to leave the plaintiffs severely injured and with no recourse to treat their damaged minds and bodies," the complaint said. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, as well as improved medical monitoring. WWE, in a statement, called the lawsuit another attempt to hold it liable by a lawyer who had two earlier lawsuits dismissed and added that "we're confident this lawsuit will suffer the same fate". WWE has won the dismissal of some claims in other lawsuits accusing it of hiding the risks of head trauma from wrestling. The National Football League and National Hockey League have also been sued by retired players over head injuries. Monday's complaint was filed with the federal court in New Haven, Connecticut. The plaintiffs accused WWE of concealing the risks of the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy and other traumatic brain injuries attributable to wrestling, including through "scripted" moves it choreographed. Konstantine Kyros, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, in an email said WWE's "exploitative business model" kept his clients from learning their rights under laws such as the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act. According to the complaint, Laurinaitis, 55; Snuka, 72; and Orndorff, 66, suffer from cognitive difficulties including headaches, dizziness and memory loss, while Snuka and Orndorff also experience confusion, depression and mood swings. The plaintiffs also include former referees and identical twins Earl and Dave Hebner, 66, who according the complaint have experienced cognitive difficulties. Dave Hebner has also been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, the complaint said. (Reuters)

WWE sued by more than 50 retired wrestlers over neurological injuries

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has called on FIFA to investigate Russia&#39;s sports minister Vitaly Mutko, a member of the football world body&#39;s executive, over drug failures in football. 
 
A bombshell report on &quot;state-dictated&quot; doping in Russia, which will host the 2018 World Cup, said the manipulation of tainted Russian samples was controlled by Mutko&#39;s ministry. 
 
The investigation by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, released on Monday, did not provide evidence of a detailed implication by Mutko in decisions to protect drug-cheat athletes. 
 
But it said Mutko, president of the Russian football federation and chief organiser of the 2018 World Cup, took the decision to hide the doping case of a foreign player in the Russian football league. 
 
McLaren quoted Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov as saying it was &quot;inconceivable&quot; that Mutko did not know about the whole doping system. 
 
WADA called on FIFA to act on Mutko, a 57-year-old ally of President Vladimir Putin and sports minister since 2008. 
 
&quot;Another notable finding within the (McLaren) report is the role that one of FIFA&#39;s executive committee members, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, played within the system,&quot; said a WADA statement. 
 
&quot;Accordingly, WADA urges the FIFA ethics committee to look into the allegations concerning football and the role played by this member.&quot; 
 
The McLaren report said deputy sports minister Yuri Nagornykh had almost a daily responsibility for deciding which athletes would get a &quot;SAVE&quot; order and have failed tests manipulated or be put under &quot;QUARANTINE&quot;. 
 
The report added however that McLaren &quot;is aware of at least one foreign footballer playing in the Russian league who had that benefit of a SAVE order.&quot; 
 
&quot;That SAVE decision was made by Minister Mutko and not Deputy Minister Nagornykh.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
It said 11 footballers in all had drug cases covered up. 
 
It quoted email evidence as saying that &quot;the SAVE decision for the football players was the final decision of &#39;VL&#39;. 
 
&quot;VL is the first name and patronymic name initials of the Minister of Sport Vitaly Leontiyevich Mutko, who is also the president of the Russian football federation.&quot; 
 
FIFA acknowledged the WADA call but said its ethics committee is independent &quot;and only it can decide what actions to take in respect to this issue. 
 
&quot;For its part, FIFA will request from WADA all details concerning the individual cases of doping in Russian football that are referenced in the McLaren report. Once FIFA receives this information from WADA, it will take the appropriate next steps.&quot; 
 
Mutko is due to stand for re-election to FIFA in March.&nbsp; 
 
The Kremlin said officials &quot;directly&quot; implicated by the report would be suspended but did not name them and attacked what it called the &quot;dangerous&quot; new &quot;interference of politics in sport.&quot; 
 
WADA president Craig Reedie demanded that the Russian government sack all sports ministry officials &quot;implicated&quot; by the McLaren report, but did not name any individuals. 
 
Much of the McLaren report is based on evidence provided by Rodchenkov, former director of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory now in hiding in the United States. 
 
Rodchenkov told the inquiry that in meetings with deputy minister Nagornykh on the doping cover-up, &quot;Nagornykh told him that Minister of Sport Mutko was aware of everything that they were discussing. 
 
&quot;Dr Rodchenkov`s evidence is that it is inconceivable that Minister Mutko was not aware of the doping cover-up scheme.&quot; 
 
The Kremlin has slammed Rodchenkov as &quot;a person with a scandalous reputation.&quot; 
&nbsp; 
Rodchenkov is now under criminal investigation by Russian authorities. 
&nbsp; 
The McLaren report said however that there were &quot;several documents which tend to corroborate Dr Rodechenkov&#39;s conclusion.&quot; 
 
Rodchenkov said he discussed a response to a German television documentary last year on doping in Russian athletics with Mutko. 
 
The whistleblower added that he met with Mutko before the Sochi Olympics. &quot;Dr Rodchenkov`s evidence is that the doping cover up plan for Sochi was discussed at those meetings.&quot; 
 
Rodchenkov also testified that Mutko knew about bribes allegedly paid to former International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Lamine Diack to cover up doping failures by race walkers. 
 
&quot;Dr Rodchenkov&#39;s evidence is that in September 2012 he met with Minister Mutko to discuss the IAAF&#39;s extorsion demand. 
 
&quot;At that meeting, Minister Mutko asked Dr Rodchenkov whether the situation was really so bad he needed to pay all of that money, thereby exposing his knowledge of the doping problem in Russian athletics.&quot; 
 
McLaren made clear the power of the sports ministry, refered to as the MofS, over the Moscow and Sochi doping laboratories during the Winter Olympics and other events. 
 
&quot;The Moscow laboratory was effectively caught up in the jaws of a vice. It was a key player in the successful operation of a state imposed and rigorously imposed programme which was overall managed and dictated by the MofS.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

The investigation by lawyer Richard McLaren revealed that the manipulation of samples was controlled by Vitaly Mutko's ministry

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has called on FIFA to investigate Russia's sports minister Vitaly Mutko, a member of the football world body's executive, over drug failures in football. A bombshell report on "state-dictated" doping in Russia, which will host the 2018 World Cup, said the manipulation of tainted Russian samples was controlled by Mutko's ministry. The investigation by Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, released on Monday, did not provide evidence of a detailed implication by Mutko in decisions to protect drug-cheat athletes. But it said Mutko, president of the Russian football federation and chief organiser of the 2018 World Cup, took the decision to hide the doping case of a foreign player in the Russian football league. McLaren quoted Russian whistleblower Grigory Rodchenkov as saying it was "inconceivable" that Mutko did not know about the whole doping system. WADA called on FIFA to act on Mutko, a 57-year-old ally of President Vladimir Putin and sports minister since 2008. "Another notable finding within the (McLaren) report is the role that one of FIFA's executive committee members, Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko, played within the system," said a WADA statement. "Accordingly, WADA urges the FIFA ethics committee to look into the allegations concerning football and the role played by this member." The McLaren report said deputy sports minister Yuri Nagornykh had almost a daily responsibility for deciding which athletes would get a "SAVE" order and have failed tests manipulated or be put under "QUARANTINE". The report added however that McLaren "is aware of at least one foreign footballer playing in the Russian league who had that benefit of a SAVE order." "That SAVE decision was made by Minister Mutko and not Deputy Minister Nagornykh." It said 11 footballers in all had drug cases covered up. It quoted email evidence as saying that "the SAVE decision for the football players was the final decision of 'VL'. "VL is the first name and patronymic name initials of the Minister of Sport Vitaly Leontiyevich Mutko, who is also the president of the Russian football federation." FIFA acknowledged the WADA call but said its ethics committee is independent "and only it can decide what actions to take in respect to this issue. "For its part, FIFA will request from WADA all details concerning the individual cases of doping in Russian football that are referenced in the McLaren report. Once FIFA receives this information from WADA, it will take the appropriate next steps." Mutko is due to stand for re-election to FIFA in March. The Kremlin said officials "directly" implicated by the report would be suspended but did not name them and attacked what it called the "dangerous" new "interference of politics in sport." WADA president Craig Reedie demanded that the Russian government sack all sports ministry officials "implicated" by the McLaren report, but did not name any individuals. Much of the McLaren report is based on evidence provided by Rodchenkov, former director of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory now in hiding in the United States. Rodchenkov told the inquiry that in meetings with deputy minister Nagornykh on the doping cover-up, "Nagornykh told him that Minister of Sport Mutko was aware of everything that they were discussing. "Dr Rodchenkov`s evidence is that it is inconceivable that Minister Mutko was not aware of the doping cover-up scheme." The Kremlin has slammed Rodchenkov as "a person with a scandalous reputation." Rodchenkov is now under criminal investigation by Russian authorities. The McLaren report said however that there were "several documents which tend to corroborate Dr Rodechenkov's conclusion." Rodchenkov said he discussed a response to a German television documentary last year on doping in Russian athletics with Mutko. The whistleblower added that he met with Mutko before the Sochi Olympics. "Dr Rodchenkov`s evidence is that the doping cover up plan for Sochi was discussed at those meetings." Rodchenkov also testified that Mutko knew about bribes allegedly paid to former International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) president Lamine Diack to cover up doping failures by race walkers. "Dr Rodchenkov's evidence is that in September 2012 he met with Minister Mutko to discuss the IAAF's extorsion demand. "At that meeting, Minister Mutko asked Dr Rodchenkov whether the situation was really so bad he needed to pay all of that money, thereby exposing his knowledge of the doping problem in Russian athletics." McLaren made clear the power of the sports ministry, refered to as the MofS, over the Moscow and Sochi doping laboratories during the Winter Olympics and other events. "The Moscow laboratory was effectively caught up in the jaws of a vice. It was a key player in the successful operation of a state imposed and rigorously imposed programme which was overall managed and dictated by the MofS." (AFP)

Russian sports minister Mutko in doping controversy spotlight

Australian top seed Samantha Stosur, defending Washington Open champion Sloane Stephens and German teen star Alexander Zverev are setting aside Zika virus fears to compete at the Rio Olympics. 
 
But Sam Querrey, who upset world number one Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, isn&#39;t going to Brazil because it just isn&#39;t that big a deal to him. 
 
Differing views over the mosquito-carried Zika virus and the rash of recent tennis withdrawals from Rio came out Monday on day one of the ATP and WTA event, the first hardcourt stop on the path to the US Open. 
 
&quot;It`s not something you want to take lightly,&quot; Stosur said after beating Russian qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva 6-3, 6-0. 
 
&quot;Other people say there are going to be far worse things going on than Zika. It`s about being smart, following all the guidelines. I`ve had all the vaccinations. It certainly has entered my mind this time around.&quot; 
 
Several top NBA players, more than 20 men&#39;s golfers and several top tennis players have withdrawn from Rio, many but not all citing the potential for contracting Zika, which causes severe illness and has been linked to birth defects. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m kind of scared but I`m not having any kids any time soon so I should be OK,&quot; said Stephens, a 23-year-old American set to make her Olympic debut. 
 
&quot;Some people are way more sensitive and some people aren`t. It just depends on the person.&quot; 
 
Canada&#39;s seventh-ranked Milos Raonic, who lost the Wimbledon men&#39;s final to Britain&#39;s Andy Murray earlier in July, eighth-ranked Czech Tomas Berdych and Austria&#39;s ninth-rated Dominic Thiem all said no to Rio. 
 
So did 16th-ranked John Isner, the Washington men&#39;s top seed, and Querrey, who doesn&#39;t see tennis or golf as true Olympic sports. 
 
&quot;For tennis and golf, the Olympics isn&#39;t a top priority,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;We have four other Grand Slams. Those are the main focus. 
 
&quot;Some sports in the Olympics, (tennis) and golf, I feel like maybe shouldn`t be in there. It just wasn&#39;t a priority of mine at all.&quot; 
 
That&#39;s a stark contrast to 19-year-old Zverev, who at 27th in the world has become the youngest man to crack the top 30 since Djokovic in 2006. 
 
And Zverev has even suffered severe illness after a bug bite. 
 
&quot;I was at the US Open and something bit me,&quot; Zverev said. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m going to be very careful because of that. I only won one match the rest of the year. My leg got a lot swollen. I was really sick with fever, lost a lot of weight, couldn`t eat. 
 
&quot;You think about it, that&#39;s quite a serious thing. You don&#39;t want to get something but the Olympics is a very big event. 
 
&quot;I`m a little bit worried about the Zika virus. A lot of people have pulled out. But it&#39;s going to be a lot of fun.&quot; 
 
Isner has a first-round bye and a round-two date with Australian qualifier James Duckworth, who ousted American Tim Smyczek 7-5, 6-1. 
 
Aussie John Millman, Rio bound as well after Olympic pullouts by Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic, advanced to a second-round match with Cypriot Marcus Bagjdatis by downing American Denis Kudla 7-5, 6-0. 
 
(AFP)

Alexander Zverev as become the youngest man to crack the top 30 since Djokovic in 2006

Australian top seed Samantha Stosur, defending Washington Open champion Sloane Stephens and German teen star Alexander Zverev are setting aside Zika virus fears to compete at the Rio Olympics. But Sam Querrey, who upset world number one Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon, isn't going to Brazil because it just isn't that big a deal to him. Differing views over the mosquito-carried Zika virus and the rash of recent tennis withdrawals from Rio came out Monday on day one of the ATP and WTA event, the first hardcourt stop on the path to the US Open. "It`s not something you want to take lightly," Stosur said after beating Russian qualifier Alla Kudryavtseva 6-3, 6-0. "Other people say there are going to be far worse things going on than Zika. It`s about being smart, following all the guidelines. I`ve had all the vaccinations. It certainly has entered my mind this time around." Several top NBA players, more than 20 men's golfers and several top tennis players have withdrawn from Rio, many but not all citing the potential for contracting Zika, which causes severe illness and has been linked to birth defects. "I'm kind of scared but I`m not having any kids any time soon so I should be OK," said Stephens, a 23-year-old American set to make her Olympic debut. "Some people are way more sensitive and some people aren`t. It just depends on the person." Canada's seventh-ranked Milos Raonic, who lost the Wimbledon men's final to Britain's Andy Murray earlier in July, eighth-ranked Czech Tomas Berdych and Austria's ninth-rated Dominic Thiem all said no to Rio. So did 16th-ranked John Isner, the Washington men's top seed, and Querrey, who doesn't see tennis or golf as true Olympic sports. "For tennis and golf, the Olympics isn't a top priority," he said. "We have four other Grand Slams. Those are the main focus. "Some sports in the Olympics, (tennis) and golf, I feel like maybe shouldn`t be in there. It just wasn't a priority of mine at all." That's a stark contrast to 19-year-old Zverev, who at 27th in the world has become the youngest man to crack the top 30 since Djokovic in 2006. And Zverev has even suffered severe illness after a bug bite. "I was at the US Open and something bit me," Zverev said. "I'm going to be very careful because of that. I only won one match the rest of the year. My leg got a lot swollen. I was really sick with fever, lost a lot of weight, couldn`t eat. "You think about it, that's quite a serious thing. You don't want to get something but the Olympics is a very big event. "I`m a little bit worried about the Zika virus. A lot of people have pulled out. But it's going to be a lot of fun." Isner has a first-round bye and a round-two date with Australian qualifier James Duckworth, who ousted American Tim Smyczek 7-5, 6-1. Aussie John Millman, Rio bound as well after Olympic pullouts by Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic, advanced to a second-round match with Cypriot Marcus Bagjdatis by downing American Denis Kudla 7-5, 6-0. (AFP)

No Zika bite fright for Rio-bound Stosur, Zverev

Brazil said on Friday that it will bolster security for next month&#39;s Olympics in Rio following the truck attack in the French city of Nice. 
 
Brazil&#39;s interim president Michel Temer held an emergency meeting with his intelligence chief and members of his cabinet late Friday to weigh the next steps after the Nice attack, which killed at least 84 people. 
 
As he left the meeting, intelligence chief Sergio Etchegoyen said new security measures would include extra checkpoints, barricades and traffic restrictions. 
 
Brazil had already planned to deploy 85,000 police and soldiers to provide security for the Olympics, running August 5-21, which is double the number used in the 2012 London Games. 
 
Heightened fears, heightened security 
 
Etchegoyen said fears over security at the Rio Games had &quot;gone up a notch&quot; &nbsp;after the attack in Nice, where a Tunisian-born man drove a 19-tonne white truck into a huge crowd gathered to watch the annual Bastille Day fireworks display on Thursday, leaving a gruesome trail of bodies in his wake. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re trading a little comfort for a lot more security,&quot; he told a press conference at the presidential offices. 
 
Brazilian intelligence officials met with French counterparts for a briefing on the Nice attack, he said. 
 
Defense Minister Raul Jungmann expressed &quot;worries&quot; over the Nice attack. 
 
&quot;This worry will translate to more checkpoints, security, staff and procedures being put in place,&quot; he told reporters at an air force base near the Rio international airport. 
 
Jungmann said Brazil is corresponding with all 106 countries sending representatives to the event&#39;s international intelligence center. 
 
&quot;As of now, none of these countries have informed us of a potential or concrete threat of a terrorist attack in Brazil,&quot; Jungmann said. 
 
Brazil is already on alert after the French military intelligence chief said France had been informed of a planned terror attack on its team at the Rio Olympics. 
 
In June, Brazil&#39;s intelligence service said it had detected Portuguese-language messages linked to the Islamic State group on an online forum. 
 
An even more explicit warning came after bloody attacks in Paris in November, when a French jihadist tweeted that Brazil was the &quot;next target.&quot; 
 
Jungmann said officials will supervise the Olympic delegations based on the security threat they face, with countries including the United States and France labeled as high-risk. 
 
&quot;The dozen or so countries in that group will have special accompaniment,&quot; Jungmann said. 
 
Simulation exercises&nbsp; 
 
Security services staged simulation exercises in Rio to test counterterrorism response plans. 
 
Another exercise on &quot;confronting external threats&quot; is planned for today at the railway station in Deodoro, one of four Olympic zones in Rio along with Maracana, Copacabana and Barra da Tijuca. 
 
Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes and Olympic organizing committee president Carlos Nuzman met with federal and regional government officials to assess plans, notably discussing a potential increase in street blockades. 
 
(AFP) 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

The country had already planned to deploy 85,000 cops, soldiers, double the number used in 2012 London Games

Brazil said on Friday that it will bolster security for next month's Olympics in Rio following the truck attack in the French city of Nice. Brazil's interim president Michel Temer held an emergency meeting with his intelligence chief and members of his cabinet late Friday to weigh the next steps after the Nice attack, which killed at least 84 people. As he left the meeting, intelligence chief Sergio Etchegoyen said new security measures would include extra checkpoints, barricades and traffic restrictions. Brazil had already planned to deploy 85,000 police and soldiers to provide security for the Olympics, running August 5-21, which is double the number used in the 2012 London Games. Heightened fears, heightened security Etchegoyen said fears over security at the Rio Games had "gone up a notch" after the attack in Nice, where a Tunisian-born man drove a 19-tonne white truck into a huge crowd gathered to watch the annual Bastille Day fireworks display on Thursday, leaving a gruesome trail of bodies in his wake. "We're trading a little comfort for a lot more security," he told a press conference at the presidential offices. Brazilian intelligence officials met with French counterparts for a briefing on the Nice attack, he said. Defense Minister Raul Jungmann expressed "worries" over the Nice attack. "This worry will translate to more checkpoints, security, staff and procedures being put in place," he told reporters at an air force base near the Rio international airport. Jungmann said Brazil is corresponding with all 106 countries sending representatives to the event's international intelligence center. "As of now, none of these countries have informed us of a potential or concrete threat of a terrorist attack in Brazil," Jungmann said. Brazil is already on alert after the French military intelligence chief said France had been informed of a planned terror attack on its team at the Rio Olympics. In June, Brazil's intelligence service said it had detected Portuguese-language messages linked to the Islamic State group on an online forum. An even more explicit warning came after bloody attacks in Paris in November, when a French jihadist tweeted that Brazil was the "next target." Jungmann said officials will supervise the Olympic delegations based on the security threat they face, with countries including the United States and France labeled as high-risk. "The dozen or so countries in that group will have special accompaniment," Jungmann said. Simulation exercises Security services staged simulation exercises in Rio to test counterterrorism response plans. Another exercise on "confronting external threats" is planned for today at the railway station in Deodoro, one of four Olympic zones in Rio along with Maracana, Copacabana and Barra da Tijuca. Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes and Olympic organizing committee president Carlos Nuzman met with federal and regional government officials to assess plans, notably discussing a potential increase in street blockades. (AFP)

Brazil to bolster Olympics security to quell concerns after Nice attack

Dutch swimmer Inge Dekker, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in February and had surgery in March, will take part in her fourth Olympics after being named on Tuesday in a 17-strong squad for next month&#39;s Rio Games. 
 
The 30-year-old, who won a 4x100 metre freestyle relay gold in Beijing in 2008 as well as bronze in 2004 and silver in 2012, missed the European championships in London in May as she continued her recovery. 
 
The Dutch women won relay silver at the world championships in Kazan, Russia, last year with triple Olympic gold medallist Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Femke Heemskerk, Maud van der Meer and Marrit Steenbergen. 
 
More than four swimmers are often included in relay teams, with reserves slotted in for the heats before the top four compete in the final. 
Dekker was also down for the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly.&nbsp; 
 
The seven men in the squad, who will train in Sardinia before flying to Brazil, will be led by European 200m freestyle champion Sebastiaan Verschuren. Ten of the 17 are Olympic debutants. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s good to see the mix of experienced Olympic swimmers and young talents,&quot; said Dutch swimming managing director Jan Kossen.&nbsp;&quot;The number of novices at these Games also gives confidence to the more distant future.&quot; 
 
(Reuters) 
&nbsp;

Inge Dekker will take part in her fourth Olympics in a 17-strong squad for next month's Rio Games

Dutch swimmer Inge Dekker, who was diagnosed with cervical cancer in February and had surgery in March, will take part in her fourth Olympics after being named on Tuesday in a 17-strong squad for next month's Rio Games. The 30-year-old, who won a 4x100 metre freestyle relay gold in Beijing in 2008 as well as bronze in 2004 and silver in 2012, missed the European championships in London in May as she continued her recovery. The Dutch women won relay silver at the world championships in Kazan, Russia, last year with triple Olympic gold medallist Ranomi Kromowidjojo, Femke Heemskerk, Maud van der Meer and Marrit Steenbergen. More than four swimmers are often included in relay teams, with reserves slotted in for the heats before the top four compete in the final. Dekker was also down for the 50m freestyle and 100m butterfly. The seven men in the squad, who will train in Sardinia before flying to Brazil, will be led by European 200m freestyle champion Sebastiaan Verschuren. Ten of the 17 are Olympic debutants. "It's good to see the mix of experienced Olympic swimmers and young talents," said Dutch swimming managing director Jan Kossen. "The number of novices at these Games also gives confidence to the more distant future." (Reuters)

Dutch swimmer Dekker wins race to Rio after cancer surgery

A Court of Arbitration for Sport decision on the two-year doping ban for Maria Sharapova has been put back two months to September, the court said today, ruling the tennis superstar out of the Rio Olympics. 
 
The 29-year-old Russian, one of the biggest names in tennis, tested positive for the banned medication meldonium during January`s Australian Open, in a severe blow to her reputation. 
 
&quot;Maria Sharapova and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have agreed to defer the CAS decision until September 2016,&quot; said a CAS statement. 
 
&quot;Due to the parties requiring additional time to complete and respond to their respective evidentiary submissions, and several scheduling conflicts, the parties have agreed not to expedite the appeal. A decision is expected to be issued by September 19, 2016.&quot; 
 
The original ruling was expected by July 18, with Sharapova hoping that a successful appeal would have allowed her to spearhead the Russian tennis team in Rio. 
 
Russia&#39;s participation at the Games, which begin on August 5, is already under fierce scrutiny after its track and field team was banned for separate state-sponsored doping. 
 
Sharapova&#39;s ban was backdated to January 26 this year, when she tested positive for the prohibited substance. 
 
Meldonium was added to the world anti-doping WADA list on January 1. Sharapova said she had been taking it for 10 years to help treat illnesses, a heart issue and a magnesium deficiency. 
 
Sharapova has previously blasted the ban as &quot;unfairly harsh&quot;. 
 
The CAS statement added: &quot;In her appeal to the CAS, Ms Sharapova seeks the annulment of the (ITF) tribunal`s decision to sanction her with a two-year period of ineligibility further to an anti-doping rule violation.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Ms Sharapova submits that the period of ineligibility should be eliminated, or in the alternative, reduced. The final decision will be announced and published by CAS when it is available.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

Maria Sharapova, one of the biggest names in tennis, tested positive for the banned medication meldonium during January's Australian Open

A Court of Arbitration for Sport decision on the two-year doping ban for Maria Sharapova has been put back two months to September, the court said today, ruling the tennis superstar out of the Rio Olympics. The 29-year-old Russian, one of the biggest names in tennis, tested positive for the banned medication meldonium during January`s Australian Open, in a severe blow to her reputation. "Maria Sharapova and the International Tennis Federation (ITF) have agreed to defer the CAS decision until September 2016," said a CAS statement. "Due to the parties requiring additional time to complete and respond to their respective evidentiary submissions, and several scheduling conflicts, the parties have agreed not to expedite the appeal. A decision is expected to be issued by September 19, 2016." The original ruling was expected by July 18, with Sharapova hoping that a successful appeal would have allowed her to spearhead the Russian tennis team in Rio. Russia's participation at the Games, which begin on August 5, is already under fierce scrutiny after its track and field team was banned for separate state-sponsored doping. Sharapova's ban was backdated to January 26 this year, when she tested positive for the prohibited substance. Meldonium was added to the world anti-doping WADA list on January 1. Sharapova said she had been taking it for 10 years to help treat illnesses, a heart issue and a magnesium deficiency. Sharapova has previously blasted the ban as "unfairly harsh". The CAS statement added: "In her appeal to the CAS, Ms Sharapova seeks the annulment of the (ITF) tribunal`s decision to sanction her with a two-year period of ineligibility further to an anti-doping rule violation. "Ms Sharapova submits that the period of ineligibility should be eliminated, or in the alternative, reduced. The final decision will be announced and published by CAS when it is available." (AFP)

Sharapova out of Rio as CAS delays doping decision

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) urged the Kenyan government to act &quot;quickly in the interest of protecting clean sport&quot; after the athletics powerhouse found itself caught in the eye of a fresh doping storm. 
 
A new investigation by German television channel ARD and Britain&#39;s Sunday Times newspaper alleged on Saturday that doping is rife at the elite training centre in Iten. 
 
Previous joint research by ARD and the British newspaper led to the banning of the Russian athletics team from the Olympic Games for state-sponsored doping. 
 
Over the past three years, around 40 Kenyan athletes have failed doping tests, shredding their reputation for probity and laying bare the reality behind their reputation as the most dominant middle-to-long distance running nation in the world.&nbsp; 
 
The allegations are a major blow as they follow only weeks after Kenyan lawmakers passed a law, having been threatened with a similar sanction as the Russians by WADA - making it a criminal act to either dope or to supply such products. 
 
The documentary, largely filmed with a hidden camera, says it successfully infiltrated a team, posing as an athlete, in the training centre, a favoured spot for distance runners, both Kenyan and European, as it is at high altitude - 2,400 metres above sea level. 
 
The documentary shows images of boxes of the endurance-boosting drug EPO on the inside of the training centre and used syringes dumped in a bin. 
 
EPO is shown to be widely available in the pharmacies around the centre whilst two doctors are only too willing to propose supplying the journalist posing as an athlete with doping products. 
&nbsp; 
One of the two doctors claims to have supplied to &quot;more than 50 athletes, including three British runners, based on his guarantee he could dramatically improve their performances in &quot;three months&quot;. 
 
&quot;Even if the athletes are subjected to doping tests they will find nothing,&quot; says the doctor. 
 
&quot;That is what the top level athletes take.&quot; 
 
The same doctor, according to ARD, when approached again retracted his claims and said he had nothing to do with doping and to have made up supplying the products. 
 
However, both he and the other doctor featured have since been arrested by Kenyan police, according to ARD. 
 
A man said to be the coach of an Olympic champion, appearing with his face hidden, confirms the claims made in the documentary. 
&quot;The great majority of the athletes who appear out of nowhere are doped,&quot; he says. 
 
The chief executive of UK Anti-Doping, Nicole Sapstead, said the report was &quot;of grave concern and of significant interest&quot;, adding they were investigating. 
 
&quot;I can confirm that this evidence is being treated with the utmost importance and urgency, and two UKAD staff are currently in Kenya pursuing a number of lines of enquiry,&quot; she said in a statement. 
 
Newly-installed WADA director-general Olivier Niggli, in a statement issued from the organisation&#39;s Montreal headquarters, said he had &quot;full confidence &quot; in UKAD. 
 
He added: &quot;This article is one in a series of reports questioning Kenya`s ability to effectively address doping; and, suggesting that there exists a culture of doping in the country. 
 
&quot;At the very least, this is an indication that the Kenyan government must quickly put the necessary human resources behind Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) in the interest of protecting clean sport.&quot; 
 
Earlier, ADAK head Japhter Rugut told ARD: &quot;We can see that we have a lot of problems at grassroots level and we will work with the police so as to weed out all those implicated in these criminal activities, both sports people and doctors, who will have to answer for their actions. 
 
&quot;We want to go to Rio with a clean team.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

A documentary by German TV and British newspaper showed boxes of endurance-boosting drug EPO and syringes inside the training centre at Iten

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) urged the Kenyan government to act "quickly in the interest of protecting clean sport" after the athletics powerhouse found itself caught in the eye of a fresh doping storm. A new investigation by German television channel ARD and Britain's Sunday Times newspaper alleged on Saturday that doping is rife at the elite training centre in Iten. Previous joint research by ARD and the British newspaper led to the banning of the Russian athletics team from the Olympic Games for state-sponsored doping. Over the past three years, around 40 Kenyan athletes have failed doping tests, shredding their reputation for probity and laying bare the reality behind their reputation as the most dominant middle-to-long distance running nation in the world. The allegations are a major blow as they follow only weeks after Kenyan lawmakers passed a law, having been threatened with a similar sanction as the Russians by WADA - making it a criminal act to either dope or to supply such products. The documentary, largely filmed with a hidden camera, says it successfully infiltrated a team, posing as an athlete, in the training centre, a favoured spot for distance runners, both Kenyan and European, as it is at high altitude - 2,400 metres above sea level. The documentary shows images of boxes of the endurance-boosting drug EPO on the inside of the training centre and used syringes dumped in a bin. EPO is shown to be widely available in the pharmacies around the centre whilst two doctors are only too willing to propose supplying the journalist posing as an athlete with doping products. One of the two doctors claims to have supplied to "more than 50 athletes, including three British runners, based on his guarantee he could dramatically improve their performances in "three months". "Even if the athletes are subjected to doping tests they will find nothing," says the doctor. "That is what the top level athletes take." The same doctor, according to ARD, when approached again retracted his claims and said he had nothing to do with doping and to have made up supplying the products. However, both he and the other doctor featured have since been arrested by Kenyan police, according to ARD. A man said to be the coach of an Olympic champion, appearing with his face hidden, confirms the claims made in the documentary. "The great majority of the athletes who appear out of nowhere are doped," he says. The chief executive of UK Anti-Doping, Nicole Sapstead, said the report was "of grave concern and of significant interest", adding they were investigating. "I can confirm that this evidence is being treated with the utmost importance and urgency, and two UKAD staff are currently in Kenya pursuing a number of lines of enquiry," she said in a statement. Newly-installed WADA director-general Olivier Niggli, in a statement issued from the organisation's Montreal headquarters, said he had "full confidence " in UKAD. He added: "This article is one in a series of reports questioning Kenya`s ability to effectively address doping; and, suggesting that there exists a culture of doping in the country. "At the very least, this is an indication that the Kenyan government must quickly put the necessary human resources behind Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK) in the interest of protecting clean sport." Earlier, ADAK head Japhter Rugut told ARD: "We can see that we have a lot of problems at grassroots level and we will work with the police so as to weed out all those implicated in these criminal activities, both sports people and doctors, who will have to answer for their actions. "We want to go to Rio with a clean team." (AFP)

World agency calls for 'quick action' after another Kenya doping scandal

India&#39;s Anirban Lahiri has targeted a top 10 finish at next week&#39;s British Open at Royal Troon as the reigning Asian Tour number one gears up for a bumper month of golf that ends with the Rio Olympics in August. 
 
Lahiri, who turned 29 last week, finished tied for 31st in his British Open debut in 2012 and will make his fourth appearance at the championship at the Scottish links from July 14-17. 
 
&quot;The Open is truly a special tournament,&quot; Lahiri told the Asian Tour. &quot;I&#39;ve had a couple of decent outings but feel like I missed out both times on a top-10 finish. 
 
&quot;Hopefully Troon suits my eye and I can play consistently throughout the week. A top-10 or better would be my goal this year. 
 
&quot;I like playing links courses,&quot; Lahiri added. &quot;You have to be creative and strategically efficient to play well on them. Also I am comfortable flighting down my ball-flight, which is a must in windy conditions. 
 
Lahiri, whose tied fifth finish at the PGA Championship last year is the best by an Indian golfer, feels consistency has been lacking from his game in his first full season on the PGA Tour. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s been a very slow and sluggish season. I have been inconsistent and have got off to good starts on a few occasions only to have a disappointing weekend. 
 
&quot;It&#39;s frustrating when your &#39;A&#39; game feels right around the corner but does not show up as frequently as you would like. 
 
&quot;In any case the first season on a new tour is always the toughest and I&#39;m satisfied that I am in a good position to keep my playing privileges for next year.&quot; 
 
While a number of top-ranked male golfers have withdrawn from the Rio Games due to Zika fears, Lahiri, ranked 62nd in the world, is excited at the prospect of representing India at the Aug. 5-21 Games, which will see the sport return to the Olympics after a 112-year gap. 
 
&quot;Managing energy levels and conditioning are a big challenge this season,&quot; Lahiri added. &quot;I will look to skip a few events leading up to the big ones if I feel like I need to take a break. 
 
&quot;My coach will be here in America for two weeks to work on all aspects of the game and sharpen it up for the majors and the Olympics. 
 
&quot;Hopefully I can pace myself just right to peak during the majors and Olympics. That&#39;s the goal.&rdquo; 
 
(Reuters)

Lahiri finished tied for 31st in his British Open debut in 2012 and will make his fourth appearance at the championship

India's Anirban Lahiri has targeted a top 10 finish at next week's British Open at Royal Troon as the reigning Asian Tour number one gears up for a bumper month of golf that ends with the Rio Olympics in August. Lahiri, who turned 29 last week, finished tied for 31st in his British Open debut in 2012 and will make his fourth appearance at the championship at the Scottish links from July 14-17. "The Open is truly a special tournament," Lahiri told the Asian Tour. "I've had a couple of decent outings but feel like I missed out both times on a top-10 finish. "Hopefully Troon suits my eye and I can play consistently throughout the week. A top-10 or better would be my goal this year. "I like playing links courses," Lahiri added. "You have to be creative and strategically efficient to play well on them. Also I am comfortable flighting down my ball-flight, which is a must in windy conditions. Lahiri, whose tied fifth finish at the PGA Championship last year is the best by an Indian golfer, feels consistency has been lacking from his game in his first full season on the PGA Tour. "It's been a very slow and sluggish season. I have been inconsistent and have got off to good starts on a few occasions only to have a disappointing weekend. "It's frustrating when your 'A' game feels right around the corner but does not show up as frequently as you would like. "In any case the first season on a new tour is always the toughest and I'm satisfied that I am in a good position to keep my playing privileges for next year." While a number of top-ranked male golfers have withdrawn from the Rio Games due to Zika fears, Lahiri, ranked 62nd in the world, is excited at the prospect of representing India at the Aug. 5-21 Games, which will see the sport return to the Olympics after a 112-year gap. "Managing energy levels and conditioning are a big challenge this season," Lahiri added. "I will look to skip a few events leading up to the big ones if I feel like I need to take a break. "My coach will be here in America for two weeks to work on all aspects of the game and sharpen it up for the majors and the Olympics. "Hopefully I can pace myself just right to peak during the majors and Olympics. That's the goal.” (Reuters)

India's Anirban Lahiri targets British Open top 10

Six-time champion Serena Williams stormed into her ninth Wimbledon final in record time today and will meet Angelique Kerber after the German ended Venus Williams&#39;s hopes of becoming the oldest woman in the title match in 22 years.

Serena, bidding for a seventh Wimbledon and an Open Era record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title, took just 48mins 34sec, the fastest ever semi-final at the All England Club, to secure a 6-2, 6-0 win over world number 50 Elena Vesnina.

But her hopes of meeting Venus for the fifth time in a Wimbledon final and ninth time at a major were shattered when fourth seed Angelique Kerber, the Australian Open champion, saw off the 36-year-old 6-4, 6-4.

Serena, playing in her 32nd Grand Slam semi-final, blasted last-four debutant Vesnina off the sun-kissed Centre Court in front of Prince William&#39;s wife Kate watching from up in the Royal Box.

The American fired 11 aces, 28 winners and committed just seven unforced errors, breaking serve five times to reach her 28th Grand Slam final.

Vesnina won just three points off the Williams serve in the first set and none in the second.

&quot;I&#39;m very happy. I was really focused today. We&#39;ve had tough matches before and I knew she could bring it to me on this surface,&quot; said Williams, who has now defeated the Russian five times in five meetings.

Despite the painfully one-sided semi-final Williams, into her third Grand Slam final of the year, insisted it had been a tough workout.

&quot;It&#39;s never easy out there, every point you have to fight for,&quot; she said.

Vesnina, who was due to face Serena again in the women&#39;s doubles later Thursday, admitted she just wasn&#39;t good enough.

&quot;I felt like I had no chance. Serena was playing really good. She was in a great mood, and her serve was working really well. She was placing it amazingly,&quot; said the Russian.

&quot;She was just better all over the court.&quot; 
 
Enjoying life

Today&rsquo;s contest saw Serena race to a 4-0 lead in the first set before 29-year-old Vesnina got on the board. But the set was over in 28 minutes courtesy of Williams&#39;s seventh ace.

The second set was wrapped up in just 20 minutes with breaks in the first, third and fifth games.

Saturday&#39;s final will give Serena a chance to win a first major of the season after losing to Kerber in the final in Melbourne and Garbine Muguruza in Paris.

Kerber saw off five-time champion Venus in 71 minutes on Centre Court to reach her first All England Club title match.

&quot;Venus won so many times here and was playing really well. That&#39;s why I&#39;m so happy to reach my first Wimbledon final,&quot; Kerber said.

&quot;It&#39;s a really good feeling. I&#39;m really enjoying my tennis life.&quot;

Kerber, 28, stunned Serena to win her maiden Grand Slam crown in the Australian Open final in January.

Kerber can now set her sights on becoming the first player to defeat both of the American siblings in the same Grand Slam since Kim Clijsters at the 2009 US Open.

If she can cause another upset against Serena, Kerber would become the first German woman to win Wimbledon since Steffi Graf in 1996.

She has raced through her six matches at Wimbledon without dropping a set, has a WTA tour-best 34 match wins in 2016 and is guaranteed to rise to a career-high second in the world rankings next week.

Venus had won all eight of her previous Wimbledon semi-finals dating back 16 years to her maiden appearance in the last four when she defeated Serena.

But in her first All England Club semi-final for seven years, Venus-&nbsp;the oldest woman to make the last four since Martina Navratilova in 1994&nbsp;was unable to roll back the years one more time. 
 
(AFP)

Kerber saw off Venus, shattering hopes of Serena Williams meeting her sister for the fifth time in a Wimbledon final

Six-time champion Serena Williams stormed into her ninth Wimbledon final in record time today and will meet Angelique Kerber after the German ended Venus Williams's hopes of becoming the oldest woman in the title match in 22 years. Serena, bidding for a seventh Wimbledon and an Open Era record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title, took just 48mins 34sec, the fastest ever semi-final at the All England Club, to secure a 6-2, 6-0 win over world number 50 Elena Vesnina. But her hopes of meeting Venus for the fifth time in a Wimbledon final and ninth time at a major were shattered when fourth seed Angelique Kerber, the Australian Open champion, saw off the 36-year-old 6-4, 6-4. Serena, playing in her 32nd Grand Slam semi-final, blasted last-four debutant Vesnina off the sun-kissed Centre Court in front of Prince William's wife Kate watching from up in the Royal Box. The American fired 11 aces, 28 winners and committed just seven unforced errors, breaking serve five times to reach her 28th Grand Slam final. Vesnina won just three points off the Williams serve in the first set and none in the second. "I'm very happy. I was really focused today. We've had tough matches before and I knew she could bring it to me on this surface," said Williams, who has now defeated the Russian five times in five meetings. Despite the painfully one-sided semi-final Williams, into her third Grand Slam final of the year, insisted it had been a tough workout. "It's never easy out there, every point you have to fight for," she said. Vesnina, who was due to face Serena again in the women's doubles later Thursday, admitted she just wasn't good enough. "I felt like I had no chance. Serena was playing really good. She was in a great mood, and her serve was working really well. She was placing it amazingly," said the Russian. "She was just better all over the court." Enjoying life Today’s contest saw Serena race to a 4-0 lead in the first set before 29-year-old Vesnina got on the board. But the set was over in 28 minutes courtesy of Williams's seventh ace. The second set was wrapped up in just 20 minutes with breaks in the first, third and fifth games. Saturday's final will give Serena a chance to win a first major of the season after losing to Kerber in the final in Melbourne and Garbine Muguruza in Paris. Kerber saw off five-time champion Venus in 71 minutes on Centre Court to reach her first All England Club title match. "Venus won so many times here and was playing really well. That's why I'm so happy to reach my first Wimbledon final," Kerber said. "It's a really good feeling. I'm really enjoying my tennis life." Kerber, 28, stunned Serena to win her maiden Grand Slam crown in the Australian Open final in January. Kerber can now set her sights on becoming the first player to defeat both of the American siblings in the same Grand Slam since Kim Clijsters at the 2009 US Open. If she can cause another upset against Serena, Kerber would become the first German woman to win Wimbledon since Steffi Graf in 1996. She has raced through her six matches at Wimbledon without dropping a set, has a WTA tour-best 34 match wins in 2016 and is guaranteed to rise to a career-high second in the world rankings next week. Venus had won all eight of her previous Wimbledon semi-finals dating back 16 years to her maiden appearance in the last four when she defeated Serena. But in her first All England Club semi-final for seven years, Venus- the oldest woman to make the last four since Martina Navratilova in 1994 was unable to roll back the years one more time. (AFP)

Serena, Kerber to meet in Wimbledon final

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