The New Nation - Internet Edition

Shanghai showdown for Nadal, Federer, Djokovic

AFP, Shanghai

Wimbledon champion Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic are the first players to qualify for the season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai in November, organisers said today.

The trio have already earned enough points to book their berths in the eight-player circuit finale which will take place from November 9-19, organisers said on the tournament's website.

"I have just been informed that I have qualified for the Masters in Shanghai," Nadal, a semifinalist in his two Tennis Masters Cup appearances, was quoted as saying in the statement.

"I have never managed to win it, so I am really looking forward for this year's event and as always I'll try my best knowing it won't be easy," the site quoted Nadal as saying.

Nadal, currently world number two and the first player since Sweden's Bjorn Borg in 1980 to capture the Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles back-to-back, has held the top spot in the ATP 2008 Race standings since winning in Paris.

The Spaniard currently leads the men's professional circuit with a 56-7 match record and six titles this season.

Federer, the world number one and defending Tennis Masters Cup champion, is set to return for a seventh straight year after playing Nadal in the Wimbledon final. The Swiss player's season record stands at 43-9.

Serbia's Djokovic has earned his second consecutive Tennis Masters Cup spot, with a 38-9 record and three titles in the first half of the season, including his first Grand Slam triumph at the Australian Open.

New Wimbledon champions Daniel Nestor of Canada and Serbian Nenad Zimonjic, and American twins Bob and Mike Bryan, have also clinched the first two doubles places in the eight-team field at the Shanghai tournament, organisers said.

Bangladesh starts Junior Asia Cup Hockey campaign against South Korea today

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh starts their 6th Men's Junior Asia Cup Hockey campaign taking on South Korea in the inaugural match in the Indian city of Hyderabad today (Friday).

Bangladesh Under-21 Hockey team reached Hyderabad on Wednesday hoping to clinch the 5th place in the eight-team tournament although they have only five days of preparation.

In the last Junior Asian meet in Pakistan in 2004, Bangladesh finished 6th.

However, the record of Bangladesh senior team against South Korea was not good as they conceded defeats on all occasions except a draw. The defeats included a 0-14 goals drubbing in the Bangkok Asian Games in 1998.

Assistant Manager of Bangladesh team Yousuf Ali informed the Hockey Federation over telephone that all the players of Bangladesh team except skipper Russell Mahmud Jimmy are in sound condition. Jimmy had vomiting several times, but he expects to play tomorrow if his condition does not deteriorate.

Bangladesh, placed in Group B with South Korea, Pakistan and Oman, will play their 2nd group match against Oman on July 13 and the 3rd match against Pakistan on July 14.

The Group A comprises hosts India, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore

Bangladesh team: Mehrab Hossain Kiran, Monwar Hossain, Shamsul Alam Sujon, Mashiur Rahman, Irfanul Haque, Rimon Kumar Ghosh, Abdus Sajjad John, Mashiur Rahman Biplob, Labu Nahid, Asaduzzaman Chandan, Sheikh Mohammad Nannu, Hasan Jubair, Iqbal Nadir, Krishna Kumar, Russell Mahmud Jimmy and Tapash Barman.

Rugby Training Programme to be held tomorrow

Sports Reporter

Bangladesh Rugby Association will arrange an Orientation Under-16 (Boys) School Rugby Training Programme tomorrow morning and afternoon at the Paltan Maidan.

Rahamatullah Model High School, Saint Gregory's High School, Bhasantek High School, Bhasha Shaheed Abdul Jubbar Ansar and VDP School and College, Nababpur Government High School, West End High School, Islambagh Ashraf Ali High School, East Khilgaon School, Khilgaon Oxford Ideal School and College, Residential School and Ahmadia School will take part in the training programme.

President of Bangladesh Rugby Association Khondker Jamil Uddin will inaugurate the training programme while Japanese Rugby coach Mr Nada will conduct the training programme.

Wawrinka passes opening Gstaad test

AFP, Switzerland

Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka snapped his all-or-nothing career jinx at the Swiss Open on Wednesday, scratching out a 7-6 (8/6), 5-7, 7-6 (7/3) win over doubles partner Stephane Bohli.

Wawrinka, competing as a top seed for the first time since reaching the Top 10, avoided a fifth opening-round loss at this alpine village, lifting at the end to reach the quarter-finals after a bye.

It took nearly three hours and cost Wawrinka more than 40 unforced errors as he claimed victory with a passing shot against the number 137 challenger.

11 players share lead in Class VI-X Group of School Chess after 3rd round

UNB, Dhaka

Eleven players share the lead in the points table of the 10th Standard Chartered School Chess Tournament (Class VI-X) with three points after the 3rd round at the Chess Federation Hall room on Thursday.

They are Rezaul Islam Babu, Abhropratim Manna, Asim Roy, Mosabbir Shiblu, Nikesh Duwal, Shuvam Das, Rakib Hossain Rana, Shahidul Alam Abir, Arnab, Ziaur Rahman and Zoar.

In the KG-V Group, six players share lead in the points table securing three points after the 3rd round. They are Aditya, Fahim, Bappi, Mokshed, Sayan and Billabo.

In the girls' section of the meet, Mohona Sengupta and Shaati Majumder jointly lead the points table with maximum three points. Nahida Akter Mohona, Diotima Dutta and Arna Sarkar are in joint 2nd position with 2.5 points.

In the 3rd round matches of KG-V Group, Aditya beat Billbo, Fahimbeat Bappi, Sayan beat Mokshed, Amin beat Rifatul, Mitrabha beat Alfaz and Swargajyoti beat Debdeep.

In the Class VI-X Group, Babu beat Robin, Abhro beat Moin, Asim beat Manik, Shiblu beat Nafiz, Nikesh beat Raju, Shubom beat Salman, Rana beat Rupesh, Abir beat Sifat, Arnab Rakib, Zia beat Ejajul and Zoar beat Himel.

In the girls' section, Mohona beat Reshma, Shaati beat Tani, Nahida beat Suyeta Saha of India and Diptima drew with Arna.

The 4th round matches begin today (Friday) at 3:30 pm at the same venue.

Bangladesh A play Warwickshire in 2nd 3-day match today

UNB, Dhaka

Visiting Bangladesh A team face Warwickshire in the 2nd three-day match beginning on Friday at Edgbaston in Birmingham.

Earlier, on Tuesday, the rain-affected first three-day match between visiting Bangladesh A team and hosts England Under-19 team ended in a draw at the Hazelgrave Ground in Loughborough.

On completion of the 2nd three-dayer, Bangladesh A team will play the 3rd match against Leicestershire on July 16-18, the 4th against Derbyshire July 21-23 and the 5th three-day match against a South African selection on July 25-27.

After the three-dayers, Bangladesh A will play three one-day matches -- against Lancashire on July 30, Marylebone Cricket Club on August 1 and Durham on August 3.

The Bangladesh A side is expected to return home on August 4.

Udbodhan School beat Kirtipasha School 1-0

UNB, Jhalkathi

Udbodhan Secondary School earned a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Kirtipasha Prasanna Kumar Secondary School in the opening match of the Kishore Football League at the local stadium on Thursday.

Zakaria scored the all-important goal for the winners in the 70th minute.

Earlier, deputy commissioner of Jhalkathi Hari Prasad Pal, who is also the president of the DSA, inaugurated the League as chief guest.

DSA vice presidents Abdul Latif and Hemayet Hossain Himu, and DSA general secretary Al Mamun Khan Dhalu were present.

The District Sports Association organized the 12-team League seeking to find out new talents.

Open squash: Bhola Lal tastes first defeat

Sports Reporter

Bhola Lal of Sonargaon Hotel tasted his first defeat in the Premier Division of the Delta Life Open Squash tournament when Bhola Lal lost to Masud Rana of Dhaka Army club by 3-0 sets at the Squash court of Dhaka cloub on Thursday.

In the day's other Premeir Division match, Shawpan Parvez of Bashundhara Goup defeated Bishu Nath of Gulshan club by 3-0 sets at the same venue.

Bhola Lal secured first position with 21 points while Shawpan Parvez took the second spot collecting 19 pioints and Masud Rana was at the third place with 18 points.

Omar of Gulshan club and Mohit Chowhan of Dhaka Club reached the final of the A-Division defeating their respective opponents in the semifinals at the same venue on the same day.

Imon of Gulshan Club and Tamim of Dhaka Army Club moved into the final of the Under-18 Division beating their respective opponents in the semifinals at the same venue on the same day.

Sri Lanka players to boycott England tour

AFP, Colombo

Top Sri Lankan cricketers want the hastily arranged Test tour of England next year to be cancelled because the dates clash with the lucrative Indian Premier League, a source close to the team told AFP on Thursday.

"The players met Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse and urged him to get the tour postponed or played after the IPL," the source said.

"The president was very sympathetic towards the players and agreed to look into their request."

The tour, arranged earlier this month after England suspended bilateral cricket relations with Zimbabwe, includes two Tests, three one-dayers and four warm-up games and runs from April 21 to May 30.

The IPL, which features at least 13 top Sri Lankans, is due to be played between April 10 and May 25.

A top player, who declined to be named, told AFP the cricketers handed the president a letter when they met him on Wednesday to celebrate their victory in the recent Asia Cup in Pakistan.

"We wrote a letter, signed by all of us, appealing to the president to either call off the tour or push back the dates," he said.

"The president was quite firm about his decision, we hope he can honour his word."

Rajapakse's spokesman said the president instructed Sri Lanka's sports minister Gamini Lokuge to raise this issue when Sri Lanka Cricket's interim committee meets later on Thursday.

"The president promised to look into the players' grievances and instructed the sports minister to ask the interim committee to draw up alternative proposals," spokesman Lucien Rajakarunanayake told AFP.

US swimmers set to dominate in Beijing

AFP, Los Angeles

Always formidable in the Olympic pool, the United States will launch a squad of proven performers at Beijing's Water Cube in their bid to maintain their swimming superiority.

Eight of the nine world records set or matched at the US trials June 29-July 6 were produced by swimmers with previous Olympic experience, including two medley world records for multi-event superstar Michael Phelps.

"We always talk about experience," said US men's head coach Eddie Reese. "More important is good experience and good results."

The US has plenty of that to draw on.

Phelps, who won six gold and two bronze in Athens, is again the figurehead of a US men's team that could conceivably approach the record of 12 gold medals captured by the American men in Montreal in 1976.

Phelps himself will tackle five individual events, in four of which he holds the world record - the 200m freestyle and 200m butterfly and the 200m and 400m individual medleys.

His fifth individual event could well turn out to be a tussle with teammate Ian Crocker in the 100m butterfly, in which Crocker holds the world record but trails in his head-to-head rivalry with Phelps.

Peirsol, who owns the 100m back world record outright and shares the 200m mark with teammate Ryan Lochte, will be back to defend the backstroke double he earned in Athens - with Lochte in pursuit.

Newcomer Garrett Weber-Gale leads the US men's charge in the sprint freestyle, winning both the 100m and 50m at the trials, but he'll face stiff competiton from both French and Australian rivals.

In the medal count stakes - for the US men's team as a whole and for Phelps as he chases Mark Spitz's 1972 record of seven golds at one Games - the three relays could be the key.

"Hopefully we can come back in a month and show that the US is the best swimming team in the world," Phelps said as the trials concluded in Omaha, Nebraska.

The picture isn't quite as bright for the American women.

Katie Hoff has posted the fastest times of 2008 in the 200 and 800 freestyles and the 400 medley, in which she set a world record at trials.

She also owns the second-fastest times of the year in the 400m free and 200m medley, but she'll face tough medley competition from Australia's Stephanie Rice.

Only two other women's world records belong to Americans - Coughlin's 100m backstroke mark and world champion Margaret Hoelzer in the 200m back.

American women are definite underdogs when it comes to butterfly and as in Athens could well fail to medal in either the 100m or 200m.

Dara Torres, who made a splash with her trials victories in the 100m and 50m free at the age of 41, nevertheless lags behind Australia's freestyle sprint stars.

"We look forward to the challenge," US national team general manager Mark Schubert said of the women's underdog status. "I think it will give our women's team a rallying cry. It is something to think about and work on in the next five weeks."

But America's women will have to have a superb meet to avoid failing to bag the most medals for the first time since 1988.

"I have no idea what to predict," admitted women's head coach Jack Bauerle. "We have to be prepared for fast swimming on all fronts. If you blink, there's going to be a lot of people in front of you."

Profit of ensuing Agha Khan Football to go to school football development fund

UNB, Dhaka

The entire profit of the ensuing Agha Khan Gold Cup Football will go to the school football development fund.

The decision came from a joint meeting of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) and Agha Khan Foundation at the BFF Bhaban on Thursday.

After the meeting, BFF vice-president Abdus Salam Murshedi told the reporters that they have placed a budget for the tournament to the Agha Khan Foundation. The representatives of Agha Khan had assured that they would bear the entire expenses of the tournament, he said.

The meeting also decided that the BFF and the Agha Khan Foundation will look after the income and expenditure of the tournament and a joint account will be opened for the purpose.

BFF vice presidents Badal Roy and Kazi Nabil Ahmed and representatives of Agha Khan Foundation were present.

2nd Office League to begin on July 24

UNB, Dhaka

The Design Zone 2nd Office League, organized by Bangladesh Handball Federation, will begin in the city on July 24.

Interested associations have been requested to send their team entries and affiliation fees by July 18 at the Federation office. Interested teams can communicate with the Federation over telephone no. 9566964.

Sadat Smriti Summer Open Badminton to begin July 20

UNB, Dhaka

The Sadat Smriti Summer Open (ranking) Badminton Competition, organized by Bangladesh Badminton Federation, will begin on July 20 at the NSC Wooden Floor Gymnasium.

The competition will be held in four events -- men's singles & doubles, and women's singles & doubles.

Intending participants have been asked to submit their entries at the Federation office by July 16.

Inter-Private University Football in 2nd week of October

UNB, Dhaka

The Mentor's 3rd Inter-Private University Football Tournament'2008 will begin in the second week of October at the Army Stadium in Banani.

Maximum 12 private university teams will be entitled to participate in the third version of the meet, organized by Auritro, an event management firm, with the co-operation of Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

Players of B. League (Professional League) and Senior Division League will not be allowed to play in the tournament. But maximum two booters of second division league will be eligible to play in the meet if they are genuine students of the university.

Interested University teams have been asked to send their entries with fees of Tk 8,000 each on August 30-31 between 3 pm and 8 pm at the BFF Bhaban in Motijheel.

The player registration formalities will be held on September 20-21 from 3pm-8pm at the same place.

BFF forms 7 standing committees

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) Wednesday formed seven standing committees with vice president Manzoor Hossain Malu as the chairman of the nine-member Metropolis Football League committee.

The other six committee chairmen are Mohammad Khurshid Alam Babul (footsal committee), Bashir Ahmed (referees committee), Anwarul Huq Helal (finance committee), Akhter Hossain Khan (players' status committee), Mezbah Uddin (disciplinary committee) and Dr. Mohammad Faruq R Awlad (medical committee).