Shane Warne-Liz Hurley to call it quits?

Sydney: Legendary leg-spinner Shane Warne and English model and actress Liz Hurley have often expressed their love for each other on micro-blogging site, Twitter. An unusual recent silence on Twitter is fueling rumours that the spin-king and Hurley have parted ways.
According to reports in the British and Australian media, the pair may have split up, as indicated by their lack of online communication with each other.

Warne and 48-year-old actress have previously been known to share and display their affection for each other on the social networking platform. Since they were spotted kissing by the paparazzi in December 2010, the duo has given the world a sneak peek into their romance.
Hurley announced her split with then-husband Arun Nayar on Twitter while Warne used the same platform to announce his separation from his wife, Simone. 'Shurley', as they are dubbed, got engaged in Scotland in September 2011 and had plans to marry this year, with ceremonies in both England and Australia.
However, after several weeks of Twitter silence, these plans have seemingly been put on hold. Hurley last tweeted Warne on September 1.

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Sangakkara up against his IPL team

Mohali: While this match represents a Champions League debut for Kandurata Maroons and Sunrisers Hyderabad, both teams will know just how vital it is to hit the ground running in what could potentially be a short tournament for either side. Both teams need to win at least two of the three qualification matches to have a strong chance of making the main draw.

This will be the first time these sides face each another, so Kumar Sangakkara will play an influential role in providing some insight on the inner workings of Hyderabad. Thisara Perera can also shed some light on Kandurata, as a number of his compatriots make up the roster.
Both teams have strong bowling departments that include several international players. Kandurata possess some of the best T20 players in the world, and feature a spin attack which includes Rangana Herath, Ajantha Mendis and Suraj Randiv, backed by the ever-dependable Nuwan Kulasekera. 

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Sindhu to spearhead Indian challenge in Japan Open

Tokyo: In the absence of Saina Nehwal, World No.10 shuttler P.V. Sindhu will lead India's charge at the $200,000 Japan Open Super Series badminton that starts here on Tuesday.The World Championship bronze medalist Sindhu, seeded eighth, faces two qualifiers in the first two rounds and should ease through to the quarter-finals where she will most likely face World No.1 and Olympic champion Li Xuerui of China at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium.

Though the Hyderabadi has beaten the Chinese top seed in the past, Xerui is a force to reckon with each time she steps on to the court. Tanvi Lad, ranked No.77 in the world, will be the only other Indian participating in women's singles and she has a first round encounter against Japanese World No.20 Sayaka Takahashi. The Indian men's singles competitors have been given a tough draw.

World No.13 Parupalli Kashyap will be up against the agile Sho Sasaki of Japan. Though the Hyderabadi has lost both his matches yet against the World No.22, the Japanese will have a tough outing against the gritty Indian. If Kashyap succeeds in beating Sasaki for the first time, he will have an even a tougher challenge in second seed Chen Long of China in the second round.

World No.20 RMV Gurusaidutt also faces a difficult opener against a higher ranked Sony Dwi Kuncoro of Indonesia. Upcoming talent B. Sai Praneeth will take on eighth seed Hu Yun of Hong Kong while Sourabh Verma will have an easier first round as he will face a qualifier.

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India A eyeing an encore vs WI A

Bangalore: Their confidence on high after the comprehensive win in the opener, India A would look to seal the three-match unofficial ODI series against West Indies A in the second 50-over game between the two sides at the Chinnaswamy Stadium on Tuesday.

Skipper Yuvraj Singh stole the limelight with a breathtaking century to guide India A to a thumping 77-run win over the visitors in the opening match of the series on Sunday, and come Tuesday the hosts would be looking for an encore.

All eyes were trained on Yuvraj on Sunday after he was handed a lifeline to return to the ODI team by being named captain of the India A team. And the dashing left-hander grabbed the opportunity with both hands and staked his claim for a national berth by scoring a brutal 89-ball 123 against the hapless Caribbeans in the opening match.

Yuvraj produced a sensational exhibition of strokeplay by hitting eight fours and seven sixes in his scintillating innings to help India raise 312 for four after being put to bat in the match which was reduced to 42-over-a-side affair due to two-hour delayed start on account of wet outfield.India 'A' then bowled out the visitors for 235 in 39.1 overs, giving the home side a 1-0 lead in the series.

Come Tuesday, India A, a team on a roll after the clean sweep against New Zealand A, would be hoping to carry on the winning momentum in their future matches. During his dazzling knock on Sunday, Yuvraj shared two hundred runs partnerships with Mandeep Singh (67) and Yusuf Pathan (70 not out), who played perfect second fiddle to the left-hander.

Just like Yuvraj, Yusuf — who is also looking for a comeback to the ODI team — displayed his attacking skills and tore apart the West Indies bowling attack to score his runs off just 32 balls with the help of four boundaries and six hits over the fence. And come Tuesday, both Yuvraj and Yusuf would be hoping for repeat performances to catch the eyes of national selectors.The West Indies A, who performed well during their home series against Sri Lanka-A in June, will look for improvement.

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All eyes on Faisalabad Wolves

Mohali: Still trying to find its foothold in the cricketing landscape, the Champions League Twenty20 will enter its fourth season on Tuesday with the qualifying matches during which Pakistan's domestic champions Faisalabad Wolves are likely to hog the limelight.

A league which was born out of the hugely successful IPL, CLT20 is gradually establishing its identity but it would take some time for it to truly find a connect with the fans.The event will kick off with Faisalabad Wolves, led by Pakistan's Terst skipper Misbah-ul Haq, taking on New Zealand's Otago Volts in the first qualifier on Tuesday.

This would be followed by a star-studded Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by Delhi-dasher Shikhar Dhawan, squaring off against Sri Lanka's Kandurata Maroons in the second qualifier at the PCA stadium.Barring Volts, the other three teams in the qualifiers come from the sub-continent, but none among the four feels that either has any big advantage in the event.

The top two teams will advance to the main draw, which has three Indian teams in fray — IPL champions Mumbai Indians, runners-up Chennai Super Kings and third-place finishers Rajasthan Royals.In Tuesday's opening match, the Wolves would mainly rely on their young players including promising medium-pacer Ehsan Adil, Ali Waqas, Khuram Shahzad, Asad Ali, besides banking on the experience of skipper Misbah and Saeed Ajmal, who has been a national asset in all three formats after his Test debut four years back.

The Wolves, who had some visa issues when they landed in India, will draw strength from the fact that at the domestic level, they beat teams that had many stars. The Wolves are only the second team from Pakistan to compete in the event after Sialkot Stallions last year. Their presence in the event was ensured after much speculation that arose out of rising border tensions between India and Pakistan.

"Barring Misbah and Ajmal, we are mainly a young squad, but there is lot of potential in our young players. We are confident that they will deliver at the big stage," the team's wicketkeeper and vice-captain, Mohamed Salman said."Even though we don't have international cricket happening in our country, the standard of our domestic cricket is very high... I don't see the lack of international cricket in Pakistan making any difference to our performance," he said.

Salman and coach Naveed Anjum feel that Misbah brings with him wealth of experience and has also performed brilliantly in the shorter version of the game."Misbah performed brilliantly for us in the shorter versions, especially in the last season. He was the highest run-getter for us in our domestic T20 tournament. Besides being highly important to the team as a batsman, he plays a very crucial role as the leader," said Anjum.

The team has been practising hard back home for the tournament and familiar surfaces of the sub-continent would be a bonus for it.Volts, who crashed out of the 2009 season by losing their first two matches, have the likes of swashbuckling skipper Brendon McCullum and brother Nathan McCullum to negate any advantage the other teams may get by virtue of familiar surfaces.

The Kiwis arrived here after a training camp in Sri Lanka to get used to the conditions. "This is a tough qualifiers round. Look at all the teams; they are all good on the paper. We know it is going to be tough for us to get past the qualifiers," McCullum said.   

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Only desi marshals at F1 Indian Grand Prix

Greater Noida: There seems to be a booming interest in marshalling at the Formula 1 Indian Grand Prix despite a cloud over its future. The risky nature of the job is no deterrent for the 650 odd daredevils who will man the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) during the Oct 25-27 event, importantly all-Indians for the first time.  

It has taken three races for the Indian marshals to get well versed with the ways of F1 and this time they will be performing the chores without overseas assistance. 
There were 850 marshals at the BIC for the inaugural 2011 edition, 250 of them from Bahrain. The overall number has already been reduced by 200 as the 16th round of the season approaches. The last edition had 750, the Gulf nation sending only 100.
"We have come into F1 late but we are improving rapidly. Initially, the FIA (world governing body of motorsports) had advised us to take outside help for three years but they are now satisfied with the personnel we have in India. It is a huge confidence booster for us and it doesn't mean we are going to get complacent," Prabha Shankar, co-founder of Indian Motorsport Marshals Club (IMMC) and member of the FIA Commission, told IANS at BIC on the sidelines of the National Championships.
Shankar is using the domestic event as a shakedown ahead of the next month's big event.
He is also intrigued by the increasing number of Indians volunteering to be marshals, a decreasing trend worldwide.
"The risk factor is always there and you don't even get paid. That is why marshalling is not an attractive exercise anymore. I am a little puzzled to see so many wanting to be marshals and I am having a hard time picking the best of the lot," said Shankar.
He could only choose 650 out of the 7,000 who wanted to be part of the Indian Grand Prix this year. In 2012 there were 4,800 applicants and the year before 2,000.
"It is incredible to be part of a F1 weekend. It is great fun even though there is no money," Rohan Shankar, an automobile engineering graduate from Chennai's Sri Venkateshwara College, said that he loves the risk involved in the sport. He has been a marshall here since the inaugural Grand Prix. Marshal fatalities have decreased as the sport has become safe, the running over of a recovery worker by a crane at the Canadian Grand Prix in June.

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Yuvi propels India A to win

Bangalore: Yuvraj Singh sent a strong message to the national selectors with a brutal 89-ball 123 to set up a 77-run win for India A against West Indies A in the first of the three-match unofficial ODI series at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium here Sunday.

Playing in his first competitive game in four months, Yuvraj set the stage on fire with a captain's knock that was studded with eight fours and seven sixes. It was Yuvraj's explosive knock that took India A to a massive 312 for four in 42 overs after West Indies A decided to field.
The southpaw was well supported by Mandeep Singh (67) and Yusuf Pathan, who struck an unbeaten whirlwind 70 off 32 balls, hitting four fours and six sixes.

The West Indies A innings folded up for 235 runs in 39.1 overs after Narsingh Deonarine and Andre Russell struck an indentical 57 each. It was a clinical show by the India A pacers as Sumit Narwal and R Vinay Kumar picked up two wickets each along with the spin duo of Rahul Sharma and Pathan.
Earlier in the day, India A lost two wickets for 47 runs with both the openers Unmukt Chand (1) and Robin Uthappa (23) failing to make the most of the opportunity.

Yuvraj and Mandeep then added 100 runs for the third-wicket in what was a pure display of power hitting. Mandeep played the role of second fiddle perfectly while Yuvraj went after the West Indies A bowlers.
Mandeep, who hit seven fours and a six, was well set for a big score but was foxed by a tossed up delivery from Nikita Miller that castled him.
West Indies A might have hoped that wicket would slow down the flow of runs. But to their surprise, Yusuf also joined Yuvraj in power hitting that left the visitors without any hope.

Yuvraj's destructive innings was ended by a full toss delivery from leggie Nkrumah Bonner and Ronford Beaton took a skier at long on. But by then the writing was on the wall for West Indies A.
Yuvraj along with discarded seniors Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan have been handed lifelines by the selectors by including them in the India A side across the formats against the West Indies A.

Yuvraj hasn't been picked for the Tests and is the only one among the four to feature in the limited-overs games.
Earlier this year, he was dropped after the home series against England due to fitness issues.
Yuvraj and Zaheer had trained extensively at Brive La Gaillarde, a town in France, for six weeks to get back their fitness.

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CBI names Srinivasan in Jagan charge sheet

Hyderabad:  Indian cricket board chief N. Srinivasan has been named in one of the three chargesheets the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) Tuesday filed in a special court here in the corruption case involving YSR Congress party chief Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy. In the chargesheet relating to India Cements, the CBI has also named Srinivasan, its managing director, as the accused number three. Srinivasan stepped aside a few months ago as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president recently following spot fixing scandal in Indian Premier League (IPL).

The CBI had questioned him twice last year about the investments his company made into Jaganmohan Reddy's firms. India Cements allegedly invested Rs.140 crore into Jagan's businesses in return for the benefits it received from the then government of Jagan's father, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who was killed in a helicopter crash in 2009.

The CBI filed the charge sheets in the special court, naming 25 accused and charging them under various sections of Indian Penal Code The charge sheets relate to India Cements, Penna Cements and Bharati Cements, the three companies which allegedly made quid pro quo investments in Jaganmohan Reddy's business. Jagan, as the MP from Kadapa is popularly known, figures as the accused number one in all three charge sheets while his financial advisor Vijay Sai Reddy is the number two accused. The investments were made into Bharati Cements and Jagati Publications owned by Jagan in return for the benefits India Cements received .

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Buoyant India take on Afghanistan in final

Kathmandu: Having notched up a morale-boosting semi-final victory against Maldives, defending champions Indian team will try to maintain their supremacy in the SAFF Football Championship when they take on a tough Afghanistan in the summit clash here on Wednesday.

On paper, Afghans are a superior side with a Fifa ranking of 139 to India's 145 as well as seven of their first XI footballers plying their trade in the lower tier leagues of the United States and Germany.

Medio Mustafa Azadzoy and defender Mustafa Hadid play in German league while forward Mohammed Yusuf has played in the US.

For Sunil Chhetri and his team, winning the SAFF Championship would be a thankless affair. India have won the trophy six times in the first nine editions having failed to reach the semis only once.

However, they have a solid Afghanistan team as an opposition, who were thrashed 0-4 in the final of the last edition held in New Delhi.

"We definitely want to take revenge on this India team as we felt that were hard done by the referee (Singaporean Sukhbir Singh) during the last edition. We are a far superior side than India, technically and physically," Afghanistan's assistant coach Ali Jawad Attaii declared through his interpreter — team captain Fakhruddin Amiri, who incidentally plays for I-League side Mumbai FC.

India will take a lot out of their win against Maldives in the semi-final, where there strategy worked out wonderfully. With Gourmangi Singh in splendid form at the heart of defence and young Arnab Mondal deriving a lot of confidence from that winning goal, India would go into the match in a fine frame of mind.

The return of captain Sunil Chhetri, who is now a couple of goals shy of being India's highest scorer in international circuit will be a shot in the arm for the Dutch coach, who has preferred playing with a single striker employing a 4-5-1 formation rather than the usual 4-4-2.

Robin Singh, whose body advantage did work in favour of Indian team in the semis, is expected to return to the dug-out.

While Izumi Arata, who was impressive during his 75-minute stay on the pitch against Maldives, looks a doubtful starter with a back injury, Jewel Raja Sheikh is expected to fill in that attacking hole.

Jeje Lalpeklhua will be starting on wide left while Francisco Fernandes will man the right wing. The senior-most player in the line-up (in terms of age) Mehtab Hossain put it aptly.

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RAFA REBORN

As Rafael Nadal moved to within four majors of the absent Roger Federer and seven ahead of the not-always-present Novak Djokovic, there could be no denying that the recrowned king of New York was the best player in the world on Monday, and maybe for a little while to come.

He beat the official world No 1 in four sets again, 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in three hours and 21 minutes, to win his second US Open and 13th career Slam in his third joust with Djokovic in four years. It is a trilogy to further cement one of the enduring rivalries in sport. Again, until the fourth set, they hit heights of excellence to take the breath away in their 37th encounter — more than anyone in the history of the game — reaching back to the quarter-finals at Roland Garros in 2006.

What a year the Spaniard has had: coming back to the game after seven months out to rest knees that would not have been out of place on a marionette, going on to win 60 of 64 matches, 22 of them on hard courts, lift 10 titles, two of them majors – and he is still No 2 in the world.

He could rectify that in the two months remaining, but that was not a priority at Flushing Meadows. This was his sixth win over Djokovic in their last seven matches. That's a statement.

Djokovic, managed a smile but not many platitudes in the immediate aftermath. "He definitely deserved to win this match," he said.

"It was a huge privilege to be fighting for this trophy."

Nadal, was brief and to the point as well, "Very, very emotional. All my team knows how much this means to me. Probably nobody brings my game to its limits like Novak Djokovic."

Rod Laver, 75 now and living in California for many years, flipped the coin a little after 5pm local time and it would have been no surprise had it floated away in the prevailing gusts.

Nadal was in grey, but hardly dull, and Djokovic wore red and black, a menacing sight.

His crimson jacket fluttered like a matador's cape in the light breeze, which was steady but not as strong as the night before during the women's final. It was hard to pick the crowd; they were with the Spanish bull at the start, switching to the Serb when he came to life in the second, back behind the new champion at the end.

The suspicion is the masochism needed to survive in the modern game probably sustains the electricity that exists between these fine champions, and they rather enjoy the public trials of a private feud. If they are sick of the sight of each other, they don't show it.

Nadal and Djokovic also brought more combined treasure to the showdown, 18 Slams, than anyone since Pete Sampras (13) and Andre Agassi (7) when they contested the 2002 final.  

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IPL spot-fixing: Chandila, two others get bail

New Delhi: A Delhi court Monday granted bail to suspended Rajasthan Royals cricketer Ajit Chandila and two others booked in the IPL spot-fixing scam.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma also granted bail to former Ranji player Baburao Yadav and bookie Deepak Kumar.
Chandila was booked under the provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).

On May 16, Delhi Police arrested three Rajasthan Royals players — S. Sreesanth, Chandila and Ankeet Chavan — on spot-fixing charges on the basis of phone conversations and footage of IPL matches in which they were caught giving predetermined signals to bookies.

Delhi Police had invoked provisions of MCOCA against 28 accused in the case, including the three cricketers, alleging that they were acting under the command of underworld dons Dawood Ibrahim and Chhota Shakeel.

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India enter SAFF Cup final with 1-0 win

Kathmandu: Young stopper Arnab Mondal scored his maiden international goal as defending champions India beat Maldives 1-0 to enter the final of the SAFF Football Championship for the ninth time here on Monday.  The win, which Wim Koevermans' boys achieved without their skipper Sunil Chhetri, meant that India made it to their fifth successive final in the tournament and will meet Afghanistan on Wednesday. Mondal, the lad from Kolkata, was a bundle of nerves throughout the match but turned out to be an unlikely hero in the end with a delightful strike.

The winner came in the 85th minute when Mehtab Hossain's corner from the right flank was neatly headed down by Syed Rahim Nabi and Mondal, who had joined the attack, struck a powerful angular right-footer that crashed into the net. The final whistle saw some ugly scenes as Maldives substitute Ali Umar attacked referee Idham Mohammed and was red-carded after the match. But it did not stop there as a group of Maldives players attacked one of the organisers and police personnel were called to intervene as things looked like getting out of hand. Maldives' striker Ali Ashfaq was tied down for most part of the match with India employing zonal marking with makeshift captain Gourmangi Singh giving a good account of himself.

Maldives created a bit of pressure from set-piece movements giving some anxious moments to Indian custodian Subrata Paul. In the second minute, Maldives got a free-kick and Mohammed Sifan's low delivery which evaded the wall saw Paul fumble trying to gather it on the bounce but forward Mohammed Umair's shot went straight to the goalie.

Another anxious moment came in the 27th minute when Ashfaq's left-footed inswinging free-kick was nicely parried away by Paul.

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Azarenka to back Nadal in US Open final

New York: Beaten US Open finalist Victoria Azarenka will be backing Rafael Nadal to defeat Novak Djokovic in the men's title showdown on Monday after being seduced by the beefcake Spaniard's biceps.

Azarenka was asked which player she would be supporting in Monday's blockbuster final, the 37th meeting between the world's two top-ranked men. "Rafa convinced me by practicing with his shirt off," said Azarenka, who on Sunday lost 7-5, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1 to Serena Williams in the women's championship match.

Williams opted not to select a favourite.
"It's tough to say anything against Nadal because he's been doing so well and he's lost like never this year," she joked of a player who's been defeated just three times in 62 matches since February.
"Djokovic, this is his fourth time in the final, and he has a good record against Rafael. It's going to be an interesting match."

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Serena wins fifth US Open title

New York: World number one Serena Williams captured her fifth US Open title, and second in a row, by outlasting second-ranked Victoria Azarenka 7-5, 6-7 (6/8), 6-1 to claim her 17th career Grand Slam crown.

The 31-year-old American became the oldest Open Era women's winner in US Open history, 293 days older than Margaret Court when she set the prior mark in 1973, and the third-oldest Grand Slam women's champion of the Open Era.
Williams won $3.6 million, including a $1 million bonus for her success in US open tuneup events. She is the first top-seeded champion since Justine Henin in 2007 and the first woman to defend the US Open crown since Kim Clijsters in 2010.

Williams won a rematch of last year's US Open final that gave her and Azarenka a combined total of six of the eight major titles from the past two years. Williams improved to 13-3 in their rivalry but two-time Australian Open champion Azarenka had won two of the previous three, most recently in last month's Cincinnati final.

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Cash galore for Sreejesh, Raghunath & Ramandeep-latest sports news in india

New Delhi: Hockey India (HI) on Wednesday announced cash award for three of its players who were a part of the Indian Men's hockey team that won silver medal at the ninth Asia Cup at Ipoh, Malaysia. 

HI will give Rs 1 lakh each to defender V R Raghunath for winning Most Outstanding Player of the tournament award, vice-captain and goalkeeper P R Sreejesh for Goalkeeper of the tournament award and debutant forward Ramandeep Singh for scoring a goal on debut for the national team.

Ramandeep scored his first international goal against Oman in their opening match of the tournament.

Congratulating the senior men's team for its achievement at the Asia Cup, Narinder Batra, the Secretary General HI said, "Out of four individual awards at the 9th Men's Asia Cup, Indian players have won two of them. It speaks highly about the performance of Indian team." 

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Red Bull appoint Ricciardo as Webber's successor- latest sports news in india

London: Australian Daniel Ricciardo was on Monday named as Mark Webber's successor alongside Sebastian Vettel at Red Bull in 2014. 

The 24-year-old Torro Rosso driver won the race for the coveted drive ahead of former world champion Kimi Raikkonen, with talks between the Finn and Red Bull ending last month.

Red Bull team chief Christian Horner announced Ricciardo's arrival next season in a statement. He said: "It's fantastic to confirm Daniel as the team's race driver for 2014.

"He's a very talented youngster, he's committed, he's got a great attitude and in the end it was a very logical choice for us to choose Daniel."

Horner added: "He's got all the attributes that are required to drive for our team: he's got a great natural ability, he's a good personality and a great guy to work with.

"Daniel knows what the team expects from him; he'll learn quickly and it's very much a medium to long term view that we're taking in developing him."

Ricciardo has been sponsored by Red Bull since 2008 and he started driving for Toro Rosso last year, claiming 21 Formula One points from 41 Grand Prix races.

The Australian is following the path Vettel took in 2009 when he switched from Italy's Toro Rosso to their British-based sister team Red Bull Racing.

Webber, 37, is leaving F1 to pursue a new career in sportscar racing.

Fabregas surprised by Ozil’s record Arsenal move

London: Cesc Fabregas believes his former club Arsenal have managed to prise away Real Madrid's second-best player with their dramatic deadline-day capture of Mesut Ozil.

Arsenal completed what is understood to be a club-record £42.5m swoop for Ozil on Monday evening as Arsène Wenger finally landed a marquee signing after what had become a frustrating summer on the transfer front.

Many of Ozil's former team-mates at Madrid have since expressed their surprise and disappointment that the Germany international was allowed to leave the Bernabéu, and Fábregas also admits he was taken aback by the news.

However, the Spain midfielder, who spent eight years at Arsenal before returning to Barcelona in 2011, also feels the Gunners have got themselves a top player.

He told the Spanish radio station Cadena Cope: "I was really surprised by Ozil's departure. He seemed to me the second-best player at Madrid, after Cristiano [Ronaldo]. He'll be great for Arsenal."

Fábregas was the subject of transfer interest from the Premier League this summer, with champions Manchester United hoping to bring him back to England.

United had two bids for Fábregas rebuffed by Barça, who maintained they had no intention of selling the 26-year-old, while the midfielder sought to end the speculation last month when he declared he wanted to remain at the Camp Nou.

Touching on that subject, Fábregas insists he could not have been tempted away from Barça, even if he had been offered the chance to double his wages or the promise of regular first-team football.

Fabregas has struggled to tie down a starting spot at the Catalan giants, but he said: "The tougher the challenge the better I like it and Barcelona was the biggest and most difficult, and I want to finish in a happy manner and if I can retire at Barça, then so much the better. The only thing in my head is triumphing at Barcelona.

"When I arrived at Barcelona I already knew there were other places where I could earn more or where I could have more minutes, but coming to Barça was my dream. It was my dream since I was small. I wouldn't go, not even for double the money." 

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Usain Bolt to retire after Rio Olympics-latest sports news in india

Brussels: Usain Bolt plans to retire after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

Bolt said on Wednesday he wants to win more gold in Rio, set another world record in the 200 meters next year, and perhaps win a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games.

"So far, (it) is after the Olympics in Rio," Bolt said of his retirement plans. "I think if I am in great shape, I'll go there and do what I have to do. I think it will be a good time to retire, on top."

Winning another three golds in Moscow last month made him the most decorated athlete in world championship history with eight gold and two silvers. He has six gold medals from the Olympics.

"If I want to be among the greats of (Muhammad) Ali and Pele and all these guys I have to continue dominating until I retire," Bolt said ahead of his final race this season in the 100 at Friday's Van Damme Memorial.

Bolt won the 100, 200 and 4x100 relay at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and at last year's London Games. He won the same triple at the 2009 worlds before repeating that feat in Moscow last month. At 27, Bolt has the experience to know that a lax season midway between Olympics can hurt him. In 2010, a soft entry into the year and subsequent injury cost him almost a full season.

"I kind of didn't do much in the offseason and then got injured and had to start from scratch. So this season, I will not make that mistake again," Bolt said.

Like 2010, next season has no major championships, but Bolt is forcing himself to think of new goals for 2014.

He already owns the 100 and 200 world records and shares the 4x100 with his Jamaican teammates. He acknowledges the 100 record of 9.58 seconds will be extremely tough to better, but he hopes to improve on the 19.19 he ran in the 200 in Berlin four years ago.

"I have learned, I have mastered the art of running the turn," Bolt said of the 200. "So if I can stay injury free and be in good shape, then it is possible for me to definitely go after the world record."

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Li Na reaches semifinals- latest sports news in india

New York: Fifth seed Li Na of China beat Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-4, 6-7 (7-5), 6-2 to become the first Chinese player to reach US Open semi-finals.

"I always try to be the first one," said Li after the match Tuesday. "Of course, the first time in US Open semis, it's exciting. I am really proud of myself."

By advancing into the semifinals, Li refreshed her personal US Open record, reports Xinhua.

The world number six is enjoying one of the best seasons in her career, making quarter-finals in three of the four Grand Slams, the first time for the 31-year-old. She has also reached at least the semi-final stage for three straight WTA tournaments including in Toronto and Cincinnati.

"There were some ups and downs in my previous seasons, and this year I have more consistency," said Li.

Li, well known for her hot temper among Chinese fans, moved in Tuesday's match without losing a single set. She had previously played Makarova for three times, winning all of them.

Li held her serve to level the first set until 3-3, and managed to break in the seventh game thanks to a couple of unforced errors from Makarova. Neither player was able to break in the remainder of the set, ensuring Li takes the lead in the match.

Both players suffered from ups and downs in the second set. They finished with six breaks (three for each) to enter the tiebreaker. Li was leading 3-0 in the tiebreak, but the double fault disturbed her pace. Makarova took advantage to take the tiebreak 7-5.

The final set stood in favour of Li as the top Chinese singles player won four straight games after 2-2 to end the match.

"I was feeling so nervous, from the beginning of the match until the end of the match," said Li.

Li will next face world number one Serena Williams, who won 12 consecutive games to beat Spaniard Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-0.

"If you only think about your opponent, of course, you already lose the match before you step onto the court," said Li.

In another women's singles quarterfinal, the second seed Victoria Azarenka needed three sets to beat Ana Ivanovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Former world number one Lleyton Hewitt lost 6-3, 3-6, 6-7 (7-3), 6-4, 7-5 to Russian Mikhail Youzhny in a round of 16 match, which lasted 3 hours 58 minutes.

Hewitt, who outclassed sixth seed Juan Martin Del Potro in an even longer five-set thriller in the second round, was favoured to win again when the fifth set went to 5-5, but Youzhny broke the Australian before eventually winning on his second match point.

Youzhny will play world number one Novak Djokovic, who eliminated Marcel Granollers 6-3, 6-0, 6-0.

Third seed Andy Murray came back from one set down to beat Denis Istomin 6-7, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4, to set up a quarter-final against ninth seed Stanislas Wawrinka, who downed number five seed Thomas Berdych 3-6, 6-1, 7-6, 6-2.

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Nadal, Federer on collision course

New York: Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal remained on course for a tantalising first ever collision at the US Open after demolishing their opposition at Flushing Meadows on Saturday.

The two great rivals have never played each other at the year's final grand slam but are drawn to meet each other in the quarter-finals next week, and they moved a step closer by winning their third-round ties in brilliant fashion. 

Federer, playing the feature night match at an buzzing Arthur Ashe Stadium, doled out a 6-3 6-0 6-2 hammering to Frenchman Adrian Mannarino but knows the focus is already on the possible meeting with Nadal.

"I have gone through that my entire career, people talking about our matches even before the tournament started," he said.

"We're used to it. We know how to handle it. Clearly I think we both hope it's going to happen this time for the first time in New York."

Earlier in the day, when the sun was at its hottest, Nadal turned on his own masterclass to brush aside Croatia's Ivan Dodig 6-4 6-3 6-3 and lead a trio of Spanish men into the fourth round.

French Open runner-up David Ferrer also moved through, beating Mikhail Kukushkin 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4, while a third Spaniard, Tommy Robredo, ended the Cinderella run of British qualifier Dan Evans.

Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki and the 2011 Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova were among the high-profile casualties in a women's draw packed with surprises.

Four of the eight women already through to the fourth round are unseeded and three of the eight are Italian.

Camila Giorgi, who had to come through the qualifiers to reach the main draw, sent Wozniacki packing with a 4-6 6-4 6-3 win on Arthur Ashe Stadium while Flavia Pennetta knocked out the former U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 7-5 6-1. Roberta Vinci also won for Italy.

Nadal has been in great form in the past month, winning warm-up tournaments in Montreal and Cincinnati. He has not dropped a single set in getting to the last 16 at Flushing Meadows and believes he is still improving.

"I played better today than in the previous matches. (That's) always a positive thing," he said.

Nadal's next opponent is Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber, who beat towering American John Isner 6-4 3-6 7-5 7-6 (5), while Federer's next assignment is Robredo, a 7-6 (6) 6-1 4-6 7-5 winner over Evans.

While Federer and Nadal cruised into the next round, a feisty Victoria Azarenka dropped her first set of the tournament before recovering to book her place in the last 16 of the women's draw.

A finalist last year and one of the favourites to win the title this season, the world number two and reigning Australian Open champion overcame a shaky start to beat Alize Cornet of France 6-7(2) 6-3 6-2.

The Belarussian was given a tough workout from Cornet and allowed her frustrations to boil over when the umpire ordered a point she had won be replayed.

"That was the most ridiculous thing there is," Azarenka growled.

Former world number one Ana Ivanovic had to dig deep to avoid joining the exit queue. The Serbian was on the brink of defeat in her match against American Christina McHale before recovering to win 4-6 7-5 6-4. She plays Azarenka next.

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Sehwag in his new avatar ready for a comeback

New Delhi: There was a new promise in explosive Delhi batsman Vireder Sehwag’s eyes when he faced the camera after 100 days of absence from the cricket field at the MRF pace Foundation in Chennai. After his exclusion from the Indian test team, this was Sehwag’s first face-off with the camera. He played his last match in the IPL 6 tournament on 19 May this year.

Having lost weight and gained muscle, the cricketer looks leaner and fitter as compared to what he was a few months ago. Back in shape, the new fitter avatar of the ace cricketer has the telling signs of his determination to make a fiery comeback in the Indian team and thrill his fans again.

Sehwag had mysteriously disappeared after being dropped from the Indian test team. For long he was neither seen practicing on the cricket pitch and nor in front of cameras.

Sources told this newspaper that all this while, the Delhi dasher has been busy sweating it out in the gym and focusing on hand-eye coordination. And helping him in this crucial time is none other than former Australian pace spearhead Glenn McGrath. Sehwag’s absence from the field was seen as an end to his glorious career. Several cricket experts had begun to suspect whether India’s most promising and dynamic batsman will ever be able to recreate his magic again. Especially with the entry of players like Murali Vijay and Shikhar Dhawan, Sehwag’s entry in the opening slot in Team India was doubted.

But as they say, form is temporary but class is permanent. the Delhi opener, who has given nightmares to the best of bowlers in world cricket appears set to prove all his critics wrong.

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Master’s 200th Test at home- latest sports news in india

Kolkata: India’s Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar will be playing his 200th Test match on home soil with the Indian cricket board trying to squeeze in a series against the West Indies ahead of the year-end tour of South Africa. 

The decision to invite West Indies for two Tests and five one-dayers was taken at BCCI’s working committee meeting on Sunday.

“We have sent a proposal to the West Indies Cricket Board in this regard. We are hopeful of working out the modalities for the series,” a top BCCI official said.

The series against West Indies will provide Tendulkar a chance to complete the historic milestone of playing 200 Tests in front of home fans.

Mumbai and Kolkata are the likely venues for the much-anticipated matches and the final decision will be taken by the BCCI’s tours and fixtures committee.

While the 200th Test will be just another milestone for the God of Cricket, many fear, that he may call it quits from the game after this series.

The champion batsman has so far played 198 Tests, scoring 15,837 runs at an average of 53.86. The top run-getter by quite a mile, Tendulkar has scored 51 hundreds in the five-day format.

Tendulkar, who has retired from ODIs and Twenty20s, played 463 50-over games scoring 18.426 runs at an average of 44.83. He struck 49 hundreds in the process.

The BCCI official said the working committee did not have any discussion on the South Africa series, which India need to finalise after rejecting the itinerary proposed by Cricket South Africa.

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Djokovic, Federer advance with ease-latest sports news in india

New York: Top-ranked Novak Djokovic and 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer advanced with ease at the US Open but 2011 winner Samantha Stosur was ousted by US teen qualifier Victoria Duval.

Six-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic who captured his fourth Australian Open crown in January, launched his quest for a fourth consecutive US Open final by beating Lithuanian 112th-ranked Ricardas Berankis 6-1, 6-2, 6-2.

"I managed to make a lot of breaks in the beginning of the match and take over control," Djokovic said. "That's what I wanted to do. I wanted to play every point like it's match point and I'm happy with the performance overall."

Djokovic fired 10 aces and 28 winners and needed only 82 minutes to put himself into a last-64 matchup against Germany's Benjamin Becker.

Djokovic, the 2011 US Open winner who lost to Andy Murray in last year's final and last month's Wimbledon final, improved to 12-1 in Arthur Ashe Stadium night matches, what he called "the most special night matches of any tournament anywhere in the world." Duval, a daughter of Haitian parents ranked 296th in the world, pulled the day's shocker with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Australian 11th seed Stosur in a tense struggle that lasted for two hours and 39 minutes.
"A lot of different emotions. Mostly happiness," the 17-year-old with the high-pitched voice said. "I played amazing today. The whole match was just really an incredible match and I'm happy I pulled through."

It was only the second Slam match for Duval, who lost to Kim Clijsters last year at New York, and her first meeting with a top-20 rival.
Stosur made 56 unforced errors, 21 more than Duval, on her way to a her 15th first-round Slam exit, the first since last year's Australian Open.

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