Bopanna/ Ebden suffer another early exit before the US Open
India’s Rohan Bopanna and Australia’s Matthew Ebden suffered a loss in their first match at the ongoing ATP Western & Southern Open Cincinnati Masters on Thursday. The second seeds lost the first set of their second-round clash against France’s Arthur Fils and Chile’s Nicolas Jarry 4-6 before bouncing back to take the second in a tiebreak and force a deciding set. Bopanna and Ebden, who won the Olympics men’s doubles gold medal with compatriot John Peers in Paris earlier this month, went up a mini-break on several occasions in the match tiebreak, leading 4-2, 7-5 and 8-6. But the French-Chilean duo made a last push and won four points in a row to complete the 6-4, 6-7, 10-8 win in one hour and 33 minutes to move into the quarter-finals. Fifth consecutive doubles loss for Bopanna heading into the US Open Bopanna/ Ebden had received a first-round bye and were looking for their first win in the summer hardcourt swing on the ATP Tour. The pair, who won the Australian Open in January, suffered the same fate in Montreal last week as they went down to Jan Zieliński/ Hugo Nys in a match tiebreak. For Bopanna, this was his fifth consecutive loss since reaching the second round at Wimbledon. Prior to his back-to-back losses in the North American hardcourt swing, he also lost his opening matches in Hamburg and at the Paris Olympics. Bopanna and Ebden will next be in action at the US Open Grand Slam, where they are defending runner-up points from 2023. The Sportz Planet Desk,Haresh Ramchandani
India’s New Bowling Coach, Morne Morkel’s Coaching Resume
Morne Morkel has been confirmed as the new bowling coach for India’s men’s cricket team, seeing him join Gautam Gambhir in the coaching staff under a three-year contract. Now an Australian citizen, Morkel had a glittering international career for South Africa, playing 247 matches—86 Tests, 117 ODIs, and 44 T20Is—with a total count of 544 wickets. This, of course, includes 309 wickets in Tests, 188 in ODIs, and 47 in T20Is. Morkel’s Coaching Career Ever since his retirement from international cricket in March 2018, Morkel has built up quite a bank of coaching experience: 1. Morkel was with the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) for three seasons of the IPL, during both of which he was under the mentorship of Gambhir.2. Last year, Morkel was the fast bowling coach of Pakistan for their campaigns in the Asia Cup and the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.3. A year before, Morkel had been Namibia’s bowling consultant at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.4. Morkel was also involved with the New Zealand women’s team in the recently concluded ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in South Africa.5. Morne Morkel was also present at the coaching camp of the Durban Super Giants in the SA20 league. Morkel’s first assignment will be the series against Bangladesh in September, which has both Tests and T20Is. For the coaching team, the key challenge will be India’s tour of Australia later in the year for the five Test Matches. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Questions Loom Before The Border-Gavaskar Trophy
With the flame already ignited for one of the most famous rivalries in the history of cricket, the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2024 is going to be nothing short of action and intense drama. Though a couple of months are still left, many questions are yet to be answered as the series gets anticipated. If Not RO-KO Then Who? Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma have been India’s batting mainstays for more than a decade now. The Virat-Rohit duo has piled up 2629 runs for India while playing against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Although Rohit Sharma cemented his place in the Indian red ball side in 2018, he has been a major contributor when it comes to scoring runs. However, considering the age in the legs of both Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma it is important for someone else from the batting order to step up and deliver it for the Indian Cricket Team. While the hopes rest on Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill, it would be interesting to see if they can meet the expectations by facing the challenge down under. Who Will Join Jasprit Bumrah? Australia is known for producing fast and bouncy decks unlike India where the pitches are more spin dominant. To give Australia a tough fight, India need more resources in their fast bowling cartel to join Jasprit Bumrah and deliver. Fast bowlers, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammad Siraj and Shardul Thakur have a taste of wickets from down under. A couple of these guys alongside Bumrah might make a quality seam bowling attack. Steve Smith The Opener Or Steve Smith The Middle Order Batter? Any cricket fan who follows the Border-Gavaskar Trophy might be aware of how much Steve Smith is in love with scoring runs against India. Smith, till the end of last year used to bat in between number 3 to number 5 in test match cricket. However, including Cameron Green and the empty opening spot at the top post David Warner’s retirement made him think of pushing himself up the batting order. However, Smith opening the innings in test match cricket didn’t come off as a great decision. Smith hasn’t played in the whites and the famous Baggy Green since late January 2024 with Australia having no test matches scheduled in their calendar. However while playing against India, it would be interesting to see if Smith opens the batting or shifts back to any of numbers 3, 4 or 5 in the middle order. FYI – In the 18 test matches Steve Smith has played in the Border-Gavaskar series so far, Steve Smith has successfully piled 1887 runs at an ultra impressive average of 65.06. What’s Bigger – Border-Gavaskar Trophy or The Ashes? The intensity of the India-Australia rivalry has arguably reached the same level to that of the intensity of the England-Australia rivalry. While many believe that The Ashes being the oldest rivalry is cricket’s greatest showdown, some say that the Border-Gavaskar rivalry is the most fierce one due to the intense battles between the two cricketing powerhouses. Well, therefore we leave the answer to this question up to you. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Superlek Backs Sports Science
The reigning ONE Flyweight Kickboxing World Champion, Superlek Kiatmoo9, explained in an interview with ONE Championship that including sports science was what he felt he needed to incorporate into his training regime. Certain to be competing in the high-stakes title fight against ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Champion Jonathan Haggerty, Superlek shared his thoughts on working together with people who do sports science and nutrition, adding to the edge of professionals in those disciplines. Impact of Sports Science Experts Superlek emphasized what sports science professionals can do to an athlete’s performance, as he is called ‘The Kicking Machine.’ “Every athlete should work with a nutritionist and a sports scientist. They can help you develop your potential in incredible ways. If you train alone without these two, you might reach a certain level, but with their help, you can take your performance to the next level” he mentioned. ONE 168 Preparation Of course, Superlek leaves no stone unturned in his bid for a dual championship at ONE 168. Slated on September 6, 2024, at the 21,000-seat Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado, he faces a title super fight with Jonathan Haggerty, the biggest in his career, for the bantamweight Muay Thai title to add to his trophy cabinet. Commitment to Peak Performance As the fight approaches, Superlek’s devotion to sports science and nutrition leaves no doubt that he is committed to peak performance in the ring. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shteye
Sachin Tendulkar Set To Bat For This Sports Brand
Sachin Tendulkar is turning a new leaf all together with a new sports athleisure collaborator in the form of former Swiggy Instamart head Karthik Gurumurthy and ex-Swiggy executive Karan Arora, who after tenuring with India’s leading food delivery unicorn have now ventured into the world of entrepreneurship together. The business, christened SRT10 Athleisure Pvt Ltd, was founded under a holding firm this year and is on the money trail, with its team in negotiation with a top venture capital fund. Tendulkar On The Front-Foot In Product Development Tendulkar, who also continues to dominate the world of sports and endorsements, now takes an active role in product development for the start-up. It is not a run-of-the-mill endorsement where stakes are given for a celebrity for his public image. His association with SRT10 Athleisure seems a bit broader and hands-on to mean product development and strategy for the company. The company will target affordability and further bring out local manufacturing while supportive government policies in establishing the brand as an affordable choice, compared to giants such as Nike, in nature. Initial plans entail launching sportswear for cricket and badminton to tap into the growing base of fitness and sports goods. A High Scoring Ground for Sports Goods The sporting goods space, formed essentially of footwear and apparel, has been heated up in India with the involvement of both entrepreneurs and investors. The market now is more welcoming to gym and training products, which are usually expensive, but such products aspire to have a more general affordability quotient. Industry Developments and Trends Other recent developments in the industry are Agilitas Sports receiving Rs 550 crore in funding earlier, headed by ex-Puma India head Abhishek Ganguly and acquiring the Indian license for the Italian shoe brand Lotto. Other emerging sports brand are also soliciting venture capital investment to expand their footprints Tendulkar’s Other Endorsement Innings Besides continuing to be associated as the face for several of the top-billed brands such as Spinny, Boost and BMW, on the side of his new venture, Sachin Tendulkar is still associated with the menswear brand True Blue through a joint venture with Arvind Fashions. Celebrity Ventures and Market Impact Tendulkar’s entry into the sports athleisure market is in congruence with the evolving trends where an association of celebrities with their own ventures and some that have already hit valuations of more than $1 billion, is currently not uncommon. With Tendulkar being the face of SRT10 Athleisure Pvt Ltd, the brand is speculated to be a renowned name in the market, especially among the sports enthusiasts within no time. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: Cash Prizes for Indian Medal Winners Revealed
The Indian contingent performed decently at the Paris Olympics 2024 and secured six medals. Here’s a breakdown of the recognition and cash prizes awarded to the athletes: Men’s Hockey Team Each member of the men’s hockey team got Rs 15 lakh, declared by Hockey India.– The support staff received Rs 7.5 lakh each.– Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Manjhi announced an award of Rs 4 crore to defender Amit Rohidas, and Rs 10 lakh for each support staff member and Rs 15 lakh for each player.– Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann declared a cash award of Rs 1 crore for each squad member from Punjab. Neeraj Chopra No official announcement has come as of now about the cash prize for Neeraj Chopra. He was given Rs 6 crore by the Haryana government after he won gold in the Tokyo Olympics. Manu Bhaker Manu Bhaker got Rs 30 lakh from the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports. She was also given the responsibility of flag bearer for India at the closing ceremony. Sarabjot Singh The Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports awarded Sarabjot Singh Rs 22.5 lakh for his bronze winning performance in the mixed team shooting event along with Manu Bhaker. Aman Sehrawat Aman Sehrawat is entitled to a cash prize for his bronze in wrestling, but the amount is yet to be declared. Swapnil Kusale Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde announced a reward of Rs 1 crore to Swapnil Kusale, who won the bronze medal in the men’s 50m rifle 3 positions event. The Bottom Line The Paris Olympics 2024 turned out to be quite glorious for the Indian athletes, who walked away with six medals and wide recognition in the form of cash rewards. This was a shade lower than the seven medals won in the Tokyo Olympics. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: India’s Performance Report Card At The Games
India’s campaign at Paris Olympics 2024 evoked mixed reviews. While India bagged six medals, thereby securing its third-best ever overall performance. The Paris Olympics 2024 campaign revealed an array of performances across different sports. Here is a report card of India’s performances at Paris Olympics 2024. Athletics: F and A+ On an overall count, the athletics contingent did very poorly, as most of its athletes failed to match their personal best. But Neeraj Chopra’s silver in javelin was a high point as it was the second-best throw of his life. While the broader athletics performance was lackluster, Chopra’s achievement earned an A+ for its high standards. Archery: C+ Although archery seemed to have some hope, it was the case that the team did not turn out to be as expected. Deepika Kumari was one among the underperformers, while Dhiraj Bommadevara and Bhajan Kaur were people with a lot of promise. The redeeming factors proved to be the historic fourth-place finish and semifinalists marking the history of the team. The management missteps by the federation and lack of top-level support pulled down the grade overall. Badminton: D For the first time since 2008, India failed to secure an Olympic medal in badminton. Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, Chirag Shetty and PV Sindhu were all big expectations in this realm; however, all of them underperformed. A near-bronze performance came from Lakshya Sen, which was a bright spot, but otherwise, the results were a disappointment. Boxing: F The Indian boxers suffered a poor Olympics, with several high hopes coming to naught. While both the world champions Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain didn’t return with medals, the issues with the federation regarding the selection and seeding policies were completely evident. There has to be great change in the boxing federation if future prospects are to be improved. Equestrian: B Anush Agarwalla’s qualification and performance in equestrian events were commendable, given the low expectations. Finishing 52nd was an achievement in itself and Agarwalla’s continued presence on the circuit is promising for future competitions. Golf: D Golf did not meet expectations, with Aditi Ashok’s tied-29th finish being the best among Indian golfers. Shubhankar Sharma and Gaganjeet Bhullar also underperformed. The results were below expectations, especially after Ashok’s near-miss in Tokyo. Hockey: A The Indian hockey team punched above its weight to garner bronze in a performance that matched the Tokyo iteration of the team yet again with the exact same medal. But the display in Paris was telling of how they had grown and adapted well enough to bag successive medals for the first time since over 50 years. Judo: N/A Tulika Maan’s campaign was as short as its beginning with the loss, but qualification itself was worthy. An evaluation is hard owing to the fleeting nature of her time at the event. Rowing: B Balraj Panwar’s 23rd-place finish in rowing met expectations of a low ranking as he had only started the sport a year ago. His performance, though not pathbreaking in any way, was a decent start. Sailing: C+ Sailing results were disappointing with Vishnu Saravanan and Nethra Kumanan finishing 18th and 21st. Though not medal contenders by a distance, they had the experience to finish a bit higher than what eventually did. Shooting: A+ Shooting became India’s standout sport, with three medals, ending a 12-year drought. Two bronze medals from Manu Bhaker and the good performances of Sarabjot Singh and Swapnil Kusale proved that Indian shooters could really throw their weight in this discipline and their achievements deserving of an A+. Swimming: B+ Swimming turned out some encouraging results, especially some fine finishes by India’s swimmers. Though there were no medals, the performances of Srihari Nataraj and others did showcase a lot of promise and pointed out the requirement of more investments in this sport. Table Tennis: C and A India’s performance in table tennis had mixed results. The men’s team did less than ordinary, however the women’s team put up quite a stellar show, with Manika Batra and Sreeja Akula reaching the quarterfinal. It was a high point in a performance that left much to be desired in other sports. For now, the better part of India’s performance at the Paris Olympics 2024 can be described as giving mixed indicators of gains and challenges to be overcome in different sports. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shteye
The Sportz Planet, SportSci Summit – S2 To Take Place In Bengaluru
Bengaluru, India – 13th August 2024 – Namaskara Bengaluru! The Sportz Planet is excited to announce the most awaited Season 2 of SportSci Summit, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru on November 21, 2024. This marquee event will bring together some of the finest professionals, researchers, coaches, and those with a passion for sports science who are at the forefront of optimizing athlete performance, health and safety through discussions on new trends and best practices in sports science. The SportSci Summit is the place to be for enriching insights, improving understanding and application within the sporting community. Such a diverse range of topics will be covered: sports psychology, biomechanics, nutrition, sports wearables and rehabilitation strategies. The Season 2 of the SportSci Summit is going to host over 30 C-level speakers, including highly respected team doctors, physiotherapists, psychologists, nutritionists, dietitians, biomechanists, data analysts, strength and conditioning coaches and experts in sports. These thought leaders will be sharing their valuable insights and the latest research on critical topics such as- Data Analysis in Team SportsThe Role of Monitoring in Injury RehabilitationSports IntegrityWearables in Sports PerformanceNutrition in Weight Category SportsSports Cardiology The Sportz Planet – SportSci Summit, Season 2 also offers an excellent opportunity for networking. It provides a platform for developing valuable connections among industry experts and peers right across the sports science spectrum. About The Sportz Planet Established and conceptualized by its parent company, 1Connect Events and Publishing Ltd, The Sportz Planet, spearheaded by Mr. Rishi Sutrave, serves as a comprehensive hub for sports enthusiasts, offering a diverse array of content. We proudly identify as the ultimate destination for all things sports-related. Our platform delivers valuable insights, news updates, interviews on sports connecting to our four pillars – Science, Technology, Nutrition and Business. For further information, please visit: <https://thesportzplanet.com/sportsci-summit-2024/#overview>. Team Sportz Planet.
Things You Didn’t Know About The Indian Golfer, Diksha Dagar
Indian golfer, Diksha Dagar will participate in the Women’s Individual Stroke Play (Round 4) at the Paris Olympics 2024. Dagar is one of the last hopes for India to clinch a medal at the Paris Olympics 2024. She would be accompanied by another Indian, Aditi Ashok during the event. Read who is Aditi Ashok and why is she rated so high here. Coming back to Diksha Dagar, she is a rising star in the sport of golf and has been making waves recently. Here is a fact file which might help you know Diksha Dagar more. FACT FILE – DIKSHA DAGAR SR. NO FACT 1 Born deaf; began wearing hearing aids at age 6; later had a cochlear implant fitted 2 Started playing golf at age 7, alongside her brother Yogesh Dagar, who is also profoundly deaf 3 Initially coached by her father, Colonel Narinder Dagar, a former scratch golfer and Indian Army officer 4 Inspirational role models: Novak Djokovic and Tiger Woods 5 Represented India at the Espirito Santo Trophy in 2016 and 2018 6 At 17, won her first professional event at the Hero Women’s Pro Golf Tour in 2018; also won the Singapore Ladies Amateur Open 7 Won a silver medal at the 2017 Summer Deaflympics; first Indian to win a Deaflympic medal in golf; won gold at the 2021 Deaflympics 8 Competed for India at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia 9 Turned professional in early 2019 10 At 18, became the second Indian woman to win on the Ladies European Tour; won the 2019 South African Open 11 Member of the winning team in the 2021 Aramco Team Series – London, alongside Olivia Cowan, Sarina Schmidt, and Andrew Kelsey 12 Olympic appearances: Tokyo 2020 (due to South African Paula Reto’s withdrawal) and Paris 2024 13 Nominated for the Arjuna Award in 2023, India’s second-highest sporting honor India would be banking Diksha Dagar as she sets her target to bag a medal and make India proud. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye
Paris 2024: All You Need To Know About India’s Last Medal Hope; Reetika Hooda
As the Paris Olympics 2024 enters its endgame, all of India’s last medal expectations rest with one of its most luminous wrestling talents: Reetika Hooda, wrestling in the heavyweight 76 kg category. Hailing from Rohtak district in Haryana, Reetika has grown into a strong wrestler on the international circuit and has finally emerged as a contender, hence carrying all the hopes of India to win a medal at Paris Olympics 2024. A Historic Win in 2023 Reetika Hooda created history in 2023 by becoming the first Indian wrestler to win a gold medal at the Under-23 World Championships. Nothing less than a spectacular win, she defeated highly-rated Kennedy Blades of the United States. Blades, who would go on to make the USA Olympic team, was one of the toughest opponents Reetika has come up against in her career. A Silver Lining in Budapest On the eve of the Olympics, Reetika showed her potential in the UWW ranking series in Budapest, Hungary. She brought home a silver medal after a highly thrilling contest, where she won three out of four bouts. The performance was promising, for it not only gave a fillip to morale but also enough warning to her opponents in the 76kg category. Confronting the Best The Paris Olympics 2024 chalked out 15 of the world’s best wrestlers in the 76kg category, where Reetika Hooda is no stranger to her competition. Notably, she has faced seven of them before in various tournaments and emerged victorious over six. This includes the bout against Colombia’s Tatiana Renteria, who finished bronze at the 2023 World Wrestling Championships, where Reetika lost by a marginal difference of a point. Preparing for Immortality Be as unique as it is intense, this would be her preparation for the Olympics. With no woman in her category available for sparring, Reetika wrestles with the boys who train alongside her. She had pushed herself to the limits so that she is at her best for the Games. Under coach Mandeep Singh’s watchful eye, Reetika has spent these past few months honing her skills and refining strategies—trying everything in her pursuit of Olympic glory. en Route to Paris, Reetika’s case for the Olympics was pretty as clear as crystal when she became the first-ever Indian woman to qualify for heavyweight 76kg in the Olympics. She got the quota for the biggest quadrennial competition during the Olympic Qualifiers held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, guaranteeing her place amongst the elite wrestlers vying for the top prize in Paris. India’s Medal Hopes Fellow Indians Antim Panghal in the 53kg, Anshu Malik in the 57kg, Nisha Dahiya in the 68kg, Vinesh Phogat in the 50kg, and Aman Sehrawat in the 57kg categories have joined Reetika at Paris 2024. As Reetika steps onto that mat at Paris 2024, she will not only be living her own dreams but also the hopes of an entire nation that is looking up to her. She has risen to that occasion, propelled by determination and skill, relentless in her training. India is going to watch, hope, and cheer for Reetika Hooda to bring home another Olympic medal, getting her name inscribed in Indian sports history. The Sportz Planet Desk,Atharva Shetye