TENNIS
Former World No 25 Vasek Pospisil enters Bengaluru Open as wild card
Bengaluru Open on Friday introduced the wild card entry for former top-30 Canadian tennis star Vasek Pospisil within the singles most important draw.
The 2014 Wimbledon Champion in doubles and 2015 Wimbledon quarterfinalist in singles, Pospisil was ranked as excessive as 25 in singles in 2014 and fourth within the ATP doubles chart the next yr. He additionally has a victory over the then World primary, Andy Murray in 2017.
In 2020, the Canadian Davis Cupper was awarded Comeback participant of the 12 months when he made the US Open fourth spherical and in addition reached the ultimate of Sofia Open the identical yr.
The 33-year-old has competed on Indian soil 3 times when the nation hosted an ATP 250 event.
“I’m actually excited to be in India once more, and I’m very grateful to the occasion organisers for giving me the chance. I like the vitality of this nation and the folks right here so I’m hoping to have an amazing week,” stated Pospisil, who’s making a comeback and is now ranked 816.
Pospisil has needed to deal with just a few accidents in his profession that pegged him again. He needed to battle a again damage in 2019 for which he needed to bear surgical procedure, after which confronted an elbow concern in 2022 however is decided to bounce again.
“I’m wanting ahead to stepping on courtroom and competing in entrance of the followers right here in Bangalore,” he additional added.
Sunil Yajaman, Event Director stated, “Vasek Pospisil has all the time been one of many most interesting gamers on the tour. He’s an inspiration and its good he has chosen to be in Bengaluru, his life story and achievements communicate for themselves. His presence provides energy to the sector and makes the occasion extra aggressive. I’m positive the Sporting followers of Bengaluru would take pleasure in watching Vasek and all of the budding gamers of the town would look ahead interacting with him and get motivated.”
Bengaluru Open is being organised by Karnataka State Garden Tennis Affiliation (KSLTA). The ATP Challenger occasion will start on February 12 and conclude on February 18.
-Staff Sportstar
GOLF
Sneha holds off Hitaashee to attain 2nd win of 2024 at 4th Leg of Hero WPGT
Sneha Singh picked up her second win in three begins regardless of two bogeys within the final three holes on the fourth leg of the Hero Girls’s Professional Golf Tour on the East Level Golf Membership.
Sneha, who held a five-shot lead, carded an excellent par 72 for a complete of 5-under 211.
Hitaashee Bakshi did make a cost with a bogey-free 69 on the ultimate day, nevertheless it was not sufficient to overturn the five-shot deficit she began with.
Hitaashee aggregated 3-under 213 for an additional second place and younger newbie Zara Anand put collectively a tremendous 69 to seize the third place at 1-under 215.
Sneha bogeyed early however a birdie on the seventh meant she turned in even par. Whereas she birdied the Par-5 14th, bogeys on the sixteenth and 18th indicated some nerves however she additionally had a comforting birdie on the seventeenth.
Hitaashee, who gained the third leg, birdied 3 times with out a bogey, however even that fell in need of Sneha’s complete of 5-under.
Sneha has gained twice and was the joint runner-up with Hitaashee within the opening leg. She was the one participant this week to have carded all three rounds at par or higher. That is additionally the second yr working she has gained greater than as soon as and turns into the primary a number of winner in 2024.
Hitaashee now has three runner-up finishes within the first, second and fourth legs and a win within the third.
Zara, who’s seen as a really promising expertise, shot a tremendous 69 after rounds of 74-72 on the primary two days. She has been attracting a variety of consideration along with her silver medal on the Nationwide Video games and the runner-up end on the All-India amateurs run by the Indian Golf Union.
The spherical of the week got here from Ridhima Dilawari, whose 6-under 66 included an excellent run of 5 birdies from the eleventh to fifteenth. It was additionally a course file for Women on the East Level Golf Membership.
Total, Ridhima had seven birdies in opposition to one bogey on the Par-5 tenth. She completed the birdie-filled spherical with three pars and completed fourth at even par 216.
Khushi Khanijau (76) was fifth, whereas Jasmine Shekar (77), runner-up within the third leg at Kolkata, was sixth. Rhea Jha (76) was seventh and Shweta Mansingh (74) ended eighth.
Seher Atwal (78), Snigdha Goswami (76) and Disha Kavery (78) had been tied for ninth place.
Sneha additionally sneaked forward of Hitaashee to get to the highest of the Hero Order of Advantage. Sneha in 4 begins has gained Rs. 4,59,500 whereas Hitaashee has earned Rs. 4,59,000.
Khushi is third with Jasmine and Ridhima occupying the following two locations.
-PTI
Indian-American Theegala tops leaderboard on rain-hit day at WM Phoenix Open
Indian American golfer Sahith Theegala, who got here near profitable the WM Phoenix Open in 2022, obtained off to a flying begin with a scorching six-under 65 on the TPC Scottsdale to take lead on a rain-hit opening day right here.
Theegala, who since his 2022 runner-up end gained the Fortinet Championships, his solely win on the PGA TOUR, is a giant crowd favorite at this occasion.
Regardless of a delayed begin as a result of climate, Theegala, who warmed up by sitting in his automotive, opened on the tenth gap and obtained going with a birdie. He had six extra birdies and only one bogey.
He leads Andrew Novak by one, however Novak has performed simply 9 holes.
Shane Lowry and SH Kim shot 67 every and Jordan Spieth had a 68, whereas Nick Taylor and Cameron Younger had been at 3-under, however that they had performed simply six and 5 holes respectively.
5 days after climate shortened the AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am to 54 holes, storms have arrived on the PGA TOUR because it moved to the desert.
Solely about half the sector was in a position to end and the remainder will return subsequent morning to renew their first rounds.
SH Kim eagled the par-5 thirteenth and obtained to 6-under with consecutive birdies beginning on No. 5, however closed with two bogeys to shoot 67, matching Shane Lowry. Jordan Spieth shot 68.
Two-time defending champion Scottie Scheffler was 1-over by six holes in his bid to turn out to be the primary PGA TOUR participant to win the identical event three straight instances since Steve Stricker on the John Deere Basic from 2009-11.
Theegala broke by along with his first PGA TOUR win final fall on the Fortinet Championship, incomes a spot in The Sentry to open the 2024 season. Theegala completed second in Maui, a shot behind Chris Kirk, and tied for twentieth at Pebble Seaside final week. Theegala was third on the 2022 WM Phoenix Open.
-PTI