CRICKET

STAR TV WON THE BROADCASTING RIGHTS OF INDIAN CRICKET TEAM IN A 3851 CRORE RUPEES BID

Star TV on 2 April 2012 won the rights to broadcast Indian cricket for next six years in a bid to the tune of 3851 crore rupees. Rupert Murdoch owned Star TV won the bid defeating Sony which had offered 150 crore rupees less than the winning bid. The rights include TV, Internet and Mobile broadcasting. The agreement will remain effective for a period of six years starting from from July 2012 to March 2018. The agreement gives  Star TV rights to cover all home international matches and domestic tournaments involving Indian Cricket team. The right will not be applicable for the Indian Premier League (IPL). Star TV will pay around 40 crore rupees for each international match, which is 8 crore more than what was being paid by previous broadcaster Nimbus. The bid for the broadcasting rights was necessitated as the BCCI had abruptly terminated its broadcasting agreement with Nimbus in December 2011, three years before it was due to expires, over the issues related to payment.

TENNIS

RAFAEL NADAL DEFEATED NOVAK DJOKOVIC TO CLINCH HIS EIGHTH CONSECUTIVE MONTE CARLO MASTERS

Ace tennis player Rafael Nadal on 22 April 2012 clinched his eighth consecutive Monte Carlo Masters. The second seeded Nadal defeated Serbian Novak Djokovic in the final. The Monte Carlo Title is Nadal’s first since French Open title in 2011and the 47th of his ATP career. Prior to this the top seeded Djokovic had defeated Nadal in seven title face-offs. Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic had defeated Gilles Simon and Tomas Berdych respectively in the semi finals of the tournament.

TOP SEEDED NOVAK DJOKOVIC DEFEATED ANDY MURRAY TO LIFT MIAMI MASTERS TROPHY

World number one Novak Djokovic won the Miami Masters title on 1 April 2012. Djokovic defeated fourth seeded Andy Murray in the final. It was the third Miami Open Title win for Djokovic who also won it in 2007
and 2011. Only six-time champion Andre Agassi won more men’s titles. Serbian Tennis star had defeated 21st seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina in the semi-finals. Andy Murray made it to the finals after Rafael Nadal pulled out of the tournament given his knee injury right before his scheduled semi-final match against Murray.

AGNIESZKA RADWANSKA DEFEATED MARIA SHARAPOVA TO CLINCH MIAMI MASTERS TITLE

Fourth seeded Agnieszka Radwanska, on 31 March 2012, defeated Russian Tennis star Maria Sharapova to clinch Miami Masters women singles Title. Sharapova, a three-time Grand Slam champion, had been
deprived of victory in four Miami Opens finals. She was also the runner-up in 2005, 2006 and 2011. While, Poland’s Radwanska had defeated seventh seeded Marion Bartoli in the semi-finals, Sharapova had beaten Caroline Wozniacki in the semi-finals.

LEANDER PAES AND RADEK STEPANEK CLAIMED THE DOUBLES TITLE OF MIAMI MASTERS

Seventh seeded, Indo-Czeck pair of Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek claimed the doubles title  of Miami Masters on 31 March 2012. Paes by winning the Miami Titles took the total number of his career titles to 50. The pair had defeated the world No.1 pairing of Americans Bob and Mike Bryan in the semifinals on 29 March 2012. Paes, who became the 24th  player in ATP Tour history to complete 50 doubles titles, claimed 24270 dollars in prize money and 250 points.

CROATIA’S IVAN LJUBICIC ANNOUNCED RETIREMENT FROM TENNIS

Croatia’s Ivan Ljubicic announced retirement from tennis on 15 April 2012 after he suffered a 6-0,6-3 defeat to Ivan Dodig at the Monte Carlo Masters. Ivan’s  career high ATP ranking was number 3. He won his first ATP singles title at Lyon in 2001. He entered professional tennis in 1998. He won two ATP titles and was the runner-up at 6 ATP events.

ARCHERY/SHOOTING

KOREAN CITY OF CHANGWON SLATED AS THE VENUE FOR  SHOOTING WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP 2018

The shooting World Championship of 2018 was awarded to Korean city of Changwon on 17 April 2012. The decision regarding the venue of the championship was made at the General Assembly meeting of International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) in London. The Korean government, as per the reports, has earmarked 30 million dollar to enhance the amenities in the shooting complex and organize the world championship with six shotgun ranges, 100 targets each in 10 metres and 50 metres apart from 14 lay-outs in the 25-metre range. The last World Championship was held in Munich, Germany, in 2010 and the next championship will be held in
Granada, Spain, in 2014.

MOTOR SPORTS

AUDI SIGNS UP INDIAN MOTORSPORT DRIVER ADITYA PATEL FOR THREE YEARS

German luxury car manufacturer Audi on 13 April 2012 signed a 3 year contract with promising young motorsport driver Aditya Patel. Aditya was signed up by Audi for a team called Pro- Handicap e.V., in the challenging VLN endurance series in Germany. The series will provide Aditya with a much needed i n t e r n a t i o n a l exposure. Aditya Patel began his motorsports career at 14 with the JK Tyre National Racing Championship in 2001. Consistent performance and dedicated support from long term sponsors like JK Tyre, MAS Holdings and Petra Energy saw him rise through the ranks and later into more advanced formats such as the VW Polo R Cup and the VW Scirocco R Cup in Germany, where he finished 5th overall, in 2011. The latest contract with Audi will provide Aditya access to various international racing platforms.

FERRARI DRIVER FERNANDO ALONSO WON THE FORMULA ONE MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX

Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso on 25 March 2012, won the Formula One Malaysian Grand Prix. The Spaniard defeated Mexican Sergio Perez and British national Lewis Hamilton who came second and third respectively. Alonso, a two-time World Champion had won his first Formula One World Driver’s Championship title at the age of 24 years and 58 days, in year 2005. Alonso was the thirdyoungest driver ever to start a
Formula One race when he made his debut in year 2001 with Minardi at the Australian Grand Prix.

BADMINTON

CHINA’S XIAO JIA CHEN DEFEATED SAINA NEHWAL IN THE ASIAN BADMINTON CHAMPIONSHIP

China’s Xiao Jia Chen defetaed ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal, in the second round of the Asian Badminton Championship on 20 April 2012. The 40th ranked Chen outplayed the Fifth seeded Nehwal in a closely
contested match. Saina in the first round of the championship had defetaed Kaori Imabeppu of Japan. With regard to Olympic qualification, the significant loss was that of the mixed doubles pair of Jwala Gutta and V Diju. They lost to Korea’s Sa Rang Kim and Hye In Choi. Jwala and Diju are currently ranked No.16 in the world and will have to maintain or improve their ranking in order to make the cut for the London Games.

INDIAN ACE BADMINTON PLAYER SAINA NEHWAL WON THE SWISS OPEN GRAND PRIX GOLD TROPHY

Indian ace badminton player and World no five Saina Nehwal retained the Swiss Open Grand Prix Gold trophy by securing a victory over China’s Shixian Wang in a 48-minute summit clash at Basel, Switzerland on 18 March 2012. With the victory at the Swiss Open GP she won her first title of 2012. The world number five Indian defeated third ranking Shixian 21-19 21-16 and thus defended her title. Saina began with a healthy
11-3 lead in the first game. Saina had an early 3-0 lead in the second game forcing Shixian to claw her way back to 11-8 at the break. Saina caught up with Shixian at 13-13 after the breather and then registered four straight points from 15-all to eventually win the game comfortably. Saina had earlier defeated Japan’s Minatsu Mitani in the semifinals. She had defeated Mitani 21-16 21-18 in 35 minutes to set up a summit clash with Shixian. Saina had reached the quarterfinal of the All England Championship in early March 2012. She has also managed to reach the semifinals at the Malaysia Open and the quarterfinal in the Korea Open in January 2012.

SAINA NEHWAL SUFFERED A CRUSHING DEFEAT AT ALL  ENGLAND CHAMPIONSHIP

India’s ace Badminton player Saina Nehwal suffered a straight-game defeat in the women’s singles quarterfinals of the All England Championship at Birmingham on 9 March 2012. The Fourth seeded Nehwal lost to seventh seeded Li Xuerui of China in a forty-minute match at the National Indoor Arena. Saina on 8 March 2012had defeated French shuttler Hongyan Pi to make it to the quarter finals of the championship. Saina in 2010 had reached the semi finals of All England Championship. In 2010 she had won three Super Series titles -Singapore, Indonesia and Hong Kong beside the Commonwealth Games gold medal.

BOXING

INDIAN BOXER VIJENDER SINGH QUALIFIED FOR THE LONDON OLYMPICS

In Boxing, India’s Vijender Singh on 8 April 2012 qualified for the London Olympics in the 75- kilogram category. He is the first Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics for the third time in succession. In the Asian Olympic qualifier at Astana in Kazakhstan, Vijender reached the semifinals after defeating Chuluntumur Tumurkhuyag of Mongolia in the quarterfinals. Vijender Singh is also the first Indian to win an Olympic and World Championships medal(bronze in both events).

M.C. MARY KOM AND SARITA WON GOLD MEDALS IN THE ASIAN WOMEN’S BOXING CHAMPIONSHIP

Indian women boxers M.C. Mary Kom and Sarita on 25 March 2012, clinched two gold medals in the Asian women’s boxing championship at Mongolian capital Ulaanbator. Mary Kom, the five-time world champion, routed the twotime world title winner and 2010 Asian Games gold medalist Ren Cancan of China 14-8. Sarita, the 2006 world title winner, smashed defending champion Chorieva Mavzu of Tajikistan 26-15. Success of Indian female boxers at Asian women’s boxing championship in the Olympic weight categories has boosted the prospects of the Indian women boxers’ qualification to the  London Olympics 2012. Makingits presence felt substantially, the Indian team claimed two gold, four silver and two bronze medals at the championship.

SHIVA THAPA BECAME THE YOUNGEST INDIAN BOXER TO QUALIFY FOR OLYMPICS

The 18-year-old Shiva Thapa  (56kg category) on 11 April 2012 became the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics by beating Japan’s Satoshi Shimizu  31-17 to enter the final of the Asian

INDIAN SQUASH PLAYER SAURAV GHOSAL WON THE $120000 EL GOUNA INTERNATIONAL OPEN

Top Indian squash player Saurav Ghosal won a 3-2 victory over Robbie Temple of England at the $120,000 El Gouna International Open in El Gouna, Egypt on 9 April 2012. Ghoshal defeated Robbie8-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11- 7, 11-4 in a match that lasted 85 minutes. Ghosal had earlier lost to Willstrop at the Canary Wharf Classic tournament in March 2012. The left-handed qualifier Englishman, Robbie had made headway in the opening games and sailed through the first two games easily. Ghosal however lifted his game and made a strong comeback in the third and the fourth game. He made an aggressive start to the fifth game and eventually took the final set with great ease. qualifiers in Astana, Kazakhstan. India will have an unprecedented seven boxers in the Olympic Games after teen sensations Shiva Thapa (56kg) and Sumit Sangwan (81kg) booked their London
Olympic births by advancing to the finals in the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Astana, Kazakhstan.

WRESTLING

GEETA KUMARI MADE A HISTORY, BECAME THE FIRST INDIAN WOMAN WRESTLER TO QUALIFY FOR OLYMPICS

Geeta Kumari, the woman wrestler, won a gold in 55kg category at the ongoing Asian qualifying tournament in Astana, Kazakhastan. Geeta with this victory also made a history, as she became the first Indian woman
wrestler to have ever qualified for the Olympics. Women’s wrestling was first introduced at the Olympics during the 2004 Athens Olympics. The wrestler from Bhiwani in Haryana, overpowered Kyrgyzstan’s Gulina in the first round. Then she went on to defeat Aiym Abdildina of Kazakhstan in the semifinal. In  the final, the grappler thrashed her Korean challenger Ji-Eun Um to clinch the gold medal.

SQUASH

INDIAN SQUASH PLAYER SAURAV GHOSAL WON THE $120000 EL GOUNA INTERNATIONAL OPEN

Top Indian squash player Saurav Ghosal won a 3-2 victory over Robbie Temple of England at the $120,000 El Gouna International Open in El Gouna, Egypt on 9 April 2012. Ghoshal defeated Robbie8-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11- 7, 11-4 in a match that lasted 85 minutes. Ghosal had earlier lost to Willstrop at the Canary Wharf Classic tournament in March 2012. The left-handed qualifier Englishman, Robbie had made headway in the opening games and sailed through the first two games easily. Ghosal however lifted his game and made a strong comeback in the third and the fourth game. He made an aggressive start to the fifth game and eventually took the final set with great ease.