Wimbledon 2025: Balaji joins Bhambri and Bollipalli in men's doubles second round
The Indo-Mexican duo defeated the all-American pair of Aleksandar Kovacevic and Learner Tien 6-4, 6-4 in an hour and 11 minutes. In the next round, they will face either the fourth-seeded Spanish-Argentine pair of Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos or Ray Ho of Chinese Taipei and Yunchaokete Bu of China.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Yuki Bhambri and his American partner Robert Galloway also booked their spots in the second round.
Bhambri and Galloway, seeded 16th, took down the French-Monagasque pair of Manuel Guinard and Romain Arneodo 7-6(8), 6-4 in an hour and 49 minutes. The Indo-American duo came to The Championships after finishing as runner-up at the Mallorca Open.
READ | Sabalenka overcomes Bouzkova, reaches third round
The Bhambri-Galloway pair will be up against the winner of the match between the Dutch combination of Robin Haase and Jean-Julien Rojer and American Marcos Giron and Nuno Borges of Portugal in the next round.
Rithvik Choudary Bollipalli and his Colombian partner Nicolas Barrientos saved four match points before defeating Alexandre Muller of France and Belgium's David Goffin 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(11). Their second-round match will be against either the sixth-seeded British pair of Joe Salisbury and Neal Skupski or wildcards Joshua Paris and Charles Broom.
The Indo-Belgian pair of Rohan Bopanna and Sander Gille lost 6-3, 6-4 to the third-seeded German pair of Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz in an hour and four minutes.
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India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Sinquefield Cup: D Gukesh bounces back with superb win over Abdusattorov
World champion D. Gukesh overcame his opening-round disappointment to secure an excellent victory against former world rapid champion Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan in the second round of the Sinquefield Cup .On a day when R Praggnanandhaa played a quiet game to draw with Fabiano Caruana of the United States, Alireza Firouzja of France delivered a perfect endgame demonstration, breaking through the defence of Jan-Krzysztof Duda of Poland in the other decisive game of the Aronian of the United States drew with compatriot Samuel Sevian to maintain a joint lead, while another American, Wesley So, drew with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France in the 10-player tournament with prize money totalling USD 375, seven rounds still to come, Praggnanandhaa, Aronian and Firouzja share the lead on 1.5 points. Gukesh moved up to joint fourth place alongside Caruana, Wesley So, Sevian and Vachier-Lagrave. Duda occupies ninth place on half a point, while Abdusattorov is yet to open his account after suffering his second consecutive defeat. Gukesh faced the Open Sicilian, popularised by the legendary Viktor Korchnoi in the last century. Many top players, including Caruana, have employed this variation, though it is less favoured among the elite chose one of the more challenging lines and embraced mainstream theory. Abdusattorov secured a passed pawn in the centre, supported by another pawn, but his king remained vulnerable under Gukesh's imaginative Indian ace converted a rook-for-knight endgame advantage, and although counterplay persisted for the Uzbek, the clock pressure made it difficult to find the precise moves. Gukesh sealed the win with timely exchanges, resulting in a winning opted for the Rossolimo Variation, a line Caruana had frequently used in his World Championship match against Magnus Carlsen, aiming to unsettle his opponent. However, the American demonstrated a solid understanding of the pawn structures in the resulting middlegame. Some exchanges steered the game to a draw in the ensuing rook-and-minor-piece showcased his endgame prowess with bishop and knight versus the lone king, executing it Round 2:R Praggnanandhaa (Ind, 1.5) drew with Fabiano Caruana (USA, 1);Alireza Firouzja (Fra, 1.5) beat Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Pol, 0.5);Levon Aronian (USA, 1.5) drew with Samuel Sevian (USA, 1);Wesley So (USA, 1) drew with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra, 1);D Gukesh (Ind) beat Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb).Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa outplayed World Champion D Gukesh in the opening round of the Sinquefield Cup to rise to third place in the live world rankings. He now shares the lead with the relentless Levon Aronian of the United States, who outsmarted Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan after Monday's opening round. In other first-round games, Fabiano Caruana of the USA drew with Jan-Krzysztof Duda of Poland, wildcard Samuel Sevian split the point with compatriot Wesley So, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France drew with fellow Frenchman Alireza eight rounds remaining in the USD 350,000 prize fund tournament, six players share third place behind Praggnanandhaa and Aronian, while Gukesh and Abdusattorov lie at the bottom, hoping to open their accounts in the next round. Praggnanandhaa faced the Queen's Gambit Accepted with Gukesh playing solid approach came under early scrutiny as Gukesh spent considerable time in a known position and adopted a dubious set-up involving an early queen exchange. Praggnanandhaa's bishop pair and the advantage of playing White gave him a distinct edge. Adding to his woes, Gukesh ran short on time and was forced to find difficult moves to remain competitive. Relentless as ever, Praggnanandhaa did not allow the position to slip away, winning a pawn by force and wrapping up the game after just 36 moves. "I don't really know what happened today. I think he was a bit off," Praggnanandhaa said after the with this victory, Praggnanandhaa also restored parity with Gukesh in classical chess, with both now having three wins each. "Last year, I messed up some good positions against him. I think I had not beaten him (in classical) for almost two years, so finally it's good to get a win," noted Praggnanandhaa. Aronian quickly found counterplay once Nodirbek ran out of steam after a prolonged attack on the black king. The Uzbek Grandmaster had White and a slightly favourable position, but the American held firm with good resources. The game was heading for a draw, but Abdusattorov blundered and lost Round 1:R Praggnanandhaa (Ind) beat D Gukesh (Ind);Fabiano Caruana (USA) drew with Jan-Krzysztof Duda (Pol);Samuel Sevian (USA) drew with Wesley So (USA);Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb) lost to Levon Aronian (USA);Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra) drew with Alireza Firouzja (Fra).INPUTS FROM PTI- EndsTrending Reel


Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Superman and X-Men star Nicholas Hoult meets Aaron Rodgers at Pittsburgh Steelers preseason game, roots for Europe hosting the Super Bowl
Hollywood Star Nicholas Hoult Meets Aaron Rodgers at Pittsburgh Steelers preseason game (Photo: X). British actor Nicholas Hoult may be more familiar with Premier League stadiums than NFL sidelines, but that didn't stop him from soaking in some American football over the weekend – and getting face time with one of the biggest names in the sport. The Superman star was in the stands at Acrisure Stadium on Saturday to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a preseason showdown and it's clear he had a great Hoult admits his knowledge of the sport is still developing, he walked away from the game impressed by both the atmosphere and Pittsburgh's newest face at quarterback: four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers . Aaron Rodgers and Superman actor Nicholas Hoult connect before kickoff in Pittsburgh Right before the preseason game started, Nicholas Hoult got to meet Aaron Rodgers face-to-face – a moment that clearly left an impression. 'It was cool,' Hoult said about their brief chat. Rodgers, who surprised fans with his offseason move to the Steelers, is one of the most well-known quarterbacks in the league. Now in his 21st NFL season, he takes over in Pittsburgh after spending most of his career with the Green Bay Packers and a short time with the New York Jets. Nicholas Hoult may not know all the details of the game, but it was clear he enjoyed getting a few minutes with the Steelers' high-profile new quarterback. Still learning the game, but loving the experience: Nicholas Hoult Despite being more comfortable around a soccer pitch, the UK-born actor didn't let the complexity of American football keep him from enjoying the experience. When asked about the game and the atmosphere in Pittsburgh, Hoult said, 'It was great.' The Steelers, entering the 2025 NFL season with new leadership under center, are using the preseason to iron out chemistry and evaluate depth. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gorpara: New Container Houses – Take A Look At The Prices! Container homes | Search ads Learn More Undo by Taboola by Taboola But for casual fans or first-timers like Hoult, it's the energy in the stadium that often makes the biggest impression — and Pittsburgh's fan base didn't disappoint. Golden Globe-nominated X-Men actor Nicholas Hoult believes the Super Bowl would be a hit if Europe hosted As the NFL continues to expand its international presence, Hoult sees potential for American football to thrive overseas. Speaking on the league's growing international ambitions, the actor expressed optimism about the possibility of Europe hosting the Super Bowl one day. 'If a European city ever landed a Super Bowl,' he said, 'I was sure it'd be successful.' It's a timely observation, with the Steelers set to play the Minnesota Vikings in Dublin next month as part of the NFL's expanding international series. While Hoult hasn't confirmed if he'll attend the Ireland matchup, he seemed interested in the idea — and left the door open to supporting Pittsburgh again soon. Also read : Taylor Swift drops Blake Lively from intimate album party as Travis Kelce becomes her number one supporter Whether or not he makes it to that international game, the actor has clearly caught the NFL bug. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
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First Post
2 hours ago
- First Post
Doubles veterans dominate singles stars as US Open's reimagined mixed doubles format finds new fans
While regular doubles players may not like US Open's reimagined mixed doubles competition, it certainly managed to bring new fans to the stadium on the first day of the event. Carlos Alcaraz and Emma Raducanu lost to Jack Draper and Jessica Pegula at US Open mixed doubles championships. Image: Reuters Veteran doubles experience overcame singles stardom as defending champions Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani reached the semi-finals at the US Open's reimagined mixed doubles on Tuesday, as the event kicked off with a new format and new fans. Vavassori and Errani downed 2022 Wimbledon singles winner Elena Rybakina and 2024 US Open singles finalist Taylor Fritz 4-2, 4-2, before outlasting Karolina Muchova and Andrey Rublev 4-1, 5-4(4) in the quarter-finals. The Italians had earned wild card entries. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD US Open's reimagined mixed doubles format makes popular start The pair had added motivation to retain their crown as the year's final major took a new approach to the event beloved by fans but often lost in a schedule that is dominated by singles action, moving the competition to five days before the main draw. Also Read | With top stars, unique format, can US Open Doubles Championship revolutionise doubles tennis? This year's format saw eight pairings based on the combined singles rankings and eight wild cards, a move that left some doubles competitors fuming - including Vavassori and Errani - but brought a sellout crowd to Arthur Ashe Stadium. 'The positives are for sure that the stadium was packed in the second match,' said Vavassori, after downing Fritz and Rybakina. 'It's a great thing for doubles to be seen by more people. I have to give them credit,' he said. 'We're also playing for all the doubles players that could not be here, so we tried to do our best.' The Italians will face Danielle Collins and Christian Harrison after the last-minute tournament additions advanced to the semis with a stunning 4-1, 5-4(2) win over fellow Americans Ben Shelton and Taylor Townsend. The 2022 singles champion Iga Swiatek showed little sign of fatigue a day after clinching the title in Cincinnati, as she and teammate Casper Ruud downed American duo Madison Keys and Frances Tiafoe 4-1, 4-2 in their opener. They made easy work of Grand Slam doubles finalist Caty McNally and partner Lorenzo Musetti 4-1, 4-2 later in the day, to claim another of the semi-final spots. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The semis and final are set for Wednesday. 'Last two days felt like one long day but I'm super happy to be here and playing with Casper,' said Swiatek. 'Didn't have time to play many doubles to practise but I think I can improvise pretty well.' Swiatek and Ruud will face the top-seeded team of American Jessica Pegula and Briton Jack Draper in the semi-finals after they crushed the all-Russian duo of Mirra Andreeva and Daniil Medvedev 4-1, 4-1. Draper and Pegula had earlier dispatched five-times Grand Slam singles champion Carlos Alcaraz and former women's US Open champion Emma Raducanu in the last 16. 'Hollywood of mixed doubles' A logjam of cars waited long into the first round to enter the Flushing Meadows grounds as spectators abandoned their taxis, walking up the Grand Central Parkway to get inside the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. It was the earliest sign of business not-as-usual for the US Open's 'fan week' as ticketholders shelled out to catch the early action just a day after the Cincinnati Open concluded. 'We're really excited. We heard it was like the Hollywood of mixed doubles,' said Boston native Krystyna Zaluski, who brought her 13-year-old son to the tournament for the first time. 'This event made it so simple for us to come out here.' STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That star power was dented slightly by the last-minute withdrawal of Italian Jannik Sinner, a day after illness forced the world number one to retire five games into his Cincinnati Open final. Semi-finalists Collins and Harrison replaced Sinner and partner Katerina Siniakova in the draw.