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Should you feel secure at the 2011 ICC ODI World Cup?
Indian authorities believe that you should.
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The Indian team’s preparations for the World Cup recovered from a minor hiccup when Shantakumaran Sreesanth replaced the injured Praveen Kumar in the side.
The UP bowler has not yet recovered from an elbow injury sustained on the South Africa tour.
Though there were some calls for Ishant Sharma instead, the Kerala cricketer is the man in form. Sharma is a far cry from the bowler he was on his debut Down Under in 2008. He has been bowled into the ground; a case of poor handling by captain and coach. In his case, the rotation policy is a joke.
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Sourav Ganguly has retired from international cricket.
Sourav Ganguly has not retired from international cricket.
Sourav Ganguly wishes to play in the IPL.
Sourav Ganguly cannot play in the IPL.
Sourav Ganguly will play in the Ranji trophy.
Sourav Ganguly will play for Bengal only if he can play in the IPL.
Sourav Ganguly will play domestic cricket to stay fit for the IPL.
Sourav Ganguly is not confused.
I am.
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The Wall Street Journal—at the start of the 2011 Australian Open—published an article titled Five Sizzling Tennis Questions.
The questions were:
Are Rafael Nadal‘s injuries behind him?
What about Roger?
Who are the other challengers on the men’s side?
Is this the year of the Woz?
Is the women’s ranking system legitimate?
The answers to four of the questions are still up in the air.
Novak Djokovic’s Australian Open victory has given doubters more than a hint as to who’s not hanging to the coat-tails of the big guns—Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
Using the article as inspiration, I arrived at five burning questions for Indian tennis:
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STANISLAS WAWRINKA
"I have no idea. Sorry. I have no idea why."
What he really meant:
I don’t know why Europeans dominate tennis right now. I just play, man, don’t bother me.
What he definitely didn’t:
The Europeans have stolen the Americans’ and Australians’ spinach and will keep popping them in the eye.
(Popeye refrain "I’s bin hornswoggled!” in background.)
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Gloom descended on the rafters at Melbourne Park.
The courts will be bathed in bright sunlight Thursday morning, but there will be a weary leadenness in the hearts of tennis players, officials and fans.
The World No.1, Rafael Nadal, bade a somber farewell to his quest for a Rafa Slam. It was not to be.
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Post-match press conferences are boring.
I mean, come on, who wants to talk about the match? It’s just another day at the office. Get wise, guys, we’re pros. It’s our job.
You don’t believe me? Ask Caroline Wozniacki.
The Great Dane felt that the best way to entertain her fans and journalists was to tell a little fib about wrestling a kangaroo.
The kangaroo gave the pretty No. 1 a small cut. Or that’s how the story went.
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Sunday evening and it’s seven days into the 2011 Australian Open.
The spotlight remains focused on the rivalry for the ages. Federer and Nadal are on course for a shoot-out on Sunday, the 30th of January.
That is, if the drama on court plays out as the script their fans envision.
The No.1 and No.2 seeds have taken different routes to the much expected showdown.
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It’s always difficult coming into the first Grand Slam of the year. It is as though one has to shake off the excesses of the Christmas festivities ,shed the trappings of the successes in the previous year and get down to business on a clean slate. Yet, one has to act as though one were never away from the hurly-burly of the action on court.
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Today—the 16th of January—is the eve of the 2011 Australian Open.
History will be made at the Asia-Pacific Grand Slam if Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal clinch the men’s title.
It will be Roger Federer’s 17th major. It will be a Star Trek landmark—going where no man has been before. If Nadal wins, it will be the culmination of the Rafa Slam—an event much anticipated by players and fans.