The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| IOC members gear up to elect new president Posted: 09 Sep 2013 05:17 PM PDT Their fate lies in the hands of fellow IOC members when they vote later today in Buenos Aires. They may not be locked away like the cardinals when they go into a conclave to elect the Pope, and they don't burn their voting papers after voting, but their vote is similar in that it is by secret ballot. Their responsibility is enormous as they are voting for the president of the sporting equivalent of The United Nations. The winner will be the flagbearer not only of the IOC values of Excellence, Respect and Friendship but also of continuing to lead the fight against doping and illegal betting to name but two daunting challenges. In as much as one can assess what members' voting intentions are, Germany's Thomas Bach is still regarded as likely to justify his role throughout of being the favourite and be rewarded with a position he has wanted for a long time. One of his supporters told AFP a first round win was assured: "We have more than wrestling had in their vote (they got 49 on Sunday in the first round to regain their place among the Olympic roster)." However, in the relative privacy of pushing the button on their voting boxes some members freed from constant pressure could feel liberated and change their minds and there are those who resent the way some Bach supporters are calling the vote a done deal and a coronation. Of the 59-year-old lawyer's rivals only two have been talked about as potentially being capable of dashing his dreams of achieving his goal: Ng Ser Miang of Singapore and Puerto Rico's Richard Carrion. The 64-year-old China-born Ng, Singapore's ambassador to Norway, is extremely popular among the membership. However, the victory of Tokyo in the race to host the 2020 Olympics on Saturday damaged his chances as members could be loathe to give Asia two golden prizes in such a short space of time. Carrion, responsible for brokering the record $4.38 billion (3.3 billion euros) broadcasting deal with NBC to have exclusive US coverage of the Olympics through to 2020, has presidential bearing and espoused powerful arguments in his campaign, but his lack of a sporting background is likely to hurt his chances. Thus the likelihood is that at 1400GMT, when voting begins, the odds are that at the end of it Europe will retain its stranglehold over the presidency - the controversial American Avery Brundage is the only non European to have held the office. Should Bach be elected - becoming the first Olympic champion to be IOC President - there could well be a frosty exchange between him and one of his rivals, Swiss lawyer Denis Oswald. The 66-year-old Oswald, realising he had no chance of winning, decided to vent his feelings about the German. "I don't believe he and I share the same values," said the 66-year-old, president of the Rowing Federation. "I imagine a president who is independent, who is not dependent solely on alliances with other people and who does not use his position for anything else but the defence of sport." - AFP, September 10, 2013. |
| Rafael Nadal wins US Open title Posted: 09 Sep 2013 05:01 PM PDT Nadal, 27, added the 2013 trophy to his 2010 triumph, when he completed a career Grand Slam, and gloriously capped a year that has now seen him capture 10 titles and stretch his season record to 60 wins and just three losses. Yesterday's win also earned him a total of US$3.6 million (RM11.8 million), which takes his career earnings through the US$60 million mark and also edged him closer to Roger Federer's record of 17 majors and put him one behind Pete Sampras. In the pair's record-setting 37th meeting, world number two Nadal, who only returned to the tour in February following a seven-month injury lay-off, took his lead over Djokovic to 22-15 as he added the US Open crown to the eighth French Open he claimed in June. "It's very emotional. All my team knows what this means to me," said Nadal. "Novak always brings my game to the limit. He is an amazing player. He will go down as one of the greatest in the sport." For Djokovic, playing in a fourth successive final in New York, it was a devastating defeat in a year which started with a fourth Australian Open title but was followed by a semi-final loss at the French Open to Nadal and a Wimbledon final mauling by Andy Murray. For the neutrals, however, it was a memorable contest which showcased thrilling athleticism, delicate touch and exhausting, brutal rallies, one of which was fought out over 54 shots. Djokovic lost 11 of the last 13 games with his challenge fatally undermined by 53 unforced errors to Nadal's 20. "Rafa was too good, and he definitely deserved to win today. I am disappointed to lose a match like this but it's a huge privilege to be fighting for the trophy," said Djokovic. Nadal, in his 18th major final, was comfortably the more settled player in the opening stages, finding pin-point accuracy while Djokovic, who had already voiced his dislike at playing on a late Monday afternoon, was sluggish and heavy-footed. Nadal, who missed the 2012 tournament through injury, sensed the Serb's uneasiness and broke for a 2-1 lead, mastering the occasion as well as the tricky breeze. Djokovic, meanwhile, looked as lethargic as he had done at Wimbledon when he was brushed aside in straight sets by Murray. Even the technology was on the Spaniard's side as a successful challenge on triple break point gave him a double break for 5-2. With a host of showbusiness glitterati looking on - including Sean Connery, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jessica Alba and Justin Timberlake - Nadal claimed the first set with ease after 42 minutes, Djokovic undone by 14 unforced errors. The omens were looking good at that stage for the 27-year-old Spaniard, who had only lost three out of 154 career Grand Slam matches when winning the first set. But 26-year-old Djokovic stormed out of his slumbers and broke for 4-2 in the second set after a 54-shot rally, Nadal dumping an approach into the net. It was only the second time Nadal had dropped serve in the tournament and the setback fired him into an immediate response, hitting back at 3-4, before Djokovic broke again for 5-3 on a modest 28-shot exchange. This time, the world number one backed up it up to level the final, taking the 58-minute set with a down the line winner. Djokovic broke to love in the opening game of the third and had a point for a double break in the third before Nadal clung on to avoid dropping serve for the fourth game in a row. The world number two then capitalized on a sloppy Djokovic service game to level at 3-3, but the twists and turns became a tumble for Nadal, who slipped to the floor in the ninth game. Unruffled, he saved three break points to sneak ahead 5-4 and then unleashed a deep, fierce forehand which Djokovic could only slap long as Nadal went into a two sets to one lead. The momentum was back with Nadal as Djokovic cursed his unforced error count, which had rocketed to 42. Nadal fought off two break points in the opening game of the fourth set and broke a tiring Djokovic with a heat-seeker of a forehand. He backed it up for 3-0 and repeated it against a broken-spirited Djokovic for 5-1. Victory was Nadal's after three hours and 21 minutes when Djokovic buried a return in the net. - AFP, September 10, 2013. |
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