http://malaysiantennis.blogspot.com/
NEW STRAITS TIMES Sports Journalist Ajitpal Singh writes about his passion, Tennis at his blog.
INFO on AJITPAL ...Sports journo since 2006. Attached with NST. Byline has appeared in The Sun, Harian Metro and NST. Done a bit of politics and general news during my stint in Terengganu between 2003 and 2005. 2005- second place winner for news category in Terengganu (Kawat), 2010 - Sportswriters Association of Malaysia contest column winner, Best Sports article (NST) and ATP Malaysian Open best tennis article (won an all expense paid trip to Hong Kong). I've covered the Sea Games and Asian Games.
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Mixed team for Moscow
THE national seniors team has withdrawn from playing in a Moscow Four-Nation, after the Malaysian Hockey Federation (MHF) found out that their targeted opponents have also withdrawn.
Now, a mixed team made up of Project 2013 players and three senior players will head for Moscow on June 20 to play against Russia, Belarus and Uzbekistan.
“I have just been informed that since South Africa and Argentina could not make it to the tournament and have been replaced with Belarus and Uzbekistan, the MHF decided to send a mixed team to the tournament.
“I will be fielding 16 players, some of who played in the recent Australia and New Zealand Tours, and three senior players who will be dropped form the European Tour,” said Project 2013 coach K. Dharmaraj.
Project 2013 played four matches against Australia and lost their first match 9-1, second match 2-1, then drew 5-5 before being whipped again 7-2 in the final friendly.
In New Zealand the Project boys lost 8-0, drew 2-2, lost 4- 2 and won 2-1.
“I am releasing half the Australia-New Zealand Tour side for the Under-18 tournament in Singapore, and the re maining boys as well as other Project Boys in training will travel to Russia for the Four-Nation.
“In the Australia-New Zealand Tours, there were plenty of ups and down because of two main reasons. One was that we had more chances than the opponents in all the matches played, but muffed sitters while the opponents rarely missed their chances when in the semi-circle.
“The second reason is that we do not have good goal keepers, and both of them kept letting in soft goals which placed the team under undue pressure during the Tour,” said Dharmaraj.
And for the Russian tournament, Dharmaraj will work to improve these two areas.
“It is good to get more matches against matured sides, and while Russia should be the favourites, we will play to beat Belarus and Uzbekistan so that we can have another shot at Russia in the final. This time, we will work on the finishing and hopefully the goalkeepers’ will be more confident and not let in easy goals,” said Dharmaraj.
Now, a mixed team made up of Project 2013 players and three senior players will head for Moscow on June 20 to play against Russia, Belarus and Uzbekistan.
“I have just been informed that since South Africa and Argentina could not make it to the tournament and have been replaced with Belarus and Uzbekistan, the MHF decided to send a mixed team to the tournament.
“I will be fielding 16 players, some of who played in the recent Australia and New Zealand Tours, and three senior players who will be dropped form the European Tour,” said Project 2013 coach K. Dharmaraj.
Project 2013 played four matches against Australia and lost their first match 9-1, second match 2-1, then drew 5-5 before being whipped again 7-2 in the final friendly.
In New Zealand the Project boys lost 8-0, drew 2-2, lost 4- 2 and won 2-1.
“I am releasing half the Australia-New Zealand Tour side for the Under-18 tournament in Singapore, and the re maining boys as well as other Project Boys in training will travel to Russia for the Four-Nation.
“In the Australia-New Zealand Tours, there were plenty of ups and down because of two main reasons. One was that we had more chances than the opponents in all the matches played, but muffed sitters while the opponents rarely missed their chances when in the semi-circle.
“The second reason is that we do not have good goal keepers, and both of them kept letting in soft goals which placed the team under undue pressure during the Tour,” said Dharmaraj.
And for the Russian tournament, Dharmaraj will work to improve these two areas.
“It is good to get more matches against matured sides, and while Russia should be the favourites, we will play to beat Belarus and Uzbekistan so that we can have another shot at Russia in the final. This time, we will work on the finishing and hopefully the goalkeepers’ will be more confident and not let in easy goals,” said Dharmaraj.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Project 2013 finally beat Kiwis
by Hockey NZ
The Malaysian Juniors were able withstand a second-half fight back from the Junior Black Sticks to win the final game of the four game series 2-1 in Dunedin today.
The Junior Black Sticks had sealed the series before today's match doing enough in the previous three games.
Malaysia started off the better of the two teams but let their guard down in the second half almost losing a two goal lead, after the Junior Black Sticks mounted a come back but were unable to find a goal in the final 10 minutes.
Unlike in the previous games the Malaysia started off the best of the two teams, looking dangerous right from the start.
For the whole of the first half Malaysia dominated possession, with small quick passes, running around the Junior Black Sticks defence.
The first goal came in the 8th minute when Mohammad Fitri scoring, after being given a free run inside the circle.
Malaysia scored their second goal from a penalty corner in the 23rd minute after applying a huge amount of pressure on the Junior Black Sticks defence.
The game was played with aggression by both teams with one player from each team being given a yellow card within two minutes of each other.
Malaysia went in to the half-time break with a 2-0 lead.
The Junior Black Sticks came out of the second half a better side and were unlucky in the first 10 minutes not to score.
They finally got on the score board in the 48th minute when Callum Bailey was able to sneak a shot past the front of the goalie to put the Junior Black sticks back in the game.
A minute later the Junior Black Sticks thought they had tied the game up only to have the goal disallowed.
The Junior Black Sticks had the upper hand for the last quarter of the game having a number of chances to score, including three penalty corners.
Even with one if its players sent from the field the Malaysian defense was able to hold on for the win.
Goals: Mohammad Fitri, Nor Faez, Callum Bailey.
The Malaysian Juniors were able withstand a second-half fight back from the Junior Black Sticks to win the final game of the four game series 2-1 in Dunedin today.
The Junior Black Sticks had sealed the series before today's match doing enough in the previous three games.
Malaysia started off the better of the two teams but let their guard down in the second half almost losing a two goal lead, after the Junior Black Sticks mounted a come back but were unable to find a goal in the final 10 minutes.
Unlike in the previous games the Malaysia started off the best of the two teams, looking dangerous right from the start.
For the whole of the first half Malaysia dominated possession, with small quick passes, running around the Junior Black Sticks defence.
The first goal came in the 8th minute when Mohammad Fitri scoring, after being given a free run inside the circle.
Malaysia scored their second goal from a penalty corner in the 23rd minute after applying a huge amount of pressure on the Junior Black Sticks defence.
The game was played with aggression by both teams with one player from each team being given a yellow card within two minutes of each other.
Malaysia went in to the half-time break with a 2-0 lead.
The Junior Black Sticks came out of the second half a better side and were unlucky in the first 10 minutes not to score.
They finally got on the score board in the 48th minute when Callum Bailey was able to sneak a shot past the front of the goalie to put the Junior Black sticks back in the game.
A minute later the Junior Black Sticks thought they had tied the game up only to have the goal disallowed.
The Junior Black Sticks had the upper hand for the last quarter of the game having a number of chances to score, including three penalty corners.
Even with one if its players sent from the field the Malaysian defense was able to hold on for the win.
Goals: Mohammad Fitri, Nor Faez, Callum Bailey.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Et Tu, Brother!
Ryan Giggs' brother Rhodri has split from his wife Natasha following claims of her having an affair with his footballer sibling, it has been reported.Rhodri, 34, is said to be 'devastated' over the reported eight-year relationship, and has now apparently ended his marriage, telling The Sun: 'I was with her on Saturday but I'm not with her now.'
A source told the newspaper: 'He's devastated and can't believe the extent of his humiliation - by both of them.
'Rhodri said, "I know me and Ryan have had our ups and downs but this is the lowest of the low". He has suspicions that something may have gone on between Ryan and Natasha, but he never thought it was to this extent. His head is in a mess.'
The split comes as it was reported in a Sunday newspaper that Natasha, 28, and Manchester United star Ryan had begun their relationship before she began dating his younger sibling Rhodri.
The News of the World claimed Giggs slept with Natasha the day after his eight-year-old daughter was born, and again the day after the arrival of his four-year-old son. The affair was alleged to have continued until April 9.
To underline 37-year-old Giggs’s folly in taking out his notorious injunction over an alleged fling with former Big Brother housemate Imogen Thomas, his sister-in-law said it was this which spurred her to break her silence.
‘When I found out he was cheating with Imogen too, I was really hurt,’ she told the paper through a ‘friend’.
‘I know that sounds really strange, but he wasn’t just cheating on Stacey, he was cheating on me too. Our relationship was just about sex to him.’
She said she was a single mother when she met Giggs at a Manchester bar in March 2003 while Stacey – then his fiancée – was pregnant with their first child. The pair enjoyed a brief fling but after they broke it off she began seeing Rhodri, who had joined them on a night out, the paper said.
That did not stop Giggs secretly resuming their relationship the following year, it alleged, and even when she became engaged to Rhodri in 2005 and was expecting his child, he continued demanding to see her.
Natasha gave birth in August 2006 and Stacey had her son two months later, but the affair was quickly rekindled, it was claimed. ‘The day after his son was born we met up and had sex,’ the paper quoted Natasha as saying through her friend. ‘Stacey was still in hospital.’
Shortly after his last tryst with Natasha, rumours began to circulate that he was the mystery footballer who had taken out an injunction forbidding discussion of his affair with Miss Thomas.
Natasha texted him to ask if this was true. He reportedly insisted: ‘No way. It’s not me.’
The following month, however, shortly before Twitter users broadcast the truth around the world, she realised he was lying.
In a furious text message she wrote: ‘I know u may not have any loyalties towards me n my feelings, that’s fine… now I no longer have any loyalties to u!
‘Any kind of feelings or respect I may have had for u disappeared when I realized how much u have manipulated me! You’re an idiot!’
However Giggs allegedly responded: ‘What the **** u going on about? This has been the worst 2 weeks of my life!!!’
Dailymail.co.uk
Project 2013 lose Kiwi series
PROJECT 2013 from Malaysia lost their Test series against Junior Black Sticks of New Zealand when they lost their third match 4-2 in Dunedin yesterday.
Malaysia lost the first Test 8-0, drew the second 2-2 and will play their final match today.
The Project squad are in training for the Junior Asia Cup in Malacca next May, which also serves as the World Cup Qualifier.
Malaysia were 2-2 level with the Kiwis, with goals from Mohamed Ramadhan and Amir Farid but Black Sticks scored in the 62nd and 69th minutes to seal the series.
“We received six penalty corners but could only score one off Ramadhan and that placed tremendous pressure on the defence.
“And when the match was tied at 2-2, we had plenty of chances to score but muffed many sitters and paid the price,” said Project 2013 manager Mirnawan Nawawi.
The New Zealand Hockey website wrote: “The Junior Black Sticks looked the better of the two teams early in the game, scoring two goals in the first half, but just as in the two previous games they let Malaysia come back, coming close to giving them the victory in the final minutes.
“And when the match was tied at 2-2, it was Malaysia who looked like they would take the lead, with the Junior Black sticks making simple mistakes and giving the ball away.
“The game looked like it could have gone anyway in the final 10 minutes, with the Junior Black sticks recovering from their lull and putting pressure on the Malaysian goal.
“Malaysia threw everything they had left at the Junior Black sticks goal in the last five minutes, even when after one of their players had been given a yellow card.
“But two late goals with the fourth one coming from a penalty corner awarded in the final minute of the match give the Junior Black sticks a 4-2 win and the series with one match left.”
Malaysia lost the first Test 8-0, drew the second 2-2 and will play their final match today.
The Project squad are in training for the Junior Asia Cup in Malacca next May, which also serves as the World Cup Qualifier.
Malaysia were 2-2 level with the Kiwis, with goals from Mohamed Ramadhan and Amir Farid but Black Sticks scored in the 62nd and 69th minutes to seal the series.
“We received six penalty corners but could only score one off Ramadhan and that placed tremendous pressure on the defence.
“And when the match was tied at 2-2, we had plenty of chances to score but muffed many sitters and paid the price,” said Project 2013 manager Mirnawan Nawawi.
The New Zealand Hockey website wrote: “The Junior Black Sticks looked the better of the two teams early in the game, scoring two goals in the first half, but just as in the two previous games they let Malaysia come back, coming close to giving them the victory in the final minutes.
“And when the match was tied at 2-2, it was Malaysia who looked like they would take the lead, with the Junior Black sticks making simple mistakes and giving the ball away.
“The game looked like it could have gone anyway in the final 10 minutes, with the Junior Black sticks recovering from their lull and putting pressure on the Malaysian goal.
“Malaysia threw everything they had left at the Junior Black sticks goal in the last five minutes, even when after one of their players had been given a yellow card.
“But two late goals with the fourth one coming from a penalty corner awarded in the final minute of the match give the Junior Black sticks a 4-2 win and the series with one match left.”
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