Author: sureshzmc07

BEIJING: World number one Jannik Sinner fought back to launch the defence of his China Open title with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over 28th-ranked Chilean Nicolas Jarry on Thursday.
The US Open champion next faces veteran three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, who is a wildcard entry in Beijing, or Russia’s Roman Safiullin.
The 23-year-old Sinner arrived in the Chinese capital fresh from winning in New York for his second major title, having triumphed at the Australian Open at the start of the year.
With victory also at the Cincinnati Masters before the US Open, Sinner faced Jarry in red-hot form and on an 11-match winning streak.
Sinner made that 12, but not before suffering a scare.
“In the first set I was struggling to return his serve and he broke me,” Sinner said.
“I just tried to stay there mentally. The first round at any tournament is never easy and playing against him is very tough.
“But I am happy about the performance and how I ended the match.”
The two went toe-to-toe in the first set but it was the Chilean who got in front when he broke for a 4-3 lead when the world number one fired long.
The 28-year-old Jarry consolidated without losing a point in the eighth game and, after double-faulting on his first set point, sealed the set with his fifth ace of the match.
Going behind seemed to sting a re-energised Sinner into action.
The top seed raced to a 3-0 lead in the second set, eventually wrapping the set up after briefly threatening to blow his advantage.
Sinner tamed Jarry’s big serve to start the deciding set and grab an early break, winning the game with a terrific crosscourt backhand.
Sinner broke again for 4-1 and was well on the way to an ultimately comfortable win.
His main rivals in the Chinese capital will be four-time major champion Carlos Alcaraz and the Russian duo of Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev, the third and fourth seeds.
Novak Djokovic is not in Beijing, where a WTA 1000 event is also taking place at the same time.

Joshua Cheptegei (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Uganda’s reigning Olympic 10,000m champion Joshua Cheptegei and Kenya’s former half marathon world record holder Peres Jepchirchir will lead the elite field for the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, a World Athletics Gold Label race, scheduled on October 20.
Cheptegei retired from the track events after his win at the Paris Olympics 2024 and has since shifted his focus to marathon.He is the current world record holder in both the 5,000m and 10,000m races and holds the world’s best time over the 15km distance. Cheptegei won the 10,000m gold in Paris in a new Olympic record of 26:43.14.
The Ugandan is also a three-time world champion in the 10,000m and claimed gold in both the 5,000m and 10,000m at the 2018 Birmingham CWG and the 2019 IAAF World Cross Country championships. Notably, Cheptegei is only the 10th man in history to simultaneously hold the 5,000m and 10,000m world records, both of which he set in 2020.
Cheptegei made his international debut in India at the TCS World 10K Bengaluru 2014, finishing second. His return to India for the VDHM promises to be the highlight of this year’s race.
“This country holds a special place in my heart, as it’s where I made my international debut in 2014. It’s been a good season for me, and I am certainly looking at a course record timing at the VDHM. The energy and passion of the Indian running community is truly inspiring, and I am excited to be part of this event,” Cheptegei said.
Kenya’s three-time world half marathon winner Jepchirchir will lead the charge of the women’s contingent. She won the London Marathon 2024 with a time of 2:16.16s, breaking the women’s only marathon world record. Jepchirchir also won the 2021 New York City and 2022 Boston marathons.
Defending champs Abhishek and Kavita to lead Indian challenge
Defending VDHM champion Abhishek Pal, who recently won the 10,000m title in the National Open Athletics Championships 2024 in Bengaluru, will lead the country’s challenge in the men’s category.
He will face tough competition from Hangzhou Asian Games 10,000m silver medallist Kartik Kumar. Kumar recently triumphed at the 10,000m USA Championships Track Fest 2024 with a remarkable time of 28:07.66. He is also the VDHM 2022 and 2023 editions’ silver medallist.
In the women’s section, defending champion Kavita Yadav is expected to face stiff competition from Asian Championships bronze winner Sanjivani Jadhav. Sanjivani, who won the 10,000m Portland Track Festival in the USA with a personal best effort of 32:22.77, recently claimed a silver medal in the 5,000m event at the National Open.
She won gold at the VDHM 2018 and 2022 editions and took silver in 2016 and 2020. VDHM offers a total prize money of $260,000.
In addition to the race day tee for all registered half marathon participants, PUMA — VDHM’s official sports partner — will also present a special finisher tee to the top overall 1500 finishers in both the men’s and women’s categories of the 10K race.

MUMBAI: Still basking in the glory of India’s magnificent, unprecedented dual triumph at the at the 45th International Chess Federation (FIDE) Chess Olympiad in Budapest on Sunday, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand termed the India men’s victory as “unreal” due to their dominance in the field, while hailing the Indian women’s win as “impressive since it was unexpected.”
India scripted history as both its men’s and women’s teams secured their first-ever titles, achieving a fabulous clean sweep of gold medals at the Chess Olympiad.”I think for chess to grow in India, it has to become popular with (women players). I want more girls to play chess and this is a long-standing goal for everyone. Including FIDE, including lots of people in chess. So that happened (India’s women’s team’s victory) is a big thing. I say unexpected because I don’t think their dominance was as big, but that’s why I find their accomplishment very impressive because they had difficult moments, unpredictable moments when it could be snatched away. It was a great achievement.
“The men’s win was impressive because there was never a moment when they felt the slightest threat. And that we won with four points is also…it feels unreal,” Anand said on Thursday at the MIG Cricket Club here, at event organized by the Global Chess League, in collaboration with Sports Journalists association of Mumbai (SJAM). After taking part in the first edition, Anand will team up with India’s recent historic Olympiad gold medalists, Arjun Erigaisi and Vaishali R for the Ganges Grandmasters in the second edition of GCL from October 3 to 12 in London.
Responding to former world champion Garry Kasparov’s tweet after India’s Olympiad triumph that “Vishy’s children are all grown up,” Anand said: “I’m flattered. I won’t say no!”
Recalling India chess’s hour of glory when both the Indian men’s and women’s teams stood first on the podium in the Olympiad, Anand said: ” You just feel very happy. You know many of them for many, many years. And, being there and celebrating with them is very nice. Also, you know what it means for the country, winning two golds in the same year. I was just happy. I can’t elaborate too much. You enjoy it at many levels, as a player, fan and as an Indian. It’s just a pleasant feeling. You’re not thinking very much at that point. You’re just there in that moment and smiling along. It was nice, I remember the (national) anthem finished once, and then a few minutes later, we had the anthem again. And that, again, is a pleasant realization when it starts.”
Did he expect India to achieve this kind of success in the chess Olympiad? “I am not that much of a futurologist. I wouldn’t have been able to imagine that. But you could see that the popularity of the game was growing steadily for several decades. And slowly barrier after barrier is being crossed. And if you look at it from that point of view, then I think what has happened in the last five years doesn’t come as such a big surprise,” Anand said.
“Though the extent of it, perhaps or how quickly it happened because it was interesting. Just to remind people, we could have won two gold medals in Chennai (the Indian women’s chess team finished with a bronze in the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai). So I wouldn’t have predicted a lot of the things that started from last year. That we would have three candidates in the men’s and two in the women. Only one was sure. And then subsequently, that one of our players would win the candidates (D Gukesh). That we will then win the Olympiad,” he added.
This triumph, Anand said, doesn’t compare to India’s online Olympiad victory a few years ago, something which the chess great himself was a part of. “I mean, it’s nice to win. But I think that this performance was more impressive. There we shared the medal, here we won outright,” he said.
Anand tipped D Gukesh to put it past Ding Liren to clinch the World Chess Championships title-the match will be held in Singapore from November 20-December 15. “On paper, right now, the results, kind of, the momentum is all Gukesh’s. And I think Gukesh knows this better than anyone. You have to turn up expecting to face the hardest thing, and then you take it from there,” the 54-year-old said.

Swara Bhaskar and Fahad Ahmad‘s love story is an example of how love can overcome even the greatest differences. The couple tied the knot in February last year and are now proud parents to a beautiful baby girl, Raabiyaa.
In a recent appearance on Amrita Rao and Anmol’s podcast, Swara and Fahad shared insights into their journey of love.
Opening up on the difference between Swara and him, Fahad reflected on their backgrounds, noting how they came from distinct worlds.While Swara’s mother was a professor at JNU and her father a respected Naval officer who contributed columns to English newspapers, Fahad came from a family where no one had completed education beyond the 10th standard. He was the first in his family to have the opportunity to study, eventually earning a PhD degree.
Ahmad highlighted the urban-rural divide between him and Swara, explaining that he comes from a small area in Bareilly that isn’t even a district, while Swara hails from a more urban background. He also mentioned their religious differences—he is a Pasmanda Muslim from the OBC community, and she is a Brahmin. Despite these contrasts, Ahmad shared that their commonality lies in their sexual orientation, as they are both straight. He added that their relationship has crossed numerous barriers, including caste, religion, geography, and class, acknowledging that while it is challenging, it has also been incredibly fulfilling and fun.
Swara also added to the conversation and pointed out another difference between them, mentioning that she is older than Fahad. Fahad, in a playful tone, remarked that Swara never misses an opportunity to share this fact, though he doesn’t mind, as there’s nothing to hide.
Swara and Fahad recalled their first meeting in December 2019, which stood out because they quickly realized they had no common interests or points of connection. Despite their contrasting social backgrounds and caste differences, their relationship flourished, leading them to eventually marry.

The Mr McMohan documentary series is setting waves right now with the content that it’s brought to light about Vince and his journey in the world of professional wrestling. Despite all the allegations against him, Mr McMohan has played a vital role in making professional wrestling a form of entertainment for the masses.
Considering the allegations that Janel Grant has levied against him, this documentary comes at a time when the courts are about to start their deliberation.So, is the Netflix docuseries the most watched series right now?

How many people are watching the Mr McMohan Netflix documentary series?

While it’s difficult to say how many people are watching the Netflix documentary series about Mr McMohan right now, it’s safe to assume that there are a lot of curious fans all over the world. At the time of writing this article, the documentary series is amongst the most watched series in certain countries over the world, and it’s likely that the number will increase in the coming days.

The documentary series has six episodes in total which range from 50 minutes to a little over 60 minutes. The total duration of the documentary series is of around 6 hours, and spans from McMohan’s start as a promoter and showcases his rise from a simple wrestling promoter to a global wrestling mogul.
There’s no denying that he’s done quite a lot for the world of professional wrestling at this point in time, but the WWE production has improved considerably ever since his son-in-law took over the reins of the production.
There are also claims that this documentary series does not accurately portray the former WWE Chairman’s story, something which the individual himself has claimed.
Also read: Producer of ‘Mr. McMahon’ Shares the Inside Scoop of Interviewing Vince McMahon
Viewers are advised to take it with a grain of salt. At this point, it’s unlikely that the documentary will see a second season, or will see more episodes, but for what it’s worth, this series has got everyone talking about the former WWE Chairman once again. It remains to be seen how fans perceive this documentary in the coming days especially as the lawsuit hearings draw near.
Also read: Vince McMahon Addresses Rita Chatterton’s Sexual Assualt Allegations in the Netflix Docuseries

The festive season arrives by bringing an air of novelty and enthusiasm. From decorating our homes and getting new gadgets to inviting guests over, there’s so much that needs our attention. At the centre of all this entertainment are TV sets that bring Indian families together. Now imagine you bought a TV online. When it arrives, you are excited to switch it on immediately. However, you get to know that the installation will take time, and the neighbourhood electrician will take time to visit your place. The TV sits idle in the box, dampening your excitement as it wasn’t unpacked immediately.

Would you believe it if we told you that TV delivery, installation, and demo can happen all at one time, and that too without any charges? Yes, it’s possible. Thanks to Amazon India’s super fast and reliable Unified Delivery and Services (UDS). What’s UDS, you may ask? Read further.

Amazon India’s Unified Delivery and Services ensure that both, delivery and installation, are smoothly completed in a single visit. The delivery and installation will be handled by a qualified service engineer. This unique approach not only saves time but also guarantees that the entire process, from start to finish, is expertly managed by a skilled professional, offering convenience and peace of mind in one coordinated experience. This means the new TV owner gets to install his brand-new TV on the delivery day itself and gets to watch their favourite content on the same day.
The UDS is a key differentiator between Amazon India and other platforms. It also comes with lucrative benefits –

Present in 50+ cities: Amazon India’s Unified Delivery and Services has an extensive and growing footprint across more than 50 Indian cities. Whether the customer is located in a major metropolitan area or even in a tier 2 city, Amazon India is committed to delivering a seamless, high-quality experience right to your doorstep.

4.7+ star rated service: With an exceptional rating of 4.7+, Amazon India’s Unified Delivery and Services never fails to impress. The ratings prove that customers appreciate the reliability, professionalism, and efficiency with which each delivery and installation is done.

Industry-first and market-leading initiative – unmatched experience: As pioneers in the logistics and service industry, Unified Delivery and Services offers a market-leading initiative with unparalleled delivery and installation experience. Amazon India’s innovative approach, which combines convenience, expertise, and efficiency, sets a new standard for service excellence, distinguishing them as the first to deliver such a comprehensive solution.

Zero wait time, instant installation: Waiting time can mar the experience of using a new gadget. Amazon India’s UDS will make sure there is no waiting time for your joyful experience. The moment the order arrives, a skilled service professional is ready to install and set up the product on the spot, ensuring that the customer can start using it without any hassle or delay.

Installation performed by highly skilled and experienced service professionals: Amazon India’s UDS team consists of highly trained, experienced service engineers who ensure that every installation is completed to the highest standards. Their expertise guarantees that your product is not only delivered on time but also installed with precision and care, providing the customer with a flawless experience from start to finish.

Experience the joy of unboxing a brand-new television set and installing it on the same day. This festive season, choose from a wide range of television sets from Amazon India and gather your friends and family to witness entertainment and services like never before.

Disclaimer: This article has been produced on behalf of Amazon India by Times Internet’s Spotlight team.

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