THE GAME MADE PRAGG THE FIRST INDIAN NORWAY CHESS CHAMPION

 

JUDO BLACK BELT | 1-10 DAN

 

WATANABE VS. SUBRAMANIAM | GRASSHOPPER CUP 2026 | FINAL

 

SATWIK-CHIRAG STORM INTO SECOND SUCCESSFUL FINAL AFTER BEATING MALAYSIA'S AARON-SOH IN CHINA OPEN

Asian Games champions Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty outclassed long-time nemesis Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik 21-17 21-14 in a dominating performance to advance to the China Open men’s doubles final.

Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty celebrate after defeating Malaysia's Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik in the semi-finals of the China Open men's doubles category. Image credit: Badminton Photo

Star Indian pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty stormed into their second successive men’s doubles final with a clinical straight-game win over former world champions Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik of Malaysia at the China Masters Super 750 badminton tournament in China’s Shenzhen on Saturday.

Fresh from a World Championships bronze and a runner-up finish at the Hong Kong Open last week, the Asian Games champions outclassed their long-time nemesis Aaron and Soh 21-17 21-14 in a dominating performance.

Satwik and Chirag came into the match with a 4-11 head-to-head record against the Malaysian duo, who are two-time Olympic medallists. However, the Indians had recently got the better of Aaron and Soh en route to their bronze medal at the World Championships in Paris.

On Saturday, the Indians came out with an all-out attacking approach, backed by a solid defence, while also dominating the front court as the Malaysians — particularly Aaron — looked out of sorts during the 41-minute semifinal clash.

The opening game was a tight affair with both pairs fighting tooth and nail. Aaron and Soh grabbed a 10-7 lead with four straight points. But three errors from Aaron — including a service fault — allowed Satwik and Chirag to claw back. The Malaysians still held a slender one-point advantage at the interval.

At 14-13, Aaron faltered again at the net, handing the initiative back to the Indians. A flurry of smashes from Satwik and errors from their rivals took the Indians to 18-14. A sharp return from Satwik gave them four game points and they sealed the opener on the second opportunity.

In the second game, Satwik and Chirag raced to a 5-2 lead after the change of ends, with Satwik’s smashes and Chirag’s deft front-court play helping them stretch it to 8-2. Though the Malaysians narrowed the gap to 6-8, the Indians went into the interval with 11-6 cushion.

Aaron and Soh reduced it to 9-11, but the Indians responded with another surge to make it 15-9. At 16-12, Satwik produced a thunderous smash followed by a lucky net cord, and the Malaysians’ errors mounted.

Chirag applied the finishing touches with a deep return and a decisive smash to close out the contest.

- Press Trust Of India

PRAGGNANANDHAA BETTERS WORLD CHAMPION D GUKESH IN TIEBREAKER TO WIN TATA STEEL MASTERS CHESS

The tiebreaker was necessitated after Gukesh lost to fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi while Praggnanandhaa went down to Vincent Keymer of Germany

The Indian juggernaut in international chess remained unstoppable as Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa fought through exhaustion and nerves to defeat world champion D Gukesh in a clash of compatriots to clinch the Tata Steel Masters title for the first time in his prolific career.

The bespectacled 19-year-old from Chennai, a city that has become the cradle of Indian chess, came from behind to upstage the 18-year-old world number three 2-1 in the tiebreaker of the event's 87th edition here on Sunday.

This was after both players ended up tied on 8.5 points after losing their 13th-round games. While Gukesh lost to fellow Indian Arjun Erigaisi, Praggnanandhaa went down to Vincent Keymer of Germany.

In the tie-breaker, there was huge drama typical of two young players looking to win every game they played in the tournament as they played the tie-break.

"I am still shaking, it was such a crazy day. I don't know how to express it. I didn't really expect to win. Somehow things went my way," Praggnanandhaa told the official tournament website after his triumph.

Asked if it was the most tense day of his chess career, which began when he was a mere two years of age.

"Today is more special because I won the tournament. Definitely most stressful day," he responded.

The teenager became the first Indian after Viswanathan Anand to win the title. Anand won it thrice (2003, 2004 and 2006) individually when it was called the Corus Chess Tournament, named on the title sponsor of that time. The legend also shared the honours twice (1989 and 1998) in its earliest form of Hoogovens Tournament.

Praggnanandhaa faced the Benoni with reversed colours in the first game of the tie-break and it seemed like he had equalised easily in the middle game.

However, Gukesh had other thoughts as he kept trying and won, thanks to a blunder by Praggnanandhaa that cost him a full rook.

In a must-win second game of the tiebreaker, Praggnanandhaa employed the Trompowsky opening, and this time Gukesh could claim a slight advantage with his black pieces.

"I was just trying to relax, to rest a bit. It was a very difficult game. Against Vincent I didn't play anywhere close to the level I was playing here. I should buy something for Arjun. At some point I thought Gukesh was better," the former world youth champion quipped.

"For sure, (this win) it is the highlight. When I came here, I wanted to win but the field was very strong. I didn't really think about it much until yesterday," he added.

"I am completely exhausted. I was also quite tired. I just want to get some rest now."

During the tie-break, by just keeping his position together, Praggnanandhaa patiently waited and capitalised on an unforced error from Gukesh to first knock down a pawn and then his technical abilities were enough to see the normal blitz games through with a 1-1 score.

This took the match into sudden death, where Praggnanandhaa drew white and once again Gukesh was better with some imaginative play on the queen side that netted him a pawn.

The sudden death had a time control of two minutes and thirty seconds for white against three for black but that did not deter Praggnanandhaa from trying to defend an inferior endgame.

Just while the position looked completely drawn and another game was on the cards, Gukesh lost control in the battle of nerves and first lost a pawn then his last remaining knight.

Praggnanandhaa showed perfect technique to take the full point and his maiden victory at the Masters.

For Gukesh, this was the second year running when he tied for first position and lost the tiebreaker. In the previous edition, Gukesh had lost to Chinese Wei Yi.

- PTI

HISTORIC! BRUMRAL BREAKS BEDI'S RECORD

IMAGE: Jasprit Bumrah celebrates Marnus Labuschange's wicket -- his 32nd wicket of the series. Photograph: BCCI/X

Jasprit Bumrah etched another record to his name as he created history, picking up the most wickets by an Indian bowler in an away Test series.

The fast bowler continued his stellar run with the ball in Australia as he overtook spin great Bishan Singh Bedi's all-time record for the most wickets by an Indian bowler in an away Test series.

Bumrah dismissed Marnus Labuschagne caught behind to take his wickets tally to 32 in the series before he went off the field for precautionary scans after feeling some discomfort in the post-lunch session.

The India captain has been the standout performer with the ball in the series, claiming 32 wickets at a phenomenal average of 13, including three five-wicket.

This is the most wickets taken by an Indian bowler in a series away from home. The previous record belonged to Bedi, who took 31 wickets in five Tests at an average of 23 in the 1977-1978 series in Australia.

In that same series, another spin legend Bhagwat Chandrasekhar picked up 28 wickets averaging 28 as Australia defeated India 3-2 in a thrilling series.

Subhas Gupte had bagged 27 wickets during India's tour of West Indies in 1952-1953.

Kapil Dev held the previous record for the most wickets by an Indian pacer away from home when he picked up 25 wickets at an average of 25 during the tour of Australia in 1991-1992.

- REDIFF CRICKET

CHESS PRODIGY GUKESH BEATS DING TO BECOME THE YOUNGEST WORLD CHAMPION

AP

NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian teenager Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest chess world champion Thursday after beating the defending champion Ding Liren of China in the final match of their series in Singapore.

Dommaraju, 18, secured 7.5 points against 6.5 of his Chinese rival in the contest, surpassing the achievement of Russia’s Garry Kasparov who won the title at the age of 22.

The Indian teen prodigy has long been considered a rising star in the chess world after he became a chess grandmaster at 12. He had entered the match as the youngest-ever challenger to the world crown after winning the Candidates tournament earlier this year.

After securing victory, Dommaraju burst into tears and raised his arms in celebration.

“I was dreaming this moment for the last 10 years. I am happy that I realized the dream (and made it) into reality,” he told reporters after his win.

Dommaraju is now the second Indian to win the title after five-time world chess champion Viswanathan Anand.

“It’s a proud moment for chess, a proud moment for India... and for me, a very personal moment of pride,” Anand, who has been a mentor to Dommaraju, said in a post on X.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the 18-year-old on his “remarkable accomplishment,” calling it “the result of his unparalleled talent, hard work and unwavering determination.”

“His triumph has not only etched his name in the annals of chess history but has also inspired millions of young minds to dream big and pursue excellence,” Modi said in a post on X.

Thursday’s match was a 14-round long-time classical event with a prize fund of $2.5 million.

- AP

INDIA'S CHOPRA EASES FITNESS CONCERNS WITH GOLD IN FINLAND

Reuters 

 Olympic javelin champion Neeraj Chopra won gold at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland on Tuesday and while the winning throw was well short of his personal best the Indian said he is happy with his fitness ahead of the Paris Olympics.

The mop-haired 26-year-old became India's first track-and-field athlete to win an Olympic gold in Tokyo and will carry the hopes of a nation on his shoulders in Paris.

Chopra had pulled out of the Ostrava Golden Spike meeting last month after injuring his adductor muscle but there was no signs of any discomfort on Tuesday as he hurled a winning throw of 85.97m in his third attempt.

"I am happy with my adductor now because I could do all six throws," Chopra, who has a personal best of 89.94m, said on the tournament website.

"I will try to stay healthy in the next weeks, because then I will throw my best throws."

Chopra had also missed the Ostrava meet last year because of a similar injury.

"Every year I have some problems with my adductor, maybe after the Olympics I am going to talk to different doctors," he said.

"Initially I wanted to compete more this season, but it was not possible due to my niggles."

Chopra will move to Germany to continue training under his German coach Klaus Bartonietz and is also considering training in Turkey before the Olympics.

"Most of the time I train with my coach and physio, but from time to time we exchange with other coaches like Jan Zelezny," he said referring to the Czech javelin great.