'I believe we have already missed the opportunity to cancel ... We have been cornered into a situation where we cannot even stop now. We are damned if we do, and damned if we do not.'
Dominic Thiem will clash with Serbia's Novak Djokovic in the men's singles final of the Australian Open. The Austrian made the title round with a 3-6, 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(4) victory Germany's Alexander Zverev in the second semi-final at Melbourne Park on Friday. Djokovic beat great rival Roger Federer 7-6(1), 6-4, 6-3 in the first semi-final on Thursday.
Hungarian Timea Babos and France's Kristina Mladenovic defeated Russian duo Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina 6-4, 6-3 to win the women's doubles title at the Australian Open on Friday.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said for the first time on Monday that the Tokyo Olympic Games may need to be postponed if the event cannot be held in its 'complete form' due to the coronavirus pandemic. Abe said that while cancelling the Games was not an option, a delay was now on the cards if that was the only way to hold the event in its complete form.
Two women are in contention to become prime minister for the first time in Japan's history -- a potential turning point for a country that ranks below Saudi Arabia in terms of female political representation, points out Rajaram Panda.
Around 15 years ago, when Reliance Industries (RIL) struck natural gas in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) basin off the east coast, the government made plans to supply that fuel cheaply to scores of generators that sprang up in India triggered by the discovery. Most of the plants, which account for 6 per cent of India's total generation capacity, operate sparsely after the KG-D6 area first failed to meet production targets, and then finally shut shop. Affordable domestic gas was why those thermal plants came up and the rate of the fuel today is why those generators hardly operate. Record liquefied natural gas (LNG) rates may yet again unravel India's ambitions to expand use of gas in industries, households and vehicles. Rates, while volatile, may stay strong this decade as developed nations with higher purchasing power embrace gas as the transition fuel.
Wellness expert Roopashree Sharma answers your health queries.
'Instead of making this a four-year phenomenon, when you look at us and get thrilled, do it more regularly.'
The Olympics were due to begin on Friday with an extravagant opening ceremony in the National Stadium but the Games have instead been delayed until July 23, 2021 because of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Atanu Biswas explains the economics behind hosting a Games in pandemic times.
'But it could be a very different Games to what we're used to.'
The IOC has remained committed to staging the Tokyo Games as planned from July 24-Aug. 9, saying on Tuesday after a meeting with international sports federations that measures against the virus were delivering results.
Born with six toes on each foot, Swapna is stubborn from childhood, said the secretary of the Jalpaiguri District Athletics Association Ujjal Das Chowdhury, who has followed Swapna's career from close quarters.
During the ancient Olympic Games, athletes who emerged victorious were awarded 'Kotinos' or olive wreaths
Sushil Kumar fades, Bajrang Punia rises
In this pandemic, why can't we have multiple locations for various disciplines, all of it then merged into a virtual convergence called the Olympics instead of one massive event in one city, asks Shyam G Menon.
The International Olympic Committee and the Japanese government agreed last month to postpone the Games because of the global coronavirus outbreak. The costs of rearranging the Games and who will pay them have yet to be clarified by either the IOC or the Japanese government.
Japan on Friday extended a state of emergency in Tokyo and other areas by about three weeks to June 20 as the COVID-19 pandemic shows no signs of easing less than two months before the Summer Olympics open.
Spring is here! The cherry blossoms have bloomed. The famous flowers are blooming around the world. The results are always stunning, and the frenzy for the beloved flowers can't be understated. Check out the blooms in the photos below:
'As to the breakdown...I also understand that the IOC has stated it is too soon and too early to tell.'
India sign off Paralympics with an unparalleled 19 medals: 5 gold, 8 silver, 6 bronze.
Swapna Barman, on Wednesday created history by becoming the first Indian heptathlete to win an Asian Games gold in Jakarta, a feat he achieved despite competing with pain due to a toothache.
World Athletics president Sebastian Coe says his sport can have a huge influence on helping the post-pandemic world address the global health crisis and is making plans to ensure that it is ready to take on that responsibility.
These 12 images that prove we live in a wonderfully weird world!
From sharing medals to defections to gestures on the medals podium to punching horses, the Tokyo Olympics had it all.
Serena Williams ended the fairytale run of Mirjana Lucic-Baroni at the Australian Open on Thursday with a crushing 6-2, 6-1 win that set up a final against her sister Venus.
Plans that had been almost a decade in the making were shredded as the COVID-19 pandemic forced the IOC and Japanese government to take the unprecedented decision to postpone the Olympics for a year.
'I spoke to Roger and Rafa a few days ago and we had a conversation about the near future of tennis. How we can contribute to help lower ranked guys who are obviously struggling the most.'
Qualifying took place at a sunny Suzuka on Sunday morning after being postponed from its usual Saturday slot due to the approach of Typhoon Hagibis.
French Open champion Stanislas Wawrinka will join Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal at this year's pre-Wimbledon warm-up event at Queen's Club, Aegon Championships organisers said.
Athletes already qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will need to be picked again by their respective National Olympic Committees to compete at the postponed Games in 2021, the International Olympic Committee said. Those athletes, the IOC said, would keep their qualification but would need to be re-selected for next year by their National Olympic Committee again as they represented a nation and not themselves.
Bach's two-day visit to Tokyo is likely to bolster Japan's efforts to stage the Olympics, but will do little to assuage the concerns of a public deeply worried about the spread of the virus.
Eight images that prove we live in a truly bizarre world.
Asian Games gold-medallist Indian heptathlete Swapna Burman said she will leave no stone unturned to compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics but achieving the qualification standard will be a tough task.
Last month, the Tokyo 2020 Games were postponed to July 2021 due to the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic.
'The limit of not playing the match is really high, it's like it needs to be above 45 degrees and humidity. I think this limit should be a little lower because playing in this condition is not nice for anyone'
Despite former world No 1 Serena Williams not being in action for almost a year, British No 1 Johanna Konta still views Williams as the player to beat at the Australian Open in 2018.
Calls from athletes and federations for a delay in the Games, which is scheduled to run from July 24 to Aug. 9, have intensified as the flu-like virus has brought sport to a grinding halt across the world.
Second seed Novak Djokovic outclassed Roger Federer in straight sets to enter the final of Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday. Seven-time champion Djokovic started off slowly before he took complete control to register an emphatic 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory in the first semi-final.
Tickets have been snapped up in Japan, with over three million sold during the first domestic lottery last May. Hot demand for later sales also left many potential buyers disappointed. Organisers have repeatedly said the July 24 to Aug. 9 Games will go ahead as scheduled but with the rapid spread of the coronavirus bringing the sports world to a virtual standstill fears are growing the Olympics may be cancelled or postponed.
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