The German, whose bid for a fifth crown petered out last year in mistakes and misfortune, had already been facing questions about whether he was making too many errors to win the championship.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Sunday
Asian champion Suranjoy Singh became the first Indian boxer to clinch a gold medal at the inter-continental President's Cup after out-punching Frenchman Nordine Oubaali 8-1 in the flyweight (51kg) final, in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Friday. The 22-year-old Manipuri's triumph also fetched him US $3,000 at the prestigious season-ending event, where confederations from Asia, America, Africa, Europe and Oceania are pitted against each other.
Asian champion Suranjoy Singh (51kg) humbled Olympic bronze medallist Vincenzo Picardi in the quarter-finals to assure himself medal in the season-ending President's Cup boxing tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Wednesday. Representing the Asia One team, the Indian won his opening bout 6-4 and will now take on Mexico's Braulio Avila, who is competing for Americas Two team, in Thursday's semi-finals.
With a wrist injury ruling out Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh for the President's Cup Boxing Tournament, the Indian challenge would be spearheaded by Asian champion Suranjoy Singh at the tournament starting December 6 in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Ricciardo, in blistering form since Thursday practice around the streets of the tiny Mediterranean principality, made sure of the top slot for his team's 250th race start with a quickest lap of one minute 10.810 seconds.
Garry Kasparov hated losing but in defeat, to an "alien opponent" incapable of fear or the faintest flicker of emotion, the youngest of chess champions and greatest of grandmasters made history. He became a grandmaster at 17 and world champion at 22 in 1985 when the charismatic youngster beat Soviet establishment hero Anatoly Karpov.
Playing his second white in the event, Anand tried the Rossolimo variation to counter Carlsen's Sicilian defense, an opening that the Norwegian chose second time against Anand in the current year.
Andrea Pirlo says he has no hard feelings towards Italy coach Antonio Conte after the veteran playmaker was overlooked for next month's European Championship in France.
Asian champion Vikas Krishan (60kg) and Shiva Thapa (54kg) assured themselves of not just a medal but also a berth in the Youth Olympic Games after qualifying for the semi-finals of the World Youth Boxing Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan on Friday.
They showed big hearts. They were unfazed by the stature of their rivals and that's what is very important. You respect your rival but don't get intimidated by his CV, says India's High-Performance Director Santiago Nieva.
The Dutch, who have not missed a Euro finals since 1984, kept their playoff chances alive with a 2-1 win in Kazakhstan
Bhati claimed that SAI Project Manager Rajinder Pathania is not clearing the team because he wants to go for the two events.
Asian champion Suranjoy Singh maintained his rampaging form to out-punch Mexico's Baulio Avila and storm into the final of the season-ending President's Cup Boxing Tournament in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Thursday. The Indian pugilist, who is competing for the Asia One team, beat his opponent from the Americas Two team 10-4 in a lop-sided bout.
Next year's season-opening Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne has been brought forward to March 20, to allow space for an August break, after previously being listed for a later than usual start on April 3.
Stunned Mexican Sergio Perez said he put in the best laps of his Formula One career to get Force India back on the podium on Sunday.
Professional soccer leagues around Europe are gearing up for a return to action following the novel coronavirus stoppage, but some are more advanced than others.
India Test captain Virat Kohli became the second cricketer after Rohit Sharma to join the Pro Wrestling League bandwagon after he was named as the co-owner of the Bengaluru Yodhas team.
Boxer Shiv Thapa settled for a silver as he went down fighting to Cuban world champion Ramirez Robeisy Aloy in the bantam weight final on the penultimate day of the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore on Wednesday.
India's unbeaten run in the World Team Chess Championship on Monday came to a halt after they were handed a 1.5-2.5 defeat by top seed Russia, who remained on top of the tally after the sixth round.
World champion Viswanathan Anand continued to reign supreme bagging the Chess Oscar for the sixth time and becoming the first non-Russian to do so. Anand received the award from International Chess Federation (FIDE) President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov before the start of the President's Cup.
Jai Bhagwan pulled off a come-from-behind victory over Ireland's Eric Donovan to enter the pre-quarter-finals on Friday after Thokchom Nanao Singh pummeled Azerbaijan's Elvin Mamishzade in his opening bout at the World Boxing Championships in Milan. While Jai (60 kg) beat his opponent 11-6, Nanao (48 kg) demolished Mamishzade 21-6 late Thursday night to make it to the second round of the mega-event.
Jai Bhagwan pulled off a come-from-behind victory over Ireland's Eric Donovan to enter the pre-quarter-finals on Friday after Thokchom Nanao Singh pummeled Azerbaijan's Elvin Mamishzade in his opening bout at the World Boxing Championships in Milan. While Jai (60 kg) beat his opponent 11-6, Nanao (48 kg) demolished Mamishzade 21-6 late Thursday night to make it to the second round of the mega-event.
The economy is expected to grow by 3.2 per cent in 2010, Al-Mansouri said while addressing at the opening session of the UAE-Azerbaijan joint committee in the UAE capital on Monday.
Thirteen teams have now qualified for the last 32 including Bayer Leverkusen, FC Zurich and Lazio who had already secured places in the next stage of the competition.
World Champion Viswanathan Anand outclassed Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan 2-0 in the sixth round of the Amber Blindfold and Rapid Chess tournament in Nice, France on Saturday.
With Vikas Krishan making the cut for Olympics in the 75kg category, the door is shut on the much celebrated Vijender Singh, who was eyeing qualification to the Rio Games ever since the International Boxing Association (AIBA) allowed professional boxers to compete in the quadrennial showpiece.
Olympic medallist Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal entered the semi-finals of the Indonesia Masters' tournament after a straight-game win over Pornpawee Chochuwong of Thailand.
In a solid start, the Indian ace started off with as many as six drawn games and ended with three decisive games in a row. But for his loss against Fabiano Caruana of United States in the previous round, the Indian ace could have been at the helm in the strongest chess tournament of the year.
World rapid champion Viswanathan Anand continued his fine run in the faster version of the game and annexed the Tal Memorial rapid chess title in Moscow after an easy final round draw against Boris Gelfand of Israel.
World Rapid champion Viswanathan Anand came up with an inspired performance to outplay Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France
Asian silver medallist T Nano Singh lifted spirits in the Indian camp after scoring a thumping 21-6 victory over Mamishzade Elvin of Azerbaijan in the first round of the 48kg at the World Boxing Championships in Milan, Italy.
Here are the world's most courteous, friendly, helpful and efficient airline crews from each continent.
France squeezed a 1-0 victory out of an unconvincing performance in Wednesday's World Cup qualifier in the Faroe Islands while Germany laboured to a 2-0 win in Azerbaijan. Germany lead the group with 19 points from seven games, four more than second-placed Russia who have played six matches.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Friday
Asian Games gold medallist Jitu Rai has been recommended for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award for his exploits in pistol shooting in the last two years although he couldn't win a medal in the Rio Olympics. "Yes, we have recommended Jitu's name for Khel Ratna award," National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) secretary Rajiv Bhatia said. NRAI has also recommended woman rifle shooter Apurvi Chanela and men rifle shooters Gurpreet Singh and PN Prakash for the Arjuna Awards, according to Bhatia.
Koneru Humpy defeated lowly placed Zeinab Mamedjarova of Azerbaijan to stay in title race as Zhao Xue of China defeated overnight leader and compatriot Yifan Hao to emerge on top after the eighth round of the Is Bank Ataturk women's Grand Prix chess tournament in Istanbul on Tuesday.
British Prime Minister Gordon Brown launched a 3.6m pound initiative to develop Indian athletes for the Olympics.
Both Anand and Sethuraman inched themselves up to five points out of a possible seven and shared the joint eighth spot after a rather dull day that witnessed several draws on the top tables.
World champion Viswanathan Anand opened his campaign with a thumping win over Grandmaster Teimour Radjabov of Azerbaijan to take the sole lead after the first round of the 22nd Magistral Ciudad de Linares Chess tournament in Linares.
