The Week in Sports: Featuring Lewis Hamilton, Younis Khan, Caroline Wozniacki and Pankaj Advani
There is never a dull moment for those that embrace sport. Cliched as that might be, it has never rung more true that it does in this era of high definition television and an insatiable desire for high octane excitement. Sport has woven itself into the modern conscious, much as movies did in the previous century of human existence. There are leagues everywhere you turn, spinning heroic yarns of redemption and glory from an eclectic mix of sporting endeavour.
In this weekly feature, we shall try and bring you the five moments that defined the week from some of the biggest sporting spectacles around the world. Belt up and join the ride. It might be a bumpy ride, but you will not miss a worthy tale from the world of sport.
Pankaj Advani’s glorious tryst with immortality
We are a nation starved of success, despite an abundant crop of sporting talent. So it is only natural that we delight in the success of our countrymen with a little more verve than we might otherwise. Cueist Advani gave Indians plenty to cheer about this past week with his gladiatorial achievements in the United Kingdom. The 29 year old from Bengaluru has been chipping away at the edifice of greatness for many years now. And the journey is only getting more and more intoxicating for both the athlete and his army of admirers with every passing year.
Advani won his 12th time format World Billiards title in Leeds on Thursday, just a week after winning the point format title on Diwali day. It was a perfect birthday gift to his doting mother, who was celebrating her birthday on October 30. Advani beat Robert Hall, a promising Englishman, 1928-893 with a commanding performance. That helped the Indian complete his third “Grand Double” and become the only man ever to accomplish the historic feat. Victory over Peter Gilchrist had earned Advani the point format (150up) title the previous week.
Advani, with time on his side, is chasing immortality. Mike Russell leads the stakes with his 17 World Billiards titles (in the classic points format), but even the 45 year old can only boast of two grand doubles. Advani’s earlier double delights came from Malta in 2005 and Bengaluru in 2008. Given the young man’s monk like focus and unwavering determination, it could only be a matter of time before overhauls the great Russell and script his own folklore.
Central Zone pull off a heroic victory in the Duleep Trophy finals
It isn’t over until it is over, they say. And a spirited Central Zone team proved the adage right with their performance at the Ferozeshah Kotla last week. Their captain Piyush Chawla was playing his 100th domestic match, but a dominant South Zone team seemed set to spoil his party. The team from the South had the upper hand for every session leading into the final day’s play.
South Zone needed just 291 in the fourth innings to claim the title. The team knocked off 184 of those runs on the fourth day, needing just 117 on the final day with nine wickets still in their bag to get the job done. Lokesh Rahul, who had already notched up his second hundred of the match and the dependable Baba Aparajith were at the crease looking at their assured best.
But then Central was not willing to give up and South was finding the scent of victory too good to believe. In a cataclysmic meltdown, South Zone surrendered their last seven wickets for a meagre 39 runs, leaving Central Zone victors by a small matter of nine runs. It happened to be their first Duleep Trophy in ten years and perhaps the most memorable for they never really seemed in control of the match, barring in the final moments of an epic encounter.
It is a match that taught us again about the virtues of sport and the many layers of drama and theatre that characterise even the most mundane of sporting encounters. A match that seemed ordinary for the most part was turned on its head through an unlikely upheaval that made for riveting excitement at the very end. A classic for the ages.
Lewis Hamilton’s bold aggression inches him closer to his dream
The molten moments of intensity that shape champions draw us to sport, sucking us into an unparalleled world of excitement and thrilling spectacle. The British formula one racer provided us some seat edge excitement with his spectacular racing at the US Grand Prix over the weekend. Hamilton was behind his team mate and chief rival, Nico Rosberg who was the better driver leading into the race.
But after trailing him through the 24th lap, Hamilton saw a small crack when Rosberg went wide at turn 12 and drove right through his fellow Mercedes driver to assume the lead. Once in front, Hamilton was unstoppable. He went on to clinch his tenth victory of the season, stretching his lead to 24 points over Rosberg. The season though is far from over, with Brazil and Abu Dhabi set to host the last two events of the season.
With the final race in Abu Dhabi set for a double point dash, the race will reach the desert irrespective of the outcome in Brazil. Mercedes is already enjoying a record season, with ten one-two finishes so far. The team will hope to provide both their drivers a reliable car to see them race to the end as they draw the curtains on what has been an intriguingly acrimonious rivaly on and off the tarmac.
Meanwhile, some of the feats accomplished by Hamilton this season have been awe inspiring. He has emulated Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel as the only drivers to have won 10 races in a single season. Hamilton also joins legendary British racers Jim Clark and Nigel Mansell as the third driver from his country to have won five races in a row. Hamilton is now the most successful British driver ever, having won his 32nd grand prix in Texas last week.
Perseverance pays handsome dividends for Younis Khan
The story is only complete when you think it is. Despite mounting criticism at home and elsewhere, Younis Khan seemed to have kept the faith. The veteran cricketer let his bat do all the fluent talking amidst perceived indifference from the men that administer the game in Pakistan.
Ignored for both the T20 and one day internationals, Khan may have been smarting from the slight, but he responded in majestic style. Both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, where he scored three straight centuries including a marathon double hundred in the second test, Khan was back at his sublime best.
Peeved as he was at being sidelined from the 50 over format, Younis Khan turned adversity into opportunity by helping his team clinch a convincing 2-0 series victory. It was Pakistan’s first series triumph over the Aussies in 20 years and the man of the series award seemed just reward for an aggrieved soldier.
Younis, troubled by the selectors decision to leave him out of the shorter formats, was on the brink of giving the tour a complete miss. But he was convinced by friends and family to keep it together and the decision has paid off rich dividends.
In the run up to the series, the PCB had confirmed that the nearly 37 year old cricketer had violated the code of conduct for players. But the board had stopped just short of taking penal action, letting the seasoned cricketer off with a stern warning.
Khan became the first batsman since Herbert Sutcliffe (1924-25) to score three hundreds in a row against the Aussies. He also joined Sutcliffe and Donald Bradman as the only batsman (with more than 10 innings) to enjoy an average above 50 in each of the four innings in test cricket.
He harbours a desire to play in the World Cup, early next year. But it remains to be seen if the selectors are willing to swallow their pride and reverse their decision to leave Khan from their plans for the shorter format of the game.
Incidentally, Australia had wiped the slate clean in those matches where Younis was not a part of the Pakistan team. The tourists won the ODI series 3-0 and also won the lone T20 international to make a robust winning start.
Caroline Wozniacki woos the world from the streets of New York
But the big hero of the week and the last word should belong to Caroline Wozniacki. Dealing with an abrupt separation and indifferent form for much of the season, the fiesty Dane has responded with great character on and off the courts. In the dignified manner of her responses to the situation surrounding her break-up with Rory McIlroy and her subsequent losses at the French Open and the Wimbledon, Wozniacki was a picture of grace amidst heart breaking pain.
After a brief holiday with her good friend Serena Williams, the Dane seemed revitalised as she put on a far more improved showing the hard court season. Even more importantly, Wozniacki chose to run the gruelling New York City Marathon, becoming the first active tennis player to have done the feat. Many thought it was a crazy choice and sought to dissuade the affable Dane from doing the race.
But Wozniacki was committed, deciding to run the 42 km race and raise money for a charity called Team for Kids. The 24 year old got to the USA after her last match of the season in Singapore with less than a week left for the run. Three days prior to the marathon, she was indulging in a Halloween party that finished at 0400 in the morning. A day before the race, she was at a Rangers game with Serena loading up on popcorn. Far from ideal preparation for a marathon as demanding as the one in the Big Apple.
Perhaps determination and a positive demeanour were her friends as she pinned her number to the chest, dressed in a pink and black ensemble. Wozniacki outdid all expectations, averaging 7.53 minutes to the mile to complete the marathon in 3hrs 26mins 33secs. Serena was at the finish line to hand her the medal and dissolve her body in a warm embrace that underlined their growing friendship.
Now all Wozniacki needs is a grand slam title to complete her inspiring resume.