AITA, on Tuesday, made its displeasure clear by saying that the country’s top players, including Nagal, Yuki Bhambri and Sasikumar Mukund, refused national duty.
Sumit Nagal
By Eastern EyeSep 26, 2024
THE All India Tennis Association last Thursday (19) claimed that Sumit Nagal demanded an annual fee of $50,000 to play Davis Cup ties for India but the country’s top singles player defended himself, saying it is “standard practice” for athletes to be paid for their services.
Nagal had opted out of the recent Davis Cup tie against Sweden, citing a back strain that also forced him out of the US Open men’s doubles competition last month.
It was India’s best chance to beat Sweden in their own backyard but competing without a singles specialist, the team received a 4-0 hammering. Packed with doubles players and debutants, the team could not even win a set in the World Group I tie.
AITA, on Tuesday, made its displeasure clear by saying that the country’s top players, including Nagal, Yuki Bhambri and Sasikumar Mukund, refused national duty.
Nagal had entered the ATP 250 Hangzhou Open and was scheduled to play on Thursday but withdrew citing the same back issue.
“You tell me why should a player be asking for money to play for the country. This is a big question. He had demanded an annual fee of $50,000 (£37,000) and said if he is not paid, he will not play,” said Anil Dhupar manager of Indian Davis Cup team.
Largely restricted to World Group I, India play only two ties in a single season — in February and September. “Let the country decide if it is right or not. Then, it is the decision of the government and everybody. And it’s not that they don’t get paid for playing the Davis Cup. They do get paid,” Dhupar said.
The AITA head was referring to the prize money that AITA receives from the International Tennis Federation (ITF) for Davis Cup participation and distributes among team members.
For a World Group I tie, AITA gets around `30 lakh (£26,791) and 70 per cent of it is distributed among the participating players while the remaining 30 per cent is kept by the national federation to manage administrative expenditure.
The prize money goes down for a lower group tie. “No other player asked for additional money over and above their share of the ITF prize money,” he added.
A former India Davis Cupper confirmed to PTI there have been instances in the past when the country’s leading players asked for money to play Davis Cup and those demands were accepted.
Nagal did not deny the AITA claim as he put his defence through a statement on social media.
“Regarding compensation, I want to clarify that it is standard practice in professional sports for athletes to be compensated for their participation in events, even when representing their country.
“This is not about personal gain. My discussions with AITA and the Davis Cup captain are confidential, and I would not like to indulge in any speculation about this,” he wrote in his statement.
Nagal said representing the country was always “a privilege and an honour that I hold in the highest regard.”
“It was a difficult decision to withdraw from the Davis Cup matches…However, after consulting with my medical team, it became clear that competing while carrying an injury could not only jeopardise my health but also adversely impact the team’s chances.
“I believe it is better for the team and for the country to have someone at 100 per cent rather than risking further injury and potentially disrupting the match. I had informed AITA well in advance about my inability to participate,” he wrote, defending his decision to pull out.
It has been learnt that captain Rohit Rajpal had taken Nagal’s proposal to the AITA Executive Committee which, after initial reluctance, agreed to pay him but asked the captain to renegotiate the figure.
However, before an agreement could be reached, Nagal withdrew from the tie and the discussion on the matter ended without progress. Nagal, during the tie, criticised AITA on social media platforms, saying many of them were there just to enjoy junkets. “I look forward to future opportunities to wear the national colours and make my country proud, both on and off the court.”
Nagal had skipped the tie against Pakistan too early this year, conveying to the team management that the contest was being played on grass court and his game was more suited to the hard surfaces.
Djokovic beats Cobolli in four sets to reach last four
Serbian, seeking 25th Grand Slam title, next faces Sinner
Djokovic reaches record 14th Wimbledon singles semi-final
Novak Djokovic was given an early scare but continued his bid for a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon trophy and standalone 25th Grand Slam title by beating Italian Flavio Cobolli 6-7(6) 6-2 7-5 6-4 on Wednesday to reach the semi-finals.
The 38-year-old's fightback helped him reach a record 14th singles semi-final at the All England Club, where he will face top seed Jannik Sinner, with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz or Taylor Fritz awaiting in the title clash.
"A lot of numbers, a lot of numbers in the head," Serbian Djokovic said.
"Wimbledon was, is, and always will be the most special tournament that we have in our sport, at least in my opinion and I think in many players' opinion. It means the world to me that I'm still able at 38 to play in the final stages of Wimbledon.
"Another thing that makes me feel very young is competing with youngsters, Cobolli today ... I enjoy sliding and running around the court with him and all the other guys.
"I'm going to have Sinner next so I look forward to that. It's going to be a great match."
Cobolli, the 22nd seed, showed tremendous mental fortitude to recover a break after going 3-5 down in the first set, which he edged in a tiebreak by letting rip blistering winners from his orange-framed racket to draw loud cheers on Centre Court.
"I have to say huge congratulations to Flavio for an amazing tournament, but also a great battle today," Djokovic added.
"Great performance from him ... He played at a really high level. I think what surprised me a lot is his serve."
Former Roma youth soccer player Cobolli, who switched to tennis after watching Djokovic, was given a masterclass in the next set, however, and his idol broke for a 6-5 lead thanks to a slew of errors before tightening his grip on the contest.
With his thinking cap on in fading sunlight, Djokovic earned break points early in the fourth set with vintage tennis but was hitting his shoe with his racket after wasting them, before he fell to the ground with the finish line in sight.
Djokovic dusted himself off and served out the victory to go past Roger Federer's semi-finals record at the All England Club and reach a record-extending 52nd Grand Slam semi-final.
I had a nasty slip. But that's what happens when you play on grass," Djokovic said.
"It did come at an awkward moment, but I managed to find a good serve and close it out."
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After years of nightmare outings at the spiritual home of lawn tennis,
Swiatek completes full set of Grand Slam semi-final appearances
Polish eighth seed will meet Bencic in last four
Swiatek extends record over Samsonova to 5-0
The balls kept on listening to Iga Swiatek on Wednesday as the Polish eighth seed walloped Liudmila Samsonova 6-2 7-5 to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals for the first time.
After years of nightmare outings at the spiritual home of lawn tennis, Swiatek appears to have finally conquered her grasscourt demons as she said the "ball has been really listening" to her at Wimbledon this year.
That was certainly in evidence on Wednesday as from the moment Swiatek launched into a 105mph ace to save break point in the opening game, the ball dutifully obeyed the Pole as winner after winner flew off her racket.
"Honestly, it feels great. I have goosebumps after this win. I am super happy and super proud of myself and I will keep going," a thrilled Swiatek told the crowd after setting up a semi-final showdown with unseeded Swiss Belinda Bencic.
"I really enjoy playing (on grass) this year and hopefully it is going to last as long as possible. I worked really hard to progress here on this surface."
From 2-2 in the first set, the five-times Grand Slam champion suffocated her Russian opponent on a hot and sticky Court One, winning seven games in a row with some ferocious forehands from the baseline that left Samsonova gasping for air.
There was simply no place to hide for Samsonova, who does not like discovering the identity of her opponents until the 11th hour, as Swiatek won all of her first serve points during the opening set.
Swiatek must have thought she would be back in her rented Wimbledon home before too long to tuck into her favourite dish -- pasta tossed with strawberries and yoghurt -- as she led 6-1 3-0.
However, Samsonova clung on for dear life despite surrendering her serve twice in the second set by misfiring double faults on break points.
The 19th seed, who was inspired to pick up a tennis racket after watching compatriot Maria Sharapova playing on TV, managed to break the Swiatek serve not once but twice to level the second set at 4-4.
The fightback failed to throw off Swiatek, however, as the Pole never dropped her incredible intensity and continued to threaten to take the racket out of her opponent's hand with the astonishing power she was generating from the baseline.
So loud was the thundering 'thwack' sound as her racket made contact with the ball that startled spectators were often jolted in their seats. It also unnerved Samsonova, whose Wimbledon hopes crumbled under 38 unforced and 16 forced errors.
Four games later it was all over as Swiatek skipped around the court in celebration after hitting a brutal service return winner to complete her full set of semi-final appearances at the four majors.
"Right now it's tough to understand what happened exactly," said Samsonova, whose bid to reach a Grand Slam semi-final for the first time ended in heartbreak as she succumbed to a fifth successive defeat to Swiatek.
"It's incredible what I have achieved, but right now I cannot feel it.
"Today Iga was at top level. Everyone knows that she's the one who I would love to beat. In the future, maybe...," she added as her voice trailed off.
Reuters
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli (C), along with his teammates, celebrates with the trophy after winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 final cricket match against Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 4, 2025. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)
THE Indian Premier League's business value has been estimated at $18.5 billion (£13.5bn) with reigning champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru its wealthiest franchise, according to a report by an investment bank.
The world's richest cricket tournament has been a top revenue earner for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and in 2020 was estimated to generate more than $11bn (£8bn) a year for the Indian economy.
According to US investment bank Houlihan Lokey, which has valued several sports franchises around the world, the brand value of the 10-team T20 franchise tournament has seen a sharp rise of 13.8 per cent to $3.9bn (£2.8bn) over the past year.
Bengaluru, who along with star player Virat Kohli won their first IPL title this year, have overtaken five-time winners Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians to achieve a brand value of $269 million (£196m). Mumbai is second with $242m (£176m), followed by Chennai at $235m (£171m).
The Houlihan Lokey report called the IPL "a global phenomenon" that has become more than just a cricket league.
"The IPL continues to set benchmarks in sports business. Franchise valuations have soared, media rights deals have reached record highs, and brand partnerships have diversified across sectors," Harsh Talikoti from Houlihan Lokey, said in a statement.
"The league's ability to attract global investors and sponsors reflects its status as a premier sports property with enduring appeal."
Bengaluru beat Punjab Kings for the title at the world's biggest cricket stadium in Ahmedabad in June to conclude the 18th edition of the league.
The report said the 2025 final had more than 678 million views on the official streaming platform JioHotstar, surpassing the India-Pakistan clash during the Champions Trophy in February this year.
The IPL, which is broadcast around the world and features top international stars such as Australia's Pat Cummins and England's Jos Buttler, mixes sport and showbusiness in a glitzy format, with a number of teams fronted by Bollywood movie superstars.
Since it launched in 2008 it has inspired a range of other franchise-based leagues in India in sports as diverse as boxing, badminton, poker and kabaddi, and spawned copycat cricket tournaments elsewhere.
(AFP)
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Sri Lanka's players pose with the trophy after winning the third and final one-day international (ODI) cricket match against Bangladesh at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy on July 8, 2025. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)
SRI LANKA stormed to a 99-run win over Bangladesh in the third and final ODI at Pallekele on Tuesday (8), sealing the three-match series 2-1 with a clinical all-round display.
Set a challenging target of 286, Bangladesh faltered under pressure and were bundled out for 186 inside 40 overs as Sri Lanka flexed their bowling muscle to wrap up the contest with ease.
The victory caps a remarkable turnaround for Sri Lanka in the 50-over format since their dismal World Cup campaign in India in 2023, where they finished ninth and failed to qualify for this year's Champions Trophy.
Since that debacle, they have won seven of nine ODI series, including notable triumphs over heavyweights Australia and India.
"This is probably one of our best games," Sri Lanka captain Charith Asalanka said. "We were under pressure and we wanted to win badly and Kusal Mendis was superb today. When we ended up scoring 285, we knew we had the runs on the board and the bowlers' job became easy."
The architect of the series-deciding win against Bangladesh was indeed Mendis, who silenced his critics with 124 off 114 balls – his sixth ODI hundred.
The wicketkeeper-batter came into the game under fire after his rash dismissal during Sri Lanka's 16-run defeat in the second ODI in Colombo.
But at Pallekele, with the series on the line, Mendis dropped anchor and rebuilt the innings with a mature knock laced with 18 boundaries.
Coming in during the fourth over, he put on a vital 124-run stand for the fourth wicket with skipper Asalanka to lay the foundation for a competitive total.
Sri Lanka's Kusal Mendis celebrates after scoring a century (100 runs) during the match. (Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA/AFP via Getty Images)
"Very pleased with the knock today. Was disappointed with what happened in Colombo. I had got a start and couldn't finish," said Mendis, who was named man of the match and player of the series.
"Here I was determined to bat through the innings and very satisfied."
At one stage the hosts looked set for a 300-plus total, but Bangladesh clawed back with tight death bowling to restrict them to 285 for seven.
The target proved to be a tall ask once the tourists' top order caved in.
Dushmantha Chameera, returning to the fold in this series after more than a year on the sidelines due to injury, hit the deck hard and was a handful with the new ball.
The right-arm quick rattled the stumps of in-form Najmul Hossain Shanto (0) with a gem that jagged back sharply to kiss the top of off.
With Towhid Hridoy then offering some resistance with a half-century, Chameera returned to breach his defence with another sharp in-swinging delivery that crashed through the gate.
The quick finished with three for 51 and was ably supported by Asitha Fernando, who also claimed three wickets. The two sides will now be involved in a three-match T20I series beginning Thursday, also at Pallekele.
"We started off well and we tried to bat positive, but the scoreboard pressure got to us," Bangladesh captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz said.
"But we are rebuilding the team and (there are) a lot of young players... we have a lot of positives."
(AFP)
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Red Bull Racing's British team principal and CEO Christian Horner. (Photo by JOE KLAMAR/AFP via Getty Images)
CHRISTIAN HORNER is to leave his role as Red Bull team principal with immediate effect after 20 years, the Formula One team announced on Wednesday (9).
He oversaw a period of dominance by the team with eight world titles won and the drivers' championship claimed eight times, with Max Verstappen winning the past four titles, and six constructors' crowns.
However, Horner's fortunes have dipped in the past 18 months after being accused of sexual harassment and coercive, controlling behaviour by a female employee.
Although Horner, whose wife in former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell stood by him during the testing time, was cleared twice, there have been rumblings of discontent within the team, several high-profile departures, and their form has tailed off.
"Red Bull has released Christian Horner from his operational duties with effect from today (July 9, 2025) and has appointed Laurent Mekies as CEO of Red Bull Racing," read the statement from Red Bull.
Oliver Mintzlaff, CEO Corporate Projects and Investments, paid the departing team chief a fulsome tribute.
"We would like to thank Christian Horner for his exceptional work over the last 20 years," he said in a statement.
"With his tireless commitment, experience, expertise and innovative thinking, he has been instrumental in establishing Red Bull Racing as one of the most successful and attractive teams in Formula 1.
"Thank you for everything, Christian, and you will forever remain an important part of our team history."
Horner's departure comes amid speculation that Verstappen may be tempted to jump ship to Mercedes.
Although the 27-year-old Dutchman won the title last year, he only stood on the top step of the podium twice in the final 14 races.
Other key figures responsible for Red Bull's dominance have left in the past year-and-a-half.
Legendary designer Adrian Newey signed for Aston Martin and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley joined Sauber, who are beginning to show signs of his influence with Nico Hulkenberg claiming his first ever podium finish in last Sunday's British Grand Prix.
Verstappen by contrast finished a disappointing fifth, having started on pole.
He is clearly unhappy with the car, saying during the race "this car is just so difficult to drive", which only further served to ferment the talks of a departure.
Verstappen is languishing 69 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri at the halfway point of the campaign.
Red Bull are fourth in the constructors' standings, 288 points behind leaders McLaren with Ferrari and Mercedes also ahead of them in the standings.