Sports

Mumbai Open: Shrivalli and Maaya Advance to Singles Quarterfinals

Published

2 years ago

February 7, 2025

Shrivalli Bhamidipaty and 15-year-old rising star Maaya Rajeshwaran have made their way into the singles quarterfinals of the Mumbai Open 2025 WTA 125 Series at the Cricket Club of India.

Shrivalli showcased an impressive performance against Serbia’s Aleksandra Kruncic, securing a dominant victory with a score of 6-4, 6-0. Meanwhile, Maaya benefited from a fortunate turn of events when her opponent, Zarina Diyas, withdrew during the second set. Indian veteran Ankita Raina also fought hard but faced a narrow defeat in her Round of 16 match.

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Shrivalli displayed remarkable resilience, rallying back after dropping the first three games. Known for her powerful serve, she won four consecutive games to take the first set 6-4.

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With the momentum on her side, Shrivalli was unstoppable in the second set, covering the baseline with agility and executing smart shot selections. She clinched the second set at 6-0, securing her place in the quarterfinals. Remarkably, she is also advancing in the doubles competition alongside partner Riya Bhatia.

Next on center court was Maaya, who dazzled with impressive winners and kept Zarina Diyas under pressure. She took the first set 6-3 and was leading 3-2 in the second set when Diyas unfortunately had to retire due to illness, granting Maaya a spot in the quarterfinals of her first senior tournament.

Earlier, Ankita Raina put up a strong fight against second seed Rebecca Marino but ultimately lost in a closely contested match with scores of 7-5, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5). The first set saw both players trading games, and despite a spirited response from Ankita in the second set, where she won 6-2, the final set went down to a tense tie-breaker, which Marino edged out.

On another court, eighth-seeded Mananchaya Sawangkaew of Thailand completed a remarkable comeback, defeating 19-year-old Linda Fruhvirtova of the Czech Republic with scores of 4-6, 6-2, 6-0. After dropping the first set, Sawangkaew rallied back with aggressive returns and strong baseline play to dominate the final two sets.

Japanese player Mei Yamaguchi also advanced, defeating Switzerland’s Simona Waltert in a thrilling three-set match, 7-6, 2-6, 6-4, showcasing her tactical skills and steady performance.

In doubles, India celebrated further success as Prarthana Thombare and Arianne Hartono triumphed over Nao Hibino and Oksana Kalashnikova, winning 6-1, 6-3 to reach the semifinals. The third-seeded duo of Eden Silva and Anastasia Tikhonova from Britain and Russia also secured their place in the semifinals, overcoming American pair Jessie Aney and Jessica Failla in straight sets, 7-5, 7-5.

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Entertainment

Cristiano Ronaldo Marries Longtime Partner Georgina Rodriguez

Published

4 days ago

August 14, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports: Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has married his longtime partner, Georgina Rodriguez, in a private ceremony.

Ronaldo reportedly tied the knot with Georgina on Tuesday, August 11. The couple surprised fans by sharing an official wedding photo on social media.

The picture shows Ronaldo and Georgina holding hands while wearing their wedding rings. The couple appeared happy as they marked the special occasion.

The wedding took place in Cascais, a picturesque coastal town near Portugal’s capital, Lisbon. The ceremony was kept extremely private, with only their five children reportedly attending the occasion.

Ronaldo and Georgina first met in Madrid in 2016. They have been together for nearly a decade.

The couple has five children: Cristiano Jr., twins Eva and Mateo, Alana Martina, and Bella Esmeralda.

Ronaldo is one of the most decorated footballers in the world. He has scored a record 146 goals for Portugal in international football and has won the prestigious Ballon d’Or award five times.

He recently represented Portugal at the FIFA World Cup, making it the sixth World Cup of his career. At club level, Ronaldo currently plays for Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr.

He is expected to return to action when the new domestic season begins on Saturday.

Sports

India Wins Two Silver Medals at Commonwealth Games

Published

3 weeks ago

July 29, 2026

Namma Kudla

Sports:India added two more silver medals to its Commonwealth Games tally as Gulveer Singh and Harjinder Kaur delivered impressive performances.

Gulveer Singh created history by becoming the first Indian to win a medal in the men’s 10,000m event. He finished second with a time of 27:49.78, while Australia’s Kai Robinson won gold.

In weightlifting, Harjinder Kaur claimed the silver medal in the women’s 69kg category. The 29-year-old improved on her bronze medal from the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and earned India’s seventh weightlifting medal at the Games.

Sports

India Opens Medal Account at Commonwealth Games as Jhandu Kumar Wins Bronze

Published

3 weeks ago

July 25, 2026

Namma Kudla

Glasgow: India opened its medal account at the Commonwealth Games after para powerlifter Jhandu Kumar won the bronze medal in the men’s heavyweight event on Friday.

The 28-year-old athlete, who is affected by polio, delivered a strong performance in the competition. Jhandu successfully lifted 181 kg in his first attempt.

He then lifted 190 kg in his second attempt. He attempted 196 kg in his final lift but was unable to complete it.

He finished with a total of 130.9 points to secure the bronze medal. Nigeria’s Idris Rilwan won the gold medal with 132.8 points.

Great Britain’s Matthew Harding claimed the silver medal with 131 points. Another Indian athlete, Sudhir, finished sixth with 114.1 points in the same event.

Earlier on the opening day of the Games, Indian para powerlifter Ashok Malik narrowly missed a medal after finishing fourth.

Jhandu Kumar’s bronze medal gave India its first medal of the Commonwealth Games.