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What a sad disappointment! BorneoPost Online | Borneo , Malaysia, Sarawak Daily News » Sports - New 2 Borneo

What a sad disappointment!

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 09:14 AM PST

by Matthew Umpang reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on January 26, 2014, Sunday

KUCHING: The fans were there. The much anticipated match against Kelantan played to a sold out Stadium Negri last night.

The Crocs played at home for the first time in the season's Super League.

The record-breaking giant Sarawak flag was on display.

But it was not to be Sarawak's night.

There were some early indicators during the match that the Crocs were getting into a rhythm in only their second

match in the nation's top tier league.

The home side certainly looked more organised compared to their performance in the previous match.

Joseph Kalang had a goal ruled offside in the 42nd minute.

Sarawak also had the greater share of possession in the match.

The Crocs clearly had more chances in Kelantan's penalty box. But the strike force just could not connect.

And just when it looked like both teams were destined to a scoreline draw – which would have been disappointing enough for local fans – tragedy struck.

A slip of concentration in defence, a stranded goalkeeper and Sarawak were cruelly punished by Francis Forkey Doe's goal in the 90th minute.

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Nicol claims maiden title this year

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 09:12 AM PST

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysian squash queen and world No 1, Datuk Nicol David got off to a better start in the new year, after clinching the 2014 Tournament of Champions title in the United States.

In the final match held at the Grand Central Terminal, New York yesterday, the 30-year-old Penangite put up a splendid performance to upstage her opponent, Laura Massaro of England.

She beat the world number two and second seed player in 11-4, 13-11 and 11-8 in 45 minutes.

On the victory, Nicol, who is also seven times world champion, said she was happy to win the tournament despite having to struggle in the first set against the Englishwoman.

"The ball got faster as we were playing and I was able to play some good and low attacking shots…I just kept telling myself to 'keep going, keep going and keep going' (in the second set)," she was quoted as saying in the tournament website's www.toc.com.

Meanwhile, in the men's category, seventh seed Amr Shabana of Egypt pulled off an upset by defeating top seed and world number two, Gregory Gaultier of France, 11-8, 11-3 and 11-4 in 42 minutes. — Bernama

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‘Five-stage car racing series, a boost for local motorsports’

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 09:10 AM PST

by Karen Bong. Posted on January 26, 2014, Sunday

KUCHING: Auto racing fans across Borneo can get their first taste of sound and speed in the race circuit at the first ever Single Seater Open Wheel Racing Car series to be held in Sarawak.

Borneo International Motorsports (BIM) Sdn Bhd will be organising the AAM Borneo Formula Series 2014 at the International Karting Circuit in Permyjaya, Miri.

Registration of the event is open to all racers in Sarawak, Brunei and Sabah.

The event is supported by Sarawak Automotive Racing Sport Association (Sarsa) and Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM).

12 Formula Campus Single Seater Open Wheel Racing cars will be imported into Miri for the event.

Assistant Youth Development Minister Datuk Abdul Karim Hamzah said yesterday that the event will be a good start to boost the car racing in Sarawak.

"Sarawak has seen quite a number of motorsports races being held including drag race, motocross and 'kap cai' race. And this new racing series will boost the development of motorsports in Sarawak," he told a media conference at Regency Rajah Court here.

"With a suitable track in Miri equipped with all the facilities and safety features, we can develop this form of sports in Sarawak and provide more opportunities for youths to showcase their skills and talents," he said.

"Moreover, the event will be a great tourism product for Sarawak as well. Visitors from Brunei and Sabah can head down to Miri to watch the races," he added.

BIM chief executive officer (CEO) Christopher Tiong revealed that a total of 12 professional drivers, including two from Sarawak, will be representing the corporate companies competing in the Team Series.

The only two Sarawakians in the team are junior champion driver Asha Hairy, 20, of Petronas Racing team and Tony Teo, who had entered the International Touring Car Racing.

"We are looking for sponsorships from corporate companies to join the race series by creating a team of their own in which they could benefit from having their corporate logo advertised on the car and suits as well as other promotional activities as we go along," he elaborated.

"We are very proud to be selected to hold this event which is also the first to be held outside Semenanjung Malaysia. This event will provide an even greater boost and impetus to the sport of car racing in Sarawak," he added.

With a new race series coming in and taking note of the storage problem at the circuit, Christopher said BIM will discuss the details on expanding the storage facility with the government for the usage of the public as well as private teams.

The races, divided into five stages, will be held throughout the year with the first round to start on March 22-23 followed by second round (May 10- 11), third round (June 14-15), fourth round (Sept 6-7) and the fifth round (Oct 18-19).

Besides the main race, Christopher said Borneo Rotax Challenge 2014, which is a Borneo Go-Karting Series, will also be included as a support race.

Meanwhile, Paul David of AAM said the event will be a great platform to source for new talents for motorsport.

"Most professional racers started with go-karting before progressing to Formula Campus cars and then to Formula 1 cars," he said.

Further details concerning corporate sponsorship can be obtained from the BIM office at 082-579337 or fax to 082-579637 or motorsports manager Jane Anthoney at 014-9990065.

Also present at the event were Sarsa representative Lucas Tan, Sarsa vice president Benjamin Maimoon and BIM executive director Clifford Tiong.

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Li Na wins Australian Open

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 09:09 AM PST

MELBOURNE: China's Li Na stormed to her second Grand Slam title yesterday, battling past underdog Dominika Cibulkova to win the Australian Open and give another huge boost to Asian tennis.

The 31-year-old fourth seed's 7-6 (7/3), 6-0 win crowned her the champion on her third attempt after losing the 2011 and 2013 finals, adding to the French Open title she won three years ago.

In doing so, she became the oldest winner of the women's title, surpassing Margaret Court who was 30 when she became champion in 1973.

The Chinese star also joins an exclusive list of just seven other players to win a Grand Slam at 30-plus, with her name now in the history books alongside greats such as Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Chris Evert and Serena Williams.

"I finally got here," she said after Evert awarded her the trophy, as she praised her husband Jiang Shan and coach Carlos Rodriguez.

"Thanks Carlos. He always believed that I could do well."

The win pushes her one place higher in the world rankings to three, just 11 points adrift of Victoria Azarenka in second behind Serena Williams.

It was a gutsy effort by the Chinese star, who overcame the pressure of having lost twice before while bearing the weight of expectation from her homeland of 1.3 billion people.

Li's 2011 French Open victory, the first Grand Slam win by an Asian player, dramatically raised the profile of tennis in China and she has become the figurehead for a push into Asia by women's tennis.

While the diminutive Cibulkova, nicknamed the "pocket rocket" has been in the best form of her life, Li was the favourite and used her experience to take out the Slovak after a tight first set lasting 70 minutes.

"This has been a fantastic two weeks of my life and I think I'm going to cry," said a tearful Cibulkova, 24, the first person from her country to make a Grand Slam final.

Li got off to the best possible start, going 1-0 up on the Cibulkova serve when the Slovak gifted her the game with a double-fault on a second break point.

The Chinese star comfortably, with the 24-year-old Slovak struggling to produce any decisive returns as her shots repeatedly failed to find their mark.

But she crucially came through the third game, fighting off two break points, one with a lovely passing shot, to stay in touch at 1-2. Li held in the next as she dictated the rallies, but her first serve was becoming a serious problem.

After three service games she had only got 13 per cent of first serves in and was seen looking at her husband in the crowd while pointing to her racquet.

This opened door for Cibulkova, with two Li double-faults allowing her to break back for 3-3. A decisive service game then put the Slovak in front for the first time as the momentum began swinging in her favour.

But Li soon ironed out her problems and it went with serve till 5-5 when she pounced, stroking a sumptuous cross-court backhand for break point. A Cibulkova backhand into the net put Li 6-5 up and serving for the set.

But Li was unable to ram home the advantage with the Slovak breaking back to force a tiebreak, in which Li finally prevailed with some scintillating winners.

She kept up the pressure, holding serve in the second set then breaking Cibulkova, who pushed a forehand wide, to take a firm grip on the final.

Li raced to a 3-0 lead then broke again as Cibulkova ran out of steam.

She won on the Cibulkova serve when the Slovak sent a forehand long, raising her arms in celebration before climbing into the stands to greet husband Jiang and coach Rodriguez.

The victory helps Li make up for the misery of losing the final twice before when she was a set up against both Kim Clijsters in 2011 and Victoria Azarenka last year. — AFP

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Nadal closes in on all-time greatness

Posted: 25 Jan 2014 09:07 AM PST

Statistically, Rafael Nadal is not yet the greatest player of all time but the Spaniard is edging his way towards that honour with each Grand Slam title.

The wonder left-hander with his extraordinary levels of energy and brute strength is poised for his 14th Grand Slam trophy in today's Australian Open final against Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka.

Should he win Nadal would be just three major titles behind Roger Federer's record of 17, and closing in fast. Nadal's majestic career has featured many highs, among them eight French Open crowns and two Wimbledon titles, along with last year's return to world number one despite missing seven months with a knee injury.

Tennis legend Rod Laver believes Federer is the greatest player of all time, despite his slide down the rankings – but he admits Nadal is making a strong case for himself. And Pete Sampras, who could be joined by Nadal on 14 Grand Slam titles this weekend, says the Spaniard could reach 17 or 18 majors if he plays for the next four or five years.

Even Federer says it is a different challenge playing the relentless Majorcan.

"It's totally different playing Rafa over anybody else. Playing (Andy) Murray or Rafa is day and night," he said, after his straight sets semi-final defeat on Friday.

"It's not because of the level necessarily, but it's just every point is played in a completely different fashion and I have to totally change my game."

Nadal's intestinal fortitude has been tested at this Australian Open as he battled an awkward blister on his serving hand.

He battled past Japan's Kei Nishikori in three tough sets, and had a four-setter with rising Bulgarian star Grigor Dimitrov in the quarters before tossing aside Federer in the semis.

But Nadal is in the final and ready for the rewards of his dogged determination, and a win that would again trigger debate over who is the best of all time.

Just as two-time champion Sampras said the Australian Slam was a tough major for him to win, so too has Nadal struggled to replicate his success at the other Slams in Melbourne.

He missed the 2006 and 2013 editions through injury, had to retire injured against Murray in 2010, and in 2011 he was hit by a muscle strain during his defeat to David Ferrer.

"It's been very emotional moments this year especially because this is the Grand Slam that I really have had the most problems with in my career," Nadal said.

"A lot of years I didn't have a chance to play in this tournament that I really love so much with the perfect conditions. So it's very special to have the chance to be in the final here again."

Nadal has won only once in Melbourne, in 2009, after losing to Novak Djokovic in the 2012's record, six-hour final, 7-5 in the fifth set. Should he defeat Wawrinka for his second Australian Open title, he will become only the third man along with Australians Roy Emerson and Rod Laver to win each of the four Grand Slam titles twice. — AFP

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Crocs eyeing first points

Posted: 24 Jan 2014 12:01 PM PST

by Matthew Umpang, reporters@theborneopost.com. Posted on January 25, 2014, Saturday

KUCHING: Sarawak are seeking to record their first Super League win at the Stadium Negeri tonight against Kelantan.

They will be going all out to make amends for the disappointing 2-0 loss to B Sathianathan's ATM at Stadium Selayang last week in the season's opener.

It will be the Crocs' first Super League home match and they should know by now that they should not bank solely on their home advantage as Kelantan have so far won and drew once here since 2012.

During Kelantan's last visit here in the 2013 FA Cup quarter-finals, the Deers won 2-0.

Not only that Kelantan had a good outing in Kuching during their last two visits here, the team already have three points in the bag after beating another promoted team from the Premier League, Sime Darby FC, at home last week.

This could give the Deers the extra confidence to chalk up their second win in the country's top notch competition.

After a shaky display against Penang last Tuesday in the FA Cup first round, there still seems to be a lack of understanding among the players to play as an unit.

While the defence seems convincing enough to fend off Kelantan's attacks, the team's strikers have yet to put on a convincing display.

In an effort to register a his first goal for Sarawak and help his team win, new Serbian import striker Milorad Janjus have so far promised to try his best to score against Kelantan.

"I will do whatever it takes to score against Kelantan and help Sarawak win the match. I have no excuses as this is my job," he told Utusan Borneo last Wednesday.

Alireza Abbasfard, who also arrived at the Stadium Negeri this season, is expected to get the nod in the starting line-up as Sarawak head coach Robert Alberts is expected to field an almost similar line-up that edged Penang 2-1 in the FA Cup first round match on Tuesday.

FIXTURES

Saturday, Jan 25

(Kick-off at 8.45pm unless stated)

SARAWAK v Kelantan

Singapore LIONS XII v Selangor – 7.45pm

PBDKT T-Team v Darul Takzim

Perak v Terengganu

Sime Darby v Pahang

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