Lajovic ousts Krajinovic in Banja Luka

NEW DELHI, APR 19

(IANS): Dusan Lajovic won a battle of Serbians in Banja Luka, where he defeated Filip Krajinovic 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 to reach the second round of the Srpska Open.

The match, which began on Monday, resumed with Lajovic leading 2-0 in the third set on Tuesday, reports ATP.

“I think this is one of those matches where neither of us want to play and we just want to get on with it and finish the day,” Lajovic said. “Luckily I was able to win in the third.”

Lajovic has now won all three of the pair’s claycourt ATP Head2Head meetings and leads their series 3-2. The World No. 70 converted five of his nine break points to triumph after two hours and 14 minutes.

Another Serbian advanced when Laslo Djere eliminated Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-2. The 27-yearold has enjoyed success on clay before, having lifted an

FIBA opens road to Paris Olympic Games 2024

MIES, SWITZERLAND,

APR 19 (IANS): The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) will organise Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournaments this year to open the road for 40 teams to earn tickets to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, the world basketball governing body announced here.

The 12 highest-ranked teams that did not qualify for the Second Round of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Qualifiers, and 28 teams that participated in the Second Round but did not qualify for the 32team World Cup in the Philippines, Japan and Indonesia this summer, will compete in the event, reports Xinhua.

Five winners of the 40 teams will qualify for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2024.

The pre-qualifying event will be held on August 12-20, 2023 and the FIBA Central Board will decide the host of the event at the meeting on April 28-29. The draw of the tournament will be on May 1, 2023.

ATP 500 trophy in Rio de Janeiro in 2019.

Former World No. 7

Richard Gasquet earned his place in the second round with a 6-3, 6-1 victory against 17-year-old Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic. The 36-year-old claimed his 14th ATP Tour crown earlier this year in Auckland.

In an all-qualifier clash, 19-year-old Jordanian Abdullah Shelbayh defeated Swede Elias Ymer 6-1, 7-5 for his first ATP Tour win. The teen will next try to upset fourth seed Miomir Kecmanovic.

NEW

DELHI,

APR 19 (IANS): Bhubaneswar will host the senior men’s national team during the Intercontinental Cup 2023 in June, the AIFF announced on Wednesday.

The four-team Intercontinental Cup will be played in the FIFA International Window from June 9 to 18, with hosts India being joined by Lebanon, Mongolia and Vanuatu in the tournament.

This will be the third edition of the Intercontinental Cup, with the previous two being held in Mumbai (2018) and Ahmedabad (2019).

Earlier last month, Manipur hosted the TriNation international football tournament.

“Imphal had experienced the joy of International football in March, and now it’s Bhubaneswar’s turn to join the country’s growing map of international venues for men’s football,” said AIFF Secretary General Dr. Shaji Prabhakaran.

“Bhubaneswar was one of the venues of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, and with that, we have seen some excellent infrastructure being developed by the Government of Odisha. It is a legacy that the U-17 Women’s World Cup has left behind and has paved the path for the Se- nior Men’s National Team to now play in the city for the first time in its history.

If you look at what happened in Manipur, it was held for the first time, and that way we are confident that fans in Odisha will display equal enthusiasm for the event. We are also hopeful that Odisha football will benefit greatly from hosting the Hero Intercontinental Cup,” he added. The Indian men’s national team had previously never played against Mongolia and Vanuatu. Against Lebanon, the hosts hold a record of playing six matches.

The Blue Tigers are currently on a five-match unbeaten streak on home turf, a run that began on June 8, 2022, with a 2-0 win over Cambodia in the AFC Asian Cup 2023 Qualifiers Round 3 in Kolkata. Since then, Igor Stimac’s boys have defeated Afghanistan (2-1), Hong Kong (4-0), and then on to the Tri-Nation, where they beat Myanmar (1-0) and the Kyrgyz Republic (2-0) in Imphal.

Acknowledgement

We, the bereaved family members of Lt. Moajanger Aier convey our heartfelt gratitude to all relatives, neighbours, friends and wellwishers, who stood by us and comforted us physically, emotionally, financially with love and prayer during his brief illness and at the time of his demise on 11-04-2023.

We regret our inability to thank each and everyone personally but it is our prayer that our Almighty God bless you all abundantly.

dp-1964/23

Loving Mom, Dad & Brother

MUMBAI, APR 19

(IANS): Englishman Rob Hall displayed impeccable touch and constructed a gigantic 600 point break during his resounding 1264-551 victory against Gujarat’s Dhvaj Haria in the first semi-final of the Cricket Club of India organised Rs 10 lakh prizemoney CCI Classic Invitation Billiards (time format) Championship 2023, here on Wednesday.

The 38-year-old Hall exhibited remarkable touch and excellent control as he played some fine in-offs and precision cannons and pots and started with a bang making a 105 break and a few visits he uncorked a stupendous effort of 600 points to take a firm grip of the match and went into the break with a mammoth 730-191 points lead at the end of first one-andhalf hour session. Haria had one run of 144 in the opening period.

Hall has become the only player to post two breaks over 500 points in the tournament. He had earlier constructed a high 525 break in the group stage of the competition.

The 29-year-old Gujarat cueist Haria had his share of chances but seemed a bit jaded and was unable to produce the big breaks which would certainly have helped to take the fight to the English player who later played cleverly to maintain the lead and sail through to the final. “I played well. I knew I had to play well because Dhvaj (Haria) has been playing very well in this event. We have also played each other in the past, I have won some, lost some against him, so I was aware that I had to be on top of my game. I started with a 100 break and a couple of visits later I made a 600 which put a lot of distance between us and I managed to keep the lead through the second session and went on to clinch the win,” said Hall after the match. Hall confidently stated that it doesn’t matter who he plays in tomorrow’s final.

“Pankaj (Advani) has got to be the favourite, but Rupesh (Shah) has been playing very, very well so there might be a potential upset on the cards. I don’t really care who I will be playing in the final as long as I know I’m playing really well, it could be anybody, but right now I’m going to get some rest and prepare for the final,” he said.

Results:

Semi-finals: Rob Hall beat Dhvaj Haria 1264[105, 600, 81, 153, 55, 161UF]551[144, 61, 161, 93].

1st Death anniversary

Late Pandit C. N. Patton 20-04-2022

"I am the resurrection and the life, he who believes in me will live, even though he dies" A noble soul who exhibited Love, Duty, Devotion and Vision. You have touched countless lives in your lifetime "an embodiment of selflessness and humility", Your Life remains a challenge to us. It's been a year since you left us on this day but your memories and legacy lives on. Gone from our sight but never from our hearts. Rest in Heaven's Glory until we meet again.

Loving Children, In-laws, Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren dp -1679/23

Acknowledgement

2 Timothy 4:7

20/03/2010 – 17/04/2023

"I have fought a good fight I have finished the race I have kept the faith"

We the bereaved family members of Late Pikeka Assumi would like to express our deepest gratitude to each and every individuals that stood by us emotionally, physically, financially and spiritually during the prolonged illness of our beloved son who left for his heavenly abode on 17th April 2023 at Zion Hospital & Research Centre.

1. Doctors & Nurses, Zion Hospital & Research Centre

2. Doctors & Nurses, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi

3. Doctors & Nurses, Olive Christian Hospital & Research Centre

4. Inazhe Lagha Kuposhukulu

5. Khutovi Baptist Church

6. Akuluto Town Union Dimapur

7. NCRC Sumi Padumpukhuri

8. Ayinato Prayer & Healing Centre, Vihokhu.

9. St. Mary Higher Secondary School, Padumpukhuri d b-497/23

10. Living Word Ministry, 7th Mile Dimapur.

11. Living Tree Prayer Centre, Shozuvi Village.

12. Friends, Neighbours, and Well Wishers.

Despite our inability to mention each and every individual we pray that our Almighty God bless everyone who stood by us during our hard times.

Father, Mother, Sister, Asu, Apuza & Family