Kuerten gets back into groove

Gustavo Kuerten returned to singles action with a dazzling performance on Tuesday to beat Russian Nikolay Davydenko 6-2, 6-3 and reach the s...

Gustavo Kuerten returned to singles action with a dazzling performance on Tuesday to beat Russian Nikolay Davydenko 6-2, 6-3 and reach the second round of the Mallorca Open. Kuerten, who underwent surgery on his right hip in February, had eased back into competition on Monday with a doubles victory at the $400,000 clay-court event.

On Tuesday, the three-times French Open champion wasted little time in living up to his number-one seeding as he blasted past Davydenko to set up a second-round clash with Magnus Norman of Sweden.

Kuerten’s main rival for the title is likely to be the Argentine Gaston Gaudio, last week’s winner in Barcelona. Gaudio got his campaign off to a shaky start but he recovered to beat the Spaniard Fernando Vicente 0-6, 3-6, 6-2. Argentina’s Mariano Zabaleta beat Spanish number two seed Albert Portas 6-1, 6-4.

Anna struggles

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BOL (Croatia): Top draw Anna Kournikova gave Bol tournament organisers a fright on Tuesday before fighting back from a set down to beat fellow Russian Julia Vakulenko 6-7, 6-2, 6-2 in the $140,000 claycourt event. Although she has yet to win a WTA singles title, Kournikova’s glamorous looks and global profile ensure she is one of the biggest names in women’s tennis and it was a major coup for organisers to entice her to the Dalmatian island tournament.

Her stay was looking as though it might be a short-lived one as she struggled on a packed centre court with photographers’ flash-bulbs sparkled around the stadium, losing the first set on a tie-break.

Modi will address a rally in the district and open the Purnea airport that will provide air connectivity to several metro cities, fulfilling a longstanding demand in the Seemanchal region.

PM Modi to open Purnea airport, launch Makhana Board in Monday’s visit to poll-bound Bihar

India1 hr ago

PM Modi will visit Purnea, Bihar, on Monday to inaugurate projects worth Rs 36,000 crore, including an airport and launch the National Makhana Board. The visit is aimed at boosting development and addressing the neglected Seemanchal region. PM will also announce projects worth Rs 35,461 crore and distribute benefits to beneficiaries under different schemes.

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