AHMEDABAD, DEC 25: So far the radars have failed to trace the Uzbek bomber. Oleg Ogorodov8217;s sorties started again today but Kantero Masuda of Japan didn8217;t go for the white flag. The Uzbek should thank his stars he ejected in time to scrape through to the final of the Bharat Petroleum ATP Challenger Tennis Tournaments at the AGETA courts.
Fourth seed Ogorodov won the first set at 6-2 but lost the second at 3-6 and was down 0-4, 15-40 in the decider. Maybe unseeded Masuda hasn8217;t heard of air-tight doors 8212; he left a slight opening. Oleg came in to win the third set at 7-5. For the summit clash, he meets the 8220;getting better by the minute8221; Anthony Dupuis of France, who ran down fifth seed Eyal Ran of Israel 6-4 6-0 in just 85 minutes.
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Ogorodov had returned from the Asian Games minus the Bangkok syndrome which had plagued the Indians here. He didn8217;t seem fagged out, losing just six games in his first three matches. He seemed to have Masuda8217;s number too. But then the myth about the unstoppable Ogorodov broke.Masuda mixed his shots 8211;letting them float all over the court. The heady concoction of varying pace, flight and length had Ogorodov perplexed. Masuda took the second set 6-3.
By now Ogorodov was losing patience and also temper. That meant more errors and a broken racquet. After the match he said the wrong tension on the strings and the heavy balls frustrated him. 8220;With the match slipping, I went for my strokes and that worked,8221; said Ogorodov of his comeback. As the gamble paid off he came out of the hole to take the decider at 7-5.
The final will be shown live on Doordarshan. The doubles final starts at 12.00 noon while the singles will be telecast at 2.45 p.m.
RESULTS
Singles semi-final: E Ran bt A Dupuis 6-4 6-0; O Ogorodov bt K Masuda 6-2 3-6 7-5.
Doubles semi-final: N Okun amp; N Welgreen bt I Ljubicic amp; G Motomura 6-4 2-6 7-6 7-5.
Sandeep Dwivedi is the Sports Editor at The Indian Express. He is one of India's most prominent sports journalists, known for his deep analytical insights and storytelling that often goes beyond scores and statistics to explore the human and cultural side of sports.
Professional Profile
Role: As the Sports Editor, he leads the sports coverage for the newspaper and the website.
Weekly Column: He writes "The Sports Column," a weekly feature where he provides sharp, narrative-driven perspectives on the biggest sporting news of the week.
Podcast: He is a frequent contributor to the "Express Sports" podcast (Game Time), where he discusses evolving trends in cricket and other international sports.
Areas of Expertise
While Dwivedi covers the entire sporting spectrum, his work is particularly noted in the following areas:
Cricket: He provides extensive coverage of the Indian National Team and the IPL. He frequently analyzes the leadership styles of figures like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Gautam Gambhir. He is known for tracking the transition phases of Indian cricket and the evolution of specific players like Kuldeep Yadav and Rishabh Pant.
Athletics & Olympic Sports: He has written extensively on Neeraj Chopra’s rise in javelin, the nuances of Indian shooting, and tennis legends like Sania Mirza and Leander Paes.
Human Interest Stories: A hallmark of his writing is his focus on the struggles and backgrounds of athletes, such as the sacrifices made by Shafali Verma’s father or the "silent battles" of veteran players like Cheteshwar Pujara.
Notable Recent Work & Themes
Leadership and Dynamics: Recently, he has written about the dynamic between Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, arguing that personal friendship is not a prerequisite for team success.
Sports & Culture: His articles often intersect with global culture, such as his deep dive into the 100-year legacy of the Harlem Globetrotters and their role as American soft power during the Cold War.
The "Grey Areas" of Sport: He often addresses sensitive topics like the mental health of cricketers post-retirement, the "outrage industry" in sports broadcasting, and the impact of fan-wars on the game.
Tenure and Experience
Dwivedi has been with The Indian Express for over three decades. This experience allows him to provide historical context to modern sporting events, often comparing current crises or triumphs to those of previous generations.
You can follow his latest work and columns on his official Indian Express Author Profile. ... Read More
