Sampras sets the pace

Pete Sampras joined a short-list of Grand Slam winners yesterday, posting a tight victory over Wayne Ferreira in the pair’s 13th career...

Pete Sampras joined a short-list of Grand Slam winners yesterday, posting a tight victory over Wayne Ferreira in the pair’s 13th career ATP meeting to open with first-round success at the $2.95-million Masters Series.

Sampras, who heads the all-time tally of title holders at the four Majors, overcame South African Ferreira in a battle of veterans, earning a morale-boosting 7-6 (8-6), 5-7, 6-4 victory in two hours, 15 minutes of battle.

Sampras, who rained down 23 aces, stopped the rot which set when Ferreira won the second set. Serving to make it 1-all in the third, Sampras battled through eight deuces, saved four break points and emerged with the game in hand through an ace after nearly 13 minutes of struggle.

Capriati rolls

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San Diego: The girl hailed as the “next Jennifer Capriati” was no match for the current Jennifer Capriati.

Second-seeded Capriati needed just 53 minutes here yesterday to dismiss wild card and fellow American Ashley Harkleroad 6-0, 6-3 and advance to the third round of a $750,000 WTA hardcourt event. Capriati, 26, is attempting to win her third title here. She captured the crown in 1991 and 1992 as a teenage phenom, what Harkleroad is now.

Harkleroad, 17, trains at the same Florida Tennis Academy which launched Capriati. Harkleroad reached the French Open junior final in June.

‘NDA’s cracks visible, Nitish Kumar a burden’: Kharge hits out at BJP in Patna

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Congress President Kharge slammed the BJP-led NDA government in Bihar for causing internal conflicts and religious division. He predicted the 2025 Assembly elections will end the Modi government's corrupt rule. The party strategized to attack the BJP over "vote chori" and criticized the Election Commission's handling of electoral rolls. Kharge also accused PM Modi of being diplomatic.

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