India’s top ranked men’s singles player Parupalli Kashyap retained his last week’s world number 11 ranking in the in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings released on Thursday.

Kashyap had crashed out in the first round of the Yonex Sunrise Indian Open to former world number one Taufiq Hidayat in an absorbing three-game affair. Kashyap’s best recent performance has been a quarterfinal finish in the prestigious All England Badminton Championships.

Among the other Indian men, RMV Gurusaidutt retained their last week’s ranking of 27 to continue to be the second highest ranked men’s singles player after  Kashyap. Ajay Jayaram  and Sourabh Varma also retained their last week’s ranking of 30 and 36 respectively.

Anand Pawar, who reached the semifinal of the Yonex Indian Open, where he lost to Japan’s Kenchi Tago, jumped one spot to be placed 43rd. Pawar had earlier reached the third round of the Yonex Australian Open.

K Srikanth, who shocked Jan O Jorgensen in the first round of the Yonex Indian Open, maintained his 47th ranking. B Sai Praneeth fell one spot to occupy the 57^th place.

HS Pranoy, who grabbed the eyeballs when he reached the semifinals of the Polish Open, and later made it to the quarterfinals of the Indian Open, managed to cling on to his 67^th ranking. Arvind Bhat climbed two spots to be placed 70th.

Old warhorse Chetan Anand, who once reached a career-high ranking of 14, advanced five spots to be ranked 83^rd. Anup Sridhar also moved up two places to be ranked 102^nd.

In the women’s section, badminton icon Saina Nehwal continues to cling on to her world number two ranking in the women’s singles category.

PV Sindhu, who won her maiden senior singles crown – the Yonex Malaysian Open – retained her last week’s number 13 ranking.

Arundhati Pantawane, whose best performance this year has been a semifinal finish at the recent Polish Open, advanced one spot to be ranked 77^th. PC Thulsai, another semifinalist at the Polish Open moved up two places to be 87^th.

Tanvi Lad, who made it to the quarterfinals of the Polish Open, slipped five places to be 85^th. Sayali Gokhale continues to cling on to her last week’s ranking of 100.

Saili Rane climbed two places to be ranked 106^th, while Sarada Jasti also advanced two slots to be ranked 116th.^.

Amit is leading a 18-member Indian junior side which would tour three countries – Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. The team would play two games against Belgium on May 25 and 26 before heading to the Netherlands where they would feature in three games on May 28, May 29 and June 1 before wrapping up the tour with a match against Germany on June 4.

Understandably, Amit is excited to be leading a bunch of talented youngsters. “Obviously happy to be named the captain of the Indian junior team. There is a lot of responsibility on me to guide my team members and fare well on this European tour. This tour would be vital for our preparations for the Junior World Cup later this year,” Amit told Sportskeeda in an exclusive interview.

The demure, soft-spoken fullback is loaded with positive energy after capping off a 21-day training camp in Bengaluru. “All of us worked really hard in the camp. South African Gregg Clark offered his inputs on very focus areas. Clark Sir concentrated on trying out different techniques in defence which we would try to employ during the European tour,” he says.

Having been closely associated with Gregg Clark during the Hero Hockey India League, Amit is full of praise for the Indian junior team chief coach. “I know him well as he was the coach of Ranchi Rhinos for whom I played in the HIL. He treats every player equally and is calm by nature. Even when we are not doing certain things correctly, he would nicely explain to us.”

Son of a farmer, Amit endured the initial struggling days in Saunamura village where he started playing with the local boys. “Hockey is very popular in my village. I joined the Rourkela-based Panposh Sports Hostel in 2004 and honed my hockey skills and soon started representing the PSH in many district and state-level tournaments,” he recalls.

Amit’s hockey career got a shot in the arm when he was bought by Ranchi Rhinos at a price of $29,000, five times more than his base price of $5,600 at the HIL Players’ Auction.

Not just the money, the HIL provided him an opportunity to rub shoulders with some of the world’s top hockey players like Moritz Fuertse (Germany), Ashley Jackson (England), Austin Smith (South Africa), Floris Evers (The Netherlands) and Francisco Cortes (Spain). “I was richer with the HIL experience. I’ve evolved as a player. You get to learn so much playing alongside players like Moritz and Jackson.

Not many know that Amit is a decent drag-flicker but hardly got any opportunities during the HIL. “I like to take my drag-flicks but during the HIL guys like Austin Smith and Ashley Jackson were so accurate with their flicks, the team did not feel the need to utilise me. I will surely get my opportunities in future,” he says with a touch of maturity beyond his age.

Amit made his junior international debut in 2009 and also donned the national colours in the 2009 Junior Under-18 Asia Cup hockey tournament held in Myanmar. He represented the Indian junior team in both the 2011 and 2012 editions of the Sultan of Johor Cup. Indian colts had finished runners-up in 2012.

For someone, who came from an economic disadvantaged background , the HIL money ($29,000) was definitely a big motivating factor to excel. “I was happy with whatever I got. I bought a snazzy mobile phone for myself as well as one for my elder brother,” he says coyly.

Amit idolises former India captain Dilip Tirkey. “Well, I play at the same position and tackle like him. He is from the same village like me. He is my role model which is the case for many other boys in my village. I want to become a proficient  player like Dilip Tirkey,” he signs off.

FILE PHOTO: South Korea completed a series win over New Zealand

South Korean men’s hockey team wrapped up the six-match Test series against New Zealand on an impressive note, putting it across the home side by the odd goal in three to pocket the series 4-0 at the Papatoetoe Sports Centre on Wednesday.

The Asian giants were up against a New Zealand side, who were determined to shrug off their winless ways in the series. The Black Sticks enjoyed more of the exchanges but goals eluded them.

South Korea may not have dominated the first half but went ahead in the 31st minute when Nam Young Lee made the most of a loose ball to beat New Zealand goalkeeper Devon Manchester after he came up with a decent initial save.

South Korea led 1-0 at half-time.

The Black Sticks were unperturbed by the late first half goal from the Koreans. They maintained sustained pressure on them and were soon rewarded when Stephen Jenness racked up the equaliser in the 62nd minute with a superb reverse shot from the top of the circle.

But the Koreans hit back in no time as Hyun Woo Nam converted a penalty corner one minute later. The Asian powerhouse held on to the lead to emerged 2-1 winners.

Earlier, South Korea clinched the series when they prevailed over New Zealand by a solitary goal in the fifth Test.

The Koreans had won the fourth Test 2-1. The Redshirts earlier broke the stalemate beating New Zealand 2-0 in the third Test.

Both New Zealand and South Korea had played out a second successive 1-1 draw in the second of the six match men’s hockey Test series at the Rangitoto College in Auckland.

The first Test had also ended in 1-1 at the same venue.

It may be mentioned here that the South Koreans recently played a four-match Test series against Australia at the Perth Hockey Stadium in Perth.

The Asian giants won the first Test 4-1 in penalty shootout after both teams were locked goalless in regulation time.

Stung by the opening Test defeat, Australia came out firing in the second Test, pipping the Redshirts 5-2.

South Korea then took the upper hand leading 3-2 in the third Test, but were denied a much deserved win by a late equaliser from Matt Williams.

Australia then concluded the series in style crushing the Koreans 4-0 in the fourth and final Test. Trent Milton, Russell Ford, Kieren Govers and Rob Hammond scored for the Kookaburras.

South Korean men’s hockey team continued their stellar run in the ongoing Test series against New Zealand, beating the hosts by a solitary goal in the fifth Test to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the five-match lead at the Papatoetoe Sports Centre on Tuesday.

The Shin Kyo Seok-coached South Koreans silenced the home crowd when they notched up an early goal inside the first two minutes through Nam Young Lee. It was Nam’s third goal of the series, having scored once in the first two Tests.

The Koreans soared in confidence after the opening goal and attacked in waves but the Black Sticks’ defence held out firmly to keep themselves in the contest.

South Korea led 1-0 at the break.

The Asian giants went on the offensive from the start of the second half. They forced two penalty corners but New Zealand goalkeeper Devon Manchester foiled both those attempts.

The home engineered two short corners five minutes later, but drag-flick expert Andy Hayward was unable to breach the Korean goalmouth.

Striker Hugo Inglis, playing his 100th international match, created several scoring opportunities along with vastly experienced Phil Burrows but the Koreans kept them at bay.

Both teams play the sixth and final Test at the same venue on Wednesday.

South Korean had taken an unassailable 2-0 in the series when they prevailed over New Zealand 2-1 in the fourth Test at Pukekohe.

Earlier on Saturday, the Koreans broke the stalemate beating New Zealand 2-0 in the third Test. Both New Zealand and South Korea had played out a second successive 1-1 draw in the second of the six match men’s hockey Test series at the Rangitoto College in Auckland.

The first Test had also ended in a 1-1 at the same venue.

It may be mentioned here that the South Koreans recently played a four-match Test series against Australia at the Perth Hockey Stadium in Perth.

The Asian giants won the first Test 4-1 in penalty shootout after both teams were locked goalless in regulation time.

Stung by the opening Test defeat, Australia came out firing in the second Test, pipping the Redshirts 5-2.

South Korea then took the upper hand leading 3-2 in the third Test, but were denied a much deserved win by a late equaliser from Matt Williams.

Australia then wrapped up the series in style crushing the Koreans 4-0 in the fourth and final Test. Trent Milton, Russell Ford, Kieren Govers and Rob Hammond scored for the Kookaburras.

India’s highest ranked men’s singles player Somdev Devvarman dropped one spot to be ranked 188th in the latest ATP rankings.

It may be worth recalling that Somdev had last played in the ATP Tallahassee Challenger clay court tournament, where he went down fighting to 20-year-old American Denis Kudla in straight sets 6-7(4), 4-6 in the opening  round.

The Indian had recently surged twenty-one spots after reaching the semifinals of the ATP Sarasota Challenger clay court tennis tournament.

Somdev had put it across 93rd ranked Jesse Levine of Canada in the first round before toppling the 152nd ranked German Mischa Zverev in the quarterfinals. He is on a comeback trail after a lingering  shoulder injury forced him on the sidelines for more than nine months in 2012.

Somdev has been regularly taking part in ATP events only since late last year. He had reached a career-high ATP ranking of 62 in July 2011.

Earlier this year, he took on world number one Novak Djokovic in the third round of the Miami Masters and lost in straight sets to the Serb.

Among other Indian men’s singles players, Prakash Amritraj, son of legendary Vijay Amritraj, who clambered fifty-seven spots last week largely on his recent semifinal finish in the ATP Karshi Challenger in Uzbekistan, slipped two places to occupy the 315^th position.

However, Yuki Bhambri’s slump in rankings came as a dampener.

Yuki, who was the top-seed in the Chandigarh ITF Futures where he was ousted in the quarterfinals, plunged 138 spots to be placed 411^th.  From being the second highest ranked Indian singles player, Yuki has indeed plumbed a new low.

Saketh Myneni brought some good news for Indian tennis. The 25-year-old, who won both the Chandigarh and Rohtak Futures, scaled up 41 spots to be placed 300^th making him the country’s second highest ranked singles player.

Sanam Singh advanced two spots to occupy the 338^th position while N Sriram Balaji moved up twelve places to be ranked 348th.

Vishnu Vardhan fell fourteen places to be ranked 422nd.

Vijayant Malik, who was runners-up in the Chandigarh ITF Futures, edged up fourteen places to be placed 484^th.

Among the Indian women, Ankita Raina moved up one notch and continues to be the country’s highest ranked women’s singles player at 461.

Rishika Sunkara advanced five places to be ranked 475^th.

Prerna Bhambri – cousin of Ankita and Sanaa Bhambri – jumped three spots to be ranked 515th.

Prarthana Thombare advanced three spots to be placed 578th.

Nidhi Chilumula climbed two spots to occupy the 584th spot.

After a not-so-productive first quarter, Bloemendaal HC, boasting of several international players like world’s best goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann, Teun De Nooijer, talented international fullback Wouter Jolie, midfielder Tim Jenniskens besides the Australian trio of defenders – Chris Ciriello, Mathew Swann and Fergus Kavanagh in their ranks, took the lead through Rogier Hofman, who made the most of a Nick Meijer pass from the right wing to sent the crowd into raptures.

Bloemendaal’s Teun de Nooijer (C) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal during the Euro Hockey League semi-final match against Amsterdam

KHC Dragons pressed hard for the equalizer but Bloemendaal held firm. The Dutch side doubled the lead when Rogier Hofman, scored his second for the day, off a measured pass from celebrated striker Teun de Nooijer.

The title win is a fitting farewell to Teun de Nooijer, who played his last official club match after announcing his retirement from international matches earlier.

To top it all, Teun de Nooijer was also named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player in his final playing season. He was also named tournament’s Most Valuable Player in the 2009 edition.

This is the second time that Bloemendaal have won the EHL title – they had earlier won it in 2009.

KHC Dragons may have finished runners-up but emerged as the first team from Belgium to win a silver medal in the Euro Hockey League.

Earlier in the semifinals, KHC Dragons prevailed over German club side Rot-Weiss Köln 5-4 in penalty shootout. The shootout was resorted to after both teams were locked 3-3 in regulation time and 1-1 in extra time.

HC Bloemendaal also got the better of Amsterdam H&BC in penalty shootout – Wouter Jolie scoring the winning goal in the shootout.

Earlier in the quarterfinals HC Bloemendaal, humbled English club side Beeston 4-1.

Amsterdam H&BC, which have the likes of Dutch international Floris Evers, Billy Bakker and legendary drag-flicker Taeke Taekema, edged out German club side Berliner 3-2 in a needle contest.

In the other quarterfinals, Rot-Weiss Köln pulled off a solitary extra time goal win over Uhlenhorst Mülheim. KHC Dragons made a mincemeat of Reading HC 5-1.

It may be worth recalling that German club side Uhlenhorster HC won the 2012 edition while Dutch club side HGC took the crown in 2011. Uhlenhorster HC bagged the crown in 2010 and 2008.

FILE PHOTO: Florian Fuchs

Olympic champions Germany exacted sweet revenge for their shocking 2-3 defeat at the hands of Ireland in the first Test when they swamped the Greenshirts 5-2 to level the two-match Test series in Mannheim, Germany.

The Germans pressed the attacking button from the starting hooter and did not allow the Irish outfit to control possession.

Germany’s early sallies were rewarded when they were awarded a penalty stroke in the 11th minute.

Seekers coolly converted from the dreaded spot to make the scoreline 1-0.

Ireland tried hard to rebound but the Germans did not give them any sniff at their citadel.

Germany, egged on by a lively home crowd, struck close to half-time when Rurher rattled the Irish cage in the 33rd minute.

Star player Oscar Deecke, who turned out for Delhi Waveriders in the inaugural Hero Hockey India League, made it 3-0 with one minute remaining on the clock for half-time.

The Andrew Meredith-coached Irish side needed a strong start in the second half but all their hopes dimmed early in the half when Grambusch sounded the board in the 36th minute.

Down 0-4, Ireland had to summon desperate measures.

Mikey Watt gave the Green Machine a glimmer of hope when he reduced the deficit in the 41st minute.

Windfeder literally put the result beyond Ireland when he converted a penalty corner in the 53rd minute to give the hosts a commanding 5-1 lead.

Ireland pulled off a consolation goal through Kyle Good in the 66th minute as German triumphed 5-2 to ensure the two-match Test series ended on an even kneel.

Earlier, Ireland caused a big surprise when they put it across Germany 3-2 in the first Test in Heilbronn. They opened the account through veteran Alan Sothern in the 4th minute.

The Green Machine held on to a 1-0 lead at half-time and doubled the advantage in the 55th minute through Phelie Maguire.

Germany hit back with a goal from Rurher in the 58th minute.

Ireland extended the lead through Shane O’Donohue. Florian Fuchs struck for Germany but Ireland managed to held firm to win by the odd goal in three.

Earlier, Ireland along with India were the first two teams to qualify for the Hockey World League semifinals in the Round 2 tournament held in New Delhi.

Ireland swamped Bangladesh 5-2 in their opening match before whipping lowly Fiji 13-0. They lost 2-3 to hosts India before crushing Oman 7-2 before wrapping up their engagements with a 4-0 romp over China.

South Korean men’s hockey team took an unassailable 2-0 in the six-match Test series when they prevailed over New Zealand 2-1 in the fourth Test at Pukekohe on Sunday.

The Black Sticks held sway of the proceedings early on and went ahead in the 15^th minute when drag-flick specialist Andy Hayward whipped home a robust flick.

The goal was the second of the series for Hayward, who turned out for Delhi Waveriders in the inaugural Hero Hockey India League.

The Shin Kyo Seok-coached South Korean outfit responded fittingly when Sung Hoon Yoon scored a field goal in the 23rd minute.

The confidence of the Redshirts soared after this goal as they pulled ahead two minutes when they were awarded a penalty stroke following a goalmouth scramble.  Hyun Woo Nam calmly executed the stroke to help his side gain the upper hand.

The Black Sticks showed a lot of urgency in the second half in pursuit of the equalizer. The home side created several scoring opportunities but the Korean defence held out stoutly to ensure they can’t lose the six-match series.

At best, the Black Sticks can level the series if they win both the fifth and sixth Tests.

Earlier on Saturday, the Koreans broke the stalemate beating New Zealand 2-0 in the third Test.

Both New Zealand and South Korea had played out a second successive 1-1 draw in the second of the six match men’s hockey Test series at the Rangitoto College in Auckland.

The first Test had also ended in a 1-1 at the same venue.

It may be mentioned here that the South Koreans recently played a four-match Test series against Australia at the Perth Hockey Stadium in Perth.

The Asian giants won the first Test 4-1 in penalty shootout after both teams were locked goalless in regulation time.

Stung by the opening Test defeat, Australia came out firing in the second Test. Local boy Trent Milton pulled off a superb hat-trick as the Kookaburras thumped the Redshirts 5-2.

South Korea then took the upper hand leading 3-2 in the third Test, but were denied a much deserved win by a late equalizer from Matt Williams, who made his senior international debut during the ongoing four-match Test series.

Australia then wrapped up the series in style crushing the Koreans 4-0 in the fourth and final Test. Trent Milton, Russell Ford, Kieren Govers and Rob Hammond scored for the Kookaburras.

It may be worth recalling that the Perth Hockey Stadium had recently hosted the four-match Test series between the South Korea and Australian women.

The series ended with both team sharing the honours, winning two matches apiece.

The Hockeyroos won the opening Test 4-2 before the South Koreans hit back to win the second Test 2-1.

Australia clinched the third Test 6-0 before South Korea won the final Test 3-1.

South Korean men finally broke the deadlock in the six-match hockey Test series beating New Zealand 2-0 in the third Test match on Saturday.

The world eighth ranked side thoroughly deserved the victory for their overwhelming dominance throughout the seventy minutes of play.

The Shin Kyo Seok-coached South Korean outfit essayed a pacy game and controlled possession for most part of the first half but goals eluded them as both teams were goalless at half-time.

The Red Shirts earned an early penalty corner in the second stanza but Black Sticks goalkeeper Devon Manchester effected a superb save. South Korea pulled ahead in the 50th minute, with Nam Hyun Woo scored off a penalty corner. The visitors doubled the advantage three minutes later when nippy Hwang Tai tapped in at the near post.

It could easily have been 3-0 had Tai not muffed up an opportunity from close range.

New Zealand failed to control the game but had their moments. Drag-flick specialist Andy Hayward, who was rested in the first Test, missed their lone short corner opportunity while Stephen Jenness squandered some good scoring chances. Talented youngster George Muir made his senior international debut for New Zealand while Arun Panchia played his 100^th international on Saturday.

Earlier, New Zealand and South Korea played out a second successive 1-1 draw in the second of the six match men’s hockey Test series at the Rangitoto College in Auckland. The first Test had also ended in a 1-1 at the same venue.

It may be mentioned here that the South Koreans recently played a four-match Test series against Australia at the Perth Hockey Stadium in Perth. The Asian giants won the first Test 4-1 in a penalty shootout after both teams were locked goalless in regulation time.

Stung by the opening Test defeat, Australia came out firing in the second Test. Local boy Trent Milton pulled off a superb hat-trick as the Kookaburras thumped the Redshirts 5-2.

South Korea then took the upper hand leading 3-2 in the third Test, but were denied a much deserved win by a late equalizer from Matt Williams, who made his senior international debut during the ongoing four-match Test series.

Australia then wrapped up the series in style crushing the Koreans 4-0 in the fourth and final Test. Trent Milton, Russell Ford, Kieren Govers and Rob Hammond scored for the Kookaburras.

It may be worth recalling that the Perth Hockey Stadium had recently hosted the four-match Test series between the South Korea and Australian women.

The series ended with both team sharing the honours, winning two matches apiece.

The Hockeyroos won the opening Test 4-2 before the South Koreans hit back to win the second Test 2-1.

Australia clinched the third Test 6-0 before South Korea won the final Test 3-1.

Former South African hockey player Charlie Pereira has been named the head coach of the national men’s hockey team for the upcoming FIH Hockey World League semifinals to be held at Johor Bahru in Malaysia from June 29 to July 7.

Pereira will take over the reins from Gregg Clark, who has assumed charge of the Indian junior hockey team recently. It may be worth recalling that Clark won plaudits for guiding the Ranchi Rhinos to title glory in the inaugural Hero Hockey India League (HIL).

According to the South Africa Hockey Association sources, Pereira has been given a long rope – he will be in charge of the national men’s hockey team until the 2014 Commonwealth Games to be held at Glasgow, Scotland from July 23 to August 3.

The newly-appointed coach earlier had served as the interim head coach and shepherded the green-and-yellow brigade to the Hockey World League semifinals after qualifying from the third men’s round 2 tournament held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last March.

The twelfth-ranked South Africa outfit had finished runners-up to South American powerhouse Argentina in the World League Round 2 event.

South Africa pulverised Brazil 9-0 in their opening match riding on a fine hat-trick by Clint Panther. They thumped the USA 6-1 in their second match before drubbing Trinidad and Tobago 10-2.

South Africa then went on to lose 2-4 to Argentina before wiping out Chile 6-1 in their final league tie.

Lloyd Norris-Jones did the star turn for the South Africans, pumping in as many as nine goals in the competition.

South Africa are placed in Pool B of the second men’s Hockey World League semifinal at Johor Bahru alongside teams like England, Pakistan and hosts Malaysia.

The Pool A of the Johor Bahru events features Olympic gold medalists Germany, Argentina and South Africa. The winner of the fourth and final men’s HWL round 2 event to be held at Elektrostal, Russia will join them in Pool A.

The men’s team recently received a shot in the arm when the South African Hockey Association (SAHA) has signed a two-year sponsorship agreement with quick service and casual dining restaurant franchisor Famous Brands Limited.

It effectively means that the South African men’s hockey team can focus whole-heartedly on the upcoming FIH Hockey World League semifinals slated to be held in Rotterdram, the Netherlands this June as well as the 2014 men’s hockey World Cup, which will be held in Hague, also in the Netherlands.

It is learnt that the South African Hockey Association (SAHA) had faced funds crunch in recent times and some of the players had to dip into their own pockets to ensure the team could take part in training sessions and tournaments.

It may be pertinent to mention that the South African women’s hockey team had snapped up Investec as its sponsors in the lead-up to the 2012 London Olympic Games.

File Photo: Parupalli Kashyap of India (Getty Images)

India’s top ranked men’s singles player Parupalli Kashyap retained his last week’s world number 11 ranking in the in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings released on Thursday. Kashyap had crashed out in the first round of the Yonex Sunrise Indian Open to former world number one Taufiq Hidayat in a gripping three-game affair.

Kashyap’s best recent performance has been a quarterfinal finish in the prestigious All England Badminton Championships.

Among the other Indian men, RMV Gurusaidutt and Ajay Jayaram retained their last week’s ranking of 27 and 30 respectively. Gurusaidutt is the second highest ranked men’s singles player after Kashyap.

Sourabh Varma clung on to his 36^th ranking. Anand Pawar, who reached the semi-final of the Yonex Indian Open, where he lost to Japan’s Kenchi Tago, also held on to his 43rd ranking. Pawar had earlier reached the third round of the Yonex Australian Open.

K Srikanth, who shocked Jan O Jorgensen in the first round of the Yonex Indian Open, maintained his 47th ranking. B Sai Praneeth, held on to his 56^th ranking. HS Pranoy, who grabbed the eyeballs when he reached the semi-finals of the Polish Open, and later made it to the quarterfinals of the Indian Open, held on to his 67^th ranking.

Arvind Bhat climbed one spot to be placed 72nd. Old warhorse Chetan Anand, who once reached a career-high ranking of 14, retained his last week’s ranking of 88. Anup Sridhar retained his last week’s ranking of 104^th.

In the women’s section, badminton icon Saina Nehwal continues to cling on to her world number two ranking in the women’s singles category.

PV Sindhu, who won her maiden senior singles crown – the Yonex Malaysian Open – retained her last week’s number 13 ranking. Arundhati Pantawane, whose best performance this year has been a semi-final finish at the recent Polish Open, slipped two spots to be ranked 78^th.

PC Thulsai, another semi-finalist at the Polish Open retained her 89^th ranking. Tanvi Lad, who made it to the quarterfinals of the Polish Open, stayed put at 85^th spot.

Sayali Gokhale continues to cling on to her last week’s ranking of 100. Saili Rane dropped one spot to be ranked 108^th, while Sarada Jasti retained her last week’s ranking of 118.

New Zealand and South Korea played out a second successive 1-1 draw in the second of the six match men’s hockey Test series at the Rangitoto College in Auckland.

Like the opening Test two days ago, the Black Sticks went ahead in the 13^th minute.

Drag-flick specialist Andy Hayward, who was rested in the first Test, rattled the opposition cage.

The fullback, who turned out for Delhi Waveriders in the Hero Hockey India League, slammed a shot to the right of Korean keeper Myung Ho Lee.

The pattern was pretty much the same like the first Test. Striker Nam Yong Lee, who scored a first-half equalizer at the stroke of half-time in the first Test, once again restored parity in the 23^rd minute as both teams took the break with a 1-1 scoreline.

New Zealand dominated proceedings in the second half and created several scoring chances, but that never translated into goals.

The Shin Kyo Seok-coached South Korean outfit did well to soak up all the pressure as the match ended in a 1-1 draw.

The third test will be played in Papatoetoe on Saturday.

It may be mentioned here that the South Koreans recently played a four-match Test series against Australia at the Perth Hockey Stadium in Perth.

The Asian giants won the first Test 4-1 in penalty shoot out after both teams were locked goalless in regulation time.

Stung by the opening Test defeat, Australia came out firing in the second Test. Local boy Trent Milton pulled off a superb hat-trick as the Kookaburras thumped the Redshirts 5-2.

South Korea then took the upper hand leading 3-2 in the third Test, but were denied a much deserved win by a late equalizer from Matt Williams, who made his senior international debut during the ongoing four-match Test series.

Australia then wrapped up the series in style crushing the Koreans 4-0 in the fourth and final Test. Trent Milton, Russell Ford, Kieren Govers and Rob Hammond scored for the Kookaburras.

It may be worth recalling that the Perth Hockey Stadium had recently hosted the four-match Test series between the South Korea and Australian women.

The series ended with both team sharing the honours, winning two matches apiece.

The Hockeyroos won the opening Test 4-2 before the South Koreans hit back to win the second Test 2-1.

Australia clinched the third Test 6-0 before South Korea won the final Test 3-1.

The preparatory tour of the Netherlands for the upcoming FIH Hockey World League Round 3 (semifinals) tournament was a huge learning curve for the Indian senior men’s hockey team.

The team played five games against top Dutch clubs, winning two, losing two and drawing one. The men in blue played two matches against the Netherlands side, winning both the ties 2-0 and 4-2 to cap off a relatively satisfying exposure trip.

No wonder, Indian captain Sardar Singh is pretty chuffed with the way things panned out in the Netherlands. “It was a handy tour for the boys. Our high performance director Roelant Oltmans did all he can to ensure we played against some of the top Dutch clubs. It was a massive learning experience for all the team members, especially for the many youngsters in the side,” he says in an exclusive interview to Sportskeeda.

The 26 year old, touted as the world’s best midfielder, was rested for the 22nd Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia and seems to be peaking at the right time for the HWL semifinals in Rotterdam. “The tour enabled us to identify our weaknesses and we are going to work hard on ironing them out at our final preparatory camp which begins at the Netaji Subhas Southern Centre (NSSC) in Bengaluru on Thursday. This camp will be vital for all the 33 probables as it will be pruned down at the end of the camp on June 4,” the demure medio quips.

India are clubbed in Pool B in the first FIH Hockey World League Round 3 (semifinals) tournament alongside Olympic silver medallists Netherlands, New Zealand and Ireland. “Look, no team can be taken lightly. Rankings don’t matter much. Netherlands and New Zealand are ranked above us but it doesn’t mean we can’t beat them,” he reasons.

Sardar has a wealth of experience, and has made 169 international appearances for the Blueshirts. He believes staying focus for the whole 70 minutes is imperative. “Modern hockey is all about fast-paced stuff. You can’t let your guard down just because you are leading by a goal or two as your opposition can hit back with goals in seconds or minutes. Sometimes, we have seen teams score twice inside sixty seconds. The success mantra would be to stay alive to the situation for the full duration of the game,” he remarks.

So, what are the areas the Indian team really needs to work on? “Well, we have strengths in a lot of areas but there is always room for improvement. We are focusing a lot on how we should respond when the opposition is in possession of the ball or when we are dispossessed by an opposition player. We are also paying heed on how to maintain possession and keep the ball away from the opposition. Head coach Michael Nobbs is always helping us with his inputs,” he reveals.

Defending penalty corners is another area the team has set their sights on. “Most top nations have drag-flick specialists to score goals for them. So it is really important to stoutly defend short corners as the outcome of a match is often decided by set-pieces,” he says.

There must be also extra motivation for Sardar given the fact that he was recently nominated for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award. “Playing for the country is the ultimate motivation for a player, but yes, being nominated for the prestigious Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award makes me feel happy. Recognition of any form spurs you to excel more,” he sounds realistic.

The first FIH Hockey World League Round 3 (semifinals) tournament features top-flight teams like the Netherlands and Germany. So, does India stand a realistic chance of making a podium finish? “No team goes into a tournament thinking they can’t win it. We have a solid team and would give our best shot in Rotterdam. Like I keeping saying, no team is unbeatable and any team can win on any given day,” Sardar signed off.

World champions Australia have called up as many as seven Olympians in their 20-man squad for the upcoming men’s Hockey World League Round 3 (semifinals) tournament beginning from June 13 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands.

Since the top three finishers of the tournament secure a berth for the 2014 World Cup, coach Ric Charlesworth has picked the best possible Kookaburras side, marking the return of three-times Olympian Mark Knowles, double Olympians Fergus Kavanagh and Eddie Ockenden along with London 2012 bronze medal winners Chris Ciriello, Matthew Swann, Simon Orchard and Kieran Govers.

Five times FIH World Player of the Year Jamie Dwyer is also named in Ric Charlesworth’s side – Dwyer is also in line to make his 300th international appearance during the HWL.

Russell Ford, who turned in a decent showing in the recently held four-match Test series against South Korea on his comeback, finds a berth in the side.

Trent Milton, who was the top goal scorer in the Test series against South Koreas, was also named in the squad.

The team also includes several players who missed the Korea Test series owing to club commitments in Europe.

The likes of Matthew Swann, Fergus Kavanagh, Mark Knowles, Chris Ciriello gave the Test series a miss while Kieran Govers took part at the fag end of the series.

Australia lost the first to South Korea 1-4 in a penalty shootout at the Perth Hockey Stadium in Perth after both teams were locked goalless in regulation time.

The Kookaburras came out firing in the second Test, with local boy Trent Milton pulling off a superb hat-trick as they thumped the Redshirts 5-2.

The Aussies held the Koreans 3-3 with a later equaliser from Matt Williams, who made his senior international debut during the series.

Australia then wrapped up the series in style, crushing the Koreans 4-0 in the fourth and final Test. Trent Milton, Russell Ford, Kieren Govers and Rob Hammond scored for the Kookaburras.

Australia earlier won the 22nd Sultan Azlan Shah Cup for the record seventh time, edging out hosts Malaysia 3-2 in an absorbing final match.

At the Hockey World League semifinals in Rotterdam, Australia will be joined in Pool-A by world number seven Spain with the two remaining places in the pool yet to be allocated.

The Kookaburras will play two Test matches against the Netherlands at Rotterdam on June 5 and 7 before travelling to Antwerp to play a solitary Test against Belgium on June 9.

The squad: Kiel Brown, Joel Carroll, Andrew Charter, Chris Ciriello, Tristan Clemons, Tim Deavin, Jamie Dwyer, Russell Ford, Matt Gohdes, Kieran Govers, Rob Hammond, Fergus Kavanagh, Mark Knowles, Trent Mitton, Eddie Ockenden, Simon Orchard, Glenn Simpson, Matthew Swann, Jake Whetton, Aran Zalewski.

File Photo of Dean Couzins of New Zealand who was taken off after suffering a nasty blow below his knee. (Getty Images)

New Zealand were held to a 1-1 draw by South Korea in the first of the six-match hockey Test series at the Rangitoto College in Auckland.

The world number six Black Sticks seized the initiative first up and took the lead when striker Hugo Inglis sounded the board in the 16th minute.

The Shin Kyo Seok-coached South Korean outfit responded to the early strike with consistent raids on the New Zealand citadel. They were rewarded when Nam Yong Lee brought the match on an even kneel just before the half-time hooter was blown.

New Zealand captain Dean Couzins was solid in defence before he walked off the pitch with a nasty blow just below his knee. Young fullback Alex Shaw showed a lot of spunk in the absence of Couzins.

Eight ranked South Koreans forced as many as five penalty corners but failed to profit from them. New Zealand goalkeeper Devon Manchester was instrumental in keeping the Koreans at bay pulling off several critical saves. The home side also muffed up two of their short corners.

The Black Sticks had a great opportunity to score the match-clincher in the closing stages of the match but an unmarked Isaac Staples slammed it wide five metres from the Korean goal.

South Korea recently played a four-match Test series against Australia at the Perth Hockey Stadium in Perth. The Asian giants won the first Test 4-1 in penalty shoot out after both teams were locked goalless in regulation time.

Stung by the opening Test defeat, Australia came out firing in the second Test. Local boy Trent Milton pulled off a superb hat-trick as the Kookaburras thumped the Redshirts 5-2.

South Korea then took the upper hand leading 3-2 in the third Test but were denied a much deserved win by a late equaliser from Matt Williams, who made his senior international debut during the ongoing four-match Test series.

Australia then wrapped up the series in style crushing the Koreans 4-0 in the fourth and final Test. Trent Milton, Russell Ford, Kieren Govers and Rob Hammond scored for the Kookaburras.

The Perth Hockey Stadium had also recently hosted the four-match Test series between the South Korea and Australian women. The series ended with both team sharing the honours, winning two matches apiece.

The Hockeyroos won the opening Test 4-2 before the South Koreans hit back to win the second Test 2-1. Australia clinched the third Test 6-0 before South Korea won the final Test 3-1.

It has been a tough going for the South African men’s hockey team in recent times. Financial constraints have often come as a roadblock to their preparations for various major events – the most recent being the 2012 London Olympics.

Taking part in overseas tournaments was getting tough on the South African men’s hockey team, which was without a major sponsor.

In fact, some of the members of the South African men’s hockey team have come forward to address the funds crunch – these player often dipped into their own pockets to cover the costs of conducting training camps and participating in various tournaments (home and overseas).

For a country, which is placed 12th in the FIH world hockey rankings, such a state of affairs was unexpected.

The men’s team braved the odds and successfully took part in the 2012 London Olympics as well as in the FIH Hockey World League Round 2 tournament in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

All the worries about running from pillar to post, arranging funds for training camps and participation in various tournaments would be a thing of the past now as the South African Hockey Association (SAHA) has roped in quick service and casual dining restaurant franchisor Famous Brands Limited as the sponsor of its men’s hockey team.

The South African Hockey Association (SAHA) has signed a two-year sponsorship agreement with the restaurant franchisor. It effectively means that the South African men’s hockey team can focus whole-heartedly on the upcoming FIH Hockey World League semifinals slated to be held in Rotterdram, the Netherlands this June as well as the 2014 men’s hockey World Cup, which will be held in Hague, also in the Netherlands.

It is learnt that the South African Hockey Association (SAHA) is chuffed with the latest sponsorship agreement as funds crunch can take a back seat for now.

The general thinking is that if the men’s team fares well in major tournaments like the Hockey World League and the World Cup, more corporate houses could line up to sponsor the team.

It may be pertinent to mention that the South African women’s hockey team had snapped up Investec as its sponsors in the lead-up to the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Thus, the sponsorship of the men’s hockey team must be a welcome relief for the South African Hockey Association (SAHA).

Earlier, the South African men’s team qualified for the Hockey World League semifinals by finishing in the top two in the second Round 2 tournament held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

South Africa pulverised Brazil 9-0 in their opening match riding on a fine hat-trick by Clint Panther. They thumped the USA 6-1 in their second match before drubbing Trinidad and Tobago 10-2.

South Africa then went on to lose 2-4 to Argentina before wiping out Chile 6-1 in their final league tie.

Lloyd Norris-Jones did the star turn for the South Africans, pumping in as many as nine goals in the competition.

TeThe 25-year-old Saketh Myneni bagged his second consecutive ITF Futures singles crown – the sixth of his career when he eased past Ranjeet Virali-Murugesan  6-1, 6-2  in a one-sided final clash of the 15,000 USD ITF Futures at the hard courts of the Rajiv Gandhi Sports Complex in Rohtak in Haryana.

Playing on a windy day, the third seeded Saketh served solidly, churning out a high first serve percentage and kept approaching the net on a regular basis to keep the points short.

Ranjeev found it hard to break Saketh’s serve as the latter rarely had to fall back on his second serve – such was his first serve.

Saketh, who jumped more than fifty spots in the latest ATP rankings to be placed 341^st, broke Ranjeev’s serve in the fourth game even as the latter committed three forehand errors.

Saketh again broke Ranjeet’s serve in the sixth game to make it 5-1 before closing it the opening set at 6-1, but not before saving two break points.

Ranjeet began the second set on a confident note, serving at love – firing his first ace of the match and even had reduced Saketh to 0-30 on his serve in the second game. But Saketh came out of the crisis to hold serve and later broke Ranjeet’s serve in the third game to march ahead.

The Vizag lad forced another break of serve as he pocketed the second set 6-2 to lay his hands on the winner’s trophy.

Earlier, in the semifinals, Saketh brushed aside second seeded Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan 6-2, 6-2 to make it to the final.

Ranjeev got the better of fifth seeded Vijayant Malik 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 in the other semifinal.

Saketh had won the Chandigarh ITF Futures title beating Vijayant Malik in the final.

The Rohtak ITF Futures saw the top-seed N Sriram Balaji caving in meekly 2-6, 4-6 to Vijayant Malik in the quarterfinals.

Vijayant has been acquiring a giant-killing image in recent times – he toppled the top seed Yuki Bhambri in the quarterfinals of the Chandigarh ITF Futures before finishing runners-up.

It may be worth recalling things have looking bright for the Indian women in the ITF Futures circuit.

Ankita Raina had finished runners-up in the recent $10,000 ITF Lucknow Futures tennis tournament in Lucknow, losing to Japan’s Emi Mutaguchi.

The Lucknow event was Ankita’s fourth consecutive ITF Futures final.

The national grasscourt champion had clinched the Chennai Futures a week before the Lucknow tourney.

The Gujarat girl, who is now based in Pune, had also finished runners-up in the two ITF Futures tourneys in Hyderabad last March. Her impressive run saw her jump in the WTA rankings to be placed 461.

Indian goalkeeper PR Sreejesh (2nd from left)

The Sreejesh household is in seventh heaven. And no prizes for guessing why. India’s ace hockey goalkeeper experienced ultimate bliss on the personal front as he got married to former long jumper and Ayurveda doctor Alisha at the Maha Vishnu temple at nearby Kizhakambalam in Kerala.

The 25-year-old goal-tender is believed to have known Alisha for a long time and exchanged wedding vows at the Maha Vishnu temple.

According to sources close to the family, the marriage ceremony was a simple affair and was attended by close relatives and friends.

Sreejesh would be soon joining the national camp at Bangalore by the end of this month in preparation for the FIH Hockey World League Round 3 (semifinals) competition.

Sreejesh performed well at the 22^nd Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia, where he repeatedly pulled off crucial saves in every match the Blueshirts played.

It may be worth recalling that Sreejesh could not take part in the FIH 34^th Champions Trophy hockey tournament held in Melbourne, Australia after he pulled a hamstring injury sustained during the preceding Lanco 9s Series.

The ace shot stopper was replaced by rookie Sushant Tirkey.

PT Rao shouldered the goalkeeping responsibilities of India in his absence and was quite a revelation, helping the men in blue finish a creditable fourth.

The Indian Overseas Bank employee returned to national duty in the Hero Hockey World League Round 2 tournament.

Sreejesh turned out for Mumbai Magicians in the inaugural Hero Hockey India League.

He was given a larger role in the Indian goalkeeping department after the disastrous London Olympics campaign as he was preferred over experienced Bharat Chetri.

Sreejesh was the hero in the inaugural Asian Champions Trophy last year, where he effected two brilliant saves in the penalty shootout of the final game against Pakistan, which India won 4-2.

During his childhood days, Sreejesh was an athlete and joined the G.V. Raja Sports School, Thiruvananthapuram at the age of 12. He first saw and picked up hockey there and soon was selected in the school team.

Gradually, he played in various tournaments at the school, district and state levels.

Sreejesh, who hails from the Pallikkara village in Kerala, played his junior international debut against Australia in Perth in 2004, which was a part of the practice matches for the 2005 FIH Junior World Cup in The Netherlands. But he didn’t make it to the final eleven in the Junior World Cup.

He made his senior international debut at the 2006 South Asian Games in Colombo.

Phil Burrows of the New Zealand Black Sticks is one of three London Olympians picked by Coach Colin Batch for the six match Test series against South Korea. (Getty Images)

South Korean men’s hockey team will take on hosts New Zealand in the first of the six match Test series at the Rangitoto College in Auckland.

The Shin Kyo Seok-coached South Korean outfit would be looking to build on their creditable bronze medal effort at the 22^nd Sultan Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament held in Ipoh, Malaysia last March. The side led by experienced Lee Seung-il, edged out New Zealand by the odd goal in three in the bronze medal play-off match.

The Redshirts started their Azlan Shah campaign on a promising note, turning in a magnificent performance before going down 2-3 to Malaysia. They then beat India 2-1 with Kang Moon Kweon scoring once in each half.

South Korea’s resurgence was halted by New Zealand, who slammed three past them without reply.

The Asian powerhouse – ranked eighth in the world – showed plenty of pluck to hold eventual champions Australia to a 3-3 draw before being locked in a 2-2 draw with world number five Pakistan.

The six-match Test should give the Colin Batch-coached New Zealand side an opportunity to obliterate the wounds of their bronze medal play-off defeat at the hands of South Korea in the 22^nd Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.

Batch, who previously coached the Belgium national side, has picked three London Olympians – Phil Burrows (292 internationals), Shea McAleese (173 internationals) and Nick Haig (106 internationals) in his 23-man squad.

The squad also comprises young turks James Coughlan and 19-year-old George Muir, who is set to make his senior international debut after coming through the junior ranks. The Black Sticks would be miss the presence of Simon Child and Nick Wilson, due to club commitments. The duo had missed the 22nd Sultan Azlan Cup as well.

The upcoming Test series will Black Sticks men’s final preparation for the Hockey World League semifinals to be held in Rotterdam from June 13-22.

The second hockey Test would also be played at the Rangitoto College on May 16. The third and fourth Tests would be played at the Southern Hockey Turf in Papatoetoe on May 18 and 19.

The fifth and sixth hockey Tests would be played at Counties Manukau on May 21 and 22.

South Korea recently played a four-match Test series against Australia at the Perth Hockey Stadium in Perth. They won the first Test 4-1 in a penalty shoot out after both teams were locked goalless in regulation time.

Stung by the opening Test defeat, Australia came out firing in the second Test. Local boy Trent Milton pulled off a superb hat-trick as the Kookaburras thumped the Redshirts 5-2.

South Korea then took the upper hand leading 3-2 in the third Test but were denied a much deserved win by a late equalizer from Matt Williams, who made his senior international debut during the ongoing four-match Test series.

Australia then wrapped up the series in style crushing the Koreans 4-0 in the fourth and final Test. Milton, Russell Ford, Kieren Govers and Rob Hammond scored for the Kookaburras.

The Perth Hockey Stadium recently hosted the four-match Test series between the South Korea and Australian women. The series ended with both teams sharing the honours, winning two matches apiece.

The Hockeyroos won the opening Test 4-2 before the South Koreans hit back to win the second Test 2-1. Australia clinched the third Test 6-0 before South Korea won the final Test 3-1.

File: Somdev Devvarman of India. (Getty Images)

India’s highest ranked men’s singles player Somdev Devvarman has moved up two spots to 187th in the latest ATP rankings. Somdev last played in the ATP Tallahassee Challenger clay court tournament, where he went down fighting to 20-year-old American Denis Kudla in straight sets 6-7 (4), 4-6 in the first round.

Somdev had recently surged twenty-one spots in recent weeks following a creditable semi-final finish in the ATP Sarasota Challenger clay court tennis tournament, held in Florida, USA.

The Indian had prevailed over two higher ranked players en route to the men’s singles semi-finals, where he was shown the championship exit door by eventual champion American Alex Kuznetsov of USA. He toppled 93rd ranked Jesse Levine of Canada in the first round before disposing of 152nd ranked German Mischa Zverev in the quarterfinals.

The Indian is on a comeback trail after a serious shoulder injury put him out of action for more than nine months in 2012 and has been regularly taking part in ATP events since late last year. He had reached a career-high ATP ranking of 62 in July 2011. He recently locked horns with world number one Novak Djokovic in the third round of the Miami Masters and lost in straight sets to the Serb.

Among the other Indian men’s singles players, Prakash Amritraj, son of legendary Vijay Amritraj, surged fifty seven spots to 313^th largely on the back of his semi-final finish in the ATP Karshi Challenger held in Uzbekistan.

Saketh Myneni, who won the recently-concluded Chandigarh ITF Futures, beating Vijayant Malik in the final, also moved up fifty spots to 341. Yuki Bhambri, who was given the top billing in the recent Chandigarh ITF Futures and was upset in the quarterfinals, fell five places to 273rd.

N Sriram Balaji dropped twenty five spots to 360th. Talented Sanam Singh retained his last week’s ranking of 340. Vishnu Vardhan, who slumped fifty eight places last week, fell four places to 408th.

Among the Indian women, Ankita Raina who became the country’s highest ranked women’s singles player, advanced two places to be ranked 461st in the latest WTA rankings.

Rishika Sunkara retained her last week’s ranking of 480. Prerna Bhambri – cousin of Ankita and Sanaa Bhambri – dropped five spots to 518th. Prarthana Thombare, who surged forty six spots last week, fell three spots to 581th. Nidhi Chilumula, slipped three places to occupy the 586th spot.