1) Winners of 2015 Indian Wells Open Tennis Titles (BNP Paribas Open).
Men’s Singles:
- Serbia’s Novak Djokovic has won the Indian Wells Open Tennis Men’s Singles Title. In the final match he defeated Switzerland’s Roger Federer.
- With this win Djokovic won his fourth Indian Wells Open title and overall 50th tour-level title.
Women’s Singles Title:
- Romania’s Simona Halep has won the Indian Wells Open Tennis Women’s Singles Title. In the final match she defeated Serbia’s Jelena Jankovic.
- It was Helep’s third WTA titles in 2015 apart from Shenzhen Open and Dubai Open.
Women’s Double Title:
- Sania Mirza (India) and Martina Hingis (Switzerland) pair have won Indian Wells Open Tennis Women’s Doubles Title. In the final match they defeated Russian pair Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vasniana.
- It was Sania Mirza’s second title of the season 2014-2015 and 24th overall.
Men’s Double Title:
- Vasek Pospisil (Canada) and Jack Sock (US) pair won the Indian Wells Open Tennis Men’s Doubles Title. In the final match they defeated Italian pair Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini.
2) Australia brings India down, makes final.
- India’s World Cup campaign juddered to a halt after a 95 run defeat to Australia in the semifinal.
- Steve Smith made a splendid century as Australia posted a massive 328 batting first. In response, India sank to 233 all out, done in by the pressure of a big chase and the home team’s excellent fast bowling.
- Australia will face New Zealand in the final in Melbourne. Smith, who flourished against India in the Test series, made an unruffled, classy 105 stitching a partnership of 182 runs for the second wicket with Aaron Finch.
- India’s fast bowlers, who played a vital role in its unbeaten run to the semifinals, proved expensive.
- Umesh Yadav took four important wickets, but he leaked 72 runs from nine over’s. No team had made over 300 in a World Cup semifinal; India was always going to be running uphill.
3) Two-year-old toddler Cherukuli Dolly Shivani creates archery record.
- Two-year-old girl Cherukuli Dolly Shivani from Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh has created new record in Archery and has entered her name into the India Book of Records.
- She became the youngest Indian to score 200 points over five and seven-metre distances. At a show, she shot 36 arrows each from five metres and seven metres to score 388 points in the presence of senior sports personalities from Sports Authority of India (SAI) and India Book of Records officials.
- After achieving this stunning feat, Shivani was presented with a trophy, medal and a certificate from the chief editor India Book of Records Biswaroop Roy Choudary.
- Shivani is the kid sister of late Indian coach and international archer Cherukuri Lenin who had died in a road accident soon after 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games. At a young age she is undergoing training at the Volga Archery Institute run by her father Cherukuri Satyanarayana.
4) Saina Nehwal creates history by becoming first Indian woman player to become World No.1.
- Ace shutler Saina Nehwal created history by becoming first Indian woman to be ranked number one in the world in Badminton World Federation (BWF) ranking in Women’s Singles category.
- She achieved this rare feat Spain’s Carolina Marin’s lost her semi-final match to Thailand’s Ratchanok Intanon in the Indian Open Super Series. Saina has overtaken Chaina’s Li Xurui to become the highest ranked player in the world.
- Saina Nehwal is the second Indian badminton player to achieve this feat, after legendary shuttler Prakash Padukone. He had achieved the top rank in 1980 in Men’s Single Category.
About Saina Nehwal:
- Saina is first Indian to win Olympic medal in Badminton and had won Bronze medal at the London Olympics 2012.
- Till date, she has won a staggering 14 international titles.
- She is the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships and was also the first Indian to win a Super Series tournament and Indonesia Open in 2009.
- She also has won the China Open Super Series Premier 2014.
- Awards: Union Government has conferred with prestigious Arjuna Award (2009), Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna (2009-2010) and Padma Shri (2010) for her contribution to sports.
5) Hockey India conferred inaugural Hockey India Annual Awards.
- Hockey India conferred the inaugural Hockey India Annual Awards. The awards conferred to recognize the dedication and hard work of hockey players, coaches and administrators on the field to build the sport on the national and international arena.
- The awards of over 2.80 crore rupees were presented in a ceremony at New Delhi in the presence of Union Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sarbananda Sonowal.
- Hockey India conferred the awards in the categories of Major Dhyan Chand Lifetime Achievement Award to Balbir Singh Sr. with a cash prize of 30 lakh rupees.
List of Awards:
- The Dhruv Batra Award for Player of the Year (Men and Women) awarded to Birendra Lakra and Vandana Katariya.
- Jaman Lal Sharma Award for Invaluable Contribution (for coaches and support staff) awarded to Harendra singh.
- Hockey India President Award for Outstanding Achievement conferred to One Thousand Hockey Legs for its exceptional contribution towards the sport.
- Six awards named after players who represented India in the past included:
- The Jugraj Singh Award for Upcoming player of the Year (Men-Under 21) awarded to Harmanpreet Singh.
- Asunta Lakra Award for Upcoming Player of the Year (Women-Under 21) to Namita Toppo.
- Balijit Singh Award for Goalkeeper of the Year awarded to P.R. Sreejesh.
- Pargat Singh Award for Midfielder of the Year given to Manpreet Singh.
- Dhanraj Pillay Award for Forward of the Year awarded to Akashdeep Singh.
6) New Zealand cricketer Daniel Vettori announces retirement from International cricket.
- New Zealand cricketer and former captain Daniel Vettori has announced his retirement from international cricket.
- He made this announcement after playing last match in ICC World Cup 2015 Final against Australia.
About:
- Earlier in 2011, he had retired from Tests and Twenty-20s cricket format.
- He had started his international cricket career in 1996-97 at the age of 18. He was the youngest player to represent New Zealand in Test cricket. He was considered as New Zealand’s most capped test cricketer.
- In his one day international’s (ODIs) career he had played in 295 matches and had batted in 187 innings. He had scored 223 runs in ODIs.
- He also had bowled in 277 ODI innings and took 305 wickets. He took his 300th ODI wicket against Afghanistan at Nepier during the just concluded ICC World Cup 2015, becoming the 12th bowler to achieve the mark.
- In his test career, Vettori has played in 1113 matches and had batted 174 innings and had scored 4531 runs. His highest score was 140.
- In test career, he had bowled in 187 innings and took 362 wickets. He is eighth player achieve 300 wickets mark in test cricket and to score 3000 runs.
- Vettori had captained New Zealand’s International cricket from 2007 to 2011.