Davis Cup : India beat Korea NEW DELHI: National champion Leander Pacs Sunday carved out a remarkable victory over South Korean Jie Seoung-Ho to put In- dia in the world zone qualifying round of the Davis Cup. Pacs,a month short of 18, did the star-turn for his team in demol- ishing Jie 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, 6-2 in little over two hours in the second reverse singles which gave India a 3-2 victory in the Asia/Oceania zone Davic Cup second round tic. The shock defeatof Indian touch- artiste Ramesh Krishnan at the hands of Chang Eui-Jons, ranked some two hundred places below him inthe world, in the firstreverse singels earlier, nearly blew the Indian hopes of staking their claim for a berth in the elite world zone. Krishnan, ranked 90 on the ATP computer, failed to press home a five-break points advantage in the decider after leading 4-3 in the fifth set, ina match that lasted 190 minutes under soaring tempera- ture. Paes, the teenager from Calcutta, stepped onto the Delhi Lawn Tennisassociation main courtand marched towards victory in his usual agressive and exuberant way. India will now meet one of the eight teams that lost in the first round of the world zone this year in the qualifying round to be held from September 20 to 22. Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Israel and Belgium are the eight teams that lost in the opening round. After gauging the strength of Jie, who took a set off Krishnan in the opening singles on Friday, Paes found his rhythem early in the match. The first set went with serve although Jie, ranked 443 in the world, had to save a break point in the sixth game during which he was penalised for foot fault. Paes came up with amazing re- tums chasing the ball from far comers of the court to convert them into winners. Jie, who had problem with his first serve thumped three of his four aces in the first set including once to Jead 4-3 in the tie-break. Paes serving 3-4, took three points in a row including one off Jie’s serve who was caught on the wrong-foot when Paes slid across the baseline for a forehand down the line return. The Indian clinched the issue serving for the set as Jie prompuy drove a return wide. It was the second set that Paes found himself in trouble against the left-handed Jie. The Indian fired three aces and saved three break points in the second game of the set and then broke Jie on the next. In the third game of the second set, a forehand topspin lob levelled the score andafterJie rallied thirce to save break-point. He commit- ted his fourth double fault to en- able Paes take a 2-1 lead. The games went with serve ull the ninth served by Jie who came on par after trailing 30-40. Once again a double fault, his sixth, gave India the advantage and Paes soon converted it with a good return from the one comer of the courth which passed Jie at the other end, With two sets in the crucial match behind him, Paes’ confidence grew and he kept peppering the court with winners from all angles. In the third set, games went with serve tll the fifth in which Paes banged his sixth and final ace of the match to hold serve. He consolidated the advantage in the sixth and was helped by Jie who serving the sixth game, committed a double fault, for the seventh time in the mathe. Backed by the vociferous home crowd, Paes went charging to hold his serve with a fierce smash. Jie, serving to save the set and tic, led 40-30 but two backhand retums gave India the advantage. Jie saved once but his eighth doublefault proved decisive. A net-skiming retum by Paes and backhand cross court completed the set, match and tie in favour of India.

Davis Cup : India beat Korea NEW DELHI: National champion Leander Pacs Sunday carved out a remarkable victory over South Korean Jie Seoung-Ho to put In- dia in the world zone qualifying round of the Davis Cup. Pacs,a month short of 18, did the star-turn for his team in demol- ishing Jie 7-6 (7-5), 6-3, 6-2 in little over two hours in the second reverse singles which gave India a 3-2 victory in the Asia/Oceania zone Davic Cup second round tic. The shock defeatof Indian touch- artiste Ramesh Krishnan at the hands of Chang Eui-Jons, ranked some two hundred places below him inthe world, in the firstreverse singels earlier, nearly blew the Indian hopes of staking their claim for a berth in the elite world zone. Krishnan, ranked 90 on the ATP computer, failed to press home a five-break points advantage in the decider after leading 4-3 in the fifth set, ina match that lasted 190 minutes under soaring tempera- ture. Paes, the teenager from Calcutta, stepped onto the Delhi Lawn Tennisassociation main courtand marched towards victory in his usual agressive and exuberant way. India will now meet one of the eight teams that lost in the first round of the world zone this year in the qualifying round to be held from September 20 to 22. Mexico, Canada, New Zealand, Italy, Sweden, Austria, Israel and Belgium are the eight teams that lost in the opening round. After gauging the strength of Jie, who took a set off Krishnan in the opening singles on Friday, Paes found his rhythem early in the match. The first set went with serve although Jie, ranked 443 in the world, had to save a break point in the sixth game during which he was penalised for foot fault. Paes came up with amazing re- tums chasing the ball from far comers of the court to convert them into winners. Jie, who had problem with his first serve thumped three of his four aces in the first set including once to Jead 4-3 in the tie-break. Paes serving 3-4, took three points in a row including one off Jie’s serve who was caught on the wrong-foot when Paes slid across the baseline for a forehand down the line return. The Indian clinched the issue serving for the set as Jie prompuy drove a return wide. It was the second set that Paes found himself in trouble against the left-handed Jie. The Indian fired three aces and saved three break points in the second game of the set and then broke Jie on the next. In the third game of the second set, a forehand topspin lob levelled the score andafterJie rallied thirce to save break-point. He commit- ted his fourth double fault to en- able Paes take a 2-1 lead. The games went with serve ull the ninth served by Jie who came on par after trailing 30-40. Once again a double fault, his sixth, gave India the advantage and Paes soon converted it with a good return from the one comer of the courth which passed Jie at the other end, With two sets in the crucial match behind him, Paes’ confidence grew and he kept peppering the court with winners from all angles. In the third set, games went with serve tll the fifth in which Paes banged his sixth and final ace of the match to hold serve. He consolidated the advantage in the sixth and was helped by Jie who serving the sixth game, committed a double fault, for the seventh time in the mathe. Backed by the vociferous home crowd, Paes went charging to hold his serve with a fierce smash. Jie, serving to save the set and tic, led 40-30 but two backhand retums gave India the advantage. Jie saved once but his eighth doublefault proved decisive. A net-skiming retum by Paes and backhand cross court completed the set, match and tie in favour of India.

 

BUENOS AIRES (Reuter) Diego Maradona who rose from 3 shantytowns to become one of the world’s best-known and highest-paid soccer stars was arrested yesterday on the suspicion of possessing drugs the police said.

National television showed Maradona the hero of Argentina’s 1986 World Cup winning team leaning on two other men and his head lolling as the police hustled him out of an apartment block in a Buenos Aires suburb and into a car.

He smiled at crowds of onlookers. But later on television the Argentine star appeared to be sobbing as he arrived at the drug squad’s headquarters

The Italian soccer league had banned Maradona earlier this month from playing anywhere in the world for 15 months after traces of cocaine were found in a urine sample.

The arrest shocked the country. Television stations interrupted programmes to break the news to viewers.

Fans packed the street outside the drug squad headquarters chanting Maranon’s name. “Don’t abandon him don’t abandon him we all love him” cried one weeping woman fan.

The Judge in charge of the case denied a report by the official news agency Telam which quoted unidentified sources as saying around half a kilogram of cocaine had been found in the apartent.

Legal sources said Maradona faced a prison sentence of one to six years if found guilty of possession and of up to 16 years if convicted of providing drugs for others.

The stocky midfielder was likely be held until Monday until bail could be considered the sources said.

Two other men were arrested with Maradona. Their names have not been made public but Maradona agent Juan Marco Franchi said he understood they were childhood friends of Maradona.

Residents of the apartment block said Maradona 30 and the two other men had been at the first floor flat since Thursday afternoon. When drug squad cars pulled up outside they saw Maradona throw a packet later recovered by the police from the window.

Despite his problems in Italy Maradona is still worshipped in Argentina where fans nurture the hope he will reconsider his decision to abandon international soccer and return to the national side he led to the 1986 tithe and to second place in last year’s World Cup finals.

Article extracted from this publication >> May 10, 1991