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Top-10 duo Linda Noskova and Karolina Muchova carried the Czech Republic back to the final of the Billie Jean King Cup for the first time since 2018 with convincing victories over Spain in Shenzhen on Friday.Wimbledon champion Noskova beat Cristina Bucsa 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 to complete the semi-final win, after Muchova, this year’s Wimbledon runner-up, put the Czechs in front with a 7-5, 6-4 success against Jessica Bouzas Maneiro.The Czech Republic will be seeking a 12th Billie Jean King Cup title, and a first in eight years, when they face Ukraine or defending champions Italy in Sunday’s final.Noskova gave a stone-cold “no” when she was asked if she will be feeling pressure in the final this weekend, before cracking a smile.”It’s a final, we have to enjoy it,” she added.”It’s a privilege to be here and fight for the title, but it’s all about playing our tennis and being focused.”World number eight Muchova did not feature in the Czech line-up that beat Great Britain in the quarter-finals last Tuesday but reported for duty on Friday to play her first Billie Jean King Cup match since 2022.Facing an inspired Bouzas Maneiro in the opening singles of the semi-final tie, Muchova erased a 2-4 deficit before claiming a crucial break in the 11th game that led her to a one-set lead in 58 gruelling minutes.The second set was also a tight affair but Muchova relied on her crafty game to edge past the Spanish world number 93, who later expressed her admiration for her opponent.”She’s honestly one of my favourite players on tour,” said Bouzas Maneiro of 30-year-old Muchova.”Me and my coach, we’re always talking about how talented she is, how she plays. It’s really beautiful to watch her playing tennis. When I knew that I was playing against her, I was happy for that because I wanted to play against such a player.”The Czechs are considered the strongest team in Shenzhen this week, with top-10 players featuring on their roster in both singles and doubles. HISTORYThe Czech generation that preceded them won six titles in the competition between 2011 and 2018 and Noskova, Muchova and company are hoping to revive their nation’s glory days by lifting the trophy on Sunday.”Definitely would be very special, especially with Czech having such a big history and the girls, the other generation, won it so many times; definitely would be special to win it,” said Muchova.On court, 21-year-old Noskova extended her Billie Jean King Cup winning streak to seven matches with a closely-contested 89-minute victory over Spanish number one Bucsa.World number six Noskova, who is enjoying the best year of her young career having lifted a maiden Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, squandered a 5-2 lead in the opening set before snatching the tiebreak to inch ahead.A pair of breaks in the second frame were enough for Noskova to send the Czechs into the final.Italy will square off with Ukraine in the second semi-final on Saturday at the Shenzhen Bay Sports Centre, bidding for a fourth consecutive final appearance and a third straight title at the Billie Jean King Cup. Related Story Source link
* Team Europe’s Ruud defeats Cerundolo* Team world’s Nakashima beats Mensik in the second match* Two more matches to go on opening day Team Europe’s Casper Ruud edged Francisco Cerundolo in the Laver Cup opening match before defending champions Team World struck back with Brandon Nakashima’s win over Jakub Mensik to leave the teams tied at 1-1 after the first two matches on Friday.Norwegian Ruud beat Cerundolo 6-7(4) 6-4 10-8 in the latest clash between the long-time rivals, who have now won five matches apiece after 10 meetings.The second match was also decided by a 10-point tiebreak, the de facto third set, as American Nakashima defeated Mensik 6-1 3-6 10-7.”That’s tennis for you, the margins are small,” said Ruud, who pulled out of the US Open with a back injury before representing Swede in the Davis Cup this month.Ruud and Cerundolo firmly held their own serves in the first set before the Argentine outwitted the three-times Grand Slam finalist in the tiebreak with feints and forceful returns.But Ruud, constantly encouraged by world No. 3 Carlos Alcaraz and other teammates, staged a comeback in the second, getting the decisive break to go 5-4 up and close out the set.The match tiebreak remained neck and neck until 8-8, before Ruud pushed Cerundolo back with a strong serve and then smashed the ball cross-court to win the match.”I have to thank my team and my bench. They pushed me all the way. They kept me in it, really … Europe can build on this,” said Ruud. ‘AI’ NAKASHIMA LEADS TEAM WORLD COMEBACKBut Team World’s comeback was swift as Nakashima dominated the first set, breaking Czech Mensik twice in a row to build a 5-0 advantage that helped secured the first set.Mensik then took a 3-0 lead and got himself into the contest by taking the second set. However, Nakashima was ultimately victorious on his Laver Cup debut, winning three points in a row to clinch the match tiebreak.”This guy… I’m not convinced he’s real. I think he’s AI,” Team World captain Andre Agassi said, praising world No. 16 Nakashima’s ability to stay calm under pressure. “He just goes about his business point after point after point.”Team World’s Alexander Bublik takes on Spaniard Rafael Jodar later on Friday followed by a doubles clash in which Alcaraz and Mensik play for Team Europe against Taylor Fritz and Bublik.In the three-day Laver Cup, where the sport’s top players from Europe and the rest of the world compete against each other, victories on the opening day are worth a point.Two points are awarded for victories on the second day, while the stakes get higher on the final day, with three points up for grabs in each match on Sunday.The first side to reach 13 points from a total of 24 available are declared champions. Related Story Source link
Security guard Ni-arfan Doloh was taking a routine photograph for his nightly report on Saturday when five masked men carrying rifles emerged from inside a government office in Thailand's southern Narathiwat province.’I was shocked,’ said Ni-arfan, 25, recalling how they led him and another guard behind the Chang Phueak sub-district office, instructed them to sit with their hands behind their backs, and promised no harm would come to them.The masked men then set fire to the building, one of at least 78 incidents in a coordinated wave of arson, bombings and other attacks across four provinces in Thailand's insurgency-hit deep south last weekend, injuring three people.No group has claimed responsibility. The provinces bordering Malaysia, where a slow-burning insurgency waged by separatist movements has killed more than 7,800 people since violence flared in 2004.Confined mostly to Thailand's deep south, the violence has rarely intruded into the idyllic beaches and glimmering temples that make the country one of the world's top destinations for millions of tourists each year.But it has long shaped life in these rural provinces, dotted with rubber plantations and fishing communities, and the recent spate of attacks has heightened fear and mistrust, even as Bangkok seeks to revive peace talks.The latest targets included government buildings, businesses and convenience stores, vehicles and utility poles, while an explosion damaged railway tracks and disrupted train services.Two hours after the office was torched, Solae Doloh and his three friends were riding back home from a camping trip along a nearby road when they suddenly came under fire.Solae said he was hit in the stomach by gunfire that appeared to come from a military helicopter circling overhead – an account backed by another witness and a village headman who was in the area.’I stopped my motorcycle and lifted both my arms,’ said Solae, 21, speaking with a bandage over his stomach.’They shot us in the first round, but didn't hit anyone. After we went on, they came around to the front and shot at us again.’The Thai military has vehemently denied that its troops fired from the helicopter. A regional commander told reporters that the aircraft was surveying the area.Village headman Nuseng Lateh, 61, said he recognised the group as they passed by the burning office before the shooting, adding that they had previously gone through a security checkpoint, where no weapons had been found on them.Police are investigating the shooting, and local lawmakers and community representatives have also called for an independent inquiry to determine how Solae was shot.’Deep down, I hope we will receive justice but I'm afraid they will accuse us of being insurgents,’ said Hasan Toema, 27, one of Solae's friends.Despite living through repeated bouts of violence, the shooting has deepened a sense of insecurity among some residents, including Solae's older brother, Matohae Doalo.’I don’t want to go out anywhere alone,’ the 27-year-old said. ‘This happened to my brother, so I am afraid it will happen to me, too.’Since the middle of the last century, separatist groups have fought against the Thai government in three provinces of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat that were once part of the independent Malay sultanate of Patani.Peace talks between the Thai government and insurgent groups to end one of southeast Asia's long-running conflicts began under Malaysian facilitation in 2013 but have repeatedly stalled, yielding little tangible progress.The weekend attacks came as Thailand sought to revive talks with the Barisan Revolusi Nasional, the main separatist group fighting in the region.Bangkok's chief negotiator Thanut Suvarnananda told Reuters this month that the Thai government wanted to move beyond trading concessions for reducing violence and instead address underlying political grievances.Thanut declined to comment and the BRN did not respond to questions from Reuters.In a previous round of violence on July 22, when suspected insurgents killed five paramilitary rangers and wounded six civilians, 10-year-old Habib was playing outside his home, next to a military checkpoint.A stray bullet during an exchange of fire passed through his leg, fortunately without striking any major arteries or bones, but covered his limb in blood, his mother, Na, said.More than a month later, Habib becomes anxious when he sees soldiers or large groups of people and struggles to sleep, said Na, giving only one name.’I feel frightened by what happened,’ she said.’I worry about how we are supposed to continue living because incidents occur every day.’ Source link
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