Sports Clips – The Shillong Times

AIFF Futsal Club C’ship kicks off today in Gujarat
New Delhi, June 21: The third edition of the AIFF Futsal Club Championship will kick off at the Swarnim Gujarat Sports University in Vadodara district of Gujarat on Saturday. The tournament will be streamed live on the Indian Football YouTube channel. Nineteen teams will compete for 16 days to reach the final and lift the trophy on July 7. They are divided into four groups: Group A, B and C with five teams each, and Group D with four teams. The top two teams from each group qualify for the quarter-finals. The first two editions of the AIFF Futsal Club Championship were held in Delhi, meaning this is the first time the tournament has been played outside the capital. For host nation Gujarat, the Baroda Football Academy will be hoping to do better than their exit from the group stages during the inaugural edition in 2021-2022. The group stage lasts from June 22 to July 1. The quarter-finals will be played on July 3, followed by the semi-finals on July 5 and the final on July 7. (PTI)

Odisha government extends sponsorship deal with Hockey India till 2036
Bhubaneswar, June 21: The newly elected BJP government in Odisha has extended its sponsorship deal with Hockey India till 2036, reaffirming the state’s commitment to the sport that won the country a bronze medal at the Olympics after more than four decades in Tokyo. Odisha has been sponsoring Indian hockey since 2018, with former chief minister of the state Naveen Patnaik showing keen interest in developing the sport over the years. The sponsorship deal was extended by Patnaik last year and was to run till 2033, but has now been extended by three years till 2036. The year 2036 has special significance for Odisha as it marks the centenary of its creation as an independent state. Odisha has become the home of Indian hockey over the past decade, hosting two consecutive Men’s World Cups in 2018 (Bhubaneswar) and 2023 (Bhubaneswar and Rourkela). The state also hosted the Indian leg of the FIH Pro League earlier this year. The decision to extend the sponsorship deal was taken at a high-level meeting on Thursday, which was attended by Hockey India President Dilip Tirkey, General Secretary Bhola Nath Singh and Chief Minister of Odisha Mohan Charan Majhi, among others. (PTI)

Alexander Zverev survives Arthur Fils to reach the semi-finals of the Halle Open
Halle (Germany), June 21: Alexander Zverev hoped for shorter matches on grass. Think again. No. 4 ranked Zverev had to fight back on Friday to beat 20-year-old Arthur Fils 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-4 in 2.5 hours for a place in the Halle semi-finals opened. Zverev, still looking for his first title on the grass court, wanted to make quick work of his opponents after several marathon sessions at the French Open, where he lost in five sets to Carlos Alcaraz in the final. “After the French Open I hoped on grass that I would play a little faster and not play every match for two and a half, three hours, but I will continue what I always do,” Zverev joked. Second-seeded Zverev needed three sets to get past qualifier Oscar Otte in the first round and then eliminated Lorenzo Sonego in straight sets. Zverev, who has won 22 tour titles, next faces Hubert Hurkacz, who defeated Marcos Giron 7-6 (5), 6-4. In the other quarterfinals later Friday, No. 1 Jannik Sinner faced Jan-Lennard Struff before Zhang Zhizhen played Christopher Eubanks. (AP)

Rybakina withdraws from the quarter-final against Azarenka in Berlin
Berlin, June 21: Elena Rybakina dropped out of her quarter-final in Berlin on Friday, apparently due to illness. The 2022 Wimbledon champion trailed Victoria Azarenka 3-1 in the first set at the Grass-Court Ladies Open and retired after her double fault made it 15-15 in the fifth game. Rybakina sat down on her couch, held her hands to her face, but did not wait for a medical examination. After 40 seconds, she got up and quickly ran to the locker room. On Thursday, Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova retired due to a leg injury during her match in Berlin. The first round starts on July 1 at Wimbledon. Former No. 1 Azarenka, a two-time Australian Open champion, will face second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka or Anna Kalinskaya in the semifinals. (AP)

Jayesh Rane signs a one-year contract with Mumbai City FC
Mumbai, June 21: Midfielder Jayesh Rane on Friday signed a one-year contract with Indian Super League Cup winners Mumbai City FC for the upcoming season on a free transfer after his contract with Bengaluru FC expired. Rane is the only player in ISL history to have won the trophy with three different teams. He was part of the Chennaiyin FC squad that won the ISL in 2016 and lifted the trophy again with Atletico de Kolkata in 2019-2020. Rane won the ISL trophy again last year with Mumbai City FC. Rane, 31, has played 230 matches in domestic competitions. “Jayesh is one of the most experienced footballers in Indian football. As a native of Mumbai, he understands the club’s values ​​and wears the jersey with pride. His performances last season convinced us of his abilities, and his versatility on the pitch will be invaluable in the coming season,” said MCFC coach Petr Kratky. (PTI)