Six-time champion Roger Federer has maintained his unbeaten status at the ATP World Tour Finals, ending Kei Nishikori's season with a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 result to advance to the semi-finals with a perfect 3-0 record in group play.
The Swiss world No.3 converted all six of his break points against the tenacious Nishikori, who fought back from a set and 1-4 down to take the entertaining match to a decider. The Japanese star also rallied when down 2-4 in the third, but a double fault on game point at 4-5 proved costly, Federer finishing off the match with his 33rd winner.
The evening equation was thus that Novak Djokovic needed only to win a set against his regular whipping boy Tomas Berdych to join Federer, Rafael Nadal and either Andy Murray or Stan Wawrinka in the semi-finals. Djokovic has won 20 of his previous 22 matches against Berdych, and had little trouble with winning another one, 6-3, 7-5.
Federer, meanwhile, had booked his place in the last four with Tuesday's upset of the top seed, and now has a day to rest and prepare. "I feel really good about my body," he said. "I've got the perfect schedule. I'm off before the semis, which is huge.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/tennis/atp-world-tour-finals-roger-federer-into-semifinal-after-beating-kei-nishikori-20151119-gl3fu9.html#ixzz3s7SySngY
Friday, 20 November 2015
News:Mali Hostage Drama Leaves 18 Dead
*Special forces enter Radisson after gunmen take hostagesSpecial forces enter Radisson after gunmen take hostages.
Mali’s security minister has told AFP that the siege is over and that bodies are now being recovered from the hotel.
A Belgian government official was among those killed in the attack, according to the parliament’s official Twitter feed. Geoffrey Dieudonne was in Mali to give a training seminar for civil servants, according to an official parliament statement, reports the BBC.
The bodies of three attackers who were killed by special forces during the assault may also be included in the death toll.
African jihadist group Al-Mourabitoun, affiliated with al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack on the luxury hotel packed with foreigners
Earlier Malian special forces entered the hotel to end a siege by gunmen.
The suspected terrorists stormed the US-owned hotel shouting “God is great!” in Arabic.
The gunmen took 170 people hostage.
The alarm was raised when the US embassy posted to Twitter warning locals of an “ongoing active shooter operation” at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako, a hotel reportedly popular with French expats.
French officials said 50 elite police troops had been sent from Paris to Bamako.
Monique Kouame Affoue Ekonde, from Ivory Coast, said she and six other people, including a Turkish woman, were escorted out by security forces as the gunmen rushed “toward the fifth or sixth floor.”
“I think they are still there. I’ve left the hotel and I don’t know where to go. I’m tired and in a state of shock,” she said.
The White House said US President Barack Obama was briefed about the attack by his national security adviser, Susan Rice.
The US embassy has warned all staff and US citizens to find shelter, and to contact their families.
A security source told Associated Press that everything had happened on the seventh floor of the building.
Islamic extremists previously took control of northern Mali in 2012 that prompted a France-led military intervention
THE hostage situation in Mali is reportedly over with 18 bodies removed from the Radisson Blu
Hotel in Mali’s capital, Bamako.Mali’s security minister has told AFP that the siege is over and that bodies are now being recovered from the hotel.
A Belgian government official was among those killed in the attack, according to the parliament’s official Twitter feed. Geoffrey Dieudonne was in Mali to give a training seminar for civil servants, according to an official parliament statement, reports the BBC.
The bodies of three attackers who were killed by special forces during the assault may also be included in the death toll.
African jihadist group Al-Mourabitoun, affiliated with al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack on the luxury hotel packed with foreigners
Earlier Malian special forces entered the hotel to end a siege by gunmen.
The suspected terrorists stormed the US-owned hotel shouting “God is great!” in Arabic.
The gunmen took 170 people hostage.
The alarm was raised when the US embassy posted to Twitter warning locals of an “ongoing active shooter operation” at the Radisson Blu Hotel in Bamako, a hotel reportedly popular with French expats.
French officials said 50 elite police troops had been sent from Paris to Bamako.
Monique Kouame Affoue Ekonde, from Ivory Coast, said she and six other people, including a Turkish woman, were escorted out by security forces as the gunmen rushed “toward the fifth or sixth floor.”
“I think they are still there. I’ve left the hotel and I don’t know where to go. I’m tired and in a state of shock,” she said.
The White House said US President Barack Obama was briefed about the attack by his national security adviser, Susan Rice.
The US embassy has warned all staff and US citizens to find shelter, and to contact their families.
A security source told Associated Press that everything had happened on the seventh floor of the building.
Islamic extremists previously took control of northern Mali in 2012 that prompted a France-led military intervention
Thursday, 19 November 2015
Business/Economy:World's second-largest diamond found in Botswana
OHANNESBURG: A
1,111 carat "high quality diamond" has been discovered at a mine in
Botswana, said to be the biggest find in more than a century, according to the mine company.
The gem, only second in size to the Cullinan diamond which was
unearthered in South Africa in 1905, was mined by Lucara Diamond Corp.
"The magnificent stone, which originated from the south lobe of
Lucara's Karowe Mine, is the world second largest gem quality diamond
ever recovered and largest ever to be recovered through a modern
processing facility," the Stockholm listed company said a statement.
Shares in Lucara shot up 34 percent to 14.2 kronor in morning Thursday trading in Stockholm.
Botswana is the world's second biggest diamond producer, and Lucara
said the gem was the largest ever to be recovered in the country.
"The significance of the recovery of a gem quality stone larger than
1,000 carats, the largest for more than a century....cannot be
overstated," said William Lamb, the President and chief executive of
Lucara.
The stone is yet to be evaluated, but commodities and
mining analyst Kieron Hodgson, said it has "the potential to be one very
expensive diamond."
"Valuation will depend on potential
inclusions, how it would behave in cutting, optimal shape as well as
final colour," he told AFP.
Monday, 16 November 2015
Sunday, 15 November 2015
Real Have Won Nothing Since I Left, Says Di Maria
Ángel Di María talked about his time at Real Madrid during an interview with beIN Sports.
The Argentine will never forget the Champions League final in Lisbon, in which he was named man of the match: "After winning 'La Décima' my mind was set on staying at Real Madrid for many more years, but these things happen in football".
The club's lack of major silverware last term: "Since I left Real Madrid haven't won anything. In any case, I think that I left at the right time and the right way".
Di María still looks back fondly on his spell in the Spanish capital: "I have great memories of Madrid. Leaving aside footballing matters, my daughter was born while I was there and they saved her life in Spain. I'm never going to forget what I experienced there".
The Bernabéu faithful: "They're very demanding. The club has won a lot and the fans are used to success. You get more affection from the supporters here in France".
- MARCA.com
The Argentine will never forget the Champions League final in Lisbon, in which he was named man of the match: "After winning 'La Décima' my mind was set on staying at Real Madrid for many more years, but these things happen in football".
The club's lack of major silverware last term: "Since I left Real Madrid haven't won anything. In any case, I think that I left at the right time and the right way".
Di María still looks back fondly on his spell in the Spanish capital: "I have great memories of Madrid. Leaving aside footballing matters, my daughter was born while I was there and they saved her life in Spain. I'm never going to forget what I experienced there".
The Bernabéu faithful: "They're very demanding. The club has won a lot and the fans are used to success. You get more affection from the supporters here in France".
- MARCA.com
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