Indian sports wrap, July 16: Suresh Meitei, Ravi Kumar among Indian talents retained by Punjab FC

Here are all the major updates, scores, and results of Indians in the world of sports on July 16.

Suresh Meitei has signed a contract extension with Punjab FC ahead of the 2025 season. | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT

SWIMMING

Saumya sets new meet record at Delhi State championship

Saumya Sachdeva clocked 34.26 seconds in winning the under-14 girls 50-metre backstroke with a new meet record in the 58th Delhi State swimming championship at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Pool. The previous record had stood at 34.32.

Saumya also won the 200-metre freestyle gold comfortably, ahead of Rubani Chadha.

Titiksha Rawat won the 200-metre and 1500-metre freestyle gold in the under-17 girls section.

In the under-17 boys section, Bhhagya Gahlot won the 100-metre backstroke and 200-metre medley gold.

-Kamesh Srinivasan

FOOTBALL

Punjab FC retains five Indian Players ahead of upcoming season 

Punjab FC has announced the retention of five Indian players ahead of the upcoming 2024-25 season. Young Midfielders Ashis Pradhan, Ricky Shabong, Manglenthang Kipgen, experienced defender Suresh Meitei and goalkeeper Ravi Kumar have extended their stay at the club signing multiple year contracts.

Ravi and Ashis have extended their stay until May 2026, while Suresh and Ricky have signed a two year contract until May 2027. The club has extended Kipgen’s contract until May 2028.

Ravi made 16 appearances in the last ISL season and made 47 saves keeping three clean sheets. Centre back Suresh Meitei was instrumental in the team’s defensive performances making 14 appearances and assisting once. Ashis Pradhan, Ricky Shabong and Manglenthang Kipgen made 17, 10 and four appearances, respectively.

- Team Sportstar

Bengaluru FC signs midfielder Pedro Capo for 2024-25 Campaign

Bengaluru FC announced the signing of Spanish midfielder Pedro Capo on a one-year-deal on Tuesday.

The 33-year-old, who primarily operates as a defensive midfielder, can also slot in at centre-back and most recently turned out for Segunda Division side Eldense CF.

Capo began his career with the youth academies at Spanish teams La Salle Mahón, Atlético Villacarlos and Penya Cuitadella before joining Segunda Division B side Sporting Mahónes in 2009.

He then moved between Celta de Vigo B, RCD Mallorca B, CD Atlético Baleares, Arroyo CP, CD Llosetense, SD Leioa and CE Sabadell FC, in the Spanish third division, amassing over 350 appearances, before achieving promotion with Sabadell in 2020. In 2021, he signed for Eldense in the Segunda Division and went on to captain the side.

Capo, who will travel to Bengaluru and join the Blues in pre-season ahead of their Durand Cup 2024 campaign, becomes Zaragoza’s 7th signing of the summer, after the acquisitions of Alberto Noguera, Jorge Pereyra Diaz, Edgar Mendez, Mohamed Salah, Rahul Bheke and Lalthuammawia Ralte.

The Blues will begin their 2024-25 campaign with a Durand Cup encounter against the Indian Navy Football Team on July 31, in Kolkata.

- Team Sportstar

TENNIS

Swedish Open: Sumit Nagal in second round

Sumit Nagal beat wild card entrant Elias Ymer 6-4, 6-3 in the first round of the €651,865 ATP tennis tournament on clay in Bastad, Sweden, on Tuesday.

In the pre-quarterfinals, Sumit will face fourth seed Marino Navone of Argentina.

The results:

€651,865 ATP, Bastad, Sweden

Singles (first round): Sumit Nagal bt Elias Ymer (Swe) 6-4, 6-3.

$41,000 Challenger, Astana, Kazakhstan

Singles (first round): Ilia Simakin bt Siddharth Vishwakarma 3-6, 7-6(5), 7-5.

Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Aleksandre Bakshi & Zura Tkemaladze (Geo) bt S.D. Prajwal Dev & Nitin Kumar Sinha 7-6(5), 6-7(6), [10-8].

$15,000 ITF men, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

Singles (first round): Thantub Suksumrarn (Tha) bt Adil Kalyanpur 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Francis Alcantara (Phi) & Maximus Jones (Tha) bt Rishi Reddy & Dhakshineswar Suresh 7-6(4), 6-3; Adil Kalyanpur & Vishnu Vardhan bt Yamto Sueoka (Jpn) & Thantub Suksumrarn (Tha) 6-1, 6-4.

$100,000 ITF women, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain

Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Rutuja Bhosale & Yuliia Strodubtseva (Ukr) bt Nahia Berecoechea (Fra) & Anastasiia Gureva 6-4, 6-7(5), [10-6].

$15,000 ITF women, Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand

Singles (first round): Hikaru Sato (Jpn) bt Sonal Patil 6-4, 6-4.

Doubles (pre-quarterfinals): Pornnapat Hongjumradsin & Vichitraporn Vimuktananda (Tha) bt Vanshita Pathania & Bela Tamhankar 6-4, 6-2; Anja Nayar (Aus) & Pawinee Ruamrak (Tha) bt Priyanshi Bhandari & Laalitya Kalluri 4-6, 6-2, [10-5]; Monique Barry (Nzl) & Alicia Smith (Aus) bt Pooja Ingale & Sonal Patil 6-2, 6-0; Laquisa Khan (Aus) & Sofiia Nagornaia (Isr) bt Humera Baharmus & Akanksha Nitture 3-6, 6-1, [10-5]; Kanako Osafune & Ayaka Ozeki (Jpn) bt Jemma Carbis (Aus) & Sameeksha Shroff 6-0, 6-4.

- Team Sportstar

Sania Mirza to launch a special camp at her Academy

Six-time Grand Slam winner, Sania Mirza, will launch a five-day “Step One To Be A Champ,” tennis camp at her Sania Mirza Tennis Academy in Hyderabad from August 2 to 6.

“This is designed to elevate the game of the aspiring tennis players and is tailored for players at all levels who are eager to enhance their tennis skills,” Sania Mirza said on Tuesday.

“The camp will emphasise developing fundamental skills, improving technique, and building confidence on the court. Participants will receive expert coaching from experienced and certified instructors, who will offer personalised attention and guidance,” she said.

“The camp will also feature sessions with a dietician and a sports psychologist to provide a holistic approach to the players’ development,” Sania said.

“Our goal is to provide a fun and engaging environment where players can develop their skills and passion for the sport,” said Sania. “We want each participant to leave the camp feeling more confident and prepared to excel in their tennis journey,” she added.

The camp will include daily training sessions, drills, and match play. Participants will also have the unique opportunity to learn from Sania Mirza herself and gain valuable insights into the world of professional tennis from Imran Mirza.

- V V Subrahmanyam