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Tennis star Roger Federer gets new title: Dr. Federer
Geneva, Nov 25 (IANS) Switzerland’s University of Basel handed tennis star Roger Federer his newest title — an honorary doctorate from the institution’s faculty of medicine.
At its annual graduation ceremony, dubbed the 557th Dies Academicus, the 36-year-old Federer, holder of 19 Grand Slam singles titles, was presented with his award on Friday, reports Xinhua news agency.
The university said this was for “increasing the international reputation of Basel and Switzerland, as well as for his function as a role model athlete, who encourages many people around the world to be physically more active and thus contributes to the promotion of health.”
In the citation Federer’s engagement with children in Africa was mentioned through his foundation which supports more than 300,000 children in southern Africa, for which he has a special affinity due to having a South African mother.
Federer was unable to take part in the ceremony in person, but expressed his appreciation with a short greeting in which he said having the honorary doctorate made him “just as happy as a Grand Slam title”.
In addition to Federer, those honoured included the president of the Swiss National Bank, Thomas Jordan, and the children’s musician Andrew Bond.
–IANS
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Sunil Gavaskar gives his opinion of GT allrounder Rahul Tewatia
The left-handed batsman from Haryana is garnering praise from all quarters for the way he’s finishing games regularly in the most exciting IPL season.
Gavaskar reckons Tewatia’s whirlwind knock in Sharjah (in IPL 2020) where he smashed West Indies pacer Sheldon Cottrell for five sixes in an over, gave him the confidence that he belongs to the big stage.
Speaking on Cricket Live on Star Sports, Gavaskar said, “That assault on Sheldon Cottrell in Sharjah gave him the belief to do the impossible and the confidence that he belongs here. We saw the impossible (he did with the bat) the other day as well. There’s no twitching or touching the pads (which shows a batter’s nervousness) when he bats in the death overs. He just waits for the ball to be delivered and plays his shots. He’s got all the shots in the book, but most importantly his temperament to stay cool in a crisis is brilliant.”
Gavaskar has also nicknamed the 28-year-old cricketer the ‘ice-man’ and lauded Tewatia’s ability to remain unruffled during the tense moments.