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Thiem, Nadal in French Open final (Lead)
Paris, June 8 (IANS) Paris,
Thiem won 7-5, 7-6 (12-10), 6-1 victory to earn a place in a Grand Slam final for the first time, while Nadal crushed Argentine fifth seed del Potro 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 to enter the French Open final for the 11th time.
The Spaniard is just the second man in the Open Era to advance to 11 championship matches at a single Grand Slam, joining Roger Federer, who has won eight titles from 11 finals at Wimbledon.
The second set tie-break proved to be decisive as the Italian Cecchinato squandered three set points, having recovered from a 6-3 deficit, reports Efe.
Cecchinato, who up until this year’s Roland Garros never got past the first round of a Grand Slam event, did not look the same in the third set, as he hit just one winner, committing eight unforced errors.
This was not the case during the first two tight sets between the Thiem and Cecchinato.
Thiem, who fell short to Spaniard Rafael Nadal at the semi-finals in 2017, started the match breaking his rival Cecchinato’s serve.
The 25-year-old Cecchinato, who knocked out Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in the previous round, however fought back, drawing level at 4-4, but eventually conceded his serve in the 11th game.
Thiem improved on serve during the second set, facing zero break points, but he was not able to seize on any of the three break points as the set went to the tie break.
“The second set tie-break was the big key to the match, 100 per cent, because obviously he felt all the matches from the past two weeks after that,” said Thiem, according to ATP’s website.
“If he would have won the tie-break, he would (have been) full power, for sure, in the third set. So it was good for me that I won it … I expect that he will be a really good player on clay. You don’t get to a Grand Slam semi-final by accident. He beat really good players.”
Easing through the third set, Thiem became only the second Austrian player to reach the final of Ronald Garros, following in the footsteps of Thomas Muster, who won the title in 1995.
“Of course there is pressure, especially in Grand Slam finals, because I have gone a very long way now and I don’t want to lose the final,” said Thiem.
Cecchinato said: “It was a special tournament for me. I played two sets at the same level (as Djokovic) against Thiem. (My) level is very good at the moment (and) I am very happy. If I had won the second set, I think it would have been totally different. But after the loss, I go a little bit down mentally and physically.”
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.