A dignified retirement: Tennis ace Flavia Pennetta calls it a day!

 

A dignified retirement: Tennis ace Flavia Pennetta calls it a day!

-Dr. Abdul Ruff

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Sportsmen hesitate to retire even when they continue to fail. Unlike in real sports, cricketers don’t have to retire at all as cricket boards and ICC keep inventing new formats for those who fail to perform. From test cricket, where batboys can enjoy two rounds of runs with the help if kind bowlers providing “nice” balls to batboys to hit as they like, the cricketers moved on to ODI format and switched on to play 6 overs format.  They can now invent all sorts of formats:  10 overs, 15 overs, 30 overs, 40 overs.  They can also try one innings test and 5 innings test that would run for a month. Cricket boards are always eager to promote and pamper batboys, thinking that batboys can easily fool the world.

While thousands of new fresh cricketers are vying for a chance to play for their nation as their legitimate right, the s senior cricketers with influence continue to play, refusing a chance for the juniors.  Seniors do not want juniors to showcase their patriotic spirit by hitting big sixes and get huge money and national awards .  .

In sports like Tennis players do not have such expansive options. Players refuse to retire. For instance Roger Federer did not opt to quit even though he was failing miserably and crying badly.  In fact the arrival of Rafael Nadal and Djokovic to the tennis court with a big bang edged Federer out of the top rank he held for years but the player continued to play and slowing now regaining his past glory. This is only a rare occurrence.

Flavia Pennetta captured her first Grand Slam singles title at the US Open in New York on 12 September. The 33-year-old beat fellow Italian Roberta Vinci 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 to become the oldest first time women’s winner at a major.

Flavia stunned the 23,000 crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium by announcing her retirement, admitting she had made the decision to quit before the tournament began. “Before I started this tournament one month ago, I took a big decision about my life,” said the 26th seed. “I decided that this is the way I would say goodbye to tennis. This is my last US Open and I couldn’t think of finishing in a better way.”

Playing in her 11th US Open, Pennetta said she was stunned to have gone so far in the competition. “I’m really happy. I never thought I would get so far and never thought I would be a champion. This is one of my favorite tournaments, I enjoy playing here,” she said of an event where she has consistently recorded her best results at the majors. “It’s a dream come true, and it’s also nice to play with a friend of mine — we have known each other since we were nine years old, we spend so much time together. “We could write a book about our lives,” added Pennetta after collecting the winner’s cheque for $3.3 million.

It had been a dramatic US Open for Pennetta who had an earlier match interrupted by a drone crashing into the stadium.

World number one Serena Williams, who was knocked out by Vinci in the semi-finals, ending the American’s dream of a calendar Grand Slam, tweeted her congratulations to Pennetta who had succeeded her as champion. “Congrats, I’m so happy you won. You deserved it. I am also happy for the rest of your life’s journey. I will miss your smile,” wrote Williams.

Vinci, the world number 43 and a year younger than her Fed Cup teammate, was unable to repeat the form that shattered Williams.  “It was tough, I passed the 24 hours with a lot of things on my mind,” said Vinci who had shared a lunch table with Pennetta before the match. “But I am really happy and happy for Flavia. It’s tough to play against a player who you have known for a long time. “I tried to play my best, but she played unbelievable and I have to say congratulations to her.”

There was a stream of congratulations for Pennetta after her decision to quit. No better time to retire- on top and a Champion!! Well done!” tweeted US tennis legend Jimmy Connors. Austria’s Tamira Paszek, a former Wimbledon quarter-finalist, hailed the Italian’s personality. “Always been one of the sweetest people on tour @flavia_pennetta enjoy this new chapter of your life,” wrote Paszek.

Pennetta and boyfriend, Italian tour player Fabio Fognini, the man who knocked out Rafael Nadal, shared a kiss on court and in the corridors of the Arthur Ashe Stadium. That had other players swooning. “How sweet was it that Fabio flew back from europe to be with Flavia! And his reactions!!!! Priceless!” tweeted Puerto Rico’s Monica Puig.

The point is it is a rare occasion that a player quits upon winning a slam like US Open. It is the ambition of every paler to achieve the slam and play on for more wins. Pennetta is a happy lady.

Pennetta, wish you happy life, happy married life.

USA, China debate on cyber security issues!

USA, China debate on cyber security issues!

-Dr. Abdul Ruff

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The cyber security issue is one of top concerns of the Obama government and Americans blame China for all cyber related security problems USA is facing.

The White House said that the senior American and Chinese officials concluded four days of meetings on 12^th September on cyber security and other issues, ahead of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Washington later this month.

Cyber security has been a divisive issue between Washington and Beijing, with the United States accusing Chinese hackers of attacks on US computers, a charge China promptly denies.

According to the White House the US national security adviser Susan Rice had a fairly frank and open exchange about cyber issues in her meeting this week with Meng Jianzhu, secretary of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Chinese Communist Party.

The Chinese delegation also had meetings with Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey and representatives from the Justice, State and Treasury departments and the intelligence community.

China’s official Xinhua news agency said that Meng, who is the country’s domestic security chief, had reached important consensus with Washington during his visit.

Both countries agree it is vital they cooperate on fighting hacking, Meng said, adding that China will punish anyone who hacks from within China’s borders or steals corporate secrets. “China’s position on opposing hacking and stealing commercial secrets online is resolute,” Xinhua cited Meng as saying.

US resident Barack Obama said last month he would raise concerns about China’s cyber security behavior when he meets with Xi in Washington. The Obama administration is reportedly considering targeted sanctions against Chinese individuals and companies for cyber attacks against American commercial targets.

Chinese hackers have also been implicated in the massive hacking of the US government’s personnel office disclosed this year. Two breaches of security clearance applications exposed the personal data of more than 20 million federal employees.

However both sides hope to find an amicable solution of the problem at the earliest.

(News)