Current Affairs January 2018 - Sports

1 - Sathiyan became India's highest-ranked player in latest ITTF rankings

G Sathiyan became India's highest- ranked player in the latest International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) rankings. He surpassed his compatriot the legendary Sharath Kamal. Sathiyan, at world No. 49, pushing Kamal to the second spot at 51, followed by Soumyajit Ghosh ranked 58^th, Harmeet Desai ranked 60^th, Sanil Shetty ranked 68^th and Anthony Amalraj ranked 87^th.

As for the women, Manika Batra is topping the world chart among Indians at 62, while Mouma Das is ranked 74^th and Madhurika Patkar is ranked 81^th.

2 - India-South Africa Test series named as “Freedom Series”

The three-Test series between India and hosts South Africa has been named as “Freedom Series”. India had been among the principal opponents of apartheid. The Freedom Series was felt by both nations to be a more fitting name in recognition of shared history of South Africa and India who both won freedom through non-violence.

Besides, they also share love for cricket. A specially designed Freedom Series Trophy Podium commemorated the landmark series and was unveiled in a special ceremony ahead of the first Test in Cape Town.

3 - Vidarbha bagged Ranji Trophy for the first time

It was for the first time that Vidarbha won the Ranji Trophy title defeating Delhi by nine wickets in Indore. Vidarbha bowled out Delhi for 295 runs in the first innings with Rajneesh Gurbani picking up six wickets. Some of the best performers were Akshay Wadkar 133, Aditya Sarwate 79, Wasim Jaffer 78, Siddhesh Neral 74, Faiz Fazal 67; Navdeep Saini 5/135, Akash Sudan 2/102.

The Ranji Trophy is a domestic first-class cricket championship played in India between teams representing regional and state cricket associations. It has 28 teams.

4 - Indian Golfer Shiv Kapur bagged Royal Cup

Veteran indian golfer Shiv Kapur created history by winning third Asian Tour title of 2017 against Thailand’s Prom Meesawat. It was his sixth international title as he won twice on European Challenge Tour also. Shiv Kapur is the only golfer to win three Asian Tour tournaments this year. He is the only golfer to win multiple Asian Tour titles in 2017.

Shiv Kapur received US$500,000 Royal Cup after he closed the tournament with a four-under-par 67 to finish 14-under-par 270. Asian tour Royal cup is considered as Professional golf in Asia.

5 - Gilles Simon won inaugural Tata Open title

Gilles Simon of France has lifted the inaugural Tata Open Maharashtra Tennis trophy. The unseeded French player humbled big-serving second seeded Kevin Anderson in straight sets 7-6, 6-2. Simon is ranked 89 in the world, while Anderson is ranked Fourteen.

The tournament is India's only ATP event. For the past 22 years, the tournament had been associated with the big metro cities, New Delhi hosting the inaugural edition in 1996, and Chennai becoming home to it for the next 21 years. This time, the event moved to the tier two city Pune and was rechristened Tata Open Maharashtra.

6 - Meghalaya selected as the host city for 2022 National Games

IOA, the Meghalaya State Olympic Association and the state government signed 'host city contract' for National Games 2022. The contract details action timelines which include creation of the National Games Olympics Committee (NGOC) before April 3, 2018, NGOC Emblem and mascot(s) by July 18. The event coincides with statehood day of Meghalaya.

The National Games of India comprises various disciplines in which sportsmen from the different states of India participate against each other. Around 14500 athletes will participate in the event.

7 - Sarjubala Devi claimed gold in National Women's Boxing Championship

Former world silver medallist Sarjubala Devi representing Manipur claimed the gold in 48 kg category in the National Women's Boxing Championships in Rohtak. She was also given the best boxer trophy.

Former world and Asian champion L Sarita Devi representing the All India Police picked up a gold medal in the 60 kg category. The other gold winners were Sonia Lather representing Railway Sports Promotion Board, RSPB in 57 kg category, Meena Kumari of AIP in 54 kg category and Rajesh Narwal from RSPB in 48 kg category. RSPB emerged as the overall champions.

8 - Harjinder Singh appointed as Chef de Mission for Winter Olympics by IOA

The Indian Olympic Association has appointed Harjinder Singh as the Chef De Mission for the 23^rd Winter Olympic Games to be held in Pyeongchang. Mr Singh currently is General Secretary in the Ice Hockey Association of India.

The 2018 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XXIII Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as PyeongChang 2018 is scheduled to take place from 9 to 25 February 2018 in Pyeongchang County, South Korea.

9 - Brazilian footballer Philippe Coutinho became 2^nd most expensive transfer in world football history

Philippe Coutinho of Brazil became the second most expensive transfer in world football history after he moved to Barcelona from Liverpool for a staggering 160 million Euros.

The record for the most expensive transfer is held by Neymar when he moved to Paris Saint Germain from Barcelona in 2017 for 222 million Euros.

Other Top 3 most expensive transfers (in Euros):

10 - Sports Minister launched 'Khelo India' Logo

Union Minister of State ( I/C)Youth Affairs and Sports Col Rajyavardhan Rathore launched ibrant Khelo India logo, reflecting the freshness, agility and vitality of New India. The logo also conveys an impression of fitness and competitiveness.

The three-stroke Khelo India logo, designed by Ogilvy India, has in-built modularity, allowing plenty of adaptability and flexibility into endless pictorial forms. The color of the Indian flag evokes a sense of National pride and team-work.

11 - Elina Svitolina won Brisbane International

Elina Svitolina won her first WTA title after she defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2, 6-1 in the Brisbane International final in Australia. Elina claimed the first Premier-level title of her career, after winning three Premier 5 titles in 2017 - the first player to ever do so in a single season. With this win, she now ranks No 3 in the world ATP rankings.

Nick Kyrgios won the men's singles after he defeated Ryan Harrison.

12 - Aditya Mehta bagged Kolkata Open 2018 Snooker Championship

Asian Games cueist champion Aditya Mehta bagged Kolkata Open 2018 International Invitation Snooker Championship defeating Englishman Alfie Burden. It has been for the third time that Aditya Mehta has won Kolkata Open title. Aditya Mehta has won many professional snooker tournaments such as 2016 National Snooker championship, 2014 World Games etc. He became the first Indian to reach the final of a ranking tournament at his home event, the Indian Open.

The winner of Kolkata Open 2017 and 2016 Snooker Championship was Pankaj Advani.

13 - Anchal Thakur won medal in India's 1^st International Medal in Skiing

Aanchal Thakur became first Indian to win a medal at an international skiing event. She won bronze medal in Alpine Ejder 3200 Cup under slalom race category, held at the Palandoken Ski Centre, in Erzurum in Turkey. It was conducted by Skiing’s international governing body, Federation International de Ski (FIS).

Some other countries who bagged highest medals were Austria, Canada, France, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland.

14 - Khelo India Anthem launched

Minister of State ( I/C) for Youth Affairs and Sports Col. Rajyavardhan Rathore launched the Khelo India Anthem. The Khelo India Anthem was launched ahead of the Khelo India School Games which encourages mass participation and excellence in sports among youngsters.

The government has has earmarked R1,756 crore over the next five years for Khelo India Program. Every year, 1000 athletes will be selected through an under 17 tournaments and a portal. They will be rewarded with a scholarship of Rs. 5 Lakhs every year continuously for 8 years.

15 - India beat Pakistan to win the Blind Cricket World Cup 2018

India defeated Pakistan by two wickets to win and retain the Blind Cricket World Cup title. The final was played at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium in UAE.

Pakistan had defeated Srilanka in the semi-final while India had defeated Bangladesh to enter the final. This was the fourth edition of the 40-over Blind Cricket World Cup competition. Sunil Ramesh of india was declared the man of the match.

16 - West Indies to Host 2018 Women’s World T20

The 2018 Women’s World T20 will be played in hosted by Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana and St Lucia from November 9-24. The November event in the Caribbean will be the first stand-alone ICC Women’s World Twenty20 after the past six events were played alongside the men’s event.

The hosts will be joined by New Zealand, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and world champions England who have all achieved qualification.

17 - Lifter Rakhi Halder created new national record

Rakhi Halder of RSPB created a new national record in clean and jerk en route to a gold medal in the 63kg women's category in the 33^rd Women Senior National Weightlifting Championships.

Rakhi lifted 128kgs in the clean and jerk for a total of 230kgs to create a new national record, bettering Karnam Malleswari's feat (127kg) created in Athens in 1999. R V Rahul of RSPB won the gold medal in 85kg men's division of the 70^th Men National Weightlifting Championships with a total lift of 335kg.

18 - Australia Open: Wozniacki lifts her maiden Grand Slam title

Caroline Wozniacki lifted her first Grand Slam title as she beat Simona Halep 7-6, 3-6, 6-4 to win the Australian Open Tennis. With this victory, Caroline has also reached the number one spot in the ATP rankings.

Caroline has been known as one of the best players to have never won a major, though she had reached the US Open final in 2009 and 2014, and first becoming number one in 2010.

19 - Australian Open: Oliver Marach, Mate Pavic win their first Grand Slam doubles title

Seventh-seeded Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic won their first Grand Slam doubles title after they won the Australian Open Men's doubles final. The duo, from Austria and Croatia, defeated Colombian pair of Juan Sebastian Cabal and Robert Farah.

Marach and Pavic's best performance before now as a team was an appearance in the Wimbledon final in 2017. Marach became just the third Austrian to win a men’s doubles grand slam title.

20 - Leander Paes won his 25^th ATP Challenger level doubles title

Veteran Indian tennis star Leander Paes has won his 25^th ATP Challenger level doubles title after he and his American partner James Cerretani defeated the duo of Denis Kudla and Treat Huey in the final of the Newport Beach event.

The second seeded Indo-American pair won in straight sets 6-4, 7-5 against the American-Filipino combine in the 150,000 US Dollar hard court tournament. Paes, winner of 11 singles titles on the Challenger Tour, had ended the 2017 season with consecutive trophies in Champaign and Knoxville with Raja.

21 - Roger Federer retains his Men's Singles title at Australian Open

World Number two Roger Federer has retained his Men's Singles title at the Australian Open after he defeated sixth seed Marin Cilic of Croatia in five sets 6-2, 6-7, 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 in the final.

It was Federer's sixth Australian Open and 20^th Grand Slam title that brought the Swiss star to the elite group of Margaret Court, Serena Williams and Steffi Graf, the only players to have won 20 or more Grand Slam singles titles.