Tuesday 2 December 2014
Manchester United beat Stoke City for 4th successive league win
United took a 21st-minute lead through a direct route when Marouane Fellaini scored a towering, far-post header. (Getty Images)
Manchester United kept up their resurgent form with a 2-1 win over Stoke in the Premier League on Tuesday, with Juan Mata's second-half goal securing a fourth straight victory.
However, United needed a superb save from goalkeeper David de Gea and a goal-line clearance from Ashley Young in the final two minutes of injury time to preserve another three points that keeps the team in the top four.
Mata's winner in the 59th minute had a slice of fortune about it. The Spain playmaker's inswinging free kick from the right wing curled over the heads of a number of players in the box and bounced into the far corner.
Without the injured pair of Wayne Rooney and Angel Di Maria, United lacked creativity at Old Trafford and took a 21st-minute lead through a direct route when Marouane Fellaini scored a towering, far-post header.
Steven Nzonzi equalized in the 39th for Stoke with a powerful shot from the edge of the area and failed to genuinely test United until a frantic final few minutes.
United, rebuilding under new manager Louis van Gaal, stayed fourth and are provisionally two points behind second-placed Manchester City, which visit Sunderland on Wednesday.
United have been looking to restore the fear factor at Old Trafford - but their makeshift team was far from intimidating without Rooney and Di Maria, along with a defense containing wingers Young and Antonio Valencia as full backs.
In the end, two high balls into the box - crosses that Stoke's physically imposing teams down the years were masters at dealing with - were the downfall of the hard-working but limited visitors.
Fellaini nipped in front of left back Erik Pieters to meet a hanging cross to the far post by Ander Herrera with a downward header into the center of the goal. Stoke should have been behind by then, with Herrera blasting a shot over the bar after Robin van Persie had intercepted a weak clearance by goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.
Nzonzi scored with Stoke's only shot on goal in the first half, a fierce strike from the edge of the area after the ball fell loose following a foraging run by Bojan Krkic.
But United restored their lead just before the hour mark when Mata swung in a cross that eluded leaping United defender Marcos Rojo, who initially claimed the goal, and bounced into the far corner.
Fit-again Colombia striker Radamel Falcao came on for the final 12 minutes for United to replace 19-year-old James Wilson, starting as Rooney's replacement for his first start of the season.
But it was Stoke which finished the stronger, with Mame Biram Diouf seeing a header brilliantly parried out by De Gea and then having his goalbound shot cleared off the line by Young.
Steven Gerrard scores as Liverpool beat Leicester City 3-1
Liverpool captain Gerrard made a goal-scoring return to the starting lineup as his team came from behind to beat 10-man Leicester on Tuesday. (Getty Images)
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard made a goal-scoring return to the starting lineup as his team came from behind to beat 10-man Leicester 3-1 in the Premier League on Tuesday.
The 34-year-old midfielder, who is yet to sign a contract for next season, powered in the decisive second goal in the 54th minute at Leicester.
When asked about his future, Gerrard said: "I'll decide when I'm ready. There's nothing to say on the contract at the moment."
Gerrard said his focus was on the team, which after finishing as runners-up last season is in eighth place following a second successive victory.
"It's been well documented this season that we haven't been good enough, but we are on the way up," Gerrard said.
However, there remain problems in defense and with goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, who handed Leicester an opener in the 22nd minute.
Although Mignolet initially parried well from Jamie Vardy, Martin Skrtel could only weakly head out from Leonardo Ulloa's follow-up and the striker was given enough time to collect the ball and smash a shot against the near post which cannoned off the goalkeeper' head and into the net.
But Liverpool's response came within four minutes. Gerrard's free kick was half-cleared to Lucas Leiva whose cross dropped at the feet of Adam Lallana, who smashed in the 50th league goal of his career.
After Gerrard's first goal in open play since January, Leicester had Wes Morgan sent off for dragging down Rickie Lambert.
With a man advantage, Jordan Henderson completed Liverpool's victory in the 83rd. It was Gerrard's cross that allowed Raheem Sterling to backheel the ball into the path of Henderson.
"He was outstanding, Steven," Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers said. "It's my job along with him to pitch him in at the right times."
Wayne Rooney injury not so serious: Louis van Gaal
Rooney was injured during United\'s 3-0 victory at home to Hull City Saturday, but Van Gaal said that he did not expect his captain to be out of action for long.
London: English Premier League side Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has played down the extent of Wayne Rooney's knee injury after the striker missed United's 2-1 win over Stoke City on Tuesday.
Rooney was injured during United's 3-0 victory at home to Hull City Saturday, but Van Gaal said that he did not expect his captain to be out of action for long, reported Xinhua.
"It's his knee, but we have to wait until tomorrow (Wednesday) to say anything about him because you never know with a knee," Van Gaal told reporters at Old Trafford.
"My opinion is it's not so serious, but I'm not a doctor. We have to wait for the scan, then we'll know more. I hope it's not so serious."
Why India eagerly awaits the IPTL
Tennis may not be a best-selling sport in India, but it's not devoid of fans. People of all ages want to see a Roger Federer or Serena Williams unleashing their skills on the tennis court. However, lack of ATP and WTA events in the country keep fans and budding tennis players deprived of watching their stars. With the Indian Premier Tennis League (IPTL), that complaint is set to be addressed.
From an old-time Andre Agassi fan to the new-age Novak Djokovic admirer, the IPTL is set to catch the imagination of every tennis fan in India. And those wondering what raises the glamour quotient in tennis, Maria Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki will be out there to set the temperatures soaring in Delhi winter.
To make it more engaging for the fans, the format has been tweaked on the lines of Twenty20 cricket. One-set matches in five categories between two teams comprise one match-up, and the winner is decided on the basis of points (or games) won that are totalled at the end of those five matches.
The 17-time Grand Slam champion gave Switzerland their first title in the team competition and added the only big trophy in tennis missing from his collection. (Getty Images)
But the tournament's hottest property remain the current stars.
Who would have imagined Goran Ivanisevic visiting India years after retiring and possibly take on Patrick Rafter to freshen up the memories of that epic 2001 Wimbledon men's singles final - the Croat's only Grand Slam trophy.
The power game Serena and Sharapova play was only heard of or watched on TV until now, but those grunts, those down-the-line winners and those lethal cross-court passes will unfold right in front of the eyes of Indian fans.
Andy Murray, who ended Britain's wait for their next Wimbledon and Grand Slam winner, will be there to re-ignite the rivalry with Federer and Djokovic. Sorely missed, though, will be Rafael Nadal, who had to withdraw from the event due to health reasons.
And the Indian flavour will be provided by Sania Mirza and Rohan Bopanna, part of the Indian Aces team that also includes Federer and Pete Sampras. They will have the home crowd right behind them come December 6.
To cap it all, the Indian capital is set to welcome the who's who of tennis - something that has never happened before.
The four teams:
Indian Aces: Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, Gael Monfils, Ana Ivanovic, Sania Mirza, Rohan Bopanna, Fabrice Santoro
Singapore Slammers: Serena Williams, Andre Agassi, Tomas Berdych, Lleyton Hewitt, Nick Kyrgios, Daniela Hantuchova, Bruno Soares, Patrick Rafter
UAE Royals: Novak Djokovic, Caroline Wozniacki, Malek Jaziri, Nenad Zimonjic, Goran Ivanisevic, Kristina Mladenovic, Maril Cilic
Manila Mavericks: Andy Murray, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Kirsten Flipkens, Daniel Nestor, Carlos Moya, Maria Sharapova, Treat Huey
Real Madrid rout Cornella in Copa del Rey
Real Madrid whitewashed Cornella 5-0 in their Copa del Rey as Real forward Jese Rodriguez scored on his return after nearly nine months.
Madrid: Real Madrid whitewashed Cornella 5-0 in their Copa del Rey as Real forward Jese Rodriguez scored on his return after nearly nine months.
James Rodriguez scored two goals at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium Tuesday as the holders eased into the round of 16 with a 9-1 victory on aggregate, reported Xinhua.
The two sides played their first leg in October so that Madrid can play at the Club World Cup later this month.
Cornella's Xavi Boniquet missed a penalty in the 15th minute.
James Rodriguez opened Madrid's scoring a minute later. The Colombia forward set up Francisco 'Isco' Alarcon in the 32nd before he added a second in the 34th. Javier Hernandez made it 4-0 on the hour mark.
Substitute Jese Rodriguez scored in the 78th, 20 minutes after coming on for his first appearance after having two right knee operations following a leg injury March 18.
Lady Gaga reveals she was raped at 19
Los Angeles: Pop sensation Lady Gaga has revealed that she was raped as a teenager and she went through emotional therapy to recover from the incident.
During a candid interview with Howard Stern, Gaga, 28, recalled how she was sexually assaulted when she was around 19-years-old, but she only spoke of the incident now because she does not want "to be defined by it", reported Us magazine.
"I went through some horrific things that I'm able to laugh (at) now, because I've gone through a lot of mental and physical therapy and emotional therapy to heal over the years.
A file photo of Lady Gaga.
"My music's been wonderful for me. But, you know, I was a shell of my former self at one point. I was not myself. To be fair, I was about 19. I went to Catholic school and then all this crazy stuff happened, and I was going, 'Oh, is this just the way adults are?'" she said.
Gaga said that she did not divulge information about the assault before because she did not want the attacker to receive any credit for her motivation to succeed.
Alien rock brimming with traces of life on Mars
London: An international team has performed a detailed analysis of organic carbon traces from a Martian meteorite, concluding that life on Red Planet is more probable than previously thought.
The scientists argue that carbon could have been deposited into the fissures of the rock when it was still on Mars by the infiltration of fluid that was rich in organic matter.
"So far, there is no other theory that we find more compelling," said Philippe Gillet, director of Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL)'s Earth and Planetary Sciences Laboratory.
The alien rock was found to have small fissures that were filled with carbon-containing matter.
Ejected from Mars after an asteroid crashed on its surface, the meteorite, named Tissint fell on the Moroccan desert on July 18, 2011.
The alien rock was found to have small fissures that were filled with carbon-containing matter.
Several research teams have already shown that this component is organic in nature but they are still debating where the carbon came from.
The new study that included researchers from China, Japan and Germany showed that the carbon content were deposited in the Tissint's fissures before it left Mars.
A more likely explanation is that liquids containing organic compounds of biological origin infiltrated Tissint's "mother" rock at low temperatures near the Martian surface.
"Insisting on certainty is unwise, particularly on such a sensitive topic. However, our conclusions are such that they will rekindle the debate as to the possible existence of biological activity on Mars - at least in the past," Gillet argued.
The paper appeared in the scientific journal Meteoritics and Planetary Sciences.
Gaganjeet Bhullar is Fit and Ready to Defend Title at Indonesia Open
Gaganjeet Bhullar was in a cast for 21 days after tearing a ligament in his left wrist in September.
Jakarta: After a ligament injury sidelined him for two months, a fit-again Gaganjeet Bhullar will be back in action as he defends his title at the Bank BRI Indonesia Open which gets underway here on Thursday.
Bhullar was in a cast for 21 days after tearing a ligament in his left wrist in September and the Indian golfer will make a welcome return to the USD 750,000 Asian Tour event at the Damai Indah Golf, Pantai Indah Kapuk course.
"It was a frustrating time sitting at home and doing nothing. I did a lot of physiotherapy and acupressure therapy to recover. Now I can hit my driver and three wood without any restrictions," said the 26-year-old Bhullar.
The injury has kept him away from playing regularly but he is excited to return to Indonesia, a country where he won his first Asian Tour tournament in 2009.
"The feeling is quite different because I'm one of those guys who love to play in a lot of tournaments. I think the last two years I've played close to 30 or 35 tournaments a year. It is quite a challenging time for me but Indonesia is close to my heart. I had a lot of good finishes here I'm looking forward to play some good golf again," said Bhullar.
Bhullar will be joined by three-time Major winner Padraig Harrington of Ireland, who is playing in Indonesia for the first time in his career, six-time Asian Tour champion Scott Hend of Australia and local favourite George Gandranata.
Heena Sidhu, Ronak Pandit Offer Hands-On Expertise to Punjab Shooters
Husband-wife shooter duo Ronak Pandit and Heena Sidhu have pledged their support for budding shooters in Punjab and say they will do their best to hone the talent amongst youngsters.
Phagwara, Punjab: India's ace international shooter couple Heena Sidhu and Ronak Pandit on Tuesday, offered their expertise for the budding shooters of home state Punjab if the players were provided good shooting range facility in the region.
Talking to newsmen here after visiting the Shooting Range of a private school, the husband-wife shooter duo said they were ready to provide required shooting tips to the youngsters even though their own competition schedule was quite tight.
"Punjab has a lot of talent in sports, including shooting, and proper coaching and training will go a long way in channelising the talent," said Heena, now settled in Mumbai after her marriage to Pandit, who is also her coach.
This year's Arjuna awardee, Heena, to a query, admitted that sometimes the prestigious ward was given 'pre-maturely' to someone less deserving.
Chipping in, her husband Pandit said that Heena deserved to be bestowed with this award two years ago.
"She felt very bad when she was ignored last year as well", he remarked.
Heena said, though she was wedded to shooting just for the love of sport and not for awards, yet timely award bestowal to the deserving sportspersons did motivate them further.
She wished that award-giving committee should work transparently and judiciously.
She declared that winning a gold medal for the country in the Olympics was now her target.
"Rather, it was the dream target of every athlete", she said.
However, she added that she will do her very best for an Olympic medal but won't run after it. "If I run for medals, I won't be able to shoot", she quipped. She said that a good shot was her target.
She said that shooting as sports has bright future and its growth was amazing.
Having interaction with students, Heena, 25, said that the love of shooting took her to this sport and she fired first time from a shotgun when she was just five. "I still have feel of that shot", she said.
When a student asked for tips to release match pressure, she said that deep breathing before a shot released lot of stress.
"Besides breathing, visualising a good shot, hard training and physical exercise of back, shoulders and body's core part contributed a lot in making a good shooter", she said.
Asked about the big challenge she faced, Heena said that studying dental surgery and practising shooting at the same time posed a big challenge.
"I could not watch TV or movies or go out with friends then", she said.
Hero Swings Record Rs 250 Crore Deal With Tiger Woods
Hero MotoCorp became the first Indian company to sign Tiger Woods and the veteran golfer is also expected to play in next year's India Open.
Orlando: Tiger Woods is no longer the world's top endorsement moneyspinner, but the golf star's backing remains solid enough to land a four-year deal announced Tuesday with India's Hero MotoCorp. (Also read:Tiger Woods makes injury comeback at World Challenge)
The world's largest maker of motorcycles and scooters with 6.3 million sold in the 2013-14 business year will reply upon Woods as a pitchman as it tries to expand its brand globally, into Europe late next year and the United States in 2016.
"It gives me extreme pleasure and pride to associate our brand with Tiger Woods," said Pawan Munjal, Hero's chief executive officer. "We believe Tiger's brand, Tiger's recognition, Tiger's attributes will also lift and make the brand Hero as recognizable as Tiger."
Woods, a former world number one and 14-time major champion, was the world's highest-paid athlete from 2001 to 2011 according to Forbes magazine, based largely on his endorsement deals.
But in 2009, at the same Isleworth gated community where the Hero World Challenge tees off Thursday, a traffic accident involving Woods set off a chain of events that unveiled Woods' secret sex life with multiple mistresses. That would lead to his divorce from wife Elin and the destruction of his once-perfect image as a corporate endorser, several firms dropping him in the wake of the sex scandal.
Since then, Woods has rebuilt his brand name with such backers as Nike standing beside him. Last June, in the latest Forbes rankings, Woods ranked sixth in athlete income with $61.2 million (49.4 million euros), 90 percent of it from endorsements.
Munjal calls Woods "an icon for millions around the world" and adds, "He is indeed a phenomenon, a symbol of humility in victory and grace in adversity. An achiever par excellence, Tiger's appeal and charisma spans across continents cutting through barriers of geography, age, language and nationalities."
Woods met Munjal at Isleworth at a dinner following the Tavistock Cup, a showdown between private country club teams of golf stars. That led to Woods playing at Delhi GolfClub and to the latest partnership, which benefits Woods' charity foundation that supports youth educational opportunities.
"To have the type of reception that we had there was absolutely phenomenal," Woods said. "I don't think any of us expected it to be quite like that.
"For that to transition where we are now, where we're partners and for his company to be part of our foundation and what we're trying to do for kids, it is just tremendous. And I'm excited personally."
Woods said that while he will not be playing at next February's India Open, he might someday appear at the Hero-backed event.
"It's an option going forward, yes," Woods said.
Munjal emphasized uniting his firm's brand with the proven success of Woods, who makes a comeback from injury this week as he chases the record 18 majors titles won by Jack Nicklaus.
"It's all about quality," he said. "Going for the topmpst quality in whatever we do, I think that's the biggest synergy."
Woods is trying to broaden the global reach of his learning centers and charity foundation as well.
"I think it's quality and excellent and growth," Woods said of the deal's benefits.
NBA Junior Program in India Reaches More Than 7 Lakh Youth
The goal of the program is to reach one million youth and train 2,000 coaches and physical education instructors across India by 2016.
Mumbai: The Reliance Foundation Jr. NBA program, a comprehensive school-based youth basketball program, has reached more than 7.5 lakh youth in 1,000 schools since its launch last year and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Tuesday said he was excited to see the impact of the international basketball development programs.
"Our goal is to provide children in India with the opportunity to play and enjoy basketball, and I thank the Reliance Foundation for supporting our efforts to grow the game across the country," Silver said at a skills clinic here. NBA team Sacramento Kings' owner Vivek Ranadive, who was also present at the clinic said, "the way the Jr. NBA program is progressing, the day isn't far when an Indian boy or girl will be playing in the NBA or WNBA."
The goal of the program is to reach one million youth and train 2,000 coaches and physical education instructors across India by 2016.
Phil Hughes: Tears, Prayer as 5000 Bid Farewell in his Hometown in Australia
In steaming temperatures of nearly 30 Celsius (85F) early arrivals to the service, including Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, fanned themselves with papers. Most of those who wore sports jackets and blazers had taken them off, some with sleeves of their white shirts rolled up to their elbows.
Macksville: The funeral for cricketer Phillip Hughes turned into a celebration of his life on Wednesday despite the grief and sorrow still evident from his death.
As thousands walked through the streets of Macksville, millions around the world stopped to remember Hughes. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to twitter to pay his tribute the the Australian batsman.
India's stand-in skipper Virat Kohli, team director Ravi Shastri, coach Duncan Fletcher and team manager Arshad Ayub were also in attendance in Hughes' hometown.
Australia captain Michael Clarke and the rest of the Test squad were joined by former and current players from around the world, and friends and relatives from Hughes' hometown of 2,500 people on the northern coast of New South Wales state, 575 kilometers (350 miles north of Sydney).
Clarke was a pallbearer and spoke at the funeral service held at the Macksville Recreation Centre and which opened to the song "Forever Young" by Youth Group.
The service closed with Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," the same song the famous entertainer and avid cricket fan performed at a concert last weekend in Germany in tribute to Hughes.
Hughes died last Thursday, aged 25, after being hit near the ear by a ball during a match at the Sydney Cricket Ground. His 26th birthday would have been Sunday.
In steaming temperatures of nearly 30 Celsius (85F) early arrivals to the service, including Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, fanned themselves with papers. Most of those who wore sports jackets and blazers had taken them off, some with sleeves of their white shirts rolled up to their elbows.
At the front of the hall, near the altar for the Roman Catholic service, was Hughes' oak brown casket. Flowers and cricket bats, one with his test cap on the handle, were nearby.
Leading the service, which included a video tribute, Father Michael Alcock remembered the batsman as a "shining light."
"In his short time he walked as a child of the light, not in an ostentatious way but in a natural, unassuming and passionate way," the priest said.
Clarke, who has described Hughes as the brother he never had, broke down frequently last weekend at the SCG when he first commented on his close friend's death.
On Wednesday, he took several deep breaths before he began his remarks at the funeral, saying Hughes would "definitely call me a sook right now."
"I don't know about you, but I keep looking for him," Clarke said. "I want to see his face pop up around the corner.
"I can see how he has touched so many people around the world ... so rest in peace my little brother, see you out in the middle."
The funeral was broadcast live around Australia on commercial television stations and on video screens at the Adelaide Oval, where the rescheduled first test with India will start next Tuesday, and the SCG, where a row of 63 bats were propped up against pickets, each with an inscription of a special moment of Hughes' career.
Television footage showed residents of Macksville gathering in a park near the funeral for a telecast. Owners of many shops and businesses shut down to attend the funeral, and schoolchildren were let out of their classes early Wednesday to watch or attend the service.
Among those to send their condolence messages was West Indies great Viv Richards, who posted on Twitter: "My heart goes out to the family, friends & the people of Macksville honouring their favourite son Phillip today. Viv."
Commemoration ceremonies for Hughes were held in Rome, where the Vatican's cricket team held a memorial Mass. Vatican team captain, the Rev. Anthony Currer, presided over the Tuesday evening service at the Venerable English College, a seminary in Rome. He said the team wanted to show its closeness to Hughes' family "bringing his life before God and bring it to our prayer."
Back in Macksville, Hughes' cousin Nino Ramunno spoke at length about Hughes' youth in Macksville as a keen, budding cricketer. One, who, if he lost a toss to determine who bats at the beginning of a match, kept suggesting it would be a best of three, five, or seven, or longer, until he won it.
Ramunno ended his remarks with a saying he said he received from a family friend, in reference to Hughes: "He who lives in the hearts of so many, never dies."
Sebastian Vettel Settles In At Ferrari With Three-Day Visit
Sebastian Vettel will replace Fernando Alonso in the Ferrari team for the 2015 F1 season.
Maranello: Sebastian Vettel is settling in at Ferrari, having spent the last three days testing with and meeting his new team.
Vettel completed nearly 100 laps in a two-year-old F2012 on Saturday at Ferrari's Fiorano track. He drove a "virtual" F14 T on the simulator Sunday. Then on Monday, Vettel met with Ferrari chairman Sergio Marchionne, new team principal Maurizio Arrivabene and technical director James Allison. (Also read:Raikkonen ready to battle teammate Vettel in 2015)
Vettel tells Ferrari's website the sessions reminded him of how he came to Maranello when he was 11 or 12 and peered over the fence to watch Michael Schumacher drive.
He said: "Well, today I was the one running and saw the 'tifosi' (fans) around. ... It feels really, really special."
Vettel joined Ferrari from Red Bull, where he won four Formula One titles.
India Determined to Fight Hard in Champions Trophy Hockey
India are placed in a tough Pool B along side Germany, Netherlands and Argentina while Pool A consists of Australia, Pakistan, Belgium and England.
Bhubaneswar: India's High Performance Director Roelant Oltmans on Tuesday said the hosts are determined to give a tough fight to their opponents and are geared up to face world no. 3 Germany in their opening match of the FIH Champions Trophy to be held here from December 6-14. (Also read: Belgian captain ready for Indian challenge)
India are placed in a tough Pool B along side Germany, Netherlands and Argentina while Pool A consists of Australia, Pakistan, Belgium and England. (In pics: International stars grace India, get set for hockey action)
"The team is very excited for the upcoming tournament and has been practicing consistently. The boys are determined to give a tough fight to the opponents. The team is looking confident and geared up to play its first match against Germany," Oltmans, who is in charge of the team after chief coach Terry Walsh's exit, said after a practice session at the Kalinga Stadium.
"I hope the team performs with the same enthusiasm which facilitates them every time to pull off a win against the competitors."
Dragflicker Rupinder Pal Singh said the team is brimming with confidence going into the eight-nation tournament.
"We are confident and aiming to continue the winning spree which is surely not an easy task. But I am sure our team is in the form to take challenges," Rupinder said.
"Having played against Germany earlier in international tournaments I am sure our first match against the Germans will be an interesting one."
Indian Aces Thrash UAE Royals 30-11 in International Premier Tennis League
Aces, led by player-cum-coach Fabrice Santoro, won all five sets in convincing manner. India's Sania Mirza and Rohan Boppana played their part by winning their mixed doubles match.
Singapore: Micromax Indian Aces produced their fourth consecutive victory in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL), thrashing UAE Royals 30-11 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Tuesday.
Aces, led by player-cum-coach Fabrice Santoro, won all five sets in convincing manner as Ana Ivanovic set the ball rolling with a 6-2 triumph over Kristina Mladenovic in the first set.
In the mixed doubles match, the experienced Indian pairing of Rohan Bopanna and Sania Mirza triumphed 6-5 over Kristina Mladenovic and Nenad Zimonjic following a five-minute shootout.
Up next, flamboyant Frenchman Gael Monfils outplayed reigning US Open Champion Marin Cilic 6-1 in the third and men's singles set to make it 18-8 lead for the Aces.
Santoro won the past champions' set 6-2 against a struggling Goran Ivanisevic, who was nursing a hamstring strain before being substituted mid-match by Nenad Zimonjic. But Zimonjic failed to stop a rampaging Santoro.
The final set of the match was the men’s doubles contest, which saw Bopanna and Monfils return to the fray to defeat a dispirited Cilic and Zimonjic 6-1.
Virender Sehwag Still Has World Cup Dreams
Virender Sehwag last played for India in January 2013 and has fallen down the pecking order as far as Team India's openers' slot is concerned.
Out-of-favour Indian opener Virender Sehwag still harbours dreams of playing for India in the upcoming 2015 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, starting in February. (Also read: India's tour of Australia will help them for the World Cup: VVS Laxman)
"I am hopeful of making it to the list of 30 probables for the World Cup," Sehwag said at an ICC event in Mumbai on Tuesday. The World Cup trophy is in India and it will travel around cities of Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, New Delhi, Jalandhar and Ahmedabad from December 2-7. (India face Australia in first warm-up match of ICC World Cup 2015)
Sehwag, known for his nonchalant and aggressive style of batting, was a key member of India's memorable World Cup triumph in 2011 under the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni. However, the Nawab of Najafgarh, as he fondly known, failed to keep his place in the side since July 2012. (In Pics: World Cup goes on a shark dive | World Cup trophy's maiden diving adventure)
Opportunities were few and far in between as the selection committee was looking to build a side for the future. His opening partner Gautam Gambhir too lost his place, with the likes of Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma moving ahead of the Delhi duo in the pecking order and jostling for the openers' slot. (Suggested read: Banning bouncers will take fun out of game: Sehwag)
Having played his last ODI in January 2013 against Pakistan, Sehwag's return to the national side for the World Cup 2015 seems like a herculean task.
The Delhi batsman's failure to sweat it out in the domestic circuit and instill faith in selectors again has not helped his case. The fact that he wasn't picked for India's tour of Australia, commencing on December 9, was perhaps the final nail in the coffin.
Yet, a lot could depend on how Dhoni & Co. fare Down Under in the tri-series involving England beginning January 16. If the likes of Dhawan and Rohit fall prey to pace and bounce, Sehwag could still usurp them and be on the flight to Australia for team India's World Cup title defence in 2015.
Benteke return delights Lambert
The Belgian has missed the club's last three fixtures due to his suspension for the sending off against Tottenham but is set to make his comeback against Crystal Palace.
Christian Benteke's return will provide a major boost for Aston Villa against Crystal Palace on Tuesday, manager Paul Lambert says.
The Belgium international striker has missed Villa's last three matches through suspension after he was dismissed during the 2-1 home defeat by Tottenham in early November.
Villa drew all three of those matches to extend their winless run in the Premier League to nine games, a sequence that Lambert hopes Benteke - a player he rates as among the best in Europe - will help bring to an end at Selhurst Park.
"In my own opinion, when he's on his game, I think he's one of the best in Europe, let alone in Britain," the manager said.
"I've seen some brilliant strikers in my time and, when that guy's on his game, he's certainly up there. So that's a massive boost to us.
"I think his performance against Spurs indicated that he was getting back to full match-fitness.
"He's still going to be match-fitness down because he didn't play for a number of months, but against Spurs I thought he was fantastic for us.
"He's a top player and if he keeps progressing the way he's going then we'll see where his career goes."
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