IPL opener on April 7, match timings retained

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on holders Mumbai Indians to kickstart the Indian Premier League-11, which has retained its earlier match timings, weeks after considering the broadcaster’s request for a change in the match timings.

The first match, on April 7, will be held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, which will also see the return of two-time winners CSK from a two-year ban owing to involvement in corruption. The venues for the Eliminator and Qualifier-2 have not been confirmed yet while the Qualifier-1 and the final will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 22 and 27, respectively. There will be 48 evening matches and 12 afternoon starts.

In its 11th edition, the tournament’s first double header will be held on April 8, with Delhi Daredevils hosting Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders facing Royal Challengers Bangalore at home.

Rajasthan Royals, also coming into the fold after a two-year suspension, will open their campaign against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Hyderabad on April 9.

Wawrinka loses to world No. 259

Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka blew a one-set lead to fall 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 to unfancied Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in a firstround shock at the Rotterdam Open.  The Swiss fifth seed slumped to another surprise defeat by an outsider, after losing in the Australian Open second round to Tennys Sandgren and in last week’s Sofia Open semifinals to Bosnian Mirza Basic. Grigor Dimitrov and David Goffin, the duo who faced off in last year’s ATP Finals, both advanced  with straight-sets wins. Second seed Dimitrov defeated Japan’s Yuichi Sugita 6-4, 7-6(5) while Goffin cruised to a 6-1, 6-3 win over veteran Spaniard Feliciano Lopez to reach the quarterfinals.

“Lot of misinformation in doping case,” Froome

Chris Froome insisted that “misinformation” has led to rival riders calling for him to be suspended after an abnormal doping test, as he started his season at the Ruta del Sol.  “There is a lot misinformation out there. There are also a lot of opinions of people who don’t quite fully understand the process,” Froome said in response to those who have called for him to be suspended pending a resolution to the case. “When all the facts are out there people will see it from my point of view.”