Miss World 2014 goes to Rolene Strauss from South Africa

• Rolene Strauss from South Africa crowned Miss World 2014
• Medical student, 22, is bilingual and charitable
• Says it has always been her dream to be a doctor and Miss World
• Is currently single and will travel around world next year with charities 

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Miss South Africa, 22-year-old Rolene Strauss, was crowned Miss World 2014 at the contest's glitzy final in London on Sunday, with an estimated billion viewers watching on TV around the globe.

Medical student Strauss clasped her hands together in surprise and was crowned by the outgoing Miss World, Megan Young of the Philippines, to huge cheers in the ExCeL exhibition centre. 

She pipped her fellow contestants to clinch first place in an action-packed three weeks that included a sports, top model and beach fashion competition, a talent contest, Beauty With A Purpose round and a debate at the Oxford Union.

Rolene's principle passion is medicine. The beauty queen is a fourth year medical student and science is clearly in her blood.

Her parents are a doctor and nurse, and in a pre-taped interview for the pageant, Rolene said that becoming Miss South Africa and Miss World and studying medicine were her 'childhood dreams'.

'Everyone in my town called me Little Dr Strauss,' she said. 'Because I was always the little curly-headed girl running around behind my dad in the hospital.

'I'm a test tube baby and I believe my passion for health was born with me,' she added.

As well as being a medical student, Rolene is bilingual and speaks fluent English, as well as Afrikaans

Writing on her website, she explains that she's always had 'big dreams'. She said: 'We moved to a small town called Volksrust, in Mpumalanga. Ever since then I was a small town girl with big dreams.

'To be the best me, to follow my destiny and someday be a woman who uses what she was given out of grace; to inspire, to love, to sympathize and to give.'

Obviously religious, she adds: 'The following verse never fails to give me goose bumps: “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11. We all have a future of hope, a destiny planned for each as individual. The choices we make are the turns we take on the road to our destinies.'

Paying tribute to her country after being crowned, she said: 'South Africa this is for you. I think I will brace myself for what's about to happen. It's a huge responsibility.'

Rolene is determined to use her new crown for the good of the community. She told AFP she wanted to help spread education in her homeland and thereby help other people realise their dreams.

'I am what I am today because of the opportunities I have received and I would love to give others the same opportunities; educating, the opportunity to be educated, to make healthy choices and also to live their dreams.'

And she was already getting used to the glittering crown.

'I'll definitely keep it on as long as I can but my parents are staying around here so they'll be hugging me and I'm afraid that it might fall off,' she said.

There's good news for all the men out there; Miss Strauss is single. In a recent interview with the South African TV Authority, she was asked how many boyfriends she'd ever dumped.

She replied: 'I would say three.' When asked about her relationship status, she said: 'I definitely don't have a public relationship.

'You know, as a Miss South Africa people look up to you and see you as an independent, strong woman. That's the picture I'd like to show people out there and I think it's difficult to be in a relationship because of your busy schedule.'

Miss Hungary, Edina Kulcsar, was judged the runner-up and Miss United States, Elizabeth Safrit, came third in the 64th annual competition, contested by women from 121 countries.

This year's event has been rocked by the murder of Miss Honduras, 19-year-old Maria Jose Alvarado, who was shot dead along with her sister last month.

Police in Honduras accuse her sister's boyfriend of shooting them after seeing his partner dancing with another man at a party.

Strauss and other contestants will travel to the crime-plagued central American nation to build a school named in the sisters' honour.

'We hope that it will really start to impress on the people in Honduras that the violence, and hurting people like those two innocent women... maybe they can think again before they take a gun,' Miss World chairwoman Julia Morley told AFP.

Sunday's show started with a spectacular choreographed dance routine, with all the beauty queens on stage in costumes inspired by their homelands - including Miss Bolivia in a colourful feathered headdress.

While beauty remains central to the event, the women taking part are chiefly judged on their talents and involvement in good causes.

Miss World began in 1951, a year before its chief rival Miss Universe.

Strauss is the third South African Miss World, the country having held the title in 1958 and 1974.

Venezuela tops the all-time leader board with six titles, ahead of India and the United Kingdom on five titles each.

Julia Morley, Miss World Chairman, said: 'It was great to bring the 64th Miss World Final back to London and where it all began 63 years ago.

'I’m looking forward to travelling with Rolene, the new Miss World, to visit countries around the globe to support this year’s finalists Beauty with a Purpose fundraising projects.' 

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Kailash Satyarthi, Malala Yousafzai receive Nobel Peace Prize

So we must work ... and not wait.

I call upon my fellow children to stand up around the world.

Dear sisters and brothers, let us become the first generation to decide to be the last.

The empty classrooms, the lost childhoods, wasted potential—let these things end with us.

Let this be the last time that a boy or a girl spends their childhood in a factory.

Let this be the last time that a girl gets forced into early child marriage.

Let this be the last time that an innocent child loses their life in war.

Let this be the last time that a classroom remains empty.

Let this be the last time that a girl is told education is a crime and not a right.

Let this be the last time that a child remains out of school.

Let us begin this ending.

Let this end with us.

And let us build a better future right here, right now.

Thank you.

So let us bring equality, justice and peace for all. Not just the politicians and the world leaders, we all need to contribute. Me. You. It is our duty.

Dear brothers and sisters, the so-called world of adults may understand it, but we children don't. Why is it that countries which we call “strong” are so powerful in creating wars but so weak in bringing peace? Why is it that giving guns is so easy but giving books is so hard? Why is it that making tanks is so easy, but building schools is so difficult?

As we are living in the modern age, the 21st century and we all believe that nothing is impossible. We can reach the moon and maybe soon will land on Mars. Then, in this, the 21st century, we must be determined that our dream of quality education for all will also come true.

It is not time to tell the leaders to realise how important education is - they already know it - their own children are in good schools. Now it is time to call them to take action. We ask the world leaders to unite and make education their top priority. Fifteen years ago, the world leaders decided on a set of global goals, the Millennium Development Goals. In the years that have followed, we have seen some progress. The number of children out of school has been halved. However, the world focused only on expanding primary education, and progress did not reach everyone.

Next year, in 2015, representatives from around the world will meet at the United Nations to decide on the next set of goals, the Sustainable Development Goals. This will set the world's ambition for generations to come. Leaders must seize this opportunity to guarantee a free, quality primary and secondary education for every child.

Some will say this is impractical, or too expensive, or too hard. Or even impossible. But it is time the world thinks bigger.

My great hope is that this will be the last time we must fight for the education of our children. We want everyone to unite to support us in our campaign so that we can solve this once and for all.

Like I said, we have already taken many steps in the right direction. Now is the time to take a leap.

Dear brothers and sisters, great people,who brought change, like Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, Mother Teresa and Aung San Suu Kyi, they once stood here on this stage. I hope the steps that Kailash Satyarti and I have taken so far and will take on this journey will also bring change – lasting change.

In my own village, there is still no secondary school for girls. I want to build one, so my friends can get an education—and the opportunity it brings to fulfil their dreams.

That is where I will begin, but it is not where I will stop. I will continue this fight until I see every child in school. I feel much stronger after the attack that I endured, because I know, no one can stop me, or stop us, because now we are millions, standing up together.

One of my very good school friends, the same age as me, had always been a bold and confident girl and dreamed of becoming a doctor. But her dream remained a dream. At age of 12, she was forced to get married and then soon had a son at an age when she herself was a child – only 14. I know that my friend would have been a very good doctor.

But she couldn't ... because she was a girl. Her story is why I dedicate the Nobel Prize money to the Malala Fund, to help give girls everywhere a quality education and call on leaders to help girls like me, Mezun and Amina. The first place this funding will go is where my heart is, to build schools in Pakistan—especially in my home of Swat and Shangla.

Many children in India and Pakistan are deprived of their right to education because of social taboos, or they have been forced into child labour and girls into child marriages

Many children in Africa do not have access to school because of poverty.

What I have learnt from the first two chapters of the Holy Quran, is the word Iqra, which means read, and the word, nun wal-qalam which means by the pen.

And therefore as I said last year at the United Nations One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world

Today, in half of the world, we see rapid progress, modernisation and development. However, there are countries where millions still suffer from the very old problems of hunger, poverty, injustice and conflicts.

Indeed, we are reminded in 2014 that a century has passed since the beginning of the First World War, but we still have not learnt all of the lessons that arose from the loss of those millions of lives a hundred years ago. </p>

There are still conflicts in which hundreds of thousands of innocent people have lost their lives. Many families have become refugees in Syria, Gaza and Iraq. There are still girls who have no freedom to go to school in the north of Nigeria. In Pakistan and Afghanistan we see innocent people being killed in suicide attacks and bomb blasts. </p>

Though I appear as one girl, one person, who is 5 foot 2 inches tall, if you include my high heels. I am not a lone voice, I am many.

I am Shazia.

I am Kainat Riaz.

I am Kainat Somro.

I am Mezon.

I am Amina. I am those 66 million girls who are out of school.

People like to ask me why education is important especially for girls. My answer is always the same.

And there are girls with me, who I have met during my Malala Fund campaign, who are now like my sisters, my courageous 16 year old sister Mezon from Syria, who now lives in Jordan in a refugee camp and goes from tent to tent helping girls and boys to learn. And my sister Amina, from the North of Nigeria, where Boko Haram threatens and kidnaps girls, simply for wanting to go to school.

Today, I tell their stories too. I have brought with me to Oslo, some of my sisters, who share this story, friends from Pakistan, Nigeria and Syria. My brave sisters Shazia and Kainat Riaz who were also shot that day in Swat with me. They went through a tragic trauma too. Also my sister Kainat Somro from Pakistan who suffered extreme violence and abuse, even her brother was killed, but she did not succumb.

Things did not remain the same. When I was ten, Swat, which was a place of beauty and tourism, suddenly changed into a place of terrorism. More than 400 schools were destroyed. Girls were stopped from going to school. Women were flogged. Innocent people were killed. We all suffered. And our beautiful dreams turned into nightmares.

Education went from being a right to being a crime.

But when my world suddenly changed, my priorities changed too.

I had two options, one was to remain silent and wait to be killed. And the second was to speak up and then be killed. I chose the second one. I decided to speak up.

The terrorists tried to stop us and attacked me and my friends on 9th October 2012, but their bullets could not win.

We survived. And since that day, our voices have only grown louder.

I tell my story, not because it is unique, but because it is not.

It is the story of many girls.

We had a thirst for education because our future was right there in that classroom. We would sit and read and learn together. We loved to wear neat and tidy school uniforms and we would sit there with big dreams in our eyes. We wanted to make our parents proud and prove that we could excel in our studies and achieve things, which some people think only boys can.

Education is one of the blessings of life — and one of its necessities. That has been my experience during the 17 years life. In my home in Swat Valley, in the north of Pakistan, I always loved school and learning new things. I remember when my friends and I would decorate our hands with henna for special occasions. Instead of drawing flowers and patterns we would paint our hands with mathematical formulas and equations.

I have found that people describe me in many different ways.

Some people call me the girl who was shot by the Taliban.

And some, the girl who fought for her rights

Some people, call me a Nobel Laureate now

As far as I know, I am just a committed and stubborn person who wants to see every child getting quality education, who wants equal rights for women and who wants peace in every corner of the world.

I am here to stand up for their rights, raise their voice ... it is not time to pity them. It is time to take action so it becomes the last time that we see a child deprived of education.

This award is not just for me. It is for those forgotten children who want education. It is for those frightened children who want peace. It is for those voiceless children who want change.

Dear brothers and sisters, I was named after the inspirational Pashtun Joan of Arc, Malalai of Maiwand. The word Malala means "grief stricken", but in order to lend some happiness to it, my grandfather would always call me Malala – The happiest girl in this world and today I am very happy that we are standing together for an important cause.

I am also honoured to receive this award together with Kailash Satyarti, who has been a champion of children's rights for a long time. Twice as long, in fact, than I have been alive. I am also glad that we can stand together and show the world that an Indian and a Pakistani can be united in peace and together work for children's rights.

I am very proud to be the first Pashtun, the first Pakistani, and the first young person to receive this award. I am pretty certain that I am also the first recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize who still fights with her younger brothers. I want there to be peace everywhere, but my brothers and I are still working on that.

I would like to thank my parents for their unconditional love. Thank you to my father for not clipping my wings and for letting me fly. Thank you to my mother for inspiring me to be patient and to always speak the truth- which we strongly believe is the real message of Islam.

Thank you to everyone for your continued support and love. I am grateful for the letters and cards that I still receive from all around the world. Reading your kind and encouraging words strengthens and inspires me.

Bismillah hir rahman ir rahim. In the name of God, the most merciful, the most beneficent.

Your Majesties, distinguished members of the Norweigan Nobel Committee, dear sisters and brothers, today is a day of great happiness for me. I am humbled that the Nobel Committee has selected me for this precious award.

Finally Hamilton won the Championship end of the Season

Lewis Hamilton celebrates with the Mercedes team.

Hamilton recalls the sacrifices his father made

Graham Hill would doubtlessly have done it differently.

Where James Hunt might have staggered disheveled into the morning after the night before, probably clutching bottles in both hands on the way to bed, Lewis Hamilton celebrated his second Formula One title on Monday with bright eyes and a spring in his step.

A glass of watermelon juice, and a few sips of “some kind of Cognac thing”, was sufficient carousing for Great Britain’s first multiple champion since Jackie Stewart.

One of only four Britons, including the late Hill, to have won the title twice, Hamilton said his achievement had yet to sink in. “I feel fresh, I only had one drink last night, which is more than good enough for me,” the Mercedes driver told a breakfast news conference.

“It’s definitely an incredible feeling to wake up this morning feeling fresh in my surroundings and with all the different people who have been involved in my career over 21 years,” he enthused. “The sun is shining and I feel really blessed.”

Hamilton, winner of 11 races this season, recalled his early karting days, sitting by a gas heater drinking chicken soup from a flask, and the sacrifices his father had made.

“Then I popped out to the party, and (Mercedes motorsport head) Toto (Wolff) was all over the place at that point,” laughed Hamilton, Wolff sitting alongside with a pained expression.

Beaten teammate Nico Rosberg had tweeted after the race that “now it’s time to fight for the party world championship”. The German, elsewhere on Monday, seemed to have won the battle.

Hamilton was happy to let that one go at least.

Rosberg holds off Hamilton to win Brazilian GP

This time, Nico Rosberg wasn’t going to let victory slip away.

A week after seeing Lewis Hamilton overtake him to win the United States Grand Prix, Rosberg fended off another strong challenge by his Mercedes teammate to secure the victory at the Brazilian GP and close in on his rival in the Formula One title race.

“It was a great weekend all in all,” Rosberg said. “Just didn’t do a good enough job in the race in Austin, I managed to do that. I learned from Austin and did better, so that’s a big step in the right direction. One race too late, (but) there’s still all to play for.”

The German cut his points-deficit to 17 but Hamilton will keep the upper hand going into the season-ending race in Abu Dhabi, where the Briton can clinch his second title with another second-place finish. If Rosberg misses out on a podium spot, Hamilton can finish eighth or better and still lift the trophy.

“Now I’m just hoping for (Abu Dhabi) and need to try and keep this going now,” he said.

“I always needed to make sure that the gap was always such that there was no chance of him to go for the overtake, unlike Austin, and managed to do that, so that was good.”

It was Rosberg’s fifth win of the season and his first since the German GP in July. Hamilton was trying to win his sixth race in a row.

Felipe Massa of Williams finished third in front of his home crowd, ahead of Jenson Button of McLaren and Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull. Vettel, the winner last year in Brazil, was fifth, while Fernando Alonso of Ferrari finished sixth, ahead of teammate Kimi Raikkonen, the only front driver to use a two-stop strategy instead of a three-stop one.

It was the 11th 1-2 finish for Mercedes, one more than the previous record set by McLaren in 1988. The team’s 15th victory of the season also allowed it to match the record held by McLaren and Ferrari.

“We used to be always hunting and now we’re the hunted, and that’s a big change,” Rosberg said. “It’s great to see how the team has adapted and not slackened off, because that is always difficult, when you get to the front to then stay there. It seems that we’re really going strong and that’s fantastic.”

“I was much quicker at the point,” Hamilton said. “I locked the rears and it just spun me around. No one’s fault but mine.”

“In the first stint I could see that I could control the gap and could just make sure that Lewis didn’t come into the region where he could launch an attack,” Rosberg said. “Once I saw that, I was very confident that I could keep controlling the gap for the whole race.”

Massa, who started third and ran close to Mercedes all weekend, almost threw away his chance to finish on the podium at home after a five-second stop-and-go penalty for speeding on the pit lane during his first pit stop. He also lost some time by entering the wrong pit stall in his final stop.

“I’m happy with the race, not happy with my mistakes,” he said. “I thought I could lose the podium.”

There were huge cheers from the crowd as Massa crossed the finish line in third place. The fans loudly chanted his name at the podium ceremony.

“It’s really exciting to be here after everything that happened to me in this race,” the Brazilian said. “This crowd really deserved it. The whole energy that I had this weekend, it’s difficult to explain.”

There were only 18 cars on the grid for the second race in a row. Marussia was shut down on Friday, while Caterham has a crowd funding project underway to try to return to the grid in Abu Dhabi.

Funky robots display Japan’s latest technologies

A smartphone-controlled dinosaur and a ping pong-playing spider are some of the robot technology showcased at the CEATEC Japan electronics exhibition.

Exhibitors used such attention-grabbing gadgets to showcase their technology and stand out at the event that started Tuesday. Sadly for gadget lovers, the robots weren’t for sale.

TE Connectivity’s dinosaur robot, the TE Saurus, lets users experience a close encounter with a 2.1-meter-tall reptile without going back in time.

A smartphone application can make the dinosaur walk or jump. A shake of the smartphone prompts the TE Saurus to bark. TE Saurus also can play trivia games as users answer questions through the app.

Unrelenting playmate

Despite its intimidating spider-like resemblance, OMRON Corp.’s three-legged robot is a relaxed ping pong playmate. It watches its human opponent to predict the ball’s path. Still, the robot takes it easy on opponents by missing a few hits here and there. With five motors to control paddle movement, it is programmed to serve the ball in a way that makes it easy for the player to return.

“This ping pong robot is really a demonstration of how a robot can interact with a person and react in an appropriate manner,” says Takuya Tsuyuguchi, an Omron manager. “We envision this robot perhaps being used in a factory or production line and having a role in which it would have to interact with a worker to do or build something. This would involve the robot understanding the needs of its human counterpart and behaving appropriately.”

Murata Manufacturing presents a group of 10 robot cheerleaders, with colour-changing pom-poms, that use gyroscopic sensors to roll on spherical bases in unison.

'i' Missing in Apple's Watch

Apple Inc.'s Tuesday launch was a marketing extravaganza stuffed full of gadgets, corporate hyperbole and celebrities of every stripe. One thing was missing: the "i" in front of the Watch.

The company that spends hundreds of millions of dollars marketing and advertising its gizmos does not do things without careful deliberation. Some branding experts say Apple chose that foreshortened appellation both to distinguish its first new device in four years and send a message to the public that it was moving into new territory.

Others say the absent alphabet may signify the Watch's positioning for now - as an accessory and companion to the iPhone, which it requires in order to work, rather than a product that exists on its own merits.

Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

"They are looking down the road," said Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, New York- based brand research consultancy. "The watch is going to be an adjunct to a lot of other things that will still have the 'i' attached to them. All of this wearable technology stuff really isn't stand alone."

“It becomes more of an app attachment than a single product," Passikoff said.

But the Watch may carry higher stakes for the company and CEO Cook.

Cook, who has laboured for years under the shadow of his legendary predecessor Steve Jobs, on Tuesday kept the Watch for last, unveiling the first device to be developed under his tenure with a hint of emotion in his voice. Before the unveiling, he had stressed the historic significance of the Flint Centre venue - where a young Jobs unveiled the Macintosh decades ago.

Now, the company that waded into smartphones in 2007 and tablets in 2010 is again venturing into unfamiliar territory, though this time the inherent demand is less than certain. IT research outfit IDC experts predict around 42 million smartwatches will be sold in 2015; Apple sometimes sells that many iPhones in three months.

The financial impact for the company remains unclear, but analysts say the success of the Watch will help restore some shine to its dimming reputation for innovation. In past years, Apple had appeared stuck in an iPhone product cycle, with a new version typically launched in the second half and a more complete redesign only every two years.

That elevates the importance of the timepiece. Marketing chief Phil Schiller once said in court that Apple's strategy, which spends hundreds of millions of dollars on ads, is to "make the product the biggest and clearest thing in advertising."

"It is a new era," said Ellen Leanse, a brand strategist and former senior Apple executive. "It was a highly confident move that signals, pardon the pun, watch us."

"It would have been trite to call it the iWatch. It would have been looking backwards," she added. "This could pave a new path for a product family" like the Macintosh.

Cilic crushes Nishikori to claim US Open title

Marin Cilic of Croatia and Kei Nishikori of Japan hold their trophies after Cilic won

Croatia’s Marin Cilic swept past Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-3 6-3 6-3 to win the U.S. Open on Monday and reach the pinnacle of the sport one year after a doping ban kept him out of the year’s final grand slam.

The big-serving Croatian overwhelmed a weary Nishikori in one hour, 54 minutes to clinch a ruthless victory and deny his 10th-seeded opponent’s bid to become the first Asian man to win a grand slam.

With the win, 14th seed Cilic becomes the first Croatian to win one of the sport’s four grand slam championships since his coach Goran Ivanisevic celebrated a Wimbledon victory in 2001.

“This is all hard work in these last several years and especially this last year,” said Cilic. “My team has brought something special to me, especially Goran, we were working really hard but the most important thing he brought to me was enjoying tennis and always having fun.”

“I enjoyed my best tennis over here and played the best ever in my life.”

The final marked the first time since the 2005 Australian Open that at least one of tennis’s big three of Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer was not playing for the title.

The two players walked onto the Arthur Ashe Stadium court under overcast skies and much more forgiving conditions than the sweltering heat they faced through much of the fortnight.

While both men were playing in their first grand slam final it was Nishikori who displayed more jitters as Cilic quickly found his range and unloaded on his helpless opponent by blasting 17 aces to Nishikori’s two.

Nishikori had his opportunities with nine break chances but could convert just one while Cilic was five of 11 and enjoyed a 38-19 edge in winners.

“It’s a really tough loss but I’m really happy coming to my first final,” said Nishikori, who appeared to run out of gas after beating three consecutive top-10 opponents and having to endure a pair of five-setters. “Sorry I couldn’t get a trophy today but for sure next time.

“It was a really fun two weeks here. I hope I can be coming back next year.”

‘PRETTY NERVOUS’

Cilic had Nishikori on the back foot from start to finish, speeding through the opening set in 33 minutes.

The 14th seed, using his huge wingspan to reach out and bash forehands across court and a booming serve to score easy points, again had an early break in the second and added another to go up 5-2.

Nishikori mustered a fightback to score his only break of the match and close to 5-3 but the relentless Cilic broke right back for a 2-0 lead killing any momentum his reeling opponent was building.

With a maiden grand slam within sight, Cilic kept his foot on the gas and grabbed an early break in the third.

The only nerves Cilic would show came when he double faulted on his first match point.

But it was only a momentary lapse as he buckled down and finished off a reeling Nishikori with a backhard winner before letting out a mighty scream as he fell onto his back and raised his arms in celebration.

“You never know when the nerves are going to kick in,” said Cilic, who returned to competition last October after a four-month ban for what he always maintained was the result of ingesting a banned substance through a tainted supplement.

“I think both of us were pretty nervous in the first set especially.

“Everything I was working for and dreaming came today and I feel for all the other players that are working hard, I think this is a big sign, a big hope that if you are working hard things are going to pay off.”

Motor racing-Former F1 champion Michael Schumacher leaves hospital for home

Michael Schumacher has left hospital to continue his recovery at home but the former Formula One champion faces "a long and difficult road ahead" after his skiing accident last year, a statement said on Tuesday.

"Henceforth, Michael's rehabilitation will take place at his home. Considering the severe injuries he suffered, progress has been made in the past weeks and months," said the brief statement issued by manager Sabine Kehm.

"There is still, however, a long and difficult road ahead."

A spokesman for the university hospital in Lausanne confirmed the 45-year-old German, a seven times world champion, had left.

Schumacher suffered severe head injuries in a ski accident in the French Alps in late December and was transferred to Lausanne in June after emerging from a coma. He underwent treatment to stimulate his senses in a specialised outdoor section of the hospital shielded from view.

Hamilton Won Italian GP with Italian GP; Roseberg blinks makes him 2nd

Lewis Hamilton pressured Nico Rosberg into a mistake and overtook his Mercedes teammate and rival to win the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday, adding another chapter to their heated rivalry.

The key pass came about midway through the race as Hamilton had recovered from a poor start to pull up right behind Rosberg.

Clearly feeling Hamilton’s presence behind him, Rosberg drove straight through the Monza circuit’s first chicane at the end of the main straightaway and was slowed as he slalomed through obstacles.

All Hamilton had to do was stay on the track and he easily passed Rosberg and then cruised to his sixth victory of the season and 28th of Formula One career. Hamilton also cut Rosberg’s championship lead from 29 to 22 points with six races remaining.

Rosberg crossed 3.1 seconds behind, and Felipe Massa of Williams was third, a distant 21.8 seconds back.

Valtteri Bottas in the other Williams finished fourth and Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull was fifth.

Ideal conditions

It was a disappointing day for the Ferrari drivers before their home “tifosi” fans as Kimi Raikkonen finished ninth and Fernando Alonso’s race ended midway through due to a technical problem that resulted in the Spaniard pulling to a stop at the end of the main straightaway.

Conditions were ideal, with skies clear and the temperature at 25 degrees Celsius (77 Fahrenheit) inside the royal park that contains the track.

Hamilton and Rosberg qualified 1-2 and fans had anticipated a battle between the pair at the first corner.

At the Belgian GP two weeks ago, Rosberg finished second after crashing into Hamilton early and sending his teammate out of the incident-packed race.

But at the start Hamilton had a technical problem and dropped to fourth heading into the first chicane behind Rosberg, McLaren’s Kevin Magnussen and Massa.

Hamilton rebounded by passing Magnussen with Massa’s help on the fifth lap then overtook Massa around the outside through the first chicane on lap 10 and began to reduce Rosberg’s lead lap after lap.Meanwhile, Rosberg lost time when he drove straight through the first chicane on lap nine — a harbinger of things to come.

Up next is the Singapore GP in two weeks time.

Serena Williams makes it three in a row at US Open

Serena Williams won the 18th Grand Slam title of her career on Sunday, beating Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3 to claim a third consecutive trophy at the US Open.

Williams joins Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert in the record books.

That pair of legends was on hand at the trophy ceremony to present Williams with an 18-carat gold bracelet to mark her achievement. The winner also collected 3 million dollars in prize money and 1 million dollars for winning the North American run-up series points race.

“It’s really a wonderful feeling,” said an emotional Williams. “It feels great.”

“I could not have imagined it working out any better,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked to set this record at a better place.” Williams described Wozniaki as “a great friend,” who “knows the struggles I’ve been through. We text every day.”

“Congratulations to Serena, she really deserved it today, She played better than me,” Wozniacki said.

“She’s such an inspiration on and off the court. You’re an unbelievable friend — and you definitely owe drinks later.”

Williams and Wozniacki got off to tentative starts on serve in the opening set, with a run of breaks finally halted as Williams took a 5-2 lead.

Woznaicki saved a set point in the eight game before Williams claimed the set 6-3. Wozniacki managed only one winner in the set, an ace in the fourth game.

Williams began to make a big impact on serve in the second set after starting with a break. Wozniacki served up her only love game of the afternoon for 3-4, with Williams then catching her flat-footed to take a 5-3 lead.

The top seed closed out the record-setting victory a game later when Wozniacki fired a backhand long on the first of two match points.

Williams then fell to the ground in joy and shock before starting her victory celebration.

Sania Mirza-Bruno Soares clinch U.S. Open mixed doubles title

Sania Mirza clinched her third mixed doubles Grand Slam crown as she and partner Bruno Soares overcame a few anxious moments in the match tie-break to win the US Open here on Friday.

The Indo-Brazilian pair, the top seeds, squandered five championship points before registering a 6-1, 2-6, 11-9 win over USA’s Abigail Spears and Santiago Gonzalez of Mexico. The match lasted exactly an hours.

After breezing through the first set, the way they did throughout the championship, Sania and Soares surrendered the second meekly.

In the match tie-break, the top-seeded combination got their act together, racing to a 9-4 lead. Spears and Gonzalez put up a fight to make it 9-9, saving five match points. However, helped by Soares’s serve, the No. 1 seeds took the next point and it was all over when Spears hit the ball long.

It was the first time Sania and Soares were playing together.

“Playing with him is a lot of fun. He did not play with me all these years and I don’t know why,” said Sania. She also confirmed that the two will team up for next year’s Australian Open.

Sania’s third

Sania’s previous titles came with compatriot Mahesh Bhupathi, the duo winning the Australian Open in 2009 and French Open in 2012.

It was Soares’s second US Open mixed doubles crown.

In 2012, he won the title along with Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova.

On Thursday, Sania and Cara Black of Zimbabwe, the third seeds, lost in the women’s doubles semifinals to the unseeded Swiss-Italian pair of Martina Hingis and Flavia Pennetta 6-2, 6-4.

Makarova, Vesnina win US Open doubles title

Makarova and Vesnina also won the 2013 French Open.

Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina won their second Grand Slam women’s doubles title, ending Martina Hingis’ run at the U.S. Open.

The fourth-seeded Russians rallied after losing the first set to beat Hingis and Flavia Pennetta 2-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Saturday night.

“Definitely, it was so amazing,” Makarova said. “I’m just so happy. It was a great two weeks for me.”

Makarova and Vesnina saved three break points to hold and then won the next two games to clinch the championship.

Playing doubles in her latest comeback from retirement, the 33-year-old Hingis was in her first major final since the 2002 Australian Open. She has won nine Grand Slam doubles titles to go with her five major singles championships.

“It was an incredible journey,” she said.

Makarova and Vesnina also won the 2013 French Open.

Makarova was routed by No. 1 Serena Williams 6-1, 6-3 on Friday in her first major singles semifinal. She and Vesnina beat Williams and her sister Venus in the quarterfinals in doubles.

Vesnina said she ran into Serena Williams in the locker room Saturday morning and the 13-time major doubles champion asked if she was playing in the final that day.

“She looked straight at me in my eyes she’s like, ‘Go for it, because you really deserve it,’” Vesnina said, still a bit in awe.

British Grand Prix: Hamilton wins as Rosberg retires

Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen was involved in a spectacular high speed opening lap accident that halted the race for an hour to allow repairs to the barriers.

Lewis Hamilton won a crash—hit British Grand Prix on Sunday to cut Mercedes team—mate Nico Rosberg’s lead in the drivers’ championship from 29 points to just four after the German had his first non—finish of the season.

Australian Daniel Ricciardo of Red Bull finished third ahead of Jenson Button, the 2009 champion, of McLaren and defending four—time champion Sebastian Vettel in the second Red Bull. Two—time champion Fernando Alonso of Ferrari was sixth.

It was Hamilton’s fifth win this year, his second in his home event and the 27th of his career, drawing him level with fellow—Briton and three—time champion Jackie Stewart in the record books.

“England! What a great feeling guys, I couldn’t be happier, I’m sorry about yesterday, but a fantastic job today, as ever!” a delighted Hamilton told his team by radio.

From the winners’ podium, Hamilton added- “This shows you never give up! Right now, it’s very mixed emotions at the moment, but we have the greatest fans here. It was you guys who spurred me on. At the beginning, I allowed him (Rosberg) to get a good gap and look after the tires.

“But we came out on the harder tire and could not believe I had that kind of pace. I don’t want to see a team—mate fail, I want a one—two, but I really needed this result.”

Raikkonen was involved in a spectacular high—speed opening lap accident that halted the race for an hour to allow repairs to the barriers. The Ferrari driver lost control, spun, hit the barriers and collided with the Williams of Brazilian Massa, who was starting his 200th Grand Prix.

Both escaped serious injury but Raikkonen, whose car was massively damaged, limped away and required later X—rays on his right ankle. Massa was forced out with a damaged car, but like Rosberg, stayed to cheer the teams at the end of the race.

Danish rookie Kevin Magnussen finished seventh for McLaren ahead of German Nico Hulkenberg of Force India, Russian rookie Daniil Kvyat of Toro Rosso and 10th—placed Frenchman Jean—Eric Vergne in the second Toro Rosso.

Djokovic defeats Federer to win second Wimbledon title

Novak Djokovic plays a return to Roger Federer of Switzerland during their men's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon, London

Djokovic emerges triumphant in a classic tussle; the Serb wins his second Wimbledon title, overcoming a spectacular resurgence by Federer

Two great players nudged each other to even greater heights to produce a Wimbledon final that will go down as one of the finest in its history. One of them, Novak Djokovic, would eventually lift the trophy having beaten his opponent Roger Federer in five close sets 6-7(7), 6-4, 7-6(4), 5-7, 6-4.

But the scoreline and the victory seemed to pale before the tennis itself, which was the real winner as these two champions outplayed themselves. This was a match that was undeserving of being assessed by the twists and turns and the thrills and spills, even if there was enough of that edge-of-the-seat suspense which left the audience gasping.

The first set went along customary lines with both players dominating on serve. While the Djokovic service game seemed impregnable, Federer stayed on course to level at 6-6.

Aces: 13- 29 
First serve %: 62-69 
Double faults: 3-5 
Unforced errors: 27-29
Winners: 68-75
Break point conversations: 4/15-3/7 
Net points won: 26/35-44/67
Total points won: 186-180
Fastest serve: 199-kph-204-kph
Match duration: 3h 56 mins

The latter would go up quickly to 3-0, only to find Djokovic clawing back and having two set points, one of which Federer saved with an imperious ace. Eventually, Federer closed out the tie-breaker 9-7 to the delight of the crowd that was firmly behind the Swiss. By now, there were some patterns emerging that would influence the course of the match. It was clear, for instance, that Federer had chosen to attack from the net through a combination of serve and volley, and chip and charge. The former tactic worked well, but although the latter paid off on one critical point in the fourth set, for the most part it failed to work in unsettling Djokovic while serving. Federer is also not the best judge about when to approach the net during a baseline rally and Djokovic was able to repeatedly pass him.
Although he pulled himself out of trouble time and again with big serves, raining 29 aces against Djokovic’s 13, his second serve was vulnerable.

Federer was able to win a mere 44 per cent of his second serves, the main reason he found himself having to dig deep to get out of trouble.

An early break settled the issue in the second set, which Djokovic never seemed like losing, and the third headed unerringly for a tie-break with the Serb failing to convert the two break points that came his way.

In the tie-breaker, Federer, who had begun with a booming ace, handed the first mini-break to his opponent by rushing to the net following a poor shot and finding himself easily passed; he eventually lost 7-4.

It was in the fourth set that the match took on its element of drama, with Djokovic establishing a 5-2 lead and the match seeming well nigh over.

Serving for the championship, Djokovic fluffed an easy shot to the open court after wrong-footing Federer.

From there it was downhill all the way as a resurgent and doubly aggressive Federer clawed his way back to take the next five games after staving off four breathtaking break points to win 7-5.

Medical timeout

Ordinarily, Djokovic, who has beaten Federer in their two previous five-set outings, would have been the favourite at the beginning of the fifth set, but there was a sense that the momentum had shifted.

Federer seemed calm and much lighter on his feet and Djokovic, who needed a medical timeout, seemed a little flustered at having to work so hard to put out his opponent.

But the Serb recouped wonderfully by the end of the fifth, discovering the fire and energy within just when he needed it to get ahead 5-4 and attack the Federer second serve to win his second championship and with it, regained his place as the World No 1.

Kvitova overpowers Bouchard to win 2nd Wimbledon title

Petra Kvitova of Czech Republic celebrates defeating Eugenie Bouchard of Canada in their women's singles final at the All England Lawn Tennis Championships in Wimbledon

Petra Kvitova overwhelmed Eugenie Bouchard 6-3, 6-0 in less than an hour on Saturday to win Wimbledon for the second time.

The Czech left-hander completely outplayed the 20-year-old Canadian playing in her first major final with her big serve, aggressive returns and flat ground-strokes.

Kvitova, the 2011 champion, put on a clinic of power tennis, ripping baseline winners off both wings and leaving Bouchard looking helpless. Kvitova won the final seven games, finishing with another clean winner a cross-court backhand.

Bouchard was the first Canadian to reach a Grand Slam final.

Apple likely to launch smartwatch this Quarter

This is Concept Watch, may be not

Apple intensified speculation this month when it said the upcoming version of its mobile operating system, iOS 8, will include tools for managing health data.

Apple is likely to launch a computerized wristwatch this fall that includes more than 10 sensors to take health measurements and other data, according to a published report.

The Wall Street Journal also said Friday that Apple Inc. is planning multiple screen sizes for the device, which some people have dubbed the iWatch.

Samsung, Sony, Qualcomm and others have already released smartwatches, but the gadgets have mostly functioned as companions to smartphones, offering email notifications, clock functions and the like. Samsung’s Gear 2 line, released this year, added fitness—related apps and has a heart rate sensor.

There’s been longstanding speculation that Apple has been working on a smartwatch. The main question has been when it would come out.

Apple intensified speculation this month when it said the upcoming version of its mobile operating system, iOS 8, will include tools for managing health data. The software is expected in September, along with new iPhones.

Apple has been under pressure to release new products, as investors question whether the company that popularized the smartphone and the tablet computer is still able to innovate following the death of co—founder Steve Jobs. CEO Tim Cook has hinted at new products coming this year, but the company hasn’t provided details.

Citing unnamed people familiar with the matter, the Journal said production of the smartwatch is expected to begin in two or three months at Quanta Computer Inc., a Taiwanese company that has worked on Apple’s Mac computers. Sales of the device could begin as early as October.

Apple declined comment in line with its policy of not discussing future products.

Nico Rosberg won Austrian GP 2014

Nico Rosberg held off a challenge from teammate Lewis Hamilton to win the Austrian GP on Sunday for the sixth one-two finish by Mercedes this season.

It was Rosberg's third win of the year and sixth overall as he extended his lead in the drivers' championship over Hamilton to 29 points.

Valtteri Bottas came third for his first career Formula One podium while Williams teammate Felipe Massa, who started from pole Position, took fourth.

Four-time Formula One champion Sebastian Vettel had an engine problem in the second lap and was doubled by the field before quitting the race in the 36th on Red Bull's home circuit.

Hamilton, who was ninth after qualifying, used a blistering start and earned four places from the start and won another place to work his way up to fourth in the opening lap.

Rosberg immediately overtook Bottas but lost that position again shortly after the first turn.

Massa dropped from pole to fourth after the top-four had their first pit stops.

Sergio Perez remained in the lead until the 27th, overtaken by Rosberg who accelerated for the fastest lap so far to create distance to Hamilton, who got stuck behind Perez.

From lap 30 on, the four leaders battled it out with clear advantages for both Mercedes drivers.

Rosberg remained in the lead for the rest of the race, not allowing a pushing Hamilton a chance to overtake him.

The race once more confirmed Mercedes has best adapted to the introduction this season of the 1.6-liter turbocharged V6 engines with build-in energy recovery system.

Hamilton won four races in a row while Rosberg never finished worse than second.

Mercedes' stranglehold on victories was broken two weeks ago in Montreal by Daniel Ricciardo's maiden win, though Red Bull failed to threaten Mercedes again on its home circuit in Austria.

Mercedes dominated practice Friday with Rosberg and Hamilton posting the fastest times, but Williams hit back the next day when Bottas led the final practice before Massa grabbed pole position -- his first in six years.