Djokovic beats Nadal after marathon battle, advances to Wimbledon final
Wimbledon, July 14 : Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic on Saturday beat World No.1 Rafael Nadal of Spain 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (11-9), 3-6, 10-8, ending a marathon match that began a day earlier to advance to the final of Wimbledon.
In total, World No. 21 Djokovic needed five hours and 15 minutes to make reach his fifth career Wimbledon final, marking a stunning return to form after struggling with a right elbow injury earlier this season, reports Efe.
The match was suspended Friday evening after Djokovic sealed the lengthy third set tiebreak 11-9, following two hours and 53 minutes of play, and resumed again Saturday under a closed roof.
The two stars ended the match with exactly the same stats, each firing 73 winners and only 42 unforced errors.
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, attended the match in their first appearance together without their husbands, Princes Harry and William.
For the final, Djokovic is set to face Kevin Anderson of South Africa, World No. 8, who is making his first appearance in Wimbledon's last round after beating the John Isner of the United States 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (5-7) 6-7 (9-11) 6-4 26-24 on Friday.
Despite Djokovic's two-day match, Anderson may be the one at a disadvantage in the final, as the South African's semifinal against Isner lasted a record-breaking six hours and 36 minutes.
Djokovic has also beaten Anderson in five of their six encounters.
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Human-wildlife conflict: Karnataka minister calls for sterilisation of select species
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister Eshwar Khandre on Wednesday said that rising human-wildlife conflict has created a need to consider sterilising specific species, and that the issue should be publicly debated.
He clarified that no decision has been made so far and that discussions will be held with officials and stakeholders.
"There is an increase in the number of select wildlife. In my opinion, putting some curbs on their numbers is necessary due to increased conflicts, loss of lives, and urbanisation. So there is a proposal to conduct sterilisation surgery or vaccination on select wildlife," Minister for Forest, Ecology and Environment said.
Speaking to reporters, he added that no list has been prepared yet and that he plans to hold discussions on the matter with senior officials.
Noting that a related issue is pending before the Supreme Court, the minister said there are plans to submit a proposal after due deliberation.
"We intend to protect wildlife while ensuring that human lives are not lost. No decision has been made yet; it is still under consideration. In areas with a high number of wildlife, we are thinking about controlling it for a year or two. Other states are considering similar measures. There is a need for public debate on this," he added.
Khandre also said the government is seriously considering the voluntary relocation of forest dwellers who wish to move out of the forest. He has asked officials to prepare a list of those willing to relocate.
"Once the list is ready, I will discuss the required funding with the chief minister (Siddaramaiah), who also serves as Finance Minister, and the government will make a decision. Relocating forest dwellers will expand wildlife habitats and integrate those living without basic facilities into mainstream society," he said.
Expressing grief over the death of a coffee grower in Kodagu district due to a wild elephant attack on Wednesday, the minister said the government and the department are making every effort to prevent human-elephant conflict and assured that the government stands with the bereaved family in this difficult time.
"The government had planned to build a sanctuary to address the problem of elephants. There are some difficulties in obtaining permission from the central government. Once this is resolved, action will be taken to establish the sanctuary," he added.
