Firstpost Spodcast Episode 207: Rafael Nadal winning Rome Masters title, Dutee Chand coming out of closet and more

Rafael Nadal defeated Novak Djokovic 6-0, 4-6, 6-1 to win his ninth Italian Open title and a record 34th Masters 1000 crown on Sunday. World number one Djokovic produced an error-strewn performance in his 54th meeting with second-ranked Nadal, which handed the Spaniard the 81st title of his career. Following the title win, Nadal overtakes Djokovic at the top of the list for Masters wins. The two players were level at 33 each before Sunday’s final. This win is a timely boost for Nadal ahead of his attempt for a 12th French Open crown in a week’s time. In the women’s final, Czech fourth seed Karolina Pliskova swept past Britain’s Johanna Konta 6-3, 6-4 to win the Italian Open. Pliskova, the 2017 French Open semi-finalist, clinched her 13th career title in just 85 minutes. Indian athlete Dutee Chand, who won two silver medals at the 2018 Asian Games, became one of the few athletes in the world to openly admit to being in a same-sex relationship. During her training in Hyderabad, Dutee told PTI, “I am having a relationship with a 19-year-old woman from my village for the past five years. She is studying BA 2nd year in a Bhubaneswar college. She is a relative of mine and whenever I come home, I spend time with her. She is a kind of soul-mate for me and I want to settle down with her in future.” Dutee is from Chaka Gopalpur village in the Jajpur district of Odisha. In badminton news, favourites China demolished Malaysia in the opening round while Indonesia got the better of England at the 2019 Sudirman Cup in Shanghai. A young Malaysian side, playing without badminton legend Lee Chong Wei, struggled to battle China on the opening day and fell way short. Veteran cricketer Yuvraj Singh, one of India’s greatest limited-overs players, is contemplating retirement from international cricket and pursuing a freelance career in ICC approved foreign Twenty20 leagues. PTI reported that the Punjab left-hander would take a final decision only if he receives permission from the BCCI. It has been learnt that Yuvraj has come to terms with the fact that he is unlikely to play in India colours again. Spain’s defending world champion Marc Marquez won the French MotoGP at Le Mans on Sunday, bringing up Honda’s 300th victory in the division and completing a memorable family double after younger brother Alex took the Moto2 race. Sunday’s first-place finish was Marquez’s 47th top level Grand Prix win and the third of the season, finishing ahead of Italian pair Andrea Dovizioso and Danilo Petrucci of Ducati. Starting from pole, Marquez completed the race almost two seconds ahead of Dovizioso.