Sports Shorts: Shuttler Jayaram stuns top seed to make Dutch Open final

Indian shuttler Ajay Jayaram overcame Rajiv Ouseph of England to enter the men's singles final of the $50,000 Yonex Dutch Open Grand Prix, in Almere, The Netherlands.

The 13th seeded Indian, who returned to the circuit in August, after a seven-month injury layoff, defeated the top-seeded Ouseph 11-8, 11-7, 11-5, in a 26-minute semi-final at the Topsportcentrum Almere late Saturday.

Jayaram, 27, had a tough journey en route to the final as he got past third-seeded Indonesian Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka in the quarter-final and Chun Hei Tam of Hong Kong in the pre-quarters.

The Chennai-born player will on Ihsan Maulana Mustofa of Indonesia in the title clash on Sunday.

Fabregas pleads for patience with new-look Spain team

Midfielder Cesc Fabregas has hit back at criticism levelled against Spain's new-look team and pleaded for time following a surprise Euro 2016 qualifying defeat by Slovakia.

Spain have introduced several new players after they failed to defend their World Cup title in Brazil and results have been mixed, with a victory over Macedonia in their opening Euro qualifier coming between a friendly defeat to France and Thursday's shock result.

They have an opportunity to get back on track with another Group C clash against Luxembourg on Sunday after the Slovakia result led to captain and goalkeeper Iker Casillas and striker Diego Costa coming under fire.

"In difficult moments we need to ignore what is being said about us, it doesn’t interest us and we need to be more united than ever. The media have different interests to us,” Chelsea player Fabregas told a news conference.

"We need to keep trying and looking to play our football and we will get it right. Hopefully it won’t take too long."

Midfielders Xavi and Xabi Alonso and striker David Villa, who were core players in Spain’s period of dominance when they won European championships either side of their 2010 World Cup victory, all retired from the international game after their failure in Brazil.

“We want to play a style of football which is not easy to achieve," Fabregas continued. "There have only been three games since we lost some very good players and people are making out it is more like 20.

"There are new faces that have to settle in but they will pick up the ideas, the different style and we will get going.

"Other teams like France, Italy and England have all been given time and that is all we need. We will improve and we will get the results. Obviously we rely on results. Decisions are made and then we live by the results of those decisions.

"We respect that people have the right to have opinions but for us we are just concentrating on the jobs that we have to do."

Teammate Gerard Pique felt it was important that Spain maintain their trademark passing game that has brought them success in recent years.

"There are always debates when we lose, but there shouldn’t be any discussion about our style of play," he told a news conference.

"It would be an error to change with the players that we have. Our style is all about possession and touch."

Stosur downs Diyas to take another Osaka title

Australia's Samantha Stosur continued her love affair with the Osaka hardcourts by claiming a third Japan Open title after edging Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan in Sunday's final.

The top seed prevailed 7-6(7), 6-3 over her 20-year-old opponent, who was competing in her first WTA final.

The 2011 US Open winner was broken in the first game of the match as Diyas confidently held on for a 5-3 advantage before losing serve for the first time as she tried to close the set out.

Diyas recovered in the tiebreak and held two set points but could not convert as the 30-year-old Stosur fought back to take it and avoid dropping her first set of the week.

The Queensland native, ranked 18th in the world, then scored an early break at the start of the second set and claimed another to seal her sixth career title and first of the season.

World number 37 Diyas, who had never reached a WTA semi-final before, was one of four players selected earlier this week to take part at the WTA Rising Stars Invitational event on the sidelines of the WTA Tour finals in Singapore later this month.

American Riske beats Bencic to claim first WTA title

American Alison Riske won her first WTA title after overpowering Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic in the final of the Tianjin Open in China on Sunday.

The 24-year-old Atlanta, Georgia resident blasted away the U.S. Open quarter-finalist with some powerful serves and mean groundstrokes to take a 6-3, 6-4 win.

"It's a huge accomplishment for me to win my first WTA title," the world number 62 said after downing the 17-year-old, who was also seeking a first WTA title.

"I was here by myself, which made it even more special, just to know that I was able to do it by myself. I hope I can keep up the momentum."

Masterful Marquez retains MotoGP title

Marc Marquez retained his MotoGP title with a fighting second place finish in the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, the dominant Spaniard securing a fourth global title in five years at his Honda team's home Motegi circuit.

By claiming 20 points for a second-place finish, the 21-year-old stretched his championship lead over Italian Valentino Rossi of Yamaha and his team mate and compatriot Dani Pedrosa to an unassailable 82 points with three races remaining.

"I am really happy to win the title on Honda's home circuit and I offer my thanks to my family and to the team for giving me the best material and motivation to win the world title," an elated Marquez told reporters.

Yamaha's double former world champion Jorge Lorenzo claimed victory on the day 1.638 seconds ahead of Marquez, who overtook Rossi with eight laps remaining and held off the Italian to secure the title. Pedrosa finished fourth.

It was the second consecutive win for Spaniard Lorenzo after his victory in the rain-hit Aragon Grand Prix last month.

Catalan Marquez continues to blaze a trail through every class he has raced in, first winning the 125cc title in 2010, then the Moto2 crown in 2012 before claiming back-to-back MotoGP titles.

He could have settled the championship earlier in the season after registering a record 11 consecutive wins but crashes in San Marino and Alcaniz in the last two races delayed his coronation.

"It's difficult to explain right now but I have been in MotoGP for two years and won two titles. It is incredible and something I could not have imagined," Marquez said, adding that he was under pressure after the last two crashes.

"I am in like a dream, it's incredible."

Unhappy Jelavic quits Croatia amid Euro 2016 qualifying

Croatia striker Nikica Jelavic has quit the national team because he was unhappy with being an unused substitute in Friday’s 1-0 win in Bulgaria in a Euro 2016 qualifier, coach Niko Kovac said.

"I am sorry things panned out like this and I am really surprised by Jelavic’s course of action, but I accept his decision," Kovac told the Croatian Football Association’s official website (www.hns-cff.hr) on Saturday.

"I wish to thank him for everything he has done for the national team and I can only wish him the best of luck in life and in the rest of his club career."

The 29-year old striker, who joined England's Hull City this year after two years at Everton, scored six goals in 36 appearances for Croatia having played second fiddle to Mario Mandzukic throughout his international career.

Against the Bulgarians, Jelavic was twice instructed to warm up but Kovac, often criticised by Croatian media for his tactics which they say led to an early World Cup exit, decided to keep him on the bench.

The Croatians are joint top of Group H with Italy on six points from two games ahead of their next qualifier at home to Azerbaijan on Monday.