Djokovic Slides to Victory As Wimbledon Makes Soggy Return LONDON: Novak Djokovic Overcame He Played Pretty Well, Won Matches Past Niculescu
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Established 1961 13 Sports Tuesday, June 29, 2021 Djokovic slides to victory as Wimbledon makes soggy return LONDON: Novak Djokovic overcame he played pretty well, won matches past Niculescu. an early scare before getting his bid for a against high-ranked players,” said Elsewhere yesterday, Greece’s sixth Wimbledon and record-equaling Djokovic. “Walking onto Wimbledon Stefanos Tsitsipas, promoted to third 20th Grand Slam title off to a winning Centre Court for the first time, he’s done seed in the absence of Rafael Nadal, has start yesterday while rain brought havoc extremely well.” a tough opener against 57th-ranked to the schedule, one year after the tour- Next up for Djokovic will be either Frances Tiafoe of the United States. nament was cancelled due to the former runner-up Kevin Anderson or Tiafoe won a second-tier grass court COVID-19 pandemic. Chilean qualifier Marcelo Tomas Barrios Challenger event in Nottingham this Defending champion and world num- Vera. It was the 34-year-old Djokovic’s month before making the quarter-finals ber one Djokovic, looking to become just first match on the court since his epic at Queen’s Club. the third man in history to complete a five-set win over Roger Federer in the Tsitsipas, who lost a five-set final to calendar Grand Slam, claimed a 4-6, 6-1, 2019 final, the longest title match in tour- Djokovic at the French Open two weeks 6-2, 6-2 win over Britain’s 253rd-ranked nament history and where he saved two ago, made the last 16 at Wimbledon in Jack Draper. However, the 34-year-old championship points. 2018. However, he was a first-round loser Serb struggled on the slippery Centre His match yesterday was preceded by two years ago and comes into Court surface with the roof closed above a standing ovation for Professor Sarah Wimbledon with just 15 matches on it due to the rain. Left-handed Draper, Gilbert, one of the key scientists behind grass in his career. Two-time champion playing just his fifth match on the main the Oxford Asra-Zeneca COVID-19 vac- Andy Murray is on Centre Court against tour, saved seven of seven break points cine who was a special guest in the Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili, a semi- in the opener to stun the top seed. Royal Box. Wimbledon looks very differ- finalist in Halle. LONDON: Serbia’s Novak Djokovic slips on the grass as he plays a return against But Djokovic soon snuffed out any ent with COVID-19 protocols in place Britain’s Jack Draper during their men’s singles first round match on the first day of danger of him becoming only the third and a 50 percent capacity until finals Hotel bubble the 2021 Wimbledon Championships at The All England Tennis Club in Wimbledon, defending champion to lose in the first day, but one familiar feature was the Murray, now ranked at 118, is playing southwest London, yesterday. —AFP round, by sweeping through the remain- summer rain. his first singles match at Wimbledon der of the tie. He finished with an Play on the outside courts started five since 2017 after a lengthy battle with hip impressive 25 aces and 47 winners as his hours late with 16 of the day’s scheduled and groin injuries. Petra Kvitova, the as a close contact of a positive coron- of China. On Saturday, former men’s 19-year-old opponent, who grew up just 64 matches cancelled until today. Belarus 2011 and 2014 champion, starts against avirus case and will have to self-isolate. doubles champion Frederik Nielsen was six miles (9.5km) from the All England second seed Aryna Sabalenka had the former US Open winner Sloane The world number 31, a semi-finalist at forced to withdraw after also being iden- Club, wilted. honor of being the first winner at the Stephens. Players are confined to a hotel the tournament in 2017, had been drawn tified as a close contact. “This is not tournament in two years when she ‘bubble’ in central London this year. to face Katerina Siniakova of the Czech unexpected,” said All England Club chief ‘Extremely well’ downed Romanian qualifier Monica However, there have already been two Republic. executive Sally Bolton. “It’s terribly sad “He’s a youngster and I hadn’t seen Niculescu 6-1, 6-4 under the roof of virus-related withdrawals. The 30-year-old’s place will be taken for the players but it’s something we plan him play too much prior to Queen’s and Court One. Sabalenka fired 48 winners Britain’s Johanna Konta was identified by 123rd-ranked lucky loser Wang Yafan for. We have protocols in place.” — AFP Japan Olympic chief says ‘no way’ to ensure zero virus cases T20 World Cup to TOKYO: Japan’s Olympic chief said Yamashita said, adding that daily virus yesterday there was “no way” to testing would also help reduce the ensure zero virus cases among teams risk of infections spreading. But he be moved from arriving for the Tokyo Games, as offi- hoped athletes would have “positive cials prepare to tighten screening memories” of the Games, despite procedures. Japanese Olympic “severe restrictions” that mean they India to UAE Committee president Yasuhiro can’t even leave the Olympic Village NEW DELHI: The Twenty20 World Cup will Yamashita said “thorough measures” to buy souvenirs. be moved to the United Arab Emirates from would be necessary at airports, after Yamashita, a former Olympic judo India due to the coronavirus pandemic, an two members of Uganda’s team tested gold-medalist, said he sympathized Indian cricket board official said yesterday. The positive last week following their with the athletes, who will be confined Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) arrival in Japan. to the Village when they are not train- TOKYO: A man walks out from the entrance of the Tokyo International Exhibition Centre, also known as Tokyo Big Sight, where the International Broadcast Centre said it had told the International Cricket “No matter what measures are put ing or competing. “How can interna- Council, the sport’s world body, of its decision in place, there is no way we will have tional athletes have some time to relax and Main Press Centre for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games are located, in Tokyo yesterday. —AFP to host the event in the UAE in October and zero positive cases arriving,” and create some positive memories?” November. Yamashita told reporters. “Even if “Of course, the top priority is to “We have told the ICC about the decision to you’ve had two vaccine doses, it make it safe and secure, but I think we separated her from her daughter. because Japan boycotted the event, shift the World Cup to UAE. We were left with doesn’t guarantee every individual will need to make an effort to give athletes Athletes must sign a written pledge said athletes would find it “difficult” no option as the COVID situation is not clear be negative.” that kind of space,” Yamashita said. promising to abide by antivirus rules to spend so long cooped up inside. “I and the travel restrictions remain,” the BCCI’s On Sunday, a Games official had Several high-profile athletes have in Tokyo, including staying away from think the athletes will be spending treasurer, Arun Dhumal, said. “The dates will said teams should be immediately iso- already said they will not compete in tourist areas, shops and bars, limiting their time here in Japan in extremely more or less be the same and we will work out lated if they arrive in Japan with an Tokyo, with tennis star Serena Williams contact with other people, and not restricted conditions,” he said. “I the details soon.” infected team member. “In order to the latest to drop out on Sunday. using public transport. think this is something that we need The ICC had given the BCCI a deadline of make sure no clusters arise, we need Williams did not give a reason for Yamashita, who won gold at the to understand, and not think of the the end of June to decide the host country for to have thorough measures at the her withdrawal, but a ban on family 1984 Los Angeles Olympics but athletes as being strong-willed or T20’s showpiece event due to the high number border at the time of entry to Japan,” members at the Olympics would have missed the 1980 Moscow Games selfish.” — AFP of COVID-19 cases in India. BCCI vice-presi- dent Rajeev Shukla said the qualifiers may take place in Oman while the rest of the matches will be at three UAE venues in Dubai, Abu Dhabi Biles wins women’s all-around, and Sharjah. The BCCI had already moved the suspend- named to US Olympic team ed Indian Premier League to the UAE in September-October after the T20 tournament WASHINGTON: Simone Biles doctor Larry Nassar in the scandal was halted on May 4 due to a number of play- punched her ticket to the Tokyo which rocked US gymnastics, said it ers and team officials being infected with Games on Sunday, easily winning the had taken her time to rediscover her COVID. US women’s all-around title at the US love for the sport. “Everything I’ve The UAE has been a preferred destination Olympic Gymnastics Trials in St Louis. been through with USAG and finding for cricket as the Pakistan Super League was Biles, who is likely competing domes- the love for the sport again and just completed last week in the Gulf nation.