TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 2017 SPORTS Serena posts heartfelt baby message on fiance’s birthday

LOS ANGELES: US tennis great Serena @alexisohanian bday... from the world’s Williams yesterday marked her fiance’s oldest number one to the world’s youngest birthday and her return to the world num- number one. -Your Mommy.” ber one ranking by posting an emotional Williams is due to give birth in message to her unborn baby on Instagram. September, the month she turns 36 years Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian turned old. In December, Williams announced her 34 yesterday, the day that Williams also engagement to tech entrepreneur Ohanian recaptured the women’s top ranking. and last week revealed she is expecting her Williams’ social media post showed the 35- first child and will not play again this year. year-old sitting on a beach lounger in a She was already expecting when she won black two-piece swimsuit that revealed her her record-setting 23rd Grand Slam title at growing baby bump. the Australian Open in January-where she “My Dearest Baby, You gave me the beat her elder sister Venus in the final. Kelly strength I didn’t know I had,” Williams wrote Bush Novak, Williams’ publicist, had said on her Instagram account, as she hinted this week that the US star “looks forward to that she expects to be back playing next returning in 2018” and that was echoed by year. “You taught me the true meaning of her coach Patrick Mouratoglou. Overtaking serenity and peace. I can’t wait to meet you. Australia’s Margaret Court for the all-time I can’t wait for you to join the players box record of 24 Grand Slam singles crowns- next year. But most importantly, I am so Williams is on 23 — is also “a determining happy to share being number one in the factor” in her motivation to plough on, the world with you.... once again today. On Frenchman said. —AFP Kohli pain after RCB

sets new low in IPL KINGSTON: Pakistan’s batsman Younis Khan leaves the field after being dismissed on day three of the first Test match between West Indies and Pakistan at the Sabina Park. —AFP NEW DELHI: Skipper Virat Kohli said “it real- team IPL table. “There’s nothing to review ly hurts” after Royal Challengers Bangalore anything about the second half, it was slumped to a record low score of 49 against that bad. We need to forget it and move Younis hits 10,000-runs Kolkata Knight Riders in the Indian Premier forward. We’re a much better team,” he League. Chasing a modest 132, the added. Kolkata bowler Nathan Coulter- Bangalore batsmen-including Kohli, Chris Nile, who was man of the match for his 3- Gayle and AB de Villiers-crashed in just 9.4 21, had Kohli caught by Manish Pandey in overs to mark a new low for the Twenty20 the very first over to trigger the rout of as Pakistan builds reply tournament, now in its 10th edition. last year’s runners-up. England’s Chris Opener Kohli’s first-ball duck started the rot Woakes and New Zealand fast bowler KINGSTON: Younis Khan became the first for Bangalore, as none of their batsmen Colin de Grandhomme returned figures of Pakistan player to complete 10,000 Test runs as SCOREBOARD reached double digits and Kedar Jadhav 3-6 and 3-4 as Bangalore lost their last six his team reached 201 for four in reply to the top-scored with nine at Kolkata’s Eden for only nine runs. “I’m sure we West Indies first innings total of 286 at stumps KINGSTON, Jamaica: Scoreboard at stumps on the third day of the first Test between the West Indies and Pakistan Gardens. It set an unwanted new IPL record won’t bat like that again in the tourna- on the third day of the rain-affected first Test at at Sabina Park in Jamaica on Sunday. after Rajasthan Royals, currently barred ment... We’ve got back-to-back games, Sabina Park on Sunday. Younis moved on from a over a spot-fixing scandal, totaled just 58 need to try and win those to get some West Indies 1st Innings (overnight 278 for 9) Bowling: Amir 26-11-44-6, Abbas 22-4-63-1, Riaz 23-6- painfully slow start to get to 58 while Babar against Bangalore in 2009. momentum,” said Kohli. For Kolkata, the K. Brathwaite c Khan b Abbas 0 66-1, Shah 24-5-91-2. Azam stroked 72 in dominating a 131-run third- “Our worst batting performance, it really West Indies’ Sunil Narine top-scored with K. Powell c Khan b Amir 33 partnership with the former to hurts,” a disappointed Kohli said on Sunday, his 17-ball 34 while opening the innings S. Hetmyer b Amir 11 Pakistan 1st Innings give the tourists the ascendancy into the final as Bangalore stayed bottom of the eight- for the home side. —AFP S. Hope b Amir 2 A. Ali c Dowrich b Joseph 15 session of the day. V. Singh c Ali b Riaz 9 A. Shehzad lbw b Holder 31 However, fast bowler Shannon Gabriel dis- R. Chase c Riaz b Shah 63 B. Azam b Gabriel 72 missed both in the space of three deliveries to S. Dowrich b Shah 56 Y. Khan c Brathwaite b Gabriel 58 limit Pakistan’s progress and leaving captain J. Holder 57 Misbah-ul-Haq not out 5 Misbah-ul-Haq and Asad Shafiq to continue the D. Bishoo c Ahmed b Amir 28 A. Shafiq not out 5 A. Joseph b Amir 0 Extras (b4, lb3, nb8) 15 workmanlike effort heading into the fourth day. S. Gabriel b Amir 5 Total (4 wkts, 78.2 overs) 201 Having confirmed this series as the last Extras (b4, lb18) 22 To bat: S. Ahmed, M. Amir, W. Riaz, Y. Shah, M. Abbas before he retires from international , 39- Total (all out, 95 overs) 286 Fall of wickets: 1-23 (Ali), 2-54 (Shehzad), 3-185 (Khan), year-old Younis played with exaggerated care at Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Brathwaite), 2-23 (Hetmyer), 3-32 4-186 (Azam) the start of his innings. In contrast, Azam dis- (Hope), 4-53 (Singh), 5-71 (Powell), 6-189 (Chase), 7-189 Bowling: Gabriel 16-5-37-2 (3nb), Joseph 16.2-5-35-1 played much more aggression and purpose (Dowrich), 8-264 (Bishoo), 9-274 (Joseph), 10-286 (2nb), J. Holder 18-3-40-1 (3nb), Bishoo 15-1-35-0, Chase although he once again fell short of a maiden (Gabriel). 6-1-25-0, Brathwaite 7-1-22-0. Test century. Possibly mindful of his proximity to the landmark when he started his innings 23 sand runs,” Khan said at the end of the day. “I am delayed start to another rain-affected day as runs away from the cherished goal, Younis took finished after the series, no matter how many Mohammad Amir completed his best Test 47 minutes to get off the mark while Azam runs I score, but I just hope I have been able to innings figures to wrap up the home side’s attempted to keep the scoreboard ticking over make a useful contribution as a player and also innings after they resumed at the overnight at the other end. help the younger ones to do as well as I have, or position of 278 for nine. even better.” He bowled last man Gabriel to finish with six Oldest player to break barrier Hailed as a potential successor to Younis as for 44, an effort which improved on his previous Playing his first Test in the Caribbean after the permanent occupant of the number three best of six for 84 against England at Lord’s in missing the 2011 tour due to the death of his batting position, Azam enjoyed a moment of 2010. Play started 90 minutes later than sched- brother, the former captain eventually started luck just after lunch when West Indies captain uled due to the continuing effects of heavy, tor- KOLKATA: Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Virat Kohli reacts after losing his to creep towards his 10,000th run, triggering Jason Holder failed to hold on to a caught-and- rential rain on a damp outfield which reduced wicket during the 2017 (IPL) Twenty20 cricket match between the celebrations when he swept a bowled chance with the batsman on 12. Yet just play to just 55 minutes on the second day. Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bangalore at The Eden Gardens Cricket from off-spinner Roston Chase in the first over as it looked as if their partnership would contin- Pakistan started their reply brightly with Azhar Stadium. —AFP after tea to the backward square-leg bound- ue until the close of play, Gabriel broke through. Ali looking ominous before he chased a wide ary to become just the 13th player overall-and Younis mistimed an off-drive to give to be delivery from Alzarri Joseph to give a catch to the oldest-in the history of the game to scale caught at extra-cover and become the fast wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich. Ahmed Shehzad, Merritt heads US dominance that summit. bowler’s 50th Test wicket. Then in his next over playing his first Test for almost two years, also “I thought about bowing out of international a tentative Azam played on to spark further cel- opened brightly with a flurry of shots, including NASSAU: American veteran Lashawn Merritt Aaron Brown holding off American Ameer cricket three years ago but one of the motivat- ebrations among the West Indian players. five boundaries in 31 only to be trapped leg- showed all his experience to bag a third suc- Webb for a scintillating victory in the 4x200m ing factors for me to stay was to get to ten thou- Earlier, Holder finished unbeaten on 57 after the before on the back foot by Holder. — AFP cessive 4x400m gold at the IAAF World relay, Jamaica taking bronze. Relays on Sunday, as Canadian Andre de Canada’s victory, with Gavin Smellie and Grasse underlined his credentials as Usain Brendon Rodney running the first two legs, Bolt’s most likely successor. was the first time a country other than the US The maleficent seven: Drug users in tennis The all-powerful US team followed up on or Jamaica had won a sprint relay and made victories on Saturday in the women’s up for the disappointment of not finishing 4x800m and men’s 4x100m relays by clinch- the 4x100m. “It was a great run by all of us,” STUTTGART: Former world number one and years but returned to the sport in 2013 and has Monte Carlo Masters, claiming he had felt unwell ing gold in both the men and women’s said De Grasse, 22. “We came together collec- five-time major winner Maria Sharapova returns since built a successful doubles career. and had a long-standing fears of needles. He did 4x400m and men’s 4x800m to easily top the tively, we just wanted to keep the stick to tennis in Stuttgart tomorrow after a 15-month however provide a urine sample. “Despite the medals table. Merritt, whose first senior around. We told ourselves to trust each other doping ban. Take a look at seven other high- Richard Gasquet misunderstanding between the player and the relay gold dates back to the Helsinki worlds and be patient.” profile suspensions in the sport: The French player tested positive for cocaine doping control officer, there was no suggestion in 2005, had teammates David Verburg, Canada’s win was followed by another in 2009 but was banned for just two and a half that Mr. Troicki intended to evade the detection Tony McQuay and Kyle Clemons to thank for upset as Germany picked up an unexpected Mariano Puerta months after he successfully argued that he had of a banned substance in his system,” said the putting him out in front. gold in the women’s 4x100m, Alexandra In 2003, Argentina’s Puerta, who was to reach accidentally ingested the drug when he kissed a Court of Arbitration for Sport who cut his ban to But he hadn’t counted on 18-year-old Burghardt, Lisa Mayer, Tatjana Pinto and number nine in the world, received a two-year girl at a Miami nightclub. “We have found the 12 months. Botswanan sensation Karabo Sibando, who Rebekka Haase combining to outpace suspension after testing positive for clenbuterol player to be a person who is shy and reserved, caught the 30-year-old American up before Jamaica with their winning time of 42.84sec. but the ban was cut to nine months after he honest and truthful and a man of integrity and Marin Cilic Merritt battled down the home stretch to The US presence in the race came to an argued the substance was in an asthma treat- good character,” the tribunal which cleared him Before he went on to become a US Open hold on for a nerve-racking win in 3min abrupt halt after first leg Tianna Bartoletta ment. Two years later, he was banned again after said in its ruling. “He is neither a cheat nor a user champion, Croatia’s Cilic was banned for nine 02.13sec from the Africans, Jamaica taking tumbled nastily to the floor before baton failing a drugs test following his 2005 French of drugs for recreational purposes.” months for testing positive for the banned stim- bronze. “We have a great group of guys passover. But otherwise, the US team shone, Open final defeat to Rafael Nadal. He was ulant nikethamide at the 2013 Munich tourna- here tonight,” said Merritt. “They did what with self-proclaimed ‘relay queen’ Natasha banned for eight years but the sanction was cut Viktor Troicki ment. Cilic claimed the substance was in an they had to do and I did what I do best, Hastings adding yet another gold to her tro- again to two years when he claimed the sub- Troicki, the hero of Serbia’s 2010 Davis Cup over-the-counter glucose product purchased that’s ‘bring it home,’ my third time here phy cabinet as she ran in the anchor leg in stance etilefrine was ingested accidentally after triumph, was banned for 18 months in 2013 from a pharmacy. His ban was eventually and third gold!” the 4x400m in the footprints of teammates it was in a glass used by his wife. Last played on after failing to provide a blood sample at the reduced to four months on appeal. —AFP Phyllis Francis, Ashley Spencer and Quanera tour in 2009 on the Challenger level. On the rise Hayes for victory in 3min 24.36sec, Poland Canadian De Grasse, who won three taking silver ahead of Jamaica. Wayne Odesnik medals at last year’s Rio Olympics, under- And Olympic bronze medallist Clayton American Odesnik was banned for 15 years in lined his coming of age as Jamaican legend Murphy bolted with 150 metres to run in a 2015 after a second doping violation having Bolt’s own tip as world sprinting’s next domi- tactical men’s 4x800m to claim an impressive tested positive for steroids. He had already been nant figure by laying down a startling third win for the US team also including Brannon suspended in 2010 after being caught with leg in the 4x200m relay. It was enough to Kidder, Erik Sowinski and Casimir Loxsom human growth hormone. That was later reduced wrest back control for Canada, teammate over a strong Kenyan quartet. —AFP to 12 months after he had co-operated with investigations.

Sesil Karatantcheva As a precocious 15-year-old, the Bulgarian reached the French Open quarter-finals in 2005, knocking out Venus Williams on the way and end- ing the year at 35 in the world. However, in January 2006 she was banned for two years after testing positive for nandrolone. Karatantcheva claimed her positive result had been caused by pregnancy but tests showed this not to be the case. She lost her appeal and did not play at all in 2006 and 2007. Karatantcheva has struggled ever since with her ranking now at 216 forcing her to scratch out a living on the second-tier ITF Tour.

Martina Hingis The former world number one, now 36, had already stepped back from the tour in 2003 after a career which saw her claim five Grand Slam singles titles. Returned in 2005 before announcing in 2007 that she had tested positive for a small amount of NASSAU: LaShawn Merritt of the USA and Karabo Sibanda of Botswana run to the cocaine at Wimbledon. “I have tested positive but I MINSK: Martina Hingis, of Switzerland, left, returns a ball as partner Belinda Bencic follows finishline in the Men’s 4x400 Metres Relay Final during the IAAF/BTC World Relays have never taken drugs and I feel 100 per cent play during their Fed Cup World Group semifinal tennis match against Vera Lapko and Olga Bahamas 2017 at Thomas Robinson Stadium. — AFP innocent,” she said. Hingis was banned for two Govortsova, of Belaru. —AP