CCYCLINGYCLING | Page 5 TTENNISENNIS | Page 7 Froome Top-ranked ‘optimistic’ for Barty driven Tour as Roglic by Wimbledon takes lead ‘dream’

Friday, August 14, 2020 ATHLETICS Dhul-Hijjah 24, 1441 AH US star Lyles bids to GULF TIMES banish Covid woes as athletics returns SPORT Page 6 QNB STARS LEAGUE PREVIEW We still control our fate, says Duhail Bounedjah nets coach Regragui By Sports Reporter Shahania have been doing Doha well ever since Nabil Anwar took charge of them replacing Spaniard Jose Murcia. They beat last-gasp winner as l Duhail coach Walid Al Ahli 3-1 in Week 18, the fi rst Regragui sounded con- match they played under Na- fi dent his team can win bil, and followed it up with a 2-2 the QNB Stars League draw with Al Sailiya and goalless Aand said their title fate is in their draw with Qatar SC last week. own hands. Duhail are just a “The Shahania match will be point ahead of Al Rayyan going diffi cult mainly because they are Sadd beat Qatar SC into the fi nal two matches of the playing for survival, so we have league campaign, but in their last to off er our best on the fi eld. We matches have won one, draw one will try to win because we do not Sadd are two points behind leaders Duhail and one less than Rayyan and lost the other. want to lose any point and this Duhail, which lost to Al Sadd is our last chance to compete for By Sports Reporter in their previous match, face Al the title. Our loss in this match Doha Khor today, while Al Rayyan take means losing the dream of win- on Al Shahania. “We must beat ning the league, so the match will Al Khor. We hope to remain in be a fi nal for us,” Aguirre said. aghdad Bounedjah struck deep high spirit as we did in all previ- “Al Sadd’s victory over Al Du- into the stoppage time as Al Sadd ous matches, especially against hail in the last round was won- pulled off a dramatic last-gasp Al Sadd in the last round, even derful for us. That was what we 1-0 win over Qatar SC in the though we failed to get any point had hoped for about that match, BQNB Stars League at the Al Sadd Stadium from that game. I am satisfi ed so I am happy. I was also happy yesterday. Sadd now have 44 points, two with our players’ performance that (Rodrigo) Tabata, our former behind leaders Al Duhail and one less against Al Sadd. We also hope player, scored the winning goal, than second-placed Al Rayyan, with both to sustain the momentum. We but the most important thing for the team in action today. know that Al Khor will be keen us was that Al Sadd beat Al Du- The Wolves thus kept their title hopes to grab all three points,” Regragui hail. In football, everything can alive, even though remote. Sadd thus said yesterday. change during a match and it is exacted a sweet revenge on Qatar SC, to “The match will not be easy, important for us to play well and whom they had suff ered a shock 0-3 loss but the advantage we have is that score victory. I trust the players, in the fi rst leg. Qatar SC remained on 19 we still control our fate and we all of them are in good condition points and are still in the danger zone. must win the next two matches and ready for the match against Sadd, who had registered a 1-0 victory in order to win the league. This Al Shahania,” added Aguirre. over Al Duhail in the last round, dominat- is what I told my players. We In another match today, Umm ed the proceedings but Qatar SC managed now think only about the Al Khor Salal face Al Gharafa as they seek to restrict them from scoring almost until match,” he added. to stay up in the league. Umm the stroke of fi nal whistle. Regragui said defender Asim Salal, who are placed 10th and Xavi Hernandez’s wards, without in- Madibo will the Al Khor match. are still facing relegation threat, jured star forward Akram Afi f, showed Al Sadd’s Baghdad Bounedjah (left) celebrates with teammates after scoring against Qatar SC in the QNB Stars League yesterday. “Madibo has also joined our list have not lost a match since the purpose right from the start, with of injured players, but we are not QNB Stars League resumed fol- Bounedjah leading the charge supported Duhail, to thank specially, for his rich looking for excuses. I have con- lowing a long break forced by the by Hassan al-Haydos as well as Nam Tae- experience and expertise. Arabi sorely fi dence in the players who are coronavirus pandemic. Hee, and Jung Woo-Young pulling strings missed the services of Pierre-Michel La- ready to take the fi eld,” the Du- Al Gharafa have ensured the from the middle. Bounedjah tested Qatar sogga and his strike partner Hamdi Har- hail coach said. fourth-place fi nish despite being SC goalkeeper Motasem Majed, standing baoui had a rather subdued game. Saili- Meanwhile, Al Rayyan coach drawn 2-2 by Al Khor. in for injured fi rst choice Jassim al-Hail, ya’s Abdulqadir Ilyas and Arabi’s Abdulla Diego Aguirre said his players The Cheetahs, coached by in the 15th minute. For Qatar SC, the duo Marafi had their goals ruled off side in the need to off er their best on the Serb Slavisa Jokanovic, have of Sardor Rashidov and Kayke Rodriguez fi rst half. Sailiya scored not long after the fi eld in the fi nal two matches. a seven-point diff erence with led the attacks. resumption through Abuzraik who, after He also warned his players not to fi fth-placed Al Arabi and sixth- Kayke’s shot was parried by Al Sadd receiving pass from Mohamed Mudather take bottom side Shahania light- placed Al Sailiya with only two goalkeeper Saad al-Dossari in the 39th from the middle, brilliantly evaded the ly as they are playing for survival. matches remaining. minute and al-Haydous was off target as marking of Arabi defender Marc Martinez the fi rst half ended goalless. and sent in the ball past goalkeeper Mah- The stalemate continued till deep moud Abunada. into stoppage time despite the eff orts by Lecomte drew all his experience to Nam, Jung and Bounedjah. Finally, when block a Hamdi free-kick in the 62nd the breakthrough came as an unmarked minute and thwarted substitute Ibrahim Bounedjah headed in a Rodrigo Tabata The Ministry of Interior yesterday took part in organising the gradual return of fans Nasser Kalla as The Dream Team pushed corner kick from the left, it turned out to to stadiums during the QNB Stars League. Pictured is a spectator undergoing a body hard to make a breakthrough. For Sailiya, be heartbreak for Qatar SC who also had temperature check at Al Janoub Stadium. A limited number of fans attended the Nadir Belhadj and Karim Ansari too made much at stake, having been in the battle matches yesterday amid a number of protocols to ensure the safety of everyone. attempts at the goal, while Arabi had a to avoid relegation. penalty decision reversed at the fag end the latter were placed fi fth on better goal Sailiya had secured a third-place fi nish of the game. Also yesterday, Al Wakrah ABUZRAIK STRIKE SINKS ARABI diff erence. last season, which was their best-ever defeated Al Ahli 1-0 thanks to Cristian Earlier, Mohamed Abuzraik scored the Al Sailiya’s eighth victory, which was performance in the league Ceballos’ penalty in the 74th minute. all-important goal in the 47th minute as incidentally Al Arabi’s eighth defeat, took Yesterday, Arabi created more chanc- Ahli had to play with one man less half Al Sailiya recorded a signifi cant 1-0 vic- The Peregrines ahead even though they es, but could not help themselves from of the match as Ahmed Akaichi received tory over Al Arabi at the Al Janoub Stadi- both were out of reckoning for the fourth crashing to their second successive de- his second yellow card and marching or- um. Going into the match, both Al Sailiya place after Al Gharafa had ensured that feat. Sailiya had goalkeeper Amine Le- ders after he fouled Al Wakrah’s Ousmane and Al Arabi were level on points (25), but position following the Week 20 results. comte, on loan from league leaders Al Coulibaly in the 45th minute. Al Duhail coach Walid Regragui.

FOCUS Generation Amazing Instagram Live programmes return aft er Eid break he FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 weekly live sessions which off er fi tness community to stay tuned and check our ation Amazing’s partner clubs. Belgian legacy programme Generation drills that families can do at home, in social channels for exciting and valu- side KAS Eupen and Sheffi eld FC, along Amazing has reconvened its addition to live discussions on the foot- able sessions to come, which will go on with the International Federation of the weekly football for develop- ball for development movement and until the end of the year.” Red Cross, have also contributed to the mentT sessions on Instagram Live fol- exclusive interviews with football stars In order to ensure Generation Amaz- live streams. lowing the Eid al-Adha holiday. and Generation Amazing ambassadors. ing continues to engage with its audi- Prior to the Eid break, Paris Saint- The social and legacy programme, Ahead of the new series of online ences, the programme launched online Germain and Denmark forward, Na- which uses the power of football to sessions, Generation Amazing Market- sessions following the onset of the glo- dia Nadim, spoke about her incredible teach key life skills to children and ing & Communications Director, Moza bal pandemic in April. Since then, more journey from Afghanistan as a refugee, youth in Qatar and globally, hosted a al-Mohannadi, said: “We are delighted than 130,000 viewers have tuned in, to playing for one of the biggest clubs in special physical activity session on @ with the level of outreach that #GALive while social media engagements have professional women’s football. GA4good with Generation Amazing has achieved and welcome our audi- topped 18.8 million. Nadim said: “You have to have a vi- Master Coach Michael Richardson on ences to continue to keep fi t and healthy A host of global football stars have sion, a goal for what you want for your- Wednesday afternoon. with us, as well as enjoy the variety of taken part in the programmes, includ- self, you have to dare to dream.” The session included an endurance important conversations we are having ing Supreme Committee for Delivery In the same week, Qatari football challenge which audiences could do with football stars and crucial fi gures in & Legacy ambassadors Xavi Hernán- legend Ibrahim Khalfan discussed his at home to enhance focus and adapt- the sport for development sectors.” dez, Cafu, Samuel Eto’o, Tim Cahill, illustrious career and passed on some ability while developing skills such Generation Amazing Programmes Mubarak Mustafa, Khalid Salman, Ali words of wisdom to young players keen as communication, organisation and Director, Nasser al-Khori, said: “We al-Habsi, Younis Mahmoud and Wael to make their way in the sport. “You teamwork. look forward to rolling out a new pro- In order to ensure Generation Amazing continues to engage with its audiences, Gomaa. Other guests have included need to be more confi dent in the game In the coming months, Generation gramme schedule over the next few the programme launched online sessions following the onset of the global Amalie Thestrup and Justin Kluivert, and let go of any worries, focus, focus, Amazing will continue to organise months and encourage the football pandemic in April. Since then, more than 130,000 viewers have tuned in. from AS Roma – which is one of Gener- focus!” Gulf Times 2 Friday, August 14, 2020 FOOTBALL

SPOTLIGHT CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Atalanta’s Gasperini PSG break through CL left with glass ceiling aft er years “great regret” of disappointment ‘The goals came very late but we deserved the victory. We never stopped believing or attacking’

AFP Lisbon Reuters Lisbon fter years of failing to live up to their billing in Europe, Paris Saint-Germain are within 90 talanta coach Gian minutes of the Champions Piero Gasperini was LeagueA fi nal thanks to their dramatic left with a mixture of win over Atalanta on Wednesday night, regret and pride in his and coach Thomas Tuchel now knows teamA after two late goals by Paris “everything is possible” for his team. Saint Germain ended the Ital- PSG were on the verge of another dis- ian club’s Champions League appointing Champions League exit as dream. The Bergamo club were they trailed Atalanta 1-0 into the 90th moments away from a place in minute in Lisbon, where all the latter the last four in their fi rst season stages are being played after the long in Europe’s elite club competi- coronavirus shutdown. tion before French champions But Mario Pasalic’s 27th-minute PSG struck twice to grab a 2-1 strike for the Italians was fi nally can- victory. “There is a great sense celled out by Marquinhos, who scram- of regret. It seemed we were go- bled in a last-gasp leveller. ing to do it and that would have Then, three minutes into injury time, been a great achievement,” said Kylian Mbappe set up fellow substitute Gasperini, whose side had taken Eric Choupo-Moting to convert the a fi rst-half lead. clinching goal. “We still have (the memory “The goals came very late but we de- of) a Champions League where served the victory. We never stopped we have grown as a team against believing or attacking,” said Tuchel, some of the greats of Europe and whose team will face Atletico Madrid or I can’t do anything other than RB Leipzig in the semi-fi nal, the club’s thank my lads,” he added. fi rst since 1995. “The boys who came A beautiful curling shot from off the bench had a big impact. We de- Mario Pasalic in the 27th minute served it, we made our own luck.” had put Atalanta ahead and they The money ploughed into the French held out until the 90th when champions by their Qatari owners has Brazilian defender Marquinhos increased the pressure on PSG to deliver equalised and substitute Eric and losing to Atalanta would have invit- Choupo-Moting added the de- ed more criticism of a club whose recent cisive blow in stoppage time. record in such games has been poor. “There was not long to go and After all, Atalanta’s entire wage bill is it seemed we had done it but believed to be equivalent to what PSG when you play against some of pay Neymar per year (about 36mn eu- Paris Saint-Germain’s Marquinhos (left) celebrates after scoring against Atalanta during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final in Lisbon on Wednesday night. (AFP) the strongest in the world at a ros, or $42.5mn). Absent from decisive technical and athletic level then Champions League games in the last can start the semi-fi nal next Tuesday, They had gone out in the last 16 the past have been best remembered for missing closing stages. He will at best have a it becomes tough,” said Gasp- two seasons because of injuries, Ney- but it is thanks to Choupo-Moting that three years, but Choupo-Moting’s goal an open goal while standing on the line bit-part role to play in the semi-fi nal, erini, whose side were on the mar was excellent here, never giving up. they are there at all. “We’ve already won saw them break through the glass ceil- in a game against Strasbourg. Indeed though. Mbappe could be ready to start back foot after Kylian Mbappe, He set up the equaliser and played a four titles this season but the most im- ing on the same day PSG marked their he would not even have been playing in then and Angel Di Maria will return on the bench due to an ankle in- part in the winner. “Going home never portant is this one,” declared the Cam- 50th anniversary. this match in diff erent circumstances. from suspension, although Marco Ver- jury, came on in the 60th minute. crossed my mind,” said the world’s most eroon striker. From Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Ronald- Choupo-Moting’s contract expired ratti will probably be out again injured. “The introduction of Mbappe expensive player. Mbappe was only fi t It seems ironic that PSG — the world’s inho, some fabulous players have turned in June but he agreed to stay on for two “There is a big diff erence between was decisive but we did every- enough to play the fi nal half-hour, after fi fth-richest club according to this out for the club in their relatively short months to play a part in the ‘Final Eight’ playing with or without Kylian,” Tuchel thing that we were looking to a spell on the sidelines with an ankle in- year’s Deloitte Football League — need- history, although Choupo-Moting has after Edinson Cavani — PSG’s all-time said. “That’s clear, and it’s the same do, going toe-to-toe with them. jury, but his pace down the left fl ank had ed to rely on a free transfer from Stoke not made much of a mark in his two sea- top scorer, who was also out of contract with Marco and Angel. Now we have six It is hard to do more than that,” Atalanta on the back foot in the closing City to take them through to the Cham- sons in Paris. — walked away. days for Kylian to get back to his best. added Gasperini, who said his stages and he laid on the winner. pions League semi-fi nals for the fi rst He had not previously scored in the And so the 31-year-old came on for I’m not sure about Marco, but we are in team would learn a painful les- PSG will be hopeful the France star time since the Qatari takeover in 2011. Champions League and would probably the ineff ective Mauro Icardi for the the last four, everything is possible.” son from the defeat. “The Champions League is a special competition — it is the BELIEF FOCUS competition of details and the details are those that determine things when it is a tight game. On set pieces, where we were strong Neymar insists Not the right time to return as Barcelona and prepared, there was the op- portunity for (Berat) Djimsiti and some counter-attacks where PSG always knew coach, says Xavi Hernandez we could have done better, but they are details,” he said. Reuters current manager Quique Setien’s role is far it wasn’t the right time and they haven’t While the game took place they could win Barcelona from secure the Catalan is still unwilling to contacted me since. I’m delighted to con- behind closed doors without return for the time being. tinue to gain experience and challenge my- any fans, Gasperini said he had AFP The former Spain player alluded to some self and of course it’ll be a privilege for me noticed that some of his team’s Lisbon ormer Barcelona great Xavi Hern- of the problems president Josep Maria to one day coach Barca.” supporters had travelled to the andez has ruled out coaching the Bartomeu has faced, including a scandal Xavi also urged Barca to hand a new Estadio da Luz to greet them. club in the near term, citing insti- involving the hiring of a social media mon- contract to Lionel Messi, whose current “Outside the stadium there were razilian superstar Ney- tutional problems as a reason to itoring fi rm and fallout from a pay-cut the deal expires next year, amid reports the many people from Bergamo and mar insisted that Paris bideF his time and remain in his role with club introduced in April. Argentine is disillusioned with Bartomeu’s the people of Bergamo still cel- Saint-Germain always Qatar’s Al Sadd. “There’s a lot of external noise around leadership. “He has earned it, he should ebrate for the sense of belonging believed they could Xavi rejected the off er to coach his the club, a lot of issues off the pitch and I have an automatic clause,” Xavi said of the we have and because they saw comeB back from the brink to former club back in January when they don’t think now is the right time,” Xavi told club’s all-time top scorer. “Messi needs the team give everything with defeat Atalanta with two goals sacked Ernesto Valverde, and even though the magazine Icon. “In January I told them Barca and Barca need Messi.” enthusiasm and passion”. in the dying moments of their Champions League quarter-fi nal yesterday. BOTTOMLINE “I never thought of going home. From start to fi nish, from the warm-up, we only thought of qualifying for the semi-fi nals,” Sheikh Abdulaziz elected president of Umm Salal the world’s most expensive foot- baller told RMC Sport. QNA Sports for the support of the club and all Substitute Eric Choupo- Doha the club’s employees for their work in the Moting’s goal three minutes into past period and their constant endeavour added time allowed PSG to beat to upgrade the club. the Italian outsiders 2-1. he Ordinary General Assembly After announcing his victory by ac- Mario Pasalic gave Atalanta a of Umm Salal SC elected Sheikh clamation to head the club, Sheikh Dr 27th-minute lead but PSG were Dr Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Abdulaziz said: “We have the vision to rescued when Marquinhos came al-Thani as president of the club build a sports community inside the club, forward to scramble in a last- Tyesterday by acclamation for the 2020- not just a football team, and there was a minute equaliser. Kylian Mbappe Neymar celebrates after Paris 2024 term, along with Sheikh Tamim bin lengthy meeting with the age groups, and set up fellow substitute Choupo- Saint-Germain’s win over Mohamed al-Thani as vice president. we have big dreams by developing a strat- Moting to win the tie right at the Atalanta. (AFP) The General Assembly was held at Bar- egy and action plan for the club to achieve end. zan Youth Centre amid precautionary our goals.” The French champions will Neymar hailed Atalanta, the and preventive measures in co-operation He pointed out that the club is looking play RB Leipzig or Atletico Ma- team which captured the imagi- between the Ministry of Public Health for investments to fi nd other sources of drid next Tuesday for a place in nation of neutrals, reaching this and the Ministry of Culture and Sports, income, adding that Umm Salal will start the fi nal. “Nobody is going to stage despite their city of Ber- and the quorum was completed in the some investment projects that will ben- take my mind off that I want to go gamo being one of the worst hit presence of 44 out of 57 members. efi t the club. He explained that the club to the fi nal,” added 28-year-old by the coronavirus. The meeting was chaired by Sheikh Sheikh Dr Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman al-Thani (left) was elected president of Umm currently focuses on overcoming this dif- Neymar as PSG made the last- “Atalanta are a great team, Hamad bin Nasser al-Thani, former club Salal Club while Sheikh Tamim bin Mohamed al-Thani was named vice president. fi cult stage for the team and remain in the four for the fi rst time since 1995. they played very well, they are president, in the presence of Sheikh fi rst division. “We really have a great group, the surprise of the competition. Tamim bin Mohamed al-Thani, Vice Sheikh Hamad thanked the members of fi cult circumstances, stressing that the Sheikh Tamim bin Mohamed al-Thani we’re a family, we know that with They were very aggressive, we President and Head of the football team, the General Assembly for attending and club can get better in the next season. wished the club success in the next stage, this state of mind it’s impossible. knew they were going to press Mohamed Salem al-Nuaimi, Executive their keenness on the interest of the club. He wished success for the club during expressing thanks to Sheikh Hamad bin to put us out of competition. us,” said Neymar. “Now we’re Director of Umm Salal, and Ibrahim al- He said that the club achieved good re- the coming period and for the new board Nasser al-Thani for his eff orts during his We knew that a ball could arrive, going to have to rest, it was a Najjar, representative of the Ministry of sults in the past four years and was close of directors to achieve the ambitions presidency of the club. He wished Sheikh that even after the equaliser we tough game mentally. Another Culture and Sports. to entering the top four in the league, but and goals of Umm Salal. His Excellency Dr Abdulaziz success in leading the club could score a second goal.” very diffi cult match is coming.” At the beginning of the meeting, this season the team went through dif- thanked the Ministry of Culture and to achieve its goals. Gulf Times Friday, August 14, 2020 3 FOOTBALL

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE Messi’s toughest task as Barcelona face up to Bayern Messi scored twice against Bayern in the quarter-finals in 2009 when Barcelona went on to win the Champions League

AFP Stegen is among the most impressive Madrid goalkeepers in the world. “Bayern are playing really well and are full of confi - dence but we have the weapons to beat ionel Messi might never have them,” Griezmann said. been faced with a more daunt- But the sense remains that Messi ing task at Barcelona than engi- must perform if Barcelona are to defeat neering a victory against Bay- Bayern, widely seen as the favourites to Lern Munich in Lisbon today. The only lift the trophy on August 23, at the end surviving former winners of European of the express knock-out tournament club football’s greatest prize — with in Lisbon. It will take something very fi ve titles each — meet in a heavyweight special not only to lift his own team out Champions League quarter-fi nal be- of the doldrums but also to neutralise hind closed doors at the Estadio da Luz. an opponent that many believe are the It is not often that Messi’s Barcelona most complete side in Europe. come into such a big European tie as Barcelona therefore must fi rst of all the underdogs, but they have this time, hope that Messi shows no ill eff ects with Quique Setien’s team having lost from the ankle knock he suff ered in out to Real Madrid in the Spanish title last weekend’s last-16, second-leg win race while Bayern appeared fl awless on over Napoli — he has been back training the way to winning a German league normally. The Catalans should certain- and cup double. ly wonder how it got to this point, given Messi is now 33, yet Barcelona ap- they spent more than 500mn euros over pear more reliant on him than ever. the last three seasons, bringing in play- He scored twice against Bayern in the ers that should have complemented, quarter-fi nals in 2009 when Barcelona not isolated, the Argentine. went on to win the Champions League The worry is that Bayern might not under Pep Guardiola. just beat Barcelona at the Estadio da He hit four against Arsenal the fol- Luz, but humiliate them. If they do, Se- lowing year and fi ve against Bayer tien is likely to pay with his job, even if Leverkusen in 2012 but on both oc- he only took over as coach in January, casions, Barca were favourites. Messi replacing Ernesto Valverde, who was also sank Real Madrid at the Santiago also unable to shake this current crop Bernabeu in 2011 when his double in the into life. The alternative is a statement fi rst leg of the semi-fi nal, including one performance that vindicates Setien, of the fi nest goals the competition has establishes him for next season and ever seen, transcended a rivalry that sends Barcelona into the semi-fi nals had been dragged to its ugliest point. with the kind of momentum that could And he was part of perhaps the tour- even take them all the way. “We have to nament’s greatest comeback, the 6-1 be optimistic, we are in good shape,” destruction of Paris Saint-Germain said Setien after the Napoli game. in 2017 after Barcelona lost 4-0 in the However, it would be a surprise to fi rst leg of that last-16 tie. Yet this time see Barcelona go on and lift the trophy, threatens to be diff erent. and it seems unthinkable they could do With Luis Suarez and Antoine Griez- it without an intervention from Messi, mann alongside him, Frenkie de Jong who must be wondering too how the and Sergio Busquets behind him and club that won the treble fi ve years ago Jordi Alba out wide, Messi should not have come to rely on him so completely. be on his own. Even in defence, Gerard The challenge is not beyond Messi. Pique still has a claim to be the best de- But Barcelona must know he deserves fender in La Liga and Marc-Andre ter more. Barcelona’s captain Lionel Messi (left) takes part in a training session with teammates at the Luz stadium in Lisbon yesterday. (AFP)

ROUND-UP Vidal declares Barca ‘best team in the world’ FA Cup replays scrapped for next season Madrid: Arturo Vidal has warned Bayern in La Liga. But Vidal said Barca’s opponents beat anyone. Tomorrow we have to show it Munich his Barcelona team are the best should not be complacent.”They are very in the field.” A Cup replays will be been made by the English Foot- competition in either round two, team in the world ahead of their Champi- confident but tomorrow they aren’t playing Messi is likely to be key, with some sug- scrapped for the 2020- ball League to the League Cup in or round three for sides with ons League quarter-final in Lisbon today. against a Bundesliga team, they’re playing gesting all Barcelona’s hopes rest on the 21 season in a bid to ease a bid to help teams cope with the European commitments. And Barca coach Quique Setien was in con- against Barca and Barca is the best team in 33-year-old’s shoulders. Yet Bayern have the strain on clubs during schedule. fident mood too, insisting Bayern’s in-form the world.” their own trump card in Lewandowski, theF coronavirus pandemic, the The fi rst four rounds will be MATUIDI JOINS striker Robert Lewandowski is “clearly” not Barcelona surrendered the Spanish title who has scored an astonishing 53 goals in Football Association announced compressed into consecutive BECKHAM’S INTER MIAMI at the level of his captain Lionel Messi. to Real Madrid after winning only seven of 44 games for his club this season. Messi yesterday. With a shortened sea- weeks in September, with the France’s World Cup winner Their comments come after former their 11 matches following the restart. They has hit 31 goals in 43 matches for Barca. son starting a month later than fi fth round held the week before Blaise Matuidi will join David Bayern midfielder Lothar Matthaus told then laboured to a 3-1 win over Napoli in the “Lewandowski is a great footballer but he is usual in September there is more Christmas to avoid clashes with Beckham’s Major League Soccer Bild earlier this week Lewandowski has Champions League last 16 on Saturday. not at the level of Leo, clearly,” said Setien. pressure on an already hectic cal- the Champions League. The club Inter Miami, the American overtaken Messi as the best player in the Asked about the expectation that Bayern “Lewandowski is in great form, he has endar. two-legged semi-fi nals, often club announced. Matuidi, 33, has world and he no longer fears Barcelona. will go through, Vidal said: “I get it. We are scored 13 goals in the Champions League The FA has taken the decision criticised by managers, will now left Italian champions Juventus Vidal spent three years at Bayern, who the best team in the world but in La Liga we and it is true that he is very well supported that all ties in the FA Cup will be be played on January 5 or 6, with by mutual consent after three are deemed heavy favourites to reach the haven’t shown it in the last few games. We by many teammates who can also do dam- decided on the day rather than the club drawn fi rst benefi ting years, for the club co-owned semis after winning the German title and lost the league but we have Leo, we have age. He’s in a great moment but Leo is too. allowing for the usual replay. from home advantage. Premier by Beckham, his former Paris hammering Chelsea, while Barca crumbled other players and if we play well, we can We saw it the other day against Napoli.” Signifi cant changes have also League clubs will enter the Saint-Germain teammate.

SPOTLIGHT FOCUS Ozil tells Arsenal: ‘I’ll decide when I want to go’ No repeat of CL AFP More than 1mn Uighurs and mostly London Muslim Turkic minorities have been ‘Final Eight’ in future, rounded up in internment camps, ac- cording to human rights groups and ex- esut Ozil insists he is the only perts. Arsenal did not criticise Ozil for says UEFA chief person who will decide when making the comments, but instead posted he leaves Arsenal after the on their page on the Chinese social media AFP This season’s fi nal was sup- German star was frozen out site Weibo that the club “always adheres Lisbon posed to be played in Istanbul Mby Gunners boss Mikel Arteta. Ozil has to the principles” of not getting involved at the end of May. Now it will not played for Arsenal since the coronavi- in politics. go ahead in an empty Estadio da rus hiatus amid reports the club are keen Since then Premier League clubs have he ‘Final Eight’ for- Luz on August 23, with the Turk- to get his huge salary off the wage bill. supported the Black Lives Matter move- mat for the Champions ish city having been awarded the The 31-year-old earns a reported ment after George Floyd was killed in League will not be re- hosting of next year’s fi nal in- £350,000-per-week ($458,000), but has America. Former Germany international peated in future, UEFA stead. But that is subject to the rarely provided good value since his 2013 Ozil would have liked similar support Tpresident Aleksander Ceferin pandemic being under control by move from Real Madrid. Ozil was absent over the Uighur issue. has said, adding it is “impossi- then. as Arsenal beat Chelsea in the FA Cup fi - “It doesn’t matter what religion or ble” to fi nd space in an already “I am optimistic by nature, nal on August 1, but he will not allow the colour you are — Muslim, Christian, Jew, packed calendar. and I think that things will get club to force him out before his contract black, white or anything else. We are all “This tournament might be better into next year and we will expires in June 2021. the same,” Ozil told the Athletic. “What interesting in the future, but I have normal football back, good Holding out hope of winning back his I said was not against Chinese people, it don’t think we can do it, because old football with spectators, so place next season, Ozil told the Athletic: was against whoever is doing this to the the calendar is so dense,” Ceferin we don’t have a Plan B,” Ceferin “Things have been diffi cult but I love Uighur Muslims and other people who said in an exclusive interview said. “You have to know that Arsenal. I’ll decide when I go, not other are not helping them, such as other Mus- in Lisbon, where this season’s until March we didn’t have any people. I’ll give everything I have for lim countries. Champions League is being plan, and then we had a Plan B, this club. Situations like these will never “I have given a lot to Arsenal, on and played to a conclusion. “I don’t Plan C, Plan D, so we will adapt break me, they only make me stronger. I Mesut Ozil has not played for Arsenal since the coronavirus hiatus amid reports the off the pitch, so the reaction was disap- know where I can put a tourna- but I am sure the world cannot showed in the past that I can come back club are keen to get his huge salary off the wage bill. (Reuters) pointing. They said they don’t get in- ment for a week or two in May. I stop forever because of this vi- into the team and I will show it again.” volved in politics but this isn’t politics think it’s impossible,” he said. rus,” added Ceferin, the Sloveni- Ozil fell out of favour with Arteta’s cepted a 12.5% pay cut in April as a result unhappy, to push an agenda they hope will and they have got involved in other is- Before the coronavirus pan- an who became president of Eu- predecessor Unai Emery, but started all of the fi nancial fall-out from the corona- turn the supporters against me and pain a sues. In America, we saw George Floyd demic, UEFA was busy contem- ropean football’s governing body 10 of Arsenal’s Premier League games virus. But Ozil did not vote for the cut and picture that is not true,” he said. killed and the world spoke up to say Black plating changes to the format in 2016. “I expect a vaccine, as after the former Gunners midfi elder took he is concerned that “possibly the deci- Lives Matter, and that is correct. We are of the Champions League from soon as possible I hope, so no, we charge in December. However, he has not sion aff ected my chances on the pitch. OZIL BLASTS ARSENAL all equal and it’s a good thing that people 2024 onwards. don’t have a plan to do the same featured in their past 13 matches in all “As players, we all wanted to contribute. FAILURE TO BACK HIS UIGHUR fi ght against injustice. This year, all ties from the competition next year.” competitions, with Arteta saying his ex- But we needed more information and MUSLIM COMMENTS “There are a lot of black players and quarter-fi nals onwards are be- Ceferin said he was always ile was down to “football reasons”. Ozil many questions were unanswered.” Ozil also slammed Arsenal’s failure to fans of Arsenal and it’s fantastic the club ing played as one-off matches confi dent the Champions League believes he deserves another chance and Ozil fears there is now an agenda against back his support of Uighur Muslims over is backing them. But I wish people would behind closed doors in the Por- would be completed, along with he said: “You don’t play 10 games in a row him that will make the rest of his time at their alleged persecution in China. Ozil have done the same for the Muslims be- tuguese capital as UEFA rushes the Europa League, which is be- if you’re unfi t, not good enough or don’t Arsenal uncomfortable. “I guess that’s be- spoke out on Instagram against China’s cause Arsenal have many Muslim players to fi nish the competition after an ing played to a fi nish in similar behave well.” cause it is me and people have been trying treatment of the Uighur population in and fans as well, and it is important for the enforced hiatus of fi ve months conditions in Germany. “I was Arteta and many Arsenal players ac- for two years to destroy me, to make me Xinjiang last year. world to say that Muslim Lives Matter.” because of the pandemic. sure that we would do this. ” Gulf Times 4 Friday, August 14, 2020 SPORT

NBA NHL Bergeron’s two OT winner lift s Bruins Pacers hold off in playoff opener

AFP after the game over his failed Montreal challenge of Coyle’s second- period goal, which looked like a hand pass. oston’s Patrice The league ruling was that Rockets despite Bergeron scored 1:13 Carolina goalie Petr Mrazek into the second over- controlled the puck, ne- time period Wednes- gating the hand pass, but dayB to give the Bruins a 4-3 Brind’Amour was irked that National Hockey League vic- the call on the ice was unclear tory over Carolina in a post- - which he said led to his un- poned playoff game. successful challenge. It was the fi rst triumph “This is why the league’s a Harden’s 45 points in four games in the Eastern joke, in my opinion, on these Conference bubble at Toronto things,” Brind’Amour told the for the Bruins, who led the News & Observer newspaper ‘That does create a little more of clarity of how we’ll operate going forward’ NHL in wins and points when - comments that drew a swift the Covid-19 pandemic shut $25,000 fi ne from the league. down the season on March 12. Joel Edmundson, Brock AFP Boston went win- Miami less in three seed- RESULTS ing games before the playoff s, leaving them Boston 4-3 Carolina yles Turner and Justin Holi- as only a fourth seed Islanders 4-2 Washington day scored 18 points apiece as despite their strong Colorado 3-0 Arizona the Indiana Pacers withstood regular-season eff ort. a 45-point performance from Then they had to Philadelphia 2-1 Montreal MHouston star James Harden Wednesday in wait an extra day to Vancouver 5-2 St. Louis a 108-104 NBA victory over the Rockets. play the Hurricanes The Pacers snapped a fi ve-game los- as they both watched ing streak against the Rockets - who an- Tampa Bay defeat Columbus McGinn and Haydn Fleury nounced before the game that star guard in fi ve over-times on Tuesday, scored for the Hurricanes, who Russell Westbrook was nursing a quadri- a six-hour marathon that be- will try to level the series on ceps strain that could jeopardize his ap- came the fourth-longest game Thursday. pearance in the playoff s. in NHL history and prompted Elsewhere in the East, Ja- Harden did what he could to fi ll the offi cials to move the Boston- kub Voracek and Joel Farabee void, contributing 11 of 14 Rockets points Carolina matchup to the next scored and Carter Hart made in a late-game surge that saw Houston cut morning. When that game 27 saves for the Philadelphia a 104-90 defi cit to 106-104 with 27 sec- went past the fi rst over-time, Flyers in a 2-1 win over the onds remaining. the Bruins pondered how long Montreal Canadiens. And the Indiana held on, Holiday draining two they might have to go in their New York Islanders scored free throws to close out the victory. best-of-seven fi rst-round se- three unanswered goals in the Harden barely missed an impressive ries opener. third period to defeat Wash- triple-double with 45 points, 17 rebounds “We talked about trying to ington 4-2. The Colorado Ava- and 9 assists. It was his 21st game in the end this before the fi fth over- lanche scored three goals in time, so very happy about the space of 1min 23sec in the RESULTS that,” Bergeron said. third period in a 3-0 win over “A lot of great things from the Arizona Coyotes in their Indiana 108-104 Houston our team. We’re getting bet- Western Conference opener in Toronto 125-121 Philadelphia ter from one game to the next. Edmonton. We’ve got to keep doing the Mikko Rantanen, J.T. Com- Oklahoma City 116-115 Miami little things to help us win. It’s pher and Nazem Kadri scored, Clippers 124-111 Denver all about the wins.” and Philipp Grubauer made 14 David Pastrnak, Charlie saves for the second-seeded pandemic-disrupted season with 40 or Coyle and David Krejci scored Avs. And the Vancouver Ca- more points. in regulation time for the Bru- nucks pulled away with three The win for the shorthanded Pac- ins, who also had 25 saves from goals in the third period for a ers - who were without All-Star forward goaltender Tuukka Rask. 5-2 victory over the defend- Domantas Sabonis, leading scorer T.J. Hurricanes coach Rod ing Stanley Cup champion St. Warren and starting point guard Malcolm Brind’Amour was steaming Louis Blues. Brogdon - means Indiana clinched a top- fi ve seed in the Eastern Conference. They will face the Miami Heat when the fi rst round of the playoff s begin in the NBA’s “bubble” in Orlando, Florida. With their playoff matchup confi rmed before they took the court, the Heat gave starters plenty of rest in a 116-115 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder. “That does create a little more of clarity of how we’ll operate going forward,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “We still want to work on getting ready for the playoff s.” Duncan Robinson scored 19 points in the fi rst half, Bam Adebayo added six and Jimmy Butler notched seven before all were held out of the second half. Heat rookie Tyler Herro scored a sea- son-high 30 points, but Oklahoma City’s Mike Muscala drained a three-pointer with 5.2 seconds as the Thunder erased a 22-point defi cit to seize the win. Houston Rockets guard James Harden (left) defends a shot by Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner in the third quarter of their NBA Darius Bazley scored 21 points and Shai game at AdventHealth Arena in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA. (USA TODAY Sports) Gilgeous-Alexander added 18 for Oklaho- ma City, who out-scored the Heat 34-15 in Tobias Harris scored 22 points to lead The Los Angeles Clippers locked up the Clippers coach Doc Rivers, still waiting the fi nal quarter. the 76ers, who got a scare when star cent- Western Conference second seed and a to learn if guards Patrick Beverly and Lan- The reigning champion Toronto Rap- er Joel Embiid, back after missing a game fi rst-round playoff clash with Dallas with dry Shamet will be back from injury when tors grabbed a 125-121 victory over the with a left ankle injury, took a blow on his a 124-111 victory over the Denver Nuggets. the playoff s begin, wasn’t getting too ex- Philadelphia 76ers, with Stanley Johnson right wrist in the fi rst quarter. The Clippers out-scored Denver 40-34 cited about securing the second seed in making the go-ahead basket with less Embiid didn’t return in the second half, in the third quarter, powering past a Nug- the West behind the Los Angeles Lakers. than fi ve seconds to play. but the Raptors said X-rays on his wrist gets team who opted to rest starters Niko- “It doesn’t mean a lot,” Rivers said. Assistant coach Adrian Griffi n, stand- were negative. la Jokic, Jamal Murray and Michael Porter “With the injuries that we’ve had this year ing in for Raptors coach Nick Nurse, got Jr. in the fourth period. and all the other stuff , for us being the two Patrice Bergeron of the Boston Bruins (centre) celebrates with the win as the Raptors improved to 6-1 in CLIPPERS RALLY PAST NUGGETS Paul George led the Clippers with a seed says we’re pretty good. Everyone’s teammates Brad Marchand (left) and Torey Krug after scoring the NBA’s season restart in a quarantine Indiana’s victory meant the 76ers learned game-high 27 points, his sixth straight done a hell of a job to keep this thing go- in the second overtime against the Carolina Hurricanes in Game “bubble” in Orlando, Florida. before tip-off that they will face the third- game of 20 or more. ing. One of the Eastern Conference First Round during the 2020 NHL Kyle Lowry and Chris Boucher scored seeded Boston Celtics in the fi rst round of Kawhi Leonard added 26 -- his 11th “Now let’s hope we can get healthy and Stanley Cup Playoff s at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada, on 19 points each for the Raptors. the playoff s. straight game with at least 20 points. hopefully go from there.” Wednesday. (Getty Images/AFP)

FOCUS Antetokounmpo suspended aft er head-butting opponent

AFP “I think I’ve done a great job all year, New York in my career, of keeping my composure Celtics sign Stevens to and focusing on the game, but like I said, we’re human, we make mistakes. coaching contract extension eigning NBA Most Valu- But at the end of the day, learn from it, able Player Giannis Antetok- keep playing good basketball and keep Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens, who twice guided his squad into ounmpo was suspended for moving forward.” the NBA Eastern Conference finals, has signed a contract extension one game after head-butting Antetokounmpo admitted he took with the club, the team announced Wednesday. WashingtonR Wizards center Moritz his frustrations out on Wagner, even Details of the deal were not disclosed but it came with the Celtics at Wagner during a game, the league said though the Wizards big man was just 48-23 and seeded third in the Eastern Conference playoff s that be- Wednesday. a handy target. “I think it was just the gin next week, their sixth post-season appearance in seven seasons The Milwaukee Bucks star was whole, like, build-up of dirty plays in under Stevens. “Brad is one of the most intelligent and hard-working ejected from the contest after the inci- my mind. Guys tripping me, guys fall- coaches in the game today,” said Boston Celtics president of Basket- dent in the second quarter of the Bucks ing in front of my feet, holding me, ball operations Danny Ainge. 126-113 victory Tuesday over the Wiz- hitting me,” he said. “More importantly, his character and integrity have contributed to ards. “I don’t have nothing against Wag- a culture that we all highly value. “Brad is a great teammate and a Antetokounmpo was contrite after ner, it wasn’t just him.” leader people want to follow. We are honored to have him with us as the game, admitting he let his emo- The Bucks have already clinched the we continue to pursue our next championship.” tions get the better of him after he was top seed in the Eastern Conference. Stevens, who took charge of the Celtics in July 2013, has a 318-245 fouled multiple times in the quarter. But Antetokounmpo’s absence record in nearly seven full seasons with Boston. “We’re thrilled that “Terrible action,” Antetokounmpo could be a boon for their next oppo- Brad Stevens will continue to be our coach,” Celtics co-owner Steve said. “If I could go back and turn nent, the Memphis Grizzlies, who are Pagliuca said. “He has become one of the best coaches in the NBA, back time and go back to that play, I trying to fi ght their way into the West- and is a real leader on and off the court.” Stevens, 43, coached Boston wouldn’t do it. But at the end of the ern Conference playoff fi eld as the In this file photo taken on August 11, 2020, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks walks into the 2017 and 2018 East finals, the first time the Celtics went that day, we’re all human, we all make mis- NBA wraps up a regular season dis- off the court after he is ejected during the first half of theira NBA game gainst the Washington far in back-to-back campaigns since the 1987 and 1988 playoff s. takes. rupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Wizards in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP) Gulf Times Friday, August 14, 2020 5 SPORT

CYCLING RUGBY Bears’ Lam bullish as Premiership Froome ‘optimistic’ prepares for return

AFP calls it “good pressure”. Bristol, United Kingdom “We are very excited and we are very ambitious to achieve what we can this year,” he told he coronavirus pandem- AFP. for Tour as Roglic ic has posed enormous “We have built up a coach- challenges for clubs and ing team and a squad capable of leagues worldwide but winning trophies soon, and why Tfor high-fl ying English Premier- not this year? ship side Bristol Bears it has been “Before the lockdown we had a “wonderful opportunity”, di- won fi ve on the trot which is a rector of rugby Pat Lam has told club record. AFP. “We have to hit the ground takes Dauphine lead The 51-year-old Samoan rug- running and build up a few wins by great and his third-placed as who knows where we will be if side will resume a Premiership a second wave (of coronavirus) ‘THE GUYS ARE REALLY STRONG SO THEY MANAGED IT PERFECTLY’ campaign interrupted in mid- comes.” March when they play already- The Premiership’s resump- relegated Saracens at home on tion will, like all other sports, Saturday. take place behind closed doors The Bristol squad have every – which means both a lack of at- reason to have an extra pep in mosphere and a substantial hit their step as they can dream of to club revenues. Tainton said winning their fi rst Premiership the players had been given an in- title. They enter the fi nal nine sight as to what it would be like matches of the resumed league when the game kicks off at the season bolstered by two high- 27,000-capacity Ashton Gate profi le buys – Fijian star Semi Stadium on Saturday. Radradra and England prop Kyle “We have prepared the players Sinckler. Bristol’s fi rst aim is to for such an atmosphere by get- fi nish in the top four to qualify ting them to train in the stadium for the play-off s. Lam, who has to get them used to no noise,” been in his present role since he said. However, it is harder to 2017, said he treated Covid-19 no budget for the future with no diff erently to how he confronted matchday revenue. other obstacles in life. “We cannot survive on TV “Life is full of challenges. Like revenue and central funding,” on the fi eld (when) you have a said Tainton. “It is bums on seats big guy running hard at you, is that we rely on and it was going it fi ght or fl ight?” he told AFP in really, really well pre-Covid. an interview at the team’s High “We had amongst the highest Performance Centre. “Do you average crowds and our hospi- complain or moan or get on with tality was doing really well. things? “It leaves a big hole in the “I saw Covid as a wonderful funding.” opportunity.” However, another upside is Lam, who played in three the Bears have just started train- World Cups, reaching the 1991 ing at their new state-of-the-art and 1995 quarter-fi nals, said High Performance Centre just lockdown gave the players a very outside Bristol. diff erent challenge to their usual When private equity fi rm CVC squad training regime. “Here we took a substantial stake in the talk about ownership, you have Premiership in 2018, each club to own your development, own received a £10.4 million ($13.5 your living,” said the former No8. million) payment. “Everyone talks about players Bristol’s owner, locally-born being spoonfed but they sud- self-made billionaire Steve denly had to do things on their Lansdown, who made his for- own even if we gave them a pro- tune in fi nancial services, chose gramme to follow.” to use that payment to create the Lam says the gradual step- new training facility. ping up of training evolving from There are two full-sized out- small groups of six into larger door training pitches, one of ones of 20 has been helpful too which is called “Lansdown”, as it has given more time for which as Lam wryly observes Team Jumbo rider Slovenia’s Primoz Roglic celebrates his overall leader’s yellow jersey on the podium after winning the second stage of the 72nd edition of the Criterium one-on-one coaching. appropriately overlooks the rest du Dauphine cycling race yesterday. (AFP) of the complex. “They could ‘BUMS ON SEATS’ have put all the money into AFP “It’s incredible to be back in the pelo- Up Nation as “worse than anything we 40sec, 2. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) at CEO and former fl y-half Mark players which would have been Le Sappey-en-Chartreuse, France ton, but keeping in mind I’ve only had experienced” crashed down on the re- 8sec, 3. Emanuel Buchmann (GER/BOR) Tainton – who is the club’s short-term investment but this a handful of days racing in over a year’s maining riders. same time, 4. Guillame Martin (FRA/ record points scorer – says there is a statement we are here for the time now,” he added. “The scene was total chaos and may- COF) s.t., 5. Nairo Quintana (COL/ARK) is pressure on the players but he long term,” Lam said. our-time Tour de France win- Slovenian Roglic attacked 650 me- hem... riders running for cover, hit hard at 10sec, 6. Miguel Angel Lopez (COL/ ner Chris Froome said he was tres from the fi nish line to leave France’s by icy mini ping pong balls,” the team AST) s.t., 7. Daniel Martinez (COL/EF1) s.t., positive about competing at this Thibaut Pinot in second spot and Ger- said on Twitter. Some riders had to get off 8. Mikel Landa (ESP/BAH) s.t., 9. Richie year’s race after Primoz Roglic many’s Emanuel Buchmann in third. the bikes and walk to the fi nish as huge Porte (AUS/TRE) s.t., 10. Egan Bernal Selby puts pressure on O’Sullivan in semi clinchedF the overall lead of the Criterium Vuelta a Espana champion Roglic is 12 hail stones crashed down and quickly left (COL/INE) s.t. Mark Selby piled the pressure on Ronnie O’Sullivan as he hit back du Dauphine by winning yesterday’s sec- seconds ahead of Groupama-FDJ rider the road covered in ice. to take a 9-7 lead in their World Snooker Championship semi-final ond stage. Pinot in the overall standings, and a fur- Jumbo-Visma’s Tony Martin was SELECTED OTHERS yesterday. Froome, who was involved in a high- ther two seconds ahead of Bora-Hans- saved by a trackside fan who handed him 13. Romain Bardet (FRA/ALM) at 59sec, Selby trailed 5-3 from Wednesday’s action, but he took the first four speed crash at last year’s Criterium which grohe’s Buchmann. an infl ated rubber raft to protect himself 32. Geraint Thomas (GBR/INE) at 2min frames of the resumption before holding his nerve to open up a almost cost the Team Ineos rider his ca- Tour champion and Froome’s Ineos from the falling ice balls. 53sec, 49. Chris Froome (GBR/INE) at two-frame lead at Sheff ield’s Crucible Theatre. reer and sidelined him for six months, teammate Egan Bernal sits fourth in the Riders including Belgian Tim De- 8min 32sec Five-time champion O’Sullivan, who had been unhappy with the fi nished in 49th place, 8 minutes 32 sec- overall rankings after fi nishing 10 sec- clercq posted photos on social media of amount of bad kicks he had suff ered on Wednesday, was left shak- onds behind Jumbo-Visma’s Roglic. onds back in 10th on Thursday. their backs covered in red marks caused GENERAL CLASSIFICATION: ing his head again as another cost him an easy black when he was Reports in French and Italian media “It’s a great result for our team... We all by the downfall. This season’s Dauphine 1. Primoz Roglic (SLO/JUM) 9hr 7min in pole position to take the first frame. over the weekend claimed Froome’s se- knew about the hard climb at the fi nish has been shortened and moved due to the 12sec, 2. Thibaut Pinot (FRA/FDJ) at Selby eventually got the better of a prolonged bout of safety play to lection by Ineos for the Tour, which starts and we started to control the race from coronavirus pandemic. Today’s 157-kilo- 12sec, 3. Emanuel Buchmann (GER/ edge himself to within a single frame of O’Sullivan. on August 29, was under threat with the the beginning,” Roglic said. metre (97.5-mile) third stage heads east BOR) 14, 4. Egan Bernal (COL/INE) 16, 5. They were level after the next when three-time champion Selby put 35-year-old joining Israel Start-Up Na- “The guys are really strong so they from Corenc near Grenoble to the Alpine Guillame Martin (FRA/COF) 18, 6. Nairo together a break of 97, his highest of the match. tion at the end of the season. managed it perfectly and in the end, I was village of Saint-Martin-de-Belleville Quintana (COL/ARK) 20, 7. Richie Porte O’Sullivan’s fluency had deserted him and having been among the “Obviously I’m still fi nding the race happy to be able to win this.” (AUS/TRE) same time, 8. Mikel Landa balls twice only to miss blue and then black, he saw Selby clinch a rhythm but I’m feeling better and better By the time Roglic crossed the line rain RESULT (ESP/BAH) s.t., 9. Miguel Angel Lopez fourth successive frame to take a 6-5 lead after sinking a fine long as I do more days of racing. I’m feeling had started to fall, and not long after a STAGE (COL/AST) s.t., 10. Daniel Martinez (COL/ red. (AFP) optimistic about the Tour,” Froome said. powerful hail storm described by Start- 1. Primoz Roglic (SLO/JUM) 3hr 39min EF1) s.t.

MLB Marlins survive seven Toronto homers in 10-inning win Reuters RESULTS ers, had home runs in six straight innings Toronto for the fi rst time in franchise history. Miami Marlins 14-11 Blue Jays starter Jordan Yamamoto allowed four runs Mets 11-6 Nationals in 3 1/3 innings. agneuris Sierra blooped a two- Toronto starter Nate Pearson allowed sev- run single in the 10th inning and Athletics 8-4 Angels en runs – four earned – in 2 1/3 innings. the Miami Marlins defeated the Cubs 7-2 Indians Anderson drilled his fourth homer this Toronto Blue Jays 14-11 Wednes- Dodgers 6-0 Padres season with two on in the fi rst, and the Mar- Mday night after blowing an 8-0 lead at lins added fi ve more runs in the third. Rangers 7-4 Mariners Buff alo. Alvarez started the big inning with a bas- With Eddy Alvarez placed at second to White Sox 7-5 Tigers es-loaded walk. start the 10th, Jon Berti bunted for a single D’Backs 13-7 Rockies After Jacob Waguespack replaced Pearson, against Rafael Dolis (0-1) and stole second. Rays 9-5 Red Sox Miami pushed across another run on an error After Sierra broke the 11-11 tie with his on Sierra’s two-out grounder. single, Jesus Aguilar followed a sacrifi ce Orioles 5-4 Phillies Alvarez later scored from third on an un- with an RBI single for his fourth RBI of the Astros 5-1 Giants successful pickoff attempt at second, and a game. Yankees 6-3 Braves fourth run scored on a passed ball. Aguilar Brandon Kintzler (1-0) pitched 1 1/3 in- fi nished the rally with a RBI single. nings to earn the win. Josh A. Smith pitched Twins 12-2 Brewers Toronto got on the board when Hernan- around a walk in the bottom of the 10th for Royals 5-4 Reds dez clubbed his fi fth homer this season in the his fi rst save this season as Miami gained a third. Tellez added a two-run homer in the split in the two-game series. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette add- fourth to cut the defi cit to 8-4. Brian Anderson hit a three-run homer for ed solo shots. Miami added three runs in the fi fth on Miami, which led 8-0 after the top of the Bichette also had four singles for a career- Jonathan Villar’s RBI single, and Aguilar’s third. best fi ve hits to extend his hit streak to seven two-run single. Travis Shaw hit two homers for Toronto, a games. Bichette and Shaw homered against Shaw hit a two-run homer in the fi fth, two-run shot and a solo drive. Teoscar Her- Brad Boxberger in the eighth to tie the game Jansen added his two-run shot in the sixth, nandez, Rowdy Tellez, and Danny Jansen at 11. and Guerrero Jr. hit his second home run this Miami Marlins center fielder Magneuris Sierra reaches first base against Toronto Blue Jays third baseman added two-run homers for Toronto. Toronto, which fi nished with seven hom- season in the seventh. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (right) during the third inning of their MLB game at Sahlen Field. (USA TODAY Sports) Gulf Times 6 Friday, August 14, 2020 SPORT

FOCUS SPOTLIGHT Lego-builder Warholm fi res US star Lyles bids to broadside as track returns in Monaco

AFP “(Coach) Leif (Olav Alnes) said Monaco ‘This is our Olympics’, and I was banish Covid woes like ‘yeah, sounds good’,” said Warholm. arsten Warholm has “This is somehow the start of interspersed training our short season. The way the in the coronavirus- world is now, we don’t know if enforced lockdown it’s our last race or there’ll be a withK building Lego models, but couple more, time will show. the Norwegian hurdler is out for “But I’m going to run tomor- as athletics returns more glory when track competi- row’s race as if it’s my last this tion returns in Monaco today. year.” Competitive track and field resumes with the Diamond League in Monaco today After a raft of postponements Warholm added that for and cancellations of athletics months he had had no direct AFP atrice Chepkoech and Hellen meets, most notably the Tokyo competition, but argued that Monaco Obiri in the women’s 5,000m. Olympics, Monaco will host that factor would make him Obiri won the world title at that the season-opening Diamond “more nervous and give me more distance last season while Has- League, with Warholm having positive energy”. merican sprint star san — a member of the now-dis- badgered meet organisers to in- “It’s going to be great to run Noah Lyles will bid to banded Nike-backed group of clude his favoured 400 metre against my competitors again... put his aggravated psy- disgraced coach Alberto Salazar hurdles. and also in front of an audience. chological problems — took the 1500m and 10,000m The 24-year-old, however, “It’s been a long time and it’s toA one side as he heads a stellar double. admitted he had not run the what I live for,” he said. line-up of athletes when com- World record holder Mondo event since winning his second Warholm called the postpone- petitive track and fi eld resumes Duplantis of Sweden goes head- world gold in Doha, some 10 ment by 12 months of the Tokyo in Monaco today in a season al- to-head with American Sam months ago. Olympics to 2021 “sad”, but the most wiped out by the coronavi- Hendricks in the men’s pole vault. Despite that, Warholm correct call. rus pandemic. And Norway’s Karsten smashed the long-standing “Everybody was looking for- Following exhibition events in Warholm, the world 400m hur- world record in the rarely-run ward to the Olympic Games,” he Oslo and Zurich in June and July, dles champion, said the Monaco 300m hurdles in Oslo in June, a said. “But their postponement at the Diamond League meeting in Diamond league meet was “ex- feat made all the more impressive this time was right. I hope there Monaco will mark the start of actly what we need now”. by the fact he ran solo. is a time when we can have an Ol- the competitive season. Meet- “For me, Monaco is the most “It’s hard to tell whether I’m ympic Games in Tokyo. ings in Eugene, London, Paris, special meet to come to because going to run really fast,” he said “It’s really sad and I hope to be Rabat, Gateshead and Shanghai it’s the only thing that we get yesterday. “I feel good... Time back to normal as soon as pos- have all cancelled because of this year that is normal. That is will tell.” sible.” coronavirus. what I want and I think that it’s Either way, Warholm was in no Warholm, whose Lego-build- Six more Diamond League also what the spectators want,” doubt that he would leave eve- ing feats included recreations of meets are currently scheduled, he said. rything out on the newly-laid Manchester United’s Old Traf- in Stockholm, Lausanne, Brus- Other world champions on track at the Stade Louis II, where ford ground and London’s Tower sels, Rome, Doha and a yet- show include American Dona- Olympic rings painted on the Bridge, praised the “guts” of to-be-decided venue in China, van Brazier (800m), Venezuela’s ground outside have provided Monaco in pushing ahead with running from August 23 until In this October 1, 2019, picture, Noah Lyles of the US celebrates winning Men’s 200m gold at the IAAF Yulimar Rojas (triple jump) and ample motivation. the meet. October 17. World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha. British heptathlete Katharina Lyles, who won the world 200 Johnson-Thompson, who com- metres and the 4x100m relay in fast race. anti-depressants, Lyles said his pretty good. I’m just going to say petes in the high jump. Doha last year, has admitted to “I told my coach after the experience during lockdown had that, I’m in really good shape.” World champion Timothy psychological problems wors- virtual Zurich Diamond League not been all negative. Cheruiyot of Kenya reprises his ened by the Covid-19 outbreak, that I really wanted to run a fast “We probably stayed in our ‘WHAT WE NEED’ duel with Norway’s Ingebrigtsen the Black Lives Matter move- time in Monaco,” said Lyles, house for about three weeks. Lyles aside, 10 other reigning brothers, Filip and Jakob, in the ment and the postponement of who will be racing his brother There wasn’t a lot of time where world champions will compete men’s 1500m, while Uganda’s the Tokyo Olympics at which he Josephus — making just his third I wasn’t training or going out,” at the Stade Louis II in the fi rst Joshua Cheptegei, the world was hotly tipped for success. Diamond League appearance — he said. elite athletics meet of the sea- 10,000m champion, is target- “It’s a kind of perfect storm,” and 2017 world champion Ramil “We lost our track for about son. ing a world record in the 5,000m Lyles said of those triple con- Guliyev of Turkey. six weeks, so we trained in a There will be a reduced ca- today. cerns. “I know it’s going to be a really park. Even though we weren’t pacity of 5,000 spectators, while “I honestly really missed Lyles scorched to a meet good track, I know it’s probably travelling and racing, we were athletes have had to undergo competing. It’s something I love record of 19.65sec in the 200m going to be wind legal. I want to still practising. Covid-19 tests before departure doing, it’s in my blood,” said the last time he raced in Mona- do everything in my power to “When our gym reopened, we and on arrival to show they are Cheptegei. co, in 2018. make sure that this race is really still didn’t want to go and expose not infected. “The next challenge is to go And the 23-year-old warned fast.” ourselves to more people than Sifan Hassan will be up chase one or two more world that he was targeting another While admitting to being on we need to. As of my shape, it’s against strong Kenyan duo Be- records.”

France’s Levy out of Celtic FORMULA 1 Classic golf aft er virus contact AFP 30-year-old returned a Perez says contracting Covid-19 was just unlucky London, United Kingdom negative test on his ar- rival at the Welsh venue Reuters I’m not willing to take any blame championship despite being on Tuesday and is not London, United Kingdom for that because anyone can get docked 15 points by race stewards rance’s Alex Levy exhibiting any symptoms it, I was just the unlucky one,” he after Renault protested the team’s has been withdrawn but must now self-isolate added. 2020 car. The row is now set to go Ffrom this week’s for 14 days. exican Sergio Perez Speaking also to Sky Sports F1, to the FIA’s International Court of Celtic Classic after he was “I told the European Tour returned to Formula he said he was sure he did not get Appeal. in contact with someone immediately after finding One at the Spanish it in Mexico. Perez’s future has also appeared who tested positive for out that my friend tested Grand Prix yesterday, Nico Hulkenberg has been fi ll- uncertain, with four times world the coronavirus. positive,” Levy said. Msaying he took no blame for the ing in for Perez, the fi rst and so champion Sebastian Vettel linked Levy was due to play “I informed them of my positive Covid-19 test that forced far only driver to contract the new to the seat for next season despite his first round at Celtic movements since arriv- him to miss the previous two races. coronavirus. The German quali- the Mexican having a contract to Manor yesterday but ing on site as I wanted to His Racing Point team said ear- fi ed third and fi nished seventh in 2022. European Tour organis- ensure the safety of my lier that Perez’s latest test was last weekend’s 70th Anniversary “With the rumours of Sebastian, ers pulled him out after fellow professionals and negative and the governing FIA Grand Prix. I think there’s nothing I can do,” he he learned a friend he their caddies.” had confi rmed he could compete Sunday’s race, like the fi ve be- said yesterday. met in France over the Levy has been replaced at the Circuit de Catalunya this fore it this season, is being held “What I’ve heard from the team weekend had a positive in the tournament weekend. had been in hospital following an ing on,” he told reporters in a video without spectators and under is that we all want to keep going, coronavirus test. by Denmark’s Martin Perez tested positive before the accident, but said he had taken conference at the circuit. strict health conditions with teams to continue. So I believe it’s just The United States-born Simonsen. British Grand Prix after returning every precaution. “I haven’t done anything dif- operating in separate ‘bubbles’. a matter of time before those ru- to Mexico to see his mother, who “I was well aware what was go- ferent to the rest of the paddock... Racing Point are fi fth in the mours can go away.”

PREVIEW Tyres may be key again in hot Barcelona as Verstappen rivals Mercedes

DPA to make racing diff erent compared to Red Bull team boss Christian Barcelona, Spain the previous week’s race at the same Horner believes that with the fi nal British track, where tyres had ex- number of races not yet clear be- ploded towards the end of the race. cause of the pandemic, they have to ax Verstappen has good The hot Silverstone weather and carry on their momentum immedi- memories of the Spanish demanding track shredded Mer- ately in Spain. Grand Prix. cedes’ softer tyres, whereas Ver- “Mercedes had a dominant car up He enjoyed his fi rst stappen was on slightly harder rub- until last Sunday, so it is now up to MFormula One victory at Barcelona in bers. In Barcelona, a much harder us to understand how we were able to 2016, benefi ting after Mercedes duo compound will be available to both unleash the RB16’s full potential last Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg teams. weekend and ensure we remain in the crashed into each other. The Dutch- “Of course we go back to harder fi ght,” he wrote on the team website. man became the youngest grand prix tyres in Barcelona and on the harder “It also shows that Mercedes can winner that day at the age of 18 years tyres we are still quite a bit off , so I be vulnerable if you put the pressure and 228 days. don’t expect miracles there,” Ver- on and we need to do that on a con- His latest win came last weekend stappen told reporters looking ahead sistent basis.” when the Red Bull driver again took to Spain. Spain and Catalonia have seen an advantage of a Mercedes mistake. The chances of a repeat win for uptick of coronavirus cases lately but This time it was tyre strategy which Verstappen appear to hang on the F1 will employ the same hygiene and Hamilton and teammate Valtteri weather. It is set to be even hotter in social distancing regulations to pre- Bottas got wrong at the 70th Anni- Barcelona than it was at Silverstone vious races, with teams eff ectively in versary Grand Prix at Silverstone. and tyre degradation is likely to be a a bubble once they travel there. It was the fi rst time Mercedes have major factor and pit strategy should Racing Point’s Sergio Perez can failed to win in fi ve races so far in a again come into play. return to racing after shrugging off season delayed by the coronavirus. “We knew that (tyre) blistering the novel coronavirus, meaning Ger- Verstappen moved above Bottas into was an issue. We know what sort of many’s Nico Huelkenberg will have second in the standings, 30 points temperatures that it will occur at,” to sit out despite qualifying third last behind defending champion Hamil- said Mercedes race engineer Andrew weekend. ton. Shovlin. The team will also be running their The problem for Verstappen, 22, “There’s an element of urgency controversial brake ducts, despite is that he won last weekend after here because we’re in Barcelona... stewards ruling last week that they Pirelli off ered softer tyres than usual it’s forecast to be 30 Celsius.” broke the rules. Team members carry tyres and other equipment at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo near Barcelona, Spain, yesterday. (AFP) Gulf Times Friday, August 14, 2020 7 SPORT

TENNIS CRICKET Aussie Starc bulked up to challenge ‘That’s what I want’ speed record

AFP Wednesday. Sydney, Australia “Hopefully that’s not the case but when everything’s going well, that rhythm is happening ustralian strike bowler and conditions suit, then I can — Barty driven by Mitchell Starc has get that speed gun up. muscled up during the “Perhaps that extra time in the off -season and modi- gym and extra time off I might be fiA ed his bowling action as he able to push the limits again.” targets crashing through the hal- Starc added that he had lowed 100 mph mark. tweaked his bowling action, The left-armer has used his which had helped him retain his Wimbledon ‘dream’ unusually long lay-off due to the extreme pace and hone his radar. coronavirus pandemic to spend “At the start of the (2019-20) World number one is will give US Open, which starts on August 31, a miss quality time in the gym ahead of summer and after that UK tour, an upcoming blockbuster sum- I very much got in that line and AFP mer against India. length (and) consistency mind- Sydney, Australia Only a handful of bowlers are set that the whole (fast bowling) in the 100 mph club, with Paki- group were about through the stan’s Shoaib Akhtar considered Ashes,” he said. orld number one the fastest ever with his 100.2 “That’s not to say that’s not Ashleigh Bar- mph (161.3 kph) rocket in 2003 important, but I think I’ve found ty won’t have a the world’s quickest delivery. a happy medium with this lit- chance to fulfi l her Starc has been knocking on the tle tweak to still have that bet- Wdream of winning Wimbledon door for years, with a 99.7 mph ter consistency but still have my this year, but she remains la- (160.4 kph) missile against New pace. ser-focused on being crowned Zealand in Perth in 2015 his best “I still want to bowl fast and champion at the All-England eff ort so far. I’m not going to compromise Club. He hopes the extra work will that, but I had to fi nd a way that The Australian won the junior not only make him quicker, but I wasn’t expensive at the same Wimbledon title as a 15-year- help stave off the injuries that time and I think that little tweak old in 2011, but the expectations have struck before when he in the action has helped that.” that came with that success strived to smash speed records. Virat Kohli’s India are due to took their toll and she made a “It would be nice but at the play four Tests in Australia from shock decision three years later same time the two occasions early December, although what to ditch tennis for cricket. I’ve been up around that (160 venues are used remains uncer- “In short, I think I needed just kph) mark I’ve snapped my tain due to the coronavirus pan- to fi nd myself,” Barty, who is foot,” he told cricket.com.au late demic. skipping the upcoming US Open due to coronavirus fears, said in an interview yesterday with broadcaster ABC of her move to the Brisbane Heat cricket team. “I felt like I got twisted and maybe a little bit lost along the way in the fi rst part of my career.” While cricket gave her “a dif- ferent perspective about sport”, the lure of tennis was never far away, driven by an ambition to taste success again at Wimble- don. “My dream is winning Wim- bledon. Without a doubt,” said World number one Ashleigh Barty of Australia. Barty, who returned to tennis in 2016. opportunity this year, with the much about her breakthrough never forget,” she added. do anything about it,” she said. “It took a long time for me to tournament cancelled for the at Roland Garros, where she Barty admitted to “ups and “We just have to play our part say that out loud. It took a long fi rst time since World War II due beat Marketa Vondrousova in downs” during her extended lay- and do the right thing. And then time for me to have the courage to the worldwide coronavirus straight sets in the fi nal. off this year, but her decision to hope we get an opportunity to say that out loud, but that’s outbreak. “It doesn’t feel real, still,” miss the US Open, which is set to some time in the year to get back what I want. That’s what I want The 24-year-old already Barty said. “That whole match start in New York on August 31, to some kind of normal.” to work towards. has one Grand Slam title to her is a bit of a blur, and the lead-up was an easy one given the unpre- A handful of other players “Being able to win junior name, winning the French Open to that (winning) moment is a dictability of the pandemic. have also opted out of the US Wimbledon was really special, last year, which helped her surge little bit lost. “That was a massive part of Open, including top-10 players but it just gave me a taste of to the top of the world rankings “The best thing was turning it for our team — accepting that Kiki Bertens and Elina Svitoli- what it’s really like.” where she has stayed since. around and being able to look this is something greater than na, along with men’s defending SPOTLIGHT She has been robbed of the But she can’t remember at my team, that moment I will what we can control, we can’t champion Rafael Nadal. IPL teams taking their Gauff ousts second seed Sabalenka in Lexington AFP hours and 24 minutes. The marquee match of the own net bowlers Washington, United States Up 5-2 in the first set, the second round was set for 16-year-old American would Thursday, with top-seeded Reuters before fl ying to UAE on Aug. 21, need a tie-breaker to put it Serena Williams due to take on New Delhi, India he added. S teen Coco Gauff away. sister Venus. Kings XI Punjab Chief Ex- notched another im- Sabalenka, who won her Serena shrugged off the ab- ecutive Satish Menon confi rmed Upressive tennis victory third career Premier 5 title in sence of fans in a come-from- ndian Premier League (IPL) they too would fl y with their own Wednesday, toppling second- Qatar before the WTA Tour behind victory over Bernarda teams are planning to take set of net bowlers. seeded Aryna Sabalenka was suspended because of the Pera on Tuesday, the 23-time their own practice bowlers “Around seven of them will 7-6 (4), 4-6, 6-4 to reach the Covid-19 pandemic, took a 5-2 Grand Slam champion’s first to the United Arab Emirates join the players in Delhi and quarter-finals of the WTA tour- lead in the second set and held competitive match since a Fed Ias the bio-secure ‘bubble’ sur- Bangalore before we leave on the nament in Lexington, Kentucky. off a challenge from Gauff to Cup appearance in February. rounding the Twenty20 tourna- 20th,” he told Reuters. Gauff , playing her first tourna- knot the match at a set apiece. Venus Williams beat former ment prevents them from using Delhi Capitals said they were ment in the coronavirus- The third set opened with world number one Victoria local cricketers, franchise offi - yet to fi nalise how many net disrupted season since she a string of service breaks, Azarenka to set up the mouth- cials told Reuters. bowlers they would take when stunned defending champion Sabalenka twice clawing back errors, so my goal for the third to go for my serves, so that’s watering matchup with her The IPL was scheduled to be- the players fl y out next week. Naomi Osaka at the Australian a break. was to change that.” the give and take.” younger sister — their first gin in late March but was indefi - “We haven’t made a decision Open, lined up a quarter-final But Gauff gained a break to Gauff , who won her first WTA In other second-round since the 2018 US Open. nitely postponed due to the novel on how many, but there will be clash with eighth-seeded Tuni- lead 5-4 and served out the title at Linz last year, said she matches Wednesday, Czech “It has been quite the draw coronavirus outbreak before be- net bowlers travelling with us,” sian Ons Jabeur, a 3-6, 6-2, 6-4 match with an angled forehand had room to improve on her Marie Bouzkova beat Russian for me, but quite honestly, this ing switched to the UAE earlier Chief Executive Dheeraj Mal- winner over Olga Govortsova. winner. serve. Anna Blinkova 6-4, 6-2 to line is perfect, because I haven’t this month. hotra told Reuters. “I’m just happy to have pulled “It was all about staying calm “I definitely served better in up a clash with American Jen played in forever, so I want to Strict bio-security measures Kolkata and Rajasthan fran- it through today,” Gauff said and composed, making her play my first match than today, but Brady, who toppled sixth-seed- play the best players,” Venus are being put in place for the 53- chises will also follow suit, ac- after coming out on top in a balls,” Gauff said. “In the second you’re going to have good and ed Magda Linette of Poland said. “And I think I got my wish day tournament, which begins on cording to local media reports. see-saw battle that lasted two set, I hit more double faults and bad days,” she said, “and I like 6-2, 6-3. playing Serena, so here we go.” September 19, and the IPL’s eight However, Rajasthan will have teams will have to arrange their to fl y without fi elding coach own net bowlers while maintain- Dishant Yagnik, who has tested ing the league’s health protocols. positive for Covid-19. He must BOTTOMLINE “We’re planning to take return fi ve negative results — two around eight-10 net bowlers,” in India and three in the UAE — Chennai Super Kings (CSK) before he can rejoin the side. Chief Executive Kasi Viswanath- Punjab dismissed media re- an said by telephone. ports that batsman Karun Nair ATP Cup on course, Australia plans “We have a list of players from had recently recovered after con- Tamil Nadu to pick from and tracting Covid-19. most of them will be fi rst class “He had some mild fever, that’s cricketers.” all. Nothing to do with coronavi- more January tournaments, says Tiley CSK would hold a training rus. He’s perfectly alright,” fran- camp in Chennai from Sunday chise CEO Menon said. Reuters views but, along with every oth- Tiley also runs the Austral- is mindful of stepping on toes. have a successful event. Mumbai, India er sporting event in the world, ian Open and he told Reuters The much-discussed trans- “But I do think it’s going to the Covid-19 pandemic has put organisers were confi dent of Tasman bubble, a proposed be diffi cult to be in many diff er- a question mark over whether it hosting their Grand Slam in the travel corridor between Aus- ent global cities just before the Former England spinner Laura Marsh he second edition of the can go ahead in Perth, Brisbane usual January slot with full prize tralia and New Zealand, would Grand Slam.” ATP Cup is still sched- and Sydney in 2021. money and fans in the stands. certainly help secure Auckland’s Tiley said he was in regular calls time on career uled to go ahead in Janu- “We are talking a lot to the Part of that plan is to establish position as a stopover but Tiley contact with top players and Off -spinner Laura Marsh, who cricket,” tweeted Marsh, who ary and Tennis Australia ATP every week. We both want fi ve bio-security ‘bubbles’ in cit- said any international travel was said while the overall mood was helped England to Women’s also helped England to the Tis considering adding more to run it,” Tiley said on a video ies across Australia from early De- still going to be complicated. positive there was still some World Cup titles in 2009 and Women’s T20 World Cup title in events alongside it to allow play- call this week. cember, and TA are looking at giv- “We’re already talking to “guarded concern”. 2017, has said she is retiring 2009. “With the cancellation of ers to prepare for the Australian “It was a great start-up event, ing players who arrive early more them, we want to support Auck- “We’ve got to just talk them from all forms of cricket. The Hundred competition this Open, TA Chief Executive Craig it was massively successful. tournament play opportunities to land in whatever way we possi- through their safety, what’s been After bringing an end to year, I feel it is the right time to Tiley told Reuters. We are planning on having it in prepare for the Grand Slam. bly can and we are talking about done,” added Tiley. “But we’re her international career last hang up the boots. The $15mn ATP Cup, a joint three cities and we’re working “We’re probably going to add what those possibilities are,” Ti- also not forcing anyone to come, December, the 33-year-old was “I want to say a huge thank you venture between the men’s tour with those cities. some events leading into the ley said. it’s ultimately their choice. due to feature in the inau- to all the teams and organisa- and TA, debuted last year at the “We’ve got a lot of work to do Australia Open,” added Tiley. “It’s going to be really diffi cult “We’re going to provide the gural Women’s Hundred this tions I have represented over heart of a rejigged Australian logistically to make this all work. if a player went to Auckland, and best possible environment. year but the competition was the years.” Open warm-up schedule, which We need to make sure the players ‘GUARDED CONCERN’ then had to quarantine there, “If they get on the fl ight and pushed back to 2021 due to the Marsh made her debut as a also included women’s events in are safe. But I think they’re going The Auckland Classic and the and then fl y from Auckland to come we’ll ensure their safety. If Covid-19 pandemic. pace bowler in 2006 before Adelaide, Brisbane and Hobart. to be pretty hungry to want to play Qatar Open have become popu- Australia and quarantine here. they choose to stay at home for “I have made the decision switching to spin, picking up The 24-nation men’s team some tennis with some crowds by lar stops for players on their way It’s hard. We want to protect their safety, we will respect that to retire from all forms of 217 international wickets. competition received rave re- the time we get to January.” to the Australian Open and Tiley Doha... we want Auckland to as well.”

Friday, August 14, 2020 GULF TIMES SPORT

CRICKET TENNIS ‘Excited’ Djokovic confi rms US Open Anderson strikes participation

AFP Djokovic, president of the Paris, France ATP Player Council, said he was “so deeply sorry” that the event “caused harm”, but described the ovak Djokovic con- level of criticism as “like a witch as Alam’s long wait fi rmed yesterday he will hunt”. play at the US Open, Confi rmation that he will the world number one bid for a fourth US Open title Nending speculation about his came after he initially expressed presence at the fi rst Grand Slam scepticism over strict protocols, tournament since the season re- describing limits on players’ en- started following the coronavi- tourages at the tournament as rus-enforced shutdown. “extreme” and “impossible”. ends with a duck “I’m happy to confi rm that I’ll In a statement on his website participate at #CincyTennis and on Friday he wrote: “I am aware All of England’s four quicks took wickets, Pakistan opener Abid Ali scores 60 #USOpen this year,” the 33-year- that this time around it will be old Serbian star tweeted. very diff erent with all the pro- “It was not an easy decision to tocols and safety measures that make with all the obstacles and are put in place to protect players challenges on many sides, but and people of NY. the prospect of competing again “Nevertheless, I have trained makes me really excited,” added hard with my team and got my the 17-time Grand Slam cham- body in shape so I am ready to pion. adapt to new conditions.” The US Open gets underway He said he had completed “all behind closed doors in New York the check-ups”, was fully recov- on August 31, with Djokovic ar- ered from coronavirus and was riving in the United States on “ready to get back on court fully Saturday to tune up in the West- committed to playing my best ern and Southern Open, which tennis”. is normally played in Cincinnati The winner of a record eighth but has been moved to New York Australian Open before the sea- this year. son went into lockdown said he His decision to take part is respected and appreciated the a major boost for the US Open “time, eff ort, and energy” taken after a host of headline names to put on the two events which pulled out. are being staged in a quarantine The list of absentees includes environment without spectators four-time champion Rafael Nad- at the National Tennis Center in al, woman’s world number one Flushing Meadows. Ashleigh Barty and her fellow He had expressed hope that Australian Nick Kyrgios. Five- the existing ban on South Ameri- time winner Roger Federer is also can players travelling to compete missing as the Swiss legend re- would be eased before the US covers from knee surgery. Open began. Djokovic makes his competi- “Unfortunately for the players tive return after being heavily and the game itself, the current criticised for hosting a charity situation is not allowing every- tennis event in the Balkans in one to travel and compete at the June at which he and a raft of same level of risk, and I hope the players tested positive for Cov- situation will change soon and id-19. we will all be back to doing what Kyrgios was among those to we love and do best.” England’s James Anderson (right) in action on the first day of the second Test against Pakistan in Southampton, United Kingdom, yesterday. (Reuters) serve up verbal volleys, describ- The US Open, which fi nishes ing Djokovic’s decision to put on September 13, is followed a AFP not been at his best with a match Woakes suff ered again when Alam, a prolifi c run-scorer on the ill-fated Adria Tour as fortnight later by the rescheduled Southampton, United Kingdom haul of 1-67 during England’s Scorecard he had Abid, on 21, got dropped in Pakistan domestic cricket, “boneheaded”. French Open at Roland Garros. three-wicket win in the fi rst by second slip Rory Burns. played the last of his three pre- Test at his Old Traff ord home PAKISTAN 1st innings vious Tests, in which he averages ngland great James An- ground last week. S Masood lbw b Anderson 1 LUCK RUNS OUT over 41, against New Zealand in derson returned to form But the 38-year-old denied Abid Ali c Burns b Curran 60 But Pakistan’s luck ran out when Dunedin in November 2009. with two wickets against rumours he was considering re- Azhar, on 20, edged a full-length The 34-year-old was the only Azhar Ali c Burns b Anderson 20 Pakistan at Southamp- tirement, with England captain Anderson delivery and this time change to the side after replac- tonE yesterday as Fawad Alam’s Joe Root saying on the eve of this B Azam not out 25 Burns held a good, low catch to ing leg-spinning all-rounder long wait for a Test recall ended match: “To question Jimmy’s A Shafiq c Sibley b Broad 5leave Pakistan 78-2. Shadab Khan. with a duck. ability and his record — do that The only bowlers to have But Alam lasted just fi ve min- F Alam lbw b Woakes 0 Pakistan were 126-5 at stumps at your own peril.” taken more than Anderson’s 592 utes at the crease. after a combination of rain and And it was not long before M Rizwan not out 4Test wickets are a trio of retired Batting with an extremely bad light cut short play on the England’s all-time leading Extras (b4, lb7) 11 spinners. open stance, Alam was lbw for a fi rst day of the second Test. wicket-taker struck after Paki- Total (5 wkts, 45.4 overs) 126 Sri Lanka’s Muttiah Mura- four-ball nought to in-form all- Anderson had taken 2-35 from stan captain Azhar Ali won the litharan leads the way with 800, rounder Woakes. 15 overs to move to within eight toss. Fall of wickets: 1-6 (Masood), while Australia’s Shane Warne Alam was initially given not wickets of becoming the fi rst In humid conditions condu- 2-78 (Azhar), 3-102 (Abid), 4-117 has 708 and India’s Anil Kumble out but an England review re- paceman with 600 in Tests. cive to Anderson’s bowling, he (Shafiq), 5-120 (Alam) 619. vealed the ball had pitched in All of England’s four quicks needed just eight balls to have Bowling: Anderson 15-3-35-2; Abid completed a 99-ball fi fty line, with a squared-up Alam in enjoyed success, with only Paki- Shan Masood, fresh from his Broad 13-4-31-1; Curran 10-2-23- featuring six fours after tea. front of his stumps. stan opener Abid Ali — dropped Test-best 156, lbw for one with 1; Woakes 7.4-1-26-1 But left-arm seamer Sam England, as well as recall- twice in the slips — off ering pro- an inswinger to the left-hander. Curran, recalled in place of fast ing Curran, made an expected longed resistance during an in- Masood was so clearly out, he Azhar, under pressure after a bowler Jofra Archer, had Abid change when batsman Zak nings of 60. did not bother to review the de- run of just one fi fty in 10 innings taken in the slips by Burns with a Crawley returned in place of Ben Anderson came into this cision. since becoming skipper in No- ball that angled across the right- Stokes. match having taken just six Pakistan should have been vember, was nearly out for seven hander following a couple of in- Star all-rounder Stokes is wickets in three previous Tests 7-2 but Abid, on one, was re- when, playing defensively at in- swingers. missing the fi nal two matches of this season, at an expensive av- prieved when third slip Dom form all-rounder Chris Woakes, Sibley, to his evident relief, this series for personal reasons erage of over 41. Sibley dropped an edge off Stu- the ball trickled onto his stumps held a slip catch off Broad as after travelling to New Zealand By his own admission, he had art Broad. without dislodging the bails. Asad Shafi q fell cheaply. to be with his ill father.

SPOTLIGHT EQUESTRIAN Caribbean PL calls on ICSS to Close battle on cards in 11th leg of Hathab

By Sports Reporter allowed. The events are telecast support competition oversight Doha live on Al Kass TV. Only Show- jumping events are being held, he Caribbean Premier privilege for the ICSS team to with the dressage and Future League (CPL) Hero T20 have this opportunity to work ongines Hathab Qatar Riders events being cancelled. and the International with the CPL, and their partners Equestrian Tour is set Hathab, meaning “canter” Centre for Sport Secu- to support them in the protec- for an exciting fi nal two in Arabic, is an initiative of HE Trity (ICSS) have announced they tion of their competition.” rounds with close bat- Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad al-Tha- will work in partnership to safe- “This proactive action taken by Ltles in store for the overall titles. ni, President of the Qatar Olym- guard the integrity of the league the CPL, sends a strong message The 11th and penultimate round pic Committee. The competition for the 2020 competition. to the organised criminal syndi- of season three will be held to- series is organised and hosted With the CPL proactively cates, who are focused on cor- day and tomorrow at the Qatar jointly by Qatar Equestrian Fed- placing integrity at the top of rupting and manipulating sport Equestrian Federation’s Indoor eration (QEF) and Al Shaqab, its agenda, the ICSS, through its for their own fi nancial gains. It Arena, with riders hoping to member of Qatar Foundation. Sport Integrity Unit (SIU), will shows that the CPL is aware of strengthen their position for the It is aimed at improving the provide technical support and the imminent risks it faces and is titles. The mandatory veterinary standard of horse riding among expertise to support the CPL to prepared to ensure that the high- check for participating horses Qatari youth, while encouraging mitigate the Hero T20 competi- est levels of safeguards have been was conducted yesterday. the involvement of private sta- tions’ risk to match-fi xing and International Centre for Sport put in place to deter corrupt and It’s all to play for in the premier bles and individual horse owners international betting fraud. Security CEO Massimiliano criminal behaviour.” class – Big Tour, where Faleh Su- to spread awareness of horse- By activating their interna- Montanari. Andy Murphy, CPL Head wead al-Ajami is holding a nar- manship as part of Qatar’s his- tional Sport Integrity Hotline, the of Security, said: “We are de- row two-point advantage over tory and tradition. ICSS will capture possible reports our expertise and support them lighted to welcome the ICSS as Salman Mohammed al-Emadi. of corruption across the compe- in the area of sport integrity.” an integral part of our overall Salman had led the standings SCHEDULE tition, analyse the collected data “The CPL continues to pro- security and competition integ- when the Hathab resumed last The mandatory veterinary check for participating horses was Today: and provide training and investi- tect itself against the evolving rity management. The CPLT20 weekend after a four-month conducted at the Qatar Equestrian Federation yesterday. 4pm: Small Tour; Table A, gative support when needed. threats that confront inter- will benefi t immensely from break forced due to the outbreak One round against the clock In order to help identifying national sport. Cricket in the the professional support that of coronavirus pandemic. a four-point lead over Ghanim vidual and team competitions of (100/115cm) FEI Art, 238.2.1 any suspicious betting patterns Caribbean has produced many the ICSS off ers, and we are de- But he suff ered elimination in Nasser al-Qadi (178), with Mo- the Medium Tour (120-130cm) at 6.45pm: Medium Tour (Individ- and manipulation of sports re- world class cricketers, and I am lighted to welcome the ICSS as the 10th leg with al-Ajami’s vic- hamed Saeed Haidan (176) in 6.45pm. Tomorrow, Open Class ual & Team) Table A, One round sults, an international tailored delighted to see the CPL show an additional layer of security tory pushing the latter into lead. third spot. Meanwhile, Mo- (115-125cm) and Big Tour (130- against the clock with jump off betting monitoring system will such a strong commitment to- and oversight. The ICSS will be- Also in the race is Hamad Nasser hamed Nasser al-Qadi leads the 145cm) competitions will take (120/130cm) FEI Art. 238.2.2 be put in place for each match wards promoting the integrity come an integral part of our op- al-Qadi, who is third with 170 Small Tour with 178.5 points, place at 4pm and 6.45pm re- Tomorrow: throughout the competition. in their sport.” erational planning and will sup- points. It will be an exciting tus- ahead of Khalifa Abdulla al- spectively. 4pm: Open Class; Table A, ICSS CEO Massimiliano Fred Lord, Director Anti- port our extensive network of sle between the trio as they aim Khaldi (177.5 pts). Mohamed al- Organisers – Qatar Equestrian One round against the clock Montanari said: “On behalf of Corruption & Transparency partner organisations through- to take the lead going into the Ghazali is third with 166 points. Federation and Al Shaqab – have (115/125cm) FEI Art. 238.2.1 the ICSS, I would like to thank Operations, ICSS’ SIU, said: out the Caribbean and beyond 12th and fi nal round. Today, the competition will taken all the precautions for the 6.45pm: Big Tour; Competition the CPL for placing their trust in “The Caribbean is an important to ensure we have a successful In the Medium Tour, Mo- kick off with Small Tour (100- safe conduct of the champion- with winning round (130/145cm) the ICSS and inviting us to share region for the ICSS, and it is a competition.” hamed Khalifa Albaker (182) has 115cm) at 4pm, followed by indi- ship, where no spectators are FEI Art. 276.2.1