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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2020

White Sox down AÅfs in opener Getafe grab top spot in La Mourinho bemoans ‘dangerous’ 18as Yankees overpower Indians 19 Liga as Angel strikes twice 19 schedule as Spurs see off Chelsea

DOHA: Al-Nassr players carry a placard of the late Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah during the AFC Champions League quarterfinals match between Saudi Al-Nassr and Saudi Al-Ahli yesterday at the Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in the Qatari capital. — AFP Serena suffers another blow Injured Serena withdraws from as Nadal cruises

PARIS: Spain’s returns the ball to Mackenzie McDonald of the US during their men’s singles sec- ond round match on Day 4 of The Roland Garros tennis tournament yesterday. — AFP

PARIS: Serena Williams suffered another blow in her since the last of her 23 titles at Melbourne in 2017. “I Bertens wins stormy Errani tussle can win without doing that.” bid for a 24th title as the American withdrew always give 100 percent, everyone knows that. Maybe US Open champion swept into the Bertens is due to meet Katerina Siniakova next from the French Open yesterday with an Achilles injury, even more than 100 if that’s possible. I take solace in third round with a 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) victory over while overcame Mexican qualifier while 12-time champion Rafael Nadal raced into the third that,” she told reporters. “I think the Achilles is a real American qualifier , saving three set points to Renata Zarazua 6-3, 0-6, 6-2. The Ukrainian third seed round. The 39-year-old Williams, a three-time winner at injury that you don’t want to play with because that is close out the match. The Austrian third seed will play is coming off a title at Strasbourg last week and will Roland Garros, pulled out ahead of her second round not good if it gets worse.” Norway’s , seeded 28th, or American next play Russian 27th seed , match against citing the injury that Nadal looked in ominous form as he stepped up his for a place in the last 16. “I’m very happy but was briefly taken aback by a sonic boom. The prompted her to skip the Rome tune-up event. pursuit of ’s 20 major titles with a crush- with my game in the first two rounds. It was not an thunderous noise that panicked residents of Paris was “The Achilles didn’t have enough time to heal after ing win over 236th-ranked American Mackenzie easy draw at all and I’m very happy not to drop a set,” caused by a French fighter jet that broke the sound the US Open,” said Williams, who admitted last week McDonald. The Spaniard batted aside McDonald 6-1, said Thiem, who defeated 2014 US Open winner Marin barrier. “I was a bit worried because I thought some- she was not fully fit after her run to the semi-finals in 6-0, 6-3 in exactly 100 minutes and will meet Japan’s Cilic in round one. Dutch fifth seed had to thing bad happened,” said Svitolina. New York. “I’m struggling to walk, so that’s kind of a or of Italy for a spot in be taken off court in a wheelchair after a fiery win over The military said the plane had been scrambled to telltale sign that I should try to recover.” The injury the last 16. “The aim was to play as well as possible. former finalist . go to the aid of another aircraft that had lost radio likely means she will miss the rest of 2020, leaving the I’m very happy. I have another difficult match next,” Bertens triumphed 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 9-7 in a three- contact, and was authorized to travel at supersonic in 2021 as her next chance to equal said Nadal. hour 11-minute clash which left her in cramps and speed. , the winner, ’s all-time majors record. “I need four to The 34-year-old needs one more major to pull level Italian Errani screaming an obscenity as she left the followed up his demolition of with a 6-3, six weeks of sitting and doing nothing,” she said. “It’s with long-time rival Federer and owns an astonishing court. “After one hour, she’s injured but then she’s run- 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 defeat of Germany’s . more than likely that I won’t play another tournament 95-2 record in Paris going back to his triumph on debut ning around like never before,” said Errani. “She leaves , the son of 1992 Roland Garros run- this year.” in 2005. Top seed and women’s favorite the court in a chair and now she’s in the locker room ner-up and 1998 Australian Open champion Petr Her decision to pull out handed Pironkova a goes up against compatriot Irina-Camelia Begu as she and eating in the restaurant, perfect. She exaggerated.” Korda, also progressed after a four-sets victory over walkover and left Williams searching for a first major targets a second French Open crown in three years. “It made me very angry, so well done to her but she fellow American .— AFP

Tenth seed Azarenka, runner-up at the US Open Garros opponent on Tuesday as the facing the best on the other side.” Tuesday’s demo- Azarenka thrashed this month, double-faulted to drop serve in the world number one’s bid to become the first man in lition was the not the first time Ymer, the world opening game when play finally started on Court half a century to win all four Grand Slam titles number 80 from Sweden, had faced Djokovic who PARIS: ’s unhappy French Open Simonne-Mathieu after yet another rain delay and it twice got off to a convincing start. Djokovic eased is chasing a second French Open title and 18th campaign ended yesterday as the former world did not get much better for the 31-year-old. The 26- to a 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 victory, reaching the second career major. number one was beaten 6-2 6-2 by Slovakia’s Anna year-old Scmiedlova’s one real moment of alarm round in Paris for a record-equalling 16th time. It The two hit together at Wimbledon in 2015 on Karolina Schmiedlova in the second round. The came at 1-1 in the second set when she slipped and was also his 32nd win in 33 matches in 2020, his the morning of the men’s final when Djokovic went Belarussian, who moaned about the cold and damp landed heavily on her left knee and required treat- only loss coming when he was defaulted from the on to beat Roger Federer for the title and Ymer was conditions in her opening round win, capitulated in ment. But she showed no ill-effects as she moved US Open. readying for the boys championship match which he feeble fashion against her 161st-ranked opponent. into a 5-2 lead with a couple of breaks of serve. “It felt like when a snake kills its prey,” was the lost to of the United States. Schmiedlova, who is playing with a protected Schmiedlova brought up match point with a fore- blunt verdict of 23-year-old Ymer who never Meanwhile, Djokovic insisted his New York disqual- ranking after knee surgery in 2019, has enjoyed a hand winner and sealed victory as Azarenka fired a recovered from dropping the first set in just 20 ification, handed out when he swiped a ball which stunning return to form in Paris, having beaten Venus 37th unforced error. minutes under the roof of Court . felled a line judge, was definitely a thing of the past. Williams in round one. That win over Williams ended “He hits it pretty big. I had chances to rally but then In the immediate aftermath of his US Open retreat, a run of 12 consecutive first-round losses in Grand Djokovic eases through I got suffocated. It was corner to corner and he he went to Rome where he captured a record 36th Slams and she backed that up with a commanding Meanwhile, was described as a rarely misses. “At the beginning, it was just surreal. Masters title. “I have not had any traces of New display against an error-prone Azarenka. “snake killing its prey” by vanquished Roland The court felt big and I was nervous because I was York in my mind. I’m over it,” he said. — Agencies