SPORTS Saturday, June 24, 2017 23 Kvitova hammers Luxembourg’s Gilles Muller out warning Birmingham etra Kvitova, the two-time Cilic, Muller, Wimbledon champion Pwhose career was almost ended by a knife attack, reached her first semi-final since the incident seven months ago by winning her third straight- Dimitrov into set match at Birmingham on Friday. The popular, grasscourt loving Czech did that with a 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) win over Kristina Mladenovic, the fifth-seeded Queen’s semis French player, achieved her last-four spot in what is only her second tournament since her comeback. Last month Kvitova slipped away from Paris with an empty feeling after losing in the second round of the French Open, while Mladenovic became the home star of Roland Garros London fourth semi-final appearance playing really well this week. in my life, and now this year by ending the title defence of arin Cilic set at the Wimbledon warm-up I’m feeling great on the court,” for the first time I have a “2” Garbine Muguruza. up a semi- event in west London. said Cilic, who is chasing in front of my ranking. That But on Friday was Kvitova’s Mfinal clash Cilic, who also finished as his second ATP title this means a lot,” he said. turn to receive the applause, as with Gilles Queen’s runner-up in 2013, year. “Those are things you dream she revealed that many parts of Muller at was pushed hard by Young, but “It is another match without of as a kid, so when it happens her incisive grass court game are Queen’s Club the former US Open champion losing serve, so that’s extremely it feels good.” in working order and that many as the Croatian fired 11 aces to see off the pleasing.” Grigor Dimitrov is another things may still be possible powered to American world number 55 Luxumbourg’s Muller is former Queen’s champion despite enduring problems with 6-4, 7-5 victory in one hour and 26 through to his first Queen’s hoping to get his hands on the injured hand. over Donald Young minutes. semi-final after defeating 2010 the silverware again and the yesterday. “I’m champion Sam Querrey 6-4, Bulgarian moved into the Having lifted the Queen’s 7-6 (7/5). last four with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 Federer trophy in 2012, Cilic fancies his Muller has won the first win against Russia’s Daniil chances of adding a second title two ATP Tour titles of his Medvedev. eases into as the highest ranked player left career this year, helping With Medvedev suffering a in the draw following the shock him climb to a career-high shoulder injury during the pre- semi-finals exits of Andy Murray, Stan ranking of 26, and he now match warm-up and needing Wawrinka and Milos has a seven-match winning lengthy treatment before he at Halle Raonic. streak on grass. could start playing, it was no Berlin The world The 34-year-old’s surprise Dimitrov won the first oger Federer eased closer number seven huge serve was on full set after sprinting into a 5-0 to a ninth title at the Halle has yet to drop display when he won the lead. grassR court tournament when Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov a set in three ‘s-Hertogenbosch title Medvedev, ranked 60th, he demolished defending matches on grass last week and gamely levelled the match at champion Florian Mayer of en route once again he used it to one set all, but Dimitrov was Germany 6-3, 6-4 in the quarter- to his devastating effect against too strong in the decider as finals. The world number five, Querrey. the world number 11 booked building up to an assault on an The 2010 Queen’s a semi-final clash with Tomas eighth Wimbledon title in July, champion, Querrey is no Berdych or Feliciano Lopez. will next face Karen Khachanov, slouch on grass either, but Dimitrov, who won Queen’s who defeated fellow Russian Muller held his nerve in in 2014, will be looking to reach Andrey Rublev 7-6 (10/8), two tight sets. his third ATP Tour final in 4-6, 6-3 in his last-eight Croatia’s Marin Cilic celebrates “I was never top 30 before 2017. (AFP) clash. Evans tested positive for cocaine Britain’s Dan Evans London “This is a very difficult day for me “I’ve let a lot of people down - “On 24 April 2017, Mr Evans, a ritish world number and I wanted to come here in person my family, my coach, my team, 27-year-old player from Great Britain, 50 Dan Evans has been to tell you guys face to face,” Evans sponsors, British tennis and my provided an anti-doping sample provisionallyB suspended after said at a London Hotel on Friday fans. to the TADP in association with his testing positive for cocaine. where he took no questions but made “I can only deeply apologise from participation in the Barcelona Open, Evans, 27, provided a a statement. the bottom of my heart. This has an ATP World Tour event, held in positive sample when he “I was notified a few days ago that been an extremely sad and humbling Barcelona, Spain,” an ITF statement was tested during the I failed a drugs test in April where I experience.” read. Barcelona Open tested positive for cocaine. Martina Hingis tested positive for “That sample was analysed by a in April and the “It’s really important you know this cocaine at Wimbledon in 2007 and was World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) International Tennis was taken out of competition and the subsequently suspended for two years. accredited laboratory in Montreal, Federation announced context was completely unrelated to Richard Gasquet had been issued Canada, and was found to contain on Friday he will be tennis. with the same suspension in 2009, but cocaine and its metabolite. banned with effect “I made a mistake and I must face up it was reduced to a little more than “In accordance with Article 2.1 of from June 26 “pending to it. I do not condone for one second two months when the ITF’s tribunal the TADP, Mr Evans was charged on determination of the to anyone that this was acceptable panel ruled he had taken the substance 16 June with an Anti-Doping Rule case”. behaviour. inadvertently. Violation.”