SPORTS WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014 Federer poised to step out of darkness in NY

NEW YORK: Twelve months after crashing to his worst Swiss never doubted his ability to remain a force in the said Djokovic. “I’m not feeling very comfortable on believe that the Scot’s work is done. Now down at defeat in New York in a decade, Roger Federer heads to sport and he goes into his 15th US Open with his unwa- the court. Obviously I want to peak in New York. I nine in the world, the 27-year-old has not got the 2014 US Open poised to become the oldest Grand vering confidence justified. expect more from myself, but I have to keep on beyond the quarter-finals of any tournament since Slam champion in more than 40 years. In an astonishing There were hints of a revival at Wimbledon in July going. A is coming up, and that’s where his morale-sapping semi-final loss to Nadal at the reversal of fortunes, the 33-year-old, written off as a relic where he was defeated in five sets by world number I want to do well.” where the Spaniard allowed him just of the game when he slipped to a fourth round loss to one Novak Djokovic. Since then, he has been runner-up Despite his recent troubles, Djokovic, whose six games. Tommy Robredo in 2013, is perfectly positioned to win at Toronto and champion in Cincinnati. “I come in with second Wimbledon title took his majors haul to With 2009 champion Juan Martin del Potro still a staggering 18th major at the season’s concluding great confidence,” said Federer, chasing a record sixth seven, will still be the big favourite in New York sidelined by injury, the much-vaunted next genera- Grand Slam event which starts Monday. Buoyed by title in New York and where he will be playing in a 64th having reached the final in the last four years. tion will get another opportunity to shine. Canada’s claiming a sixth Cincinnati title and his 80th career consecutive Grand Slam. “I know my game is where I Furthermore, his record at all the majors is impres- Milos Raonic, the world number six, was a semi- crown, the Swiss is revelling in the twilight of his career want it to be. It’s about just keeping that level up right sive-the last time he failed to make at least the finalist at Wimbledon and Cincinnati where he was just a year after it was being consumed by darkness. now.” Meanwhile, his fellow members of the “Big Four” quarter-finals of a Grand Slam was at the 2009 swept aside in straight sets on both occasions by That last-16 loss to Robredo meant it was the first are slipping and sliding. Djokovic, the 2011 champion, French Open. Federer who made him look the one-dimensional year since 2002 that he had failed to make a Grand Slam heads into the tournament with two dispiriting third The odds on Djokovic and Federer meeting in big-server many in the game believe him to be. final. The defeat also marked the first time in 10 years round losses in Toronto and Cincinnati with the 27-year- the September 8 final were shortened on Monday Fellow 23-year-old Grigor Dimitrov, the world num- that he hadn’t made at least the last-eight at Flushing old Serb, recently married, having to bat back accusa- when defending champion Rafael Nadal was ber eight, has three titles to his name in 2014 but Meadows. Suddenly, his five consecutive US Open titles tions that he is distracted by impending fatherhood. forced to withdraw with a right wrist injury. lost out to Djokovic in the Wimbledon semi-finals. from 2004-2008 appeared a detail in history and his Andy Murray, the 2012 champion, has not More frustratingly, the Bulgarian boyfriend of Maria 17th and most recent major success-the 2012 ‘Not clicking’ reached a final of any description since his historic Sharapova, has yet to win a match in three visits to Wimbledon title-looked certain to be his last. But the “Just many, many, many things are not clicking,” 2013 Wimbledon triumph, prompting many to the US Open. — AFP Supreme Serena targets 18th major at US Open

NEW YORK: World number one Serena show your legacy through the sport,” she said. Williams is firing on all cylinders as she seeks Just who else might emerge to challenge to stretch her tally of Grand Slam singles titles Williams is unclear. champi- to 18 at the US Open. The familiar hardcourts on of China is an injury absentee, while of Flushing Meadows, where Williams has lift- Czech Petra Kvitova has been an early casual- ed the trophy the past two years and a total ty in the two tournaments she has played of five times, is just the place to end her 2014 since winning Wimbledon. , Grand Slam drought. The American superstar who reached the semi-finals at the Australian hasn’t made it past the fourth round of a and French Opens before becoming the first major this year. But she has won two of her Canadian woman to reach a Grand Slam final five 2014 titles in the buildup to the Open, at Wimbledon, has failed to impress since her signalling she won’t surrender her crown crushing loss to Kvitova at the All England without a fight. Club. Her straight-sets win over in the final at Cincinnati showed Williams at her Azarenka injury cloud dominant best. “At some point of the match, I , beaten by Williams in actually felt quite embarrassed walking from each of the past two US Open finals, goes into one side to the other for returns,” Ivanovic the fortnight under an injury cloud. The said of the near-hopelessness of returning Belarusian, owner of two Australian Open Williams’ serve. It was a long way from titles, has been limited to just six events in Ivanovic’s fourth-round victory over Williams 2014. She battled a foot injury for much of at the Australian Open, where the American the year and withdrew from her title defense was hindered by back pain. Back trouble, and at Cincinnati with a right knee injury. the virus that left her weak and woozy in dou- Russian veteran , who bles after her shock third-round singles exit at won the US Open in 2004, arrives in New York Wimbledon, are all in the past, Williams said. having snapped a four-year WTA title drought “I’m in some of the best shape I’ve been at Washington in August. Australian in,” she said. “I can play long points and be -whose 2011 US Open tri- ready to go again. I feel really fit - 32 is the umph makes her the last woman to beat WINSTON SALEM: Sam Querrey of the USA returns a shot to of during the Winston-Salem Open at Wake Forest University on new 22, right?” An actual 22-year-old, Simona Williams in a final at Flushing Meadows-has August 18, 2014 in North Carolina. — AFP Halep, will be among those trying to topple had a largely forgettable season. Williams in New York. The Romanian has been Also among the former champions in the knocking at the door of a first Grand Slam field, has failed to shine in Querrey beats Riba in 1st title this year, finishing runner-up to Maria Grand Slams this year, but won her 45th Sharapova at Roland Garros. Halep also career title at Dubai and reached the final at reached the quarter-finals of the Australian the US Open tune-up in Montreal-where she Open and the semi-finals at Wimbledon as fell to Poland’s Agnieszka Radwanska. round of Winston-Salem she climbed to number two in the world. That Canadian run included a her first vic- Williams will also be challenged by more tory over younger sister Serena since 2009, familiar foes, including Sharapova. adding intrigue to the possibility of a clash WINSTON-SALEM: Sam Querrey didn’t play his California natives, in a second-round match yes- humidity made for a really difficult match,” said Sharapova’s appetite is only greater after she between the sisters in New York. Ivanovic, the best Monday - except when it counted. terday at the Wake Forest Tennis Center. Earlier, Goffin, who lost to Melzer in four sets in the missed last year’s US Open with a shoulder 2008 French Open champion, has never been Querrey got two key services breaks to beat Belgian qualifier David Goffin defeated defend- opening round of the French Open last May. injury that brought her season to a premature past the US Open quarter-finals. But the for- Spain’s Pere Riba 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 in the first round of ing champion Jurgen Melzer of Austria 6-3, 6-4 “After the first set, I think he was really frustrated. close. She sealed yet another return from mer world number one is enjoying a resur- the Winston-Salem Open, the final tuneup before Monday to extend his winning streak to 23 con- He started making some mistakes. I took my injury by capturing her fifth career Grand gence this season and will be back in the top next week’s US Open. “My year’s been pretty secutive matches. Goffin won his first ATP Tour chances, and it turned out really well.” Also, fifth- Slam in Paris, but she has never won two 10 in the world rankings for the year’s last average - a lot of two steps forward, one step title last month in Kitzbuhel, Austria. He lost in seeded Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain over- majors in the same year. Slam. “Definitely exciting times,” said Ivanovic, back,” Querrey said. “I had that same problem last the first round to Andy Murray at Wimbledon and came a tiebreaker loss in the first set to beat “I only have one more chance to do that who nevertheless knows that the spotlight year, but I was able to get it going in this tourna- then won ATP Challenger Tour events in the Dustin Brown of Germany 6-7 (5-7), 6-2, 6-2. this year,” she said, and admitted that such will be firmly on Williams unless someone can ment. I’ve played well here in the past, so I’m Netherlands, Poland and Finland. In other matches, France’s Paul-Henri Mathieu milestones matter. “At this position, that’s wrest it away. In her opinion, that’s as it going to do my best to keep it up.” “At the beginning of the summer, I didn’t overcame a brief rain delay to beat Robby where you showcase how strong you are and should be. “We are lucky to have someone The 26-year-old American, who had advanced expect these results,” said Goffin, who will face Ginepri of the US 6-3, 7-5; Adrian Mannarino of how much you really love it and (want) to like her in our game,” Ivanovic said. —AFP to the semifinals at Winston-Salem the last two Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer in the second round. France downed Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur 6-2, 6-2; years, got a mini-break to win the first-set “Now, I’m still continuing to win. I’m pretty happy of beat tiebreaker. Querrey, ranked 56th, then closed out with the way I’m playing at the moment. What Marcos Giron of the US 6-4, 6-4; Canada’s Frank the match with another service break to advance. can I say?” After ending the month by winning in Dancevic battled to a 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 win over “I didn’t think I played great,” said Querrey, who Austria, Goffin - whose world ranking has Brazil’s Thomaz Bellucci; Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz was ranked as high as 17th in the world in 2011. climbed from 106th to 62nd during the run - won downed Argentina’s 6-1, 6-4; “I served pretty well, and hit the big forehand. I back-to-back qualifying matches in straight sets Argentina’s Federico Delbonis beat Slovakia’s did the right things on the big points, but I still to make the main draw for the Winston-Salem Martin Klizan 7-6 (5), 6-4; and Igor Sijsling of the need to clean everything up a little bit.” Querrey Open. Netherlands defeated Kazakhstan’s Andrey faced childhood friend Steve Johnson, both “The conditions were tough today - the Golubev 7-6 (5), 6-3. — AP Wozniacki comes back for win at New Haven Bouchard cruises into 2nd round in Open tune-up

NEW HAVEN: came back to ZANDVOORT, Netherlands: Dutch racing driver Max Verstappen (left), son of former defeat Timea Bacsinszky 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 Monday in the F1 driver Jos Verstappen (unseen) prepares prior to the Zandvoort Masters of first round at the Connecticut Open. A four-time Formula 3 in this file photo. Sixteen-year-old Max Verstappen will become the champion of the New Haven tournament, the youngest driver in Formula One history next season after being unveiled as Toro fourth-seeded Wozniacki lost the first three games Rosso’s new signing. — AFP of the match against Bacsinszky, a qualifier. Wozniacki battled back to even the set at 4-4. But Bacsinszky got a break of serve in the next Dutch teenager to game, and then closed out the set by scoring on a drop shot. “I have to give her credit, she started out well,” Wozniacki said. “She got some matches under race for Toro Rosso her belt playing qualifiers, and that helped her. I felt pretty good out there. It just took a while to get MILAN: Sixteen-year-old Max Verstappen will give my absolute best to be successful in the started.” become the youngest driver in Formula One pinnacle of motorsport,” Verstappen said, There were several long rallies in the final two history next season after being unveiled as thanking his father for his support. sets before Wozniacki prevailed. It was 2-2 in the Toro Rosso’s new signing. The Dutch teenag- “With the return of the Verstappen name third set before Wozniacki won the final four er, son of ex-F1 driver Jos Verstappen, cur- to Formula One, I hope we can relive old games. “It took me a few games to get used to new rently races in Formula Three with the Van memories and I’m hoping to see many fans at balls and a faster court,” Wozniacki said. “But I felt Amersfoort Racing team having cut his racing all the Grand Prix circuits.”Verstappen played like I was getting stronger as the match went on. teeth on the karting circuit. He will partner down the step up to Formula One, saying that My confidence was high. I was in a great place Russian Daniil Kvyat in the Red Bull feeder he thought he had already made the hardest mentally.” Eugenie Bouchard of Canada needed NEW HAVEN: Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark returns a shot to Timea Bacsinszky of team with 24-year-old Frenchman Jean-Eric transition. “I think the biggest step I had was in the first set during the Connecticut Open at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Vergne deemed surplus to requirements.”Ever karting to F3. I think F3 to F1 will be a smaller Yale. — AFP since I was seven years old, Formula One has step,” the teenager told BBC Radio 5 live. “I’m only 52 minutes to beat Serbia’s Bojana Jovanovski match point get away before winning on her fifth been my career goal, so this opportunity is not that worried about it. The cars are really 6-1, 6-1. The third-seeded Bouchard led 5-0 in each chance. Stosur was given a wild card into the truly a dream come true,” Verstappen said on safe. I think it’s more dangerous to bike set against the unseeded Jovanovski. In a late night Connecticut Open. the team’s website. through a big city than race in an F1 car.” match, No 5 seed Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia Qualifier Shuai Pen of China beat Verstappen, who turns 17 next month, will Verstappen is following the path of four-time lost 7-6 (2), 6-3 to Andrea Petkovic of Germany. of the 6-4, 6-3, and Barbora Strycova beat by almost two years the age record cur- world champion Sebastian Vettel and Red Seventh-seeded of was elimi- Zahlavova of the Czech Republic defeated qualifier rently held by Spain’s Jaime Alguersuari, who Bull team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, who were nated by Garbine Muguruza of Spain 6-2, 3-6, 6-1. It of Switzerland 6-4, 5-7, 6 -3. was 19 years and 125 days when he made his also members of the Red Bull Junior Team. was the third loss in the last four matches for Unseeded Carla Suarez-Navarro of Spain withdrew debut at the Hungarian GP in 2009, also for Toro Rosso team principal Franz Tost said Errani, who has been knocked out in the first round from the tournament because of a gastrointestinal Toro Rosso. that despite his youth, Verstappen’s skill levels in two of her last three tournaments. illness. She was replaced by lucky loser Caroline He won the world go-karting champi- and maturity indicated he could cut it in Muguruza lost in straight sets to Errani at the Garcia of France, who beat qualifier Irina Carmelia onship last year and has topped the podium Formula One. “We consider Max to be one of 2012 U.S. Open in their only other meeting. Begu of 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4). Wild card entrant in eight out of 27 races since graduating to the most skilled young drivers of the new Samantha Stosur of Australia earned a 7-6 (8), 6-7 Kirsten Flipkens of Belgium beat qualifier Misaki the highly competitive Formula Three generation and we believe he has the neces- NEW HAVEN: Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland (10), 6-2 victory over of Japan. Stosur, Doi of Japan 6-3, 4-6, 6-2. Unseeded Magdalena Championship. “We’ve all worked tremen- sary maturity and mental strength to take on reacts to a lost point to Caroline Wozniacki of who won the US Open in 2011, blew three match Rybarikova of Slovakia defeated qualifier Silvia dously hard to reach Formula One and I will this challenge successfully,” he said. —AFP Denmark during the Connecticut Open. — AFP points in the second set tiebreaker and let another Soler-Espinosa of Spain 6-4, 6-3. — AP