22 Sunday, October 29, 2017 SPORTS SPORTS Sunday, October 29, 2017 23 WTA Finals Singapore Vettel takes pole in Mexico Mexico City most successful British racing Mexico City track creates low ewis Hamilton moved a driver, with one more F1 drag but also low downforce step closer to securing his crown than Sir Jackie Stewart. making the cars tricky to set fourthL Formula One world The Mercedes has been up to both take advantage championship but he was dominant over the single of the long straights and unable to secure the start lap discipline this season but maximise performance he would have wanted for Ferrari have been improving through the tight technical the Mexican Grand Prix. He and Vettel made the most sections. Vettel had it hooked was beaten to the top spot of it. The championship is up to perfection. by a superb run from the largely out of his hands – His runs in Q3 pushed the Ferrari of Sebastian Vettel, even a win will not prevent car to the limit and in doing who put in a commanding Hamilton taking the title so put in a lap that shows just lap of the 2.7-mile circuit that with fifth or better – but the how far Ferrari have come in Venus simply could not be matched, German has been clear he the latter part of the season. and by the Red Bull of Max wants to close the year as Vettel will want the win Verstappen in second place. strongly as possible. but the attention will be Hamilton will start from the It is his fourth pole this on Hamilton. He has been second row but Verstappen year, having already secured going about the business faced an investigation for the top spot in Russia, of the weekend with the gets potentially having impeded Hungary and Singapore and same composed nature and Valtteri Bottas on his first run the 50th of his career. attention to detail that has in Q3 and was left sweating He delivered it with a seen him win nine races over a possible grid penalty. consummate lap to match this season, and six of the However the British driver some of his very best. His last eight. It has earned needs only to finish fifth time of 1min 16.488sec him a 66-point lead over Wozniacki or better to take the title at smashed the existing lap his championship rival the Autódromo Hermanos record of 1.18.704 Hamilton Vettel, and brought him to Rodríguez . If he does take had set in qualifying last year. within a whisker of the title. the title he will become the The high altitude of the (theguardian) Max Verstappen, Sebastian Vettel and Hamilton after qualifying (Picture courtesy: theguardian) Venus Williams (file pic) Caroline Wozniacki (file pic) in final City maintain winning streak Singapore Finals title. The American “[In the final] I’m going the first break of the match Venus’ serve seemed to be to break early and get ahead Manchester They had not beaten City in the league enus Williams recovered last took home the title in to be playing against one to put herself ahead 2-0, but breaking down towards the to a 3-0 lead in the second. Sturridge eaders Manchester City strolled past since 2008, when the City team contained Vfrom a set down to end 2008 and reached the final of the best players in the Venus was right back in it end, giving Garcia plenty of Garcia eventually got her West Brom to maintain their grip at Michael Ball and Benjani, and in their Caroline Garcia’s inspired in 2009 before marking an tournament, and another in the next game, leaving looks at vulnerable second name on the scoreboard but theL top of the . last 15 meetings the Baggies had drawn run and return to the eight-year absence from the Caroline! It’s going to be them level for the rest of the serves from which to tee off, couldn’t manage to recover Leroy Sane, Fernandinho and Raheem once and lost 14. championship match at the season-ending championship like deja vu!” Venus added, set. stepping far inside the court the break, as - perhaps in nets Sterling scored to clinch a 3-2 win at There seemed little hope that stat BNP Paribas WTA Finals event. laughing. “But I’m really They had each the other to rip her returns. Garcia got a sign of nerves - she kept The Hawthorns and wrap up an eighth would improve early on with Ahmed Singapore presented by SC “Garcia has competed so happy, she’s a great friend and under plenty of pressure; 10 ahead 3-0 and consolidated trying to finish off points too straight league win. Hegazi blocking from Sane - and it was Global. well this whole tournament, I’m really happy that one of us break points were created to 5-3 as routine shots quickly and ended up making Jay Rodriguez briefly equalised for just a matter of time before Guardiola’s Venus’ emphatic 6-7(3), and every time I thought I will win tomorrow.” between the two - including seemed to get away from loose errors. Venus needed 100th Albion and Matt Phillips capitalised on men opened the scoring. 6-2, 6-3 comeback victory has was getting close she played Garcia came out firing, one which gave Garcia a set Venus. three set points but finally Nicolas Otamendi’s late mistake to give There was a sense of inevitably, earned her a championship amazing,” Venus said. “It’s playing aggressive from the point off Venus’ serve - but But things looked dicey for closed out the set to send the scoreline a closer look than Albion especially with Sane having scored twice matchup with Caroline not over ‘til the fat lady sings start but seemed to hesitate at both players held firm to bring the Frenchwoman as Venus the match into a tiebreaker. deserved. in City’s League Cup win in September, Wozniacki for the 2017 WTA - but I’m not fat!” the big moments. She earned up a tiebreak. recovered in emphatic fashion (wtatennis) in big But Pep Guardiola’s City side remain as the winger started a goal rush after 10 unbeaten and sit five points clear at the minutes. top. The Germany international continued Guardiola had the added luxury of his Hawthorns hot-streak when he Swiss Indoors Liverpool leaving Sergio Aguero on the bench, with collected Fernandinho’s pass to drill an Del Potro battles the striker still chasing the goal to make angled drive past a statuesque . him the club’s record scorer. While it was expected to kick off a City Tony Pulis’ Albion are winless in their procession Albion hit back just three through to final win last nine outings, have won just four minutes later when failed to times in 24 games stretching back to last deal with Gareth Barry’s lobbed pass and Daniel Sturridge celebrates after scoring Liverpool’s first goal (Picture courtesy: theguardian) season and now sit just two points above Rodriguez stole in to coolly lift the ball Basel will be making a late decision on London Mike Gordon who had flown in for Salah’s spot-kick -- awarded the relegation zone. over Ederson. (espn.in) uan Martin del Potro fought off whether to take up his second- iverpool manager Jurgen Klopp the game. much to the general bemusement of Jfatigue to win a battle of former seeded position at Paris Bercy at the got one over on best friend Wagner, Klopp’s best man and after referee Kevin Friend champions 6-4, 6-4 over Marin end of his Basel week. DavidL Wagner as Daniel Sturridge’s former youth team coach under spotted Tommy Smith tugging Cilic and reach a third career final Del Potro, who played a Shanghai 100th club goal paved the way for his long-time friend at Borussia Firmino’s shirt -- was almost as at the Swiss Indoors yesterday. In semi-final a fortnight ago and won a 3-0 win over Huddersfield at Dortmund, had said he would comfortable as Salah blasted today’s final, the Argentine fourth the Stockholm title last weekend, Anfield. park the bus as numerous visitors straight down the middle, with seed will face either Roger Federer, admits that he is tiring, but intends Federer comes up Wagner’s Terriers, who ended to Anfield had done before them driving wide the who has won the title seven times to carry on. Manchester United’s unbeaten start with general success and he was rebound wide. in his hometown, or Belgian David The Argentine claimed his 10th to the season last week, comfortably true to his word with Huddersfield It was Liverpool’s 34th miss Goffin. win in 12 meetings with Croatian with clutch shot held their hosts at bay for 50 minutes retreating into a 5-4-1 formation from the spot in the Premier Del Potro won his previous Cilic, the reigning champion who courtesy of goalkeeper Jonas Lossl’s without the ball. League. No team has failed more titles at the St Jakobshalle in 2012 had spent just over three hours Basel produced a stunning winner off a penalty save from Mohamed Salah. It had the desired effect in stifling times. Liverpool have now missed and 2013 at the expense of world on court on Friday in putting oger Federer says he surprised backhand half-volley. Mannarino However, a brilliant striker’s what creativity the hosts, without their last three penalties at Anfield number two Federer. out Hungarian qualifier Marton Rhimself with his backhand did not win another game as the top finish from Sturridge broke their the injured and with Milner, Firmino and Salah all The Swiss has been powering Fucsovics. Del Potro has now winner down break point seed took command of the meeting resistance just after the break and Sadio Mane plus under-fire defender culpable. through the week as he tries to won his last seven meetings with against Adrian Mannarino in the from that point. and Georginio Dejan Lovren who sustained a thigh Salah had scored a crucial spot- overhaul rival Rafael Nadal to finish Cilic, who was the losing finalist quarterfinals of Basel. “When I won this point, I thought Wijnaldum secured only Liverpool’s problem in the warm-up, could kick to secure Egypt’s World Cup the year as world number one. to Federer at Wimbledon. And he Federer was serving at 2-3, 30-40, Mannarino could take a bit of a second win in seven Premier League muster. qualification but it still remained a The battle is provisionally makes no secret that he is keen to in the third set when Mannarino psychological hit,” Federer told local games. The result had looked far Sturridge bounced one attempt strange decision that Milner, who scheduled to continue next week face Federer for a third time in a drilled the ball deep toward the press. “If I play this point 100 times, I from secure after a dreadful first into the turf and onto the roof of the has scored 10 of his last 11 penalties Manchester City’s Fernandinho, Leroy Sané and celebrate at the Paris Masters, but Federer Basel final. (AFP) baseline. But Federer, standing there, think I win it like five times. (tennis) half, watched by the president of net while Salah and for the club, was not given the Juan Martin del Potro (file pic) (Picture courtesy: theguardian) club owners Fenway Sports Group both presented Lossl with easy saves. responsibility. (espn.in)