Sports Wednesday, October 2, 2019 13

Maisa Al Nasser wins prestigious Sr. Mares gold medal at Aachen international show

Maisa Al Nasser of Qatar’s Al Nasser Stud won the Senior Mares gold medal once again at the All Nations Cup – an international Arabian horse show – at Aachen, Germany. This is the third time that any horse from Al Nasser Stud won the honours. She beat Alsa and Wildona for the title by collecting 20 points. Alsa got 13, while Wildona managed only 4 in the final. In 2017, Anoud Al Nasser was the champion and Rehab Al Nasser got the gold medal last year. Al Nasser Stud owner Sheikh Nawaf bin Nasser al Thani was also present on the occasion and received the trophy. He said after the ceremony: “Under the great leader- ship of the Emir His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, Qatar is progressing strongly, including the equestrian sport. As the competitor, we wish to represent Qatar with the best possible preparations. This fantastic may be attributed to this work spirit. We’re delighted with this achievement and will continue to work harder for more successes in future.” England clash ‘like a war’: Murray labours to Argentine hooker Creevy AFP “When we put this shirt on Wales, and either the quar- Tokyo we feel something different. ter-final -- if Uruguay qualify beat Berrettini in It’s our country, it’s our fam- -- or his next club match. He hooker Agus- ily... we love playing together,” will be free to play again on tin Creevy warned the Rugby he said. October 21. World Cup clash with England “The group is really bond- World Rugby is cracking will be like a “war” on Tues- ed, we love each other. I think down on high tackles, which China Open day as Los Pumas prepare for it’s different to other teams have been linked to concus- a thumping battle of the for- because we are friends, we are sions, although policing them wards. brothers, on the field and off it.” has been controversial in Ja- afp The former Worces- pan despite new guidelines for Beijing ter Warriors player said he Gattas suspended referees and teams. was well aware of England’s Uruguay hooker Facundo ’s Reece Hodge Andy Murray said his return strengths but added that Ar- Gattas on Tuesday became the received a three-match ban for to tennis is going “in the right gentina’s pack has made vast fifth player at the Rugby World a tackle that didn’t trigger any direction” after the former improvements under coach Cup to be suspended for a dan- action on the field before the number one claimed his big- Mario Ledesma, a former gerous tackle, following his disciplinary panel gave three- gest scalp on Tuesday since hooker himself. red card in the 33-7 defeat to game suspensions to Samoa’s career-saving hip surgery. Saturday’s game in Tokyo Georgia. Rey Lee-Lo and Motu Matu’u, The Briton defeated US could be pivotal for Pool C as Gattas received a three- who had both been yellow- Open semi-finalist Matteo England look for their third match ban from a disciplinary carded. Berrettini 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (9/7) win and Argentina scrap for panel after failing to overturn American flanker John in just over two hours at the their second, following a nail- his dismissal for a shoulder Quill was banned for three China Open in smoggy Beijing. biting defeat by France. charge to the head of Georgia’s games for a high shot that Murray meets compatriot “Saturday’s going to be like Shalva Sutiashvili in the Pool earned a red card, but Eng- Cameron Norrie in the last 16 a war, it’s a final for us,” Creevy D match. land’s Piers Francis avoided a after a gutsy victory over the told reporters. “The panel did not find suspension for his challenge 13th-ranked Italian. “But maybe my experience that the referee’s decision was on USA fullback Will Hooley. Murray, 32, a three-time with Worcester will help me a wrong and the red card was An appeal by Matu’u Grand Slam winner, said he lot, to see the way that it’s going therefore upheld,” a state- against his suspension was dis- had made big strides since the to play out.” ment said. missed on Tuesday. He will be first singles match of his re- He added: “I think the bat- Gattas will miss Uru- free to resume playing after the turn, a defeat at the Cincinnati tle’s going to be in the forwards. guay’s two remaining pool quarter-finals, if Samoa reach Masters in mid-August. We need to win the scrum, we games against Australia and that stage, or on October 26. Last week in Zhuhai he need to win the lineout, the won his first ATP singles Andy Murray of Britain: Survives a big test of staying power. (AFP) maul and the breakdown.” match since January’s major Creevy, now with the Jag- operation. which made him number one “So the more I can get champion Caroline Wozniacki uares in , said he “I didn’t really feel like I in 2016 as he grabbed the first through these sort of matches and Naomi Osaka all comfort- admired England’s structured was playing at a great level,” set from the eighth seed. like I did today, I’ll get there a ably reached the last 16. game, adding: “Sometimes it’s he said of his match against The second set went with little bit quicker.” Barty, troubled by a calf boring but I think it’s good for Richard Gasquet in Cincinnati serve and again to a tiebreak, Also in the men’s draw, problem last week in Wuhan, England. It works for them.” “Whereas even last week with Murray saving two set Felix Auger Aliassime set up a said she felt no ill effects in a “We train a lot in scrum (in Zhuhai), although I lost in points on the way to a win. mouthwatering clash with sec- 6-4, 6-2 win over Kazakhstan’s skills and our mentality,” he the second round, I felt like I Murray said that patience ond seed Alexander Zverev of Yulia Putintseva. said. “I think we are improv- was playing tour-level tennis.” was now the key. Germany. “We had a couple light ing a lot in the scrum. We feel “I think things are going “Last week was a big step The 19-year-old Canadian, days. We didn’t really test it really, really good now but we in the right direction,” added for me,” he said. rated one of the finest young (the leg) until today,” said the need to continue. The England Murray. “Now I just need to try and talents in tennis, beat Albert 23-year-old Australian. scrum is really good.” Now ranked 503 in the get the matches, get them con- Ramos Vinolas 6-3, 6-4. The 21-year-old Japanese Creevy, who will earn a re- world, he fought back from a sistently, so that I’m used to Top seed Dominic Thiem Osaka ruthlessly blew away cord-extending 88th cap, said break down to force a tiebreak playing three, four matches in defeated Richard Gasquet, Germany’s Andrea Petkovic, Argentina draw strength from in the first set against the Ital- a week. 6-4, 6-1. 6-2, 6-0, in just 59 minutes. their emotional bond, largely ian Berrettini. “Right now, at this level, I On the women’s side of the The Dane Wozniacki de- forged in the which Argentina’s hooker Agustin Creevy is tackled during the Japan 2019 Murray showed glimpses don’t know if I’m ready to do tournament, world number feated Christina McHale of the provides the bulk of the na- Pool C match against Tonga at the Hanazono Rugby of the steely determination that or not. one Ashleigh Barty, reigning United States, 6-4, 6-0. tional side. Stadium in Higashiosaka recently. (AFP) India drop Pant for first SA Test match

AFP Saha lost his place that he was out with an injury. ing to a new generation side to Visakhapatnam through injury and Pant ini- According to me he is the best get over the nightmare 2015 tially made the most of his keeper the world. With these tour of India when the Proteas India on Tuesday brought opportunity to showcase his conditions he starts for us.” lost a four-match series 3-0. back as explosive talent. The 32-year-old Sharma Former Hashim wicketkeeper for the first Test “Saha is fit and fine to go. is another veteran looking Amla quit the game in August against South Africa in a blow He is going to start the series to stake a new claim in Vi- while bowler Dale Steyn gave to the hopes of rising star for us. His keeping credentials sakhapatnam after a stop-start up Tests. Rishabh Pant. are for everyone to see,” said career of 27 Test matches. “We struggled (in 2015) India’s captain Kohli, whose side will beat “Rohit is going to start for despite having an experienced also gave a vote of confidence Australia’s record of victory in sure,” Kohli told reporters, line-up and now we have a to , naming him 10 straight home Test series if comparing Sharma’s ability to young looking line up, there is opening batsman ahead of the they take this series. “demolish attacks” to that of no baggage,” said du Plessis. start of the three-match series “Saha was always the one Virender Sehwag. Du Plessis said the 2015 on Wednesday. we would back as a pure keep- tour had taught him to handle The 34-year-old Saha last er in . He has done Two spinners in team top class spin bowling while played a test more than 18 well under pressure situations Kohli said two spinners, the reverse swing shot can be months ago in South Africa. in the past for us, so it was just and Ravi- a “real weapon” in South Asia. He gets a new chance because about finding the right op- chandran Ashwin, would also of the poor form of Pant, who portunity and the moment to be in the team along with two India XI for first Test: Virat Kohli (Capt), (vice-captain), Rohit Sharma, had been groomed as the bring him back in. pace bowlers and all-rounder , , Hanuma long-term successor to leg- “He has done well with . Vihari, , Ravindra (From left) Indian cricketers Rishabh Pant, Ravichandran Ashwin and Rohit Sharma walk during a practice endary batsman wicketkeeper the bat whenever he has got South Africa skipper Faf Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant session ahead of the first Test match against South Africa in Visakhapatnam on Monday. (AFP) M.S. Dhoni. a chance. It was unfortunate du Plessis is meanwhile look- Sharma,