Stars Light up Paris Masters
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Sports FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2013 Relentless Vettel seeks third win in Abu Dhabi LONDON: Newly-crowned quadruple world tial to success in the season’s only ‘twilight’ 2009 and from pole in 2010, will thus be seek- is always fun and one which I enjoy. The circuit champion Sebastian Vettel should be forgiven race. ing a third Abu Dhabi success to extend his and the Yas Marina complex are so impressive this weekend if he appears reluctant to grab The only driver to have taken pole and not remarkable run of six straight wins to a mag- and racing from the sunshine into the twilight pole position at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The only finished, but won in Abu Dhabi, however, nificent seven. is special. relentless 26-year-old German, who won last was Vettel on the evening when he secured Hamilton, who won from second in 2011, “With three races left, we are still pushing Sunday’s Indian Grand Prix to secure his fourth his maiden title in November, 2010, an will seek his second win at one of his favorite and there is a lot that our team can achieve. drivers’ crown in succession and confirm his achievement that initiated some wild scenes circuits not only to end Red Bull and Vettel’s It’s all about consistency now and making sure Red Bull team’s fourth constructors’ title, will of celebration. In 2009’s inaugural race, supremacy, but also to book-end it with two that both Nico (Rosberg) and I score good not have over-celebrated. defending champion Briton Lewis Hamilton wins of his own. “What he has done, his points so we can keep the other teams behind As a keen, but shrewd, student of his retired with a brake problem. In 2012, also achievement, is incredible, especially for such us. - and we are up for that challenge.” For sport’s history, he will know not only that he with McLaren, he lost fuel pressure. In 2011, a young individual,” said Hamilton, following Hamilton and Mercedes, that means staying has joined an exclusive hall of fame - as one of Vettel took pole, but suffered a first corner Vettel’s latest triumph. “He is in a class of his ahead of Ferrari and Lotus in the teams’ title only four men to have taken four titles - but puncture. own, and he is on his way to becoming the race while strugglers Marussia and Caterham also that the prime starting spot at the Yas If this suggests that the winner can come greatest driver in F1, if he is not already. “Big battle to avoid finishing outside the top ten. Marina Circuit is something of a poisoned from anywhere, it would be untrue since only congratulations, I’m really happy for him....” Tyre wear is less likely to be a major factor chalice. In the four previous Abu Dhabi Grand one victor - Finn Kimi Raikkonen for Lotus last That praise delivered, however, the 28- than it was in India, but the swiftly falling tem- Prix, the pole sitter has experienced serious year - started from behind the front row, a fact year-old Briton warned that he will remain as peratures in the latter stages of Sunday’s race - problems three times and failed to finish the that makes second on the grid such a promis- committed to winning as ever despite Red by around 15 degrees Celsius - can play havoc race - hardly an auspicious sign that it is essen- ing position. Vettel, who won from second in Bull’s double success. “The race in Abu Dhabi with some teams’ expectations. — AFP Skating - Li, 16, Stars light up leads Chinese Paris Masters medal hopes BEIJING: Diminutive teenager Li Zijun will be one of the hosts’ top medal hopes at the Cup of China figure PARIS: World number one Rafael Nadal and Swiss star Roger skating as they seek Olympic momentum just months Federer led a host of leading fancies into the third round of the away from Sochi 2014. The 16-year-old three-time Paris Masters on Wednesday. Federer’s 6-4, 6-4 victory over Chinese champion showed her prowess on the big South African Kevin Anderson was enough to secure his spot at stage when she placed a creditable seventh at this the World Tour Finals in London, his 12th straight appearance at year’s world championships. This week Li, just five the season’s glamour finale. “It’s magnificent to come back to foot four inches is one of a group of young hopefuls Paris which is close to my heart especially after 2009 (his only taking on Italy’s Carolina Kostner in the women’s French Open triumph) and 2011,” when he won the Paris competition. Masters,” said Federer. Japan’s former Four Continents winner Kanako “I’m just happy right now to have made it again, you know. Murakami, 18, and European silver-medallist Adelina It’s definitely somewhat of a highlight of the season for me after Sotnikova, 17, will also be hoping to upset ex-world having a tough few months to still make it to the World Tour champion Kostner. Finals. “It’s a good moment right now sitting here knowing it’s In the pairs, China’s Olympic silver-medallists Pang secure.” added the Swiss former world number one. At a packed Qing and Tong Jian will take on four-time world Bercy arena, Nadal turned in a trademark swashbuckling display champions and Sochi favourites Aliona Savchenko to defeat Spanish compatriot Marcel Granollers 7-5, 7-5. Nadal, and Robin Szolkowy. 27, hasn’t played at the Paris tournament since 2009 and is Pang and Tong take to the ice a week after Sui attempting to become the first player since Andre Agassi in Wenjing and Han Cong’s exploits at Skate Canada, 1999 to win both the French Open and Paris Masters in the where they pulled off a rare quadruple twist lift but same year. ultimately finished second. Nadal advances to a last-16 meeting against last year’s sur- Fifty-one of the world’s best figure skaters from prise finalist Jerzy Janowicz. The eight-time French Open win- nine countries have gathered in Beijing for what is ner, who is chasing a record sixth Masters title in the same sea- son, said after the match he was happy to win but needs to the third leg of the six-stop Grand Prix series. Skaters improve. “It can be difficult when your opponent serves well are looking to gather points and medals to reach the and you didn’t play your best, so matches are very close, espe- circuit’s finale in Fukuoka, Japan, in December, the cially on a surface like this one. “I didn’t play well tonight. last major audition before the Winter Games in Something that can happen after two weeks without playing March. In a blow to her Olympic hopes, South Korea’s and after a long time without playing on indoors, this kind of reigning champion Kim Yu-na is expected to miss the surface. series with a foot problem, while men’s title-holder “I have to improve a lot for Thursday.” said Nadal. Philipp Evan Lysacek is also struggling with injury. Kohlschreiber will be Federer’s next opponent after the experi- Kazakhstan’s world silver-medallist Denis Ten enced German blew away two-time Paris semi-finalist and com- returns from illness to lead the men’s competitors in patriot Tommy Haas 6-2, 6-2. Defending champion David Ferrer Beijing, with China’s former world junior champion of Spain was pushed to three sets by Czech Lukas Rosol in his Han Yan, 17, also in contention. opening match before easing into the last-16, 6-0, 2-6, 6-3. The Japan’s Takahiko Kozuka, entering his second experience of the 31-year-old French Open runner-up proved Grand Prix event of the year, will be looking to decisive in the decider as Ferrer consistently put pressure on the improve on his sixth place at Skate America two Rosol serve and was rewarded with a third-round tie against weeks ago. In the ice dance, Russia’s reigning Frenchman Gilles Simon. European champions Ekaterina Bobrova and Dmitri Argentine fourth seed Juan Martin Del Potro made it 14 wins PARIS: Switzerland’s Roger Federer serves to South Soloviev will hope to lay down a marker ahead of the from 15 matches since the US Open as he defeated Marin Cilic. Africa’s Kevin Anderson during their second round match Sochi games. The 25-year-old, who won his fourth ATP title of the year last at the ninth and final ATP World Tour Masters 1000 indoor Their biggest competition looks to be two-time tennis tournament on October 30, 2013. — AFP weekend at Basel, withstood 19 aces from his opponent before European gold-medallists Nathalie Pechalat and closing out a tense encounter 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) against the Croatian. This year’s US Open semi-finalist now faces 13th seed Nicolas Fabian Bourzat of France, although America’s “This is a really big tournament and very important for all the Almagro following the Spaniard’s comfortable 6-4, 6-3 victory Madison Chock and Evan Bates could also figure. The players so I’m very happy to have won and hope to go far in the over Croatian Ivan Dodig. Earlier, big-serving American John event starts at Beijing’s Capital Gymnasium on Friday. tournament,” said Del Potro. Isner bombarded Polish qualifier Michal Przysiezny with 27 aces It is returning to the Chinese capital after being held Del Potro, who is playing what he said ‘is the best tennis of on the way to a 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-3 second-round win and a third my life’, will next face dangerous Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov.