44 Friday Sports Fraiday, October 6, 2017 Nadal primed for ‘huge’ Isner test at China Open

Cirstea stuns Karolina Pliskova in Beijing

BEIJING: said he was braced victory. ensured a continued for the “huge” serve of after Russian presence in the men’s draw as he Spain’s world number one bulldozed his way sprang a surprise in fighting back to oust sev- into the China Open quarter-finals yesterday. enth seed Tomas Berdych 1-6, 6-4, 6-1. The 16-time champion Nadal saw off the young Russian Karen Khachanov WOZNIACKI OUT 6-3, 6-3 to set up a clash with Isner in Beijing. The in-form American, the sixth seed, In the women’s, a heavyweight clash is renowned for his booming service game pitched two-time Wimbledon champion and Nadal expects to come under a barrage Petra Kvitova against Denmark’s former on Friday. Isner was impressive in blasting his number one Caroline Wozniacki. The Czech way past Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer 6-0, Kvitova, seeded 12, stormed through the 6-3 and Nadal said: “Tomorrow will be a first set 6-1 and although Wozniacki was tough one against better in the second Isner, he’s playing set, Kvitova broke unbelievably well. “I ‘I saw him her for 6-4 and will saw him today, he play compatriot played so aggressive, today, he played Barbora Strycova in having a lot of suc- so aggressive’ the quarters. cess, hitting a lot of Another former winners, returning world number one, very well. fourth seed “Everybody knows that he serves huge and it Karolina Pliskova, became another high- BEIJING: Rafael Nadal of Spain hits a return during his men’s second round singles is so difficult to break him. “But if you add profile casualty, going out to unseeded match against Karen Khachanov of Russia at the China Open tennis tournament in that he is playing very well now from the Sorana Cirstea. Cirstea follows fellow Beijing. — AFP baseline, he is one of the toughest opponents Romanian Simona Halep into the quarter- you can meet.” finals after the second seed sent Maria The 31-year-old Peng said she had been reigning champion Agnieszka Radwanska are Nadal, 31, the top seed and coming off the Sharapova packing on Wednesday. Cirstea, having injections to ease the pain and her both out, leaving world number two Halep as back of a third US Open title, saved two match ranked 44 in the world, stunned the Czech right knee was heavily strapped, but she the favourite in the Chinese capital. Also into points against Frenchman in his Pliskova 6-1, 7-5 to reach the last eight. She could not play on. “The doctor suggested I the quarters is Caroline Garcia, who defeated opener in Beijing. But he was always in con- will play Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, the should take a period of rest and get it treated, French compatriot Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-1 and trol on Beijing’s outside hard courts against Roland Garros champion, after China’s top but I can only rest after the season, that’s the will play third seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine. Khachanov, 21, breaking him in the fourth player Peng Shuai retired with a knee injury plan,” said Peng, ranked 25 in the world. Garcia is in red-hot form after winning the game of the first set on the way to a routine at 3-0 down in the first set. World number one Garbine Muguruza and Wuhan Open tomorrow. — AFP

Injured Pattinson ruled out of Ashes Rabada main Test series with England threat to Bangladesh BLOEMFONTEIN: Having failed to take advantage of favourable first Test conditions, the Bangladesh batsmen SYDNEY: Injury-prone James ment against Surrey at Lord’s. have a chance to make amends against the least experi- Pattinson has been ruled out of the His absence leaves Mitchell Starc to enced bowling line-up South Africa have fielded in many Ashes series with England after aggra- lead the Australian attack alongside Pat years. But conditions are likely to be more bowler-friendly vating a lower back stress fracture, Cummins and Josh Hazlewood, with in the second Test starting at the Mangaung Oval on Friday dealing Australia’s fast bowling stocks a Nathan Coulter-Nile or Jackson Bird and, on the evidence of Potchefstroom, the tourists are ill- blow. It is the same problem that kept likely to be a fourth option. Australia’s equipped to counter even a South African attack stripped the 27-year-old out of Australia’s recent sports science and medicine manager of four front-line fast bowlers because of injury. tour to Bangladesh, and he will now take Alex Kountouris said it was clear Morne Morkel could not finish the first Test because of an indefinite break to fully recover. Pattinson’s back problem was not going a side strain, adding to a casualty list which includes Dale “Obviously I am extremely disappointed away. “He returned to bowling after a Steyn, Vernon Philander and Chris Morris. with this setback after just getting back period of rest and unfortunately he is It leaves Kagiso Rabada, 22, as the leader of the attack. into a good run of playing cricket,” still experiencing pain with bowling,” he His tally of 92 wickets in 21 Tests dwarfs those of his likely Pattinson said in a statement late told the Cricket Australia website. pace partners, Duanne Olivier (13 in four Tests), Wayne Wednesday. “During this time we have been moni- Parnell (13 in five) and Andile Phehlukwayo, who took a “I’m especially disappointed to miss toring him, including regular scans, and single wicket in his debut appearance in Potchefstroom. out on the possibility to play in a home recent imaging has confirmed that Balanced against that is the emergence of left-arm spin- Ashes series. “Over the next few weeks James has begun to re-aggravate his ner Keshav Maharaj, who is being hailed as South Africa’s I will discuss all available options avail- previous lower back stress fracture. best spin bowler of the modern era. Maharaj picked up able to me with medical staff, to work “As such, he has discontinued bowl- seven wickets in Potchefstroom to take his total to 50 in out the best plan to prevent this from ing as part of his recovery which unfor- James Pattinson just 12 Tests. happening again.” tunately means that he will be unavail- Despite a convincing 333-run win in the first Test, South Injuries have limited Pattinson to 17 able for the beginning of the Sheffield Africa captain Faf du Plessis was unequivocal in calling for Tests since his 2011 debut against New Shield and subsequently the Ashes cam- England are due to arrive in Australia a pitch with more pace and bounce. “When you play coun- Zealand and he has not played since July paign.” Despite the setback, Kountouris in late October with the first of five tries like Bangladesh it is important to get whatever you 1 when he represented Nottinghamshire said he was confident Pattinson would Tests starting on November 23 in can (in conditions) to get an advantage,” he said.— AFP in the final of England’s one-day tourna- ultimately recover return to cricket. Brisbane. —AFP