SPORTS Friday, September 1, 2017 23 Pliskova fights back New York “It’s easier for the other before the US Open, but she Federer, with a 20th Grand Taylor Fritz also look to 6-4 win against Romania’s arolina Pliskova had to girls to play me as there is raced to a 5-1 lead on her way Slam title in his sights, needed upset the odds and make Sorana Cirstea. battle back from a set more pressure being number to pocketing the first set. five sets to get past US teenager the third round. Rublev, 19, At the start of the day’s Kdown to make the US Open one,” said Pliskova, who faces Pliskova eventually Frances Tiafoe in his opening tackles seventh-seeded Grigor play, four of the top 10 women last-32 yesterday and hang on either Chinese 27th seed overpowered the 24-year-old match on Tuesday. Dimitrov of Bulgaria while seeds had been knocked out to her world number one spot. or Risa Ozaki of Californian, breaking in the Victory over the 35-year-old Fritz, also 19, faces Dominic -- Simona Halep, Caroline The Czech player, who was Japan for a place in the last 16. eighth game of the second set Youzhny would give him his Thiem, the sixth seed. Wozniacki, defending runner-up in 2016, downed “Everyone plays their best and seventh in the decider. 80th win at the tournament. Ukraine fourth seed champion American qualifier Nicole against me and I felt Later Thursday, Roger Top seed Nadal, the 2010 Svitolina reached the last 32 and Johanna Konta. Gibbs 2-6, 6-3, 6-4. that today,” added Pliskova, Federer, chasing a record sixth and 2013 champion, faces for a third successive year One to survive was Svetlana She was joined in the who would have lost the US Open and third major of Japan’s Taro Daniel, the New by breezing past Russia’s Kuznetsova, the eighth-seeded third round by fourth seed number one spot she has held the year, faces two-time semi- York-born world number 121. Evgeniya Rodina 6-4, 6-4. 2004 champion. , one of the for just six weeks had she lost. finalist Mikhail Youzhny, After the success of Roland Garros champion She faces Japan’s Kurumi pretenders to her top ranking, Gibbs, ranked 127 in the boasting a perfect 16-0 record Canadian 18-year-old Denis Ostapenko, the 12th-seeded Nara having saved three match and champion world, had only won three against the former world Shapovalov, fellow “NextGen” Latvian, made the third round points in her opener against Jelena Ostapenko. matches on tour this year number eight. stars Andrey Rublev and for the first time with a 6-4, Marketa Vondrousova. (AFP) Missed opportunity haunts Zverev ‘No question that New York lexander Zverev appeared to have Athe perfect draw for a deep run I’m feared again’ at the US Open, but now the 20-year- old German star can only ponder what New York and guaranteed arena-filler, needed might have been. aria Sharapova made the US a wild card to play in New York Fourth-seeded Zverev, the highest- Open last 32 Wednesday, after her prolonged absence from ranked player in his half of the draw Minsisting she has instilled renewed the sport had left her with a world after Britain’s second-ranked Andy fear into her rivals and rekindled ranking of 146. Murray withdrew Saturday, crashed the love from her fans. It was a decision widely criticized out of the year’s final Grand Slam The former world with many insisting she should event Wednesday, falling to Croatia’s hardcourts off his best Grand Slam result, number work her way back into the main 61st-ranked Borna Coric 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 a fourth-round run at Wimbledon, and one and draw and not be given a helping (7/1), 7-6 (7/4). his five ATP titles this year included five- hand. “It’s upsetting. Today was upsetting. back-to-back US Open tuneup crowns time “I definitely feel the respect from The way I played was upsetting. The at Washington and Montreal, beating major the athletes,” Sharapova insisted. tournament so far is upsetting for me,” Roger Federer in the Canadian final. winner “Certainly when I play against Zverev said. “I know that I could have done some pulled off a them, in terms of the level they play. “I was the highest-ranked player in big things here. I know that I could have 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, That’s important to me. I think from the bottom half of the draw after Andy done something that I haven’t done 6-1 win over a respect level, when you’re able to retired. Now I’m out of the draw.” before. But I won’t. It’s just as simple as Timea Babos of respect your rivals and compatriots, Zverev reached the New York that,” Zverev said. (AFP) Hungary. that’s really important, and I feel It was her that.” second three-set “I’ve also had an amazing US Open results match, having seen reaction from fans since I’ve been Results from day 4 of the US Open off world number back, and that’s been very special. I Men 6-1, 6-1 two Simona Halep on felt it while I was away. I felt it in a 2nd rd (ROM) bt Ana Bogdan (ROM) Monday in what was her real presence since I’ve been back. Viktor Troicki (SRB) bt Stefano Travaglia (ITA) 7-6 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 first Grand Slam match since It’s a very special feeling.” (8/6), 7-5, 6-0 Elina Svitolina (UKR x4) bt Evgeniya Rodina (RUS) being hit with a 15-month But the questions over the ban, Aleksandr Dolgopolov (UKR) bt Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-4 doping ban. imposed when she tested positive (CZE x15) 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 Jelena Ostapenko (LAT x12) bt Sorana Cirstea “I think with the way that for meldonium at the Australian Damir Džumhur (BIH) bt Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (GER) (ROM) 6-4, 6-4 I played Monday night, I Open in 2016, still keep coming. 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, 6-1 Darya Kasatkina (RUS) bt Christina McHale (USA) don’t think there are any After her win over Babos, she was John Millman (AUS) bt Malek Jaziri (TUN) 6-1, 7-6 7-5, 6-3 more questions,” said the asked how many times she had been (7/1), 6-1 (EST) bt (BEL) 30-year-old when pushed drug-tested this year. Women 6-4, 6-2 on whether her spot in the “At the end of the year, the ITF 2nd rd Naomi Osaka (JPN) bt Denisa Allertová (CZE) 6-3, tournament was justified. usually produce those numbers,” Jennifer Brady (USA) bt Barbora Strycová (CZE) 4-6, 7-5 The 2006 champion, she fired back. (AFP)

Hon.Chairman Najeb Yacob Alhamer I Chief Editor Mahmood Al Mahmood I Printed and published by Al Ayam Publishing I Advt : Strategic Publicity & Advertising Co.W.L.L Tel: 17270710, Fax : 17256470, Email : [email protected] I Newsroom: Tel : 17579911, Fax : 17250150, Email: [email protected] Subscription & Circulation : Tel: 38444698 / 17579877 / Fax : 17250150, Email: [email protected] I Website : www.newsofbahrain.com