TTENNISENNIS | Page 4 CCRICKETRICKET | Page 7 Nadal Woakes saves ‘hopes’ to England’s be fi t for blushes with ATP Finals inspired spell FOOTBALL Saturday, November 11, 2017 Safar 22, 1439 AH Neymar, Brazil roll aside Japan GULF TIMES with video help SPORT Page 2 GLOBAL CHAMPIONS TOUR Qatar ExxonMobil Qatar to take on ATP event declared Czech Republic world’s best again today in friendly he Qatar ExxonMobil Open has been again atar will get a fine declared best ATP 250 chance to test their Zanotelli trumps TTournament of the Year mettle against one of for 2017, it was announced yester- Qthe strongest teams in day. the world when they take on the The Qatar event had earlier Czech Republic in a friendly in- claimed the accolade in 2015. The ternational at Al Duhail Stadium award marks another success for tonight. The match begins at tournament which will celebrate 7.30pm. its twenty fifth anniversary for the The Czech Republic are ranked Smolders again 2018 edition. 46th on the FIFA rankings, while The tournament has attracted Qatar are 50 spots behind, on 97. some of the biggest name in tennis Interim coach Felix Sanchez will down the years and is usually held use the match to test some of the in the first week of January. younger players as the country Marlon Modolo Zanotelli jumps clear with his horse Tennis greats like Boris Becker, prepares to host the Gulf Cup in Extra van Essene en route to victory in the Global Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Andy December and the all-important Champions Tour at Al Shaqab arena yesterday. Murray and Novak Djokovic are FIFA World Cup in 2022. PICTURE: Mohamed Tinakicht among those who have won the Qatar beat Singapore 3-1 in an tournament. The 2017 edition was October friendly but lost 1-2 to the won by Serbian star Novak Djoko- Caribbean island nation of Curacao. vic who defeated top seed Andy After playing the Czechs today, Qa- Murray in three sets. tar will meet Iceland on Tuesday. In the doubles competition, the French duo of Jérémy Chardy and Fabrice Martin prevailed over third United send scout seeds Vasek Pospisil & Radek to Iceland but Štěpánek. The next edition of the event will match was in Doha begin on January 1, 2018. Manchester United tal- ent scout travelled all Xavi confirms he the way to Reykjavic to will quit playing A watch Iceland play the after this season Czech Republic in a friendly only to realise that the match was be- ing played in Qatar. The premier league club applied to the Icelandic Football association for a match ticket, which was hap- pily issued to them. But when the scout arrived at the stadium to collect his accreditation he was shocked to see the gates locked and the lights off . Consequently the scout had to spend a freezing night in the Ice- landic capital when he should have been in sunny Doha. For the record, the Czech Republic beat Iceland 2-1. ormer Barcelona and Spain midfielder Xavi Bayern Munich Hernandez is set to retire set for winter Fat the end of the season By Sahan Bidappa Paris Panthers and defending champi- and is keen to pursue a coaching camp in Doha Doha ons Valkenswaard United heading the career. pack of 18 teams. The 37-year-old, who won eight “We are in the best position,” said La Liga titles and four Champions erman champions and arlon Modolo Zanote- Henrik von Eckermann of the Mex- Leagues trophies at Barcelona, is current Bundesliga lead- lli and his long-striding ico Amigos after their pole position. currently captain of Qatari club Al ers Bayern Munich have horse Extra van Essene “Both horses jumped really well. If we Sadd. announced that they will Mclinched their second win win, we are third (in the overall cham- Xavi, renowned for controlling play G of the week after the pair won the fea- pionship) so that is what we are try- travel to Qatar for their annual from a central position, said his winter training camp. ture class of yesterday’s Global Cham- ing for.” His teammate Evelina Tovek ability to recover after a game was The Bavarian club, who won the pions Tour. added: “I’m really happy to produce a declining. title five consecutive times, said that Under the lights at the magnifi - clear round for the team.” “I’ve had luck not to be injured they plan to hold the training camp cent Al Shaqab arena, Zanotelli and Coming in to the fi nal leg, it was the and I think my career has come at Aspire from January 2 to 7. his 13-year-old gelding Extra van Es- Hamburg Diamonds who held the best towards its end, there’s been a de- The camp is shorter than the club sene made it two in a row clinching the cards and just need to fi nish in the top scent,” he told Spanish newspaper is usually accustomed to due to CSI5* 1.45/1.50m, to go with Thurs- eight today to claim the title. However, Sport. the fact that the winter vacation is day’s win in the 1.45 two-phase com- a surprise nine-fault total puts them in “Qatar allowed me this. Now I see shorter this year. petition. 11th place with a fi ght on their hands myself being more tired, it’s harder The Bundesliga will resume after The pair once again pushed the if they are to soar ahead of their rivals to recover, it will surely be my last the break on January 12 with Bay- Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders and United to be crowned GCL champions year of being a footballer. ern Munich meeting rivals Bayer Zinius to second palce, who had also of 2017. “I have the idea of getting my Leverkusen. fi nished runner-up the previous day. The Netherlands’ Harrie Smolders astride Zinius receives his second place prize Bassem Hassan Mohamed for the coaching license next year and Lauren Hough of USA and the 14-year- from Qatar Equestrian Federation President Hamad bin Abdulrahman al-Attiyah. host team Doha Fursan Qatar, who being a coach.” Xavi collected 133 old Waterford, took third spot. PICTURE: Lotfi Garsi were sitting seventh in the overall caps for Spain during a 14-year Tunisian Zanotelli was the last to go in the championship, boosted his team’s international career, winning the Al-Bayawi to 11-strong jump-off , who made the night, fi nishing 39th with Armstrong GCL Champions Valkenswaard United, chances with a clear on the scopey 2010 World Cup and the European cut from 40-rider fi eld. The Brazil- van de Kapel. the battle for the overall League title Gunder after Sheikh Ali’s six-fault Championship in 2008 and 2012. coach Al Khor ian had a mountain to climb after the The big one – CSI5* 1.60m Global has reached a new intensity. round on First Devision. They sit one 2017 GCT overall champion Smolders Champions Tour Grand Prix of Doha On Thursday, the big guns came ahead of the Lions in ninth. NB Stars League side Al had thrown down the gauntlet with a will be held tonight, with the feature out in full force for the fi rst round of Qatar win Arab Khor have appointed 50.75secs round with his 13-year-old class carrying a total prize money of the GCL at Al Shaqab, with Mexico Results beach volleyball Tunisian Nassif al-Baya- gelding Zinius. €400,000. Despite Smolders’ title tri- Amigos taking pole but there was high Class CSI5* 1.45/1.50m (Table A: wi as their new coach. But Zanotelli was immaculate with umph, the riders are set for a captivat- drama in the battle between cham- Against the Clock with Jump-Off ) championship Q his jump as Extra van Essene seemed to ing battle for the overall ranking places pionship contenders Diamonds and The decision was taken by the 1. Marlon Modolo Zanotelli (Brazil) club management, headed by have taken the liking to the Al Shaqab in the last stop of GCT season. United. Horse: Extra van Essene; Time: atar’s beach volleyball Hassan Juma al- Mohannadi. arena, clearing the hurdles with ease. Only 15 points split the second to Setting up an unmissable fi nale to 50.42secs. Prize money: €30,360 team won the 26th Al Bayawi previously coached Saudi The winning time was 50.42secs, just sixth-placed rider. Italy’s de Luca the GCL season, both the Diamonds 2. Harrie Smolders (the Netherlands); Arab Championship in Arabian team Al Qadisiya. .033secs better than Smolders, who had is currently in second place on 260 and United pulled out all the stops to Zinius; 50.75secs; €18,400 Qthe Sultanate of Oman Al Khor had parted ways with a wry smile after being pipped for the points just three ahead of Germany’s keep their title dreams alive. United 3. Lauren Hough (USA); Waterford; for the third time in a row. Qatar, French coach Laurent Banide fol- second time in two nights by Zanotelli. Christian Ahlmann. Italian Alberto rider Bertram Allen - who teamed up 52.22secs; €13,800 Oman, Sudan, Iraq, Jordan, Bah- lowing a series of negative results, “The horse is jumping amazingly. Zorzi is two points away on 255 points, with Alberto Zorzi in Thursday night’s rain, Morocco, Yemen and Leba- culminating in their loss to Umm He’s fantastic and so careful, and he while Dutch rider Maikel van der fi rst round said: “We’re delighted with Today’s schedule non participated in the champion- Salal in Round 6 of the QNB Stars can really gallop.