WEDNESDAY, JUNE 8, 2016 SPORTS Gold would be sweet for factory girl Ratchanok

SYDNEY: As the humble daughter of fac- or (be) close to the medals,” Ratchanok home tournament in Guangzhou. Ratchanok has embraced the expectation. with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha tory workers at a Bangkok sweet-maker, told Reuters ruefully in an interview in Ratchanok may face Li this week at the “I hope that I can get the gold medal for during a visit to government house. badminton was a ticket out of poverty for Sydney yesterday. Australian Badminton Open, the last major Thailand,” said Ratchanok, standing on a During the meeting she asked him if Ratchanok Intanon, who hopes winning “But I think I lost with the experience, meeting before the Olympic tournament terrace at her hotel adjacent to Olympic her Chinese coach’s application to become gold at the Rio Olympics might inspire because that time I was still young and starts Aug. 11. stadiums built for the 2000 Sydney Games. a Thai citizen could be expedited, local more Thai girls to chase their dreams. she was also good, world class. “So “It’s not too difficult for me and I believe media reported. The 21-year-old will be among maybe... mentally she was better than me. CONFIDENT OF SUCCESS that I can do it.” Ratchanok had an unusual Xie Zhuhua, who once battled China’s Thailand’s main medal hopes in Brazil and “That time, I didn’t feel good after losing. I Ratchanok has had injury troubles and route into badminton, being handed a rac- current head coach Li Yongbo during com- one of the chief threats to China’s chances felt like I didn’t want to train again. I felt I dips in form since her world title but has quet at the age of six and told to go play petition in the 1990s, has coached of defending their astonishing sweep of all didn’t want to play badminton again. “But been in ominous condition in recent outside the factory where her parents Ratchanok since her junior days and is seen five badminton titles at the London Games. I had support. My family, who love me, months, capturing three consecutive worked making sweet Thai desserts. as key to her ability to unlock the games of Ratchanok is spurred by a painful just said that it’s okay, you still have time. Superseries tournaments to rise to the Her tournament winnings and her Chinese rivals. memory of London, where, as a teenage Just learn more.” world number one ranking in April. endorsements have been enough to help “He just takes care of me like I’m his sensation set to rock the Chinese estab- Ratchanok did not wallow for too long. She has since conceded it to Spain’s her parents start their own food business, daughter, because he also doesn’t have lishment, she choked in a quarter-final The following year, she became bad- two-time world champion Carolina Marin while her achievements have won her (one),” Ratchanok said of their special rela- when poised to defeat the tournament minton’s youngest world champion at the but her brief spell at the top sent friends in high places. tionship. “He loves me like a daughter and second seed, Wang Xin. age of 18 when she stunned Olympic Thailand into a frenzy. After becoming Thailand’s first world takes care of me. For me, he’s like a second “Actually I think I had a chance to win champion Li Xuerui in the final of her Rather than shy away from the hype, number one, Ratchanok played a game father, so I just do my best.” — Reuters

Murray should consider re-hiring Lendl: McEnroe

LONDON: runner-up Andy French Open champion Michael Chang Murray should consider re-hiring Ivan and Milos Raonic will tap into McEnroe’s Lendl as his coach ahead of Wimbledon, grasscourt knowledge for Wimbledon. according to American seven-times grand Even 17-times champion slam champion John McEnroe. Roger Federer has gone down the same The two parted company in March route, previously working with Stefan 2014 after a successful three-year relation- Edberg. ship in which Murray won the 2012 US “It’s been a win-win for Boris and Open, 2012 Olympic gold and the 2013 Novak,” McEnroe said of Djokovic’s partner- Wimbledon title. ship with the German. He has not added to his two grand slam McEnroe even said he would have been titles since and the 29-year-old split with interested in working with Murray. “Andy is coach Amelie Mauresmo this year. “I think extremely professional. He won a couple of clearly my old rival made a posi- majors. So you’re talking about the cream tive difference with Andy,” the American of the crop,” he said. told the Daily Telegraph. “When you look at someone who’s that “I am not sure if the baggage that took good, you’re always interested... (but) I place when they broke up... I don’t know if don’t recall ever getting a call. There was that was really mutual or if it was Andy or never any discussion.” Ivan. I don’t know if it is like going back out Murray, who reached his first French with your ex-wife or ex-girlfriend. open final last week where he lost to “But it would not surprise me and it Djokovic, appears to be in no hurry to might even make sense. It might not recruit a new coach, but McEnroe believes work. But it is an interesting thought.” the world number two could look at bring- Murray currently has former British player ing in someone to work with Delgado. Jamie Delgado in his entourage, but many “I mean he has got Delgado, so he has a of the top-ranked men work with so- coach, but he might want to bring in a sec- called ‘super coaches’. ond guy-the ‘looking for some extra atten- SAN JOSE: Pittsburgh Penguins’ Matt Murray, right, defends against San Jose Sharks’ Joonas Donskoi (27) during the second peri- World number one Novak Djokovic has tion’ guy. I fall into that category too, by the od of Game 4 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on Monday, in San Jose, Calif. At center is Penguins’ Olli Maatta (3). — AP six-times major winner Boris Becker in his way- that was my attempt at a joke,” he corner, Kei Nishikori works with former added. — Reuters Penguins beat Sharks 3-1 Serena tops Sharapova as highest paid sportswoman to take 3-1 series lead LOS ANGELES: Two days after her stun- Wimbledon training session a year ago- ning loss to Garbine Muguruza in the but booked his place into the match of LOS ANGELES: The Pittsburgh Penguins defeat- sent off for interference at 2:28 of the second games, and did the same against the New York French Open final, Serena Williams his life with a 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-1 win over ed the Sharks 3-1 in San Jose on Monday to period. Malkin had an easy tap-in as he slipped Rangers in the second round in 2014. “We’ve scored a different win on Monday, Fabrice Martin on the grass at the move within one victory of capturing their behind the Sharks defense on the far post, where earned an opportunity, and that’s it,” Pittsburgh when Forbes Magazine reported she Weissenhof Club. fourth Stanley Cup championship. teammate Phil Kessel hit him with a perfect feed forward Matt Cullen said. “We haven’t done has overtaken Maria Sharapova as the Fritz, 18, said he will not worry with The Penguins used their suffocating speed from above the left circle. anything yet and it’s easy to get far ahead of world’s highest-paid sportswoman. nerves when he faces one of the best to overcome the Sharks, taking a 3-1 lead in the “Malkin’s overall game was really good, at yourself.” Williams earned $28.9 million over players on the planet. The teenager best-of-seven NHL championship series. “This is both ends of rink,” Sullivan said. “(He’s) so hard to Sharks coach Peter DeBoer said the Penguins’ the past 12 months, the financial maga- said he had watched and admired the hardest hockey I’ve witnessed in all the defend. The puck follows him. It’s one of his quick starts were putting San Jose under pres- zine reported in an article posted on its Federer as a boy aged 11. “I never years I’ve been in this league,” Penguins coach strongest games.” sure and he again shuffled personnel on his for- website. Russian star Sharapova thought then that I’d be playing Mike Sullivan said. “You’ve got to work for Karlsson spoiled Pittsburgh goalie Matt ward lines. “When you have the lead, you can had held the title for the past 11 years. Federer in singles and teaming with every inch of ice.” Pittsburgh will have a chance Murray’s shutout bid with his fourth goal of the play differently and feel more comfortable get- Williams, 34, has dominated her (Juan Martin) Del Potro in doubles (this to seal the title when they host game five on playoffs, picking up a rebound of Brenden ting into a four-line rhythm,” DeBoer said. “You sport for more than a decade. She won week). “I cannot remember the first Thursday, while the Sharks will be battling to Dillon’s blocked shot and beating Murray to can put your guys out there, trust them, because her second Grand Slam in 2002 before time I heard the name of Federer or saw force a game six. make it 2-1 at 8:07 of the third. there’s not that pressure we have to create a going on to win 19 more since then. him on TV. But it’s amazing to play him The Penguins opened the scoring for the But Murray finished with 23 saves and Eric chance and score a goal.” After falling at Roland Garros on in the next round. fourth straight game, when defenseman Ian Cole Fehr scored his third goal of the playoffs for the Sharks forward Chris Tierney said San Jose Saturday, she vowed to keep trying to “I grew up in the generation when threw a Phil Kessel rebound past Sharks goalie Penguins at 17:58 of the final frame to send must be quicker off the mark if they want to equal Steffi Graf’s Open-era record of he was just dominating everyone. It’s Martin Jones at 7:36 of the opening period. Pittsburgh home with a commanding series lead. have a chance to rally in the series. 22 Grand Slam titles. crazy to be stepping onto the court The goal not only was Cole’s first of the play- “We’ve got to get the first goal,” Tierney said. Williams’s career prize money of with him, I never thought that would offs, but his first in 105 games, including regular OPPORTUNITY “It’s huge. We’re good when we have the lead $77.6 million amounts to more than happen.” season and playoffs. The Penguins are well aware, however, that and they’re good when they have the lead.” twice as much as any other sports- Unseeded Argentine wildcard Del Pittsburgh’s Evgeni Malkin scored his first their lead is not insurmountable. They built a 3- But Tierney insisted the Sharks have plenty of woman’s. However, Sharapova domi- Potro posted a victory over Grigor goal of the series and fifth of the playoffs nine 1 edge over Tampa Bay in the first round of the fight left. “This group doesn’t get too frustrated,” nated in endorsement profits before Dimitrov, with the 6-4, 6-2 result mark- seconds after Melker Karlsson of the Sharks was playoffs in 2011 only to lose the next three he said. “We just have to keep going.” — AFP companies including Nike, American ing the fourth straight first-round loss Express, Porsche and TAG Heuer dis- for the one-time Bulgarian phenome- tanced themselves after she tested pos- non. “I’m surprised with my level,” said itive for the recently banned drug mel- Del Potro, who is working his way back donium earlier this year. after a wrist injury and sealed the win Cavs need better Irving, Sharapova earned $21.9 million over with an ace. the past 12 months, down almost $8 “I didn’t expect to play that well. million from the previous year, Forbes Now I have another chance to get a said. American mixed martial arts star few more matches. I’m just glad to be ‘punked’ Love in finals Ronda Rousey was third on the list with playing tennis again. $14 million, just ahead of NASCAR stock “I have the chance to make a start in car driver Danica Patrick, who earned the grass court season for the first time NEW YORK: Shaquille O’Neal played on the last former Los Angeles Lakers coach, Phil Jackson. The Warriors’ 73 victories broke the Bulls’ 1996 $13.9 million. in a long time. My body responded well team to overcome a 2-0 deficit in the NBA Finals, Jackson’s Chicago Bulls overcame a 2-0 deficit record, but O’Neal said his 2001 Lakers would have Meanwhile, teenager Taylor Fritz to this match.” so he knows what it takes. For Cleveland, he against the Knicks in the 1993 Eastern Conference beaten them. That team set an NBA record by earned the chance to face his hero The former world number four next thinks it starts with better play from Kyrie Irving finals en route to one of his NBA-record 11 cham- going 15-1 in the postseason for the second of Roger Federer after the American plays Australian John Millman, who and Kevin Love, who he said is being “punked” by pionships as a coach. He recalls that series swing- three straight championships under Jackson, back defeated an unranked French qualifier beat French eighth seed Lukas Pouille Draymond Green. ing when Michael Jordan became enraged after when O’Neal could be an even bigger physical yesterday to reach the second round in 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 6-4. “Because remember last year, the story line press accounts of his trip to Atlantic City following force before rules changes loosened the game for Stuttgart. Czech qualifier Radek Stepanek, still was, ‘OK, Golden State, you won a championship, practice between Games 1 and 2 and “played like free-flowing offenses like Golden State’s to thrive. Federer will be playing his first going strong at age 37, booked into but that’s because Kyrie and Kevin Love weren’t a man possessed.” “If you’re using those rules, we’d win. Now we match in nearly a month after recover- the second round as he beat Denis playing.’ Now they’re playing, now you’ve got to “Sometimes it takes something like that,” use these rules these days, we’d still win, because ing from back pain and skipping the Istomin 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. Viktor Troicki play like you know how to play,” O’Neal said Jackson said, adding that LeBron James might you wouldn’t be allowed to touch me, you French Open, as he ramps up his prepa- became the first seed to exit, to Monday night. need to find something that gets him to play with wouldn’t be allowed to touch Kobe,” O’Neal said. rations for Wimbledon. German Florian Mayer 6-4, 7-6 (7/4). Irving averaged 18 points but shot just 33 per- equal passion. “So yeah, that’s how I always look at it.” — AP Number 65 Fritz has had time on American Denis Kudla beat Dusan cent in the first two games. Love was just 9 for 24 court with the Swiss legend-a Lajovic of Serbia 6-0, 6-2. — Agencies from the floor in Oakland, California, and his status for Game 3 in Cleveland on Wednesday is unknown because of a concussion. He’s been no match for Green, who scored 28 points in the Warriors’ 110-77 Game 2 stomping. “Kevin Love’s getting punked by Draymond, he really is,” O’Neal said during an interview with The Associated Press. “I hate to be the one to say it, but he has to step up. You can’t let a guy do the muscle thing in your face and you don’t respond.” O’Neal said his Miami Heat never lost their belief in the 2006 finals, when they dropped the first two games in Dallas and were in deep trouble in Game 3 before storming back to win four straight. “We didn’t feel like we were down and we knew we were better than that team,” he said. “Our whole message was just one game at a time because they’re up, the pressure’s not on them. Once you start to squeeze, the pressure starts to be on them.” He thinks the Cavaliers can still get back into this series, though he’s not sure if they can join the three teams to come back from 2-0 down in the Finals . PARIS: This file photo taken on June 04, 2016 shows Serbia’s Novak Djokovic training with his O’Neal, who provided analysis for NBA TV in coach Boris Becker (L) at the Roland Garros 2016 French Tennis Open in Paris on June 4, 2016. Serena Williams Games 1 and 2, was in New York to take part in an German tennis legend Boris Becker said yesterday he considers himself a better coach than event for American Express card members with his player after overseeing Novak Djokovic’s victory in the French Open. — AF