14 Thursday, February 11, 2021 Sports

Pakistan take on new-look SA in QOC signs MoU with Indonesian Olympic Committee Bologan, Rayyan first T20I today LAHORE: After a resounding 2-0 victory in the Test series, top QCA’s Online Pakistan would be hoping to ride the winning momentum when they face off against Blitz chess on South Africa in a three-match T20I series, beginning in La- hore on Thursday. National Sport Day Pakistan are in top form at home. They showed both in Tribune News Network Karachi and Rawalpindi that Doha they are capable of dominating good teams with their batting as The Qatar Chess Association well as their bowling. After two held the Blitz big victories, they will be riding Open 2021 high and be looking forward to Online Chess carrying their form in the short- Tournament est format as well. on the ocas- Considering the ICC Men’s sion of the T20 World Cup is just around National eight months away, the teams will Sports Day with great success. be hoping to get as much prac- The event, which has two Open winner Victor Bologan in tice as possible in the T20Is. categories Open and U-16, re- action during the Bltz event. The visitors will be without ceived a very good response most of their regular players with with as many as 80 players reg- wicketkeeper-batsman Heinrich istering for the Open class and Klaasen leading the side. Only 160 in the Under-16 section. four players from the Test squad will be featuring in the T20I one. They have three uncapped players on their list – fast bowler Okuhle Cele, wicketkeeper- batsman Ryan Rickelton and batsman Jacques Snyman. The Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indonesian Olympic Committee on Wednesday to boast the The series provides them a sports cooperation between the two parties. It also covers the exchange of technical and administrative expertise between the sports federations good opportunity to build a solid and Olympic committees of the two countries. The MoU was signed by First Vice-President of the QOC HE Sheikh Saud bin Ali Al Thani and President bench keeping the T20 World of the Indonesian Olympic Committee Raja Sapta Oktohari. The signing ceremony was attended by the QOC Secretary-General Jassim bin Rashid Al Runner-up in Open class. Cup in mind. (ICC) Buenain and Secretary-General of the Indonesian Olympic Committee Ferry J Kono. Played under the Swiss system of 11 rounds (3+2 Rat- ed Blitz) with a break of 20sec- onds between each round in the Open category, and of 9 rounds for the Under-16, the online live action also had a large viewership. Serena in cruise mode, Djokovic The tournament action be- gan at 12 noon (Doha Time) on Tuesday with Qatar-based Moldovan GrandMaster Vic- tor Bologan emerging as the winner in the Open section U-16 winner Erfan Rayyan. made to sweat by Tiafoe scoring 9.5 points. FIDE Mas- ter Mauritanion Sidi Boydia DPA to the third round with a 6-4, finished a close second with a Sydney 6-0, 6-2 victory over Germa- tally of 9 points. ny’s Dominik Koepfer. A total of five winners were Serena Williams’s chase for “Today was a good match, declared in both the categories. a record-equalling 24th Grand I think the best so far in Aus- In the Under-16 action, Slam continued on Wednes- tralia and a lot of good stuff to Malaysian Erfan Rayyan day after she steamrolled past build on,” Thiem said. topped with 8 points ahead of Serbia’s Nina Stojanovic into “Especially after the first Indian Abhyudit Singh. the third round of the Aus- set, kind of everything started to U-16 runner-up Abhyudit Singh. tralian Open, while two-time work. I found a super good tim- National Sports Day Blitz Open defending champion Novak ing. I think it got some degrees 2021 Online Chess Tournament Djamel Ferhi (ALG). Djokovic sweat his way past cooler, which was little bit more Winners: Open (11 rounds): 1. U-16 (9 rounds): 1. Erfan Rayyan Frances Tiafoe. comfortable to play,” he added. GM Victor Bologan (Moldova) (MYS) 8pts, 2. Abhyudit Singh Williams was helped by 27 Germany’s Alexander 9.5 points, 2. Sidi Boydia (Mau- (IND), 3. Yuri Evgeni Joya (PHI), winners to her 6-3, 6-0 win Zverev was patient to win 7-5, ritania) 9pts, 3. Marlon Tallayo 4. Arnav Srivastava (IND), 5. Pon- over Stojanovic, who two days 6-4, 6-3 over Maxime Cressy (PHI), 4. Ryan Mendoza (PHI), 5. nambalam Vallinayagam (IND). earlier had won her first match of the US. in the main draw of a major. Earlier at Rod Laver Arena “She pushed me very hard eighth seeded Andreescu, who and I think she played really Novak Djokovic celebrates beating Frances in 2019 defeated Williams West Indies eye well, honestly, throughout Tiafoe of the US after three-and-a-half in the US Open final, hit her the whole match. So I had to hours in their men’s singles match on day fifth double fault of the match really fight for all the games,” three of the Australian Open in Melbourne to lose 6-3, 6-2 to a resilient rare Test series win Williams said. on Wednesday. (AFP) Hsieh, who is ranked 71st in The 10th seed will next singles and first in doubles. Agencies regular captain and a host of face Anastasia Potapova in the Meanwhile next door at Mirpur mainstays. The question now third round. “It’s always a fun, Halep admitted. “Mentally, I I’m in this kind of situation. I sovics finally defeated the Swiss Margaret Court Arena, seventh is whether Phil Simmons, the interesting match (against Po- think I was a little bit strong- know how to handle this kind of star 7-5, 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 7-6 (11-9). seed Aryna Sabalenka defeated After managing among the coach, can condition the side tapova). I’m happy to be out er and I wanted to, I had the circumstance. I was fortunate to “Tough match of course, five Russia’s Daria Kasatkina 7-6 (7- great feats of escapology in to face the inevitable Bangla- here, and just to be playing in desire to win the match and I get through the third set today - sets, four hours. Always a diffi- 5), 6-3 to reach the third round Test cricket, West Indies will desh fightback that will follow. front of crowd again is really didn’t want to give up.” it was really anybody’s game. cult battle against my opponent of the Melbourne open for the go again against Bangladesh Bangladesh were dealt a cool. So every day is just fun,” Meanwhile in the men’s, “I want to give a hand to that we play fair few times in second time in her career. in the second Test in at Sher- blow towards that end in the Williams added. Novak Djokovic survived his Frances for a great fight. It was the past, always a really tough Andreescu was playing in E-Bangla National Stadium in lead-up to the series, when Naomi Osaka set the match encounter against Tiafoe to also a fantastic match,” he added. match,” Wawrinka said. her second match in 15 months Mirpur with the visitors hop- Shakib Al Hasan, their ace tone and secured a 6-2, 6-3 win secure a spot in the third round. In the third round Djoko- “He (Fucsovics) was fight- - having last played the New ing for a rare series win in Asia. all-rounder, was ruled out of against Caroline Garcia, while The top seed and two-time vic will face Taylor Fritz of the ing well, he’s a tough player, York final. She skipped the The last time West Indies the second Test after failing world number two Simona Ha- defending champion didn’t United States. he’s a good player and he de- whole 2020 season due to in- managed to win a series com- to recover from a groin injury. lep also advanced to the third have an easy match and need- The 2014 Australian Open served to win,” he added. jury and opted out when the prising more than one Test in Soumya Sarkar was named as round with a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 vic- ed three-and-a-half hours to Singles champion Stan Waw- After the long marathon tour resumed after a break due Asia was in 2012, when they a replacement by the Bangla- tory over Ajla Tomljanovic. complete a 6-3, 6-7(3-7), 7-6 rinka was knocked out of the Fucsovics said the most im- to the coronavirus pandemic. beat Bangladesh 2-0. Their desh Cricket Board on Tuesday, “I expected that she was (7-2), 6-3 win. second round in a dramatic portant was that he “was very Hsieh, 35, will next face hopes of repeating that feat were and it remains to be seen if he going to play very hard and “Very tough match. Also five-set loss toH ungarian strong mentally.” “It was a Italy’s Sara Errani, who beat given a big boost by their perfor- makes the XI straightaway. very strong. I know that she’s difficult conditions. While we Marton Fucsovics. long match. Right now I feel seven-time Grand Slam win- mance in the first Test, when Sarkar last played a Test a very tough opponent and had sun on the court, it was The fifth set went to a tie- like I’m dying. I played two ner Venus Williams 6-1, 6-0. the Kyle Myers scored a debut in September 2019 against I expected it to be a difficult very, very warm. A lot of long break, with 17th-seeded Waw- five-setters, today’s very hot “It’s strange, I normally feel double-century to lead them to a Afghanistan, when he scored match, but it was more than I rallies,” said Djokovic, who is rinka holding three match but I’m very happy to be in the more excited playing a seeded historic, improbable win. 17 and 15. If he makes the XI thought,” Halep said. playing for a record-extending points at 9-6. third round,” the winner said. player because you know they It would have been a fine this time around, he will hope “I was not that positive ninth Australian Open title. After three hours and 59 Last year’s finalist Domi- are better than any of the other achievement for any team, to improve on those returns. when I was talking to myself,” “It’s not the first time that minutes in sweltering heat, Fuc- nic Thiem also worked his way girls,” Hsieh said. let alone one devoid of their Bangladesh will need him to. Thiem named top seed for Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2021 Tribune News Network While second-seed Roger finalist at the 2008 event, and ning Qatar ExxonMobil Open. py to announce a very strong Doha Federer, winner of an eye-pop- Borna Coric. Our commitment to organ- line-up for the oncoming Qatar ping 20 Grand Slam titles and Thiem who was unexpect- ize and host the best of tennis ExxonMobil Open 2021 ATP With less than a month to the the only three-time champion edly stopped in straight sets in remained unchanged, and all event. The line-up includes Qatar ExxonMobil Open 2021, in Doha will doubtless be the the first round of the 2019 tour- hands are on the deck to en- three top-10 players; the high- the rank of superstars on the focus of attention, third-seed nament by world No. 84 Pierre sure all participants play and est ranked participant at num- cards for the annual Associa- and defending champion An- Hugues-Herbert of France will enjoy their favourite sport in ber 3 in the ATP World Rank- tion of Tennis Professionals drey Rublev, on the other hand, be hoping to have an impres- a very safe and healthy envi- ing, returning to Doha, is the (ATP) World Tour 250 series will also be yearning to add his sive outing this time around in ronment at this year’s event. 2020 US Open winner Dominic tournament has continued to name to the exclusive list of his third attempt in Doha. We look forward with great Thiem. We are extremely proud swell with the US Open de- multiple-time winners of the The 27-year-old Austrian eagerness to welcome all par- to welcome back to Doha on his fending champion and World award-winning tournament. had to withdraw from his semi- ticipants and fans to the home return to the Tour, currently as No.3 Dominic Thiem con- The three superstars are final clash against Gael Monfils of tennis next month.” world number 5, a player who firmed as the top seed. joined on the list of the top-ten of France in 2018 due to illness, A total of 32 singles players has achieved virtually every- The tournament, to be seeds by 2018 champion Gael and he was not available for last Austria’s Dominic Thiem serves against Germany’s Dominik Koepfer and 16 doubles team will feature thing there is to achieve in ten- held from March 8 to 13 at Monfils, world No. 12 Denis year’s tournament. during their men’s singles match on day three of the Australian Open in the six-day tournament with nis, Roger Federer. the Khalifa International Ten- Shapovalov, 2019 champion Thiem has been in a splen- in Melbourne on Wednesday. (AFP) 25 players directly in the main “And our next top-10 entry nis & Squash Complex, the Roberto Bautista Agut, world did form of recent. He became draw while three slots are allot- is our defending champion, traditional home of tennis in No. 15 David Goffin, and 2020 the first male tennis player men’s singles (other than the Tariq Zainal, QTF Secre- ted for wild card entrants and coming back to Doha after his Qatar, will feature three of the US Open semi-finalist Pablo born in the 1990s to win a Big Four), since Marin Cilic tary-General, said, “We are four for qualifiers in the singles. brilliant win in the 2020 edi- world’s top-ten players and Carreno Busta, two-time Grand major title and the first new won the 2014 US Open, with delighted to host the top stars Tournament Director Ka- tion of the Qatar ExxonMobil four former champions. Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, a Grand Slam champion in the his 2020 US Open victory. once again at the award-win- rim Alami said, “I am very hap- Open, Andrey Rublev.”