MANSOORI

THURSDAY, MAY 15, 2014 SPORTS Sky’s the limit for record-breaking Nishikori

TOKYO: You won’t catch snarling, topple the giants of . er in 2008, and is a huge celebrity in Japan. and this year propelling his country to the scowling at opponents or yelling at umpires, but the Shuzo Matsuoka, the first Japanese player to win Despite winning five ATP titles to date, Nishikori’s quarter-finals. unassuming 24-year-old has a fire in his belly every an ATP title in 1992, believes Nishikori could even career has been blighted by injuries, most notably in Meanwhile, the decision to hire former French bit as strong as the game’s fiercest gladiators. Having produce a shock triumph this year, 2009 when he needed elbow surgery and feared he Open winner as coach late last year just become the first Japanese to crack the world’s which would give Asian tennis a further boost fol- might not play again. But Matsuoka tipped him to looks an inspired one. “Chang is exactly what Kei top 10 in men’s tennis, the sky could be the limit for lowing the success of China’s Li Na in the women’s join the Grand Slam winners’ club. needed,” said Matsuoka of the 1989 the record-breaking Nishikori-if his fragile body holds game. “You saw in the Nadal match, his creativity and champion. “It’s not just about how much game you up. Where Rafael Nadal stares daggers across the net “There’s a new generation of players coming speed,” said Matsuoka, whose run to the 1995 have, but also tactics and resilience.” at rivals, Nishikori shuffles almost apologetically through to challenge the big four,” he told AFP, refer- Wimbledon quarter-final sparked a tennis boom in Nishikori’s best Grand Slam performance to date along the baseline, a toothy grin belying his swash- ring to Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Japan. was the quarter-finals in Melbourne two years ago. buckling style. Andy Murray. “I don’t think anyone doubts he can win Grand But if he continues on his upward curve, favorable Nishikori, who has risen to nine in the world rank- “He has the ability. I’ve been watching Kei since he Slams.” Given his first racquet when he was five, draws await at the four majors, and Stanislas ings, came agonisingly close to beating Nadal for the was 11. He has the touch of a genius, great imagina- Nishikori has come a long way since leaving his fami- Wawrinka’s victory in January sug- first time in seven meetings in last weekend’s Madrid tion. “He has shots in his locker you just can’t teach,” ly home in mountainous Shimane prefecture, west- gests the field is more open than previous years. Open final before injury struck again. added Matsuoka. “Breaking into the top 10 is just the ern Japan as a bashful 13-year-old and arriving at “Kei has the potential,” said Japan’s former Davis In control at 6-2, 4-3, he felt a twinge in his hip and start.” Nick Bollettieri’s academy in Bradenton, Florida, Cup captain Eiji Takeuchi, who also feels the high-fly- went on to lose the second set 6-4 before retiring at unable to speak a word of English. ing Nishikori has a Grand Slam crown in him. 0-3 in the third. But after wins in Memphis and ‘SO TOUGH’ Earmarked for success at an early age by the “He was always a shy kid but once he stepped on Barcelona already this year, the Florida-based Nishikori burst onto the scene as an 18-year-old , Nishikori has repaid them court, a switch flicked on inside him. He is so tough. Nishikori has demonstrated he has the weapons to by winning in Delray Beach as a 244th-ranked qualifi- in gold, proving a cash cow for the domestic game He could be aiming for the top five already.” —AFP Low downs the giant-killer

LONDON: Low Wee Wern, who so nearly between her and the top five. became a giant-killer before her home crowd “It was a hard loss to take,” she said of her in last month’s World Championships, fol- setback against Massaro. “But everyone is still lowed it by halting a giant-killer in the British there for me. “I didn’t think I was that close to Open. beating a world champion. But I’ve been able The seventh-seeded Malaysian saw four to take the positives and I know that I am match points slip agonisingly away against almost up there with them.” Laura Massaro, the eventual world champion, One of the barriers to Low’s achieving this, in the quarter-finals in Penang, but now she admits, is so often having been the sneaked a narrow win against another underdog. She has played most of her career English player, Emma Beddoes. in the shadow of Nicol David, the fellow Low’s 11-9, 11-9, 6-11, 6-11, 11-9 success Penangite who has been world number one was a courageously completed effort against for almost eight years, and has crept up the an unseeded opponent who overcame world rankings largely uncelebrated. finalist Nour El Sherbini on Tuesday and who But having dug deep to beat the in-form had little to lose 24 hours later. Beddoes she has realistic hopes of doing well Low was 6-8 down in both the first and again on Friday in the quarter-finals against second games, did well to pull the back the Raneem El Weleily, the world number three deficits, and then did even better to halt a from Egypt. El Weleily progressed with an 11- Beddoes surge from 5-9 to 9-9 in the decider. 5, 11-6, 11-3 win against Kasey Brown, the She did that with a nice mix of the short former top five Australian, showing once and the long games, coaxing in a tight little again that when she pegs down her concen- forehand drop shot to reach match point, tration she has the talent to beat anybody. and then converting it with a sharp stride to a Low meanwhile returned to the hotel and short ball and a crisply struck cross court kill. may seek further practice on the all-glass It was a disappointment for Beddoes who show court today. El Weleily by contrast created enough openings to suggest she can remained at the venue, ready to support her climb the top 20 even at the relatively late fiancee Tarek Momen in his second round age of 28, but further encouragement for match against Mohamed El Shorbagy, their Low that she can close the small gap fourth-seeded compatriot. —AFP

ROME: France’s Jeremy Chardy celebrates after defeating Switzerland’s Roger Federer at the Italian open tennis tournament. —AP Federer blown off court

ROME: Jeremy Chardy caught new father Roger in play rather than going for it,” said Federer. it can blow behind or in front of you and, it Federer on the hop at a wind-blown ATP-WTA Federer swept the opening set but began to depends on what side of the court you are on. “But Rome Masters yesterday, winning their second fade in the second as a charged-up Chardy made you have to play the wind, try to use it in your round match 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6). his move. Federer, whjo salvaged seven of eight advantage if you can. I thought I did a good job of The upset loss, in just over two hours, came break points in the final set, saved a first match that.” barely a week after the 32-year-old Federer point. But he could not touch a freak Chardy cross- Murray will next face resurgent Austrian Jurgen became father to his second set of twins, boys this court return which landed on his shoelaces. Melzer, who beat Marin Cilic 6-2, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 as a time round as opposed to girls the first occasion. “He’s not going to make that one very often, But return from a shoulder injury starts to pay off posi- “Unfortunately, when I had the lead I couldn’t it happens and credit to him. He fought his way tively. stretch it. That’s how it happened today. We both back into the match and got it,” said Federer. Murray has never been beaten in five previous struggled at time in the wind - at the end it was a Seventh seed Andy Murray took revenge for a meetings with Melzer, with the pair last facing shot here or there that decided the match,” said the defeat a year ago as he beat Marcel Granollers to each other in the 2011 Australian Open. Swiss. open with a 6-2, 7-5 victory into the third round. Murray, playing in Rome for the ninth time, is The fourth-seed, who has never won the Rome The Spaniard had benefitted in 2013 when the trying to kick-start his delayed clay season which title, decided to come and have a go on the clay of Scot had to quit their second-round contest with began only last week with a win and a loss in the Foro Italico after consulting with wife Mirka the back pains which eventually forced him to Madrid. His best showing in Rome was a 2011 and his team. With him in Rome was part-time undergo surgery last autumn. semi-final. coaching consultant Stefan Edberg. The match was also played in the day’s swirling In women’s second-round play, Serena Williams Conditions were brutal for a match played amid dustbowl conditions. “I did a very good job, it was showed no sign of the thigh injury which forced great bursts of red clay blowing regularly through hard conditions: it affects significantly the way you her withdrawal from a Madrid semi-final as the top the air. “The conditions made it difficult to prepare play and the way you would like to play,” said seed beat Andrea Petkovic 6-2, 6-2. However, her a proper game plan or execute the way you want- Murray. “I tried to serve high percentage. sister Venus bowed out beaten 6-4, 6-2 by 13th ed. You can’t take as much risk, you just put the ball “But when you throw the ball up from one hand seeded Spaniard Carla Suarez. —AFP Barcelona’s Valdes thanks coaches in farewell message

BARCELONA: Outgoing Barcelona since his first-team debut, in search World Cup hopes with Spain. Valdes said. “Thank you Frank goalkeeper Victor Valdes has paid of a new challenge with a different In a letter released by the club, Rijkaard, for giving me the confi- tribute to Louis Van Gaal and all club. Valdes stated his gratitude to the dence necessary, and allowing me other coaches he worked under at Valdes was denied the opportu- first team trainers starting with to achieve glory, getting my hands the club in an emotional farewell nity to say goodbye to supporters Dutch coach Van Gaal “for backing on the European Cup in Paris. message to fans. on the pitch as he sustained a cruci- what only he could see in him.” Wherever you are, I will be indebt- Low Wee Wern The 32-year-old said he would ate knee ligament injury in March “He (Van Gaal) began building ed to you for the rest of my life leave the Camp Nou at the end of that brought a premature end to this historic Barca side, which I have Mister.” Valdes also thanked Pep this season, following 12 years his season and also scuppered his been privileged to be part of,” Guardiola, who currently manages Bayern Munich, for guiding and Teams get unfair advantage supporting him. For Tito Vilanova, who passed away last month, he from heavy tackles: Collina added: “Thank you Tito! Wherever you are, I thank you for having TURIN: A player who causes an opponent to Collina also repeated UEFA’s criticism of the so-called taught us not only the way to keep leave the pitch because of a bad tackle triple punishment and said a distinction should be winning as a team, but also the should also go off the field until his victim has made between “saving a goal” and “denying the opposi- strength and character needed to been treated, UEFA’s refereeing chief suggest- tion a clear scoring opportunity.” Under the present face life.” ed on Tuesday. Pierluigi Collina said that it rules, a player who denies an opponent a clear scoring On Monday, Valdes went to the was unfair that a team should play with one chance in the penalty area will concede a penalty, be Barcelona training ground to say man less because of a heavy challenge from sent off and suspended for the next match. UEFA asked goodbye to the players, and also the opposition. The Italian suggested that a earlier this year for the rule to be changed, and for the thanked his past and present team- player who is booked for a challenge which red card to be replaced with a yellow, but IFAB referred mates in his message. leaves an opponent needing treatment the request to its two specialist panels for further discus- “Thanks to all my colleagues with should wait on the touchline until his victim sion. whom I’ve had the pleasure to work is ready to go back on. The issue has been repeatedly discussed over the with, that involves wearing the Barca “Football gives an advantage to the player last few years and IFAB says it has been unable to find a crest on our chests day after day, for who committed the foul,” Collina told satisfactory alternative. Collina said that the scoring making me feel important within the reporters. “It gives an advantage to those who opportunity was restored by the awarding of the group that we developed over all should not be given an advantage. penalty, so there was no need for the red card. “To have these years,” he said. “Because it all “Maybe in the future we could tell the play- the chance restored and the player sent off, it’s too comes down to this, we are who we er (who committed the foul) to leave the field much,” he said. However, Collina said it was different are, here and now. Thank you gentle- as well, and (they both) enter the field togeth- when a player stopped the ball from going in, as Luis men!” Valdes, who also thanked the er, when the other player is ready.” Suarez famously did by punching a goalbound shot supporters for keeping him going, Any such suggestion would have to be pro- off the line in Uruguay’s World Cup quarter-final will be able to add another trophy to posed to the International Football Association against Ghana in 2010. “We are talking about an obvi- his cabinet if Barcelona win the La Board (IFAB), which is responsible for making ous scoring chance and not saving a goal. Suarez was Liga title decider against Atletico changes to the laws of the game. It would also saving a goal, so having a penalty kick (for Ghana) is Madrid at the Nou Camp this week- certainly have to be tested in amateur or youth not restoring the same situation. So when a goal is Victor Valdes end. —Reuters football before a final decision is made. saved, this is another matter.” —Reuters