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Home , Alexander Zverev, Denis Shapovalov, Ernests Gulbis, Kyle Edmund

Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2017

Bond of bros as Anderson thrives on family matters NEW YORK: If reaches the curve ball,” said Anderson. “It was German again. “I have had more suc- the US Open last 16 today, he’ll give a really tough for him but we have a hit cess against Borna but I would have hat tip to his younger brother, whose here. He has a great eye for the game liked to have had the opportunity to dreams of also making it as a profes- and always follows my progress. I value play Alexander again,” he said. “I could sional were shattered by injury. The his opinion and input.” have looked to up my level but that 31-year-old South African won’t have Anderson, born in opportunity will have to wait.” Zverev, to go too far to celebrate with sibling but a permanent resident of the the highly regarded trailblazer of the Greg, who now works as a acad- United States, enjoyed his best Grand “Next Gen” expected to succeed the emy director in nearby Connecticut. Slam performance in New York in 2015 likes of , , “We grew up together and spent thou- when he reached the quarter-finals, and Murray, has flat- sands of hours practicing,” Anderson knocking out on the way. tered to deceive at the Slams. told AFP on Wednesday after making On Friday, he faces world number 61 In 2017, his best run was to the last the third round with a 6-3, 7-5, 6-4 vic- Borna Coric who made the third round 16 at Wimbledon after a third round tory over of . by stunning fourth-seeded German exit in Australia and first round loss at Greg, younger by 18 months, . Anderson, seeded Roland Garros. Yet, on the tour, the played on the third-tier Futures tour at 28, is 2-0 against Coric but would German has taken five titles, including after college in the United States but have taken a 0-4 losing record against majors in Rome and Montreal, beating injuries ended his hopes of going fur- Zverev into Friday’s third round had Djokovic and Federer respectively in NEW YORK: Kevin Anderson, of ther. However, he always hits with his the young German prevailed against the finals. “Maybe there’s more pres- South Africa, returns a shot from big brother when he comes to the US the 20-year-old Croatian. sure at the Slams,” said Anderson, Ernests Gulbis, of Latvia, during the Open. “We keep it pretty casual. He had Three of those losses came this year who has made at least the last-16 of second round of the US Open tennis aspirations to become a professional but Anderson insisted he would have all four majors. “But I’m sure he’ll fig- tournament on Wednesday. — AP but a pretty big injury put him behind been happy to tackle the beanpole ure it out.” — AFP

Shapovalov: From Sharapova battles on, villain to US Open sensation Zverev, Kyrgios crash NEW YORK: became the youngest man in 10 years to reach the US Open third round Wednesday NEW YORK: Former world number one and credited his breakthrough to being defaulted from a Maria Sharapova battled back Davis Cup tie for firing a ball into an umpire’s eye. The 18- Wednesday to reach the third round of year-old Canadian qualifier stunned French eighth seed Jo- the US Open while next-generation ris- Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), a victory which followed ing stars Alexander Zverev and Nick a win over Rafael Nadal in Montreal earlier in August. He Kyrgios crashed out. Sharapova, who goes on to face Britain’s today for a place in downed second-ranked the last 16. in her first match after a 15- However, it will be a match-up which brings back month doping ban, defeated Hungary’s painful memories of the pair’s meeting in the Davis Cup in 59th-ranked Timea Babos 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, February when Shapovalov was defaulted for hitting a ball 6-1 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. “It wasn’t at umpire Arnaud Gabas. The Canadian youngster was my best tennis,” Sharapova said. “It was fined $7,000 for the incident even though it was deemed scrappy tennis but sometimes those to be unintentional. Despite the official escaping serious kind of matches are a lot of fun and this injury, Shapovalov was disqualified and Britain won the tie. was one of those days.” But he believes the controversy has helped fire him into The 30-year-old Russian, who next the tennis headlines for the right reasons. “I’ve been work- faces Russian-born US teen , ing extremely hard on it. It’s definitely helped me mature,” tested positive for meldonium at the said the world number 69. “I continue to apologize for my 2016 , her most recent actions. It’s something I have to live with. But for me it’s in Grand Slam appearance until this week. the past and I’m a different person and a different player “Every day I have the chance I have to NEW YORK: Maria Sharapova of Russia celebrates after defeating Timea Babos now. So it’s a completely new match.” Shapovalov is the play at the US Open is a special day and of Hungary in their second round Women’s Singles match on Day Three of the youngest man in the third round of a Grand Slam since I’ll look forward to the next one,” 146th- 2017 US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on at the and at the US ranked Sharapova said. Sharapova, Wednesday in the Flushing neighborhood of Queens borough. —AFP Open since in 2007. — AFP whose five Grand Slam titles include the 2006 US Open, played only one Open fifth seed Marin Cilic the best in his half (7/3) to book a third-round date with tuneup match after a forearm injury but of the draw. Wimbledon runner-up Cilic, Britain’s Kyle Edmund. “It’s a dream wore down Halep and Babos to prove the 2014 US Open winner, reached the come true for me,” Shapovalov said. Jet-lagged Lin feared she’s a threat for a deep run, with Latvian third round by beating ’s Shapovalov became the youngest man 16th seed her top- 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. in the third round of a Grand Slam since dozing off on court ranked potential semi-final obstacle. Bernard Tomic at the 2011 Australian Fourth seed Zverev, whose five ATP ‘Arm is totally dead’ Open and at the US Open since Badminton legend Lin Dan was so jet-lagged SHANGHAI: titles this year include a win over Roger Kyrgios, the 14th seed and former American Donald Young in 2007. from a European trip that he feared falling asleep on-court at Federer in this month’s Montreal final, top-rated obstacle in Federer’s quarter- China’s National Games, and fuelled retirement speculation final path, hurt his right shoulder in a 6- Muguruza breaks ‘curse’ by saying it was likely his last appearance in the event. fell to 61st-ranked Croatian Borna Coric 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/4). The 20-year- 3, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1 first-round loss to 235th- Wimbledon champion Garbine Regarded as the best badminton player of all time, the 33- ranked fellow Aussie . Muguruza reached the US Open third year-old nicknamed “Super Dan” is at China’s so-called mini old German had been the highest- “Early in the third set I hit one serve and round for the first time by beating Olympics just days after losing the final of the World ranked player in his half of an injury-hit I never felt the same after that,” Kyrgios China’s 92nd-ranked Duan Ying-Ying 6- Championships in Scotland. Open draw. “It’s upsetting because the After failing to win a sixth world crown on Sunday in draw is pretty open in the bottom part,” said. “Something didn’t feel right in my 4, 6-0. “I had like a curse and I broke it Glasgow, Lin hinted that it might be his last tilt at the world Zverev said. “I felt like I should have been arm.” Kyrgios, 22, dropped eight of the finally. I’m so happy,” Muguruza said. “I title. Back in China, the two-time Olympic champion said: “This the favorite there. I just played a very, last nine games. “Nick’s shoulder deteri- just put the heart on the court. I knew I should be my last National Games. I have played at the Games very bad match, so it’s unfortunate.” orated as the match went on,” Millman had to be all the time fighting for the for 20 years.” The tattooed Lin, who has fallen from the summit Coric, who faces South African Kevin said after his first US Open triumph. “It’s ball and in the end I won.” to fourth in the world rankings, was pushed all the way by lit- Anderson for a last-16 berth, was one a victory but slightly hollow.” Beating Slovakian Magdalena tle-known Sheng Xiaodong before struggling to an 18-21, 21- point from a fifth set before winning five Austrian sixth seed Rybarikova to reach the last 16 would 15, 21-7 first-round victory in the men’s team event in Tianjin in a row to force the deciding tie-break- ousted Aussie 6-4, 6-1, 6- put the third-seeded Spaniard atop a on Wednesday. “Just now I’m afraid of falling asleep on the er. “I was just thinking to keep the points 1. Thiem is the highest-ranked rival on fight for world number one that was court” the jet-lagged Lin was quoted as saying by Xinhua news shorter,” Coric said. “And yeah, I was a the Federer and Nadal side of the draw. trimmed to six women when Danish agency afterwards. “But this is a problem facing all of my team- little bit lucky.” Zverev’s ouster left US Canadian 18-year-old qualifier Denis fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki lost to mates of the national team who just took part in the World 10th seed the top-ranked Shapovalov defeated French eighth Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 6-7 Championships. We have to overcome it.” —AFP player in his draw quarter and Croatian seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (5/7), 6-1. —AFP