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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 11, 2017 SPORTS ‘Human headline’ Kyrgios faces Aussie Open test MELBOURNE: Nick Kyrgios is often associated 2015, equalling his best Grand Slam perform- points on purpose and argued with fans during In his match against America’s Jack Sock, Kyrgios is whether he can control his com- with tantrums and even tanking, but he has a ance yet. And the 21-year-old says he has bene- his second-round defeat to Mischa Zverev. Kyrgios moved listlessly and inexplicably bustible temperament in the heated atmos- chance to create some positive headlines by fited from his sessions with a psychologist, The incident in October came just days after volleyed a Sock shot which was sailing out from phere of Melbourne Park. making a deep run at the Australian Open. which he agreed to in return for a shorter ban Kyrgios had lifted the third trophy of his career well behind the baseline, dumping his forehand Opponents are wary of his rocket serve and The antics of Kyrgios, who is returning from a after his Shanghai meltdown. at the Japan Open in Tokyo. into the net. But Kyrgios, who remains without a forehand but they also know that fidgety ban for “lack of best efforts” during a notorious “Obviously I’m not going to tell you what we “I needed to shut down, really, after a very coach, has played down concerns about his Kyrgios is easily distracted and is prone to los- match in Shanghai, have doused expectations talk about, but I think it’s helping me for sure,” long and tough year,” he said. “I’m still learning injury and said his 6-2, 6-2 defeat to Sock would ing his cool. It does not augur well for Kyrgios’s of a title run at his home Grand Slam. the world number 14 said before this month’s about myself and things like (scheduling).” have no bearing on the Australian Open. bid to become the Australian Open’s first But despite his discipline problems, Kyrgios, Hopman Cup in Perth. “I don’t think losing in an exhibition Hopman home-grown champion since Mark dubbed a “human headline” by Australian “I’m just trying to learn a bit more about BASKETBALL INJURY Cup is going to hinder my performance too Edmondson in 1976. media, is coming off his best year yet when he myself and obviously just trying to figure out Kyrgios’s return at the exhibition-level much for the Australian Open,” he said. He said: “Being the focal point brings added won three titles and broke into the top 15. ways to enjoy the sport a little bit more and just Hopman Cup was not without incident and he “I’m not the type of guys who needs plenty attention and pressure. “But I’m not going to Kyrgios has shown a liking for Melbourne enjoy the grind of it.” The pressures of tennis appeared hampered by a left knee injury which of matches before a Grand Slam.” Apart from his knock that. It’s a positive thing, and it means I’ve Park where he reached the quarter-finals in took their toll in Shanghai, when Kyrgios lost he picked up playing basketball. form and fitness, the biggest question for achieved a position where people care.” — AFP Kuznetsova falls in Sydney SYDNEY: Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova won an all- Russian battle against Svetlana Kuznetsova to oust the defending champion in straight sets in the second round of the Sydney International yesterday. Pavlyuchenkova beat world number nine Kuznetsova 7-5 6-3 to set up a quarter-final clash against Canadian Eugenie Bouchard who caused another upset by defeating number three seed Dominika Cibulkova. On a bad day for seeded players, ninth seed Italian Robert Vinci also fell to Czech Barbora Strycova 6-2 6-3. Pavlyuchenkova came into the match having lost five of the last six meetings against Kuznetsova and twice fell back in the opening set. The 31-year-old double grand slam winner was serving for the set at 5-4 before Pavlyuchenkova reeled off the last three games to bag the set. “I’m really happy, especially because she’s not only defending champion but my fellow (coun- MELBOURNE: Andy Murray of Britain (R) talks with coach Ivan Lendl during a break trywoman) and she’s top 10 and she’s had a real- in his tennis training session at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne yesterday. Top ly incredible year last year,” Pavlyuchenkova said. players from around the world are arriving in Melbourne in the lead up to the “I think I did everything well. I wasn’t serving Australian Open from January 16 to 29. — AFP as well as I did yesterday; I was a little upset with that, but I’m so happy that even with a lower first serve percentage, that I was able to win the Murray: Aussie Open is not match in two sets. “I had zero expectations here; I was just trying a psychological barrier to enjoy the tennis, but it’s working good so far.” Next up for the Russian will be former LONDON: Andy Murray says he does not have a “I kept it fairly quiet and just spoke to the Wimbledon finalist Bouchard who completed mental block when it comes to the Australian people that I was closest with and explained her fourth consecutive hard-court win against Open despite losing the final of the opening what the situation was. I just tried to get the world number six Cibulkova with a 6-4 6-3 victo- Grand Slam of the season five times. best advice possible.” ry. It will be the first WTA quarter-final appear- The 29-year-old world number one-whose Murray is clear, though, how he wishes to be ance for the Canadian in 10 months since Kuala season opened with a defeat in the Qatar Open addressed by his rivals on the circuit. Lumpur, where she lost in the final of the to Novak Djokovic-told The Times in an inter- “A few of the players have been chatting to Malaysian Open. view he had also pondered over whether he me about it and asking how it works, what does “Any time you play one of the best players in should accept the knighthood he received in it mean and what do we call you,” Murray said. the world... it’s like a standard of where you’re the New Year’s Honours list. Murray, who is in “Andy is fine.” at,” Bouchard said after taking her head-to-head Australia preparing for next week’s Aussie Open, Murray, whose win in the 2012 US Open record over Cibulkova to 4-1. “I feel like I could is adamant he no longer has issues over tourna- was the first in a Grand Slam by a British ten- play better tennis. I feel at times we both kind of ments he has yet to win. nis male tennis player since Fred Perry in were making unforced errors, but we were also “I don’t feel like I have mental hurdles now,” 1936, says another thing that has changed as pressuring each other to make mistakes. “I think said Murray. he has matured is how he reacts to personal I served okay. There are things I would have liked “I feel like I’m past that, to be honest. criticism. “When you are comfortable like that to do better...But overall, it was just me pushing “I just go there and give my best to win. So with who you are, someone saying that you’re myself and trying to do something on every SYDNEY: Eugenie Bouchard of Canada hits a return to Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia in their women’s long as I give my best effort, boring or miserable or whatever it is, it point that helped me get through.” — Reuters second round match at the Sydney International tennis tournament in Sydney yesterday. — AFP I don’t judge myself or feel like I’ve failed doesn’t affect you like it does when you are here (Melbourne) or anything like that.” younger and you are still not sure of yourself,” Murray, who had a memorable year in 2016 said Murray. “When you are growing up in the becoming Britain’s first tennis number one of spotlight and you don’t know exactly who Croatian pair tune up for the professional era and won Wimbledon and you are or what you’re going to become, defended his Olympic singles title, admitted he that’s probably a bit more difficult.” had conferred with those closest to him-but not Murray, who says he likes to organise his his brother Jamie-over whether to accept the schedule so he can see his daughter Sophia and Open with Kooyong wins knighthood when he was offered it in the mid- wife Kim every fortnight, received a flood of dle of December. congratulations when he became number one “I spoke to a few of the people closest to me. but two phone messages, left by two sporting MELBOURNE: Croat pair Ivo Karlovic and Borna conditions. “I had a few tough games but I was Gasquet but instead playing big-serving Karlovic. I didn’t have too long, but obviously you think giants, in particular touched him. “I got one Coric both posted victories yesterday as the able to win them so I am really happy with my “It’s more about the strategy, playing Richard or about something like that because I do feel like from Alex Ferguson and one from Jose Kooyong Classic began with injured Frenchman serve and with the game coming into the Ivo is like the complete opposite,” he said.

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