SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2019 16 Thrilling comeback sees ‘stressed out’ Osaka into Nadal edges closer Stuttgart semi-final to 12th Barca title • Kvitova comes from Rafael Nadal overpowers Jan-Lennard Struff to reach semis behind to reach semis Barcelona

AFP | Stuttgart, Germany orld no. 2 and 11-time Barcelona champi- orld number one Naomi on Rafael Nadal has WOsaka battled back from Wsecured the 61st win in 64 en- 1-5 down in the final set to beat counters at one of his favorite Donna Vekic 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) events, beating Jan-Lennard on Friday to reach her first ca- Struff 7-5, 7-5 in an hour and reer clay court semi-final in 43 minutes. Competing on the Stuttgart. court that carries his name, Na- “I just told myself I didn’t dal is through to the semi-final want to come away from here for the 12th time, never losing a with any regrets,” said 21-year- match in Barcelona after pass- old Osaka. ing the quarter-final stage to She said she was “stressed rule at this event for almost 15 out” and “making excuses” be- years. fore managing to turn the tables Rafa was not on last year’s on Croatia’s Vekic. level once again on the favorite The dramatic comeback saw surface just like last week in Osaka reach her first ever clay Japan’s Naomi Osaka returns the ball to Croatia’s Donna Vekic Monte Carlo but at least his court semi-final, where she will serve was there to guide him, face either Estonia’s Anett Kon- on Friday. landing 75% of the first serve taveit or former world number Kvitova overcame a rocky in and facing only two break one and two-time major winner start to beat Latvia’s Anastasija points, getting broken just once Victoria Azarenka today. Sevastova 2-6, 6-2, 6-3. to keep the pressure on Struff. Today’s match will also be “It was really difficult today, The German dealt with it KNOW WHAT Osaka’s first semi-final since but I am very happy to be in nicely to stay competitive in winning the Australian Open in the semi-final. I feel good and both sets, serving at only 44% January, having suffered early healthy,” said Kvitova. and drawing the most from exits in Dubai, Indian Wells Naomi Osaka has She will face either the Neth- his initial shot to suffer three and Miami. reached her first ever erlands’ Kiki Bertens or Germa- breaks from seven chances of- Osaka cannot lose her num- clay court semi-final ny’s Angelique Kerber in the fered to Rafa. The defending ber one spot in Stuttgart, but at Stuttgart semi-finals. champion had 19 winners and she will be looking to keep a “If I play against Angie in the eight unforced errors and he healthy points lead over world semi-final, it will be like a Fed should be happy with the way number three Petra Kvitova, Cup tie because the crowd will he performed today ahead of who also won her quarter-final be behind her,” said Kvitova. the more serious rivals. In the opening set, Jan-Len- Rafael Nadal of Spain returns the ball during his Men’s round of quarter-final match against Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany nard served at 37% and it is a miracle that he stayed compet- itive for 12 games before Rafa confirming the break with a to stay on the positive side of Robben back in training, Ribery finally broke his resistance hold at love in game eight for a the scoreboard with some good to secure the first part of the 4-4. serves and forehands, saving match. Nadal drew first blood Nadal delivered two good two break points at 3-4. ‘not yet 100 percent’ with a stunning forehand re- holds and broke Struff at love at Returning at 6-5, Rafa found turn winner at 2-1, controlling 6-5 to claim the opener 7-5 after the range and he sealed the deal AFP | Berlin issues. the course of the encounter challenging 51 minutes. Carried with a thrilling forehand down “Franck is getting better, but he is still until game seven when Struff by this momentum, the Span- the line winner for a break at 15 ayern Munich stars Franck not 100 percent,” said Kovac at his pre- broke back at 15, forcing iard lost just five points behind and the place in the semi-final BRibery and Arjen Robben match press conference on Friday. an error from Rafa with the initial shot in set number where he will face Guido Pella are on the mend, but both are Robben, meanwhile, trained with the a deep return and two and Jan-Lennard managed or Dominic Thiem. likely to remain sidelined for team for the first time in nearly two Sunday’s Bundesliga clash months this week. with Nuremberg, coach “It is a first step,” Robben told the Niko Kovac said on Fri- club website. day. “I will only be happy when I have Neymar banned for three Veteran wingers Rob- been with the team for one or two ben and Ribery are weeks and have played a few minutes Champions League matches both struggling with in a game. So many people have said injuries as they ap- how much they want me to get back on AFP | Lausanne, Switzerland season, was angry with the award of proach the end of the pitch.” a decisive injury-time penalty which their final sea- French midfielder Corentin Tolisso eymar was suspended for Marcus Rashford scored to send United son at Bayern. is also hoping to make a long-awaited Nthree Champions League through. Robben return to action, having been sidelined matches by UEFA on Friday for in- “It’s a disgrace. They get four guys has been with a knee injury since the beginning sulting match officials following who don’t understand football to watch out since of the season. Paris Saint-Germain’s shock exit a slow motion replay in front of the November “Whenever he goes into a tackle and feels from this season’s tournament to TV,” Neymar wrote in Portuguese on due to calf his knee twinge, he gets a fright,” said Kovac Manchester United. Instagram after the game. and thigh injuries, while of Tolisso on Friday. The Brazil star missed the Neymar was reportedly so enraged Ribery missed Bayern’s “Everything is ok with his knee, but it 3-1 Champions League second by the decision to give the penalty that cup win over Bremen in is a process. I hope that he can get a few leg last 16 defeat on March 6 he had to be restrained by PSG staff to midweek due to muscular minutes on the pitch.” through injury, but told match stop him entering the referee’s dressing officials “to go fuck yourselves” room. on social media after watching In June last year, Neymar’s teammate on from the sidelines at the Gianluigi Buffon was handed a three- Bayern friendly against China postponed Parc des Princes. match suspension after a tirade against Neymar was found guilty referee Michael Oliver following his of “insulting/molesting former club Juventus’ similarly dramat- AFP | Berlin play in the Chinese capital on May 29, acts against match official”, ic quarter-final defeat by Real Madrid. but in a statement, the club said that a European football’s gov- Former PSG defender Serge Aurier Arjen ayern Munich’s friendly new date would be “announced in due erning body announced in was the first player to be banned by Robben Bagainst the Chinese national course” after organisers in China asked a statement. UEFA for comments made on social team in Beijing at the end of next for the game to be postponed. Neymar The 27-year-old, who media in 2015. month has been postponed, the “The Chinese Ministry of Sport re- will now miss half Neymar’s ban comes on the eve of Bundesliga club announced . quested postponement of Allianz Chi- of PSG’s group stage his return to PSG’s starting line-up after German champions Bay- na Cup for organisational reasons,” matches in the Cham- injury for Saturday’s French Cup final ern had been scheduled to read the statement. pions League next against Rennes.

Hon. Chairman Najeb Yacob Alhamer | Editor-in-Chief Mahmood AI Mahmood | Chairman & Managing Director P Unnikrishnan Advertisement: Update Media W.L.L | Tel: 38444692, Email: [email protected] | Newsroom: Tel: 38444680, Email: [email protected] Subscription & circulation: Tel: 38444698/17579877 | Email:[email protected] | Website: www.newsofbahrain.com | Printed and published by Al Ayam Publishing