14 Tuesday 18th January, 2011 Qatar, Uzbekistan No. 1 Wozniacki starts into Asian Cup quarterfinals BY MICHAEL CASEY ball out of defense, but no DOHA, Qatar (AP) - whistle came. His initial with win Host Qatar reached the header was saved and Asian Cup quarterfinals Sebastian Suria’s follow- BY JOHN PYE for the second time in its up was blocked, but El history Sunday following Sayed got to the loose ball MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Caroline a 3-0 victory over Kuwait, and sent it into the top Wozniacki started her first major as the No. 1- and Uzbekistan advanced corner with goalkeeper ranked woman with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Argentina’s with a 2-2 draw that sent Nawaf al-Khaldi strand- Gisela Dulko on Monday at the Australian Open. opponent China home. ed. It was the 20-year-old Wozniacki’s first win of Qatar, flying high fol- Qatar substitute Fabio the year, following a straight-sets loss to lowing its winning bid to Cesar wrapped up the vic- Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova at the Sydney host the 2022 World Cup, tory in the 86th, curling a International last week and exhibition losses to needed a victory against left-footed free kick No. 2 Vera Zvonareva and Kim Clijsters at winless Kuwait to ensure around the wall and into Singapore and Hong Kong. it advanced. Two first-half the top corner past a stat- Wozniacki didn’t face a break point in the first goals in five minutes set ic goalkeeper. set and converted her only chance. coach Bruno Metsu’s side Metsu admitted he Dulko, the top-ranked doubles player, tested on its way and sent the and his players have been Wozniacki in the second set and pulled level at 4-4 crowd of 28,000 at Khalifa under pressure to match with a service break, but the Danish player broke Stadium into delirious the well-organized tour- back immediately and served it out on her second celebrations. nament with a display on match point after a double-fault on her first. Across town, China the pitch that showed Wozniacki won six tournaments in 2010, fought back from a goal they are better than the including four of her last six, and can retain the down to draw with team’s position of No. 105 top spot by making the semifinals here. Uzbekistan, but the team in the FIFA world rank- “My dream when I was a little girl was to reach still finished third in ings. No. 1 in the world, and that happened last year. Group A. The early exit “The team was influ- But it’s a new year, a new start,” she said in a was the latest disappoint- enced by the importance courtside interview. “I’m just looking forward to ment for the Chinese, of the opening match and it.” which have struggled it had an impact on the In the earlier match on center court, Maria since qualifying for the mentality of the players,” Sharapova won for the first time at Melbourne 2002 World Cup, having Metsu said. “With today’s Park since taking the 2008 Australian Open title, also left the Asian Cup performance and victory, beating Thai veteran Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-1, 6- early in 2007. they have reached the 3. Uzbekistan topped the point they were aiming Former No. 1-ranked Sharapova, who missed group with seven points, at.” the 2009 tournament because of a shoulder injury one more than Qatar. Kuwait’s best chance and was ousted in the first round last year by fel- China has four points and came right at the end of low Russian Maria Kirilenko, struggled with her Kuwait has zero. the first half when a serve and was inconsistent in the second set. “We were not good in cross found Walied Ali in After losing the opening service game at love, the first match, but our space at the far post, but Sharapova won seven straight games to take a 6-1, real matches started with his angled shot was 1-0 lead. China,” said Qatar diverted behind by goal- The 33-year-old Tamarine, clearly not in peak defender Bilal keeper Qasem Burhan. physical condition, rallied and had a Mohammed, referring to Qatar’s qualification game point on serve for a 4-1 lead, a 2-0 loss to Uzbekistan should give the tourna- but 14th-seeded Sharapova followed by a 2-0 win over ment a boost and keep the broke back and regained the Chinese. “In the previ- host nation interested, momentum, winning the ous tournaments, we especially in light of the last five games. were out from the first poor performances of Even when she was round. But now we are most neighboring Gulf winning, though, better and deserve to teams. Thousands of Sharapova had trou- qualify and go to the Qataris, often wearing the ble finding range final.” team’s maroon-and-white with her serve. Mohammed powered colors, have watched their She had 10 in a header from Ibrahim team live in action. double- al-Ghanim’s deep cross in “This is the team that faults and the 11th minute to give we all know,” said five aces. Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki, right, is congratulated by Argentina’s Gisela Dulko Qatar the lead. Mohammed al-Merri, a after their first round match at the Australian Open championships in Five minutes later, 24-year-old student. Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Mark Baker) Mohamed El Sayed took “Today we proved that we advantage of a goal- can win the cup and beat all the teams. We are so Nerves had a role in that. goal in Australia of “staying aggressive and little mouth scramble to make happy about the way they “I definitely felt that in by little trying to get my game better, maybe to it 2-0. El Sayed appeared played. This is a big the beginning. I knew I where it was a few years ago and maybe better to push his marker out of result which we will had an early exit last year than that.” the way to reach the long never forget.” and didn’t want that to champion Francesca Schiavone happen this year,” said had a couple of stutters before advancing with a 6- Sharapova, who has the 7 (4), 6-2, 6-4 victory over Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain The sixth-seeded Schiavone had a chance to serve for the match at 5-3 in the third but was bro- ken. The Italian player recovered quickly, breaking Parra Santonja’s service in the next game to take the match. In other women’s first-round matches, No. 20 Kaia Kanepi of Estona beat Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 and No. 29 Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia advanced 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-4 over Germany’s Angelique Kerber. No. 18 Sam Querrey was the first of the men’s seeded players eliminated, losing 5-7, 6- 2, 3-6, 6-1, 8-6 to Poland’s Lukasz Kubot, while No. 12 Gael Monfils rallied from two sets and a break down to beat former world junior cham- pion of the Netherlands. De Bakker served for the match in the third set but made a series of unforced errors on key points and Monfils capitalized, winning 6- 7 (5), 2-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-1. No. 26 Juan Monaco of Argentina advanced in straight sets over Simon Greul, who got a Russia’s Maria Sharapova blows kisses to the crowd following her first round match spot in the main draw earlier Monday when against Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn at the Australian Open tennis championships in Julien Benneteau of France withdrew because of Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 17, 2011. (AP Photo/Mark Baker) in infected finger on his playing hand. Lochte beats Phelps in 200 IM

Chris Gayle Chris Gayle hits Millsy for six for charity BY DAILE PEPPER can hit me over there,” Mills informed Gayle, Michael Phelps When Steve “Millsy” while pointing at the AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Ryan Lochte beat Michael to (Lochte). The level he’s swimming at right now is Mills took on cricket cham- boundary. Phelps in the 200-meter individual medley Sunday in extremely high. But it’s good to be here and see how pion Chris Gayle to raise Gayle was unperturbed. the last of their head-to-head showdown in the everybody else is doing and how poorly I think I’m money for the Queensland “I’ll definitely hit you, Austin Grand Prix. doing. This will give me a lot of motivation for the Flood Appeal, he was I’m in good form,” Gayle Lochte finished in 1 minute, 59.26 seconds, well next couple of months.” never expected to be much replied. off his world record of 1:54:10. Eric Shanteau Swimmers are awarded points based off a 5-3-1 of a match. The pair raised $500 for edged Phelps to finish second in 2:01:13. Phelps was scoring system for gold, silver and bronze medals. But the 6PR radio per- every six Gayle hit, and third. Lochte, who amassed 17 points, and Phelps (11) each sonality, after quite a few hoped for a bonus $2000 if “This is a great stepping stone,” Lochte said. “It’s won two events during the three-day meet. Though practice runs, mustered up he cleared the grand stand. good preparation for what’s coming later on. It’s a Phelps summed up his weekend as “average,” he’s all his oomph as he Each ball Mills bowled good way to start off the New Year.” Brent Hayden excited to head to training camp in Colorado in attempted to bowl the West was hit for six, but the sta- won the 100 freestyle in 49.91. Ricky Berens finished February as he prepares for Olympic-qualifying Indies batsman out. dium shot proved elusive. second and Lochte was third. Phelps won Heat B of meets for London 2012. Gayle came out onto the “It definitely went close, that race in 50.9 seconds. Before this meet, Phelps “(The meet) was nothing exciting, but it’s better WACA pitch looking confi- I think the ball is a bit soft. had never swam a B final, and this weekend he swam than what I really expected dent. Maybe I’m hitting into the two - also racing the in the 200 freestyle Friday. Fifteen-year-old Missy Franklin beat Olympian “I’ve got money on the wind as well, it’s a difficult “I’m disappointed,” Phelps said. “Obviously, I Katie Hoff in the 200 backstroke in 55.48. Franklin fact that if I bowl you out... one,” Gayle explained. Ryan Lochte need more training. We’re all just trying to catch up also won the 200 IM in 2:14:68. and a lot of money if you (The Age, Australia)