SPORTS Monday, January 8, 2018 21 Gorges triumphs in Auckland final Julia Gorges beats former world number one Caroline Wozniacki

Auckland between 10 August 2003 and 8 September ermany’s Julia Gorges won 2008. her third straight title as Gorges, who was runner-up in Auckland to she beatG former world number one US Open champion Sloane Stephens in 2016, Caroline Wozniacki at the ASB Classic in had been victorious at last October’s Kremlin Auckland. Cup in Moscow and the WTA Elite Trophy the The 29-year-old sent down 41 following month in Zhuhai, winners in a 6-4 7-6 (7-4) victory. She won the first set against Wozniacki with After her win, the world number her seventh ace, having broken serve in the 14 pulled out of this week’s Sydney first game. International with a knee injury. She broke again in the first game of the Wozniacki is set to rise to number second set, before the world number three two in the world in today’s rankings fought back to force a tie-break, but another and could yet regain top spot at the Goerges forehand winner sealed the victory. Australian Open this month. Elsewhere on the tour, British number two The 27-year-old Dane last held Heather Watson came through an early scare top spot six years ago and in her second qualifying match to reach the the current record for the main draw at the Hobart International. longest gap between being Despite dropping the first set, she fought Julia Goerges kisses her trophy ranked number one is held back to beat Japan’s Nao Hibino 4-6 7-5 6-3, by Serena Williams, who and will face Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in the spent five years and 29 first round of a tournament she won in 2015. days off the top spot (BBC) Makarova stuns England lurching to defeat Ostapenko in Sydney Sydney athan Lyon was spinning Australia toward an Nemphatic victory in the final Ashes Test as beleaguered England unravelled on a torrid day in Sydney yesterday. The Australians amassed a massive 303-run innings lead in blistering heat and then reduced the battle-weary BRIEF SCORE tourists to 93 for four at the England 346 and 4 for 93 (Root 42*, close with a day to play. Bairstow 17*) trail Australia 7 for Compounding England’s 649 dec (Khawaja 171, S Marsh 156, Sydney nervous at the beginning,” said woes was a finger injury for M Marsh 101, Smith 83, Warner 56) katerina Makarova kept Makarova. skipper , his team’s last Australia’s Mitchell Marsh (R) celebrates by 210 runs Ecool in the fierce Australian With temperatures in major hope of staving off a 4-0 scoring his century with his brother Shaun heat to upset the French Open western Sydney well above series rout on Monday’s final Marsh (L) (Picture courtesy: AFP) champion and world number the 40 degrees Celsius mark, day of the Test. seven Jelena Ostapenko 7-6(3) some withdrawals might have Root was unbeaten on 42 at Mark Stoneman was leg hit the top of off-stump in the later edged Pat Cummins to 6-1 in the opening round of the been expected and local Ellen the close with before to Mitchell Starc off-spinner’s first over. Steve Smith at slip. Sydney International yesterday. Perez progressed when France’s 17. for a duck and lost a review Cook, who became during followed when Makarova, who reached the Kristina Mladenovic retired at Australia called a halt to in the process, and next ball his innings only the sixth Lyon trapped him leg before Australian Open semi-finals 6-4 4-2 down. their epic first innings at was put down batsman to score 12,000 Test wicket for five. after stunning Serena Williams German seventh seed Julia 649 for seven, and soon had at first slip by Shaun Marsh runs, finished the series with Shaun and Mitchell Marsh three years ago, rode an early Goerges also withdrew from England in trouble after the off Josh Hazlewood for five. 376 runs at 47. earlier became the third set of break for a 5-3 lead and, even the tournament citing a knee tourists had been cooked in But Cook’s reprieve did not James Vince survived a brothers to score centuries in though her Latvian opponent injury having won the Auckland the field for more than two last long and he was bowled for caught behind off Lyon on the same innings for Australia. got back to 5-5, raced away Classic earlier in the day. draining days. 10 when a sharp Lyon turner review on 15, but three runs (AFP) with the first set tiebreak. Venus Williams, Garbine Third seed Ostapenko, who Muguruza and Johanna Konta, also lost her opening match the reigning champion, are all India vs SA test: Rain delays start of day 3 in Shenzhen last week, put up also in a strong women’s field at a fierce fight at the start of Sydney’s Olympic Park. Cape Town the middle of a severe drought. been possible, but even as the 1030 local. the second set but faded after In the men’s draw, twice he entire third day of the The showers began on groundsmen were preparing to At present, South Africa are losing her first service game former champion Viktor Newlands Test was lost Saturday night and returned in peel the covers off, the weather 65 for 2 - leading India by 142 and Makarova moved on to Troicki went out in the first toT rain, although there might full force in the morning. turned. runs - with on face Barbora Strycova or Daria round 6-3 6-7(3) 7-5 at the not have been too many There were a brief few Days four and five will now 4 and nightwatchman Kagiso Kasatkina. hands of unorthodox Ukrainian people complaining as a result moments after lunch when it feature 98 overs each, but play Rabada on 2 at the crease. “It was first match of the Alexandr Dolgopolov. considering Cape Town is in seemed like play could have will begin at the usual time of (espncricinfo) season so of course I was (Reuters)