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p15_Layout 1 2/15/15 9:29 PM Page 1 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2015 SPORTS ‘Valdes must prove his worth’ Petkovic wins in Antwerp Uphill task for Kvitova LONDON: January signing Victor Valdes must earn his spurs in Manchester ANTWERP: Germany’s Andrea Petkovic won the WTA Diamond Games DUBAI: Petra Kvitova admits she still has much to improve upon as the two-time United’s reserve side before he can be considered for a full first-team debut, tournament yesterday when her final opponent Carla Suarez Navarro Wimbledon champion returns to competitive tennis this week for the first time according to manager Louis van Gaal. pulled out before the match with a neck injury. since her shock third-round loss to American teen Madison Keys at January’s The 33-year-old arrived at Old Trafford for a free transfer on an 18-month Petkovic’s victory is her sixth on the WTA Tour and will ensure she breaks Australian Open. Kvitova won Sydney’s Apia International ahead of that straight- deal in January having been the bedrock of a Barcelona side that won six La into the world top ten when the new rankings are released. “I woke up in sets defeat to 19-year-old Keys and had lauded the benefits of new fitness coach Liga titles and three Champions League trophies. the morning and I felt this pain in my neck,” said Suarez Navarro. “I went to Alex Stober’s gruelling pre-season training regime, but that pro- Valdes, however, has failed to displace incumbent David de Gea who the physio to get treatment and tried to play at 11:30, then had physio gramme proved insufficient against the big-hitting American in continues to impress in an inconsistent United side, and Van Gaal again and tried to play again at 2:15, and I just couldn’t serve. I couldn’t Melbourne. “I still have a lot of space to improve-it’s not like sud- had previously stated it would be ‘very hard’ for him to do so. The play like I wanted. So I had to pull out of this final. “I’m really sorry. I love denly I’m going to be the fittest ever, but I’m trying,” Kvitova, 24, 20-cap Spain international, who recovered from a serious knee this tournament and I had a great week. I really tried today.” told reporters at the Dubai Championships, which began yesterday. injury playing for Barcelona in March 2014, played for United’s For the 27-year-old Petkovic, it was her fourth title in ten months, as she “Alex is a physio as well, so he knows exactly what the body needs. I continues her return to form after a career-high ranking of world number reserves in a 2-1 win against Liverpool on Jan. 26. think that’s very important. I’m fitter and I think we still have a nine after reaching since reaching the quarter-finals at the US Open and Since then, however, Valdes has been an unused substi- lot of room to improve on everything-to be quicker on the Australian Open in 2011. court and more explosive.” Kvitova’s hopes of winning a second tute on the first-team bench for seven successive Injuries saw her slide down the rankings and outside the top 100 but a matches. “When you are out for more than a year, first Dubai title in three years were boosted by world number one strong 2014 season, including a run to the French Open semi-finals, shows Serena Williams’s late withdrawal due to illness and the Czech is of all you have to show yourself at a lower level,” Van she is back to her best. —AFP Gaal told reporters.—Reuters now second seed at the Aviation Club event. —Reuters NHL results/standings Ottawa 7, Edmonton 2; Montreal 2, Toronto 1 (SO); Winnipeg 5, Detroit 4 (SO); NY Islanders 6, Columbus 3; Nashville 3, New Jersey 1; Minnesota 6, Carolina 3; NY Rangers 5, Arizona 1; Colorado 4, Dallas 1; Calgary 3, Vancouver 2; Los Angeles 3, Washington 1. Western Conference Pacific Division W L OTL GF GA PTS Anaheim 35 14 7 166 155 77 San Jose 29 20 8 162 160 66 Vancouver 31 21 3 155 145 65 Calgary 31 22 3 162 144 65 Los Angeles 25 18 12 152 148 62 Arizona 20 30 7 129 189 47 Edmonton 16 32 9 131 191 41 CENTRAL DIVISION Nashville 38 12 6 170 131 82 St. Louis 36 15 4 176 136 76 Chicago 34 18 4 170 130 72 Winnipeg 29 19 10 160 153 68 Minnesota 28 20 7 153 149 63 Dallas 26 22 8 175 179 60 Colorado 23 22 11 144 159 57 EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION Montreal 36 15 4 148 123 76 Tampa Bay 34 17 6 184 154 74 Detroit 31 13 10 160 139 72 Boston 28 20 7 144 141 63 Florida 24 19 11 134 151 59 Ottawa 22 22 10 152 152 54 Toronto 23 29 5 160 175 51 Buffalo 16 36 3 103 191 35 METROPOLITAN DIVISION NY Islanders 37 18 1 179 156 75 Pittsburgh 32 15 8 160 139 72 NY Rangers 33 16 5 168 131 71 Washington 29 17 10 163 142 68 Philadelphia 23 22 10 149 161 56 Columbus 24 27 3 142 170 51 New Jersey 21 26 9 124 154 51 Carolina 19 28 7 120 147 45 Note: Overtime losses (OTL) are worth one point in the standings NASHVILLE: Predators center Craig Smith (right) celebrates with forward Mike Fisher (12) after Smith scored a goal in the third period of an NHL hockey game against the and are not included in the loss column (L). New Jersey Devils. —AP Predators roll, Rangers beat Coyotes NASHVILLE: Colin Wilson scored the Toronto, which is 0-11-2 in its last 13 home on Friday. Anton Forsberg tiebreaking goal on a tic-tac-toe play road games. Jonathan Bernier stopped stopped 40 shots as Columbus began with 3:27 left, leading Nashville to a 3- 31-of-32 shots through regulation and a five-game trip. 1 victory over the New Jersey Devils extra time. Nielsen put the Islanders ahead for on Saturday night for the Predators’ The Leafs took a first-period lead good when he converted Thomas fifth straight win. Craig Smith added for the first time in seven games when Hickey’s slap pass 1:54 into the third an insurance goal when he swatted a Winnik was left alone in the right circle for his first goal in 13 games. shot between Cory Schneider’s legs and beat Price at 11:19. Toronto’s with 2:21 left. Matt Cullen gave advantage lasted only 41 seconds, as KINGS 3, CAPITALS 1 Nashville a 1-0 lead in the first period the Canadiens tied it on a power play Trevor Lewis and Jarret Stoll scored before Steve Bernier’s power-play goal when Gallagher reached into the in the third period to lead Los Angeles. late in the second period tied it up for crease to put in Tomas Plekanec’s pass. Dwight King also scored to help the New Jersey. Pekka Rinne stopped 21 the defending Stanley Cup champion shots for the Predators, who lead the WILD 6, HURRICANES 3 Kings win their fourth straight, their NHL with 82 points and improved to Thomas Vanek had two goals and longest streak since a six-game stretch 24-3-1 at home. Rinne, 14-1-1 in his an assist, and Devan Dubnyk stopped that followed season-opening losses last 16 games, leads the NHL with 33 24 shots to lift surging Minnesota. The to San Jose and Arizona. Jonathan wins. The Devils lost their fourth Wild nearly blew a three-goal lead Quick made 27 saves. Alex Ovechkin straight. during a sloppy second period, but scored for the Capitals, his 34th goal of Dubnyk helped the league’s fourth- the season and 456th of his career. RANGERS 5, COYOTES 1 best penalty kill unit stymie a four- That tied Detroit Red Wings great Alex Rick Nash scored his NHL-best 35th minute power play to prevent Carolina Delvecchip for 54th place on the all- goal early in a four-goal third period, from tying it. Erik Haula added a goal time list. and New York gave coach Alain in the third for some insurance; Jordan The Capitals lost to the Kings for Vigneault his 500th career win. Cam Schroeder, Nate Prosser and Zach the eighth time in their last nine meet- Talbot made 34 saves, including on Parise also scored the Wild, who have ings with the exception being a 4-0 Tobias Rieder’s third-period penalty won eight of nine. Andrej Nestrasil, win on Feb. 3 at Washington. Braden Bonhomme triumphs in Abu Dhabi shot, in the Rangers’ third straight win. Jeff Skinner and Elias Lindholm scored Holtby stopped 27 shots for the Vigneault became the 21st coach in for Carolina, and Anton Khudobin fin- Capitals. league history to reach the milestone, ished with 18 saves. Carolina lost its at Red Bull Air Race season opener coming in his second season with the second straight game, missing a FLAMES 3, CANUCKS 2 Rangers. Chris Kreider, Marc Staal and chance to win three of four. Sean Monahan scored twice and ABU DHABI: Hitting top speeds of 370 and enthusiastic motorsport fans, host- Results: 1. Paul Bonhomme (GBR), 2. Lee Stempniak also scored for the Minnesota, meanwhile, extended its Lance Bouma got the tiebreaker early km/h while flying just above the ed the Red Bull Race World Matt Hall (AUS), 3.