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SPORT Saturday 10 December 2016 PAGE | 22 PAGE | 23 Real Madrid eye Vijay leads Indiaa rrecorde back where to a strong startt inin itit began for Zidane Mumbai Test Ovtcharov keeps European hopes alive The Peninsula ITTF World Tour Romain Ruiz (11-6, 11-6, 11-6, 11-8). sia very much in the I think I was a step Comprehensive wins; it was ascendancy at the above my recent somewhat the same for Japan’s Seamaster Qatar matches but still Yui Hamamoto and Hina Hay- 2016 ITTF World some way below my ata in the Women’s Doubles Tour Grand Finals in best. Certainly I felt event but not for Hong Kong’s DohaA yesterday and it was left to confident against Doo Hoi Kem and Lee Ho Ching. Dimitrij Ovtcharov of Germany Tang Peng Yui Hamamoto and Hina to keep European hopes alive in Hayata overcame Russia’s Maria the Men’s Singles Dolgikh and Polina Mikhailova The 28 year duly obliged; the Fan Zhendong, I’ve not played in five games (11-7, 9-11, 11-9, no.8 seed, he accounted for Hong against him a great deal but I 11-7, 11-7); Doo Hoi Kem and Lee Kong’s Tang Peng, the no.14 seed, practised with him for over an Ho Ching needed the full seven in five games (11-9, 11-5, 13-15, hour this morning”, Dimitrij games to end the hopes of Chi- 14-12, 11-6) to reserve his place Ovtcharov. nese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching and in the quarter-finals. Success for Ovtcharov and Huang Yi-Hua (11-8, 11-8, 11-9, Success and it was success that was very much the scenario 5-11, 9-11, 9-11, 11-4). as predicted, the two had met on as the first round Men’s Singles At the semi-final stage of eight previous occasions on the matches concluded. the Men’s Doubles event Masa- international scene, Peng had Chinese excellence was very taka Morizono and Yuya won just once; in 2006, a dec- much in evidence as Fan Zhen- Oshima meet Hong Kong’s Ho ade ago when Ovtcharov was a dong, the no.2 seed accounted Chuang Chih Yuan of Taiwan in action during the Seamaster Qatar 2016 ITTF World Tour Grand Kwan Kit and Tang Peng; Alexei teenager, he had prevailed at the for Japan’s Koki Niwa, the no.15 Finals in Doha yesterday. Pic by: Baher Amin/The Peninsula Liventsov and Mikhail Paikov ITTF World Tour Kuwait Open. seed (11-6, 11-7, 11-7, 9-11, 11-4) face Korea’s Jeoung Youngsik “I’m very satisfied with how and Xu Xin, the no.3 seed, and Lee Sangsu. I played; my focus was better defeated Chinese Taipei’s Chen He beat Japan’s Yuya Oshima, the Wong Chun Ting, Chuang Chih- conclusion. In the Men’s Doubles Intriguing contests, it is the than in recent matches, I think I Chien-An, the no.11 seed (11-8, no.13 seed, in six games (11-8, Yuan opposes Korea’s Jeoung event Russia’s Alexei Liventsov same in the Women’s Doubles was a step above my recent 11-11, 11-6, 11-8). 11-7, 10-12, 4-11, 11-4, 11-9). Youngsik. and Mikhail Paikov beat Bel- event. Doo Hoi Kem and Lee Ho matches but still some way Impressive performances, it At the quarter-final stage, in Meanwhile, as play con- gium’s Robin Devos and Cédric Ching play Korea’s Jeon Jihee and below my best. Certainly I felt was the somewhat the same addition to Fan Zhendong meet- cluded in the first round of the Nuytinck (11-7, 11-7, 11-4, 11-9); Yang Haeun. Yui Hamamoto and confident against Tang Peng, I although a little more hard ing Dimitrij Ovtcharov, Xu Xin Men’s Singles event; so the quar- Japan’s Masataka Morizono and Hina Hayata meet colleagues have a good record against him earned for Chuang Chih-Yuan, opposes Yuto Muramatsu; in the ter-finals of both the Men’s Yuya Oshima, the defending Honoka Hashimoto and Hitomi and maybe he doesn’t feel too the no.5 seed and like Chien opposite half of the draw China’s Doubles and Women’s Doubles champions, overcame the French Sato; thus a Japanese finalist is confident playing me. Now it’s Chen-An from Chinese Taipei. Ma Long meets Hong Kong’s competitions came to a pairing of Antoine Hachard and guaranteed. Bowling: Agerbo, Kulick strike gold in Doha The Peninsula 2012, defeated 2016 PWBA Rookie featured three USA vs. Singapore Jesper Agerbo (left) of the Year New Hui Fen of Singa- matches. Fourth-seeded New, who of Denmark and esper Agerbo of Denmark and pore, 214-195, to successfully defend won the season-ending Smithfield Kelly Kulick, United defending women’s champion her title. PWBA Tour Championship for her States, winners JKelly Kulick, United States, struck In the semifinals, Agerbo, who first career PWBA title and the first of the World gold in the World Singles Champi- won three gold medals at the 2016 major, edged top-seeded world Singles Bowling onships which concluded here European Championships (singles, champion Shannon Pluhowsky, Championships in yesterday with the knock-out finals trios and all-events), eliminated No. 238-237, to advance to the title Doha yesterday. at Qatar Bowling Center in Doha. 4 seed, Joonas Jähi of Finland, 234- match. Along with the gold medal, 168. Jähi won two gold medals at the Second-seeded Kulick, who Agerbo and Kulick received $8,000 2016 European Championships made sports history by winning the and $6,000 prize money bonuses, (doubles and team) and finished sec- 2010 PBA Tournament of Champi- respectively. ond to Agerbo in all-events. ons to become the first woman to Agerbo, a seven-time European In the other match, Ismail side- win a PBA Tour event, eliminated champion, flew past 19-year-old lined three-time Asian champion New’s team mate and No. 3 seed, Rafiq Ismail (of Malaysia, 256-205, Michael Mak of Hong Kong, 235- Shayna Ng, 216-172, in the other to seal the victory. 224. Ismail received the silver medal semifinal match. PWBA spokesperson Kulick, while Mak and Jähi both got a New earned the silver medal who won the inaugural World Sin- bronze medal. while Pluhowsky and Ng shared the gles Championships in Cyprus in The women’s medal round bronze medal. 2016 Qatar Fencing Grand Prix begins at Aspire Zone Action from the 2016 Qatar Fencing Grand Prix at the Aspire Zone yesterday. The competitions is held for both men and women. The four-day event is bringing together elite fencers representing different countries from across the world including Italy, Hungary, Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria, Poland, Russia, United States of America and hosts Qatar. Around 220 fencers representing 40 countries are competing in this prestigious fencing event. The Qatar Fencing Federation (QFF) has been organizing the Grand Prix since 2005 under the supervision of the Federation Internationale D’Escrime (FIE). SPORT 10 DECEMBER 2016 SATURDAY 21 Joshua eyes Klitschko prize Willett roars back into form in Molina bout Hong Kong World Cup of Golf in Melbourne rolled to within a foot of the flag. AFP last month. He also missed the "Fooch (caddie Mark Manchester British Masters in October with Futcher), pulled a good club for AFP S Masters champion the injury. once, so that was good," he Danny Willett roared "After DP World (DP World joked. orld heavyweight Uback to form at the Hong Tour Championship) we obvi- Rose is low on match prac- champion Anthony Kong Open yesterday after hit- ously took a couple of weeks off tice, having pulled out of the WJoshua fights Eric ting a four under par 66 in the because of the back and rested Hero World Challenge last week Molina on Saturday, but all second round to challenge for it well," he said. with a sore back. the talk this week has been the leadership at the halfway "I came out here probably The tournament was meant about who the Briton could stage. as fresh as I've been for a month to have been his comeback fight next. The Englishman admitted he and a half." event after taking a seven-week Joshua's second defence was relieved with his perform- He added: "It's probably break to recover from the injury. of his IBF world crown might ance in the opening tournament showed mentally more than He told reporters he was not be generating as much of the 2017 European Tour, fol- anything. The frustrations -- moving more freely on the excitement and anticipation lowing an end-of-season slump even when I hit bad shots I've course Friday after admitting he as his previous fights, but that saw him drop out of the top not let it get to me as much as I had trouble retrieving the balls much is on the line. 10 world rankings. probably did in the previous from the holes on Thursday -- Should he prevail, Joshua After shooting a two under couple of months." but said he was still missing will be set to face former in the first round he moved up Sizeable crowds followed some putts. world champion Wladimir the leaderboard Friday despite Willett round the Fanling course Klitschko in a 2017 mega- starting with a bogey, hitting a Friday but his compatriot Justin HONG KONG OPEN SCORES fight and he must therefore series of birdies. Rose, the biggest draw at the $2 ensure nothing upsets those Hong Kong: Leading scores after the second "It's nice to be in this posi- million tournament, did not round of the Hong Kong Open on Thursday at plans against American tion after the last few months," enjoy such a strong morning.