SPORT Friday 24 November 2017

PAGE | 21 PAGE | 23 PAGE | 23 Hamilton eyes win ass Davis soars, AshesA debutant Vince chasing pack hunts forfoor Spieth falters in stars on ‘evenly points in Abu Dhabi Australian wind poised’ first day Al Hasawi rides Dennis to glory

Chinthana Wasala their money, he said: “But I gave Qatari rider Rakan Al Hasawai The Peninsula youngsters a chance to go ahead of me today. Hopefully I should go guides his nine-year-old gelding romising Qatari rider on to win the Grand Prix. Dennis over an obstacle during Rakan Al Hasawai Earlier, in the 130/135cm event, the 145cm event on the opening guided his nine-year-old Salmeen Sultan Al Suwaidi guided day of QNB Al Rayyan International gelding Dennis to a flaw- Guilder’s Empire Of The Sun to an Show Jumping Champions at QEF’s less routine to bag the easy win in 59.86 seconds to win Outdoor Arena yesterday. Pbiggest prize of the day, €6,150 as €2,000 in prize money. S I E C the prestigious QNB Al Rayyan Lonnie, with promising rider International Show Jumping Hamad Nasser Al Qadi in the sad- Championships got off to a flying dle, finished the round in 60.80 start at the Qatar Equestrian Fed- seconds to bag a cheque worth eration’s (QEF’s) Outdoor Arena €1,600. Siec Cosmos Wijngaard- yesterday. hoeve Z, ridden by Mubarak The Al Hasawi-Dennis combi- Yousuf Al Rumaihi, was the third nation proved to be perfect as they fastest in 62.21 seconds and completed the round in 34.26 sec- walked away with a cash award onds to win the feature event of of €1,200. the opening day, 145cm event. The opening event of the Jubilant Al Hasawi, after his championship saw Wyarietus S, win yesterday, seemed pleased to ridden by Uzbekistan’s Azam have bounced back after ‘some Tolibbaev bagging top honours unlucky rounds’ last week. after an error-less ride which “It’s a good win. We’ve been lasted 29.32 seconds. Qatar’s Obaid having some unlucky rounds the Ali Al Sanari guided Quentin to last week, but this seems like a complete the routine in 30.83 sec- good beginning to the weekend onds while Colijn, with here. All the best to the other rid- Uzbekistan’s Okil Sobirjonov in the ers too and I hope to get some saddle, finished the round in 31.44 more favourable results,” Al seconds to book the remaining slot Hasawi said. on the podium. Cheril, ridden by Ali Al Kho- Today is the second day of the rafi, clocked the second fastest event which is organised by the time of 34.91 seconds to bag a prize Qatar Equestrian Federation. cheque worth €4,920. Al Khorafi is having a wonderful season fol- Qatari rider QNB Al Rayyan International Show Jumping Championship: Results lowing his podium finish in the Salmeen Sultan Al feature event of last week’s QNB Suwaidi guides (Class. 1) Table A, Two phases FEI Art. 274.5.3 - Max. 120cm Qatar International Show Jump- Guilder’s Empire ing Championships. The Al Khorafi Rank Horse Rider 1st Phase 2nd Phase Prize Money Of The Sun over an – Cheril duo was faster than Qual- 1 Wyarietus S Azam Tolibbaev 43.98 secs. 29.32 secs. €1,400 obstacle during the idam, ridden by seasoned Russian 2 Quentin Obaid Ali Al Sanari 44.38 secs. 30.83 secs. €1,120 130/135cm event. rider Vladimir Tuganov who took 3 Colijn Okil Sobirjonov 48.33 secs. 31.44 secs. €840 35.11 seconds to finish the routine. (Class. 2) Table A, Against the clock FEI Art. 238.2.1 - Max. 130/135cm Tuganov, who won €3,690 in Rank Horse Rider Time Prize Money prize money, said that he saved his 1 Guilder’s Empire Of The Sun Salmeen Sultan Al Suwaidi 59.86 secs. €2,000 best for the final day of the cham- 2 S I E C Lonnie Hamad Nasser Al Qadi 60.80 secs. €1,600 pionship and that he is targeting 3 Siec Cosmos Wijngaardhoeve Z Mubarak Yousuf Al Rumaihi 62.21 secs. €1,200 the biggest prize. (Class. 3) Table A, Special Two Phases FEI Art. 274.5.6 - Max. 145cm “I rode quite cautiously today Rank Horse Rider 1st Phase 2nd Phase Prize Money because I want to reserve my best for tomorrow and the final day for 1 Dennis Rakan Al Hasawi 49.71 secs. 34.26 secs. €6,150 the Grand Prix event,” Tuganov 2 Cheril Ali Al Khorafi 49.86 secs. 34.91 secs. €4,920 said. 3 Qualidam Vladimir Tuganov 49.44 secs. 35.11 secs. €3,690 On giving youngsters a run for

The Peninsula supporting its growth to become Doha ready for Ride of Champions a landmark, home-grown mass ore than 1,100 riders will participation sports event.” take part in the main Mohammed Fakhroo, Com- Mevent of this year’s Ride munity Outreach Director, Qatar of Champions, organisers Foundation, commented: “We announced yesterday. look forward to welcoming all Qatar Cyclists and present- Ride of Champions participants ing partner Qatar Tourism to Education City this weekend. Authority (QTA) also said that This event is in line with our the main family-friendly commitment to promoting an cycling event taking place today active and healthy lifestyle at Qatar Foundation’s (QF’s) throughout the wider commu- Education City has sold out nity. The diversity of participants online. registered for the event also The main event of the day is reflects the multicultural envi- set to be even bigger than the ronment that makes up our inaugural edition of the Ride of community at Education City Champions event, which was every day.” held as part of the UCI Road In the interest of public Cycling World Championships safety, certain roads within Edu- last year. cation City will be closed to The morning event will be motor vehicles today between held at Education City today. starts at 9am for families, begin- 5.8km loop, in the beautiful around Oxygen Park, under the of the event’s entrants are 8am and 11am. Latest road clo- Ride of Champions is one of ners and riders new to the sport environment around Qatar supervision of their parents or Qatari.” sure updates will be available the largest mass participation at Qatar Foundation. All events Foundation and Al Shaqab Ara- guardians. Rashed Al Qurese, Chief on QF and ROC’s social media sports events in Qatar, with more are based out of Qatar Founda- bian horse breeding area. Riders Dr. Abdulaziz Al Kuwari, Marketing and Promotions channels. than 57 nationalities tion’s spectacular ceremonial can complete as many loops as President, Qatar Cyclists, com- Officer, QTA, said: “More than Ride of Champions is pre- represented. court, with a live music, farm- they would like from 9am to mented: “It’s wonderful that being a sports event, Ride of sented by QTA and the event The 2017 event includes er’s market, food stands, bike 11:00am. we’ve managed to capture the Champions is an invitation for partners include Qatar Cyclists, three events starting at 6.30am shops with mechanics, sponsors Additionally, there will be imagination of so many new residents and visitors to go out, the Ministry of Culture and (48km, 78km and 137.5km) for and more. kids’ events for the under cyclists. I look forward to wel- explore, and enjoy different Sports, Qatar Cycling Federa- experienced adult cyclists This festival of cycling is 8-year-old boys and girls who coming them to the event on aspects of Qatar’s culture and tion, QF, Ooredoo, Rayyan departing from Qatar Founda- aimed at the riders that wants would like to ride in Qatar Friday. Cycling is a relatively nature in the pleasant winter Water, and GMC. Supporting tion and heading towards Al to participate as a family, young Foundation’s Oxygen Park. Kids young sport in Qatar, and it weather. Through QTA’s two- entities include Garmin, Rasen Shahaniya and back. riders or riders new to the sport will be able to ride and compete makes us particularly proud to year partnership with Ride of Sports, Carbon Wheels, Al A further festival of cycling of cycling. They will cycle a against each other in short races see that more than 10 percent Champions, we look forward to Shaqab and Adidas Eyewear. SPORT FRIDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2017 21 E mery focused on Qatar eye FIBA World Cup Bayern as PSG berth as qualifiers begin pile up records

Paris Chinthana Wasala Qatar Squad AFP The Peninsula Yehia Abdelhaleem, Khalid Suliman Abdi, Abdulrahim aris Saint-Germain coach atar will be looking to excel in Ashraf Abu Issa, Faisal Nabil Abu Issa, Mansour El Ha- Unai Emery urged his He (Neymar) was front of home crowd and get dary, Clinton Johnson, Mohamed Hassan Mohamed, Pteam to stay focused on extraordinary. There their FIBA 2019 World Cup Tanguy Ngombo, Yassin Mahdi Taha, Abdulrahman completing an impressive Asian Zone qualifiers off to a Saad, Ahmad Al Darwish, Malek Saleem Abdullah, Champions League group cam- were a few matches Qflying start when they take on Abdulrahman Al Muftah, Ali Saeed Erfan, Mohd Yousuf paign after an “extraordinary” where he stopped Kazakhstan at Ali bin Hamad Al Attiyah Mohmmed, Khalid Abdalla Adam, Omer Salem, Mo- Neymar led a record-breaking playing for different Arena today. hamed Abdelkawy, Raslan Rashid Al Abdulla, Abdual- win over Celtic on reasons but when The Group D fixture kicks off at lah Shaher Matalkeh, Nasser Al Rayes Wednesday. 6.00pm. PSG came from behind to he is in form Al Annabi, under the guidance of slaughter the Scottish side 7-1 at physically and his their newly appointed head coach Tim the Al Gharafa SC indoor courts over the a Parc des Princes in thrall to the mentality is right, he Lewis, will compete against Kazakhstan, past few days with the aim of sharpen- Brazilian, who scored twice after can play: Emery Iran and Iraq in the group. ing their skills ahead of the key matches. Moussa Dembele had put Celtic The Qatari outfit is equipped with a The 50-year-old Briton, Lewis who ahead. host of star players, including one of the has had stints in the USA, Egypt, Japan, Edinson Cavani also netted brightest young stars in , Abdulrah- Thailand and the Philippines, said he was a brace, while Kylian Mbappe, man Saad. The 21-year-old guard has impressed with the skills of the Marco Verratti and Dani Alves already made an impact, having led the players. got the French club’s other goals season, which came after Paris national team with 20 points, 6.3 “The team is an exciting group and to take them to a group-stage had won the first leg 4-0. rebounds and 2.0 steals per game at the you have a good mix of the old and the record tally of 24 with one But he said: “Bayern are Asia Cup. He has been under the radar young. We have got a couple of injuries, Group B match still to play. capable of it. It will be a good of opponents since he entered the fray which is a bit of a setback at the moment. Wednesday’s win was also test. They are among the sides during the FIBA U18 Asia Championship Hopefully, they will come through it PSG’s biggest ever in the com- who could win the Champions 2014. soon. We just had the first session and petition, seeing off the previous League.” Al Rayyan’s Mohamed Hassan the players responded well,” Coach best performance, a 7-2 win With Neymar back on song Mohamed, also known as Mizo Amin, Lewis was quoted as saying during an against Rosenborg in October after a dip in form over the last who was the top scorer at last year’s interview with the Qatar Fed- 2000 when it was a 21-year-old six weeks, PSG can head to FIBA Asia Challenge in , is another eration’s official web site. Nicolas Anelka scoring twice. Monaco in confident mood this player who is expected to shine for Al In their next match of the qualifica- Qualification for the last 16 weekend knowing a win will Annabi today. tion stage, Qatar will shake hands with was already assured before this move them nine points clear of Al Annabi also boasts of having ex- mighty Asian runners-up Iran in Tehran round of games, and Bayern the reigning champions a the top NBA stars in their ranks. Former Dallas on Monday. Munich’s 2-1 win at Anderlecht of Ligue 1. Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers star “Our main aim will be to play well. means the Germans could yet “He was extraordinary. Tanguy Ngombo and Clinton Johnson We will try and push Iran and other two snatch top spot from Paris with There were a few matches who has played for Cleveland Cavaliers, teams, but whether we are ready to do the sides meeting next month. where he stopped playing for the Toronto Raptors and the Los Ange- that yet, only time can tell. It is too early But to do that Bayern would different reasons but when he is les Lakers will also be among the players for us to sort of say where we are and need to win at the Allianz Arena in form physically and his men- their opponents will watch out for. what we can do. We are approaching it by a bigger margin than their tality is right, he can play,” Impressive performances can be the right way and the players need to 3-0 defeat in Paris in Septem- Emery said. expected from players such as Yehia commit to what we can do,” Lewis has ber, something that seems highly Neymar enjoys playing Abdelhaleem, Khalid Suliman Abdi, said during an interview recently. unlikely. against Celtic and has now Abdulrahim Ashraf Abu Issa, Faisal Nabil Qatar’s first round campaign in the “The objective is to be first scored seven times against the Abu Issa, Mansour El Hadary, Yassin tournament, played on a home-away in the group and we are not Scottish side, one of which came Mahdi Taha, Abdulrahman Saad and format, will end in February, 2018 with there yet. We still have to play in Barcelona’s 7-0 win last sea- Ahmad Al Darwish as the former Arab a game against Iraq. against Bayern and we have the son. That remains Celtic’s champions will be no easy kill for the The World Cup qualification of the advantage of the 3-0, but it will biggest European defeat, but this visitors. Asia Zone will determine the six teams be a great match and a very dif- was another humbling loss for Al Annabi players have been under- from FIBA Asia and/or FIBA Oceania that ficult one,” said Emery. Brendan Rodgers’s side after going intensified training under the will participate at the 2019 FIBA World The Spanish coach played they suffered their heaviest watchful eyes of their British coach at Cup. down any fears of an embarrass- home loss in continental com- ing result similar to their 6-1 loss petition to PSG in September, in Barcelona in the last 16 last losing 5-0. Hamilton eyes win as chasing pack hunts for points in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi and Mercedes their fourth consecutive we have made in understanding our dif- He goes into the weekend with a 22-point decided, the leading drivers may well also AFP constructors’ championship, but team ficulties this year. advantage ahead of Hamilton’s Mercedes be challenged by their team-mates Bot- chief Toto Wolff said the team are deter- “But we have not been on the top step team-mate Valtteri Bottas. tas, Kimi Raikkonen and Daniel ewis Hamilton and his Mercedes mined to win in Abu Dhabi for the fourth of the podium since winning in Austin And Verstappen, buoyed by high Ricciardo. team will be aiming to end an year in succession. and we are determined to change that in praise from Mercedes executive chair- While they scrap at the front, it will Lalready-triumphant season on a “Regardless of what stands in the tro- Abu Dhabi.” man Niki Lauda, will be a threat as he lower down the field that some of the high while the chasing pack scrap for phy cabinets back at base, our focus is Hamilton was the victor in Texas a seeks a third win of the season. Three- most ferocious battles are likely to take points, positions and prize money at this always on the next race and the next month ago and, like his team boss, wants time champion Lauda last week place. The Toro Rosso, Renault and Haas weekend’s season-ending Abu Dhabi championship,” he said. to end his season strongly with a 10th described the 20-year-old Dutchman as teams are separated by six points, and Grand Prix. “Our goal in Abu Dhabi is quite sim- victory this year. “I’m going to give it eve- the best young driver to enter F1. an estimated payout of around $12 mil- Much more than pride will be at stake ple: to give the best of ourselves, to rything in Abu Dhabi,” said the Briton, “In all my many years in motor rac- lion (10.2 million euros), in sixth, seventh for the middle and lower order teams, as extract the maximum from our ‘diva’ in who has seen rivals Max Verstappen of ing, Max is the most fantastic young and eighth places in the championship. they seek to finish strongly and boost her final race and to win. Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel of Ferrari driver I’ve ever seen, no doubt,” said The final race of 2017 may also prove their 2018 budgets, in the twilight show- “We saw promising pace in both win the last two contests. Lauda. “He impresses me - he is aggres- the final event with fully open cockpits down at the Yas Marina circuit. Mexico and Brazil, circuits where we had Vettel will also be keen to impress sive and fast. The only thing I would tell on the cars before next year’s planned Hamilton has already wrapped up expected to struggle more than we did, again and clinch second place behind him is to keep his feet on the ground.” introduction of a ‘halo’ closed cockpit his fourth drivers’ world title and this is a positive sign of the progress Hamilton in the drivers’ championship. While the championship is already protection system. Wesley out to defend title as Lions Rugby fiesta kicks off

Chinthana Wasala Trinity, Mahanama, Royal etc. “It is with great delight the The Peninsula The teams include some of lions will hold the seventh edi- the best ruggerites Sri Lanka has tion of the Lions Touch Sevens in ugby fans in Doha will be ever produced, including former collaboration with Qatar Touch. in for a treat when the sev- Sri Lanka national and club We are proud of our existence Renth edition of Lions Sri rugby players. Isipathana Col- that started so humbly and con- Lankan Schools 7’s Touch Rugby lege team boasts of securing the tinues to thrive and develop year Tournament will be held today services of star players such as after year,” Nimo Amit, Lions RFC at the Doha Rugby Football Club Asoka Gunawardena, Udaya Doha President said. grounds from 8.00am onwards. Kumar and Janith Kukulegama The event will also be a fun The much-anticipated Sri while Peterites include two filled family day out for the entire Lankan community rugby event former Sri Lanka national play- family which will include kids sees 16 teams, including 12 ers as well as two who have play area, games, bouncing cas- schools old boys’ teams and four played for Qatar national team. tles, slides, Sri Lankan products Tournament officials and team captains pose for a photograph during the draw ceremony. Qatari teams competing. All the competing teams come stall and many more. Wesley College, champions from highly recognised schools This year’s event is spon- for the past four years, will be in the rugby scene in Sri Lanka, The tournament’s official while each group includes invi- The tournament is organized sored by Vodafone, Sports looking to maintain their who are among the top five in draw was held at City Centre tational clubs with a motive to by Lions Rugby Football Club corner, Oliexec, Sri Lankan Air- supremacy during this year’s Asia in rankings. Rotana Hotel, Doha with the develop and promote touch (RFC) Doha in collaboration with lines, Total sports, Sampath tournament, but will face stiff The Qatari teams competing presence of participating team rugby game in Qatar. Qatar Touch and the organisers bank, Al Rayyan Water, Well on opposition from strong teams in the tournament are French captains and organizing commit- The matches will be expect this year’s event to be restaurant, Bloomsbury resort, in the calibre of St Anthoney’s Frogs, Pirates RFC, Doha Warri- tee members. The teams have streamed live on www.thepa- much superior to the previous Deluxe travels, Puncha’s Rent a College, St. Peter’s Isipathana, ors and Sherborne School. been divided into four groups pare.com. editions. Car and www.thepapare.com. 22 SPORT FRIDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2017 FRIDAY 24 NOVEMBER 2017 SPORT 23

South African Ashes debutant Vince stars hits record 490 off 151 deliveries

Johannesburg on ‘evenly poised’ first day AFP hane Dadswell, a South Afri- Brisbane that neither could go on to post can student, has set what is England’s James Reuters bigger scores. believed to be a cricket Vince plays a shot S Stoneman was bowled four record by smashing 490 not out ustralia fought back balls short of the relief of tea, off Australia’s Josh in a limited-overs club match. with two late wick- The first hour while Vince was out making a Hazlewood on the first Dadswell, a second-year ets to restrict tomorrow (today) needless dash for a single. day of the first Test business psychology student at England to 196 for Vince’s wicket seemed like of the Ashes series in Potchefstroom University, four and leave the will dictate how a turning point and though Brisbane, yesterday. slammed 57 sixes and 27 fours AshesA series-opener delicately Root dug in for 50 balls, he was in a 151-ball innings on his 20th the rest of the day poised yesterday after the tour- out lbw by a scorching deliv- birthday. ists’ unheralded batsmen goes and if we ery from Cummins, the wicket He was playing for the uni- threatened to dominate an can get through awarded after home captain versity team against intriguing first day. Steve Smith demanded a Potchefstroom Town in a Ashes debutants Mark that without too review of Marais Erasmus’s not 50-over league match at the Stoneman and James Vince had much damage and out decision. Witrand ground, which has frustrated Australia’s vaunted Australia lost a review in staged first-class matches. pace attack with a 125-run Mo (Moeen) can the final over trying to remove The highest previous record partnership on a surprisingly score quickly, Malan lbw off paceman Mitch- score in a limited-overs match slow Gabba wicket but seamer Jonny (Bairstow) ell Starc before play was halted is believed to be 486 by S San- Pat Cummins hauled the home due to poor light. ruth Sriram in an Indian side back into the game. has to come in: Vince, England’s surprise under-16 school match in 2014. The young paceman broke James Vince selection at number three, ‘Minor’ cricket is regarded as the stand by bowling Stoneman brought up his maiden 50 in his matches played below first-class, for 53 in the last over before eighth Test, having never List A or international level. tea, then returned to capture before surpassed 42 in his pre- Dadswell, who attended King England captain Joe Root lbw vious seven matches. Edward VII School in Johannes- for 15 in the final session. “The first hour tomorrow burg, which produced players In between, off-spinner 83 after the batsman had put (today) will dictate how the rest like former South African cap- Nathan Lyon denied Vince a in nearly four hours of pain- of the day goes and if we can tain Graeme Smith and current potentially career-defining staking graft. get through that without too star Quinton de Kock, has played century with a brilliant piece Rookie batsman Dawid much damage and Mo (Moeen) provincial cricket at age-group of fielding, running him out for Malan did well to negotiate a can score quickly, Jonny level. nervy finish and was 28 not out (Bairstow) has to come in,” He hit 126 off 38 balls in a club SCOREBOARD: FIRST TEST at stumps, with all-rounder Vince told reporters. match a week earlier and could Moeen Ali unbeaten on 13 at the “The more overs their take a step up to senior provincial England first innings other end. bowlers bowl then the easier level as he has trained with the A. Cook c Handscomb b Starc ------2 M Stoneman b Cummins ------53 “I think it’s pretty evenly the scoring will become.” nicked Lyon behind on 68. pace and movement for much first-class North West team. J. Vince run out (Lyon) ------83 poised,” Cummins, who took Stoneman raised his half- Not even the first-choice of the day. “You dream about a double J. Root lbw b Cummins ------15 2-59 on his first day of Test century with a streaky edge off keeper for his home state Tas- The exception was a peach hundred, so to get 400-odd is a D. Malan not out ------28 cricket on home soil, told Cummins, the ball falling short mania, Paine had taken state of a delivery from Starc in the really special moment. It’s phe- M. Ali not out ------13 reporters. of second slip before racing off team mate Matthew Wade’s morning which removed nomenal, the best day of my life,” Extras (b1, nb1) ------2 “Obviously they batted the for two, leaving fielder Peter place in the Test squad in a Alastair Cook for two, kissing he said. Total (4 wickets; 80.3 overs) 196 whole day but didn’t really get Handscomb pounding the turf controversial selection, and the the outside edge on the way to Dadswell’s record is well Fall of wickets: 1-2 (Cook), 2-127 (Stoneman), 3-145 (Vince), 4-163 (Root) away from us.” in frustration. miss saw his captain fling his Handscomb in the slips. short of the 1009 not out scored To bat: J. Bairstow, C. Woakes, S. Broad, J. Ball, J. Having won the toss, Eng- Worse was to come for the head back in exasperation. Smith earlier confirmed by Pranav Dhanawade in a Anderson land would have been buoyed hosts in the following over as While the pitch started with opener David Warner and school match in Mumbai, India,

Bowling: Starc 19.3-4-45-1 (1nb), Hazlewood by the performance of rookies recalled wicketkeeper Tim a green tinge, Smith said he, Shaun Marsh would play after in 2016, but Dhanawade was not 18-4-51-0, Cummins 19-6-59-2, Lyon 24-9-40-0 Vince and Stoneman but tem- Paine, in his first Test for seven too, would have batted first as they suffered neck and back playing in a limited-overs game. pered by the disappointment years, dropped Vince when he his fast men laboured to extract strains in recent days. France’s strength in depth gives them the edge over Belgium

Paris Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and doubles in the 27,500-seater against Switzerland -- but this Reuters Lucas Pouille will spearhead Pierre Mauroy Stadium. time enter the event with the the French challenge from Fri- “I think the French team are odds on their side. France’s rance’s strength in depth day with the doubles pair for the favourite,” Belgium captain “We’re looking to write our Jo-Wilfried makes them the favour- Saturday likely to be formed by Johan Van Herck said. piece of history. As the French Tsonga (left) F ites for this week’s Davis specialists Julien Benneteau “They play at home so for team, we’ve won before but it poses with Cup final against Belgium, who and Nicolas Mahut. me they are the favourites. But was a long time ago,” said cap- Belgium’s Steve will need David Goffin to be at Pierre-Hugues Herbert, we are a good Davis Cup team, tain Yannick Noah, who Darcis ahead his very best to stand a chance who won the doubles titles at we are going to challenge them. skippered his country to Davis of the Davis in the three-day showdown in the 2015 US Open and at Wim- I think it will be a very interest- Cup titles in 1991 and 1996. Cup World Lille. bledon in 2016 with Mahut, has ing tie but they will start as “Now we’re preparing to do Group final in Belgium, seeking their first been suffering from back pains favourites.” our own with this team. This is Villeneuve- title, will be led by world and could start as a Belgium reached the final what we’re looking for.” number seven Goffin, who beat replacement. in 2015 but were beaten by Tsonga and Pouille go into d’Ascq, Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer Steve Darcis and Goffin will Britain. the event in fine form. Pouille yesterday. at the ATP Finals last week, but play the singles for Belgium, France lost the 2002, 2010 beat Tsonga in the Vienna Open nine-time champions France with Ruben Bemelmans and and 2014 finals -- the last time final last month, after Tsonga seem better armed. Arthur De Greef set to play the in the very same stadium won the Antwerp Open.

Davis soars, Spieth falters in Australian wind Miami Heat end Boston

Sydney Day, playing his home Open Jordan Spieth of the US hits out of a Celtics’ winning streak Reuters for the first time since 2013, also bunker during the first round of the had an early start and carded a Australian Open at the Australian Golf Club Los Angeles NBA RESULTS oung local Cameron Davis five-under 66 for a share of AFP course in Sydney yesterday. Milwaukee 113 Phoenix 107 upstaged Jordan Spieth third, but defending champion Utah 110 Chicago 80 and Jason Day by shoot- Spieth struggled to a one-under he Boston Celtics’ 16-game Y Houston 125 Denver 95 ing an eight-under-par 63 in 70 in the afternoon wind. winning streak came to an benign morning conditions for Davis, 22, could hardly have Tend with an upset defeat Dallas 95 Memphis 94 a two-shot lead after the first made a better start to the day against the Miami Heat on Minnesota 124 Orlando 118 round of the Australian Open under bright blue skies at The Wednesday as Russell West- New Orleans 107 San Antonio 90 yesterday. Australian Golf Course with six brook won his duel with Kevin Oklahoma City 108 Golden State 91 birdies in his first seven holes, Durant in Oklahoma City’s rout LA Clippers 116 Atlanta 103 AUSTRALIAN OPEN SCORES including a chip-in at the of Golden State. Miami 104 Boston 98 seventh. Goran Dragic and Dion Ny Knicks 108 Toronto 100 63 - Cameron Davis (AUS) Former world number one Waiters were the stars for Charlotte 129 Washington 124

65 - Taylor Macdonald (AUS) Day appeared likely to follow suit Miami as the Heat claimed a Cleveland 119 Brooklyn 109 66 - Jason Day (AUS), Nick Cullen (AUS), Alex when he hammered his tee shot 104-98 win in front of their Philadelphia 101 Portland 81 Edge (AUS) to two feet at his second hole and home fans to stun Boston. 67 - Ben Campbell (NZL), Stephen Leaney sank a six-foot putt to pick up a Dragic scored 27 points (AUS), Anthony Quayle (AUS) second birdie at his third. while Waiters added 26, includ- gave former hero Durant and Selected others: Two more birdies and a pick up, finding the trees off the seeking his first win of the year, ing a crucial pair of late the Warriors a rough ride in 69 - Geoff Ogilvy (AUS) bogey had him at the top of the tee and double-bogeying his rebounded by steering home a three-pointers, as the Heat held front of their home fans. Durant

70 - Jordan Spieth (USA) leaderboard at the turn and he penultimate hole. six-foot putt at the last before on the win. was subdued as former team- 77 - Mike Weir (CAN) picked up three more shots The 30-year-old, ranked heading off to rest up for his sec- Elsewhere on Wednesday, mate Westbrook piled on 34 before, with the wind starting to 12th in the world and still ond round today. Oklahoma City as the Thunder points in a 108-91 win.