Sports Wednesday, May 29, 2019 17 Nasser al Attiyah romps into the lead at Rally Kazakhstan

QNA Timo Gottschalk finished the bivouac over a mix of fast ahead of his rivals to take the Astana section third and moved up tracks and soft dunes at overall lead. the standings into second, de- an average speed of more “It was not easy navigation Qatar’s Nasser al Attiyah spite a puncture woe. 100kph over nearly four but I’m happy we have a good and his co-driver Mathieu Rally Kazakhstan, the hours of competition. lead,” he said. Baumel powered into the third round of the FIA World Ace rallyist Attiyah, start- Qatar’s Mohammed al lead of Rally Kazakhstan af- Cup for Cross Country Rallies, ing second on the road, pow- Meer/Alexey Kuzmich top ter Tuesday’s second selec- is the longest event in the se- ered through the section, the T2 standings in a Toyota tive section, the Toyota Hilux ries and today’s stage was also catching overnight leader Al Landcruiser. Overdrive crew taking the the longest of the six day rally. Rajhi after 150 kilometres be- Another 327.47 kilome- stage win and a four minute An epic 414.22 kilometre fore hitting the dunes. tre section lays in wait for the 32 second advantage. section lay in wait, taking The Qatari finished the third leg of Rally Kazakhstan Jakub Przygonski and the crews from the Kinderly stage nearly two minutes on Wednesday. Osaka, Zverev survive major scares on windy Day Three DPA Paris Minor hiccup

World number one Naomi as defending Osaka fought from the brink of defeat and men’s fifth-seed Al- champion exander Zverev also overcame a big scare en route to first- round victories at the French Halep Open on a windy Tuesday. Japan’s Osaka denied advances 90th-ranked Slovak Anna Karolina Schmiedlova serv- Reuters ing out the match twice as she PARIS overcame a dreadful first set for a 0-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 victory. Simona Halep dealt with the Osaka ran her emotions and pressure of be- win streak to 15 matches after ing the defending champion titles at the 2018 US Open and as she overcame a second-set 2019 and nar- blip to kick off her French rowly avoided becoming the Open campaign with a 6-2, second women’s second top 3-6, 6-1 win over Australian seed (and world number one) Ajla Tomljanovic on Tuesday. in the tournament’s 94-year The Romanian third seed history to lose in the first round. Germany’s Alexander Zverev in action during his first round match against Australia’s John Millman in the played some neat and tidy ten- The German Zverev de- men’s singles first round of the at Roland Garros on Tuesday.( REUTERS) nis in the opening set, lost the stroyed his racquet in frustra- plot in the second and then tion before posting a 7-6 (7-4), reSULTS wrapped up the victory to set 6-3, 2-6, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3 victory up a second-round meeting over Australia’s John Millman. Men Singles 1st rd Martin Klizan (SVK) bt Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) 3-6, 5-7, (HUN) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1; (USA x14) bt with Magda Linette of Poland. Zverev, who had to go Fabio Fognini (ITA x9) bt Andreas Seppi (ITA) 6-3, 6-0, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3; Lucas Pouille (FRA x22) bt Simone Bolelli (RUS) 6-1, 6-2; Kurumi Nara (JPN) bt Halep seized control with 3-6, 6-3; Federico Del Bonis (ARG) bt Guillermo García- (ITA) 6-3, 6-4, 7-5; Jordan Thompson (AUS) bt Alejandro Dalila Jakupovic (SLO) 7-5, 5-7, 6-3; Bianca Andreescu the full distance three times López (ESP) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Taylor Fritz (USA) bt Davidovich (ESP) 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/3); Ivo Karlovic (CRO) (CAN x22) bt Marie Bouzková (CZE) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4; an early break and tightened last year at Roland Garros, Bernard Tomic (AUS) 6-1, 6-4, 6-1; Roberto Bautista bt Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 7-6 (7/4), 7-5, 6-7 (7/9), 7-5; Simona Halep (ROM x3) bt Ajla Tomljanovic (AUS) 6-2, her grip in a one-sided first won despite 73 unforced er- Agut (ESP x18) bt Steve Johnson (USA) 6-3, 6-4, 6-2; Yoshihito Nishioka (JPN) bt Mackenzie McDonald (USA) 3-6, 6-1; Magda Linette (POL) bt Chloé Paquet (FRA) set, containing her opponent’s rors compared to 57 winners, Dusan Lajovic (SRB x30) bt Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 6-3, 6-7 (7/9), 6-0, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3; Juan Martín Del Potro 3-6, 6-1, 6-2; Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) bt Daria power. But Tomljanovic start- 6-4, 6-4; Elliot Benchetrit (FRA) bt (ARG x8) bt Nicolás Jarry (CHI) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-4. Gavrilova (AUS) 6-3, 2-2 - retired; Lesya Tsurenko (UKR with Millman on 46 errors (GBR) 6-3, 6-0, 6-2; Mikael Ymer (SWE) bt Blaz Rola x27) bt Eugénie Bouchard (CAN) 6-2, 6-2; Daria ed to hit the ball harder and by and 25 winners. (SLO) 6-0, 6-3, 7-6 (7/5); Alexander Zverev (GER x5) bt Women Singles 1st rd Kasatkina (RUS x21) bt Jasmine Paolini (ITA) 6-2, 6-3; the time Halep had started to Players faced challenging Japan’s Naomi Osaka in action during her first round match against John Millman (AUS) 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, 2-6, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3; Naomi Osaka (JPN x1) bt Anna Karolína Schmiedlová Mónica Puig (PUR) bt Kirsten Flipkens (BEL) 6-1, 7-5; figure out how to deal with her Slovakia’s Anna Karolina Schmiedlova at the French Open on Tuesday. Kyle Edmund (GBR x28) bt Jeremy Chardy (FRA) 7-6 (SVK) 0-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-1; Victoria Azarenka (BLR) bt Iga Swiatek (POL) bt Selena Janicijevic (FRA) 6-3, 6-0; conditions on the day in the (7/1), 5-7, 6-4, 4-6, 7-5; Fernando Verdasco (ESP x23) Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4); Katerina Wang Qiang (CHN x16) bt Saisai Zheng (CHN) 6-1, 7-5; pace the Australian had taken form of cool temperatures and Osaka overcame a dreadful first set to win 0-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1.( REUTERS) bt Dan Evans (GBR) 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 6-2; Antoine Siniaková (CZE) bt Elena Rybakina (KAZ) 7-6 (7/5), 6-1; Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x11) bt Dominika Cibulkova the second set. wind as the unsettled condi- Hoang (FRA) bt Damir Dzumhur (BIH) 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (GRE x29) bt Anna Tatishvili (USA) 6-0, (SVK) 7-5, 6-1; Amanda Anisimova (USA) bt Harmony Experience, however, pre- tions ranged from drizzle to Zverev, 22, is seen as one of oughly but composed himself (7/5), 6-3; Karen Khachanov (RUS x10) bt Cedrik- 6-1; Caroline Garcia (FRA x24) bt (GER) Tan (FRA) 6-3, 6-1; Irina-Camelia Begu (ROM) bt Zhu Lin vailed in the decider as Halep Marcel Stebe (GER) 6-1, 6-1, 6-4; Grégoire Barrère 6-2, 6-4; Anna Blinkova (RUS) bt (CHN) 6-1, 6-1; Karolína Muchová (CZE) bt Anett sunshine. the most gifted young players again and got the deciding (FRA) bt Matthew Ebden (AUS) 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1; (RUS) 6-3, 4-6, 8-6; Priscilla Hon (AUS) bt Tímea Babos Kontaveit (EST x17) 3-6, 6-2, 6-2. won six of the seven remain- Osaka, not a clay-court ex- but is yet live up to his potential break for 5-3 when Millman ing games. “It was not easy pert in the first place, clearly at the majors, where his best wasted a 40-0 lead. He then because of the emotions, the struggled against Schmiedlova showing is the Roland Garros served out the match at love to comeback, this time from a pressure,” Halep told report- who raced through the open- quarter-final from 2018. set up a meeting with Swedish knee fracture last year. ‘Enough in me’, says ers. “But these are nice emo- ing set in just 21 minutes. He turned around a mod- qualifier Mikael Ymen. “I had a slow start because tions and I am happy I could Her fate seemed sealed est clay season with the Ge- “In Geneva, I won a lot of of the weather conditions, Serena after slow start win the match and get to play when she also blew a 3-0 lead neva title on Saturday and on tight matches that I lost this because of his game,” Del another one.” in the second after a brief rain Tuesday looked in full com- year on the clay, and I think Potro said. PARIS: Mighty Serena Williams also helped her in It was the first time Ha- break. But Osaka then denied mand after going 4-1 up with Geneva helped me today. “But in the second set, I came to Paris with just eight and the turnaround. lep stepped back onto Court Schmiedlova serving out the two breaks. “It was very difficult to took the control of the match a half matches played in 2019 Williams admitted Philippe Chatrier for a com- match at 5-4 and 6-5 - with But he then hit a forehand play today. But I think it’s and then I started to play a lit- and even though she claimed to nerves early petitive match since she lifted the nervous Slovak coming long instead of into a wide great that I came through and tle bit better. I felt better on her 800th career match win on and to a dif- the Suzanne Lenglen Cup a only within two points of vic- open court on set point at 5-4 this is the most important,” court. And then I took all my on Monday, plenty of question ficult year overall. year ago, and she felt at home tory – before locking the sets and double faulted to give the Zverev said. chances.” marks remain. “Physically I felt even if the stadium has been in the tiebreak. game away before eventually “I’m here to play my best. Ninth-seeded Monte Carlo The 37-year-old is aiming to fi- pretty good. Yeah, I’ve had a lot of revamped. “Maybe the sound The third set was a for- prevailing in the opening set I’m here to win matches ... Masters winner Fabio Fognini nally tie Margaret Couirt’s all-time injuries. I’m usually not an injured is a bit different but the size mality as Osaka triumphed tie-break. I’m excited to what’s coming dispatched veteran fellow Ital- record of 24 grand slam singles player. But I sprained my ankle of the court is the same,” she on first match point when Zverev also took the sec- ahead. Most important, I’m ian Andreas Seppi, 6-3, 6-0, titles but a 2-6, 6-1, 6-0 first in Australia and everything went explained. Schmiedlova hit a forehand ond set but the 56th-ranked still in the tournament, and 3-6, 6-3. round win over Russian Vitalia downhill from there,” she said. Halep indeed seemed com- wide, winning despite 38 un- Millman, who has not won a that’s all that matters.” On the women’s side, Vik- Diatchenko offered no clues as “I think I’m finally on the mend. fortable on the red clay and forced errors while slamming French Open match in three Elsewhere, eighth-seeded toria Azarenka won a battle of to whether she can achieve this But yeah, it’s been a really inter- she said the only pressure she 36 winners. previous appearances but Argentine Del Potro, a former former Grand Slam champi- in the Paris fortnight. esting year for me thus far.” But would put on herself had noth- Osaka’s win means that beat Roger Federer at the last US Open champion and two- ons 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) over Jelena Williams let out a big roar of the veteran also insisted that ing to do with results. German US Open, refused to bow and time semi-finalist at Roland Ostapenko. frustration and later spoke of she can still go a long way and “I feel different since I won remains the only women’s locked the sets at 2-2. Garros, rallied to beat Satur- Due on court later were “concrete blocks on my feet” in play top tennis. “I have enough the French Open. Everything top seed (and top ranked The frustrated Zverev day’s Geneva finalist Nicolas among others title holder Si- her slow start but a change of tennis in me. I have 30-some- is a bonus and I see tennis dif- player) to go out in the first smashed his racquet to the Jarry of Chile, 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, mona Halep against Austral- her flashy blue and white bikini- thing years’ worth of tennis, so ferently, my life differently. round, in 2017. ground, and destroyed it thor- 6-4, in his latest grand slam ian Ajla Tomljanovic. style outfit to a warmer top then I’ll be fine,” she said.(DPA) “My main goal is to see how good I can be this year and maybe for a few more years, we will see.” Young at heart: Sleepless 40-yr-old Karlovic keeps breaking records

AFP matically for the main draws Wimbledon in 2003 remains his points in the third set. Paris in Rome and Madrid. greatest tennis memory – will “It means a lot... It’s in He revealed in Paris that face Australian Jordan Thomp- the record books as the oldest Late-night gym sessions he often heads to the gym at son in round two. ever one. I was out for the last and family life have failed to 11p.m. and only sleeps for five He still believes he can almost two months so I was hinder Ivo Karlovic’s longev- hours a night. win a ninth ATP title and really happy that I was able ity, after he made a mockery “After I drive my daugh- Oldest men’s possibly reach the last 16 of to win.” of his 40 years to beat relative ter to school I would go and a Grand Slam again, having The oldest Grand Slam spring chicken, 37-year-old hit and after I was home match-up most recently made the sec- match in history featured Feliciano Lopez, in the oldest resting,” said Karlovic – the Croatian Ivo Karlovic, ond week of a major at the 41-year-old Pancho Gonzalez ever men’s match-up at Ro- oldest man to win a Grand the tallest player on 2016 US Open. against Torben Ulrich, 40, at land Garros on Tuesday. Slam match since Ken Rose- the tour at 6ft 11in “I would like to do that. the 1969 US Open. Croatian Karlovic, the tall- wall in 1978. (2.11m), defeated That’s what I always try to do Karlovic is the first man est player on the tour at 6ft “In the evening when they Feliciano Lopez 7-6 but I know that it isn’t easy, it’s aged over 40 to play in the 11in (2.11m), defeated Lopez go to bed, which is almost at (7/4), 7-5, 6-7 (7/9), real difficult,” said Karlovic. main singles draw of a Grand 7-6 (7/4), 7-5, 6-7 (7/9), 7-5 around 11, then I would go to 7-5 in the first round “Everybody’s strong and Slam tournament since Jimmy Connors in 1992. in the first round despite not the gym. In the night. I’m hap- despite not having good, but you know, who having played a match since py because there is a gym open knows. I think I train hard “I don’t know (if I’ll feel early April. in the night.” played a match and I have the experience, the sore tomorrow), we’ll see,” The world number 94 has Karlovic – who says that his since early April. edge, so who knows.” he added. “I’ll just hit it light Romania’s Simona Halep in instead been spending time shock first-round win over then- Karlovic fired 35 aces and 69 and then we’ll see if I have to action against Australia’s Ajla with his family at home in Mi- reigning champion and world Croatia’s Ivo Karlovic reacts during his men’s singles first round match winners past the 108th-ranked do (an) extra ice bath or ex- Tomljanovic at the French Open ami after not qualifying auto- number one Lleyton Hewitt at against Spain’s Feliciano Lopez at the French Open on Tuesday. (AFP) Lopez having wasted two match tra activities.” on Tuesday. (REUTERS)