Sports FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 2014

Scott once again wary of challengers for the top spot OHIO: Ever since he took over as world “That’s just the way it is. It’s all very lovely to get to a point where I don’t have 14 PGA Tour season highlighted by seven number one for the first time in May, close. If I beat everyone, then it’s not up to hold on to it, and I can have a week top-10s in 11 starts, including a playoff Australian Adam Scott has become for grabs. I think anyone who’s been in where I’m safe.” victory at the Crowne Plaza Invitational in accustomed to looking over his shoulder the position is feeling that. May. at his closest challengers for the top spot “I’m going to push myself to try to Dethroning Tiger “My game’s in good shape,” said Scott, while he competes in PGA Tour events. play like the best player here this week Scott dethroned Tiger Woods atop the who won his first major title at last year’s This week at the WGC-Bridgestone and get that result, and then go into next world rankings on May 18, despite not Masters. “It’s really come up to a nice lev- Invitational in Akron, Ohio is no different week with that confidence.” Next week’s playing on the PGA Tour the previous el during the summer. with either Rory McIlroy or Henrik event is the last of the year’s four majors, week. “I certainly would like to kind of get Stenson capable of deposing him and the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf This week, however, he would surren- the result I’m hoping for this week. It Scott looks forward to the day when his Club in Louisville, Kentucky “I will proba- der that spot if he finishes outside the top would be great to do that moving into position at the game’s pinnacle is secure. bly have to do it again next week as well, five at Firestone and second-ranked next week with the last major close.” “I think every week I have played as even if I had a great result here,” smiled Northern Irishman McIlroy wins the title. Scott, who clinched the 2011 number one it’s been up for grabs pretty Scott, referring to the challenge of retain- Scott would also be deposed if he finish- Bridgestone Invitational title by four much,” the Australian told reporters on ing top spot in the rankings. “It’s been a es outside the top 40 and third-ranked shots, is scheduled to tee off in yester- Wednesday at Firestone Country Club on fun run, and I’ve really enjoyed being Swede Stenson goes on to seal victory. day’s opening round with long-hitting the eve of the elite World Golf number one. “I’ll just keep trying to hold Yet the Australian oozed confidence American Bubba Watson, the reigning Championships (WGC) event. on to it for as long as I can. It would be on Wednesday as he reflected on a 2013- Masters champion. — Reuters Rivals ‘licking their chops’ at Nadal absence

WASHINGTON: Rafael Nadal’s announcement Wednesday that he will miss key US Open warm-up events at and Cincinnati with a right wrist injury will have some rivals “licking their chops.” So says Wimbledon semi-finalist Milos Raonic, among those surprised to learn that the 28-year-old Spaniard, the reigning US Open champion, would be sidelined for the ATP Masters Series events, where he was also reigning champion. “There’s a lot of people hungry in this sport,” Raonic said at the ATP and WTA Washington Open. “It’s unfortunate to see him go but ... there are too many that are hungry and are licking their chops.” Second-ranked Nadal, a 14-time champion, won an emotional title in June but has not played since being ousted in the fourth round at Wimbledon. Doctors told Nadal that he must rest the injury, suffered in training on Tuesday, for two to three weeks. That will enhance the chances of rivals to capture a crown, including ’s sev- enth-ranked Raonic, even though such formidable foes as world number one Novak Djokovic and 17-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer remain in the fields the next two weeks. “There’s nobody losing sleep over it,” Raonic said over Nadal’s absence. “Because everybody wants to make the most of the STANFORD: of the United Sates of America plays against Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic during opportunities.” However, fifth-ranked Czech Tomas Berdych said Day 3 of the Bank of the West Classic at the Taube Family Stadium in Stanford, California. — AFP the game will miss Nadal. “I wish him a fast and soon recovery,” Berdych said. “To miss a player like Rafa a week or more, it’s always a shame and especially at these big events.” Berdych not- Serena Williams ed that the line between practicing hard enough and too much is a fine one. “You really need to plan carefully, what to train, when to train and how to train,” Berdych said. While it’s easy to say you can work out for a long time in a session, there is a long-term risk wins in her return in marathon workouts. “How long can you last to do it?” Berdych said. “We’re all get- ting older. we’re all getting more matches under out belt.” Lepchenko beat fifth-ranked Radwanska Tournament organizers, certainly, will miss having Nadal as a drawing card. “It’s very unfortunate that Rafa is unable to defend STANFORD: Top-ranked Serena Williams ing it a match at a time,” she said. “It Lepchenko beat the fifth-ranked his title,” Cincinnati tournament director Vince Cicero said. —AFP won in her first match since defaulting in a worked out. I was feeling fine. I made some Radwanska for the first time in six meetings, doubles match with sister Venus at silly errors early because I was not on my edging a top-10 player for only the third Wimbledon, beating Karolina Pliskova 7-5, toes enough.” time in 24 matches. Radwanska, the runner- 6-2 yesterday in the second round of the Pliskova managed to hold her serve up last year, became the highest seeded Bank of the West Classic. most of the first set but did not have an player to fall in the tournament. The match At Wimbledon, Williams tried to play answer once Williams found her own was good,” Radwanska said. “I wasn’t serv- through a viral infection that caused her to serve.”I knew she’s a player that is tough to ing enough.” lose her equilibrium during the doubles break so it was important to me to be super Lepchenko will face Sachia Vickery, the match. On Wednesday night, encouraged focused on my serve,” Williams said. “She American qualifier who beat Monica Puig 6- by a large crowd, Williams fought through a served well and I tried to hang in there and 7 (4), 6-2, 6-1 to reach her first career WTA tough first set before she found her legs get some break points.” She finally man- Tour quarterfinal. Vickery also won two and took control of the match with a big aged to reach break point in the 12th game straight in the main draw for the first time. second set. and took control from there. She was suc- Her only previous victory came at last year’s “I thought I played well,” Williams said. cessful on all three break points she had. U.S. Open in her WTA main draw debut. “I’m on the right path, I’m excited and I’m Williams took some time off after Also, eighth-seeded beat looking forward to my next match.”In the Wimbledon and vacationed in Croatia teenage qualifier , 6-2, 6-2. quarterfinals, Williams will meet the winner before returning to the US for the hard- Petkovic will next meet the winner of late of Thursday’s match between fifth-seeded court season. She said she has been work- night’s match between and WASHINGTON: Robby Ginepri returns the ball against and US qualifier Carol Zhao. ing hard in preparation for a run at the US . “It was so weird,” Tomas Berdych, of the Czech Republic, during a match at Williams casually deflected questions Open. Earlier, beat sec- Petkovic said. “She’s 16 and obviously very the Citi Open tennis tournament, Wednesday, in about her health, preferring to bring the ond-seeded Angieszka Radwanska 6-3, 3-6, talented. If I played solid I knew I had a Washington. — AP conversation into the present. “I’m still tak- 6-4 to advance to the quarterfinals. good shot.” — AP