SPORTS SATURDAY, JANUARY 18, 2014

‘Special Ks’ head new generation at Aussie Open MELBOURNE: Australia’s “Special Ks” Nick Kyrgios and make him feel a star before the right time.” Kyrgios ment against Nadal in the first round. Thanasi Kokkinakis have grabbed the attention at the showcased his enormous potential in an engrossing Cahill, the former coach of Lleyton Hewitt and with top players and coaches lauding five-set duel with French 27th seed Benoit Paire, which Andre Agassi, said Tomic will be aware he could soon them as exciting members of a new generation. Both lasted three hours 20 minutes and went into the early be overtaken by the younger local talents. “This could teenagers caught the eye in reaching the second hours of Friday morning. be the best thing for him (Tomic), because a lot of the round, with 17-year-old Kokkinakis praised by world Flashy Kyrgios won the first two sets in tiebreakers contracts will start drying up if he has his ranking number one and Kyrgios, 18, going down but could not withstand Paire’s fightback, but for one around 50, 60 at the end of this year, and with these guns blazing in an absorbing five-setter. Nadal said so young it was an encouraging performance. Kyrgios young guns coming through, the attention will go to Kokkinakis has everything to become a great player was described by the local media as giving a “perfor- that next generation,” Cahill said. Patrick McEnroe, the after the youngster went down in straight sets, mance both electrifying and brave”, while American general manager of player development at the US impressing with his serve and . Paul Annacone, who once coached and Tennis Association, said he had been impressed by the “He has a great serve for a 17-year-old and he will , tweeted: “Aussie men have some attitude of teen duo, dubbed “Special Ks” in the serve better and better every year. He has a good fore- youngsters with big potential-excited to see where media. “These guys seem to love the stage, love to be hand. So he will have the chance to be a great player. they go.” Respected commentator and coach Darren out there, and this could be the best thing that could He has everything to do it,” Nadal said. “The normal Cahill said the emergence of Kokkinakis and Kyrgios ever happen to Tomic, because he has showed flashes thing is if he is able to improve while being humble, as could work against Australia’s as yet unfulfilled talent of brilliance on the court, especially down here,” he long as he has the right people around him that don’t Bernard Tomic, 21, who was booed for his injury retire- said on ESPN. — AFP

Record-setting Williams, Inspired by Mandela, Serena rethinks Li advance in Melbourne Indian Wells boycott

MELBOURNE: Women’s world number one Unbreakable Ferrer, Berdych book 4th round has held out the possibility of lifting her 13-year boycott of the Indian Wells tournament after being inspired by a movie MELBOURNE: Serena Williams smashed about Nelson Mandela, the American said at the Australian the 39-year-old record for Australian Open yesterday. Williams, who eased into the fourth round Open wins yesterday as she powered with a victory over Daniela Hantuchova, and older sister Venus into the fourth round closely followed have never returned to the tournament in the California by China’s on another scorching desert after being jeered by spectators in a controversial final day in Melbourne. The American five- in 2001. time champion, making light of one of The Williams sisters were due to play each other in the the city’s worst ever heatwaves which semi-finals but Venus pulled out minutes before the match, halted play on Thursday and has caused citing injury. Spectators vented their displeasure with the late chaos in the surrounding area, dis- withdrawal during the final, booing 19-year-old Serena in her patched Daniela Hantuchova to match against Belgian and also jeering her sister advance. and father Richard Williams when the pair arrived to watch the Li fought back from a match point match. Richard Williams alleged he had heard racist taunts against Czech Lucie Safarova to stay on from the crowd and the family have not returned since. course for her second straight final, and Serena was asked if Mandela’s message of reconciliation in the men’s draw David Ferrer and might have led her to re-consider her boycott. “It actually Tomas Berdych both made it to the first crossed my mind a couple days ago, or after I saw the movie,” weekend. Despite a fourth straight day the 32-year-old told reporters at Melbourne Park. “I thought of temperatures over 40 Celsius (104 about it... Right now I don’t know. I just have to focus on this Fahrenheit) - a run not seen since 1908 - tournament. “But I think Mandela was a really amazing man. I Williams was untroubled in her straight- felt really honored to have a chance to meet him, get to know forward 6-3, 6-3 win. him a little bit, and get to know his story a little better.” Shielded from the sun by a pink cap, “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” a movie about the anti- the 32-year-old world number one apartheid hero, opened just days before his death at 95 last wielded a killer serve as she overpow- month. ered the Slovak in 80 minutes, setting RECORD WIN MELBOURNE: Serena Williams of the US serves during her womenís singles up a meeting with ’s Ana Ivanovic. Williams reached the fourth round in Melbourne with a match against Slovakiaís Daniela Hantuchova on day five of the 2014 “It was hot but you have to play, you dominant 6-3 6-3 win over the 31st-seeded Slovak Australian Open tennis tournament yesterday. — AFP have to be ready and prepare yourself Hantuchova at Rod Laver Arena yesterday. She next faces mentally. I’m excited to get through,” court.” Li will now play Russia’s 22nd man from Bosnia and Herzegovina to either Australia’s Sam Stosur or Serbian Ana Ivanovic, who Williams said. It was Williams’ 61st victo- seed , who beat compete at a whose brave play in the evening session. The win was a record 61st for ry at the tournament, breaking the Romania’s , for a place performances won fans at home and Williams at the Australian Open, putting the American past record set by 11-time champion in the quarter-finals. Italian Flavia abroad. Berdych will next play South Australian ’s 60. Margaret Court up to 1975. Williams’ Pennetta beat to set up a Africa’s Kevin Anderson, who came Williams defeated Romania’s Irina Spirlea, a former top 10 first Australian Open match win was on clash with Germany’s world number through a five-set scrap with Edouard player, in her Melbourne Park debut in 1998 before being her debut aged 16 in 1998. nine . In the evening Roger-Vasselin of France. Italian seed beaten in the second round by Venus. “Felt good,” Williams, Asked which had been her favorite session, Australia’s Sam Stosur suffered Fabio Fognini beat American Sam who practiced on public courts in Compton, a tough inner-city victories, she replied: “All the finals I was further heartbreak on home soil when Querrey in straight sets to set up a last- suburb of , said of her first trip Down Under. “I def- able to win.” she threw away a one-set lead against 16 clash with defending champion initely wanted to be here, and I don’t remember my first Li soon joined Williams in the next Ivanovic. , who was playing Denis impressions. As a kid, you don’t particularly dream of - espe- round but she took a very different Stosur, who held her nerve when a Istomin in the night’s final match. cially where I’m from. I never thought I would be in Australia. route after flirting with disaster in a first-set tiebreak was interrupted by Despite day-time temperatures of 42 “For me, it was a great opportunity to see a land that’s so far three-set struggle with Safarova. Li rain-while she was on set point-then Celsius, organizers opted not to repeat away that you don’t go to even in your dreams.” saved a match point in the second set faded as Ivanovic won 6-7 (8/10), 6-4, 6- Thursday’s use of emergency rules Williams has won five titles at Melbourne Park since her then played a nerveless tiebreak before 2 to set up a meeting with Williams. In which allow them to suspend play on debut at the year’s first grand slam 16 years ago and is a hot taking it 1-6, 7-6 (7/2), 6-3 in two-and-a- 12 visits to her home Grand Slam, 2011 outside courts and close the retractable favorite to win a sixth after a dominant season last year half hours for her seventh straight win US Open champion Stosur has never roofs on the two main stadiums. The when she won the French and US Opens. “I feel like, in life, over the Czech. “In the beginning she managed to get past the fourth round. heatwave has caused controversy over 32 is young. In sports, it’s old,” she added. “But for whatever played very nice, very good and it was In the men’s draw, Spain’s super-fit the difficult playing conditions and has reason, I feel like I just never was really able to reach my full tough to find any rhythm,” said the pop- Ferrer again proved impregnable as he also set off hundreds of bushfires in the potential, and I feel like recently I just have been able to do ular Li, who has more than 10 million ground down France’s Jeremy Chardy 6- China’s was the latest ten- a little better. “I just keep trying to improve on everything.” fans on Chinese social media. 2, 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 to reach his 15th consec- nis casualty when she needed medical Williams has teamed up with Venus for four doubles titles at “I’m happy I was able to fight and win utive Grand Slam fourth round. treatment and a rub-down with ice dur- Melbourne Park, but the celebrated sisters cancelled their the match. I just tried to play at the Seventh seed Berdych ended the ing her loss to Australia’s Casey bid for a fifth yesterday, with Venus withdrawing due to a baseline and move the ball around the fairytale run of Damir Dzumhur, the first Dellacqua. — AFP leg injury. —