Sports Monday, May 27, 2019 17

FRENCH OPEN AT ROLAND GARROS ‘Edgy’ Federer marks return with victory, Kerber crashes to debutant afp Paris

Roger Federer marked his return to Roland Garros af- ter a four-year absence with I felt great playing on a straight sets win over Italy’s this court. It looks very Lorenzo Sonego on Sunday, admitting he “felt on edge”, attractive, so congratulations as ’s hopes to everyone involved. of completing a career suffered a quick kill. Hopefully I can play here Federer, a 20-time ma- again for my next match. jor winner, hadn’t played the tournament since 2015 when he reached the quarter-finals. However, on Sunday, it was as if the 37-year-old had never been away as he swept to a 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 victory in one hour 41 minutes on a packed, rebuilt Court Philippe Chatrier. It was his 60th suc- Russia’s celebrates winning her first round match cessive first round win at a against Germany’s Angelique Kerber on Sunday. (REUTERS) Grand Slam. “I felt on edge at the start, my heart was beating crazily,” day one results said Federer, who hailed the Men 1st rd Women 1st rd new-look stadium which has (GRE x6) bt Maximilian Marterer Garbine Muguruza (ESP x19) bt (USA) (GER) 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 been 90% rebuilt in readi- Hugo Dellien (BOL) bt Prajnesh Gunneswaran (IND) Johanna Larsson (SWE) bt Magdalena Rybarikova ness for the installation of a 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 (SVK) 6-3, 6-4 retractable roof for 2020. (BUL) bt Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) 6-3, (UKR) bt Bernarda Pera (USA) 6-2, “I felt great playing on this 6-0, 3-6, 6-7 (4/7), 6-4 7-6 (7/5) (AFP) Marin Cilic (CRO x11) bt (ITA) 6-3, Elina Svitolina (UKR x9) bt venus Williams (USA) 6-3, court. It looks very attractive, Roger Federer in action against Lorenzo Sonego during their men’s singles first round match on Day 1 of 2019 in Paris on Sunday. 7-5, 6-1 6-3 so congratulations to every- (FRA) bt Marco Cecchinato (ITA x16) (SUI x15) bt Jessika Ponchet (FRA) 6-1, one involved. Russian teenager Anastasia “I didn’t have many ex- ny’s Maximilian Marterer “It’s cute,” said the Span- 2-6, 6-7 (6/8), 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 6-4 “Hopefully I can play here Potapova. pectations coming in,” said 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4). iard. “It’s not small, but it’s, (ARG) bt Jirí Veselý (CZE) 7-6 (7/3), (GER) bt (RUS) 6-3, 6-3 6-3, 6-0 Anastasia Potapova (RUS) bt Angelique Kerber (GER again for my next match.” Kerber slumped to a 6-4, Kerber, who was broken six you know, cosy.” (ITA x29) bt Pablo Andújar (ESP) 6-7 x5) 6-4, 6-2 That match will be against 6-2 defeat to 18-year-old Po- times in the match which New court unveiled Other winners on the first (3/7), 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 Markéta Vondrousová (CZE) bt Wang Yafan (CHN) 6-4, German lucky loser Oscar tapova who was making her brought the curtain up on the The new Court Simonne day included Japanese sev- (NOR) bt (LAT) 6-2, 7-6 6-3 Otte who won just his second French Open debut. newlook Chatrier arena. Mathieu, a 5,000-capacity enth seed , a (7/2), 6-0 Petra Martic (CRO x31) bt (TUN) 6-1, 6-2 (GER) bt Malek Jaziri (TUN) 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-0 (FRA) bt (FRA) 6-3, 7-6 match in eight years on the “Kerber is actually one Potapova’s first win over semi-sunken arena enclosed quarter-finalist in 2015, who Roger Federer (SUI x3) bt Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) 6-2, (7/3) tour by seeing off Malek Jaziri of my idols, and when I was a top 10 player gives her a by greenhouses, was officially eased past France’s Quentin 6-4, 6-4 Kristína Kucová (SVK) bt (RUS) of 6-3, 6-1, 4-6, 6-0. young I was looking for her second round clash against unveiled on Sunday. Halys 6-2, 6-3, 6-4. Kei Nishikori (JPN x7) bt Quentin Halys (FRA) 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 6-4, 6-2 “I would be surprised if game,” said the 81st-ranked 19-year-old Marketa Von- It forms part of the 350 However, Italian 16th Alexei Popyrin (AUS) bt Ugo Humbert (FRA) 3-6, 6-3, Karolína Plísková (CZE x2) bt Madison Brengle (USA) 7-6 (12/10), 6-3 6-2, 6-3 Roger knew my name,” said Russian who hit 28 winners drousova of the Czech Re- million euro upgrade of the seed Marco Cecchinato, the Laslo Djere (SRB x31) bt Albert Ramos-Vinolas(ESP) Otte, the world number 145. past her German opponent. public. entire site which will also see man who sent Novak Djoko- 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) Federer broke serve five Kerber, 31, has now lost Greek sixth seed Stefa- the demolition of the Court 1 vic crashing out in the quar- times and fired 36 winners six times in the French Open nos Tsitsipas, who stunned ‘bullring’ after the 2018 tour- ter-finals in 2018, fell at the the tournament with a thigh dro Davidovich Fokina. past 24-year-old Sonego, the first round. Federer on his way to the nament. first hurdle. injury, just a day after finish- Second seed Karolina world number 73 who made The German left-hander semi-finals Spain’s Garbine Mugu- Cecchinato lost to 37-year- ing runner-up to Benoit Paire Pliskova closed play on the quarter-finals at the Mon- had come into Roland Garros and beat 11-time Roland Gar- ruza, the 2016 champion, had old Frenchman Nicolas Ma- in Lyon. Chatrier with a 6-2, 6-3 win te Carlo Masters. carrying a right ankle injury ros champion in the honour of opening pro- hut – who has slipped to 253 The 18-year-old was seed- over Madison Brengle of the German fifth seed and which forced her to pull out Madrid, also made the second ceedings against America’s in the world -- 2-6, 6-7 (6/8), ed 25 and had been due to face United States. reigning Wimbledon cham- of the and retire round. Taylor Townsend and the 6-4, 6-2, 6-4. Australia’s Jordan Thompson Ninth seed Elina Svito- pion Kerber saw her hopes of from her second round tie in The 20-year-old sixth 19th seed marked the occa- Canada teenager Felix Au- but his place has been taken lina saw off 38-year-old venus a career Grand Slam ended by Madrid. seed brushed aside Germa- sion with a 5-7, 6-2, 6-2 win. ger-Aliassime withdrew from by Spanish lucky loser Alejan- Williams 6-3, 6-3.

India’s Gunneswaran happy with ‘milestone’ despite defeat Dimitrov calls Agassi, Stepanek afp the build-up to the tourna- the sport from a country yet to Gunneswaran will now link-up a ‘great package deal’ Paris ment. really fall in love with . turn his attentions to the grass- “It’s definitely a milestone,” “It definitely is more diffi- court campaign as the quest afp four Stepanek. Indian number one Pra- he said. “I’ve worked a long cult to break through (coming for ranking points continues, Paris “We have a pretty special jnesh Gunneswaran said on time to get to this place and ob- from ) when you don’t with a packed schedule poten- relationship. We’ve known each Sunday that he was pleased to viously I would’ve liked a dif- have as a good a system or as tially including appearances at Grigor Dimitrov described other for a crazy amount of have achieved a “milestone” in ferent result today. much competition,” he said. Stuttgart, Queen’s, Antalya and his coaching link-up with US years,” said 28-year-old Dim- making his French Open main- “But it’s not the end of the “In my case I think the Wimbledon. legend Andre Agassi and mer- itrov after his 6-3, 6-0, 3-6, 6-7 draw debut, despite falling to world and I just have to keep main reason I took this long All eyes back home will fo- curial Radek Stepanek as a (4/7), 6-4 win over Tipsarevic. a one-sided loss to Bolivia’s getting better, put my head was because I was injured for cus on India’s cricket stars in “great package deal” on Sunday. “We’ve started to speak a lit- Hugo Dellien. down and keep working. a long time so it took me four the next two months as they Dimitrov said that the duo tle bit more and potentially try The 29-year-old played his “That’s what got me this far or five more years than it might bid for a third World Cup title, have injected some much- to set up the exact weeks or how maiden Grand Slam opening- and I’m hoping that it will con- have taken had I not had the and Gunneswaran thinks lead- needed “positive enthusiasm” many weeks we can do, but all round match earlier this year tinue.” injury. ing athletes from other sports into his rollercoaster career that is in the air now a little bit. at the Australian Open, but The world number 86, “I think the kind of break- can inspire him to improve his after needing five sets to defeat “Him and Radek are get- this was the first time he had Gunneswaran is the sixth- through we’re talking about tennis career. Janko Tipsarevic in the first ting along so well. So it’s a great directly qualified for a major as highest ranked male player in would have to be some kind of “It shows that we can be round of Roland Garros. package deal.” a result of his ranking. India’s history as the nation superstar -- not someone who competitive at the highest level, Agassi, the champion at Dimitrov, a former world India’s Prajnesh Gunneswaran Despite a 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 de- continues its search for a ten- is top 100 or 80 in the world, in badminton also we’re really the French Open in 1999, has number three who is currently returns the ball to Bolivia’s Hugo feat, Gunneswaran was keen to nis superstar. it’ll have to be someone who’s competitive. We have world linked up with Bulgarian Dim- down at 47 in the world, won Dellien during their men’s singles look at the positives after strug- He says that it is difficult to top 10. Someone like a (Japan’s champions so it shows we have itrov for Roland Garros along- the last of his eight career titles match on Sunday. (AFP) gling with a shoulder injury in reach the highest echelons of Kei) Nishikori, but from India.” what it takes to make it.” side former world number at the ATP Finals in 2017.

Toronto Raptors comeback from 2-0 down to clinch series 4-2; to meet Golden State in Finals Kawhi shines as Raptors rally past Bucks to reach first NBA final

afp kept fighting all game. The calls Leonard also hit another “My teammates have my back. Los Angeles were not going our way, but we dynamic three-pointer from I was on the bench to start the kept striving and striving.” his favourite corner spot on the fourth quarter and they came Kawhi Leonard finished with The victory has galvanized floor with three minutes left to back. It was a collective effort.” 27 points and a career high 17 the Canadian city’s sports fans make it 95-90. Antetokounmpo tallied a rebounds as the Toronto Rap- and touched off a wild cel- - ‘So special’ -He shot nine double double with 21 points tors advanced to their first NBA ebration among the crowd of of 22 from the field and had and 11 rebounds for the Bucks, final with a 100-94 win over the 19,800 in the arena and tens of seven assists for the Raptors, who lost in the NBA playoff top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks. thousands more in the down- who roared back to win four semi-finals after finishing with The Raptors won the series town “Jurassic Park”, who straight games after falling into the best record in the regular 4-2 as Saturday’s contest at watched the game on a giant an 0-2 hole to begin the series. season. Scotiabank Arena was a mir- screen. Pascal Siakam tallied 18 “The game plan was to ror image of game five, featur- Canadian Prime Minister points, Kyle Lowry finished double-team me and not allow ing a strong start by Milwau- Justin Trudeau said he will be with 17 and Fred VanVleet me to get into a rhythm,” Ante- kee before Toronto came back cheering on the Raptors. came off the bench to score 14 tokounmpo said. “We weren’t in the fourth quarter to close “History made! @Raptors, points in the win. able to rebound the ball and get it out with several clutch plays it’s time to bring that cham- “I’ve been here seven years easy points in transition and down the stretch. pionship to Canada! #WeTh- and this means a lot,” said that’s why we lost the lead.” The Raptors reached their eNorth,” Trudeau tweeted on Lowry. “This group is so spe- Leonard said they were first finals in their 24-year his- Saturday. cial.” looking forward to putting tory where they will face the Leonard won the head- Toronto was down by 15 their winning streak on the line two-time defending champion to-head battle against Gian- points at one stage in the third and hosting the Warriors for Golden State Warriors. Game nis Antetokounmpo, even quarter before Leonard and his the first two games of the final. one of the best-of-seven final is dunking over the mighty supporting cast cut the deficit “Man, they are the champi- Thursday in Toronto. “Greek Freak” with six min- to five entering the fourth. ons. We got to go in there with “I just took it one possession utes left in the fourth to give Toronto Raptors forward Kawhi Leonard holds the NBA Eastern Conference Championship trophy after the “We thrive at it. We enjoy mental focus and enjoy the mo- at a time,” Leonard said. “We Toronto a 87-79 lead. NBA Eastern Conference Finals against Milwaukee Bucks in Toronto on Saturday. (EPA-EFE) the moment,” Leonard said. ment,” he said.