QatarTribune Qatar_Tribune Paceman QatarTribuneChannel qatar_tribune Rabada rocks as South Africa defeat West Indies in St. Lucia Test SUNDAY, JUNE 13, 2021 PAGE 15 Krejcikova wins French Open, Al Annabi arrive in Croatia pays tribute to late Novotna ing to make me really strong,” she said. “Pretty much her last I know that from somewhere words were: ‘Just enjoy and she (Jana Novotna) is just try to win a Grand Slam’. looking after me and all of “I know that from some- this that has happened is where she is looking after me pretty much because she is and all of this that has hap- pened – these two weeks – is looking after me from up pretty much because she is there and I really thank her. looking after me from up there Barbora Krejcikova and I really thank her.” Pavly- uckenkova, 29, had a perfect start into the first meeting with DPA Krejcikova when she broke BERLIN in the opening game with the help of two double faults and BARBORA Krejcikova over- further errors from the Czech. came a mid-match slump to But Krejcikova levelled claim her biggest career suc- with a lob that Pavlyuchen- cess in the form of the French kova misjudged and which Open singles title, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4 fell in. She also won the next over Anastasia Pavlyuchenko- five games to snatch the open- va on Saturday. ing set in just half an hour. Unseeded Krejcikova The second was as lopsided, raced through the first set be- only that it was now the for- fore 31st-seed Pavlyuchenkova mer junior world number one regrouped but a strong surge Pavlyuchenkova dominat- from 3-2 to 5-3 in the final set ing, despite having her left helped the Czech win in 1 hour Czech Republic’s Barbora Krejcikova celebrates with the Suzanne Lenglen Cup after winning the women’s thigh strapped late in the set, 58 minutes on fourth match singles final against Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova during the trophy ceremony of The Roland Garros a break she also used to eat a point in front of 5,000 fans on 2021 French Open in Paris on Saturday. (AFP) few Haribo sweets like she had Court Philippe Chatrier. in her semi-final. She is the sixth straight title last month in Strasbourg The problem did not seem woman to win her maiden and then continued winning to bother her but Krejcikova slam at Roland Garros, the first in only her fifth singles Grand then won eight points in a row Czech woman since Hana Man- Slam main draw, saving match to hold for 3-3 and get the vital dlikova in 1981 to lift the trophy point in the semi against Maria break for 4-3 with a cracking there, and can add the women’s Sakkari. forehand winner. doubles title Sunday with com- Like in the past match, After wasting two match The Qatar national football team arrived in Croatia on Saturday for a patriot Katerina Siniakova. Krejcikova paid tribute to her points at 5-3, and double fault- training camp in preparation for the Concacaf Gold Cup to be played The Czech-born Martina late mentor and coach Jana ing on her third chance, she in July. The Qatar team will train in Croatia till July 5. The Concacaf Navratilova won Roland Gar- Novotna, the 1998 Wimbledon wrapped up matters when Pav- Gold Cup will be played from July 9 to August 2. Qatar face Panama, ros in 1982 and 1984 but did champion who died of cancer lyuchenkova’s shot fell long. Honduras and Grenada. During the tournament, Qatar will be based in so representing the US. in 2017, as she recieved the “I am really happy. It is real- Houston, Texas. The Qatar team comprises: Saad Al Sheeb, Meshaal Krejcikova, 25, already has Coupe Suzanne Lenglen. ly hard to put the words together Barsham, Pedro Miguel, Tariq Salman, Abdul Karim Hassan, Boualem two grand slam doubles titles “I was going through a re- right now, because I just cannot Khoukhy, Hassan Al Haydos, Akram Afif, Youssef Abdul Razzaq, Ahmed with Siniakova, plus three ally hard time when Jana was believe what happened. I can- Suhail, Musab Al Khadr, Mohammed, Hashim Ali, Bassam Al Rawi, Asim more in mixed doubles but passing away, I was most of not believe that I actually won Madibo, Ali Karim Boudiaf, Ismail Mohammed, Mohammed Muntari, Ab- Saturday’s victory is her big- the time with her and I really a Grand Slam,” Krejcikova said. dullah Abdul Salam, Sultan Bareik, Ahmed Alaa El Din Hammam, Yusuf gest success to date. Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (L) and Czech Barbora Krejcikova wanted to experience this be- Hassan, Abdullah, Mahmoud Abu Nada, Jassim Jaber, Abdul Aziz Hatem, She won her maiden WTA with their trophies at the French Open in Paris on Saturday. (AFP) cause I thought it was just go- Men’s final preview page 15 Abdul Rashid Oumarou and Khalid Munir. Coach: Felix Sanchez. (QFA) Finland edge Danes in game overshadowed Euros opener provides glimpse by Eriksen collapse of sports in post-pandemic life DPA free of contact from any oppo- COPENHAGEN nent, in the 43rd minute. DPA Some of the Denmark BERLIN DENMARK lost 1-0 against players had tears in their eyes debutants Finland in a Euro and UEFA tweeted the match THE coronavirus pandemic 2020 match on Saturday that had been “suspended due to a forced the Euro 2020 tour- was suspended for almost two medical emergency.” Eriksen nament to be postponed by a hours after Denmark’s Chris- was carried off on a stretcher, year, and even a few months tian Eriksen was rushed to shielded by team-mates and before the opening game hospital after collapsing on two large sheets. kicked off there were doubts if the pitch. Denmark captain Simon the competition would in fact Joel Pohjanpalo headed a Kjaer and goalkeeeper Kasper take place. surprise winner on the hour Schmeichel comforted Eriksen’s Many countries in Europe as Finland goalkeeper Lukas partner, Sabrina, on the pitch. started the year under strict Hradecky later saved a penalty Fans had been asked to lockdown rules to contain the from Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg. remain in the stadium. The spread of the virus, and the The 1992 champions Den- Danish FA and UEFA tweeted German host city of Munich mark failed to score despite that Erikson was OK, with the was on the brink of being ex- dominating the match before domestic federation saying: cluded from the tournament and after the shocking inci- “Christian Eriksen is awake and if it didn’t present UEFA with dent which occurred shortly his condition remains stable. a plan to welcome fans in the before half-time in front of He remains hospitalized stadium. 16,000 at Parken Stadium and at Rigshospitalet for further Munich made the cut, but made the final score a some- tests.” There was plenty of Dublin in Ireland and Bil- what secondary event. well-wishing for Eriksen from bao in Spain failed to confirm German broadcasters ZDF the football community. their spectators plan and were said, citing sources close the But it was the Finns who dropped. Seville replaced Bil- The flags of the 24 participating nations are displayed at the Olympic Stadium in Rome on Friday as part of the UEFA Euro 2020 2021 Danish team, that the Danish scored, with Pohjanpalo from bao, while the games in Dublin European Football Championship’s opening ceremony, prior to the competition’s kick-off between Turkey and Italy. (AFP) players talked to Eriksen via Bundesliga club Union Berlin were moved to St. Petersburg Facetime before the decision beating his marker to head in and London. But on Friday in the stands Team-mate Lorenzo Insig- test. In the stands, however, to continue. a cross from Jere Uronen. Instead of taking place of the Olympic stadium in ne, who also wrote his name on many of them were caught The Danish federation said Tottenham’s Hojbjerg across 12 different cities as Rome, the around 16,000 fans the scoresheet added: “Every- without masks and there was the game resumed “after the then wasted a golden oppor- originally planned, the Euros attending the match were loud thing was very emotional. It’s little sign of social distancing. players have confirmed that tunity to equalise when his will now go to 11. and the happy faces all around beautiful to see the fans again, It’s yet to be seen if such ac- Christian is OK” and the ruling tame 74th-minute penalty into All of the struggles, how- gave a glimpse of what the EURO 2020 just how we were used to.” tions during the tournament body UEFA tweeted: “Follow- the right corner was saved by ever, seemed to be forgotten sports world could look like in According to Italian media will have a negative impact in ing the request made by play- Hradecky, after Paulus Araju- for at least the 90 minutes of a post-pandemic life. After a year of uncertainty, reports, the football party was the number of coronavirus in- ers of both teams, UEFA has uri had brought down Yussuf the 3-0 showpiece Italy put “It was a perfect even- Euro 2020 kicked off in also taking place outside the fections across Europe, but at agreed to restart the match be- Poulsen. up against Turkey to open the ing. Seeing the fans celebrate Rome on Friday night with a stadium, with fans gathering least for one night, football fans tween Denmark and Finland The unexpected win put tournament.