THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2014 SPORTS

Running out of time in Photo of the day Grand Slam fame game

NEW YORK: When Rafael Nadal pulled out of added the Bulgarian. “It’s definitely slower. All the US Open, his agony was sweet music to the top guys that are out there now have Milos Raonic, Grigor Dimitrov and Kei been winning majors at 22, 23, 24.” Nishikori, tennis’s widely-hyped but under- performing next generation. More than any- Age no barrier one else, Nadal, the 14-time Grand Slam win- Federer believes the likes of Raonic need ner, has proved to be their nemesis, leaving to be on the offensive more and not defend many in the sport wondering if the men try- constantly from behind the baseline in the ing to follow in the footsteps of the Big Four hope of picking up scraps. “I’ve seen it come will ever achieve similar dominance. and go a little bit, but I do believe for him in Raonic, the big-serving Canadian, and the future, if he wants to do well, he has to Dimitrov, the high-profile Bulgarian, are both stay up on the baseline. Can’t move far back,” 23 while ’s Nishikori will be 25 in offered the Swiss star in an off the cuff tactical December. In stark contrast, Nadal was a talk. Raonic has made the fourth round at the major winner at just 19, lifting the first of nine US Open on his last two visits. He was buoyed French Opens. Nishikori has lost all seven by a title march in Washington where he fired times he has played Nadal while Raonic and 83 aces as well as a semi-final run in Dimitrov have identical, depressing 0-5 Cincinnati. records. The three pretenders have been If he is to make a deep impression at treated with equal contempt by Novak Flushing Meadows, he knows the serve will Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray. again be crucial. “It has improved. I have put World number one Djokovic has a 3-0 win- more focus on it, I would say, just getting out ning record over Raonic, enjoys a 4-1 stran- there and hitting more serves....it’s just been glehold against Dimitrov and is 1-1 against more difficult for my opponents,” said Raonic. Nishikori. “I think my holding numbers are higher and Federer, looking for an 18th major in New winning on second serve points and saving York, is 6-0 against Raonic with two recent breakpoints. I have a better understanding wins at Wimbledon and Cincinnati achieved what I need to do.” Nishikori, meanwhile, was without dropping a set, 1-0 against Dimitrov a first round casualty at the 2013 US Open and 2-2 with Nishikori. The only record and it’s six years since he had his best run-a against the Big Four which is in positive terri- fourth round place in 2008. Like Raonic and tory is Raonic’s 3-1 edge over Murray. The Dimitrov-and unlike Nadal, Djokovic and Scot, however, is 3-2 when facing Dimitrov Federer-the quietly-spoken Florida-based and 3-0 against Nishikori. “It’s a long road. Japanese player is erratic on the Grand Slam Tennis has changed so much in a way that it’s stage. very hard for the younger generation to get His last-16 runs at the Australian Open and Ken Roczen competes in the AMA Pro Motocross Championships at Unadilla Valley Sports Center in New Berlin, New York, USA. — www.redbull.com out there and win majors and consecutive big Wimbledon this year sandwiched a first round tour titles. I think it is not as easy as it was exit at the French Open. But despite the trio before,” admitted Dimitrov. of hopefuls all being in their mid-20s, there is The world number eight, dubbed “Baby always hope. Stan Wawrinka was 28 when he Lippi sees red as Guangzhou Fed” for his playing similarities to the great won the Australian Open this year while Swiss and a picture-perfect one-handed Murray was 25 when he captured his maiden backhand, was a semi-finalist at Wimbledon Grand Slam title at the 2012 US Open. The go down in Western Sydney this year and made the last eight at the days of a teenager winning the US Open-Pete Australian Open. But his three visits to the US Sampras was just past his 19th birthday when Open have resulted in three first round he won in 1990 - may be gone, but age seems SYDNEY: Guangzhou Evergrande coach defeats. “I think we, in a way, we are all aware to be little of a barrier to dreams. Just ask the exploded in rage after the Asian of that. I give ourselves a bit of credit that at Dominican Republic’s Victor Estrella Burgos champions had two players sent off in the dying least we’re trying really hard for all those who will make his New York debut next week minutes of their 1-0 first leg loss to Western things, but I believe our time will come,” at the age of 34. — AFP Sydney Wanderers in the Asian Champions League quarter-finals yesterday. The World Cup- winning former coach charged on to the pitch to remonstrate with Emirati referee Mohammed Abdulla Hassan Mohamed after midfielder had followed defender Linpeng in being shown a straight red card. Tomi Juric was credited with the winner on the hour mark but the scenes just before the final whistle, with players and coaches pushing and shoving in a crowd around the officials, might have more far-reaching repercussions. Zhang was dismissed for an elbow on Mark Bridge after 88 minutes and Gao followed in stoppage time after being adjudged to have fouled Brazilian Saba. Lippi was still fuming in his post-match press conference, accusing the Wanderers players of theatrics to get his players sent off and the referee of chiding the home side like naughty children rather than reaching for SYDNEY: Western Sydney Wanderers player Tomi Juric (left) and Guangzhou Evergrande player his cards. “The first one I didn’t see very well but (right) vie for the ball during their AFC Champions League quarter-final foot- the second one was right in front of me and was ball match in Sydney yesterday. — AFP not a red card,” he said through a translator. “You edge of box which eluded Guangzhou goal- strikeforce and ultimately the frustration clearly know me from the World Cup and the keeper Zeng and rolled into the net with the got the better of him. Champions League, I am not like this, I am an Spain’s Rafael Nadal lurking Juric claiming the final touch. The return leg takes place in Guangzhou next educated man. I know I shouldn’t go on the Guangzhou continued to create half chances at Wednesday with the winners facing FC Seoul or pitch but I just wanted to ask him to explain his the other end but Lippi looked on in vain for a Pohang Steelers, who meet an all-South Korean Singaporean takeover could decision.” moment of class from his expensively assembled last eight tie, in the semi-finals. — Reuters Lippi was further enraged when he was revive Valencia glory days stopped from seeing the referee after the match and finished addressing the media standing up and emitting a stream of Italian that neither his VALENCIA: Valencia coach Nuno Espirito president Amadeo Salvo was treated like a English or Mandarin translator could keep up Santo believes an expected takeover by hero by fans on his return to Valencia airport with. “I didn’t want to talk about winning the Singaporean billionaire Peter Lim can bring last Saturday after meeting Lim in Singapore World Cup or anything, I just wanted to ask him the glory days back to the club after years of such is the excitement over what a new era for an explanation,” he said. Wanderers manager financial problems. could bring. “It is a step further in a long Tony Popovic said it had been a “fantastic” win The protracted deal, which has been process but the end will arrive in a few weeks,” for his team given they were still in pre-season under negotiation since before January, has Salva told reporters at the airport. “Lim will and had no sympathy for Lippi. “I don’t know still not been signed and sealed but this come when the agreement is effective.” what he’s so upset about,” he said. “We all dis- should now take place in the coming weeks agree with decisions but we do it from the and Lim has already been active behind the First moves touchline. “But you can’t have coaches going on scenes over transfer dealings. One of the club’s first moves in the close the pitch and manhandling players.” His aim is to return the La Liga club to the season was to appoint as coach after top of the European game - they kick off the Argentina-born coach Juan Antonio Pizzi was No quarter new campaign at Sevilla on Saturday - and sacked following a disappointing campaign The A-League side certainly gave no quarter media reports say he is ready to invest 50 mil- in which they finished out of the European in defense and got sharper the longer the match lion euros ($66.61 million) on his arrival. “The places in eighth. Lim gave his backing to for- went on to run out worthy winners in front of a takeover has been going on for some time mer Deportivo La Coruna and Porto goal- noisy crowd of 17,093 at Parramatta Stadium. and we know that when it is finished we will keeper Nuno, who is represented by powerful They had to ride their luck at times but be a lot stronger,” Nuno told reporters in Portuguese agent Jorge Mendes - a business Guangzhou’s attack of former Italian internation- Valencia. “I told him (Lim) that his dreams for partner of Lim’s in the firm Quality Sports als Alessandro Diamante and Alberto Gilardino the club can become a reality. He is going to Investments. Valencia have reinforced their and prolific Brazilian failed to click. The SYDNEY: Guangzhou Evergrande coach Marcello Lippi (second right) is restrained as he con- come because the fans want him and squad well with promising striker Rodrigo Wanderers came out strongly in the second half fronts referee Mohammad Abdulla Hassan Mohamed (left) after having a second player sent because he wants to come to the Mestalla, a Moreno from Benfica the pick of the newcom- and got their reward when Antony Golec cut in off against the Western Sydney Wanderers during their AFC Champions League quarter-final club that for those now here it is well pre- ers. The 23-year-old played for Real Madrid from the left wing and hit a cross-shot from the football match yesterday. — AFP pared and organised. and Spain at youth level and arrives at the “The players coming in must bring expec- Mestalla on a one-year loan, although the tation, desire to work and look to improve move will become permanent if Lim takes because they are going to find a group which charge. Valencia have seen Jeremy Mathieu American men braced for is very motivated. “While there are spaces for leave for Barcelona but the club’s new out- new players, there will always be names men- look was shown by the fact that they refused tioned, the most important thing is that those to sell the French defender for less than his who come are the players we want.” Club buy-out clause of 20 million euros. —Reuters more Grand Slam misery NEW YORK: The 2014 US Open begins Monday against the likes of world number one Novak world. Steve Johnson has also squeezed into Armstrong: The big lie with American men seeking to end a Grand Djokovic, 17-time Grand Slam champion Roger the top 50 as the US Open approaches, at num- Slam drought now more than a decade long. Federer and former Wimbledon winner Andy ber 49, while 21-year-old Jack Sock has pro- would have continued The signs, however, are not promising. Andy Murray.While Isner lays claim to a Grand Slam gressed from 100th to start the year to his cur- Roddick’s 2003 US Open triumph marks the last historic footnote-having played the longest rent 55th. Sock teamed with Vasek Pospisil to LOS ANGELES: Lance Armstrong says he Winfrey. The Texan admitted to using sub- time an American man hoisted a Grand Slam match in major history with his marathon first- win the Wimbledon men’s doubles title, but has would still be issuing strident denials if he stances like EPO, human-growth hormone trophy. For a nation that has produced 51 men’s round win over Nicolas Mahut at Wimbledon in yet to reach an ATP level final. Assessing the hadn’t been caught and then forced to admit and testosterone and other drugs during the major winners in the Open era-more than twice 2010 — his best Grand Slam performance was a bleak landscape prior to the French Open, to using performance-enhancing drugs to many years he dominated international as many as any other country-it’s a baffling lack quarter-final run at the 2011 US Open. Courier told the New York Times that lack of tal- win the Tour de France. “If this stuff hadn’t tak- cycling. “No one forced me or bullied me, so I of success. For America’s current number one, He insists that his status as the top-ranked ent was not the problem. en place with the federal investigation, I’d am not going to say ‘It’s not my fault’ I blame 15th-ranked John Isner, it’s not something to American doesn’t press him to try to match the “There are plenty of talented players who are probably still be saying ‘no’ with the same myself, that’s the bottom line,” he said. The 42- dwell on as the final Grand Slam of the year feats of an earlier generation of stars-Pete not getting the most out of their talent,” the US conviction and tone as before. But that gig is year-old Armstrong told CNN that his “day-to- approaches. Sampras, Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Michael Davis Cup captain said, declining to name up,” Armstrong said in an interview with US day life is positive”. “I never get crap, not once, “American tennis right now isn’t the best it Chang. “I don’t think it puts too much pressure names. A lackluster French Open showing, with news broadcaster CNN. For more than a and I’m surprised by that. Sure, I sometimes has been,” Isner said in July. “I’m just worried on me,” he says. “I was never pegged to be the no American men in the quarter-finals, was fol- decade, the disgraced American cyclist get the vibe that someone wants to say some- about myself right now and trying to get back next number one guy.” lowed by a dismal Wimbledon campaign that Armstrong repeatedly denied he ever used thing, but it’s never happened,” he said. into the top 10.” Unfortunately, Isner’s build-up If he’s not, however, then who is? That dubi- saw ninth-seeded Isner, the last US man stand- banned drugs and bullied others who Armstrong has granted several interviews to the Open hasn’t gone as planned. The former ous honor once belonged to Donald Young, ing, knocked out in the third round. accused him of being a cheater. Armstrong of late but he denied it is part of a carefully world number nine won the title in Atlanta, but who in 2007 was the youngest player to finish A similarly uninspiring performance would was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles orchestrated public relations campaign to try won only one match match in Washington, the year ranked in the top 100 at 18 years and be more keenly felt at Flushing Meadows, in 2013 for doping and handed a life ban from and rebuild his tattered image. “I know at Toronto and Cincinnati combined before head- five months. Young was ranked as high as 38th where native sons like Jimmy Connors and John the sport, eventually admitting that all seven times it looks like it, but there’s no PR cam- ing to Winston-Salem for a last tune-up. Even in the world in 2012, but had fallen to 202nd McEnroe once set the New York nights alight. triumphs were fuelled by banned drugs. paign,” he says. “There’s not a big study room Armstrong admitted to doping during a where we’re bouncing off ideas saying, ‘Let’s with a top-10 ranking, and with defending last year and worked his way back into the top Even so, Isner, for one, relishes the challenge on television interview broadcast in January do Esquire, let’s talk to (CNN).’ I’m just flying by champion Rafael Nadal sidelined by injury, Isner 100 via a detour to the Challenger circuit and is the hardcourts of his homeland. “This is my 2013 with American talk show host Oprah the seat of my pants.” —AFP would hardly be a pre-Open favorite lining up now the second-ranked American at 46th in the favorite time of year,” he says. — AFP