THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2014 SPORTS

Sock, Baghdatis move to 2nd round at Memphis

MEMPHIS: America’s Jack Sock and Marcos first match Wednesday. He received a first-round Karlovic and Germany’s Benjamin Becker eased to Ebden 7-5, 6-4, and advance to a second-round Baghdatis of Cyprus moved into the second round bye. Sock served for the match at 5-3 in the third straight-sets victories on Tuesday to book second- meeting with Spanish second seed Feliciano Lopez. of the US National Indoor Tennis Championships set, but was broken. In the tiebreaker, he took round matches with seeded players at the $647,000 Kazak eighth seed Mikhail Kukushkin battled Tuesday at The Racquet Club of Memphis. advantage of a Mannarino backhand error to go up ATP US Indoor Championship. past Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili 7-6 (11/9), 7-5. Sock, who reached the quarterfinals of last 6-5 and won the match when Mannarino softly net- Becker saved all three break points that he faced Kukushkin could face Taiwan fourth seed Lu Yen- year’s tournament, advanced with a 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (5) ted a second-serve return. in beating Slovakia’s Lukas Lacko 6-3, 6-2 and hsun in the quarter-finals. victory France’s Adrian Mannarino. Baghdatis “I just used my scrappiness and my legs,” Sock advanced to a second-round clash with defending US sixth seed Sam Querrey squandered 18 aces won his first match of the year in three attempts by said. “He’s a tricky player. He’s unorthodox. He hits it champion and top seed Kei Nishikori of Japan. and a match point in the decisive tie-breaker in los- defeating US qualifier Rajeev Ram. Also advancing hard and flat.” Baghdatis, a top 10 player in 2006, Nishikori, who like the other top-four seeds ing to Russian Alex Bogomolov, whose 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 into the second round Tuesday was No. 8 seed won in straight sets. “Today I played pretty solid received a first-round bye, defends his Memphis (9/7) triumph after two hours and two minutes Mikhail Kukushkin and Croatian Ivo Karlovic. and I’m happy I won,” Baghdatis said. “That’s all that crown after helping Japan beat Canada in the first gave him to a second-round match with American Japan’s Kei Nishikori, ranked 16th in the world, is matters at the end of the day.” round of the Davis Cup earlier this month. Ryan Harrison. That winner could face Nishikori in the top seed in the tournament and will play his Meanwhile, Cypriot wildcard Croatian Ivo Karlovic blasted 14 aces to beat Aussie Matthew the quarter-finals. — AFP Tough restart for Li Na

DOHA: Li Na’s return after her Australian Open triumph last month brought her a surprisingly hard fight and a struggle against difficult conditions, but the settling of an old score. The top-seeded Chinese player needed two and a quarter hours to overcome a blustery wind and Magdalena Rybarikova, the world number 32 from Slovakia, by 6-1, 5-7, 6-2, thus reversing the result of their only previous meeting. “It’s always exciting, and I’m always nervous when I come back (after an inter- val)” said Li. “It’s always difficult - and she played well. “But I have been training men- tally with Carlos (Rodriguez, her coach). “Technique is not a problem for me. But mentality can be a big opponent. And that I have changed a lot.” Rybarikova had denied Li the grass court title at Birmingham, England, five years ago in a Wimbledon warm-up event, This time around Li was a better, more confident, and much more ambitious player. QATAR: Belgian cyclist Tom Boonen of the Omega Pharma - Quick Step team puts on the points leader’s Indeed for a while her determined silver jersey after winning the fourth stage in the Qatar Tour 2014 cycling race. — AFP ambition might almost have been her undoing, for the 31-year-old persistently Boonen sweeps Qatar stage tried to impose an attacking style - perhaps as an insurance for her post-30 future - in very tricky conditions. MESAIEED: Belgium’s Tom Boonen, swept along win in Qatar where he’s seeking to add to his It worked well at the start, in which she by high winds, claimed the Tour of Qatar’s fourth previous wins in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2012. took five games in little more than 20 min- and penultimate stage by a matter of centime- After a tiring day’s riding the evergreen utes, but errors flowed more frequently LI Na returns a shot in this file photo. tres from Germany’s Andre Greipel. Belgian commented: “With this wind on your from her racket in an up-and-down second The Omega Pharma rider, who also took back we were really made to suffer. “To control set. asked about opponents who might now be Rybarikova also created break points in Monday’s second stage, moved up from fourth the peloton which is going so fast is no easy During that phase Rybarikova improved, even keener to try and beat her. “Now the eighth and tenth games, before mak- to second, 17 seconds adrift, behind his team- thing to do. “Once again we’ll sleep well tonight.” playing intelligently, tenaciously, and with everyone is looking at what I am doing, so ing the decisive break in the 12th with the mate Niki Terpstra in the overall standings with French sprinter Arnaud Demare, who came in variety, although she looked a little jaded it’s very tough - but I am confident.” help of a Li double fault. only Thursday’s fifth and final stage remaining. seventh, added: “Our legs were sometimes in the latter stages of the final set. It did not look tough at the start of the But Li responded well to this surprising Boonen annexed the blustery 135 kilometre doing 110 turns per minute” Both her start and her finish may have match, in which Li hit the ball off the challenge, breaking at once in the third set, ground with great pace, came to the net a saving a break back point in the fourth ride from Dukhan to Mesaeeid in a tight Boonen’s performance here this week has been influenced by the aftermath of a hard three-hour battle the day before with little more often than usual, and appeared game, and maintaining a good level of bunched sprint finish, denying Greipel by just proved he is back in form after missing the sec- to be building up an unstoppable momen- aggression. five centimetres, with Barry Markus of the ond half of last season, including the world Francesca Schiavone, the former French Open champion. tum. But to Rybarikova’s credit she with- Only in the final game, when Li Netherlands in third. championships in Florence, with a saddle injury. stood the battering well, kept her head, wanted to close out the match, did she The riders were pushed by the strong winds “I really like the 2014 Boonen as it takes after “The first match (after an interval since the Australian Open) is always difficult,” started to move better, and mixed up slice compromise a little more and aim to on their backs to produce a super fast average the 2012 model (Boonen won four races in with topspin, angles with straight counter- win the concluding points with consis- pace of 56.8kph. The stage finished 35 minutes 2012),” said Omega Pharma manager Patrick said Li. “I have had a long time just prepar- ing, and then I have to play these condi- hitting. tency. Her second round could bring quicker than forecast, catching among others Lefevere. The race concludes Friday with a tions on court. She had started getting into the rallies her against a Chinese compatriot, catering staff in the riders’ village unawares 159km ride from Al Zubara Fort to Madinat Al “After the Australian Open I have to do at the end of the first set, and surged to a Zhang Shuai, or Maryna Zanevska, a This was the 33-year-old Boonen’s 22nd stage Shamal. — AFP more, to be more perfect” she added, when break of serve immediately in the second. Ukrainean qualifier. — AFP edge SCOREBOARD Marsh leads Aussies B’desh in T20 CENTURION, South Africa: Scores at close on the first day of the first Test between South Africa and Australia at Centurion’s SuperSport Park yesterday: fightback thriller

Australia, first innings CENTURION: marked his return CHITTAGONG: removed C. Rogers c Duminy b Morkel 4 to Test with a fighting as danger man off the final D. Warner b Steyn 12 Australia overcame a poor start on the first day ball to hand Sri Lanka a dramatic two- A. Doolan c Peterson b McLaren 27 of the first Test against South Africa at victory over Bangladesh in the first S. Marsh not out 122 SuperSport Park yesterday. Australia were 297 international in Chittagong yes- M. Clarke c Philander b Steyn 23 for four at the close. They were reeling at 98 for terday. S. Smith not out 91 four after being sent in to bat but Marsh (122 Sri Lanka, the world’s top-ranked Extras (b4, lb7, nb1, w6) 18 not out) and (91 not out) added an Twenty20 side, made 168-7 after being Total (4 wkts, 90 overs) 297 unbeaten 199 for the fifth with positive sent in to bat and then restricted Fall of : 1-15 (Warner), 2-24 (Rogers), 3-72 stroke play. (Doolan), 4-98 (Clarke) Bangladesh to 166-7 to take the lead in the It was a remarkable comeback for the left- two-match series. Bowling: Steyn 20-4-54-2, Philander 16-2-55-0, Morkel handed Marsh, who a week ago was contem- 18-5-56-1 (1w), McLaren 16-4-53-1 (1nb, 1w), Peterson With Bangladesh needing 17 runs from plating a spell of domestic Sheffield Shield the final over, Anamul smashed 14 runs off 10-0-34-0, Duminy 10-1-34-0. cricket. Marsh, 30, was selected for the tour but To bat: B. Haddin, M. Johnson, R. Harris, P. Siddle, N. Lyon. the first five deliveries, but then gave had to withdraw because of a calf injury. He Perera a return catch with the last ball. South Africa: G. Smith, A. Petersen, H. Amla, F. du Plessis, made a quick recovery, however, and arrived in Anamul returned disappointed after A. de Villiers, J. Duminy, R. Peterson, R. McLaren or W. South Africa on Sunday after Shane Watson was Parnell, V. Philander, D. Steyn, M Morkel. ruled out of the first Test, also because of a calf making a gallant 58 off 45 balls with seven Match situation: Australia are 297 for four in the first injury. It was Marsh’s first Test in two years. He boundaries, including three in the tense innings. made 141 and 81 in his first two Test innings in final over. Sri Lanka in 2011 but was dropped after his next and Shamsur Rahman gave nine innings yielded only 79 runs. the hosts a flying start with an opening Marsh started his innings when Australia stand of 52 in six overs, before both bats- were 24 for two in the ninth over. David Warner men fell in the space of two overs to make hit two boundaries off in the first it 64-2. over of the match but made only 12 before he CHITTAGONG: Bangladesh batsman reacts after being dis- Shakib Al Hasan helped Anamul add 43 was bowled by Steyn, edging an attempted cut missed by Sri Lankan bowler during the first Twenty20 crick- for the third wicket, but Bangladesh lost into his stumps. Chris Rogers made four before et match. — AFP four quick wickets to slip from 107-2 in the he was caught at short leg off Morne Morkel. 14th over to 158-6. The tall fast bowler’s first of the match, Anamul faltered when it mattered most after he replaced Steyn, was a bouncer which SCOREBOARD to leave Sri Lanka victors as Thisara Perera struck Rogers on the shoulder. The next ball was and Nuwan Kulasekara finished with two another lifter which Rogers fended to the leg wickets each. side, with JP Duminy diving to his right to take a CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh: Scoreboard from the first between For Sri Lanka, left-handed opener Kusal good catch. New Alex Doolan and Marsh Bangladesh and Sri Lanka in Chittagong yesterday: Perera top-scored with 64 off 44 balls, but added 48 for the third wicket before Doolan was he found little support from the rest of the caught at midwicket off Ryan McLaren for 27. Sri Lanka Bangladesh top order batsmen. Michael Clarke became Steyn’s sec- K. Perera c Anamul b Sunny 64 Tamim Iqbal c Mathews b T. Perera 30 Sri Lanka were reduced to 120-6 in the ond victim when he top-edged a hook to fine T. Dilshan b Mortaza 0 Shamsur Rahman c and b Mendis 22 leg after scoring 23. Marsh, who survived a 15th over, before Kulasekara and Thisara sharp chance to Hashim Amla at gully off D. Chandimal c Reza b Shakib 18 Anamul Haque c and b T. Perera 58 Perera boosted the total with a seventh- Morkel when he had 12, went through a quiet K. Sangakkara c Nasir b Shakib 11 Shakib Al Hasan b Kulasekara 26 wicket partnership of 44 from 31 balls. period when he scored only nine runs in 18 S. Prasanna c Nasir b Sunny 4 Nasir Hossain c T. Perera b Malinga 16 Kulasekara made 31 off 21 balls with overs on either side of lunch but reached his A. Mathews 11 Mithun Ali c Mathews b Kulasekara 0 one four and two sixes, while Thisara Perera half-century off 101 balls. returned unbeaten on 19. Mashrafe T. Perera not out 19 Farhad Reza run out 7 Batting with increasing fluency, he notched Mortaza led the hosts after regular captain his century off 174 deliveries, with 11 fours. N. Kulasekara c Shamsur b Mortaza 31 Sohag Gazi not out 0 was rested due to a hair- South African captain Graeme Smith said at the S. Senanayake not out 0 Extras: (b1, lb4, w1, nb1) 7 line fracture in the left hand and Tamim toss that he wanted to put Australia under pres- Extras: (lb7, w3) 10 Total (for seven wickets, 20 overs) 166 Iqbal stepped down as vice-captain to con- sure at the start of the series. The pitch was well- Total (for seven wickets, 20 overs) 168 Fall of wickets: 1-52 (Shamsur), 2-64 (Tamim), centrate on his batting. Sri Lanka were grassed and there was early life but conditions Fall of wickets: 1-7 (Dilshan), 2-61 (Chandimal), 3-107 (Shakib), 4-132 (Nasir), 5-134 (Mithun), without frontline batsman Mahela eased under a hot sun as the ball lost its shine Jayawardene, who is missing the entire and Marsh and Smith tamed South Africa’s 3-77 (Sangakkara), 4-87 (Prasanna), 5-116 (K. 6-158 (Reza), 7-166 (Anamul). limited-overs series of two Twenty20 pace-based attack. Perera), 6-120 (Mathews), 7-164 (Kulasekara) Bowling: Malinga 4-0-34-1 (nb1), Kulasekara 4- games and three one-day internationals PRETORIA: Australia’s batsman Shaun Marsh leaves Marsh batted with discipline, resisting any Bowling: Mortaza 4-0-43-2, Gazi 3-0-29-0, 0-29-2, Senanayake 3-0-21-0 (w1), Mendis 4-0- due to a hand injury. Sri Lanka won the risky strokes outside the off stump, and took the ball off South Africa’s bowler Morne Morkel, on Rubel 4-0-27-0 (w1), Shakib 4-0-27-2, Sunny 3- 29-1, T. Perera 4-0-42-2, Prasanna 1-0-6-0 preceding two-Test series 1-0. The second the first day of their their cricket Test match at 118 balls to reach his half-century, with seven Twenty20 game will also be played in fours. —AFP 0-17-2 (w1), Reza 2-0-18-0 (w1). Sri Lanka won by two runs. Centurion Park. — AP Chittagong tomorrow. — AFP