Sports FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2015

Wozniacki blasts Tour for being forced to play Rogers Cup

TORONTO: Fourth seed Caroline because I wanted to make sure that I You get zero points to your ranking. “I’ve been on the players council for Wozniacki dropped her opening was 100 percent healthy,” said the for- Plus they wouldn’t allow me to play a long time and I’m not anymore match at the Rogers Cup on mer world number one. “I went out small tournament in this half of the because these rules are things that Wednesday but did not go quietly there and actually my leg and my back year, which is crazy.” players complain about all the time, blasting the WTA Tour for forcing her are feeling pretty good, so that’s good. As premier mandatory event top but we can’t do anything about it,” to play in the tournament without “But today was the first time that players can only decline playing in the said Wozniacki. “I think the WTA is all proper preparation. I’ve practiced for a week. I want to be tournament with a legitimate injury or about we want the players healthy, we Wozniacki, playing with a heavily able to play up to my best , and risk heavy sanctions. want them to play at their best level at strapped left calf, squandered a 5-2 you’re not going to do that if you Wozniacki, the 2010 Canadian every tournament and we want to first set lead before tumbling out of don’t practice. champion, opened the North make it tough for them. the tournament with a 7-5 7-5 loss to “But the rules if you’re a top-10 American hardcourt swing last week in “That’s good, but the fact that Swiss teenager Belinda Bencic, saved player that this was my commitment Stanford where the Dane also dropped they’re pushing you to play whenever, her best shots for the Tour. tournament, you’re forced to play. “If her opening match to Varvara if you are not feeling 100 percent is “I haven’t practiced for a week you don’t, you get huge money fines. Lepchenko. not okay.” — Reuters

Wawrinka demands action after Kyrgios girlfriend comment

MONTREAL: champion yesterday demanded action by tennis authorities over “beyond belief” com- ments made by Australian bad boy about his “girl- friend” at the Montreal tournament. On-court microphones picked up the scurrilous sexual remark over Wawrinka’s girlfriend by the 20-year-old Australian during a changeover at the Montreal Masters on Wednesday. Kyrgios said that the woman had been involved with his close friend . “Sorry to tell you that mate,” Kyrgios is heard to say. Wawrinka reacted with fury. “There is no need for this kind of behaviour on or off the court and I hope the governing body of this sport does not stand for this and stands up for the integrity of this sport that we have worked so hard to build,” Wawrinka said in a Twitter statement after. “So disappointing to see a fellow athlete and colleague be so disrespectful in a way I could never even imagine. “What was said I wouldn’t say to my worst enemy. To stoop so low is not only unac- ceptable but also beyond belief,” the Swiss player added. The com- ments were made after the first set which Kyrgios won 7-6 (10/8). Wawrinka won the second set 6-4, but withdrew with back prob- lems when he was losing the third set 4-0.

Target of criticism At the stadium, Wawrinka, who has been linked to Croatian tour player Donna Vevic, said the Association of Tennis Professionals should take “major action this time” against Kyrios. “It’s not the first time that he has big problems on court in terms of what he says MONTREAL: of Great Britain hits a return against of Spain during day three of the Rogers Cup and in terms of how he acts. I hope the governing body does not at Uniprix Stadium on Wednesday in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Andy Murray defeated Tommy Robredo 6-4, 7-5. — AFP stand for this.” Kyrgios, whose Twitter motto is “Play Your Own Rules”, has been the target of criticism from the tennis establish- ment several times for his on-court behaviour. But Australian veter- Murray beats Robredo an began a mentoring role with Kyrgios that started in Montreal. Hewitt and Kyrgios were beaten in the first round of the doubles. At Wimbledon, Kyrgios drew jeers from the public as he appar- after weather delay ently did not bother to compete for a game in the second set of his fourth-round defeat by . He also had problems with chair umpires on occasion during the fortnight.— AFP MONTREAL: Andy Murray completed a job summer hard-court campaign as the Spaniard ing the season. That’s a positive moment.” left hanging from the night before because of recovered to defeat 7-6 Japanese fourth seed , winner rain, advancing to the third round of the ATP (7/4), 6-3. The seventh seed had to wait for two at the weekend of the Washington title and Montreal Masters Wednesday with a 6-4, 7-5 hours before his match at the Uniprix stadium now ranked fourth on the ATP, started 6-3, 6-3 win over Tommy Robredo. The Scottish sec- could begin, after a morning rain shower was over Spain’s Pablo Andujar in 70 minutes, win- ond seed and two-time winner ended the followed by a towel-drying effort and repairs ning his 50th match at the Masters 1000 level. match, after nearly two hours, with a drop shot to bubbles on the rubberized surface. Nishikori made a successful comeback which bounced dangerously on the top of the But once down to business, Nadal made last week after a long-running thigh injury net before falling onto Robredo’s side of the the most of his opening contest on the and said that his current fitness is good. “I’ve court for the winner. cement, winning the first set in a tiebreaker been feeling pretty good. After winning the Murray set up a meeting with Gilles Muller- and sweeping the second to reach the third title, you have to feel good. My tennis is get- whom he has defeated twice this season-as he round and a date with , who ting better,” he said. “I didn’t start quite well, finished his second round contest with 24 win- beat French ninth seed 6-1, 6-4. but it was windy. We had a little wait, so it ners and 30 unforced errors and breaking four Nadal is playing Canada for the first time since wasn’t easy in the beginning. But after a cou- times. The pair resumed play Wednesday after winning his third title here in 2013. The world ple of games I was playing well, concentrat- standing 4-4 in the opening set on Tuesday number nine improved to 40-12 on the sea- ing well, too. night. “It was a very tough match, there were a son. “I go day by day. Today is a victory that I “I’m very happy with my tennis today.” lot of nerves near the end of the first set,” said am happy with,” said Nadal. “I’m satisfied with American sprang an upset on trou- Murray. “I won two close games to take it. the way that I played. I’m practising well and bled 14th seed , who went “Conditions today were a lot different, practising more than ever now because I am down 5-7, 7-6 (7/5), 7-5. Over recent weeks, there was a lot of wind. It was difficult to attack healthy and because I feel that’s what I need the Bulgarian once tipped as a future Roger and play aggressively. I had to chase down a today. “I won in Hamburg a couple weeks ago, Federer lost both his Australian coach Roger MONTREAL: Stan Wawrinka, of Switzerland, returns to lot of balls and got lucky a few times as well.” that was an important victory. Six consecutive Rasheed and Russian girlfriend Maria Nick Kyrgios, of , at the Rogers Cup tennis tour- made an encouraging start to the wins hasn’t happened for me very often dur- Sharapova. — AFP nament Wednesday, in Montreal. — AP