Sport TUESDAY 9 MARCH 2021 We createdcr new history for Al Sadd: Xavi WeWe createdcre a new history for Al Sadd. I am happy to win the lealeagueg title for the first time as a coach with Al Sadd, after winningw it as a player. I am happy to be in this group of pplayers, officials, technical and medical staff. Our goal is to win all the tournaments we participate in. Xavi Hernandez Sport |10 UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES: Round of 16 - Second leg: Juventus Vs. Porto (1-2); Borussia Dortmund Vs Sevilla FC (3-2) Bautista Agut, Gasquet clear first hurdles in Doha FAWAD HUSSAIN Ramanathan 6-4, 6-2 in 73 In a vision I see myself with the (Qatar TODAY'S ORDER OF PLAY THE PENINSULA minutes. ExxonMobil Open) trophy because I have seen Earlier yesterday, Gasquet, the pictures around here three times me CENTRE COURT: Former champions Roberto the 2013 champion in Doha, set holding up the trophy, and it feels good seeing STARTS AT 2:30PM - SINGLES R32 Bautista Agut and Richard up a second round clash with those pictures again and you get inspiration Jeremy Chardy vs Daniel Evans Gasquet advanced at the Qatar defending champion Andrey from it, and obviously I'm a winner, I'm a FOLLOWED BY - SINGLES R32 ExxonMobil Open after posting Rublev after a comfortable 6-4, player, and, you know, you want to be there. (LL) Norbert Gombos vs (WC) Malek contrasting victories at the 6-4 victory over Slovenian qual- But honestly, if I can complete a match, several Jaziri matches, what I know is once, however this Khalifa International Tennis & ifier Blaz Rola in 1 hour 15 NOT BEFORE 6:00PM - SINGLES R32 tournament will play out, I will be happy Squash Complex, yesterday. minutes. (Q) Lloyd Harris vs (7) Stan Wawrinka Also on the opening day of The Frenchman said he will leaving the court because I know I played a FOLLOWED BY - SINGLES R32 ATP 250 tournament, Russia’s go with ‘nothing-to-lose- tournament again: Swiss star Roger Federer (6) David Goffin vs Filip Krajinovic Aslan Karatsev entered the approach’ against the third- second round on his return to seeded Russian, who extended COURT A the venue where he began his his winning run at ATP 500 I’m very happy to be back playing a tournament STARTS AT 2:30PM - SINGLES R32 phenomenal Australian Open events to 20 matches on Sunday, again. It’s been a long time. I never thought it (Q) Christopher O'Connell vs Vasek campaign in January. defeating Marton Fucsovics for was going to take this long. I came here to Pospisil Bautista Agut, who won the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tour- Qatar I believe in 2003, at the end of ‘O2 FOLLOWED BY - DOUBLES R16 Falcon Trophy two years ago, nament title. actually in the ‘03 year. I played it for the very John Millman, David Vega Hernandez had to stretch for his 4-6, 6-3, He’s (Rublev) is playing great first time. Always enjoyed playing here. We did vs (WC) Blaz Rola, Mousa Shanan 6-4 victory over a spirited tennis. He won four 500s, so I some amazing activities over the years if I look Zayed American in Reilly Opelka. The know it will be tough for me. But back at all the pictures we have done. It’s NOT BEFORE 5:00PM - SINGLES R32 Spaniard braved 22 aces from I have nothing to lose, as I said. exciting to go back and seeing all the players Dusan Lajovic vs Marton Fucsovics the 6-feet-11-inch tall opponent, I’m sure I can do a great match again and Karim Alami, the tournament director, FOLLOWED BY - DOUBLES R16 wrapping up a hard-fought win and try to play the best I can, and as well, who I played in the Sydney Olympics. Marcelo Arevalo, Matwe Middelkoop vs in 2 hour 4 minutes. then we will see what will happen We go way back together. Yeah, looking Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain (2) Nikola Mektic, Mate Pavic “I have a lot of good mem- on the court,” Gasquet, 34, said. forward to the start here: Federer COURT B ories in Doha from 2019 and I Earlier yesterday, Karatsev, NOT BEFORE 3:30PM - DOUBLES R16 am happy to be here. Opelka who won three qualifying In other match yesterday, QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN RESULTS Nikoloz Basilashvili, Alexander Bublik vs played amazing shots at 3-3 and matches of the Australian Open Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili Frederik Nielsen, Tim Puetz MEN’S SINGLES I just thought in that moment here two months ago before rallied from a set down to beat NOT BEFORE 5:00PM - DOUBLES R16 that I have to fight hard. I am reaching the semi-final of the John Millman of Australia 2-6, ROUND OF 32 Kevin Krawiet, Reilly Opelka vs (4) very happy that I handled the Grand Slam, continued his fine 6-4, 6-2 in 1 hour and 52 Aslan Karatsev, Russia, def. Mubarak Shannan Zayid, Qatar, 6-4, 6-0. Marcelo Melo, Jean-Julien Rojer pressure well. I will have to form in Doha court to beat minutes. The World No.42 will Nikoloz Basilashvili, Georgia, def. John Millman, Australia, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. recover for the next match, Qatari wild card Mubarak meet wild card Malek Jaziri of Alexander Bublik, Kazakhstan, def. Ramkumar Ramanathan, India, 6-4, 6-2. FOLLOWED BY - DOUBLES R16 which is also against a tough Shannan Zayid 6-4, 6-0 in 65 Tunisia or Slovakian lucky loser Taylor Fritz, United States, def. Lorenzo Sonego, Italy, 7-6 (5), 6-4. Aslan Karatsev, Andrey Rublev vs opponent,” said Bautista Agut. minutes. Norbert Gombos as the pair will Richard Gasquet, France, def. Blaz Rola, Slovenia, 6-4, 6-4. Lorenzo Sonego, Andrea Vavassori The fifth seed Spaniard will The Russian blasted 24 of 27 square off today. Roberto Bautista Agut (5), Spain, def. Reilly Opelka, United States, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4. COURT 1 take on wild card Alexander first-service points against the American Taylor Fritz also MEN’S DOUBLES NOT BEFORE 5:00PM / AFTER Bublik in the second round, with Qatari to book second round entered the next stage with a 7-6 ROUND OF 16 SUITABLE REST - DOUBLES R16 the Kazakhstani defeating match with top seed and World (5), 6-4 win over Italy’s Lorenzo Robert Farah and Juan Sebastian Cabal (1), Colombia, def. Malek Jaziri, Jeremy Chardy, Fabrice Martin vs Indian qualifier Ramkumar No.4 Dominic Thiem. Sonego. Tunisia, and Mubarak Shannan Zayid, Qatar, 6-3, 6-2. Jonathan Erlich, Andrei Vasilevski TUESDAY 9 MARCH 2021 SPORT 11 David Ahman scores MotoGP Test: Ducati fire warning shot against their Dutch counterparts with top speed triumph at Losail Circuit on the opening day of the MOTOGP – DOHA Johann Zarco of Katara Beach Pramac Racing Barwa title Volleyball With the first round of testing riding his Ducati Cup at Losail completed over the bike on Sunday. yesterday. weekend, the action saw the sponsor for stars of MotoGP back on track for the first time since the Grand Prix conclusion of the 2020 World 19-Year-old Championship. It was certainly a memo- of Qatar rable weekend for many, such Swedes reach as Aleix Espargaro (Aprilia THE PENINSULA – DOHA Racing Team Gresini) who managed to impress on his Dorna Sports yesterday announced main draw at RS-GP, taking P1 and P3 times Barwa as the title sponsor for the 2021 after two days of testing, Grand Prix of Qatar. Katara Cup while the likes of Jorge Martin The event takes place at Losail Inter- (Pramac Racing), Enea Bas- national Circuit from the March 26 to 28 THE PENINSULA – DOHA tianini (Avintia Esponsorama and will be officially named the Barwa Racing) and Luca Marini (SKY Grand Prix of Qatar. Two rounds of tough qualifications for the men’s main VR46 Avintia Racing) won’t Founded in 2005, Barwa is the draw at the Katara Beach Volleyball Cup 4-star stop on forget the weekend any time largest listed real estate company in the 2021 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour saw eight soon, with the triumvirate of Qatar in terms of development and has duos from seven different countries snatch the available rookies debuting in the Zarco (Pramac Racing) Bologna Bullets, and even become a key contributor to the strat- spots to complete the 32-team line-up in Doha premier class. quickest of the lot over the more so for the Avintia Racing ospheric growth of the country. Barwa’s yesterday. All three will ride on the two days, hitting an pair as they were riding on commitment to the development of At their first ever 4-star tournament, 19-year-old Desmosedici in 2021 and impressive 351.7 km/h. the GP-20s with a 2019 Qatar makes the company a perfect Swedish sensations David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig they looked to have gotten In fact, the Top 5 spots of engine, meaning they out- partner for one of the country’s best won two hard-fought three-setters to progress in the to grips with the V4 engine the speed timesheets are all gunned some of the more established international sporting events tournament. The 2018 Youth Olympic champions, rather quickly, as they each occupied by Ducatis, with recent machines from the - MotoGP. seeded 24th in the qualification bracket, started off with went over the 340 km/h Martin joining his teammate other manufacturers, making Pau Serracanta, Managing Director a 2-1 (21-18, 28-30, 15-9) win over Belgium’s Dries mark on both days of the at the top with a 349.5 km/h, it all the more impressive.