ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JULY 9-10, 2021 SPORTS 15 Barty, Pliskova set for 1st Wimbledon fi nal Kerber and Sabalenka fall WIMBLEDON, England, July 8, (AP): It might have been diffi cult for Ash Barty to imagine that a trip to her fi rst Wimbledon fi nal was just around the cor- ner when she stopped play- ing at last month’s French Open with a hip injury. Or even when she was two points from being pushed to a third set by Angelique Kerber in their semifi nal at the All England Club. Barty does not let obstacles trouble her for too long. She fi g- ures out a way. That’s why she’s ranked No. 1 and now stands one win from a sec- Pliskova ond Grand Slam title after beating 2018 champion Kerber 6-3, 7-6 (3) on Thursday. “I’ve had ups and downs and eve- rything in between and I wouldn’t change one day or one moment or one, TENNIS kind of, road that we’ve taken in my path and my journey,” said Barty, who was the 2011 junior champion at the All England Club and stepped away from tennis for almost two years start- ing in 2014 because of burnout. “It’s been unique. It’s been incredible. It’s been tough. There have been so many things that led to this point.” Australia’s Ashleigh Barty plays a return to Germany’s Angelique Kerber during the women’s singles semifi nals match on day ten of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, on July Her opponent in Saturday’s fi nal 8. (AP) will be No. 8 seed Karolina Pliskova, who emerged from a power-hitting and stay in the game, stay focused,” said The 25-year-old Barty won the 2019 competed since June 3, when she with- two points from owning when Barty compiled that many point-ending shots serving display to come back to defeat Pliskova, whose coach, Sascha Bajin, French Open and is currently ranked drew during her second-round match served at deuce while trailing 5-2. The while making only 16 unforced errors. No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. used to work with Naomi Osaka and No. 1. She is the fi rst woman from in Paris, in too much pain to continue. full-capacity crowd was backing the “A great level, the best level I’ve Pliskova produced 14 aces, Sa- was Serena Williams’ hitting partner. Australia to reach the title match at “To be honest, it was going to be comeback effort for the 33-year-old played in quite some time,” Barty said. balenka 18. The difference: Pliskova “That’s what I did.” Wimbledon since Evonne Goolagong touch-and-go. Everything had to be spot German, too, with shouts of “Come on, “Angie is an incredible competitor. was broken just once, Sabalenka twice. Neither she nor Barty had ever been won the trophy 1980; Barty has been on to give myself a chance to play pain- Angie!” and “Go on, Kerber!” She brought out the best in me today.” After going 0 for 8 on break points in past the fourth round at the grass-court wearing an outfi t intended as a tribute free and to play knowing that I could But Barty steeled herself to hold It was a rather entertaining and, from the fi rst set, the fi rst set she’s dropped Grand Slam tournament. to Goolagong this fortnight. trust my body,” Barty said. “If you told there, then broke to get within 5-4 with point to point, rather even contest, two in six matches, Pliskova “got a bit frus- Pliskova, a 29-year-old from the “Now to kind of give myself a me a month ago we’d be sitting in this a cross-court forehand passing winner. talented baseliners willing to try a vol- trated,” she acknowledged afterward. Czech Republic, was the runner-up at chance to create some history, almost position, I really wouldn’t have thought That was part of a 38-16 advantage ley, drop shot or lob when required. They But she went 1 for 1 in that category the 2016 U.S. Open to three-time ma- in a way that’s a tribute to her, is really that we would even get close.” in total winners for Barty, responsible were each other’s equal for long exchang- in each of the last two sets. jor champion Kerber and used to be exciting,” Barty said. On Thursday, she faced a big test more than anything else for her tri- es - in all, 22 points lasted at least nine “It was just super important to ranked No. 1. She arrived in England not having in the second set, which Kerber was umph. And this was remarkable: She strokes, with Kerber winning a dozen. Van der Merwe, Adams star Pogacar keeps lead over 2nd-place Uran with Vingegaard in 3rd Amid virus distractions, German Politt wins Tour de France Stage 12 NIMES, France, July 8, (AP): Ac- B&I Lions pound Sharks customed to settling for second, Nils JOHANNESBURG, July 8, (AP): The Politt struggled to believe victory was British and Irish Lions came through a his when it fi nally came at the Tour de major coronavirus-related distraction, China criticizes France. and last-minute changes to their lineup After dropping his last remaining because of COVID-19 protocols, to beat Oly boycott call rivals on the road leading to the city the Sharks 54-7 in their second game on of Nimes in southern France, the Ger- tour in South Africa. BEIJING, July 8, (AP): China on man rider hit his helmet several times South African-born wing Duhan van Thursday criticized what it called and shook his head as if to say, “I can’t der Merwe and Josh Adams, who filled the “politicization of sports” after believe it.” in at fullback, both scored hat tricks. British lawmakers urged a boycott After the strange feeling sank in, The game was in doubt up to an hour of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olym- with the fi nish in sight, Politt made before kickoff after a Lions player and a pics unless China allows an inves- a big heart sign member of the backroom staff tested tigation of complaints of human with his hands positive for the virus earlier Wednesday, rights abuses in its northwest. and crossed the leading to eight other players being put A boycott “will not succeed,” line on his own to in isolation as close contacts. Foreign Ministry spokesperson post only the sec- The Lions were forced to make four Wang Wenbin said. ond stage win of The British Parliament’s For- his professional eign Affairs Committee called for career. RUGBY the government to urge British Politt was part companies to boycott the Beijing of a larger group Games, scheduled for February. that jumped out late changes to their backline and only The appeal adds to pressure on of the main pack had one spare backline player, Finn China’s ruling Communist Party in the early stag- Pogacar Russell, on the bench. over reports of mass detentions es of the windy “We only found out 15 minutes and other abuses of mostly Mus- 159.4-kilometer (99-mile) Stage 12 before we left the hotel that the game lim ethnic minorities in the north- between Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux was actually going to go ahead,” said western region of Xinjiang. Irish lock Iain Henderson, Lions captain “China fi rmly opposes the po- and Nimes. The German rider from for the night. “So for the guys to get liticization of sports and the inter- the Bora-Hansgrohe team had attacked down here, have limited time to warm ference in other countries’ inter- with three other rivals from the 13- up, pull their boots on and do the job, nal affairs by using human rights man breakaway group about 40 kilom- really proud of them.” issues as a pretext,” Wang said. German Nils Politt celebrates as he crosses the fi nish line to win the twelfth stage of the Tour de France cycling eters from the fi nish. He then went solo “Attempts to disrupt, obstruct race over 159.4 kilometers (99 miles) with start in Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux and fi nish in Nimes, France, on July with 12 kilometers left with a sudden The Lions responded to the uncer- 8. (AP) tainty with eight tries for a second and sabotage the preparation and acceleration that was left unanswered. straight victory on the tour. They also convening of the Beijing Winter “There were quite a lot of sprint- passed 50 points for the second time. Olympic Games out of political ers in our group, so I had to make the Owen Farrell was drafted in at flyhalf motivation have been met with Storm hand Sparks 5th straight loss race hard and attack quite early,” Politt in place of Dan Biggar and he con- strong opposition from all sectors said. “I made fi rst attack. I gave every- trolled the first half as the Lions opened of the international community.” thing. To fi nish solo is unbelievable.” a 26-0 lead at the break at Ellis Park. Imanol Erviti and Harry Sweeny Adams, normally a wing and playing fi nished second and third, respectively, out of position at fullback in another ers proved deadly. Van der Merwe com- Griner helps Mercury beat Aces in OT 31 seconds behind. late change, crossed in the third minute.