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WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2014 SPORTS Serena, Sharapova again Photo of the day on Miami collision course MIAMI: World number one Serena Williams in 79 minutes. “I was definitely happier today,” led a stampede of top seeds into the quarter- Williams told reporters. “I was really strug- finals of the Sony Open on Monday but big gling my first two matches, so I just wanted to sister and three-time Miami champion Venus have a better performance today. could not join the party. On a day that saw “Going into the match I knew I could only play interrupted by rain, it seemed nothing do better. That kind of helped out, too.” Li was could stop the cream of women’s tennis from no less ruthless, the Chinese world number rising to the top with Williams, a six-time two demolishing Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro Miami champion, Australian Open winner Li 6-0 6-2 in 61 minutes while Radwanska grind- Na, third seed Agnieszka Radwanska, five- ed out a 7-6 (5) 5-7 6-2 victory over Ukraine’s time runner-up Maria Sharapova and fifth Elina Svitolina. Kerber also needed three sets seed Angelique Kerber all moving into the to get past Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-4 1- last eight. But Serena’s big sister Venus could 6 6-3. Fourth seed Sharapova got a much- not complete the Williams family double needed wake-up call after sleep-walking her falling 6-1 5-7 6-3 to Slovakian 10th seed way through the opening set before dis- Dominika Cibulkova just as the centre court patching Belgian Kirsten Flipkens 3-6 6-4 6-1 clock was about to strike midnight. while Kerber also needed three sets to get by While Serena Williams and Sharapova Russian Ekaterina Makarova 6-4 1-6 6-3. Former world number one and 12th seed Ana Ivanovic seemed headed for a quarter- final berth after comfortably taking the first set against eighth seed Czech Petra Kvitova but fell apart after that, committing 11 dou- ble faults en route to a stunning 3-6 6-0 6-0 loss. BETTER MOOD Williams, a minority owner of the National Football League’s Miami Dolphins, once again stepped onto the court dressed in her team’s turquoise and orange colours and kicked off the match by claiming the only break of the opening set for the early lead. In the second set, Williams simply blitzed Thomas Genon performs at Terre Rouge, Southern France .—www.redbull.com Vandeweghe, overpowering the 22-year-old who managed to hold her serve just once against the 17-times grand slam winner. “It doesn’t feel great (playing bad tennis),” said Williams. “That also gave me confidence KEY BISCAYNE: Maria Sharapova of to know if I’m winning these matches when Russia returns a shot to Kirsten Flipkens I’m playing some of the worst tennis I have Spurs pound 76ers of Belgium during their match on day 8 personally played in the past couple of years, of the Sony Open at Crandon Park Tennis then, you know, it gave me a lot of hope. Center. —AFP “I’m in a better mood now. It was impossi- SAN ANTONIO: Austin Daye had 22 points and ble for me to be in a good mood after I played Tim Duncan added 19 as the San Antonio Spurs clashed in last year’s Miami final there will be those last matches.” Sharapova, playing the earned their 14th straight win with a 113-91 vic- no championship rematch this Saturday with first match of the day on a drowsy and over- tory Monday that sent the Philadelphia 76ers to the American and Russian on the same side cast centre court, appeared to have trouble their 25th consecutive loss. of the draw and closing in on a semi-final getting up for her fourth-round contest, as Philadelphia will face Houston on Thursday showdown. did many of the ticket holders with only a few with the dubious distinction of being a loss shy After getting her title defence off to a slow hundred spectators sprinkled across the quiet of tying the NBA record for consecutive losses start, Williams, who lives an hour’s drive from stadium as play began. set by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2010-11. the Crandon Park Tennis Center and considers “I started off ... probably looked like it was Kawhi Leonard and Patty Mills scored 15 the event her home tournament, stepped it too early,” Sharapova told reporters. “I usually points each and Cory Joseph added 12 for San up a gear against Coco Vandeweghe, sweep- like playing first match on, but I didn’t start Antonio, which maintained the league’s best ing past the young American qualifier 6-3 6-1 off the way I wanted to.—Reuters record at 54-16. The Spurs did not play starters Tony Parker, Tiago Splitter and Danny Green, but did not need them against the lowly 76ers. Thaddeus Young and Michael Carter-Williams each scored 19 points, Byron Mullens added 15 and Elliot Williams had 14 for Philadelphia (15- 56). HEAT 93, TRAIL BLAZERS 91 LeBron James scored 32 points, including a layup with 11.4 seconds left, and Chris Bosh capped his 30th birthday by blocking Damian Lillard’s layup in the final moments as the Miami SAN ANTONIO: San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan (21) is pressured by 76ers’ Thaddeus Young Heat escaped with a win over the Portland Trail (left) and Hollis Thompson (right) during the first half of an NBA basketball game. —AP Blazers. Bosh finished with 15 points and Chris Denver Nuggets. Caron Butler scored 23 points, Morrow hit a 3-pointer to give New Orleans a Andersen had 13 points and 11 rebounds for his highest total since the Thunder added him 106-100 lead in overtime and sealed the victory Miami, which won for just the fifth time in 12 right after the trade deadline. Reggie Jackson with another 3 to make it 109-102 with 54.5 sec- games. Mario Chalmers added 11 points for the had 16 points and a career-high 11 assists, and onds left. Heat. Serge Ibaka added 15 points and seven Paul Pierce had 24 points and Deron Williams Lillard led the Blazers with 19 points on 3-for- rebounds for the Thunder, who won their fourth 23 for the Nets, who lost for the first time in five 15 shooting. Mo Williams scored 17, Wes straight. games after winning at Dallas in overtime Durant, who was coming off a 51-point game Sunday. The winner Ali Taleb Abdullah receiving prize from Ghadeer Al-Awadhi, NBK’s Matthews had 15, Nicolas Batum 11 and Robin against Toronto on Friday, is averaging 37 points Executive Manager, Consumer Banking Group. Lopez 10 for Portland, which was down 17 with just more than 9 minutes remaining. during the winning streak. The Thunder sat point PISTONS 114, JAZZ 94 guard Russell Westbrook so he could rest his sur- Andre Drummond had 19 points and 14 NBK announces the first 10 ROCKETS 100, BOBCATS 89 gically repaired right knee. Ty Lawson scored 25 rebounds as the Detroit Pistons shot a season- James Harden scored 31 points and Dwight points for the Nuggets, who had won three of best 55 percent to blow by the Utah Jazz. winners to FIFA World Cup Howard had a double-double in his return to the four. Rodney Stuckey scored 19, Greg Monroe had court as the Houston Rockets defeated the 18 points and 11 rebounds, and Brandon KUWAIT: National Bank of Kuwait (NBK) April, 2014. Charlotte Bobcats for their fourth straight win. GRIZZLIES 109, TIMBERWOLVES 92 Jennings added 15 points to help the Pistons announced the winners of the first draw in NBK Visa Cardholders (prepaid, credit Harden had 14 points in the pivotal third Mike Conley had 23 points and six assists, snap a 14-game road losing streak in the finale its campaign “win 32 travel packages for cards) will get one chance to enter the quarter and finished 11-of-19 from the field. Marc Gasol added 14 and 12 rebounds as the of a four-game Western Conference trip. two to the 2014 FIFA World Cup” in partner- draw for every KD 20 spent locally using Terrence Jones added 18 points and seven Memphis Grizzlies built an early lead and easily Gordon Hayward scored 32 points - his high- ship with Visa International. 10 NBK cus- their NBK Visa Cards for all purchases dur- rebounds in the victory. dispatched the short-handed Minnesota est total since he had 37 against Oklahoma City tomers won full travel packages to attend ing the promotion period. NBK Visa Howard had missed the previous three Timberwolves. on Jan. 7 - to lead the Jazz, who have lost seven the first game in this competition, one of Cardholders (debit, prepaid and credit games with an ankle injury, but Houston won all Zach Randolph finished with 17 points for of eight. Detroit went 9 for 17 from 3-point the most popular events in the world. cards) can also triple their chances to win three without him by an average of 23 points. He Memphis, while Tayshaun Prince and Ed Davis range and ended a five-game losing streak. NBK is the only official non-host retail while spending overseas during traveling finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds. added 12 points apiece. Mike Miller scored 11 as banking partner of the 2014 FIFA World or on the internet. Kemba Walker had 22 points and Al Jefferson Memphis won its 10th straight home game.