SUNDAY 21 JANUARY 2018 SPORT 25 I’m almost dead. The TENNIS CRICKET feeling in my muscles is World No.1 Simona TODAY’S Nadal eyes last-8 stage Sri Lanka face Zimbabwe in gone and I don’t feel my Halep after surviving a ACTION as Australian Open Tri-Nation Series in Mirpur, ankle anymore titanic struggle against American Lauren Davis continues. Bangladesh. Federer, Djokovic sail as Kerber beats Sharapova AFP against 76th-ranked American Lauren Davis. MELBOURNE: Roger Federer She looked out for the count and Novak Djokovic kept up at one point but finally got over Christian Coleman their relentless march towards the line 4-6, 6-4, 15-13 in a gru- a semi-final meeting at the elling 3hr 44min epic that took Australian Open yesterday as its toll. Coleman Maria Sharapova suffered a “I’m almost dead,” the tena- crushing defeat by Angelique cious Romanian said after the Kerber. incredible battle, in which Davis breaks The two greats of the game lost a toenail and Halep served – who have won 11 Australian for the match four times. 60m indoor Opens between them – could The former quarter-finalist meet in the last four if they main- will now play Naomi Osaka after world record tain their winning ways. the Japanese star beat Austral- Defending champion Fed- ia’s Ashleigh Barty. REUTERS erer was never troubled by Sixth seed Karolina Pliskova France’s Richard Gasquet, who also had a tough test, beating LOS ANGELES : Double world has failed to take a set off him fellow Czech Lucie Safarova 7-6 silver medallist Christian since 2011, as he steamed into (8/6), 7-5. Coleman was keen to keep his the last 16 with a 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 In contrast, US Open finalist name in the spotlight after a win. Madison Keys was in fine touch breakthrough campaign and “The second set was tight, as she benefits from the guidance the American sprinter the match was close and I had to of former great Lindsay ensured that was the case focus to the very end,” said the Davenport. with an astonishing dash on Swiss 19-time Grand Slam Flying under the radar, the Friday. Novak Djokovic (left) and Roger Federer celebrate their wins yesterday. winner, who next plays 17th seed has surrendered just The 21-year-old sprinter 16 games on her way to the continued his meteoric rise AUSTRALIAN OPEN RESULTS little-known Hungarian Marton world number ones and were the a place in the quarter-finals. fourth round after beating to the upper echelons of Fucsovics for a place in the only two Australian Open winners For Sharapova, who is Romania’s Ana Bogdan 6-3, 6-4. global sprinting when he Men’s singles (3rd round) quarter-finals. left in the women’s draw, but there looking to rediscover her best on She will next face French shattered a two-decade old Dominic Thiem (AUT x5) bt Adrian Mannarino He added: “So far, so good.” was only one player in it. her way back from a 15-month eighth seed Caroline Garcia, who 60 metres world record with (FRA x26) 6-4, 6-2, 7-5 Djokovic was equally con- “This court is special for me drugs ban, it is back to the was too strong for Belarussian a blazing time of 6.37 sec- Tennys Sandgren (USA) bt Maximilian Marterer vincing in his 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 rout and I was trying to enjoy every drawing board. Alaksandra Sasnovich. onds at Clemson South (GER) 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 7-6 (7/5) of Spanish 21st seed Albert point,” Kerber said of Rod Laver “I think there are a lot of Among the men through was Carolina. Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Nicolas Kicker (ARG) Ramos-Vinolas, although there Arena, where she beat Serena things that I need to get better at Austrian fifth seed Dominic “Great start to my career,” 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 was concern when he sought a Williams in the 2016 final. and improve on,” she admitted. Thiem and veteran Tomas Ber- tweeted Coleman, in his first Fabio Fognini (ITA x25) bt Julien Benneteau medical timeout for treatment Kerber is in scintillating World number one Simona dych, along with American full year as a professional (FRA) 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3 to his lower back. form, having won the lead-up Halep is lucky to be still in con- Tennys Sandgren, who had never athlete. Chung Hyeon (KOR) bt Alexander Zverev (GER “It was straight sets but I had Sydney International, and will tention after surviving three won a Grand Slam match before The time, if ratified by x4) 5-7, 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-3, 6-0 to earn my points,” insisted the face Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei for match points in a titanic struggle this year’s Australian Open. global governing body IAAF, Tomas Berdych (CZE x19) bt Juan Martin Del Serb, who is on his way back shaves 0.02 seconds off the Potro (ARG x12) 6-3, 6-3, 6-2 after six months out with right mark countryman Maurice Novak Djokovic (SRB x14) bt Albert Ramos (ESP elbow trouble. Greene initially established in x21) 6-2, 6-3, 6-3 “Obviously for me it’s taking 1998 and then matched in it one match at a time but I have 2001. Roger Federer (SUI x2) bt Richard Gasquet (FRA to be more humble with my “I’m in disbelief,” Cole- x29) 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 expectations as I haven’t played man’s coach Tim Hall Women’s singles (3rd round) in the last six months.” commented. Karolina Pliskova (CZE x6) bt Lucie Safarova He next plays South Korea’s “This was his season (CZE x29) 7-6 (8/6), 7-5 Chung Hyeon, who shocked opener. It was totally Madison Keys (USA x17) bt Ana Bogdan (ROM) fourth seed Alexander Zverev. unexpected.” 6-3, 6-4 With the temperatures a The two had chosen the Simona Halep (ROM x1) bt Lauren Davis (USA) manageable 26 Celsius (79 Far- small meeting at Clemson 4-6, 6-4, 15-13 enheit) at Melbourne Park after University to see where the Caroline Garcia (FRA x8) bt Aliaksandra Sas- two days of oven-like conditions, talented sprinter stood in novich (BLR) 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 Zverev was beaten in five sets. terms of upcoming competi- Naomi Osaka (JPN) bt Ashleigh Barty (AUS x18) He has been hailed as the tions, including next month’s 6-4, 6-2 leader of the tennis new guard Boston Indoor Grand Prix and Barbora Strycova (CZE x20) bt Bernarda Pera but has now failed to go beyond March’s world indoor cham- the fourth round in 11 Grand pionships in Birmingham, (USA) 6-2, 6-2 Slams, admitting he has “some England. Angelique Kerber (GER x21) bt Maria Sharapova figuring out to do”. Angelique Kerber celebrates “So we got through the (RUS) 6-1, 6-3 In a glamour evening tie, after winning against Maria prelims and felt pretty good Hsieh Su-wei TPE) bt Agnieszka Radwanska Sharapova was no match for Sharapova. INSET: Sharapova since he backed off a little (POL x26) 6-2, 7-5 Kerber, flopping 6-1, 6-3. reacts after the loss. before the finish and still ran The pair are both 30, former 6.47,” Hall said. The time was the fastest in the world this year and 0.02 seconds slower than Zverev baffled over Indian duo Paes and Raja Coleman’s personal best. “So we talked a little bit more before the final,” Hall Grand Slam failures said. stuns former champions “And like I always tell AFP him, I said: ‘Relax, no pressing REUTERS were playing grand slam cham- and allow the run to happen.’ MELBOURNE: Another Grand pions today and they kept on “That was the result.” Slam has come and gone for MELBOURNE: Indian doubles showing their class,” Paes said. Coleman’s tag as Ameri- Alexander Zverev (pictured) great Leander Paes (pictured) “The way Purav played at ca’s next sprint hope was and the young German star has had 119 playing partners in the end, people have seen me established last year when he can’t figure out why. his 27-year career and it appears do that, but he earned street clocked a world-best 9.82 The world No.4 was his latest union could be a prof- cred today in the locker room.” seconds in the 100m at the US dumped out of the year’s itable one after he and compa- Asked whether it would be collegiate championships opening Grand Slam by 58th- triot Purav Raja knocked out a long-term arrangement, Paes before he edged the legen- ranked South Korean Chung former champions Jamie Murray said: “Come back to me in six dary Usain Bolt for silver at Hyeon in five sets yesterday player in a best-of-five sets and Bruno Soares yesterday. the off-season, however, Paes, months.” Raja, whose has the World Championships. after leading by two sets to one. match. “I have some figuring Paes, 44, and Raja saved a the oldest man left in the tour- earned only $380,000 as a pro- He went on to claim a Chung claimed the scalp of out to do, what happens to me match point in a near three- nament, is happy with his fessional and is ranked 68th in second silver medal in his first top-five ranked oppo- in deciding moments in Grand hour thriller before winning choice.