Sport WEDNESDAY 30 SEPTEMBER 2020 LosL Angeles Lakers' LeBron James faces formerf Miami Heat team in NBA Finals I'mI extremely proud to be a part of this franchise getting back tot where it belongs, and that's playing for championships and competingc for championships. This is what I came here for. LeBron James Sport |08 NHL: STANLEY CUP, Tampa Bay Lightning beat Dallas Stars (2-0) in Game 6 to win best-of-seven championship series (4-2) Asian champions to make debut in North American event next year Qatar drawn with Honduras, Panama in Gold Cup THE PENINSULA — MIAMI Debutants and Asian Cup cham- pions Qatar yesterday were drawn with Honduras, Grenada and Panama in Group D of the 2021 Gold Cup. This will be second major North American football event to feature Qatar, hosts of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Last year, Qatar made its debut in Copa America in Brazil where it played matches against Paraguay, Columbia and Argentina. Qatar is one of the invited teams for the 2021 edition of The tournament was CONCACAF Gold Cup. CONCACAF has not originally scheduled for announced sites of the July 2-25 but was pushed tournament. back to July 10 to August Qatar are the seventh 1, with three nations to guest nation to compete in a advance from a Gold Cup and the first since 2005, joining the ranks of preliminary round on July Brazil (1996, 1998, 2003), Qatar players celebrate 2-6. Colombia (2000, 2003, 2005), after winning the Asian Peru (2000), Ecuador (2002), Cup in Abu Dhabi, in South Africa (2005) and South this February 1, 2019 Many top Europe-based Korea (2000, 2002). file photo. players from CONCACAF Along with South Korea, nations have reported to their Qatar will become the second clubs for preseason by the nationnation fromfrom thethe AsianAsian FootballFootball winningwinning TUDN sportscaster SStatesta was drawn to play are likely to skip. The Confed- group stage match-ups. The knockout stage and will not ConfederationConfederation (AFC)(AFC) to appearappear LindsayLindsay CasinelliCasinelli andand Fox SportsSports Canada,Can Martinique and either eration of North American and tournament was originally return to national teams until inin a Gold Cup tournament.tournament. LeadLead Soccer AnalystAnalyst andand UnitedUnited Barbabos,Bar Bermuda, Haiti or St. Caribbean Football Association scheduled for July 2-25 but was World Cup qualifiers during the TheThe drawdraw waswas StatesStates MMen’sen’s NationalNational TeTeamam VincentVin and the Grenadines in Football held its first draw for pushed back to July 10 to August international fixture window broadcastbroadcast livelive andand legendlel gend Alexi Lalas. thethe group stage of next sum- the tournament on Monday 1, with three nations to advance starting August 30. waswas hostedhosted byby In thethe drawdraw conductedconducted mer’sme CONCACAF Gold Cup, a night rather than its past from a preliminary round on Mexico are defending EmmyEmmyy awardawardd yesterday,yy,yesterday, thethe UnitedUnited tournamenttou many top players practice of announcing the July 2-6. champions of the event. Coach FelixFelix SanchSanchezez It will be a good experience for Qatar: Sanchez THE PENINSULAPENINSULA — DOHADOHA Honduras, Panama and are playing well outside Asia and all the resources to see this competition. Honduras Granada in Group D of the and that is good experience and to follow other teams and Panama national teams CoachCoach FelixFelix SanchezSanch 16-team tournament. for us,” Sanchez added. and the players. It is not have also played World Cups yesterdayyesterday saidsaid Asian CupC “I think it is important to “Since we are playing the advantage for any side these in recent past. They have champions Qatar must ‘be be ready to face any situ- World Cup (in 2022), it will be days. We will know all the good level. readyready to facefa ation. These days other good to play other type or style other teams, and surely, our “Their players play in anyany situation’’situatio teams demand of you to play of football. It will be good for rival teams will know about Mexico, Europe and else- whenwhen theyth well in any situation,” us to get this experience and us, our teams and the players where and they have good take ppartart in Sanchez said yesterday in to improve our international profiles etc. This does not experience. They will be be 2021 CONCACAFCONCAC reaction to the draw level. We need to adapt any give any advantage to a big challenge for us. It will Gold Cup tour-to announced by CONCACAF possible scenario and that’s anyone,” Sanchez said. be another experience to nament next yyear.e Gold Cup organisers in how we are trying to play,” “Regards to Group D that play in this league. We hope On MondayMond Miami, Florida. the Spaniard said. Qatar has to be play, our we will compete well against nnight,ight, Qatar, wwho “Our is a young team. It “Nowadays, I think, rival teams have qualified to these teams and try to get wonwon thethe 20192019 AsianAs is growing. It is getting inter- every team is well prepared. play in the tournament. They good results in group stage,” Cup,Cup, were drawn withw national experience. They They have technical staff have a good level to play in Sanchez added. Djokovic eases through opener; Rublev FRENCH OPEN: ORDER OF PLAY COURT PHILIPPE CHATRIER 3-Elina Svitolina (Ukraine) v Renata Zarazua (Mexico) Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) v 6-Serena Williams (US) back from brink to advance in five sets Mackenzie McDonald (US) v 2-Rafa Nadal (Spain) 6-Alexander Zverev (Germany) v Pierre-Hugues Herbert AFP — PARIS Serbia’s Novak Top seed Djokovic will (France) Djokovic meet Lithuania’s Ricardas COURT SUZANNE LENGLEN Novak Djokovic was celebrates after Berankis for a place in the last 16-Stan Wawrinka (Switzerland) v Dominik Koepfer described as a “snake killing winning his first 32. Berankis, the world (Germany) its prey” by vanquished round match number 66, won his first Jack Sock (US) v 3-Dominic Thiem (Austria) Roland Garros opponent against Sweden’s main draw match at Roland 1-Simona Halep (Romania) v Irina-Camelia Begu (Romania) Mikael Ymer yesterday as the Mikael Ymer, Garros after six losses when Caroline Garcia (France) v Aliaksandra Sasnovich (Belarus) world number one’s bid to yesterday. he saw off Hugo Dellien of COURT SIMONNE MATHIEU become the first man in half Bolivia 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. 10-Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) v Anna Karolina Schmiedlova a century to win all four Meanwhile, Russian 13th (Slovakia) Grand Slam titles twice got off seed Andrey Rublev came to a convincing start. back from the brink to beat Lorenzo Giustino (Italy) v 12-Diego Schwartzman (Argentina) Djokovic eased to a 6-0, American Sam Querrey in 23-Benoit Paire (France) v Federico Coria (Argentina) 6-2, 6-3 victory, reaching the five sets, yesterday. Coco Gauff (US) v Martina Trevisan (Italy) second round in Paris for a Trailing by two sets and Yesterday's Results (Selected) record-equalling 16th time. 5-2 to the big-serving Men's First Round It was also his 32nd win Querrey it seemed as though Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Mikael Ymer (SWE) 6-0, 6-2, 6-3 in 33 matches in 2020, his Rublev was about to suffer a Ricardas Berankis (LTU) bt Hugo Dellien (BOL) 6-1, 6-4, 6-4 only loss coming when he similar first-round fate to his Christian Garin (CHI x20) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) 6-4, was defaulted from the US fourth-seeded compatriot 4-6, 6-1, 6-4 Open. Daniil Medvedev. Matteo Berrettini (ITA x7) bt Vasek Pospisil (CAN) 6-3, 6-1, 6-3 “It felt like when a snake The 22-year-old had ey Rublev (RUS x13) bt Sam Querrey (USA) 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (4/7), kills its prey,” was the blunt never recovered a two-set 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 verdict of 23-year-old Ymer just surreal. The court felt big Open title and 18th career Opelka of the United States. deficit before but showed Women's First Round who never recovered from and I was nervous because I major. Meanwhile, Djokovic incredible fight to gradually dropping the first set in just was facing the best on the The two hit together at insisted his New York dis- turn the match around to win Sofia Kenin (US x4) bt Liudmila Samsonova (RUS) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 20 minutes under the roof of other side.” Wimbledon in 2015 on the qualification, handed out 6-7(5), 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 in Laura Siegemund (GER) bt Kristina Mladenovic (FRA) 7-5, 6-3 Court Philippe Chatrier. Yesterday’s demolition morning of the men’s final when he swiped a ball which three hours and 17 minutes. Sloane Stephens (USA) bt Vitalia Diatchenko (RUS) 6-2, 6-2 “He hits it pretty big. I had was the not the first time when Djokovic went on to felled a line judge, was defi- Rublev’s first French Paula Badosa (ESP) bt Kateryna Kozlova (UKR) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 chances to rally but then I got Ymer, the world number beat Roger Federer for the nitely a thing of the past. Open match win sets him up Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) bt Madison Brengle (USA) 6-2, 6-1 suffocated. It was corner to 80 from Sweden, had title and Ymer was readying “I have not had any traces for a second-round clash with Karolina Pliskova (CZE x2) bt Mayar Sherif (EGY) 6-7 (9/11), corner and he rarely misses. faced Djokovic who is for the boys championship of New York in my mind.