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SPORT Monday 12 June 2017 PAGE | 21 PAGE | 22 PAGE | 23 Bolt shakes off nervesves Pakistan, SL Young Lions win to win final race onn set for Trophy England's first world Jamaican soil 'quarter-final' title in 51 years Qatar eye full points Nadal against South Korea in qualifying game claims The Peninsula atar will be looking for full points when Qthey take on South Korea in the key FIFA 2018 10th World Cup qualifying match tomorrow at Al Sadd Stadium. The 2022 World Cup hosts have slim chances of making it to Russia via the French play-off route and for that a win against South Korea will be do or die battle for Qatar 4-1 in their latest trip coach Jorge Fossati (pic- to Doha, in the same stage tured) team. of the 2014 World Cup Buoyed by a noisy home qualifiers. Open crowd, Qatar will be look- They also won the home ing to pull of a big upset in leg 2-1 and combined this Doha to keep them afloat with this editions 3-2 win for the Russia trip. from home leg makes it Qatar have just four three wins on the bounce points and cannot finish in for the Koreans in compet- title one of the top two spots that itive games against Qatar. guarantee an automatic South Korea do come berth in Russia. They can, with some troubles in away however, climb up to third, games. They were beaten which secures a place in a 1-0 by China in their latest series of play-offs. away trip to leave them Paris media lit up at that point with Qatar are at the bottom win-less in three away Reuters women's semi-finalist Timea Bac- of Group A with a massive matches in the campaign so sinszky of Switzerland tweeting eight point gap with the far. They lost to Iran and laycourt king Rafa Nadal "OMG!" third placed Uzbekistan. drew blank in the draw regained his Roland I'm a little emotional. The nerves and Wawrinka, who had been on For South Korea, this is against Syria in previous Garros throne after two adrenaline I feel on this court is impossible an 11-match winning streak on a key fixture as they must two trips. years in exile with a clay, was being hunted down mer- win to get away from Elsewhere, China's slim brutal 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 to compare: Rafael Nadal cilessly and his frustration boiled Uzbekistan in the race for World Cup qualification Cmauling of Swiss Stan Wawrinka over as the Spaniard closed in on second spot in the table. hopes could finally end this to complete 'La Decima' a two-set lead, the Swiss wreck- Qatar had so far failed week while Iran could yesterday. ing his racket frame after a missed to make the home advan- become the first Asian Rewinding the clock to the forehand. tage count as they managed nation to book their place days when he was untouchable on just one win from their in next year's finals in the crushed brick dust, the turned the final into an exhibition rigueur for an expectant Court three matches at Doha, Russia. 31-year-old turned 2015 champion of his claycourt supremacy – tak- Philippe Chatrier as the final 'Amazing' Nadal while losing in the remain- Carlos Queiroz's team Wawrinka into a human punch ing his French Open record to an began with temperatures hover- ing two. take on Uzbekistan in bag, winning in just over two eye-watering 79-2. ing around the 30 degrees The hosts can take Tehran today knowing a hours. As a weary Wawrinka sliced a Celcius mark -- optimum condi- better than ever, encouragement from the fact win over the Central Asian This title, a record 10th at a volley into the net on match point tions for Nadal's monstrous they haven’t lost to Qatar nation will ensure the Ira- single Grand Slam in the profes- Nadal collapsed on his back on the topspin game. says Wawrinka since the narrow 1-0 defeat nians qualify for the World sional era, was arguably the most baseline. Wawrinka, who spent nearly during the 1994 Asia Cup. Cup for the second time in impressive of his 15 majors, "I'm a little emotional," Nadal five hours more on court than Nadal Paris They can boast of a six match a row, the first time the though, as it arrived three injury- said before his tearful uncle Toni, to reach the final, looked confused AFP unbeaten streak with four country will have secured a plagued years after the last one his career-long coach who will and heavy-legged although he did wins and two draws in it. place at back-to-back when he beat Novak Djokovic here take a back seat at the end of the have a glimmer in the third game tan Wawrinka said Rafael The Koreans defeated tournaments. in 2014. year, handed him La Coupe des when Nadal, still settling down, Nadal was back at the He also did it without dropping Mousquetaires. saved a break point. Speak of his powers after a set and conceding only 35 games "The nerves and adrenaline I Nadal failed to convert any of storming to an incredible 10th in seven matches. Only Bjorn Borg, feel on this court is impossible to the four break points he had in the French Open title yesterday. Second win for Qatar who conceded 32 on his way to compare." following game, but drew first Swiss third seed Wawrinka the 1978 title, has been a more Wawrinka said he had not blood the next time an opportu- was trying to win his second ruthless champion. found his best level but paid trib- nity arose to take a 4-2 lead. Then Roland Garros title in three Third seed Wawrinka, having ute to the man he beat to win the he switched on the afterburners, years but was blown away by beaten world number one Andy first of his three grand slam titles taking Wawrinka out of the equa- Nadal 6-2, 6-3, 6-1. Murray with a majestic display of in Australia in 2014. tion, and minutes later the Swiss "For sure he's playing the firepower in a gruelling semi-final, "For sure he's playing the best wafted a forehand long to hand best he's ever played. That's arrived full of hope as, at 32, he he's ever played. That's for sure. Nadal a second break of serve and for sure. But not only here," tried to become the oldest French Not only here," Wawrinka said. the opening set. said Wawrinka, who lost for Open winner since Andres Gimeno "It's a tough loss. But I played Wawrinka was flat, striking the first time in four Grand in 1972. against the biggest clay-court not a single winner off his glori- Slam finals. But the barrel-chested 'Stani- player ever." ous single-handed backhand in the "I think since the beginning mal' was powerless as Nadal Straw hats and fans were de first set, and with less than an hour of the year, you can see he's on the clock his task already playing more aggressive, stay- looked forlorn. ing more close from the line. FRENCH OPEN WINNERS SINCE 2000 Nadal got a time violation at "But that's clearly his best 2017 Rafa Nadal (Spain) bt Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 the start of the second, but he ever play. That's why he's 2016 Novak Djokovic (Serbia) bt Andy Murray (Britain) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 Wawrinka could not slow the winning so much again." 2015 Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) bt Novak Djokovic (Serb) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 6-4 Spaniard's charge as he bounded Wawrinka admitted the 2014 Rafa Nadal (Spain) bt Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 into a 3-0 lead in the second hav- daunting mental challenge of 2013 Rafa Nadal (Spain) bt David Ferrer (Spain) 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 ing won seven games in a row. facing Nadal on his favourite 2012 Rafa Nadal (Spain) bt Novak Djokovic (Serbia) 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 With the crowd attempting to surface contributed heavily to 2011 Rafa Nadal (Spain) bt Roger Federer (Switzerland) 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1 lift Wawrinka he stopped the rot the crushing defeat. 2010 Rafa Nadal (Spain) bt Robin Soderling (Sweden) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 to hold, firing himself up with a "He's playing his best level 2009 Roger Federer (Switzerland) bt Robin Soderling (Sweden) 6-1, 7-6, 6-4 roar of "C'mon". on clay. Five-set match, you 2008 Rafa Nadal (Spain) bt Roger Federer (Switzerland) 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 Nadal was relentless though, know, it's going to be a really Fernando Gonzalez (3) and Edson Alberto 2007 Rafa Nadal (Spain) bt Roger Federer (Switzerland) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 pinning Wawrinka back behind tough challenge when you play Valencia Gonzalez (7) of Venezuela block Ahmed 2006 Rafa Nadal (Spain) bt Roger Federer (Switzerland) 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 the baseline. Even when he was against him," said the Swiss. Noaman (right) from Qatar during the 2017 FIVB 2005 Rafa Nadal (Spain) bt Mariano Puerta (Argentina) 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 stretched the response was "I didn't play my best ten- 2004 Gaston Gaudio (Argentina) bt Guillermo Coria (Arg) 0-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, 8-6 emphatic, one astonishing fore- nis for sure, I was a little bit World League Group 3 match in Tallinn, Estonia 2003 Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) bt Martin Verkerk (Netherlands) 6-1, 6-3, 6-2 hand, whipped from close to the hesitant with my selection of yesterday.

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