14 Saturday 14th January, 2012 same side of the draw as 16-time Grand the 2009 U.S. Open final. Slam winner Federer — his only loss in a On the women’s side, Wozniacki is still major last year was to Federer in the searching for a first Grand Slam title French Open semifinals. But this time, if despite finishing atop the rankings the players progress on their seedings, last two seasons. She opens against Djokovic will meet Andy Murray in the Anastasia Rodionova of Australia and is semifinals. The pair met in the 2011 final, in the same quarter as Clijsters and Li. Murray’s second loss in the title match at Clijsters, who is coming off a hip Melbourne Park in back-to-back years injury that forced her to retire in a semifi- after his 2010 defeat by Federer. nal match at the Brisbane International At the official draw on Friday, Djokovic last week, will face a qualifier in the first and Clijsters posed with the Australian round. Fifth-seeded Li, who reached the Open trophies and looked closely at their final in a title defense at the Sydney roads to the final. International, has a first-round match Djokovic was drawn to open against against Ksenia Pervak of Kazakhstan. Paolo Lorenzi of Italy in the first round. Clijsters said she’s feeling fit, adding Also in his section are Andy Roddick and that the hip complaint was only a result of Lleyton Hewitt — both former No. 1- not playing a competitive match for many ranked players who could meet in the sec- months. ond round — and big-serving Canadian She’ll be chasing a fifth major title in Milos Raonic. Fifth-seeded David Ferrer is what she expects to be her last season on also in his quarter. the WTA Tour. Djokovic said it hadn’t escaped his Reflecting on last year’s win in attention that he avoided the No. 2 and Australia, Clijsters said: “Playing Li Na No. 3 ranked men, who have 26 major was one of the funnest finals I’ve played, titles between them, but that didn’t mean also one of the best in a Grand Slam. he was lowering his guard. “It was a tough match. We both played “It’s a Grand Slam, everyone has moti- well. Winning at the end gives you a lot of vation. We can’t underestimate anyone,” confidence. I was able to show the people Djokovic said. Asked which players from here my best level. outside the top four were most dangerous, “For Li Na, there was a lot of outside he mentioned sixth-seeded Jo-Wilfried pressure from her country as well and a Tsonga of France, another potential semi- final rival, Raonic and Australian teenag- lot of expectations. I was happy to see her er Bernard Tomic. do well in the summer in Europe.” Nadal will open against a qualifier and Kvitova, who missed a chance to over- could meet No. 7 Tomas Berdych in the haul Wozniacki at No. 1 when she was quarterfinals. Federer is in the same ousted in the Sydney International semifi- nals this week, opens against Vera Novak Djokovic Caroline Wozniacki quarter as eighth-seeded Mardy Fish and Juan Martin del Potro, who beat him in Dusevina. BY JOHN PYE MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer are on the same half of a Grand Slam draw for the first time since 2005, meaning defending cham- pion and No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic won’t have to play either of his biggest rivals unless he reaches the Australian Djokovic drawn in Open final. Reigning women’s champion Kim Clijsters could meet French Open winner Li Na in the fourth round, in a rematch of the 2011 Australian final. They’re both in the same quarter as No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki. On the opposite side, five-time opposite half to Australian Open champion and 12th-seed- ed Serena Williams is in the same quarter as former major winners Maria Sharapova, who is seeded No. 4, and Svetlana Kuznetsova. At the Rafa and Roger bottom of that half are Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova,ranked No.2,and U.S. Open champion Sam Stosur. Djokovic won three of the four majors last year, end- ing the dominance of Federer and Nadal in men’s Grand Slams. The 24-year-old Serb usually ends up on the Spain’s Rafael Nadal, during a practice ses- sion for the Australian Open tennis champi- onship, in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2012. (AP Photo/Mark Baker) Roger Federer Kim Clijsters Speed Drome produces another champion, Zimbabwe names squad for New Zealand tour Thivank Wijesuriya HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Zimbabwe has left opening Thivank Wijesuriya, having garnered 57 points, Speed Drome, Battaramulla in 2010, with the inten- Speaking after receiving the award, young batsman Vusi Sibanda out of its squad to tour New Zealand did well to grab the Formula 1300 cc Championship tion of having fun in Go-Karting and was placed Thivanka, who was exuberant over the win, com- after he was embroiled in a spat with the country’s cricket title for 2011 at the National Championship Awards among the top ten drivers at the circuit at mended Speed Drome for the opportunity afforded authorities. Ceremony, organised by the Sri Lanka Automobile Battaramulla in the very first year. to him, which enabled him to reach the highest Sibanda’s name was missing from a 16-man squad list Sports (SLAS) which was held recently. Having evaluated his potential and performance, level in this sport. He further went on to praise the issued by Zimbabwe Cricket on Thursday for the tour in Thivanka was sponsored by Speed Drome and the Management of Speed Drome decided to give Management of Speed Drome for their noteworthy January and February. Sibanda fell out with officials and was followed by Praveen Madugalle, another Motor him the opportunity to compete at the contribution to uplift Motor Racing in Sri Lanka, was dropped from the side after he left to play league crick- Racing enthusiast who had his basics from Speed Championship in 2011, although he continued the and for the support and encouragement extended et in Australia during November and December without Drome, with 35 points under his belt. sport as a hobby, while at the same time sponsoring to young drivers especially in the Formula catego- clearance. Thivanka took to the sport at the inception of his participation for the entire year. ry. In a statement, Zimbabwe Cricket said “Sibanda was not selected for the traveling party as the selectors upheld the ZC Cricket Committee policy which states that to be eligi- ble for national selection, one has to be contracted to play domestic cricket in Zimbabwe. At the beginning of the sea- son, Sibanda was offered a ZC contract which he declined in favor of one to play Grade Cricket in Australia.” The opener was one of Zimbabwe’s best performers after returning to the test arena last year following the country’s six-year self-imposed exile. His place has been taken by middle-order batsman Stuart Matsikenyeri, who returns to the team almost two years after an unsuccessful tour of the West Indies. Matsikenyeri has been recalled on the back of his con- sistent form in the early stages of Zimbabwe’s domestic league season. There were also places for seamer Shingi Masakadza, the younger brother of batsman Hamilton, and all-rounder Keegan Meth. The two, alongside wicketkeeper Foster Mutizwa, are the only players who are not capped at test level. Leg-spinner Graeme Cremer and swing bowler Brian Vitori both make comebacks from injury. Cremer will go as the second spinner for the one-off test match at Napier starting Jan. 26 and will return home afterwards, to be replaced by Prosper Utseya for the rest of the tour. The two sides will also meet for three one-day interna- tionals and two Twenty20 matches during February. Zimbabwe squad: Brendan Taylor (captain), Hamilton Masakadza, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Tatenda Taibu, Malcolm Waller, Ray Price, Elton Chigumbura, Regis Chakabva, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Foster Mutizwa, Prosper Utseya, Graeme Cremer, Keegan Meth, Kyle Jarvis, Brian Vitori, Shingi Masakadza. Thivank Wijesuriya receives the Formula 1300 cc Championship title for 2011 from Sports Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage. .