SPORTS TUESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2013 Federer already looking forward to ‘great’ 2014 BEIJING: Looking back is a waste of time, as far as Roger Federer is concerned. While tennis fans and pundits are obsessed with his below-par performance at the four majors this year which has left him in danger of missing the cut for the season-ending ATP finale for the first time since 2001, Federer has already put a positive spin on his 2013 trials and tribulations. “I always knew that this year, after a very tough year in 2012, the Olympics (and winning Wimbledon), was going to be a bit more quiet,” the Swiss told reporters in Shanghai on Monday after winning his first- round doubles match with little-known Chinese Zhang Ze. “I expected myself probably not to be as suc- cessful and as busy playing matches and tourna- ments. “My mindset now is, okay, next year is going to be a great year again where I’m not going to have that many points to defend, espe- cially at some very key moments where I consid- er myself a favorite. “For that reason I’m really looking forward to 2014 already.” Federer, who won the last of his record 17 grand slam titles at SHANGHAI: Gael Monfils of France hits a return to Tatsuma Ito of Japan during their first Wimbledon 15 months ago before scooping a sil- round match of the Shanghai Masters tennis tournament. — AFP ver at the London Games, went through the 2013 season without reaching a major final for Roger Federer Isner rallies to beat the first time since 2002 and his only success has been at the low-key Halle tournament. BIG MATCHES with only 105 points separating him and ninth- He lost in the Australian Open semi-finals to If the over-exuberant fan reaction in placed Frenchman Gasquet. Giraldo in Shanghai Andy Murray, fell at the last-eight stage to Jo- Shanghai is anything to go by, the 32-year-old “It was the goal at the beginning of the sea- Wilfried Tsonga in the French Open, suffered a will be the star attraction in China this week son to qualify for it. I consider it the absolute best SHANGHAI: John Isner served 29 aces and have first-round byes and aren’t scheduled shock second-round defeat at Wimbledon to even though he has now slipped down the of the best tournament out there, so I want to be rallied to beat Colombian qualifier Santiago to play their opening matches until journeyman Sergiy Stakhovsky before losing to rankings. Fellow Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, part of that,” said Federer. “So it’s extra motivation Giraldo 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 yesterday in the first Wednesday. Two-time champion Andy Tommy Robredo in the US Open fourth round Richard Gasquet and Milos Raonic are all for me to play well and be part of that great tour- round of the Shanghai Masters. The 14th- Murray is not playing in Shanghai this year last month. “I didn’t want to focus too much on breathing down his neck and could trip him up nament.” Federer, who trained in intense heat in seeded American fought off three break after undergoing back surgery last month. what happened the last two months. The US in the race to secure a place at the World Tour Dubai before coming to Shanghai, opted not to points at 5-5 in the third set, then broke Isner’s match was one of only a few that Open, I hardly ever thought about it if I look Finals in London. World number one Rafa Nadal, play a competitive match for over a month fol- Giraldo for the second time to close out the could be completed because of heavy back, at the Robredo match,” he said. “It wasn’t Novak Djokovic, Murray and Spain’s David Ferrer lowing his loss to Robredo in New York. But match. “I started off a little slow in the first winds and rain from the remnants of my day. It’s one of those things you just want to have already sealed spots for next month’s tour- much to the delight of the local crowd, he part- set,” Isner said. “I told myself the only thing I Typhoon Fitow, which made landfall in move on from. “I think my game’s been coming nament involving the top eight players. nered local hero Zhang, ranked 271 in singles could do was keep fighting. I felt like I was southern China over the weekend and back, which has been very important. Now it’s Currently seventh in the ATP Race, Federer’s job and 437 in doubles, to breeze past Kevin serving well, so just try to hold serve as blew through Shanghai yesterday. Isner about staying positive and working hard every has also been made more difficult as he is slated Anderson and Dmitry Tursunov 6-2 6-1 to record best as I could. That’s what I did.” Isner played under the roof in the main stadium. single day. That’s been the mindset.” to meet Djokovic in the Shanghai quarter-finals his first doubles win of 2013. — Reuters could meet Rafael Nadal in the third round. In the only other singles matches complet- Nadal, seeded second in Shanghai, sup- ed, France’s Gael Monfils defeated Japanese planted Novak Djokovic as the top-ranked qualifier Tatsuma Ito 6-3, 6-2 and Spain’s player yesterday, despite losing to the Serb Marcel Granollers beat Serbia’s Janko Ethiopian underdogs in the final of the China Open in Beijing a Tipsarevic 6-4, 6-4. In doubles, Federer day earlier. Djokovic is the defending teamed with China’s Zhang Ze to beat champion and seeded No 1 in Shanghai. Kevin Anderson of South Africa and Dmitry ready to face Nigeria He could meet Roger Federer in the quar- Tursunov of Russia 6-2, 6-1 in a first-round terfinals. Djokovic, Nadal and Federer all match.— AP ADDIS ABABA: In matching blue jerseys and red shorts, Ethiopia’s footballers confidently criss-cross their home pitch, launching the ball back and forth. The players press on under the blistering morn- ing sun for over two hours. At this crucial stage in the 2014 World Cup Africa zone qualifiers, the team knows that every minute of training counts. “We have tried to prepare them physically as well as mentally in the first week and now we are doing our tactical work and we will continue in the coming few days to combine the two,” said Ethiopian ‘Waliya Antelopes’ coach Sewnet Bishaw, as his team waged a practice match behind him. Ethiopia are preparing to face Nigeria on Sunday in their toughest qualifying match yet. Though the odds are stacked against Ethiopia-Nigeria rank 36th in the world, according to international football governing body FIFA, while Ethiopia clocks in at 93 BELGIUM: Chinese gymnast Chaopan Lin competes in the parallel bars event at the - the ‘Waliyas’ maintain an unflinching resolve to 44th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. — AFP win. Having beaten 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa to land at the top of their group, it is the clos- US lands record result est the Horn of Africa nation has come to reaching the finals. at gymnastics worlds Ethiopia know the next match will be far from easy. On top of their impressive global ranking, ANTWERP: All of 16 years old and given to spot. “We have some more reserves,” Karolyi Nigeria have more international experience and giggles, Simone Biles showed she is ready to warned. Well behind the US, Japan had sev- boasts several players from top European leagues. carry the weight of a nation. She anchored en medals overall, including four gold. But But the ‘Waliyas’ refuse to let that spook them. the strongest US team performance in world other perennial contenders are clearly championship history on Sunday, and it did- rebuilding. China had only two medals over- Having played Nigeria last January at the Africa n’t take long for US women’s team coach all, even if they were gold. Russia had four, Cup of Nations, Ethiopia are familiar with the Martha Karolyi to put this in perspective. “We but only gold from Aliya Mustafina on the strength of Nigeria’s ‘Super Eagles’, who won the are ready to go for Rio,” Karolyi said. balance beam. And Romania left with just game 2-0 before moving on to win the lift the tro- After a dozen medals and a long week of one bronze. phy in South Africa. domination, the Americans are clearly in a For the US team, even the men started “We are ready for this match, we are very ready. position of strength for the 2016 Olympics. contributing again. They had only one gold We learned a lesson from the mistakes we made And Biles, a newcomer to the team, is much in 2011, the last world championships. In last time,” said midfielder Menyahil Teshome. the reason. First, she won the all-around London last year, they brought back a mere Coach Sewnet said despite Ethiopia’s defeat, the Friday and then she added the floor event bronze. This time, four different men added Nigerian squad is not a better team and the Sunday. She finished with four medals over- two silvers and two bronzes, showing some all. “All the hard work has paid off,” she said. strength in depth. “We are doing awesome,” BRAZIL: Picture taken at the Beira Rio stadium, in Porto Alegre, Brazil, during an inspec- ‘Waliyas’ maintained their strength until the last 10 “It is so exciting to be part of that.