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Sports FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2014 Mind games keep players on the ball at US Open NEW YORK: It is a question that is asked of tennis players point like RoboCop. I have to remind myself to focus.” on one side for a while. “The good thing in doubles is that in almost every news conference; “What were you thinking Balancing being concentrated with being relaxed is not your partner can help snap you out of it. when?” easy but professionals play so many matches that they “But in juniors your partner can be your worst enemy, As in every sport, tennis players constantly strive to be improve with age. sometimes - if they’re not focused then your mind can “in the zone”, that state of mind when everything goes per- For juniors, who do not have that bulk of experience start drifting.” fectly without any conscious thought. under their belt, it can be even more difficult to stay in the For some players, staying focused is more of a problem Most players truly get in the zone only a handful of moment. than others. “Sometime if I’m fed upit’s like, I don’t care,” times a year. Otherwise, they have to cope with the wan- “When I usually have lapses it’s when I have been listen- said France’s Gael Monfils, who takes on Federer in the derings of the mind that can affect focus and at worst, lose ing to music,” said Francis Tiafoe, a 16-year-old American, quarter-finals of the U.S. Open on Thursday night. them matches. considered to be one of his country’s biggest hopes. “It’s like, OK, next one. It sounds bad in English, but While amateurs might find themselves thinking bizarre “If I’m winning easy, say by a set and a break, I might what I mean is, care about the match, I don’t care about thoughts like: “did I leave the oven on?” or “what will I tell start singing a few lyrics. “And then for a couple of shots, other things.” my friends if I lose this?”, professionals are better at staying I’m like: ‘what’s going on? Then I’m like: ‘OK, here we go Occasionally, a player’s mind can fail them even when in the moment. and I am back.” they are 100 percent focused, as happened to Andy But there is still the odd time where the mind goes Murray on match point in the 2012 U.S. Open final when AWOL and then anything goes, as Roger Federer explained Unusual situation he lined up to the wrong side of the court. a few years ago. South Africa’s Raven Klaasen, who reached the doubles “I just think it was all to do with being so much in the “Sometimes if you have a song in your mind, sometimes quarter-finals in New York with Eric Butorac and made the zone, and while I haven’t done it too much, I watch a lot you’re thinking of what’s going to happen tomorrow, Australian Open final in January, said it was unusual for of matches and it does happen to other players,” the what’s the plan for tonight,” he said. professionals to lose their way for long. Scot said in a column for The Australian a few months “All those things happen. We’re human at the end of “It’s also a bit easier in doubles,” he said. “I think that later, admitting he was a little embarrassed at his mis- the day. We’re not a machine and go from like point to only happens when I’m a bit cold, if I haven’t won a point take. —Reuters Williams homing in on sixth US Open title NEW YORK: All joking aside, if this keeps up Serena Williams won’t need a back-up plan. The 17-time Grand Slam champion, shut out in the majors this year, continues her quest for a third straight US Open title on Friday when she takes on 17th-seeded Russian Ekaterina Makarova for a place in the championship match. On paper it’s a mismatch: the two- time defending champion seeking a sixth US Open title against the left- hander from Moscow playing in her first Grand Slam semi-final. But Williams hadn’t made it past the fourth round in the first three Grand Slams of the year, a gaping hole in her resume despite five titles on the WTA tour. “It’s almost a joke for me because I have done little to no winning in the majors,” she said. “I thought, take it as a joke: I better play doubles just in case I don’t make it past the second round. At least I have a back-up plan. “I think that definitely has been able to help me to relax.” A relaxed and ever-more confident Williams is the only top-eight seed still standing in a women’s draw rocked by upsets. In today’s other semi-final, 10th-seeded Caroline Wozniacki, a former world number one NEW YORK: Kei Nishikori of Japan hits a return to Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland during their US Open 2014 men’s sin- and the 2009 runner-up, takes on China’s Peng Shuai, who has finally gles match at the USTA Billie Jean King National Center Wednesday in New York. —AFP made it past the fourth round of a Grand Slam in her 37th attempt. Williams arrives in the last four off a storming quarter-final win over tough Italian veteran Flavia Pennetta. She erased a quick 0-3 deficit by Djokovic, Nishikori take winning six straight games as she stretched her record against the Italian to 6-0 with a 6-3, 6-2 triumph. But she has a healthy respect for Makarova, who beat her in the long road to semi-finals fourth round at the 2012 Australian Open. “Makarova moves well,” Williams said. “She doesn’t care who she plays, she gives 100 percent. “She has that serve that can go out wide or you never know where it’s going to go. She has a great backhand and she’s improved her fore- Serena wakes up to win in a romp hand.” —AFP NEW YORK: Serena Williams and Ekaterina try evening to breeze past Italian Flavia Pennetta get through to another semi-final. “We both gave Makarova sprinted into the semi-finals of the US 6-3 6-2 and become the oldest player to reach the our best. At times, the tennis was not that nice, Open on Wednesday, while world number one last four at Flushing Meadows since Martina we made a lot of unforced errors but that’s due to Novak Djokovic and marathon man Kei Nishikori Navratilova in 1991. Russian left-hander Makarova, a very physical battle we had in the first two sets. were forced to take the long road into the last who will take on Williams for a spot in Sunday’s “I knew coming into the match that he was going four. Having already played the longest match of final, made her best mark in grand slam singles by to go for his shots and the one who was the most the tournament in the fourth round, a bruising outslugging Victoria Azarenka, the US Open run- aggressive would win. I am glad I managed to four-hour 19-minute battle with Canadian Milos ner-up the last two years, 6-4 6-2 in a snappy 87 stay fit in the end and pull through.” Raonic, Nishikori had enough left in the tank to minutes. While the day presented plenty of get past third seed Stan Wawrinka 3-6 7-5 7-6 (7) intriguing matchups it was the late night clash UNBELIEVABLE FEELING 6-7 (5) 6-4 in a four-hour 15-minute test of wills to under the Arthur Ashe Stadium floodlights Next up for Djokovic will be the tireless become the first Japanese man into the last four between Murray and Djokovic, in a rematch of the Nishikori who is turning into the Flushing of a grand slam in 81 years. 2012 final won by the Scotsman, that was always Meadows ironman having clocked up eight Bidding to reach the Flushing Meadows final going to be the showstopper. The pair delivered hours and 34 over his last two matches. for a fifth straight year, Djokovic did not need five on the promise, combining for some stunning Nishikori arrived at sun-bathed Arthur Ashe sets to tame a valiant Andy Murray 7-6 (1) 6-7 (1) long rallies until Murray struggled with his move- Stadium looking fresh despite having played the 6-2 6-4 but the big Serb did have to dig deep to ment near the end and required a hot compress latest finishing match ever at the U.S. Open a day see off his longtime rival who was in obvious dis- for his back midway through the fourth set. earlier, when he walked off court on Tuesday tress at the end of what had been a wildly But he produced arguably his best tennis morning at 2:26 a.m. local time. “I don’t know NEW YORK: Serena Williams of the US serves to Flavia enthralling stadium court encounter. since having back surgery 11 months ago and how I finished the game, but I’m happy,” an While Murray and Djokovic battled their way gave the top seed a real scare. exhausted Nishikori, who had a medical timeout Pennetta of Italy during their US Open 2014 women’s through a 73 minute opening set, 32-year-old “I think we played a very physical match in the in the third set to have his right foot taped, told quarterfinals match at the USTA Billie Jean King Williams needed just 63 minutes in total on a sul- first two hours,” Djokovic said.

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