SATURDAY, MAY 23, 2015 SPORTS

Nadal, Djokovic face French Open last-eight duel

PARIS: Nine-time champion Rafael which starts Sunday, riding a 22-match again, it’s a draw. You can’t affect it. Munich and this year and with a Sloane Stephens in Serena’s half. Nadal and world number one Novak unbeaten streak and has already cap- There is always a chance that that’s 10-0 record on the surface, starting Stephens could face the two-time Djokovic were placed on a mouth- tured a fifth Australian Open and gonna happen.” against a qualifier. Murray, a semi-final- champion in the last 16 but she starts watering French Open quarter-final col- Masters crowns in Indian Wells, Miami, The other potential quarter-finals ist last year, could face Australian hope against Venus. In contrast, second seed- lision course in Friday’s draw. Monte Carlo and this year. could see second seed Roger Federer, Nick Kyrgios, who beat Federer in ed defending champion Maria Nadal is seeded a lowly sixth this Djokovic, bidding to become only the 2009 champion, face Swiss compa- Madrid, in the third round. Sharapova starts against experienced year after slipping to seven in the rank- the eighth man to complete the career triot Stan Wawrinka. In the women’s singles, top seed Estonian Kaia Kanepi and could tackle ings and as a result was always likely to Grand Slam, starts his campaign in Third seeded Andy Murray was Serena Williams was handed a tough Spanish claycourter Carla Sanchez face one of his major rivals in the last against experienced 33-year-old Finn drawn for a potential last-eight clash draw which could see the American tak- Navarro in the quarter-finals. eight. “It’s very strange,” admitted Nadal, Jarkko Nieminen while Nadal begins against David Ferrer while Tomas ing on old rival Victoria Azarenka and Former number one Caroline promoted to the sixth seeding after the against 18-year-old French wildcard Berdych could tackle Japan’s Kei sister Venus before the quarter-finals. Wozniacki is a possible last-eight oppo- injury-enforced pull-out of ’s Quentin Halys, the world number 304. Nishikori. Federer, the 2009 champion, Williams, the 2002 and 2013 champi- nent for Williams. Third seed Simona Milos Raonic. “It’s never happened The world number one said he starts against a qualifier but has Latvian on and just three majors shy of match- Halep, the runner-up in 2014, could before. “But I have to play four matches wasn’t surprised by the draw which put 24th seed Ernests Gulbis, who knocked ing Steffi Graf’s Open-era record of 22 meet 2008 champion Ana Ivanovic in to get to the quarter-finals. I have to be Nadal into his section. “I think that even him out in the fourth round last year, Grand Slam titles, starts against a quali- the quarter-finals. ready for the first round.” Nadal defeated a few weeks ago when Rafa dropped also in his section. fier but could meet sister Venus in the Petra Kvitova, the fourth-seeded Djokovic in the 2012 and 2014 finals, from the top four, I think people already French star Gael Monfils, who defeat- last 16. Wimbledon champion is in Serena’s half but the top-seeded Serb, who turned 28 started talking the eventual quarter- ed Federer at the Davis Cup final in Two-time Australian Open winner of the draw and a potential semi-final yesterday, is the overwhelming finals with one of the top guys. So it’s 2014, is a potential fourth round oppo- and former number one Azarenka is a rival. Kvitova knocked the American out favourite for a maiden Roland Garros not a surprise,” said the Serb. nent. Murray is a possible semi-final potential third round opponent for of Madrid this month, ending the 19- title this year. “It’s been something that was build- opponent for Djokovic as well as Nadal Williams. Adding extra spice to the draw time major winner’s 27-match win Djokovic goes into the French Open, ing up already for a few weeks. But with the Scot, the champion on clay in is the presence of bitter American rival streak. —AFP ‘VCB’ready to run faster

JAMAICA: Veronica Campbell-Brown, the The fall-out from the case, she said, did first lady of Jamaican sprinting, believes set her back last season when she looked a she will run faster than ever after enduring shadow of the woman who has garnered an ordeal she trusts no other athlete will seven Olympic and nine world champi- have to suffer. onship medals. The suspicion then was that The triple Olympic champion turned 33 maybe after such a traumatic interruption last week but said her “best days are still to her career and in her thirties, her career ahead” now she has recovered from the could be in terminal decline. traumatic episode which saw her pilloried Yet Campbell-Brown, who says she as a drugs cheat before she was cleared of thinks she will still be around to challenge a potentially career-ending doping offence. at the 2017 world championships in “It was very unfair and I hope no athlete , insisted: “I do believe age is just a will ever go through what I went through,” number and that my best days are ahead of Campbell-Brown reflected in an interview me.” She said, for instance, that she had with Reuters after starting her 2015 cam- “never put a really good 100 metres paign in impressive form in China. “It’s together”-astonishing, considering that she tough, especially when you know you’re won a world title in the event in 2007 — innocent and your name has been dragged and that she felt she could surpass her four- through the mud and people who had no year-old best of 10.76 seconds. clue were speaking evil stuff. As for her 200m, she looked good flying “But people go to jail for crimes they round Beijing’s Bird’s Nest in 22.68 last didn’t commit. It’s part of life and I take my week, seven years since she landed the sec- inspiration from those who have suffered at ond of her two Olympic half-lap titles there. the hands of wickedness.” In August, she intends to be back on Campbell-Brown received a two-year that track at the world championships and ban after testing positive for a banned she pointed out that the record number of diuretic in 2013 and says she went through Olympic medals won by any woman track an emotionally and financially crippling and field athlete is nine, by her compatriot experience as she fought to clear her name. and friend Merlene Ottey. So three more in She even took and passed a lie detector the 100m, 200m and relay in test while her name was being smeared next year would give her 10. before the Court of Arbitration for Sport There is an indomitable quality about (CAS) finally exonerated her last Spring. VCB. One thing that upset her most about CAS noted the blatant flaws in the collec- the drugs slurs was that her Foundation, NEW YORK: Jordan Burroughs of the (in red) competes against Luis Esteban Quintana Martinez, of , during a freestyle tion procedures and possible “environmen- which she created to provide scholarships event in Times Square. —AP tal contamination” of her urine sample and mentoring programmes for high because of “deplorable” mistakes by school girls in Jamaica, suffered financially. Jamaican athletics and anti-doping offi- “I still want to inspire young women,” she cials. said. She also wants her ailing sport to Cuba and US wrestlers inspire again. “There are so many great ath- MUD STICKS letes out there and we have to uplift and While a nation which has always better promote them all,” she said. And that believed in their “VCB” celebrated, means not just her old Trelawny neighbour, Campbell-Brown knows how some mud a certain Usain Bolt. tussle in Times Square can always stick. “Well, Usain is great, Usain is well-loved, “Life is challenging at times, it was he’s energetic, he’s fun and he’s been doing rough and even to this day, I really don’t a good job carrying the sport. But I do NEW YORK: World class wrestlers from Cuba and two nations. Right now in Cuba you can’t really Streets, which promotes the sport in urban com- know what happened but one thing I can believe he could do with some help. If the the United States celebrated the improving rela- see the changes. But when the door opens munities, the event began with youth competi- say for sure is that I’ve never used drugs in burden is not only his, it will help promote tions between the countries on Thursday with more, you are going to see trade, going to see tors tussling on the mat erected in the shadow my career. I’ve been clean and honest all and push the sport. “As a sport, we have to an outdoor exhibition amid the hubbub of business.” The wrestling showdown precedes a of a statue of fabled Broadway showman George my life,” she said. regain trust at all levels so we can get the Times Square. Billed as “Salsa in the Square,” the trip to by the New York Cosmos soccer M. Cohan. “A lot of people may speculate or insinu- support we need. There’s too much nega- event opened at rush hour and ended at night- team for a game against Cuba next month, and A section of reserved seating in narrow Duffy ate, they can say what they want to say, but tivity, finger-pointing and cynicism that is fall with Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs the hope of Major League Baseball Square was surrounded by police barriers that the bottom line is as long as my conscience stopping us progress. I don’t know how we registering the only of the showdown, taking Commissioner Rob Manfred to arrange some held back hordes of families, fans and bemused is clear and me, my family, my friends and do it but we’ve got to go out, work hard down Luis Esteban Quintana Martinez in a bout games next year in baseball-mad Cuba. onlookers crowding in to watch. God knows the truth, then I don’t care what and compete hard and clean. That’s what lit only by the massive electronic screens that Burroughs said the emphatic finish in his 74 people say.” I’ve always done.”—Reuters dominate the area. CRUCIAL NEXT STEP kg (163 pounds) bout was fueled by the audi- The U.S. team of Olympians and world cham- Talks between the United States and Cuba are ence. “I was lifted by the crowd’s energy,” he said. pionship wrestlers won nine of the 13 bouts going on in Washington as the sides try to reach The American’s victory came after an entertain- against their Cuban counterparts, but the event agreement on reopening embassies shut for ing 18-7 win by two-time world silver medalist went well beyond bragging rights. “This is an more than half a century, the crucial next step in Reineris Salas Perez of Cuba in his 86 kg bout excellent tournament, an excellent opportunity,” their historic detente. against . Cuban team leader Eduardo Perez told Reuters. The opening of embassies in Washington and Burroughs was looking forward to “We appreciate the invitation. This is some- Havana is part of an agreement struck between September’s world championships in , thing that we hope to build on, to come back U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban but even more so to Rio and the 2016 Olympics. again and it will make the United States and President Raul Castro in December to reestablish “I’ve done it once in London and once you Cuba strong. diplomatic ties severed by the United States in have that feeling, that emotion and that moment “Hopefully the relationship continues and the 1961 soon after Cuba’s revolution. of jubilation on top of the podium, you spend relationship keeps getting stronger between the Jointly staged by USA Wrestling and Beat the your whole life chasing it again.” —Reuters Blackhawks fall to Ducks

CHICAGO: Anaheim handed Chicago their first home loss of the NHL playoffs on Thursday after a 2-1 win in Game Three put the Ducks ahead by the same margin in the Western Conference final series. Simon Despres broke a 1-1 tie in the final minute of the second period as Anaheim bounced back from a triple-overtime defeat in Game Two that tied the best-of-seven series. Veronica Campbell-Brown Ducks winger Corey Perry told reporters that the team had refused to let that defeat get them down and they had focused on Game Three. “We had our chances in that game, so be it. You move on,” he said. “There’s going to be Kuramoto leads roller coasters in the playoffs.” On Thursday, Patrick Maroon gave the Ducks Senior Championship a 1-0 lead in the first before Chicago’s Patrick Kane tied it with under a minute left in the INDIANA: Japanese Massy Kuramoto was this morning and I lost my circulation opening period. Ryan Getzlaf added two assists the only player to dip below par in difficult about the eighth hole. “I couldn’t feel the for the Ducks, tying his own franchise record scoring conditions as he carded a one- putter head properly through the hands ... with 14 for the playoffs. Anaheim goaltender under 71 for a one-shot lead in Thursday’s awful conditions on a very difficult golf Frederik Andersen made 27 saves and stood tall opening round of the Senior PGA course, a golf course where you’ve got to in the final stages where the Blackhawks Championship in French Lick, Indiana. drive the ball properly. brought on an extra attacker to chase an equal- The 59-year-old, who won 30 tourna- “The pins are in major positions for a izer. Kane looked to have a chance with five sec- ments on the Japan Golf Tour, birdied two Thursday. These are Sunday placings here, onds remaining when he had the puck on his of his first three holes before going into so it’s very difficult to score, to get the ball stick right in front of Anaheim’s goal but could damage limitation mode on a cold, wet and close. And if you do get it close, to hole not put it towards the net. windy day at French Lick Resort. out.” Montgomerie, who won last year’s Corey Crawford, who made 60 saves in Game Defending champion Colin Senior PGA Championship by four strokes Two, stopped 25 shots for the Blackhawks. Montgomerie of Scotland offset a bogey at in Michigan, finished the opening round Crawford has stepped up his game after being the eighth with a birdie at the 12th before level with Billy Andrade and Bart benched for much of Chicago’s first-round series ending a gruelling day a stroke off the pace Bryant, Englishman Barry Lane and ’s against Nashville. in the second of the season’s five major Jean-Francois Remesy. Injuries and fatigue have taken their toll on championships for senior golfers. ’s Bernhard Langer, South Chicago and on Thursday centers Antoine “This is one difficult golf course and I am African David Frost and American Tom Vermette and Teuvo Teravainen were both thrilled to get out of here at level par,” Lehman, who won the 1996 British Open, dropped despite being healthy. “It was a tough game the other day with travel, I wanted to CHICAGO: Anaheim Ducks center Ryan Kesler (17) shoots, but Chicago Blackhawks goalie Montgomerie, 51, told Golf Channel after were among a group of 14 players who Corey Crawford (50) stops the shot during the first period in Game 3 of the Western Conference carding an even 72. “It was very, very cold carded 73s.—Reuters bring new guys in,” said Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville. —Reuters finals in the NHL hockey Stanley Cup playoffs. —AP