CCRICKETRICKET | Page 4 NNBABA | Page 5 England Leonard confi dent outduels ahead of Doncic as fourth Test Clippers win Thursday, January 23, 2020 GOLF Jumada I 28, 1441 AH Woods not thinking GULF TIMES about titles record ahead of 2020 bow SPORT Page 6 TENNIS/ AUSTRALIAN OPEN SPOTLIGHT Virus outbreak Serena, Federer into hits sports events in third round as Osaka Wuhan AFP Tokyo boxing qualifi er for the Tokyo Ol- ympics scheduled for next month A in China’s Wuhan will be cancelled sets up Coco crunch over the outbreak of a new virus, Japan’s Kyodo news agency said yesterday. Citing organisers, Kyodo said the quali- Serbia’s Djokovic strode into the fi ers would be rescheduled and moved from Wuhan, where the outbreak of the third round with quick win over Ito new strain of coronavirus is believed to have begun. There was no independent confi rmation AFP Slams if she lifts the trophy. from the organisers, and Japan’s boxing Melbourne Earlier, Australia’s world number federation said it was waiting to hear from one Ashleigh Barty raced through the International Olympic Committee on 6-1, 6-4 against Polona Hercog, bu- the reported cancellation. ifteen-year-old prodigy Coco oying hopes of a fi rst home winner Kyodo said the IOC was expected to an- Gauff set up an Australian since 1978. nounce a new host and schedule for the Open blockbuster with de- “It was very diff erent end to end, qualifi ers. fending champion Naomi I think the wind was a massive fac- Boxing has struggled in the run-up to FOsaka yesterday, as a pumped-up tor particularly with the new ball,” the 2020 Games, and was almost excluded Serena Williams took another step she said. from the Olympic programme after a series towards a record-equalling 24th Djokovic also weathered the of scandals. Grand Slam title. breeze — which followed heavy rain The amateur boxing body AIBA was On a day when men’s seeds tum- on Monday, and smog from bush- stripped of the right to organise the Olym- bled, Serbia’s Novak Djokovic strode fi res last week — to beat Japanese pic competition and replaced with a spe- into the third round to be joined by wildcard Tatsuma Ito 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 cial taskforce. Roger Federer, who dismissed Filip in 95 minutes. Other measures have been introduced to Krajinovic 6-1, 6-4, 6-1. “They were tough conditions, rebuild trust in the sport, including a more American teenager Gauff , show- pretty windy and it was hard to know transparent judging system. ing a tenacity which is becoming where the balls were going. My serve Cases have also been reported outside her trademark, clawed her way back helped a lot to get me out of trouble,” China, in countries including the United from a set down to beat the experi- said the Serb. States, South Korea, Japan and Thailand. enced Sorana Cirstea 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. Federer was barely detained by Meanwhile, the women’s football quali- Gauff , who screamed and pumped Krajinovic, the world number 41, as fi ers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics will be her fi sts as she completed her victo- he moved smoothly through in 92 moved from the Chinese city, the Asian ry, said her “will to win” had got her minutes in the night match on Rod Football Confederation said yesterday. through the tough second-round Laver Arena. Wuhan was supposed to host China, match at a windswept Melbourne In other results, Petra Kvitova, last Taiwan, Thailand and Australia for the Park. year’s runner-up, came through 7-5, Group B qualifi ers February 3-9, but they “My parents always told me you 7-5 against Paula Badosa of Spain, will now be held on the same dates in can always come back — no matter and China’s Zhang Shuai ousted the eastern city of Nanjing, AFC said in a what the score is,” said Gauff , who American Caty McNally 6-2, 6-4. statement. beat seven-time Grand Slam cham- Former US Open champion Marin pion Venus Williams in round one. Cilic won a fi ve-setter against Gauff also beat Williams on French seed Benoit Paire, and one- Qatar Total her Grand Slam debut last year at time semi-fi nalist Milos Raonic beat Wimbledon, and in another quirk, Chile’s Christian Garin in straights. Open tickets go she faced Osaka in the US Open Tennys Sandgren, engulfed in third round, going down meekly in controversy over his political views on sale tomorrow straight sets. and right-wing links during his run Japan’s Osaka, 22, beat China’s to the 2018 quarter-fi nals, took the Doha: With less than a month to the Zheng Saisai 6-2, 6-4 but briefl y biggest scalp so far when he ousted Qatar Total Open 2020, tennis fans can lost her cool mid-match, hurling eighth seed Matteo Berrettini in fi ve now purchase their tickets at City Center and kicking her racquet when she sets. Sandgren’s fellow American Mall and Doha Festival City Mall on Friday, gave up a break in the second set. Tommy Paul also pulled off a fi ve-set January 24 (tomorrow), and at the Villagio “I was thinking that I really don’t upset when he beat Bulgarian 18th Mall on Sunday, January 26. want to play a third set this time,” seed Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 7-6 (8/6), Tickets can also be purchased at the explained Osaka, who is defending a 3-6, 6-7 (3/7), 7-6 (10/3). Khalifa International Tennis & Squash Grand Slam title for the second time. And Australia’s John Millman fur- Complex, the venue of the tournament, as Former world number one Woz- ther trimmed the number of high- well as online by visiting www.qatartennis. niacki, playing her fi nal tournament ranked players when he ended the org. before retiring, came from behind in campaign of Polish 31st seed Hubert The Qatar Total Open 2020, the 18th both sets for a 7-5, 7-5 win over Day- Hurkacz. But Greek sixth seed Ste- edition, which will be held from February ana Yastremska of Ukraine. fanos Tsitsipas was handed a slice of 23-29, is featuring eight of the top-ten Serena Williams shouted at the fortune when Philipp Kohlschreiber players, and four former champions, with top of her voice during a testing sec- withdrew injured. world No1 Ashleigh Barty topping the ond set against 70th-ranked Tamara Among eight fi rst-round matches list. World No 2 Karolina Pliskova, 2014 Zidansek, before seeing off break held over from Tuesday, after rain champion and World No 4 Simona Halep, points to win 6-2, 6-3. wiped out half of Monday’s schedule, 2019 Wimbledon semi-finalist and World “She was a really good fi ghter — Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro, also No 5 Elina Svitolina, World No 6 and 2019 she did not just let me win,” said retiring this year, upset Belarusian US Open champion Bianca Andreescu Williams, who can equal Margaret 11th seed Aryna Sabalenka in straight among others are also featuring in the Court’s all-time mark of 24 Grand sets. tournament. In all, a total of 64 players, including four qualifiers, will feature in the singles event of the WTA Premier 5 tournament while 32 teams will slug it out in the doubles. Tournament Director Saad al-Mohannadi said, “We are delighted to commence the sales of tickets for this year’s edition of Federer signs the Qatar Total Open as early as possible. autographs Considering the calibre of stars on parade after his win. at the tournament, we believe that it is going to be one of the best ever. We’ll like to encourage everyone to get their tickets as soon as possible in order to enjoy the Serena Williams of the US exciting array of activities lined up for reacts during her match against them at the tournament.” Slovenia’s Tamara Zidansek in To purchase tickets and find all tourna- the second round of the ment information, fans can visit www. Australian Open yesterday. qatartennis.org Gulf Times 2 Thursday, January 23, 2020 TENNIS TENNIS/AUSTRALIAN OPEN FOCUS Fired-up Federer in ominous touch at Serena says she Australian Open AFP prefer it this way because you Melbourne have always extra left in the tank if you need it.” He faces a tougher assign- uthless Swiss master ment next against Australian was ‘nowhere near’ Roger Federer yes- John Millman, who beat him terday said he had in four tough sets at the 2018 “plenty left in the US Open. Rtank” as he kept intact his 20- “He’s fi t like a fi ddle. I’ve year record of reaching at least lost to him in the past... he’s the third round of the Austral- from this country so naturally ian Open after crushing Serb also it’s going to be diff erent Filip Krajinovic. intensity. I think this is going Coco Gauff ’s level The six-time champion fi rst to be a good test for me.” played at Melbourne Park in Federer raced through ‘She’s just impressive all-round, from her personality to the way she plays’ 2000 and has gone on to make his opening service game the semi-fi nals or better on 14 against Krajinovic then broke occasions, with no exits before straightaway when the Serb round three. fi red a backhand long.