Federer and Thiem Enter Final As Nadal Hobbles Out
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MONDAY 18 MARCH 2019 SPORT 07 Obviously the strategy was not ideal in the scenario that I had. Lewis Hamilton expresses CRICKET CRICKET So working with what I was frustration after a runner-up One-off Test: Afghanistan Women’s ODI Series: given, I think I did a relatively finish at Australian GP. vs Ireland, Day 4 in England vs Sri Lanka in decent job. ACTION Hambantota Dehradun TODAY’S Federer and Thiem enter final as Nadal hobbles out AFP miss a meeting with Nadal. INDIAN WELLS Rafael Nadal speaks to Their rivalry stretches back members of the media 15 years, and Federer couldn’t The 39th match between Roger after withdrawing from help wondering how many Federer and Rafael Nadal failed the semi-final. more chances they might have. to materialise on Saturday as “We’ve had so many epic the world No. 2 Spaniard battles,” Federer, 38, said. hobbled out of Indian Wells to “I know that every one that send Federer into a title clash we have now could be our last. with Dominic Thiem. So was this our chance at a last Nadal, whose longstanding one -- I hope not and I believe right knee trouble flared up in at the level he’s playing and the his quarter-final victory over level I’m still going there’s def- Karen Khachanov, couldn’t take initely going to be more.” the court for the blockbuster The injury was devastating semi-final with Swiss great news for Nadal, whose run to Federer. the Australian Open final in “I wanted to try my best to January marked a return to be competitive today,” a competition for the first time dejected Nadal said. since similar knee trouble “I warmed up today in the Monfils withdrew with a in his third Masters 1,000 final. forced him out of his US Open morning, and I felt that my knee Achilles tendon inflammation, “His serve is just unreal so semi-final against Juan Martin was not enough good to was locked-in from the start, even though I played amazing del Potro in September. compete at the level that I need firing 10 winners without an it was so close the first two sets.” He had ankle surgery in to compete, to play semi-finals unforced error in the opening The Austrian said it would November, and only returned match of this event.” set. He couldn’t convert his only “mean the world” to break to training in December. Federer, seeded fourth as he break point against Raonic in through for a Masters crown, “For me it’s not about only pursues a record sixth title in the second, and Raonic but noted it would be a tall today. It’s about what it means the California desert, will battle managed to seize the tiebreaker order against 20-time Grand for me to have to pull out in a 25-year-old Austrian Thiem, aided by a favourable netcord Slam winner Federer -- who is tournament that I love so much who is seeking his first title in bounce for a 5-3 lead. coming off a remarkable 100th like this one, and in the semi- one of the ATP’s prestigious Thiem gained the first break career title in Dubai last month. finals after playing well during Masters 1000 events. of the match for a 3-2 lead in “It’s not going to be easy,” the whole tournament,” Nadal Thiem, ranked eighth in the the third and after saving the said Thiem, who has split four said. world, was rock-solid in a 7-6 only break point he faced all prior meetings with Federer 2-2. Nadal confirmed he would (7/3), 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 victory over day as he served for the match Federer was looking also skip the upcoming Miami 14th-ranked Canadian Milos wrapped it up with a sparkling forward to the match and the Masters and aim to recover and Dominic Thiem of Austria returns a shot to Milos Roanic of Canada Raonic. backhand volley. chance to break out of a tie with prepare for the claycourt during the semi-finals of the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Thiem, who advanced to the “It was an amazing day,” Novak Djokovic for most Indian season, targeting a return at semis on a walkover when Gael said Thiem, who will be playing Wells titles, but was sorry to Monte Carlo April 14-21. Tennis Garden on Saturday in Indian Wells, California. NBA: Curry scores 33 as Warriors Arvidsson stars as Predators defeat rout Thunder; Celtics stop Hawks San Jose Sharks AFP NBA RESULTS everybody’s getting the ball at forward Gordon Hayward suf- LOS ANGELES their best,” Thompson said of fered a strained neck early in the stopping Westbrook. game and didn’t return. REUTERS Dallas 121, Cleveland 116 SAN JOSE Stephen Curry scored 11 of his 33 Oklahoma City 88, Golden State 110 Curry scored 19 points in the Hayward banged his head points in the third quarter as the San Antonio 108, Portland 103 first half to help the Warriors into the shoulder of Atlanta’s two-time defending champion Washington 135, Memphis 128 lead 64-46 at halftime. John Collins and headed to the Viktor Arvidsson scored twice, Golden State Warriors clobbered Denver 102, Indiana 100 Curry scored 11 more in the locker room. and Filip Forsberg added a the Oklahoma City Thunder Utah 114, Brooklyn 98 third quarter to put the War- Celtics coach Brad Stevens goal and an assist as the Nash- 110-88 on Saturday. riors up 87-71 at the end of the said Hayward left the arena at ville Predators defeated the Klay Thompson scored 23 New Orleans 136, Phoenix 138 period. halftime and went home. host San Jose Sharks 4-2 on points and DeMarcus Cousins Boston 129, Atlanta 120 The Warriors won for the Meanwhile, Los Angeles Saturday night. added 12 points and eight 25th time in their last 26 games Lakers forward Brandon Colton Sissons also scored rebounds for the Warriors, who and 13 rebounds, and Dennis when all Durant sits out which Ingram had surgery on his right for the Predators, and goal- have been playing more consist- Schroder added 15 points for the shows their depth. arm Saturday and is expected tender Juuse Saros made 24 ently in the last four games after Thunder, who shot a season Durant did not play for the to be ready by the start of the saves. Nashville won its a spell of poor starts to games. worst 32 percent from the field. second game in a row because 2019-20 season, the team second straight and remained “Over the course of the game The Thunder made just 13 of of an ankle injury. announced. a point behind Winnipeg, we imposed our will,” said Curry. 41 three-pointers. Durant has drawn the ire of Ingram underwent thoracic which beat Calgary 2-1 Sat- “We did our best to take care “We were trying to prevent Oklahoma City fans for the outlet decompression surgery, urday, in the chase for first of the basketball so they didn’t him from getting downhill, decision he made to join Golden performed by Dr. Hugh Gelabert place in the Central Division. Viktor Arvidsson have easy transition beating you from the outside State in free agency after the at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Timo Meier and Joe opportunities. because when he’s getting to the Warriors beat his Thunder in the Medical Center. Thornton scored for the “Andd we rebounded the ball rim, attacking, that’sthat s when 2016 NBA playoffplayo semi-finals. Earlier this month, Ingram, Sharks, and Martin Jones empty-netter at 18:54 of the well. Soo allall thingsthings considered,considered, Elsewhere,Elsewhere, KKyrie Irving fin- 21, was diagnosed with deep stopped 26 of 29 shots. San third. really solidolid effort, knowingknowing that ishedished one assistassist shy of a triple venous thrombosis, which Jose failed not only to move The Predators never if you giveive them momentum in double as the Boston Celtics involved a blood clot that caused past the Flames into first place trailed. Sissons opened the this building,ilding, theythey are tough.”tough.” squanderedsquandered a 25-point25 lead but shoulder pain. After the diag- in the Pacific Division, but also scoring just 1:07 into the first Oklahomama CitCityy fans had been managedmanaged to holdhold on and beat the nosis, the Lakers announced he in its bid to clinch a Western period, converting the waitingg fforor a cchancehance to bboooo AtlantaAtlanta HawksHawks 129-120.1 would be out the rest of the Conference playoff berth for rebound of a shot by Craig former ThunderThunder KevinKevin DurantDurant IrvingIrving had 30 points, 11 season. the second straight game. The Smith on a three-on-two but he satsat out withwith an injury. reboundsrebounds and ninen assists and Ingram, in his third NBA Sharks had a six-game break. Calle Jarnkrok also got Insteadtead theythey gotgot a cold-cold- JaylenJaylen Brown scoredsc 23 points season, averaged 18.3 points, 5.1 winning streak snapped an assist. shootingng nignightht fromfrom aall-starll-star forfor thethe Celtics,Celtics, whow have won six rebounds and 3.0 assists in 33.8 Thursday in a 4-2 loss to the The Sharks tied it at 1-1 at Russell Westbrook,Westbrook, whowho scoredscored ofof theirtheir lastlast eighteigh games. minutes per game in 52 visiting Florida Panthers. 4:09 of the second period. Joe just sevenven points on a dismal Marcus MorMorrisr had 19 points contests.