NBA | Page 6 GOLF| Page 7 LeBron Eight-birdie James in Smith upstages doubt for quality fi eld at Cavs opener CIMB Classic Friday, October 13, 2017 FOOTBALL Muharram 23, 1439 AH Mourinho’s GULF TIMES United set for biggest test yet SPORT Page 3 TENNIS SPOTLIGHT Nadal, Federer on Stokes dropped collision course by sponsor AFP ‘I played a very good match, I don’t know how many mistakes I made, but very few’ London AFP Shanghai ngland cricketer Ben Stokes has lost his spon- sorship contract with afael Nadal and Roger Federer sportswear giant New breezed into the quarter-fi nals EBalance following his arrest out- of the Shanghai Masters on side a nightclub which also left Thursday and Juan Martin del his Ashes series in doubt. PotroR defeated racquet-smashing Alex- Stokes, who was arrested on ander Zverev. suspicion of causing actual bod- World number one Nadal blew away ily harm, also issued an apology Fabio Fognini in 63 minutes and plays after video emerged of him mim- sixth seed Grigor Dimitrov as he pur- icking the disabled son of British sues one of the few tournaments to have celebrity Katie Price. eluded him. American fi rm New Balance Timeless rival Federer was even faster, said it “does not condone” be- dismissing Ukrainian qualifi er Alexandr haviour by Stokes, who is also Dolgopolov 6-4, 6-2 in 61 minutes. believed to be the subject of a The 31-year-old Spaniard Nadal, fresh damning video showing a man off the back of triumphs at the US Open throwing multiple punches out- and China Open, anticipates a tough en- side the Bristol nightspot. counter against the Bulgarian Dimitrov. “New Balance does not con- “I played a very good match, I don’t done behaviour by our global captain will play the Ashes series know how many mistakes I made, but athletes that does not match our in Australia but he will not travel very few,” said the 16-time Grand Slam brand culture and values, and with the other players on October winner and top seed in Shanghai. therefore we have ended our rela- 28, the ECB has said. “I have a tough match against Grigor tionship with Ben Stokes, eff ec- Separately, the embattled and know I will have to play my best... but tive October 11, 2017,” the compa- Stokes posted an apology on I am playing well.” ny said, in a statement which was Twitter after his mocking imper- Nadal, enjoying a late-career fl ourish, widely reported by British media. sonation of a TV appearance by defeated good friend Dimitrov on his way The talismanic all-rounder’s 15-year-old Harvey Price, who to winning the China Open on Sunday, career has been plunged into suff ers from a genetic disorder, his sixth title of the season. turmoil following his arrest last drew strong condemnation. And he underlined his status as the month, which prompted his sus- “I should never have done this man to beat in Shanghai as he battered pension until further notice by and I am so sorry,” Stokes wrote. the Italian Fognini 6-3, 6-1. the England and Wales Cricket “It was absolutely not my inten- Dimitrov, chasing a spot at the season- Board. tion to off end Harvey, Katie or ending ATP Finals in London, beat Amer- No fi nal decision has been anybody else... I do hope I can ican Sam Querrey 6-3, 7-6 (7/3) to set up taken on whether the Test vice- put this right.” a Chinese reunion with Nadal. Federer, the Swiss world number two, plays either of the Frenchmen Gilles Si- CRICKET mon or Richard Gasquet in the last eight on Friday. A mouthwatering Nadal-Federer fi nal on Sunday awaits if the celebrated pair Roger Federer of Switzerland in action against Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine in Shanghai yesterday. Ireland to make continue at the current rate. Gutsy Del Potro recovered from a set jury, went toe to toe in the second set and A fan at least came away with a de- tournament.” down to win 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 against the tie break was just as tight until Del molished racquet for a souvenir after the Del Potro, pushed to the brink of retire- Test debut v rising star Zverev and will next play Potro grabbed the crucial mini-break. young German handed it to a spectator. ment by four wrist surgeries that saw his Viktor Troicki or John Isner. And then came the turning point — and “I don’t understand how I can lose a ranking slip as low as 1,045 at one point in The talented 20-year-old Zverev was a fl ash of anger from third seed Zverev — match where I get broken one time in his career, said Zverev would learn. Pakistan in 2018 going after his sixth title of a break- as he yielded the crucial service break to three sets and not managed to get any “I saw his frustration, for sure... But I through season and was comfortable in go 3-2 down in the third set. chances on his serve,” said Zverev, who think he’s still very young and he needs to AFP news for Irish cricket. It’s going the fi rst set against Argentine Del Potro, “Right now I’m very pissed off , as you is tipped to one day make world number keep learning, as he’s doing now,” said the Dublin to be a bit special and it’s always the 2009 US Open champion and 16th can probably tell,” said Zverev afterwards, one. Argentine, 23 in the world. great to be a part of history. seed. having smashed the racquet on the court, “I’m a bit p****ed off because I feel “He has everything to be in the top “There’s a special affi nity be- The German prodigy and the 29-year- then trodden on it, and brutalised it fur- like I played well and that’s the upsetting positions in the future, but these things reland will play their fi rst tween ourselves and Pakistan old, whose career has been beset by in- ther as he stomped back to his chair. part of it — I could have done great in this happen.” ever Test match against Pa- going back to the 2007 World kistan on home soil next Cup and they’ve been regular May, the country’s cricket tourists here over the past dec- Ichiefs announced yesterday. ade. BOTTOMLINE Afghanistan and Ireland be- “Test cricket is the pinnacle of came full members of the Inter- our sport and I know how much national Cricket Council (ICC) this game will mean to not only ICC urges higher pay to stop women leaving game in June, taking the number of the players but all involved with countries who play the fi ve-day Irish cricket. It’ll be another step format of the game from 10 to 12. on what has been an incredible AFP “They (Australia) are certainly set- diff erence how players are paid in various endar, the second edition of the world Since then Cricket Ireland has journey for our sport in a rela- New Delhi ting the bar very high and this is a corners of the globe,” she added. championships started this week with a been looking for the right oppo- tively short passage of time.” key issue for lots of countries. It is Tony Irish, chief executive of the in- one-day series between West Indies and nent for the historic fi rst match. The exact date and venue for amazing that international women ternational players’ association, also told Sri Lanka. “We are excited to welcome the match — agreed during an top ICC offi cial has urged cricket can earn that sort of money,” The Guardian that the women’s game is at The world championships will act as Pakistan to Ireland for our inau- ICC meeting in Auckland, New bodies around the world to fol- risk from match-fi xers, who often prey on qualifi ers for the 2021 World Cup in New gural Test match next year,” said Zealand, this week — have yet to low Australia’s lead and dramat- to be follow-up from the cricket hierarchy players on low pay. Zealand, while the women’s Twenty20 Cricket Ireland chief executive be confi rmed. ically raise wages for women’s to acknowledge what is a growth area for “They (Australia) are certainly setting World Cup will take place in West Indies in Warren Deutrom. Cricket has been played in Aplayers to stop them dropping out of the the sport. the bar very high and this is a key issue November next year. “It has been our wish to make Ireland for nearly 200 years sport. Connor said higher pay was a key area for lots of countries. It is amazing that in- Connor said the fi rst world champi- our Test debut in front of our but it was not until 1969 that Clare Connor, the former England cap- for women’s cricket as it moves main- ternational women can earn that sort of onships from 2014-2016 deserve “great own fans within 12 months of they made the rest of the world tain who now heads the International stream and generates increasing commer- money,” Connor said. credit for a signifi cant rise in performance becoming a Test nation, and game take true notice when they Cricket Council’s women’s committee, cial opportunities.