NNBABA | Page 5 FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 7 LA Lakers to Copa champs start LeBron Brazil ahead James as point of other South guard American teams Wednesday, July 10, 2019 CYCLING Dhul-Qa’da 7, 1440 AH Viviani fastest as GULF TIMES France rolls out yellow carpet for Alaphilippe SPORT Page 4 TENNIS / WIMBLEDON Serena battles through, Halep storms back to reach semis Seven-time champion will play unseeded Strycova while Halep will go up against eighth seed Svitolina for a finals spot AFP London even-time champion Ser- 10- 07 - 2019 ena Williams is just two wins away from equalling Margaret Court’s Grand SSlam titles record of 24 but she wobbled several times in her Wimbledon quarter-fi nal against Alison Riske yesterday. The 37-year-old, who recorded her 97th success at Wimbledon to move second on the women’s all-time list, came under enor- mous pressure from her fellow American before prevailing in an engrossing contest, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in just over two hours. Standing in Williams’s way in what is her 12th Wimble- don semi-fi nal will be unseeded Czech veteran Barbora Strycova. The American will be wise not to take the 33-year-old lightly as she has ousted four seeds on her run to the last four. It says a lot about the unpre- dictability of the women’s game that Williams was the only player in the last eight who reached the same stage last year. “It was really satisfying,” said Williams, whose clay court cam- paign was aff ected by a knee injury. “I wouldn’t have won that match a couple of weeks ago.” Serena Williams of the US celebrates her win in the Wimbledon quarter-final against compatriot Alison Also joining her in the last four Riske (not pictured) at The All England Club in London yesterday. (Reuters) was Romania’s former world number one Simona Halep, who Riske converted all fi ve of her Venus and her husband, Reddit voice is even shaking still right fought back from 4-1 down in break points while Williams suc- co-founder Alexis Ohanian, and now.” the fi rst set to beat China’s Zhang ceeded with just six of her 16 op- yelled, pumping her fi sts. Seventh seed Halep, who end- Shuai 7-6 (4), 6-1. portunities. “I was really pumped, it was ed the run of 15-year-old Coco For Halep — who aside from However, she relied on her for a place in the semis at Wim- Gauff on Monday, took the match Williams was the only player in power to keep her in the match. bledon — that doesn’t happen by the scruff of the neck once she the quarter-fi nals to have won In doing so she managed to every day and it’s a long, arduous won the fi rst set. a Grand Slam, taking the French avoid the fate that befell world road,” said Williams. “I fought hard in the fi rst set, Open last year — it is her second number one Ashleigh Barty at the “I just had to just button up and even if I was down 4-1,” said Wimbledon semi-fi nal. hands of Riske on Monday. play hard. She was playing her 27-year-old Halep. Halep will play Elina Svitolina, “I’m glad that I was able to heart out and she had nothing to “I have energy, I feel fresh, I the Ukraine eighth seed, after she come through,” said Williams. lose and I realised neither did I.” feel healthy, I feel confi dent when came back from a break down in “She beat so many great play- Strycova, whose previous I step on the court.” each set to beat Karolina Mucho- ers. She was really so close to tak- best at a Grand Slam was the For Svitolina breaking new va 7-5, 6-4. ing the win today.” 2014 quarter-final also at Wim- ground in terms of her career is It will be the 24-year-old bledon, out-played Britain’s exciting enough. Ukrainian’s fi rst Grand Slam ‘JUST BUTTON UP’ Johanna Konta once she extri- “It feels amazing,” she en- semi-fi nal. Williams was constantly cajoling cated herself from a 4-1 deficit thused. “It is the fi rst time in the Williams, whose total of 97 Wim- herself and letting out roars of in the first set. semi-fi nals for me and I didn’t bledon match wins compares to come on during the match. “It sounds crazy, it’s happen- expect it would happen here. the 82 combined of the other seven Having sealed the match she ing but I can’t really believe it,” “It’s exciting and I’m look- quarter-fi nalists, will look back on turned to the players box where said Strycova. ing forward to my semi-fi nal al- Romania’s Simona Halep (also above) returns against China’s Shuai Zhang (not pictured) during their her victory with some relief. she was supported by older sister “I am extremely happy and my ready.” Wimbledon quarter-final at The All England Club in London yesterday. (AFP) ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP India dominate New Zealand before rain forces reserve day in Manchester Reuters to complete their 50-over in- Openers Martin Guptill and 14 overs without a boundary and Manchester, United Kingdom nings, with India still to bat. Henry Nicholls found themselves Williamson fell to an unchar- “Should adverse weather con- straitjacketed by India’s new ball acteristic soft dismissal, slicing tinue throughout the reserve day pair of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Yuzvendra Chahal to Ravindra ndia’s disciplined bowling the match may be shortened. Jasprit Bumrah, both of whom Jadeja at backward point. attack dominated New Zea- India will be required to bat for began with maiden overs. Taylor brought up his fi fty land before intermittent rain at least 20 overs to complete the New Zealand had to wait un- with the only six of the New Zea- washed out the rest of yes- match.” til the 17th delivery to get off the land innings and successfully Iterday’s play in the fi rst Cricket The abandoned June 13 group mark, while their fi rst boundary overturned a leg-before decision World Cup semi-fi nal which will contest between the teams was came in the fi nal delivery of the when on 56. continue today. one of the record four ‘no-result’ fourth over. India’s trusted fi ve-bowlers The 2015 fi nalists were 211-5 in matches in the rain-hit tourna- Bumrah dismissed Guptill for policy nearly backfi red with 46.1 overs when rain forced the ment. one but Williamson again came Hardik Pandya hobbling off the players off the fi eld and match of- Ross Taylor will resume on 67 to his team’s rescue with a classy fi eld with a hip injury before re- fi cials waited for more than four with Tom Latham on three after 67, his fourth 50-plus score in the turning to complete his full quota hours before deciding to take the New Zealand failed to vindicate tournament which includes two of 10 overs. game to its reserve day. skipper Kane Williamson’s deci- centuries. Hosts England play defending “Weather permitting, play sion to bat fi rst at Old Traff ord. More importantly, the right- champions Australia in the sec- will recommence tomorrow at hander stitched together two ond semi-fi nal tomorrow. 10.30am (0930GMT) from the MAIDEN OVERS half-century partnerships, fi rst point at which it was halted,” the Williamson won the toss and un- with Nicholls and then Taylor, BRIEF SCORES: New Zealand 211 governing International Cricket surprisingly elected to bat at a to resuscitate New Zealand even for 5 in 46.1 overs (Taylor 67 not India’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar (left) and Jasprit Bumrah walk off the field as rain stops play in the Cricket World Council said in a statement. venue where teams batting fi rst though boundaries dried up. out, Williamson 67; Bumrah 1-25, Cup semi-final against New Zealand at Old Traff ord in Manchester, United Kingdom, yesterday. (Reuters) “New Zealand will be required had won all fi ve previous matches. His side went through nearly Bhuvneshwar 1-30) vs India Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, July 10, 2019 CRICKET FOCUS UPDATE Bangladesh sack Plunkett to Aussies: coach Rhodes aft er lacklustre World Cup AFP The Sri Lankan cricket au- Dhaka thorities on Monday announced that there will be three matches on July 26, 38 and 31 at Prema- England a ‘diff erent angladesh cricket au- dasha International Stadium in thorities on Monday Colombo. announced they would “We will shorty name an in- Hosts in the hunt for their let go head coach Steve terim coach for the Sri Lanka BRhodes after a disappointing tour,” Jalal Yunus, the chairman first World Cup title as Ashes campaign in the World Cup. of the media committee of the “We have decided to part ways BCB, told AFP. rivals face off tomorrow with the head coach by mutual Jalal confi rmed that the BCB animal’ now consent. The decision will be ef- also planned a shake-up of other fective immediately,” Bangladesh coaching staff and was unlikely Cricket Board chief executive to renew the contract of pace offi cer Nizamuddin Chowdhury bowling coach Courtney Walsh. Australia bare souls in barefoot told AFP. He said there was no decision on They decision came a day after renewal of the contract of Indian bonding session Bangladesh returned home af- spin-bowling coach Sunil Joshi.