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THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2016 SPORTS Bale targets Champions Man United will be Gudjohnsen signs up League final in Cardiff Schweinsteiger’s last for Indian Super League MADRID: Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale said yesterday he has an extra incentive to reach a LONDON: Manchester United midfielder Bastian NEW DELHI: The veteran former Chelsea and Barcelona forward Eidur Gudjohnsen signed up third Champions League final in four years because the title game will be played in his home- Schweinsteiger says he will not play for another club in yesterday for the third edition of the Indian Super League (ISL) as the marquee player for FC town of Cardiff. “This is the reason I came to Madrid - to play in the Champions League, to win Europe despite being unable to seal a place in the squad Pune City. The much-travelled Icelander, a two-time winner of the English Premier League with the Champions League,” the 27-year-old Bale said in an interview with UEFA.com. “To have the Chelsea and a Champions League winner with Barcelona, said he still has an appetite for the Champions League final in my home town is an even bigger motivation,” he under new manager Jose Mourinho. Schweinsteiger, who is yet to make a first team appearance for United this season, game at age 37. “There were other clubs interested in me but when FC Pune City showed their said. The Wales international helped Real beat Atletico Madrid on interest, intent and plans, I knew this was it,” said Gudjohnsen penalties to march to their 11th European title and his second with has been made to train with the club’s reserves and would be sold after Mourinho signed French midfielder Paul who played in this summer’s Euro 2016 championship in the club in the 2015-16 campaign before playing for his country at France. “I have the confidence of the coach and will ensure Euro 2016. “Two in three years is an amazing achievement,” he said. Pogba from Juventus, according to media reports. “MUFC will be my last club in Europe. I respect other clubs, but that they find it difficult to leave me out. “Everyone needs to “Now we want to look to the next one.” Injuries limited Bale to 30 be motivated to succeed, and I have the same aim here. I appearances in all competitions for Real last season but the for- Manchester United was the only one which could make me leave Bayern Munich,” Schweinsteiger said on Twitter. Since love the sport. I still love going to training every day.” mer Tottenham star still scored 19 goals and provided 10 assists. Gudjohnsen has also played club football in France, Holland, Bale is on a 10-man shortlist for UEFA’s Best Player in Europe moving to Old Trafford from Bayern Munich last year, the German, who announced his retirement from international Greece and China as well as making more than 80 appearances award. The winner will be announced today in Monaco during the for his country. Pune’s head coach Antonio Habas said he was 2016-17 Champions League draw. “It was an incredible season, football last month, was limited to 18 league appearances in his first season due to regular injuries and poor form. excited to have Gudjohnsen as part of a team which has failed especially topping it off by winning the Champions League and to make the semi-finals in the previous two editions of the tour- then going on to the Euro and doing an amazing However, the 32-year-old insisted he was ready to compete nament. “Eidur has experience of playing at highest levels and a job with Wales,” he said. “They were two great when called upon. “I will be ready, if the team needs me. professional motivation to succeed,” said Habas. “I’ve admired him moments in my career, in my life.” Wales made it to This is all I can say about the current situation. I want to from afar for many years and am very excited at the prospect of us the semi-finals before falling to eventual champi- thank the fans for the amazing support over the recent working together for the benefit of FC Pune City.” — AFP ons Portugal in July. —Reuters weeks,” he added. — Reuters Radwanska advances at Connecticut Open NEW HAVEN: Top seed Agnieszka Radwanska overcame a slow start and breezed past Jelena Ostapenko 7-5, 6-1 on Tuesday night in the second round of the Connecticut Open. Ostapenko had upset four-time New Haven champion Caroline Wozniacki in the first round and had a set point, leading the fourth- ranked player in the world 5-4. But Radwanska rallied to hold serve, then broke the 19-year-old from MONTREAL: In this July 30, 2016, file photo, Madison Keys, of the United Latvia in the 11th game to take States, returns to Kristina Kucova, of Slovakia, in a semifinal at the Rogers control of the match. Cup tennis tournament in Montreal. At age 21, American Madison Keys is “I think I was just more patient the youngest women’s tennis player ranked in the top 10 by nearly a year- and well, just two points better,” and-a-half. —AP said Radwanska, of Poland. Before that match, the day belonged to the underdogs. Kirsten Flipkens of US tennis player Madison Keys, Belgium became the fourth lucky loser this week to win a first-round 21, feels both young and wise match, beating Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 6-1, 4-6, 7-5. NEW YORK: Madison Keys is ranked in the top PROFILE SOARING She may have been the luckiest 10 in the world, a Grand Slam semifinalist who “Unfortunately, that’s not how it works.” The of them all. The 30-year-old, who just played for an Olympic bronze medal and rest of the year, she lost in her first or second upset Venus Williams at the has earned career prize money of well over $4 match of a tournament nine times, though her Olympics, had lost in the second million. results in the Grand Slams were better. And with round of qualifying in New Haven. She’s also only 21, much closer in age to her her profile soaring, so did the harassment on But she was moved into the main NEW HAVEN: Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland returns a shot to Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia dur- middle school days than to No. 1 Serena social media. “I could go through my Twitter draw after Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko Williams, and the youngest woman in the top account right now and there would be 10 horri- withdrew earlier in the day with a ing her mach on day 3 of the Connecticut Open at the Connecticut Tennis Center at Yale on 20 by nearly a year-and-a-half. This is where the ble messages,” Keys said. right knee injury. Tuesday in New Haven, Connecticut. —AFP American finds herself as she heads into next “All of a sudden,” she recalled, “I was getting Flipkens had been hanging world earlier this year, came back main draw when Russia’s Svetlana year-old Estonian withdrew with a week’s US Open: an established pro with the all these messages that I was fat and ugly, and I around the Connecticut Tennis and was up 5-2 in the final set. It Kuznetsova withdrew with a shoul- left thigh injury. Makarova beat game to win major titles, yet competing in a wasn’t prepared for it.” Center since that Saturday’s defeat was a more poised Flipkens who der injury. qualifier Anatasija Sevastova of sport in which many players now peak in their It took time for her to remind herself that the just to get some practice in before won the next five games as Bencic “You get a second chance and Latvia 6-3, 6-2. “We’re focusing on late 20s and even early 30s. trolls were most likely gamblers who spewed the U.S. Open. She signed in at lost control, slamming her racket you just want to take it,” she said. the singles matches just before the Patient and impatient at the same time vitriol because they were betting on a match. 11:30 a.m. and found out at noon on the court on more than one “I’m very happy that I made it hap- US Open and want to get some about her tennis, Keys is also sorting out what That realization was crucial. “If you’re not in my she would be playing a match. occasion as the match slipped pen today.” wins,” Vesnina said. “So it’s great she wants to accomplish off the court. She immediate circle,” she said, “you’re not someone “The first thing I had to do is get away. Larsson had lost every set in that both of us are still in the draw announced Wednesday that she will fund and whose opinion I value.” my rackets done,” she said. “Luckily “I just knew I had to keep fight- four previous meetings with and still winning and it’s a good host six summits for teens at schools around the On the court, she needed to remind herself I had my match shirts and every- ing, try to bring every ball back,” Bacsinszky, who came in ranked preparation for the U.S. Open, as world in 2017 in partnership with the organiza- to trust the process and not obsess over individ- thing with me.” Flipkens said. “I could feel a little No.