Ronaldo Is Like the Revenant
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BASEBALL | Page 7 CCYCLING|YCLING Page 9 Kluber, Frrome takes Indians roll stage 8 and past NY Tour de France Yankees yellow jersey Sunday, July 10, 2016 FOOTBALL Shawwal 5, 1437 AH France count on GULF TIMES lucky seven to spoil Ronaldo show SPORT Page 2 Supreme Serena Williams had been stuck on 21 Grand Slams since winning last year’s Wimbledon, but the American star ended that frustrating barren spell to retain the title and draw level with Steff i Graf’s Open era record Serena Williams celebrates beating Germany’s Angelique Kerber in the Wimbledon final yesterday. At bottom, Williams and Kerber smile as they hold their trophies AFP In a testament to her remarkable longevity recent rise after advising her compatriot. London as the sport’s preeminent force, Serena is once Showing she has heeded Graf’s words of again Wimbledon’s queen 14 years after her fi rst wisdom, Kerber had sprinted to the fi nal with- success at the All England Club. out dropping a set in her six matches and she erena Williams powered to her sev- Equalling Margaret Court’s all-time record matched Serena blow for blow in a tense fi rst enth Wimbledon crown as the world of 24 Grand Slam titles will be Serena’s next set. number one finally claimed a record- goal. Kerber, in her fi rst Wimbledon fi nal and sec- equalling 22nd major title with a 7-5, The 71st singles title of Williams’ astonish- ond major title match, was moving Williams S6-3 victory over Angelique Kerber in yester- ing career also moved her within two of Martina into awkward positions with her left-handed day’s final. Navratilova’s all-time record of nine Wimble- ground-strokes. Williams had been stuck on 21 Grand Slams don triumphs. But Serena kept slugging away and the since winning last year’s Wimbledon, but the Showing signs of cracking under the pres- barrage eventually proved too much for the American star ended that frustrating barren sure of her bid for tennis immortality, Williams 28-year-old to resist. spell to retain the title and draw level with Steffi had cut a grumpy fi gure for much of the tourna- A sequence of blistering ground-strokes Graf’s Open era record. ment, earning a fi ne for racquet smashing and rocked the German deep behind the baseline on Serena was pushed hard by Kerber in a high- threatening to sue Wimbledon offi cials if she set point, forcing a fatal error that Serena cel- quality clash lasting 81 minutes on Centre was injured on a wet court. ebrated with a defi ant shriek and a prolonged Court, but the German fourth seed eventually But a serene focus came over Williams double-fi st pump. crumbled under a barrage of 39 winners and 13 with the trophy in sight and she delivered a Kerber was still competing gamely in the aces from the defending champion. 48-minute masterclass against Elena Vesnina second set, but when she fi nally earned a fi rst “It’s a great feeling to be here. Angelique in the quickest semi-fi nal in Wimbledon his- break point in the seventh game, Williams got brings out great tennis in me,” said Serena. tory. out of trouble with a pair of imperious aces. “Number 22 is awesome. Centre Court feels With pop royalty Beyonce and Jay-Z among The German’s look of resignation suggested like home.” Serena’s entourage in the players’ box, Williams the end was in sight and so it proved as Serena Kerber said the American was a great cham- fi nally hit the right notes after so many recent broke in the next game. pion. “Serena you deserve it, you are a great disappointments. Serena’s coach Patrick Mouratoglou says she champion and great person. We played a great In her ninth Wimbledon fi nal and 28th at enjoys her major triumphs for little more than match,” said Kerber. the majors, Williams had a golden opportunity fi ve minutes before switching her attention to “It’s an honour to play on Centre Court and to seize the initiative in Kerber’s fi rst service the next target. a great feeling.” game, but the German showed her mettle as she But judging by the joyous way Williams Having avenged her shock loss against Ker- after collecting a cheque for £2 mn ($2.5mn, acy at a time when doubters were beginning nervelessly saved three break points. slumped fl at on her back on Centre Court when ber in the Australian Open fi nal in January, Wil- 2.3mn euros). to question the 34-year-old’s hunger for more Given Williams’ pursuit of Graf’s historic Kerber miscued on match point, the sweet taste liams was wreathed in smiles as she paraded But the far more signifi cant reward is the silverware after consecutive Slam fi nal defeats landmark, it was a delicious twist that the of this historic success might linger a little the Venus Rosewater Dish around Centre Court knowledge she has reestablished her suprem- this year. 47-year-old had played a role in Kerber’s longer. Gulf Times 2 Sunday, July 10, 2016 EURO 2016 PORTUGAL VS FRANCE 10PM Hosts France count on lucky seven to spoil Ronaldo show Portuguese No 7 takes on a diff erent challenger in France’s Antoine Griezmann, this time for European supremacy Reuters in the fi nal of a major event Paris only once before, when they lost 1-0 to Greece in the title match of the 2004 European he fate of today’s in- Championship on home soil, triguing European with a 19-year-old Ronaldo Championship fi nal in their team. between France and “Twelve years on and I’m TPortugal weighs largely on in another fi nal,” said the Real two men wearing the number Madrid forward. “This makes seven shirt, one already at the me proud, I always dreamed top of the game and the other about winning something for one getting there fast. Portugal and I hope it will be Cristiano Ronaldo, accus- this time.” tomed to fi ghting with Lionel Portugal, who have won Messi for the right to be called only one match over 90 min- the best player in the world, utes in this tournament, have takes on a diff erent challeng- yet to sparkle, although there er in France’s Antoine Griez- was some improvement in mann, this time for European their semi-fi nal, notably supremacy. from Ronaldo, who scored a The pair know each other majestic headed goal. well, having faced each other “I’m certain that the whole six weeks ago in the Cham- group will think of it as the pions League fi nal in which game of their lives because Griezmann missed a penalty Portugal have never won a for Atletico Madrid in regular title,” midfi elder Joao Mario time before Ronaldo sealed told reporters. city rivals Real’s victory by Their down-to-earth converting the decisive spot coach, Fernando Santos, said kick in the shootout. the tournament was not a Since the start of Euro style contest and only victory 2016, Griezmann has bounced mattered. back from that disappoint- “I judge my team by ment, scoring six goals, a feat whether we play well or no player had achieved at one badly, not by whether we are tournament since France great pretty or ugly,” he said at one Michel Platini hit a record nine point during Euro 2016. at the 1984 fi nals. France will start as slight Ronaldo, by contrast, had favourites, having won their to soak up a lot of criticism last 10 meetings with Portu- after lacklustre showings gal dating back to 1975, and by his high standards before having scored seven goals in playing a decisive role by their last two games in the scoring a goal and setting up competition. another in a 2-0 semi-fi nal Les Bleus can also rely win over Wales. on passionate support from Griezmann was even more home fans desperate for impressive in France’s semi- something to celebrate af- fi nal win over world cham- ter going through strikes and pions Germany, scoring both violent protests against a la- goals in a 2-0 victory to give bour law, as well as a state of the host nation their fi rst win emergency still in force since over the Germans in a com- last November’s Islamist at- petitive match in 58 years. tacks killed 130 people in The two now hold the keys Paris at several sites including to today’s fi nal, in which the Stade de France, venue for France will chase a third Eu- today’s fi nal. ropean title after 1984 and “It was our duty to win 2000 and a third triumph on matches to give the French home soil after Euro 1984 and joy and reach the end,” said the 1998 World Cup. Griezmann. “I hope we will Portugal have featured make it a beautiful end.” Venue: Stade de France, Saint-Denis SUMMARY Cup campaign in the semi-finals. de France; they previously lost 4-0 (April us under pressure.” Euro 2016 capacity: 80,000 Two-time winners and hosts France take That winning streak stretches back over 2001) and 2-1 (October 2014) to Les Bleus at — Portugal coach Fernando Santos on Portugal in the 2016 final 40 years to a 2-0 friendly success for Portugal the home of the French national team.