SPORT Monday 2 January 2017 PAGE | 21 PAGE | 22 LeBron, Harden, Angelique Westbrook sparkle in Kerber enjoying triumphant efforts No.1 pressure Murray, Djokovic to 8DU`8PVIUS` UPVSI6H@IU96U@T T 9uhRhh !&Ehh ! & TU6UVT I6U B7S HVSS6`6q begin season in Qatar &!"40)07$ The Peninsula Andy Murray of Great !"0)%#/ !"%'#80,)3 Britain attends a press here will be fireworks on and off the court this conference on the eve of the Qatar ExxonMobil !"%1#1 Tweek in Doha at the !"321#%6 star-studded Qatar ExxonMo- Open at the Khalifa bil Open as the top two International Tennis players on the ATP Tour Andy Complex in Doha 4 !"%#0* Murray and Novak Djokovic yesterday. & B@S FPCGT8CS@D7@SQuvyv are set to begin their season in Qatar. " 8a@ 7@S9`8CUh Djokovic, who was dethroned as year-end No. 1 in the ATP Rankings by Mur- X8 &!",3# ray at the ATP Finals, will be .&!"43)3 seeking revenge in the Qatari capital. The longtime rivals could !"%2',/1 face off in the final, which 5!"'6-3, would be their first encoun- ter at an ATP World Tour 250 .!",/)0$ event. With only 630 points $ AS6 UTPIB6EXvys vrq separating them atop the ATP Rankings, the battle for No. 1 % 8SP F6SGPWD8D will be hotly contested to Djokovic still the biggest !" ##$% open the new season. Murray carries an 8-1 Head2Head edge into his X8 & !"'(%)%*"+%,,%, .!"%)0, first-round encounter against rival, says Murray Jeremy Chardy, with either Gerald Melzer or Paul-Henri Mathieu potentially waiting AFP one ranking, Novak would be matches go to form it will set . !"0),%,/1 next. Fellow Top 10 player (the biggest threat)," Murray up a mouth-watering final Tomas Berdych and World orld number one told reporters. clash with Djokovic, the !"1(3, No. 12 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Andy Murray "I had a great sort of four, number two seed and defend- # 7@G BPAADI9hvq could loom large in the semi- Winsisted yesterday five months at the end of last ing Doha champion, on finals. Murray, who owns a that Novak Djokovic will year and I still only got to January 7. ' 8`Q 76BC96UDTHh p 15-2 mark in four trips to remain his biggest threat in number one by one match Murray's first round match Doha, will be looking to his 2017, as the pair prepare for a basically at the end the year, is against France's Jeremy extend his career-best potential first clash of the sea- so I know it will be very tough Chardy tomorrow. 24-match win streak. son in Doha this week. to stay there." Djokovic begins his title X8 "!")-+') Djokovic, meanwhile, will Newly-knighted Murray, Murray also tipped six- defence today against Germa- face Jan-Lennard Struff for speaking ahead of the first times Australian Open ny's Jan-Lennard Struff. the first time in his opener. round of the Qatar Open champion Djokovic to be the Djokovic, Murray and !"1)%231 The 26-year-old German is which begins on Monday, said player to beat in Melbourne, Tsonga are former champions &!"#1)3%, eyeing Top 10 wins in back- the Serb would continue to when the year's first Grand returning to Doha this year. to-back tournaments, having make life tough for him on Slam begins later this month. Murray claimed back-to-back !"4%,80,,%)/ notched his first at the BNP court this year. In Qatar, Murray is the titles in 2008-09, while ! TS7 9EPFPWD8Ihx Paribas Masters in November, "In terms of the number number one seed and if Tsonga prevailed in 2012. defeating Stan Wawrinka in a deciding tie-break. Djokovic could face either Horacio Zeballos or Florian Mayer in the second round. Upbeat Djokovic ready for new season QATAR EXXONMOBIL Armstrong Vas mindset, I guess, in my philoso- Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff, But after having the Austral- more from your lost tennis OPEN ORDER OF PLAY The Peninsula phy of life to observe things in while Murray's first round match ian Open and French Open in his matches. Then you can really sit this way. That I didn’t succeed; is against France's Jeremy kitty the Serb season faced a down, dig deep, and really fig- Centre Court start that I failed; that I’ve fallen or Chardy tomorrow. The Briton slump, with a third round loss at ure out what are the things that 3:30pm f regaining the World No. 1 something like that,” Djokovic however will see action in the the Wimbledon and a loss to in you can do better. D Marrero (ESP)/N Zimonjic position from Andy Murray is said on the eve of the Qatar Exx- doubles today. the final of the US Open. “So that’s how I felt. I defi- (SRB) vs M. Fyrstenberg Ihigh on Novak Djokovic’s list onmobnil Open which begins in Last year, Djokovic who last Djokovic insisted his mini- nitely don’t see it as an (POL) / A Murray (GBR) of priorities, he will need to find Doha today. year honed his game in readi- slump was a blessing in unsuccessful year. I don’t see it Not Before 5:30pm his form quickly. Familiar foes Murray and ness for the Australian Open in disguise. as a crisis. I don’t see it as any of J Struff (GER) vs (2) N. The Serbian who faced a Djokovic are poised to pick up Qatar, which he has won six “I just feel like every expe- that. Djokovic (SRB) slum in form in the second half where they left off to conclude times in the last nine years, rience is a blessing one way or “I actually see it as a great, I R. Haase (NED) vs (4) D of the season yesterday denied 2016. began the season by winning the another. would say incentive, challenge, Goffin (BEL) his game was in ‘crisis’. Both the top ranked players Qatar tournament and was dom- “I felt like the second six experience that has helped me (Q) V. Pospisil (CAN) vs F. “I don’t see the second six begin their season in Qatar. inating the ATP Tour and there months of the year were very to rise and hopefully get even Verdasco (ESP) months of 2016 as a failure or Djokovic begins his title was much talk of him winning valuable, because I was always stronger, get even better, and Court 1 start 3:30pm anything like that. It’s not in my defence today against all four Grand Slams in 2016. saying that you can learn a lot keep going.” (WC) A.Yuksel (TUR) vs J. Vesely (CZE) P. Lorenzi (ITA) vs N. Alma- gro (ESP) [8] M. Baghdatis (CYP) vs [Q] R. Stepanek (CZE) ExxonMobil Public Village all set for tennis gala Court 2 start 3:30pm F Bagnis (ARG) vs D. The Peninsula “It gives us great pride to organized a multitude of of those visiting the ExxonMobil braking and cornering Brown (GER) celebrate the 25th anniversary activities at the stand in an effort Qatar stand. The model conditions. A built-in 5.1 H Zeballos (ARG) vs F. of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open to attract every visitor, young provides visitors with an surround sound system also Mayer (GER) xxonMobil Qatar is once with our partner the Qatar and old. Actively engaging the interactive and realistic racing provides users with a full- (WC) A. De Greef (BEL) vs again welcoming Tennis Federation. Since the community is a pillar of our experience based on a full-size sensory experience. [Q] M. Safwat (EGY) Ethousands of Qatar beginning, we've focused on national outreach programs in specification racing car. It has ExxonMobil Qatar is also Court 3 start 3:30pm ExxonMobil Open attendees to providing the best experience Qatar, and we hope that you will an authentic, padded cockpit bringing back the popular [4] D Inglot (GBR)/F Mer- its stand in the Public Village. possible for our visitors, and that join us for some fun, for a headrest, four-point racing “ExxonMobil Minute” gea (ROU) vs K Khachanov As the title sponsor of the includes the ExxonMobil Qatar thrilling racing car simulator harness, gear lever paddles, competition. After each match, (RUS) /A Kuznetsov (RUS) esteemed tournament, stand in the Public Village,” said experience, and for a once-in- and a quick release carbon ExxonMobil Qatar gives several (WC) M Jaziri (TUN)/M ExxonMobil Qatar organizes a Alistair Routledge, President and a-lifetime opportunity to meet fibre steering wheel, that allow lucky spectators the chance to Zayid (QAT) vs J Chardy number of exciting, hands-on General Manager for ExxonMobil tennis stars.” drivers to experience the catch tennis balls served (FRA) F Martin (FRA) activities for people of all ages Qatar. The racing car simulator unique movement of the car randomly into the crowds by to enjoy. “As in previous years, we’ve has been a long-time favourite under realistic acceleration, tennis stars. SPORT 2 JANUARY 2017 MONDAY 21 European broadcaster believes in Olympic gold Paris Italy and Spain to be sealed that brand," one national television in Britain until 2024. National "You look at the sub licens- want to watch the Olympics. AFP could decide how successful its executive who has negotiated companies from Belarus to ing terms, you look at the It has hired Olympic legends gamble for gold will be. with Eurosport said. Czech Republic have also signed advertising income, you look at such as Tina Maze in skiing, Peter The cost of Olympic televi- "I think sports rights poten- "It could still go wrong but it up.