17 FRIDAY, AUGUST 31, 2018 sports

Brave CF announces Nadal speeds through Brave 16 fight card TDT | Manama Bubba Jenkins from the Unit- Wawrinka and del Potro ease into 3rd round as Murray crashes out ed States of America. rave Combat Federation The main card features some AFP | New York Bannounced the full fight of the most awaited fights, in- card for Brave 16. Brave 16 will cluding 10 time IBJJF World orld number one and take place at the Mubadala Champion from Brazil, Bru- defending champion The conditions Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE on no Malfacine facing Cristian WRafael Nadal steamed are tough. It was 21st September, 2018 under the Rodriguez Jr from USA in the into the third round on another important to patronage of HH Shaikh Khalid flyweight division. scorching day at the US Open on start very well bin Hamad Al Khalifa. Mohammad Fakhreddine Wednesday with a straight-sets with that break. The fight card features two from Lebanon will make his win over Vasek Pospisil. major championship title most awaited return to face Nadal, spared the worst of To win in straight fights. The main event features the formidable Gadzhimusa the heat thanks to his late-night sets is always the Welterweight champion, Gaziev from Dagestan, Rus- start on Arthur Ashe Stadium, very positive, Carlston Harris from Guyana sia. The undefeated Mounir sped past Pospisil 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. especially in these defending his championship Lazzez from Tunisia will make His only hiccup came in the conditions. It’s against Jarrah Al Selawe from his much anticipated promo- second set, when he dropped his almost midnight, Jordan. tional debut at Brave CF fac- serve to fall 2-4 down. very happy about In the co-main event, reign- ing the undefeated Dmitrijs “The conditions are tough,” ing featherweight champion, Homjakovs from Sweden in a Nadal said. “It was important to the victory Elias Boudegzdame from Al- catchweight bout. start very well with that break. RAFAEL NADAL geria will defend his title for Bahrain will host the 2018 To win in straight sets is always the second time against the Brave International Combat very positive, especially in these 2009 Australian Open. 2011 NCAA division champion, Week during 11-18 November. conditions. It’s almost midnight, “I think some of the tennis I very happy about the victory.” Rafael Nadal played today was some of the Main card Former champions Stan best I’ve played since I had the Wawrinka and Juan Martin del surgery or since I came back,” Carlston Harris vs. Jarrah Al Selawe - Welterweight Potro also advanced, while 2012 ing fit after prevailing 7-6 (7/5), for a place in the last 16. said Murray. Elias Boudegzdame vs. Bubba Jenkins - Featherweight winner Andy Murray, like Waw- 4-6, 6-3, 7-5 in three hours and Meanwhile Murray, the 2012 He was disappointed to sur- Bruno Malfacine vs. Cristian Rodriguez Jr - Flyweight rinka back at Flushing Meadows 21 minutes. US Open winner, who was play- render the first set after hold- Mohammad Fakhreddine vs. Gadzhimusa Gaziev - Welterweight after missing last year through “My level is there. I’m playing ing his first Grand Slam in 14 ing a set point, but pleased he Mounir Lazzez vs. Dmitrijs Homjakovs - Catchweight injury, was bounced by Fernan- really good tennis,” added Waw- months, is still fighting to find had enough in the tank to push Under card do Verdasco. rinka, who was unable to defend full fitness after hip surgery in Verdasco through five break Wawrinka survived searing his 2016 title after undergoing January. points in the final game before Chad Hanekom vs. Leon Aliu - Middleweight mid-day heat and a spirited Ugo two knee surgeries last year. He gave himself a mixed re- the Spaniard converted his third Hamza Kooheji vs. Crisanto Pitpitunge - Bantamweight Humbert. “I think there is a good chance view after a 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 loss match point. Guram Kutateladze vs. TBD - Lightweight “I knew it would be a difficult that I’m playing better in the to Spain’s Fernando Verdasco, Even with his current limi- Flavio Seraphim vs. Vaughn Donayre - Catchweight match,” said Wawrinka, who next round,” said the Swiss, who whose only win over Murray tations, Murray is a dangerous Louis Sanoukidakis vs. Nawras Abzakh - Bantamweight was pleased to find himself feel- will face Canadian Milos Raonic in 14 prior meetings was at the opponent, Verdasco said. Hussain Ayyad vs. Jonathan Corton - Flyweight Serena, Venus setup clash Curran leads England rally against India AFP | Southampton, United Kingdom to 2-1, as he made way for returning AFP | New York all-rounder Ben Stokes. am Curran marked his England But yesterday saw him put on 81 for erena and Venus Williams set up a Sreturn with a Test-best 78 as the the seventh with the recalled S30th career meeting on Wednesday hosts fought back on the first day of Moeen Ali (40) and Curran then added as the US Open reeled from a sexism the fourth Test against India at South- 63 for the ninth with Stuart Broad (17). row sparked when a player changed ampton yesterday. Curran, a son of the late her shirt on court. It was a familiar story when Curran, all-rounder Kevin Curran, was last Six-time champion Serena eased primarily a left-arm swing bowler and man out, bowled trying to heave spin- into Friday’s third round encoun - playing just his fourth Test, came into ner Ravichandran Ashwin. ter against her sister with a 6-2, 6-2 bat with England in dire straits at 86 In all, he batted for over three hours, win over German world number 101 for six. facing 136 balls including eight fours Carina Witthoeft on the back of 30 But thanks to the 20-year-old they and a six. winners and 13 aces. finished on a far more respectable 246 Earlier, England Joe Root Venus, the 2000 and 2001 cham- all out, with India fast bowler Jasprit opted to bat after winning the toss pion, made the third round for the Bumrah taking an economical three and promptly saw his side slump to 17th time with a 6-4, 7-5 victory over for 46 runs in his 20 overs 36 for four. Camila Giorgi of Italy. India had four overs to bat until the It was the 32nd time in their last 63 Friday’s match will be the earliest close but reached stumps on 19 with- Test innings that England had been the sisters have met at a Slam since the out loss, a deficit of 227 runs. four wickets down with 100 or fewer 1998 Australian Open in what was also Shikhar Dhawan was three runs on the scoreboard. their first ever clash. It will be their Serena Williams and KL Rahul 11 not out. India’s four quicks all gained sharp sixth face-off in New York. Curran was unfortunate to miss the and often extravagant seam movement “Friday will be incredibly hard,” third Test at Trent Bridge, a match -- which helped explain the large total said Serena before jokingly hitting Kalinina. India won by 203 runs to reduce Eng- of 23 byes conceded by wicket-keeper back at Venus’s claim that when they Stephens triumphed after 2 hours land’s lead in the five-match series Rishabh Pant. last met at a Slam in the final of the and 46 minutes on Arthur Ashe Sta- 2017 Australian Open her sister had an dium and will next face two-time advantage as it was “two against one.” 30 Australian Open champion and That was a reference to Serena be- Serena and Venus former world number one Victoria ing in the early stages of pregnancy Williams will clash for the Azarenka. with her daughter Olympia. 30th time on Friday with The American needed treatment on “I guess I had a little advantage but a place in the last 16 of the a blistered right hand in the second set it’s going to be hard for me on Friday,” US Open at stake as the crushing effect of the heat and said 36-year-old Serena. humidity took its toll. Since Venus won their first ever However, the 10-minute heat-break clash in Australia, Serena, bidding for between the second and third sets a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam by seeing off Giorgi. proved a timely boost. title, has built up an advantage over However, she was reluctant to dis- “I just sat on the floor, changed the last two decades, enjoying a 17-12 cuss Serena when asked to describe my outfit, had two bites of Sushi and at Seef District too head-to-head superiority. the specific challenges. a slushie,” said the 25-year-old Ste- “It’s a tough match to have so early “You’re beating it up now. Any other phens after seeing off world number Um al Hassan +973 17728699 in the tournament. We would have questions about anything else?” she 134 Kalinina. Seef District +973 17364999 liked to have played later but it is what barked. Azarenka, the 2012 and 2013 run- it is. It’s not the end of the world,” Defending champion and third seed ner-up, made the third round for the added Serena. Sloane Stephens also made the third first time in three years with a 6-1, 6-2 Venus, 38, and playing her 80th round with a marathon 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 win against Australian 25th seed Daria Slam, notched up her 775th career win win over Ukraine qualifier Anhelina Gavrilova.