Ishan Kishan’s 99 in vain as RCB down Mumbai Indians in Super Over page 14 TUESday, SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 Nadal and Serena win Roland Garros openers as Thiem aces early test

AFP ‘Play like Serena’ “She played very well in the first set, it wasn’t easy for me began his and she hit a lot of winners,” pursuit of a record-tying 20th said Williams. men’s title with “The biggest difference a straight-sets victory at the was just confidence. I just The draw for the 2020 AFC Champions League (West) quarter-finals was held in Doha on Monday. while Serena need to play with more confi- Williams made a slow but suc- dence, like I’m Serena. cessful start in her latest bid “So that was it. I just start- to equal Margaret Court’s all- ed playing like that. And I love Persepolis drawn to time mark. the clay and I started playing Nadal, 34, needs one more like it, opening the court and Slam to match Roger Federer’s moving and sliding.” record but has described the Williams, seeded sixth play Pakhtakor in AFC defence of his Roland Garros here, has not gone beyond the crown as the “most difficult last 16 in Paris since her de- ever” given the cold and damp feat to Garbine Muguruza in conditions of a tournament the 2016 final. Her last major CL West last four tie delayed four months by the came at the 2017 Australian coronavirus pandemic. Open while pregnant. AFC course we respect, but we are FC 2-1, with the Uzbekistan side The second seed defeated Italian journeyman Lor- Doha not afraid. having advanced to the Round , the world enzo Giustino carved out his “We came here to give our of 16 as Group B winners. number 83 from , 6-4, own place in the headlines Al Nassr will face Al Ahli Sau- all, so we will fight, play and “All three teams would 6-4, 6-2 to launch his assault Monday when he outlasted di FC in an all-Saudi Arabia we will see what happens. My have been difficult oppo- on a 13th French Open title, 15 ’s 0-6, tie while Persepolis FC of Iran philosophy is to prepare for nents,” said Pakhtakor as- years after his debut triumph. 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 18-16 and Pakhtakor of Uzbekistan any opponent in the same way. sistant coach Pieter Huistra. “I’m really happy to be in the second longest match will square off in the 2020 AFC We treat this game the same “Persepolis are a great team back at Chatrier. Thanks to the in French Open history at six Champions League (West) way we would any other. and we know them quite well spectators for being here,” Na- hours and five minutes. quarter-finals following the “The Round of 16 is behind because we faced them last dal said in front of a smatter- The match, held over from draw in Doha on Monday. us now, and we focus on Al year in the group stage and ing of the 1,000 fans permitted Sunday, fell 28 minutes short Both quarter-finals will be Nassr. I have to concentrate they are champions of IR Iran, daily at Roland Garros. of Roland Garros’ record played at the Jassim Bin Hamad on the state of my players be- so we have to be ready and “Hopefully it’ll be back marathon tie between Fabrice Stadium on Wednesday, with cause we had a lot of injuries, have to be in good shape but to normal next year and I’ll Santoro and Arnaud Clement Saturday’s semi-final also to be but I believe in my team and we are confident. We played play in front of the beautiful in 2004. played at the same venue. The club. I always want to enjoy some good games already here crowd.” US Open winner Dominic two quarter-finals and semi- the game first.” and we are looking forward to The Spaniard is appear- Thiem, the runner-up to Na- final will be one-legged affairs. Persepolis – who finished Wednesday to play again. ing for the first time in Paris dal in Paris the past two years, Abderrazak Hamdallah’s top of Group C – sealed their “They had four clean without a clay title to his credit defeated former Slam cham- sixth goal of the campaign saw quarter-final berth in dramatic sheets and we had three clean and skipped the recent US pion Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 Group D winners Al Nassr of fashion on Sunday with Isa Al sheets, so I think we are simi- hardcourt swing over Covid-19 in their second meeting at a Saudi Arabia edge domestic concerns. Spain’s Rafael Nadal reacts as he plays against Belarus’ Egor Gerasimov major this month. rivals Al Taawoun 1-0 in their He smacked 32 winners during their men’s singles first round match at the Philippe Chatrier court “My level was good. I was Round of 16 tie on Sunday. The Quarter-finals to just 20 unforced errors on Day 2 of the French Open in Paris on Monday. (AFP) very happy with the way I “It will be a difficult game; (At Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium on Wednesday to down Gerasimov, one of played from the beginning to we know that because we 31 men entered into his first Results the end basically,” said Thiem. played against Al Ahli in the (September 30th) French Open main draw. Having captured his maid- Saudi Pro League and we 4.40pm: Al Nassr (KSA) vs Al Ahli Saudi FC (KSA) “I don’t want to make any Men Singles (1st rd): Jiri Vesely (CZE) bt (GBR) 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2; (ARG) en Slam in New York, Thiem know their qualities,” said Al mistakes. It’s a different Ro- bt Salvatore Caruso (ITA) 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 6-4; Jan-Lennard Struff (GER x30) bt Frances Tiafoe is trying to become the only Nassr head coach Rui Vitoria. 8.45pm: Persepolis FC (IRN) vs Pakhtakor (UZB) land Garros this year and the (USA) 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-3; Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) bt (FRA) 6-4, man in the Open era to win his We are ready for the game. weather conditions are very 6-3, 6-0; Nikola Milojevic (SRB) bt Filip Krajinovic (SRB x26) 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-1; Aljaz Bedene (SLO) bt first two majors at successive Both teams want to win, and I challenging, but we are here Arthur Rinderknech (FRA) 6-2, 6-7 (7/9), 6-4, 6-4; (KAZ) bt Gael Monfils (FRA x8) tournaments. “I really love think it will be a very interest- Kasir scoring an 88th minute lar teams. Everything is possi- 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3; Lorenzo Sonego (ITA) bt Emilio Gomez (ECU) 6-7 (6/8), 6-3, 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3; to try our best,” added Nadal, (ITA) bt Corentin Moutet (FRA) 0-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 18-16; this tournament, it’s by far my ing game. We look forward to winner for the Iran Pro League ble in this game. We believe in who faces Mackenzie McDon- (FRA) bt (FRA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-3; (JPN) bt Felix Auger-Aliassime best Grand Slam tournament this type of games. champions against Qatar’s Al ourselves and we will be ready ald in round two. (CAN x19) 7-5, 6-3, 6-3; (NOR x28) bt Yuichi Sugita (JPN) 6-1, 6-3, 6-1; Tommy Paul so far,” said Thiem, who plays “Al Ahli may have played Sadd SC in their last 16 tie. for this game. We played two Williams is chasing an (USA) bt (AUS) 6-2, 6-3, 6-2; Jack Sock (USA) bt Reilly Opelka (USA) 6-4, 6-4, 6-3; American qualifier Jack Sock extra time in the Round of 16, “Coming to the draw cere- teams from IR Iran already elusive 24th Grand Slam title (AUT x3) bt Marin Cilic (CRO) 6-4, 6-3, 6-3; Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) bt Michael in the second round. but they had one extra day of mony we knew it wasn’t going in this competition, so we to draw level with Margaret Mmoh (USA) 6-3, 6-2, 6-3; (KAZ) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA x14) 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7/1), “I’m from so I rest compared to us, and one to make a big difference for us, are getting used to it. Iranian Court’s all-time haul, but clay 6-0; Pedro Martinez (ESP) bt Aleksandar Vukic (AUS) 7-5, 6-4, 6-0; Mackenzie McDonald (USA) bt know how it is to play in these day more in this type of com- because here there are four teams are always strong, we is her least successful surface. Steven Diez (CAN) 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4; Rafael Nadal (ESP x2) bt Egor Gerasimov (BLR) 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. cold conditions. I love it when petition will be very important, strong teams,” said Persepo- know that. It will be an excit- An error-prone begin- it’s not too fast.” but we are ready and we have lis team manager Mohammad ing and strong game.” ning from the American star Williams, playing at the Meadows. Eighth seed Gael Monfils players who want to play and Ali Peyrovani. “Our target is to None of the four West left world number 102 Kristie French Open for the 18th time, But the sixth seed forced a lost 6-4, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 to Alex- are prepared for the game.” be champions of Asia, so if we Zone quarter-finalists have Ahn serving for the first set dropped serve twice as Ahn tie-break that she sealed with ander Bublik, likely extend- Al Ahli Saudi, who finished want to be champions, we can- won the AFC Champions before the three-time Roland moved 5-4 ahead in the open- an ace after a 74-minute slog ing the wait for a first French top of Group A, advanced to the not worry about which team League before, with Al Ahli Garros champion prevailed er in a rematch of their first- before charging to an ulti- men’s major champion since quarter-finals after defeating we will face next. Saudi and Persepolis finishing 7-6 (7/2), 6-0. round encounter at Flushing mately comfortable victory. Yannick Noah in 1983. UAE’s Shabab Al Ahli Dubai 4-3 “Pakhtakor have been a re- runners-up in 2012 and 2018 on penalties, with the Round of ally good team, so we know we respectively. Al Ahli Saudi 16 match having ended 1-1 after will have a tough game against were also runners-up in the The chase is on FOR SERENA extra-time on Saturday. them, but on the other hand it 1985-86 season of the Asian “I did not have a prefer- will be a tough game for them. Club Championship. ence prior to the draw as all This is football, but we are Pakhtakor were semi-final- Results teams are very strong, but it confident that we will take to ists in 2003 and 2004 while Al Women’s Singles (1st rd): Bernarda Pera is interesting because we face the pitch with only the aim of Nassr, runners-up in the 1995 (USA) bt Cici Bellis (USA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-1; a fellow Saudi club,” said Al winning the match.” Asian Club Championship, will Amanda Anisimova (USA x25) bt Tamara Ahli Saudi head coach Vladan Pakhtakor, in the quarter- be appearing in their second Korpatsch (GER) 6-2, 6-0; Hsieh Su-Wei (TPE) Milojevic. “Al Nassr are a finals for the first time since successive AFC Champions bt Barbara Haas (AUT) 6-3, 7-6 (7/1); Iga good team. A good club that of 2009, defeated Iran’s Esteghlal League quarter-finals. Swiatek (POL) bt Marketa Vondrousova (CZE x15) 6-1, 6-2; Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) bt (RUS x28) 6-1, 2-6, 6-1; Katerina Siniakova (CZE) bt Lauren Davis (USA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2; (ITA) bt Monica Puig (PUR) 6-2, 6-1; World Athletics opens door for ‘innovative’ formats at Olympics (NED x5) bt Katarina Zavatska (UKR) 2-6, 6-2, 6-0; Elina Svitolina (UKR x3) bt Varvara Paris: World Athletics paved audience, international athlet- Olympic torch relay Gracheva (RUS) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4; Renata the way for changes to com- ics regularly tries to innovate to start on March 25 Zarazua (MEX) bt Elsa Jacquemot (FRA) 6-1, petition formats at the world in its competition formats, by 6-2; Tsvetana Pironkova (BUL) bt Andrea Petkovic (GER) 6-3, 6-3; championships or the Olympic modifying competitions or by The Olympic torch relay ahead of (USA x6) bt Kristie Ahn (USA) 7-6 (7/2), 6-0; Games when it published its introducing elimination races. the 2020 Tokyo Games will start Garbine Muguruza (ESP x11) bt Tamara 2020 guide to regulations and The new formats have attracted its journey on March 25 next year Zidansek (SLO) 7-5, 4-6, 8-6; Patricia Tig competitions on Monday. The some criticism from athletes. In in the Fukushima Prefecture, (ROU) bt Stefanie Voegele (SUI) 7-5, 7-5; two major meetings of inter- August, US triple-jumper Chris- local organisers said on Monday. Christina McHale (USA) bt Karolina Muchova national athletics have been tian Taylor led the offensive at The torch will travel for 121 days (CZE x22) 6-2, 6-4; Petra Kvitova (CZE x7) bt precluded thus far in hosting the Diamond League meeting in across all 47 prefectures in Oceane Dodin (FRA) 6-3, 7-5; Jasmine Paolini an “innovative” format, such Stockholm which offered a mod- Japan. The Olympic flame was (ITA) bt Aliona Bolsova (ESP) 6-4, 6-3; (CHN) bt (USA x12) 6-3, as the introduction of a deci- ified long jump competition with lit this year and arrived in the 7-6 (7/2). sive final test in the long jump. the best three jumpers after five host country on March 20. In line “World Championships and attempts qualifying for a final with concept ‘Hope Lights Our Olympic Games (are) no longer jump which decided the winner Way’ the rescheduled torch relay excluded from competitions of the competition. “I hope this aims to showcase the recovery where events may be held in an idea will stop after this season,” of areas worst affected by the alternative format,” said World the double Olympic and four- earthquake in 2011, as 2021 Serena Williams of the US, who is chasing her 24th Grand Slam title, returns the ball to Kristie Ahn of the US during their women’s singles first Athletics in a press release. In time world champion tweeted at will mark the 10th anniversary of round match at the Philippe Chatrier court on Day 2 of the Roland Garros tournament in Paris on Monday. (AFP) search of a larger and younger the time. (AFP) the disaster. (DPA)