Nadal and Serena Win Roland Garros Openers As Thiem Aces Early Test
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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’ PARIS “She played very well in the first set, it wasn’t easy for me RAFAEL Nadal began his and she hit a lot of winners,” pursuit of a record-tying 20th said Williams. men’s Grand Slam 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. French Open 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 Egor Gerasimov, the world enzo Giustino carved out his “We came here to give our of 16 as Group B winners. number 83 from Belarus, 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 France’s Corentin Moutet 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 Liam Broady (GBR) 6-2, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2; Guido Pella (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 Adrian Mannarino (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; Alexander Bublik (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, Lorenzo Giustino (ITA) bt Corentin Moutet (FRA) 0-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 18-16; Hugo Gaston 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 Maxime Janvier (FRA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-3; Yoshihito Nishioka (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; Casper Ruud (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 James Duckworth (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 Dominic Thiem (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; Mikhail Kukushkin (KAZ) bt Fabio Fognini (ITA x14) 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (7/1), “I’m from Austria 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.