IAAF Only Clears Russian Jumper Klishina For
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FOOTBALL | Page 5 AATHLETICSTHLETICS | Page 9 Guardiola IAAF clears relishing only Russian rivalry with jumper Mourinho Klishina for Rio Monday, July 11, 2016 GOLF Shawwal 6, 1437 AH McIlroy in hunt for GULF TIMES Claret Jug as Open returns to Troon SPORT Page 8 TENNIS Masterful Murray delivers again for grateful nation Scot outclasses Canadian powerhouse Milos Raonic to claim his second title at the All England Club Reuters and I didn’t really enjoy the moment as London much. “I’m going to make sure I enjoy this one more.” ometh the hour, cometh the For Raonic, who had been hoping to man — Andy Murray proved become Canada’s fi rst Grand Slam sin- himself the bastion of British gles champion, there were no regrets. tennis once again as he out- He knew he had been beaten by the Cclassed Canadian powerhouse Milos better player, although there was much Raonic to claim a second Wimbledon in his Grand Slam fi nal debut to admire. title in masterful fashion yesterday. “This one is going to sting so I’m go- Three years after a nation held its ing to make sure that as long as these breath, more in hope than expectation, courts are green I’ll do everything I can as Murray took on and defeated iron- to be back here for another chance,” the man Novak Djokovic to end 77 years 25-year-old said on court. of pain, the 29-year-old delivered an- “Andy has been playing great and other command performance, winning he deserves to be winning here for the 6-4 7-6(3) 7-6(2). second time. It was more comfortable than the “I was keeping up with him. But scoreline suggested as a razor-sharp when it counted, I wasn’t able to get on Murray dictated play from start to fi n- top.” ish. He committed a miserly 12 unforced FINAL SHOWDOWN errors, blunted the 140mph fi rst serves The fi nal was billed as a showdown be- whizzing his way and even reduced the tween one of the world’s biggest serv- normally Zen-like Raonic to venting ers and arguably the best returner. his frustration. Raonic did blast one down at The near hysteria of 2013 turned 147mph, the fastest delivery of the to expectation this time as defending tournament, but the free points he champion Djokovic, Murray’s bogey- usually enjoys were missing as Mur- man who beat him in this year’s Aus- ray sent the ball hurtling back time and tralian and French Open fi nals, lost again. early. Murray only broke serve once but It left the door open for Murray and always seemed in control as the Cana- when sixth seed Raonic knocked out dian struggled to apply any sustained seven-times champion Roger Federer pressure. to scupper hopes of a dream fi nale, The fi rst chink in Raonic’s armour many appeared to take for granted that came in the seventh game when Mur- the Scot would be hugging the Chal- ray went 15-40 ahead. lenge Cup again before he walked on The Scot just missed with one at- Centre Court to contest his 11th Grand tempted pass but converted his second Slam fi nal. break point when a powerful forehand Understandably so, seeing as he forced a Raonic volley error. had started the previous 10, all against Murray had break points in the fi rst, Djokovic and Federer, as underdog. seventh and ninth games of the second That created its own pressure but set as he tightened his grip, but Raonic Murray hid it well in a near-faultless was cool under pressure and took it to two hours 48 minutes in the Centre a tiebreak. Court sunshine as he added a second Upping the ante, Murray found an- Wimbledon crown to his 2012 US Open other gear to move two sets clear and title and gold medal from the London within sight of victory. Olympics. The match was more than two hours He is expected to head to Serbia next old when Raonic fi nally had two break week for a Davis Cup quarter-fi nal, points at 2-2 in the third set, but Mur- having almost single-handedly won ray saved both to hold — gesticulating the trophy for Britain last year. Then wildly towards his coach Ivan Lendl it’s on to Rio to defend his Olympic who sat impassively throughout the crown. match. No wonder the player once regarded Raonic held to stay alive at 4-5 and as a surly teenager with bad hair is now 5-6 but rock solid Murray was relent- a British sporting icon. less, winning the fi rst fi ve points of the day’s second tiebreak and wrapping it DELIRIOUS MURRAY up without any drama. When Raonic shoved a backhand into the net to end the contest, a delirious WATSON, KONTINEN WIN MIXED Murray roared to the sky before burst- DOUBLES ing into tears as his latest achievement Britain’s Heather Watson and Henri sunk in. Kontinen of Finland, who teamed up “I feel happier this time. I feel like for the fi rst time last week, won the this was sort of more for myself,” Mur- mixed doubles title yesterday. ray, who became a father in February Watson and Kontinen defeated 15th with wife Kim, who watched from the seeds Robert Farah of Colombia and front row of his box, told reporters. Germany’s Anna-Lena Groenefeld 7-6 “The last time it was just pure relief (5), 6-4. Murray’s path to title 1st rd: bt Liam Broady (GBR) 6-2, 6-3, 6-4 2nd rd: bt Lu Yen-Hsun (TPE) 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 3rd rd: bt John Millman (AUS) 6-3, 7-5, 6-2 4th rd: bt 15-Nick Kyrgios (AUS) 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 QF: bt 12-Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 7-6 (10), 6-1, 3-6, 4-6, 6-1 SF: bt 10-Tomas Berdych (CZE) 6-3, 6-3, 6-3 F: bt 6-Milos Raonic (CAN) 6-4, 7-6 (3), 7-6 (2) Recent Wimbledon champions 2016: Andy Murray (GBR) 2011: Novak Djokovic (SRB) 2015: Novak Djokovic (SRB) 2010: Rafael Nadal (ESP) 2014: Novak Djokovic (SRB) 2009: Roger Federer (SUI) 2013: Andy Murray (GBR) 2008: Rafael Nadal (ESP) 2012: Roger Federer (SUI) 2007: Roger Federer (SUI) Andy Murray kisses the trophy as he celebrates winning the Wimbledon title, beating Canada’s Milos Raonic in the final yesterday. (Reuters) Gulf Times 2 Monday, July 11, 2016 SPORT HORSE RACING Al Shaqab Racing’s Zelzal wins his fi rst Group 1 Agencies Chantilly, France l Shaqab Racing’s Zelzal won his fi rst Group 1 in the Prix Jean Prat (Gr1) at Chantilly, France, yesterday. AIn a very well-paced race, Jean- Claude Rouget-schooled colt managed to defend himself in the middle of the lot in the one-mile race. In the straight, steered by jockey Gre- gory Benoist, Zelzal followed Spectre in her acceleration and that brought him far. Fighting with the fi lly and Stormy Antarctic, he showed a true turn of foot in order to impose himself easily. Zelzal had won the Prix Paul de Mous- sac (Gr3), which was run over a mile, at Chantilly last month. “He broke the record of the track and the race,” Rouget said after the race. “But I don’t really like this, because this might mean he went too far in his resources. He is a very good horse. We saw it when he started in competition. His biggest power is his acceleration. For the rest of his programme, I don’t really Jockey Gregory Benoist (right) rides Al Shaqab Racing’s Zelzal to victory in the Prix Jean Prat (Gr1) in Chan- Trainer Jean-Claude Rouget and jockey Gregory Benoist lead in Al Shaqab Racing’s Zelzal after his know yet.” tilly, France, yesterday. PICTURES: Scoopdyga victory in the Prix Jean Prat (Gr1) in Chantilly, France, yesterday. FOCUS Serena destined to keep ‘Serena is someone who beats records and not just equals them... I think she will go far rivals fl agging because she wants to do it’ Serena Williams of the US celebrates winning her Wimbledon singles final against Germany’s Angelique Kerber on Saturday. (Reuters) AFP out in the second round by Slovakian qual- London ifi er Jana Cepelova, the world number 124. Graf hails ‘incredible’ Serena “There are more expectations from oth- er people. But I just had a very clear feeling Steff i Graf hailed Serena Williams for an ith a record-equalling 22nd it was going to be a rough tournament for “incredible performance” in matching her Grand Slam title wrapped up, me after winning a Grand Slam and com- long-standing Open Era record of 22 Grand Serena Williams insists she ing here. Everybody is looking at me,” said Slam wins. Williams won her seventh Wimble- will never get bored of win- Muguruza. don title with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Graf’s German Wning and that is bad news for her fl agging Kvitova, who has a game perfectly-suit- compatriot Angelique Kerber at the All Eng- rivals. ed to grass courts, was also a second round land Club on Saturday. The 34-year-old American wrapped up loser while world number three Agnieszka “What an incredible performance by Serena at her seventh Wimbledon with a straight Radwanska, the 2012 runner-up to Wil- Wimbledon,” Graf wrote on her Facebook page.