15 MONDAY, OCTOBER 14, 2019 sports Medvedev secures Italy clinch Euro 2020 berth Italy back among the elite as they qualify for Euro 2020

strike from Juventus forward points in Group F as Joshua King penalty denies Federico Bernardeschi. King converted a 94th-minute Shanghai title • Roberto Mancini’s side joined spot-kick to rescue a 1-1 draw Spain in dramatic Belgium in the draw for next for Norway following a foul by Norway draw year’s finals, where Italy will goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga Ruthless Daniil play their first two group games on Omar Elabdellaoui. • AFP | Rome at the Stadio Olimpico. Sergio Ramos broke the Span- Medvedev crushed “We managed to create a ish international appearances Alexander Zverev to team in a short period of time. record as he won his 168th cap win Shanghai Masters taly became the second team It wasn’t easy but you have to in Oslo to overtake Iker Casillas. to qualify for Euro 2020 af- thank the players, who have The visitors led when Saul Medvedev won his Iter a 2-0 win over Greece quickly developed an under- Niguez slammed home from 20 • on Saturday, while three-time standing between themselves,” yards moments after half-time fourth title of the year champions Spain edged closer said Mancini, who took over as but Spain were denied a seventh to the finals despite conceding Italy coach 18 months ago. win in a row as King’s equaliser AFP | Shanghai a stoppage-time equaliser away “It’s a team with character kept Norway in the running. to Norway. that fights and plays with the “It’s a real pain to lose points aniil Medvedev conced- Chelsea midfielder Jorgin- ball but one that must also im- in the final seconds. It’s compli- ed that he had been “in- ho dispatched a second-half prove. Now we have a year to try cated to play against a team who Dvincible” after he won penalty as Italy, wearing green and get better. knew that if they lost they were his fourth title of a spectacular kits for just the second time in “We have a lot of work but pretty much out,” said Spain Daniil Medvedev of Russia in action during the Men’s Singles final match captain Ramos. year with a thumping 6-4, 6-1 against Alexander Zverev of Germany history, registered a seventh we’re not very far from the best victory over Alexander Zverev straight win in Group J. European teams. I’m happy Norway last qualified for a in the Shanghai Masters final thing clicked in my game in the The Azzurri, who failed to and proud to have helped the major tournament at the 2000 yesterday. US, I don’t know why. qualify for the 2018 World Cup, national team come through a European Championship and Victory for the 23-year-old “I think it’s the hard work added a second in Rome on 78 tough patch.” are fourth in the group, four Russian, contesting a sixth final I’ve been doing, but I started minutes through a deflected Spain dropped their first points adrift of neighbours in a row, was more evidence to understand even more about Sweden with three games to that he is the prime contender KNOW WHAT my game, my serve, my volley, play. to join the “Big Three” of No- my everything, what I have to Sebastian Larsson netted two vak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and do when. spot-kicks as Sweden cruised to Roger Federer. “At crucial moments I know a 4-0 rout of Malta to reclaim The US Open finalist is also Victory in the what I have to do and how I second place behind Spain. able to say that he has finally Shanghai Masters have to play.” Marcus Danielson broke the beaten the German Zverev, an- final for Daniil Med- Zverev, long touted as the best deadlock on 11 minutes in Ta’ other young contender at 22, at vedev was more ev- of the new generation of men’s Qali and home skipper Andrei the fifth attempt. idence that he is the tennis stars, was error-prone, Agius also scored an own goal. This was an emphatic state- but had no complaints. Romania remain a point be- ment from the world number prime contender to “As I said yesterday, you are hind Sweden following a 3-0 four, needing just 74 minutes join the ‘Big Three’ probably the best player in the win in the Faroe Islands se - to seal the crown and failing to world right now,” the world cured by second-half goals from drop a set all week. number six told Medvedev. George Puscas, Ionut Mitrita “I can say that here I looked Medvedev said that he is a “How you are playing is un- and Claudiu Keseru. invincible this week, since I am better player than he was at the believable.” Kasper Schmeichel produced the winner,” said Medvedev, start of the year, but has really Medvedev made a fast start, a series of excellent saves as who was planning to catch a sparkled since the summer. winning his service game and Denmark defeated Switzerland 1:00am flight to Moscow and Starting with Washington, then breaking Zverev’s for an 1-0 to climb level with the Re- could play there this week. DC, in July, the Russian has early 2-0 lead. public of Ireland in Group D. “This week, yes, I probably reached six finals on the spin Under a closed stadium roof Leicester City goalkeeper was invincible, but for the com- -- including the US Open -- win- because of rain in Shanghai, Schmeichel pulled off superb ing weeks I’m not sure. ning three of them. Zverev was suffocating, down stops to deny Granit Xhaka, “Here this week there were Asked in what respect he has 3-0 after 11 minutes. Admir Mehmedi and Ricar- definitely some matches that, improved, Medvedev, who now But the German sent down do Rodriguez before Yussuf let’s say, lose the set and we threatens to usurp Federer at an ace to finally get a foothold Poulsen grabbed an 84th-min- don’t know how it would have three in the world, said: “I think in the match and then broke ute winner for Denmark in gone.” it’s everything together, some- back for 3-2. Jorginho of Italy scores a goal from the penalty spot Copenhagen.

Shaikh Nasser expresses pride in Endurance 13’s results at Kona Teenage star Gauff wins first WTA title AFP | Linz, Austria TDT | Manama eenage prodigy Coco Gauff epresentative of HM the Twon her first WTA title yes- RKing for Charity Work and terday following a 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 I’ll remember this Youth Affairs and Chairman of victory over Jelena Ostapenko day for the rest of the Supreme Council for Youth in the final in Linz that saw her my life. I had an and Sports Affairs, HH Shaikh hold her first trophy aloft aged amazing week and Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, 15. I hope to be back in has expressed pride in the his- Gauff, who only entered the the future toric win achieved by Bahrain field as a lucky loser after failing Endurance 13’s Jan Frodeno, to qualify, completed a dream COCO GAUFF who clinched the Ironman week in Linz in front of a sup- World Championship at 2019 portive crowd to become the Kona Ironman World Cham- youngest player to win a WTA pionships. event since Czech Nicole Vaidis- nitely not even on the calendar The win is the third for Jan ova, who triumphed in Vancou- for me at the start of the season. Frodeno, who broke the record ver and Tashkent two months “I didn’t think I’d have a after clocking 7:51:13. apart in 2004. chance to get in - now I’m the In the 3.8-km swimming Bahrain Endurance 13’s Jan Frodeno “I’ll remember this day for champion.” Coco Gauff celebrates with the trophy race, Jan Frodeno and his team celebrates his victory the rest of my life,” the delight- Gauff will shoot up from 110 mate, Alistair Brownlee , fin- ed Gauff said after receiving a in the rankings into the 80s, ac- the US Open, where she was tapenko levelled. ished behind Josh Amberg- deno came first with 02:42:43, minutes-long standing ovation cording to WTA calculations, defeated in the third round by “She started hitting the ball er, who finished first by 47:28 breaking the existing record. from 3,000 spectators. after becoming the youngest defending champion Naomi fast and coming up with win- seconds. Meanwhile, Daniela Ryf “I had an amazing week and American to earn a WTA trophy Osaka, and her displays in Linz ners,” Gauff said. “There was In the 180-km bike race, failed to defend her title after I hope to be back in the future.” since Jennifer Capriati at To- have enthralled tennis fans. not much I could do.” Frodeno and Brownlee were coming 13th in the race. “I’m still overwhelmed, it’s ronto in 1991. Gauff had to make a recov- But the American came alive among the first five, clocking Ryf who was a favourite, shocking and crazy to say I’ve The hype surrounding the ery in the final after sweeping in the third set, going up two 04:16:02 and 04:19:58 respec- said that she had suffered from won my first WTA title,” she youngster has grown this year the opening set but losing serve breaks before her opponent tively. health problems days before added. after solid performances this three times in the second as managed to save a pair of match In the marathon, Jan Fro- the championship. “This tournament was defi- summer at both Wimbledon and 2017 Roland Garros winner Os- points while trailing 5-1.