14 Sunday, November 17, 2019 Sports Qatar to begin Gulf Cup campaign Tsitsipas stuns Federer against Iraq at Khalifa Stadium to reach London final 6th-seeded Greek beats the Swiss maestro in straight sets AFP an easy time to Roger. He was knew he had to break Tsitsi- LONDON playing well.” pas for only the second time Coming into the match, the in the match. STEFANOS Tsitsipas shocked Greek 21-year-old led the tour- The Greek slipped to 15-40 six-time champion Roger nament in service games won, down but Federer again could Federer 6-3, 6-4 to reach the with 35 out of 37. not take advantage, spraying a final of the ATP Finals in his Tsitsipas conceded a break forehand out to give his oppo- tournament debut on Saturday. point in his first game as cries nent a match point and he won The Greek sixth seed, 17 of “Let’s go Roger, let’s go” rang with a thundering ace. years younger than his 38-year- around London’s O2 Arena but Federer, who was shaken by old opponent, beat the Swiss at he survived the scare and broke his two fluffed smashes, rued the Australian Open but had Federer in the next game, tak- his missed chances. fallen to him twice since then. ing advantage of two missed “I’m frustrated I couldn’t Federer was unrecognis- overheads from the Swiss. play better, and when I did and able from the player who Thereafter it was a case fought my way back, I threw it dominated Novak Djokovic in of what might have been for away again,” said the Swiss. his final round-robin match, Federer, who dropped just six “It was also parts of him. struggling on serve and hit- points on his serve in the first He did come up with the goods ting a total of 26 unforced er- set and saw a whopping six when he had to and he was bet- rors compared with just five break points come and go. ter than me today. against the Serbian. Tsitsipas was forced “It’s the year-end. It’s over But Tsitsipas belied his to dig deep in a dramatic now and I can’t make it better. years with a performance full 13-minute final game in I tried everything I could, to of confidence and grit, saving which he saved two break be honest.” 11 out of 12 break points during points and needed seven set A year ago, Tsitsipas won the match. points to close it out 6-3. the Next Gen ATP Finals. Now, “I’m so proud of myself to- Federer was in deep trou- on his tournament debut he day, a great performance and ble when Tsitsipas broke him is one match away from win- once again the people were to love in the third game of the ning the season-ending event, great,” he said. second set but he finally made a featuring the year’s best eight “I really enjoyed myself on break point count -- his 10th, to players. Qatar will kickoff the 24th Arabian Gulf Cup against Iraq at the the court and sometimes in level at 2-2. Tsitsipas first broke into the Khalifa International Stadium. The Gulf Cup will run from Novem- matches like these you wonder Undaunted, Tsitsipas, dom- top 100 of the ATP rankings ber 26 to December 8. Group A which includes the hosts Qatar, how you recover from difficul- inating rallies from the back of only 25 months ago. UAE, Yemen and Iraq will play their matches at the Khalifa Stadi- ties and break point down. the court, broke again straight He will play either defend- um, while Group B with defending champions Oman, Saudi Arabia, Greece’s Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrates his win against Switzerland’s “It is a mental struggle and away with a forehand cross- ing champion Alexander Zverev Kuwait and Bahrain will play their matches at the Abdullah Bin Roger Federer during the men’s singles semi-final of the ATP World I’m proud how many I saved court winner for a 3-2 lead. or fifth seed Dominic Thiem in Khalifa Stadium (Al Duhail). Tour Finals at the O2 Arena in London on Saturday. (AFP) today, I was trying not to give At 5-4 down Federer Sunday’s final. Quick read Kuwait to host 3rd Shami stars as India crush B’desh India’s Phogat makes GCC Games in 2020 AFP wickets in the first innings, took KUWAIT: Kuwait will host the INDORE Mohammad Mithun for 18. dominant MMA debut third GCC Games in April 2020, Bangladesh skipper Momi- President of Kuwait Olympic MOHAMMED Shami took nul said the batting of Mush- TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK Committee Sheikh Fahad four wickets as India crushed fiqur and bowling of Abu Jayed BEIJING Nasser Sabah al Ahmad al Sa- Bangladesh by an innings and had been the only “positives” bah announced on Saturday. 130 runs inside three days of in the disappointing defeat. INDIAN wrestling superstar The 3dr GCC Games will include the opening Test on Saturday. The second and final match Ritu “The Indian Tigress” 12 events including, football, Bangladesh were bowled is a day-night clash, with India Phogat made a successful volleyball, basketball, handball, out for 213 in the final session hosting its first-ever pink-ball mixed martial arts and ONE swimming and athletics, in in Indore after their gamble to Test at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens Championship debut, putting addition to six other games bat first after winning the toss from November 22. together a dominant perfor- to be determined later, Kuwait backfired badly against the In- mance en route to a technical Olympic Committee President dian pace attack. knockout victory over South said in a press statement. He Shami’s fellow fast bowlers SCOREBOARD Korea’s Nam Hee Kim. explained that the tournament Umesh Yadav and Ishant Shar- Bangladesh 1st innings 150 (Mushfiqur Rahim Phogat immediately will be held from April 4 to 14 ma shared three wickets be- 43; M. shami 3-27) scored on a takedown in the India 1st innings (overnight 493-6 dec, M. Agarwal with the participation of Saudi tween them after India declared 243, A. Rahane 86, A. Jayed 4-108) opening seconds of the bout. Ritu Phogat after defeating Nam Arabia, the United Arab Emir- their first innings on 493 for six, India’s Mohammed Shami (right) celebrates the dismissal of Bang- Bangladesh 2nd innings She executed another suc- Hee Kim on her debut MMA, One ates, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain, with a lead of 343 runs. ladesh’s Taijul Islam on the third day of their first Test at the Holkar Shadman Islam b I. Sharma .................................6 cessful takedown moments Championship fight in Beijing. in addition to the host Kuwait. “The captain gave me the Cricket Stadium in Indore on Saturday. (AFP) Imrul Kayes b Yadav ..............................................6 later, this time keeping Kim Mominul Hauqe lbw shami ...................................7 freedom to bowl the way I Mohammad Mithun c Agarwal b shami ............. 18 on the mat and proceeding one hundred percent.” wanted and it went well,” Sha- first innings, got last man Eba- ing Imrul Kayes for six on a ball Mushfiqur Rahim c Pujara b Ashwin .................. 64 to deal damage with ground- Speaking about the bout, Verstappen grabs mi said after the game. “Hav- dat Hossain for one to spark In- that curved into the left-hander Mahmudullah c R. Sharma b shami .................. 15 and-pound. Ritu said it was always her ing Umesh and Ishant along- dia’s victory celebrations. and rattled the leg stump. Liton Das c & b Ashwin ...................................... 35 After securing the mount- plan to go for the takedown pole for Brazilian GP Mehidy Hasan b Yadav ....................................... 38 side me is a plus.” India were dominant Ishant Sharma got Shad- Taijul Islam c Saha b shami ..................................6 ed crucifix position, Phogat at the very beginning, “I be- SAO PAULO: Max Verstappen Bangladesh batsman Mush- with the bat and ball against man Islam for six in the next Abu Jayed not out .................................................4 pounded Kim out until the lieved that if I got her down secured the second pole posi- fiqur Rahim offered some re- Bangladesh. over. Shami then trapped Ebadat Hossain c Yadav b Ashwin ........................1 referee intervened. early, I could finish her via tion of his career to mark his sistance, hitting 64 after Rohit Opening batsman Mayank skipper Mominul Haque lbw Extras (b2, lb9, nb1, w1) ................................... 13 After her dominant debut ground and pound. The Total (all out, 69.2 overs) ................................213 Red Bull boss Christian Horner’s Sharma dropped him on four Agarwal played a key part in the for seven. Fall of wickets: 1-10 (Imrul), 2-16 (Shadman), 3-37 victory, Ritu, who hails from plan worked.” 46th birthday in style on Satur- off Shami. win with his 243 – his second Mominul was given not (Mominul), 4-44 (Mithun), 5-72 (Mahmudullah), the hallowed Phogat fam- Asked what she wanted to day when he topped the qualify- Mushfiqur, who scored 43 double century in four Tests – out by the on-field umpire 6-135 (Liton), 7-194 (Mehidy), 8-208 (Taijul), ily known for their excellence do next, she said, “I have only ing times for Sunday’s Brazilian 9-208 (Mushfiqur), 10-213 (Ebadat) Bowling: I. in Bangladesh’s 150 in the first as India amassed 407 runs on but India skipper Virat Kohli Sharma 11-3-31-1, Yadav 14-1-51-2 (w1), shami in wrestling said, “I want to one goal and that’s to win Grand Prix.