SPORTS Saturday, December 9, 2017 21 Spaniards named world champions London year’s majors after returning from The last time two paniards Rafael Nadal and injury. players from the same Garbine Muguruza were The 31-year-old Mallorcan country scooped the Snamed as the International Tennis ended the year as world number awards was in 1998 when Federation world champions one, although he pulled out of Americans Pete Sampras yesterday - the first time in 19 the season-ending ATP Finals in and Lindsay Davenport years the awards have gone to London due to a knee injury. took the honours. players from the same country. Muguruza won the ITF award Lukasz Kubot of Nadal, who claimed the for the first time after capturing the Poland and Marcelo honour for the third time, made Wimbledon title and ascending to Melo of Brazil won the a sensational comeback from an the world number one ranking for men’s doubles award while injury-plagued 2016, winning a the first time. Chan Yun-Jan of Chinese 10th French Open title and the She ended the year ranked Taipei and the recently- U.S. Open to take his grand slam number two behind Romania’s retired Martina Hingis of haul to 16, three behind Roger Simona Halep who is still chasing Switzerland took the women’s Federer who also won two of the a first grand slam title. prize. (Reuters) Kuznetsova out of Australian Open

Melbourne gave birth to her first child in wo-time major winner September, ”is anticipated to Svetlana Kuznetsova has return,” Tennis Australia said. withdrawnT from next month’s Williams could equal Margaret Australian Open after having Court’s all-time record of 24 surgery on her left wrist. Grand Slam singles Tennis Australia yesterday said titles with another Rafael No. 12-ranked Kuznetsova and win at Melbourne Nadal China’s Sasai Zheng, with a right Park. Serena (file pic) knee injury, were the only players Williams’ ranking ranked in the top 100 who are Svetlana Kuznetsova (file pic) has dropped to No. 22 confirmed as not playing the Jan. Serena Williams, who was during her break from 15-28 tournament at Melbourne pregnant while winning the the tour. Park. 2017 Australian Open title and (AP) Garbine Muguruza (file pic) appoint Canterbury expecting Stokes Hathurusingha as new head coach crowd boost on ‘home’ debut Wellington the second-largest city in anterbury are New Zealand and Stokes’s ri Lanka have appointed hoping Ben Stokes’s first birthplace. former opening batsman matchC at their main venue at It is also at the weekend, SChandika Hathurusingha Hagley Oval on Sunday will which traditionally attracts as head coach, the country’s help boost the size of what are larger crowds than those cricket board said yesterday. traditionally small crowds at played during the week. Hathurusingha, 49, resigned Chandika Hathurusingha New Zealand’s domestic one- Canterbury Cricket as Bangladesh coach in October day competition. chief executive Jez Curwin after guiding the national team appointed as the Head Coach The 26-year-old, who is was loathe to predict that to test victories over England of the Sri Lanka National still banned from playing the England all-rounder’s and Australia during his three Team, and will assume duties for England pending the presence would provide a years in charge. from the 20th December 2017,” outcome of an investigation massive boost in attendance, He will take over the Sri the board said in a statement. into an incident in Bristol in but expected a larger than Lankan side on Dec. 20, when Hathurusingha played 26 September, will make his third usual crowd. they face India in first of three tests for Sri Lanka between appearance for Canterbury “I am a little bit nervous internationals. 1991-99 and scored 1,274 runs against Northern Districts in to say that we are going to “ today at an average of 29.62. Christchurch on Sunday. get 1,000 people,” Curtin told announced that subsequent He became head coach of The match is arguably the Reuters by telephone from to successful discussions, and the Sri Lanka A side in 2006 most visible of the games Christchurch. upon the unanimous approval before being appointed as the he has played so far, with it “But I would like to of the Executive Committee on national team assistant coach being the first for the team at suspect that we would get 6th December 2017, Chandika under in 2009. their main home ground in more numbers than normal. Hathurusingha will be (eurosport) Ben Stokes (file pic) the centre of Christchurch, (Reuters)