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Bolt to retire Waller, Raza after Rio put Zimbabwe Olympics16 ahead17 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2013 Injuries should not stop England beating Moldova Page 19 NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a forehand during his men’s singles fourth round match against Marcel Granollers of Spain on Day Nine of the 2013 US Open. — AFP Serena, Djokovic dazzle in US NEW YORK: World number ones Serena Williams who looked about to claim victory in two sets calm. If I can try to do those three things, it 5 stranglehold in the fifth for a 6-3 3-6 6-7(3) 6-4 the last four at Wimbledon in 2008 and the and Novak Djokovic ruled supreme on Tuesday, after winning the first three points of the tiebreak- works out.” 7-5 win. Australian Open in 2010, but Li has enjoyed even sending ominous warnings to their rivals with er but was extended to a third set. It was only the second love-love win in a US Youzhny, the 21st seed, took pride in outbat- greater success. dazzling, runaway victories over Spanish oppo- Other winners were also tested as defending Open women’s quarter-final dating back to 1968, tling renowned fighter Hewitt in the nearly four- Two years ago, Li became the first Chinese to nents at the US Open. men’s champion Andy Murray of Britain worked and first since Martina Navratilova subjected hour match. “I know he’s a great player and he’s make a grand slam final when she finished run- Djokovic said he played some of his best ten- hard to get past 65th-ranked Denis Istomin of Manuela Maleeva of Bulgaria to the embarrass- great fighting player, who is fighting for every ner-up in Australia and a few months later she nis on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court in trounc- Uzbekistan, 6-7 (5) 6-1 6-4 6-4, and women’s sec- ment in 1989. point, every match. For me, this way that I beat won the French Open to become China’s first ing Marcel Granollers 6-3 6-0 6-0, and Williams ond seed Victoria Azarenka overcame Ana The 31-year-old Williams, aiming to become him today, it’s really important,” he said. grand slam champion. Li smashed 44 winners could not have done better, handing Carla Ivanovic 4-6 6-3 6-4 to complete the women’s the oldest US Open women’s winner since tennis The 32-year-old unseeded Hewitt, who had against just 15 for 25-year-old Makarova, though Suarez Navarro a 6-0 6-0 beating at the National quarter-finals field. turned professional in 1968, has lost just 13 upset sixth-seeded former champion Juan Martin the Chinese struggled with eight double faults. Tennis Center. The lone upset by rankings was registered by games in her five matches. del Potro in the second round, gave credit to the Azarenka and former world number one Dominant performances are not out of the ninth-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, Djokovic said his game was clicking just as Russian. “In the end, he played the big games Ivanovic had even more trouble serving in a ordinary for those rankings leaders but fifth-seed- who ousted fifth seed Tomas Berdych of the planned. “Today, the second and third set have when he needed to,” said the Australian. match where holding serve was the exception ed Li Na provided something special by breaking Czech Republic 3-6 6-1 7-6 (6) 6-2. been some of the best tennis that I’ve played on Earlier, women’s second seed Victoria rather than the rule. another barrier for Chinese tennis. Wawrinka, who has now won five of his last six Arthur Ashe in my career,” said Djokovic, who Azarenka overcame Ana Ivanovic, the 13th seed, The 29-game match had 16 service breaks The 31-year-old Li became China’s first semi- matches against Berdych, advanced to a quarters won the title in 2011 and was a finalist last year 4-6 6-3 6-4 to complete the women’s quarter- with Azarenka ending it by breaking Ivanovic for finalist ever at the US Open by beating Russian clash against Murray. and in 2007. finals field after their contest was postponed from the ninth time. “It was a big battle. That’s what I Ekaterina Makarova 6-4 6-7(5) 6-2 on Tuesday at a Li will not have too long to revel in her “I was wishing to be more aggressive as the Monday due to nearly five hours of rain delays. was expecting from Ana,” said Azarenka of windy Flushing Meadows. achievement as the win set up a semi-final date tournament progresses,” added the Serb, who Azarenka, runner-up last year to Serena Belarus. Li pumped both fists in joy after 24th seed with defending champion Williams. “I played real- won the first 25 points on his serve and 28 of 30 Williams, will play unseeded Daniela Hantuchova Ivanovic tried to see the bright side. “It’s Makarova sailed a backhand long to end the two- ly good,” acknowledged four-time U.S. Open win- points he contested at the net. of Slovakia in the last eight. very encouraging, because I know I’m right hour, 20-minute match at Arthur Ashe Stadium as ner Williams after her 52-minute rout of Suarez Djokovic moved into the quarters against The US Open had been the last grand slam there,” said the Serb. “It’s definitely a lot of pos- the crowd showered her with cheers. Navarro. Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny, who ended the magi- where Chinese women had stalled before reach- itives to take from this week and this match. “For me, this is the first time to come to the “I’m having a blast this week. For me, I have cal run of 2001 U.S. Open winner Lleyton Hewitt ing the final four. Zheng Jie was the first Chinese But it still doesn’t change. It’s disappointing semi-finals, so I’m very proud of myself,” said Li, to stay in that moment of fun, but intensity, but by escaping a 1-4 hole in the fourth set and a 2- player to reach a grand slam semi-final, making and it hurts.” — Reuters Walcott: Rooney’s head wound is a horror show LONDON: The head injury that has page on Wednesday afternoon, striker Daniel Sturridge had been in sidelined Wayne Rooney looks like which showed the player with a line to deputise for Rooney at home “something out of a horror film”, deep, centimetre-wide cut running to Moldova on Friday, but he is now according to his England colleague from above his hairline to halfway doubtful with a thigh injury that pre- Theo Walcott. down his forehead. vented him from training on Rooney was left with a sizeable “Some people seem to be ques- Tuesday. With Tottenham Hotspur’s gash on his forehead after being tioning my commitment to the Jermain Defoe yet to start a league caught in the face by Manchester England squad and the fact I had to game this season, it means either United team-mate Phil Jones earlier pull out of the two games,” he wrote. Rooney’s United team-mate Danny this week. “There’s nothing I would like Welbeck or Southampton’s Rickie The wound required stitches and more than to be helping the lads in Lambert will lead the line against forced the 27-year-old striker to the qualifiers. I’m sure people will see Moldova. withdraw from England’s squad for from these images the reason why I “It is sad to see Wayne out, but it the World Cup qualifying double- won’t be able to play.” is an opportunity for someone to header against Moldova and United midfielder Michael Carrick, come in and take their chance,” Ukraine. who saw Rooney get injured, dis- Walcott added. “Danny Welbeck has Asked to describe the injury dur- missed suggestions from journalists started the season well for his club Wayne Rooney ing a press conference at England’s that his team-mate should have tak- and Rickie Lambert has had a great “They were two huge players and St George’s Park training base, en inspiration from Terry Butcher’s start to his England career, so the they retired at similar times, so there Walcott pointed to a bottle of water iconic, blood-stained performance in manager has some great options and had to be a transitional period and beside him and said: “I’ve seen a pic- a 1990 World Cup qualifier against I am sure he knows what to do.” that’s what it is at the minute,” said ture of it and it’s about that big. Sweden by putting himself forward Defence is also an area of con- Cahill, who plays alongside Terry at “It is a very big gash. It is not a to play. cern following a run of four games Chelsea. nice sight, to be honest. It is not “We know what he (Rooney) is without a clean sheet, and centre- “We have some quality centre- going to help his looks, I wouldn’t like,” Carrick said. “If there was a way back Gary Cahill admits the squad backs as well, but when two big think. It’s not very nice to see. It’s like of playing, he would. It is easy for are still adjusting to life without names, two big, top-class centre- something out of a horror film.” people to look at the past and com- John Terry and Rio Ferdinand, who halves come out of the set-up, there SLOVENIA: Maxym Korniyenko (right) of Ukraine vies for the ball with Wen Mukubu Rooney published two photo- pare with what has gone on, but both retired from international foot- is that worry.