TUESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2014 SPORTS Murray eyes Tour Finals Photo of the day momentum in Valencia VALENCIA: Two-time Grand Slam winner meeting in the semi-finals with three- Andy Murray continues his bid to reach time champion Ferrer the top seed and the ATP World Tour Finals next month at Murray seeded third. the Valencia Open fresh from his second “It’s the same for both of us, we’ve had tournament victory of the season in very close matches,” added Murray, who Vienna. now hold a 8-6 head-to-head record over The Scot downed David Ferrer 5-7, 6- Ferrer. “Whoever qualifies for London will 2, 7-5 to claim the title on his first deserve it.” appearance in the Austrain capital to And Ferrer is determined to take his move ahead of the Spaniard into the battle down to next week’s final qualify- final qualifiyng spot for the season-end- ing tournament at the Paris Masters. ing finals in London. With five of the “Andy played a great match and eight places already secured and US deserved to win the title,” said the 32- Open finalist Kei Nishikori almost guar- year-old. anteed his Tour Finals debut, there is a “I had my chances but it was so tough five-way battle between Murray, Ferrer, today. I’m going to keep fighting for Tomas Berdych, Milos Raonic and Grigor London.” Berdych’s 10th career title in the Dimitrov for the remaining slots. Swedish capital kept his Tour Finals bid Berdych joins Murray and Ferrer in the on track and the second seed appears to south of Spain having also claimed his have an easier draw in Valencia. second title of the year in Stockholm “They are 250 freshly-baked ranking with a 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 win over Dimitrov. points but it is still not the end, the battle “Every event is so important now with is still on and we are still going to fight the race for London going strong,” said for that,” he said. “I think it is going to be Murray, who will be playing in his fourth a really interesting end to the year, I just event in as many weeks. need to be prepared and go for it again. Carlos Sainz performs during the Peugeot 2008 DKR test in Chateau de Lastours, Portel des Corbieres, France. — www.redbull.com Murray’s victory in Vienna moved the The Czech starts off against Spaniard 2013 Wimbledon champion 110 points Pablo Andujar and could face American clear of Ferrer, who also has 300 points to John Isner in the last eight. Murray is up defend in Valencia having been beaten against Austrian Jurgen Melzer, whilst Serena sends Ivanovic by Mikhail Youznhy in last year’s final. Ferrer faces Italian Andreas Seppi in the The two are on course for another first round. — AFP PREVIEW packing in WTA Finals Ajmal-less Pakistan seek to SINGAPORE: An all-action Serena Williams end 20-year Australia drought eased concerns over her injured knee as she opened the WTA Finals with a 6-4, 6-4 victory DUBAI: Pakistan hope to end a 20-year 15 in the preceding 3-0 one-day series over Ana Ivanovic yesterday. drought against Australia when they meet defeat, admitted Ajmal’s absence is signifi- The world number one withdrew from this in the first of two Tests in Dubai from cant. “Ajmal has left a big hole,” said Misbah, month’s China Open with a left knee problem tomorrow but they are hobbled by the who skippers a team whose last Test series but she showed no discomfort during an enter- absence of spin king Saeed Ajmal. win over Australia was back in 1994. “But taining round robin win in Singapore. Ajmal, who has been suspended due to we have youngsters who should grab the With no strapping on her knee, Williams slid an illegal bowling action, has single-hand- chance and I am confident they can.” around the court and at one point did the splits. edly ruled the dry and slow tracks of The return of veteran batsman Younis She shouted “Come on!” so many times she Pakistan’s neutral venues in the United Khan and Azhar Ali will boost Pakistan’s made herself hoarse. Arab Emirates, especially at Dubai where he fragile batting as they seek to remain “I never do it in practice,” said Williams of her has 37 wickets in six Tests, three of which unbeaten in a Test series in the UAE since impromptu splits in the final game, which she Pakistan won. they were forced to decamp in 2009 due to said she’d only done once before on court. security fears in their country. “I never run that hard in practice. I save it for a Australia will also look to include both match. I do work on my flexibility, but not for spinners in Nathan Lyon and Steve O’Keefe tennis. Because I dance... I guess it comes in despite their unimpressive record of losing handy.” After a nervy start it was an ultimately five of the last six Tests (one draw) in which convincing win from the top seed, who is seek- they played with two spinners. But they ing her third straight season finale victory and have dominated Pakistan, winning 13 out the year-end world number one ranking. of the last 14 Tests against them. Later in the eight-player tournament, Australia will hope skipper Michael Romania’s Simona Halep enjoyed a straightfor- Clarke, top Test run getter in 2013 with ward 6-2, 6-3 victory over a misfiring Eugenie 1,093, anchors the batting after recovering Bouchard of Canada. from a hamstring injury sustained two Williams also pulled out of last month’s months ago. Wuhan Open with illness and the American said Clarke failed to get much-needed prac- she felt like she had “nothing to lose” as she tot- tice in the 153-run defeat in the four-day ted up her 16th straight WTA Finals win. tour game against Pakistan ‘A’ on Sunday, “I didn’t have any fear at all. I felt pretty good. managing just ten and five. I really felt like I don’t really have anything to Clarke admitted Ajmal will be missed by lose at this point,” she said. “I felt the knee a little Pakistan. “I think there is no doubt that bit, but compared to what it was in Beijing, it Ajmal is an amazing bowler. I think obvi- feels so much better. I’m getting better, which is great,” she added. SINGAPORE: Serena Williams of the US returns a shot against Ana Ivanovic of Serbia during ously Pakistan wish they had him available their singles match at the WTA tennis finals yesterday. — AP for selection,” said Clarke. Williams recovered from a slow start to earn “I have always said that Pakistan have the first break, but Ivanovic saved break points ahead. With Ivanovic serving at 4-5 down, tournament’s youngest players. always had a lot of talent in any form of the at 4-1 before a net cord helped her break back Williams again raised her game as she drilled a Halep, the world number four, gave Bouchard game and I am sure the Test eleven that and win three games in a row for 4-4. backhand down the line, before converting the a miserable introduction to the elite event as she they put on the field is very talented and However, the Serb wasted another break first of two match points when the Serb went broke twice in each set and profited from the know these conditions.” point when she volleyed long and as she served long. “You come up against the best, you really Canadian’s 30 unforced errors. Australia will hope all-rounder Mitchell to stay in the set, Williams made her pay when have to try and make all parts of your game at “I played really well, I’m really happy I found Marsh, who has recovered from a ham- she grabbed her second break and the first set 6- that level,” Ivanovic said. “That’s going to be my my game again,” said Halep, who will face string injury, will be able to fill in for the 4. An attritional second set came alive in the sev- big focus for the next matches.” Williams in her next match. “Of course she’s the Saeed Ajmal more experienced Shane Watson who is enth game when Ivanovic’s baseline smash win- Williams’ victory puts her in the box seat for a best player in the world and I have nothing to out of the tour due to a calf injury. ner was followed by Williams’ fabulous cross- place in the semi-finals with Red Group matches lose. I’ll try to play my game and to fight for That includes 24 wickets in a 3-0 rout of Australia’s pace attack will be led by court drop-shot as the American went 4-3 still to come against Halep and Bouchard, the every point,” she said. — AFP England in 2012. Pakistan have also lost Mitchell Johnson who bowled with venom frontline seamers Junaid Khan and Wahab in the two one-dayers he played-taking six Riaz-both through knee injuries-and have wickets-and supported by the hard-work- to rely on uncapped leg-spinner Yasir Shah ing Peter Siddle. and two-Test left-armer Zulfiqar Babar, A 2-0 cleansweep would return Australia both of whom are likely to play.