Verdasco Sets up 3Rd Round Clash with Zverev Spaniard Knocks Off 26Th Seed Basilashvili in Four Sets

Jonathan Kodjia scores hat-trick on debut as Al Gharafa drub Rayyan in QSL PAGE 12 FRIDAY, JANUARY 24, 2020 Qatar meet Bahrain in Asian h’ball semis Qatar beat Kuwait to set up clash with Bahrain for a place in QNB STARS LEAGUE final of the Asian Men’s Handball Championship PAGE 13 AL ARABI VS AL DUHAIL (6.40pm) ‘Car-pulling’ Verdasco sets up 3rd round clash with Zverev Spaniard knocks off 26th seed Basilashvili in four sets TNN/ATP DOHA/MELBOURNE DOHA-RESIDENT Fernando Verdasco was his vintage self at the Australian Open on Thursday as he knocked out I’m gradually doing things better to try and be 26th seeded Nikoloz Basilas- among the elite for as long as possible with hvili in four sets to move into the third round of the Grand the best in the world. At the moment, I believe Slam tournament. my body is responding. I don’t know how long The 36-year-old Verdasco for, but I will try to fight as hard as possible. bounced back after being a set down to get the better of his Doha-resident Fernando Verdasco Georgian opponent 4-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-4 in two hours and 49 minutes. Spain’s Fernando Verdasco hits a return against Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili during their men’s singles Verdasco amazed everyone with a strength training exercise in which he dragged a two-tonne car during Spaniard Verdasco hit as match on Day Four of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Thursday. (AFP) his pre-season training in Miami, United States, under the watch of his fitness coach Javier Bustos. many as 13 aces on way to setting up a third round clash everyone with a strength train- “I had to do five repetitions helps me mentally and in terms moment, I believe my body is don and the surrounding areas motivate me. I’ve been lucky to with 7th seeded German ing exercise in which he dragged of squats and I did 10,” said of my game,” said Verdasco. responding. I don’t know how became inflamed. It could have play more than 60 consecutive Alexander Zverev. a two-tonne car during his pre- Verdasco. “I need to feel that I’m strong, long for, but I will try to fight as been a few weeks’ pain, but in Grand Slams, fit, always com- The fact that Verdasco is still season training in Miami under “They thought that I had resistant, then my mind is at hard as possible.” the end it was several months.” petitive. I’ve never had a seri- among the elite of the ATP Tour the watch of his fitness coach plenty left in me... and then peace because I know that my Among the knocks that his Early this season in Doha ous injury in the 16 or 17 years at this age is no coincidence. Javier Bustos. they told me we were going body is ready. In these 6 or 7 physique has suffered during at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, of my career. A look behind the scenes “It was a seven-seat mini- outside. When I got there, they weeks of pre-season, I focused his career, the most recent came he also picked up a hamstring “I try to think that the pain reveals his meticulous attention van,” said Verdasco. “I didn’t said to me ‘Let’s see if you can on fitness training. last season with a knee effusion injury in his first match of 2020 will pass, sending positive to and hard work on what he know we were going to do that, move this car’. They hooked “At the end of the day I’m that affected his performances against Pablo Andujar, which messages to my mind that it considers his most prized asset; but we were doing weights and me up and we did quite a few 36, not 20. My body has al- between June and October. ended in victory. will be soon and I always try his fitness. it was the last day of strength repetitions… pulling the car ready suffered for all these “My knee didn’t feel right “After that match I did to train, even if it is with some The result is that after so training after two weeks.” from a standstill.” seasons and little-by-little from Queens to Vienna. I had some tests and they told me low-level pain.” many seasons on the ATP Tour, On that day, the squats It is a mere anecdote, but it I have to take care of it by an oedema in the kneecap that that I had a bone oedema and So far in Melbourne, his fit- he is still among the Top 50 in session was going better than provides an example of the fact stretching, resting, eating bet- I picked up in a match against we did everything possible in ness is holding up. “I’ve been the FedEx ATP Rankings and expected and there were that fitness is the cornerstone ter... As I want to keep playing. Medvedev,” said Verdasco. “I Doha and I withdrew from Ad- doing a lot of treatment, trying winning Grand Slam matches. no weights left. So his team of the Spaniard’s preparation. ”I’m gradually doing things knocked it when I slipped. I elaide,” said Verdasco. to recover for the Australian The Madrid native, who prepared a surprise for him, Why? The player himself ex- better to try and be among the didn’t know it came from that, “We’re not machines, so Open,” said Verdasco. has competed at 67 consecu- a challenge from Dinomo plains: “I’m a player who, if I elite for as long as possible with I didn’t realise until weeks later. it’s normal. It happens to eve- Verdasco, after a day’s rest, tive Grand Slam events, amazed and Bustos. have confidence in my fitness it the best in the world. At the Because I didn’t stop, the ten- ryone. I try to think of things to plays Zverev on Saturday. Young guns have more pressure than Federer did: Zverev AFP on the laptop and search for it. mind, they’re aware of it,” he MELBOURNE “Now you open up Insta- said. “So I think that is a mas- I think with the social gram, there’s five million peo- sive difference.” ALEXANDER Zverev said ple that have an opinion about Despite the perceived extra Thursday the pressures of so- media, with the mobile you all of a sudden. pressure, Zverev is confident cial media made it harder for phones that we have, the “It’s maybe more difficult it is only a matter of time be- the new generation of players pressure the media puts for us now. fore one of the up-and-coming compared to when the likes of on us, other people put “On the other hand, with players takes the next step and Roger Federer were trying to on us, we are more aware the guys like Novak, Rafa, and wins a Major tournament. break through. of it than 20 years ago. Roger, simply they’re better “Even though maybe some The German is among a than us because they’re win- of us don’t want to admit it be- clutch of players in their early – Alexander Zverev ning,” he added. cause we have all kind of per- twenties who are seen as the Zverev said he was trying to sonal relationships that we have Ticket sales counter at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash new guard to take over from stay in a tennis bubble and cut with each other, but once one of Complex. Qatar Total Open 2020 will be held from February 23-29. Federer, Rafael Nadal and No- it was 20 years ago,” said the phones that we have, the pres- out checking social media dur- us wins it, it’s going to be good vak Djokovic. Australian Open seventh seed sure the media puts on us, other ing Grand Slams, but admitted for the others, as well,” he said. But the 22-year-old said the after he beat 98th-ranked people put on us, we are more it was easier said than done Zverev will next play Fer- Qatar Total Open 2020 constant news cycle and social Egor Gerasimov in three tough aware of it than 20 years ago. and negative opinion hurt. nando Verdasco as he attempts media made it tough to keep fo- sets in the second round. “To read what’s going on, “Even though when people to match his best Australian cus and ignore negativity. “I think with the social me- to read the press, you (used to) say they don’t care, they still Open result after reaching the tickets go on sale “I think it’s different than dia, I think with the mobile have to buy a newspaper, go read it. In the back of their round of 16 last year. TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK mona Halep, 2019 Wimbledon DOHA semi-finalist & World No.5 Eli- na Svitolina, and World No. 6 Bayern Munich women’s team visits National Museum of Qatar WITH less than a month to go & 2019 US Open champion Bi- for the Qatar Total Open 2020, anca Andreescu among others. tennis fans can now purchase In all, a total of 64 players, their tickets as sales began at including four qualifiers, will the City Center and Doha Fes- feature in the singles event of tival City malls on Friday.

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