Sharapova Advances
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Sports FRIDAY, APRIL 25, 2014 Inzamam backs Waqar as Photo of the day Pakistan cricket coach LAHORE: Pakistan batting legend Inzamam-ul Haq yesterday backed Waqar Younis to be given another chance as the coun- try’s national cricket coach, saying he had proved his credentials in the past. Pakistan is looking for a permanent coach after for- mer Australian batsman Dav Whatmore’s two-year tenure end- ed in February. Fomer Test wicketkeeper and captain Moin Khan was appointed interim coach, but his two-month contract was not extended by Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) after a poor showing at the World Twenty20 last month. Waqar, who served as coach in 2010 and 2011, is favourite to take over and Inzamam said he was the right man for the job. “Pakistan team benefited during Waqar’s last tenure so I think he is the best choice as he knows the players and is famil- iar with our culture,” Inzamam told reporters. Inzamam, who played 120 Tests and 378 one-day interna- tional during an illustrious career, demanded a change in Pakistan’s attitude. “I think it’s about time we change the culture of changing captains and coaches after one defeat because we need to cor- rect the wrongs and change is not the solution,” said Inzamam. Inzamam backed Misbah-ul Haq as one-day captain for next year’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. “Misbah should lead the team because we have less than a year for the World Cup and it would not be possible to groom a new captain.” Mohammed Al Attar performs in Kuwait. — www.redbull.com Twenty20 captain Mohammad Hafeez stepped down after the team’s failure to reach the World Twenty20 semi-final in Dhaka earlier this month. Allrounder Shahid Afridi was tipped to take over but young Real ‘athletes’ too much for opener Ahmed Shahzad’s name was also mentioned in Pakistani media as a potential replacement. Inzamam said that with no T20 matches until August and no Bayern, admits Guardiola tournament in the format until 2016, now was the right time to bring in new blood. — AFP MADRID: Bayern Munich boss Pep week, the Italian believed his side had another glaring opportunity to make Guardiola said his side had struggled played to their strengths. “I don’t like it 2-0 when he blasted over soon after to contain Real Madrid’s pace on the to give up the ball. It is clear that you before being replaced by Gareth Bale Sharapova counter-attack as Los Blancos secured cannot control the ball for the whole with 20 minutes remaining. a 1-0 advantage from the first leg of game, but especially against Barca Ancelotti admitted Ronaldo’s with- their Champions League semi-final on and Bayern it is very difficult to con- drawal had been a pre-meditated Wednesday. trol it. measure to ensure he didn’t run the advances Karim Benzema scored the only “Football, though, is not just about risk of aggravating the injury, but goal of the game on 19 minutes from possession, but defending, counter- expects both he and Bale-who had STUTTGART: Defending champion Maria Sharapova defeated one of a series of Madrid counter- attacks and many other things. What been suffering from flu before the Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-4, 6-3 yesterday to set up a Porsche attacks in the first-half that caught the we had tonight was the sacrifice of game-to be 100 percent fit for the Grand Prix quarterfinal clash with top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska. European champions wanting at the the players, but I don’t like not having return leg. “It was a decision that we The sixth-seeded Sharapova needed little over an hour-and-a-half back. the ball because you have less chance took before the game because the to defeat her fellow Russian, keeping alive her bid to win the tourna- “Madrid have athletes. They are to score.” only risk with Cristiano would come ment for the third year-in-a-row. footballers, but they are real athletes,” Ancelotti had recalled World once the muscle got tired. “It is nor- Polish world no. 3 Radwanska was rarely troubled in wrapping up said the former Barcelona boss after Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo mal that after 20 days he is not 100 her 6-3, 6-2 win over Italy’s Roberta Vinci in 1 hour 19 minutes. suffering his first defeat in eight to his starting line-up after four percent but he sacrificed himself for Fifth-seeded Jelena Jankovic faces Italy’s Flavia Pennetta later games as a coach at the Santiago games out through injury. the team and both Cristiano and Bale Thursday for a quarterfinal place against Alisa Kleybanova, who upset Bernabeu. The Portuguese was involved in will be in perfect condition for the third-seeded Petra Kvitova on Wednesday. “It is easy to say we need to play the build up to the goal and had Tuesday.” — AFP Serbia’s ninth-seeded Ana Ivanovic was to play German wild card more vertically, but the quicker we Julia Goerges, with Germany’s highest-seeded Angelique Kerber (4), move the ball forward, the quicker it facing Carla Suarez Navarro of Spain. comes back and that can be very dan- Svetlana Kuznetsova of Russia was scheduled to take on second- gerous for us.” seeded Simona Halep in Thursday’s late match. — AP Bayern enjoyed 63 percent of the possession, but failed to create many clear-cut opportunities as Madrid defended in numbers. And Guardiola expects more of the same when his side try to turn the tie around on home soil at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday. “I think the next game will be exactly the same. We need to control their counter-attacks, but it is a question of finding the right balance. “Madrid are a complete team and it is true that not scoring away from home makes the tie very difficult. “However, we will be at home, with our fans behind us, and we will give everything to reach the final.” Real boss Carlo Ancelotti admitted he didn’t like having to relinquish control of the ball for large spells to STUTTGART: Russia’s Maria Sharapova serves the ball to Russia’s the Germans. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova in their match at the WTA Porsche However, just as in Madrid’s Copa Tennis Grand Prix. — AFP del Rey victory over Barcelona last Bayern head coach Pep Guardiola.