SPORT Monday 21 January 2019 PAGE | 09 PAGE | 11 Kerber stunned Pacquiao batters as Nadal powers Broner in into Open welterweight quarters title bout Sheikh Joaan takes part in IOC’s CPASDS Commission meeting QNA meeting to build strong relations LAUSANNE between QOC and the IOC members at all levels, as well as the exchange of Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) Pres- knowledge and experience with ident, H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al members of the national Olympic com- Thani participated in the first meeting mittees and other Olympic institutions of the Commission for Public Affairs through a series of agreements and and Social Development through Sport joint programs and projects. (CPASDS) at the International Olympic The 35-member Commission seeks Committee (IOC), which was held on to advise IOC’s president and executive Saturday in Lausanne, Switzerland. office on strategies for the devel- The QOC President was nomi- opment of sport and the Olympic nated for membership of the Com- Movement in society in addition to mission recently. The aim of the Com- promote IOC’s role as a leading think mission is to involve IOC members and institution, a strong representative on non-members in the latest develop- the global sports scene and a key Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) President, H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani and the rest of the participants of ments and successes of the IOC. player in promoting international the Commission for Public Affairs and Social Development through Sport (CPASDS) pose for a photograph with the Sheikh Joaan took part in the development and peace. International Olympic Committee (IOC), President Thomas Bach. Wunderkind Tsitsipas knocks Federer out REUTERS In a match pitting the into an epic tiebreak of blown MELBOURNE oldest and youngest chances and brave saves. players left in the men’s Tsitsipas finally relented Roger Federer’s bid for a hat-trick draw, the 20-year-old when he pushed a forehand wide, of Australian Open titles was Greek Tsitsipas defeats having been wrongfooted by a crushed yesterday as Greek the Swiss Master, deep and venomous shot. wunderkind Stefanos Tsitsipas Federer, to become his Lesser opponents might have rose up to floor the Swiss master nation’s first Grand Slam fallen into a funk against the and become his nation’s first quarter-finalist. front-running Swiss but Tsitsipas Grand Slam quarter-finalist. stayed brave under fire. In a match pitting the oldest He saved eight break points and youngest players left in the now,” Tsitsipas said in his in the second set to keep Federer men’s draw, the 20-year-old Tsit- courtside interview. at bay yet had no such gifts on his sipas overhauled Federer 6-7(11), “Roger is a legend of our opponent’s serve. 7-6(3), 7-5, 7-6(5) under the lights sport, he showed such good tennis The Greek stared down four Qatar beat Russia 34-28 to win President’s Cup in Germany of Rod Laver Arena, sparking over the years. I have been idol- set points when serving at 5-4 and Qatari handball players and team officials pose for a photograph after their IHF World Championships delirium among Greek fans out ising him since I was six. finally held with a net-rush and 13th place play-off against Russia at the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, yesterday. Qatar beat in force at Melbourne Park. “I didn’t lose my patience, a volley. The 37-year-old Federer, 20 stayed in those rallies. It was very He fired a backhand cross- Russia 34-28 to win the President’s Cup and to claim the 13th place at the event. times a Grand Slam champion, important to save those court into the net-bound Fed- will rue his chances, having failed breakpoints.” erer’s sneakers to earn three set to convert any of the 12 break Tsitsipas may be set for even points in the tiebreak, then con- points he took from Tsitsipas over bigger prizes, with a semi-final verted the first with a crushing the course of a riveting clash on offer should he beat 22nd- forehand winner that kissed the Qatari goal machine Almoez laden with sparkling seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista line in the corner. shot-making. Agut. Federer became concerned Instead, it was Tsitsipas When the dust settles, Federer as more break points went showing a wise head on young will note that he has been upset begging in the third set, and he closing in on Asian Cup record shoulders in a final tiebreak of in the last 16 at the last two Grand was soon clinging desperately on unrelenting tension. Slams, having fallen to unseeded serve. THE AFC Qatar's When given a match point Australian John Millman at the US It came to a head at 6-5 down, ABU DHABI Almoez Ali after Federer slapped a forehand Open. with Federer’s first serve going long, he converted it clinically, “Definitely didn’t go the way missing in four successive points forcing a backhand error from the I expected with the breakpoints,” and the set lost with a trio of With excitement building ahead of his coun- Swiss to announce himself on one Federer told reporters. unforced errors on forehand. try’s Round of 16 encounter with Iraq, Qatari of the game’s biggest stages. There was no easing in to the The Swiss held on until deep hotshot Almoez Ali is on the verge of writing He raised his arms in intergenerational battle, with Tsit- into the decider but it seemed himself into the competition’s history books triumph and roared at the ter- sipas having a first serve can- time was catching up with him. thanks to the striker’s impressive goalscoring races, bringing tears of joy to his celled for twice falling foul of the Tsitsipas, 17 years his junior, exploits at the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019. brother’s eyes in the players’ clock in the opening game. He had never dropped his guard, and Ali, who claimed the top scorer award at box. to stave off two break points to Federer will leave Melbourne the AFC U23 Championship in 2018, has been “There’s nothing I can hold. Park without a quarter-final in sensational form throughout the tour- describe, I cannot describe it, I am Sparkling winners sang off appointment for only the second nament, netting seven times in three matches the happiest man on earth right both racquets as the first set flew time in 18 years. – including a four-goal haul against North Korea – as Qatar claimed top spot in Group E en route to the knockout phase. With at least one more game still to come, the 22-year-old Al Duhail forward’s impressive tally has seen him move to within one strike Stefanos of the record haul by a player at Asia’s premier Tsitsipas event, one which was set by Islamic Republic celebrates of Iran legend Ali Daei when he scored eight his victory at the 1996 edition, also in the United Arab against Roger Emirates. Federer The Qatari youngster is already level with during their Iran’s Behtash Fariba and Korea Republic ace men's singles Choi Soon-ho who bagged seven goals apiece match on day during the AFC Asian Cup in 1980. AFC ASIAN CUP TOP SCORERS seven of the Besides his ‘super hat-trick’ against the Ali Daei (Iran) 8 1996 Koreans, Ali rounded off the scoring in Qatar’s Australian Almoez Ali (Qatar) 7 2019* Open in 2-0 win over Lebanon on Matchday One and Melbourne, grabbed both goals in last Thursday’s 2-0 Behtash Fariba (Iran) 7 1980 yesterday. defeat of Saudi Arabia. Choi Soon-ho (S Korea) 7 1980 MONDAY 21 JANUARY 2019 SPORT 09 Roger Federer (left) speaks with Stefanos Tsitsipas Kerber stunned as Nadal after their fourth round match yesterday. powers into Open quarters AFP Wimbledon winner Kerber, the Frances Tiafoe for a place in the Unseeded MELBOURNE bookies’ favourite along with Serena semi-finals after the young American Williams after defending champion celebrated his 21st birthday by Russian beats World number two Angelique Kerber Caroline Wozniacki was ousted early, grinding his way past Grigor Dim- was sensationally bundled out of the was humiliated by American Danielle itrov 7-5, 7-6 (8/6), 6-7 (1/7), 7-5. Stephens in Federer rues Australian Open yesterday by a Collins 6-0, 6-2 in under an hour. Barty is also a surprise quarter- woman playing the event for the first Ranked 35 in the world, Collins finalist after bringing Sharapova’s marathon missed chances in time, as a rampant Rafael Nadal is little known after playing much of drive to win a first Grand Slam since powered into the quarter-finals. her tennis in the US college system the 2014 French Open to a grinding Hometown hero Ashleigh Barty and was making her debut in the halt 4-6, 6-1, 6-4. contest Tsitsipas thriller also made the last eight after mus- main draw at Melbourne Park. She Five-time major winner cling past Maria Sharapova and will had never won a Grand Slam match Sharapova claimed her biggest scalp REUTERS REUTERS next meet Petra Kvitova, who before this year. since completing a drugs ban in 2017 MELBOURNE MELBOURNE matched her best Slam performance “I may not have won a Grand when she rolled Wozniacki in round since a terrifyingyg knife attack derailed Slam match before this but I tell you,y, three and looked on track to carryy Unseeded Russian Anas- If having his Australian Open title defence ended early was herher career.