SPORT Monday 11 June 2018 PAGE | 21 PAGE | 22 Johnson takes share Neymar on target of lead into final again as Brazil round crush Austria Clay King Nadal wins Rafael 11th French Open title Nadal lifts his trophy yesterday. AFP sealed his fate, one of 18 unforced errors to Nadal’s 12 in the set. PARIS: Rafael Nadal claimed an In their previous nine 11th French Open title yesterday meetings, all on clay, the man with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 demolition who took the opening set went of Dominic Thiem despite a on to win the match. worrying injury scare in the That scenario loomed again closing stages of the final. with Nadal going to 2-0 in the The 32-year-old world second set on a fifth break point number one now has 17 Grand as Thiem fired another backhand Slam titles, just three behind wide. great rival Roger Federer. Thiem wasted a break point Nadal endured a nervy con- in the seventh game as Nadal col- clusion to the final, however, lected a time violation for taking when he needed treatment in the too long to serve. fourth game of the third set for a The world number one saved finger injury before sealing it and went on to secure a two victory on a fifth match point Spain's Rafael Nadal (right) poses with the Mousquetaires Cup sets lead when yet another when Thiem fired a backhand after his victory, with Austria's Dominic Thiem, yesterday. backhand from the Austrian long. drifted wide. “It’s really incredible. I played Slam final, it was a tremendous in the fourth game to save a Thiem was under the cosh, a great match against a great letdown for a player who is the break point. saving four break points in the player,” said Nadal. only man to have beaten the He saved another two in the first game of the third set before “I had tough moment in the Spaniard on clay in the last two 11-minute sixth game, a per- Nadal inevitably broke for 2-1. third set with cramps in my hand. years. formance cheered by the crowd Bizarrely, Nadal then halted I was very scared but that’s sport With a celebrity audience -- who briefly became more ani- playing in the fourth game com- -- it was very humid. including actors Hugh Grant and mated when glum-looking plaining of pain in his left hand “To win 11 times here -- it’s Tim Roth as well as French stars French football icon Zinedine and stretching his middle finger. fantastic and not something I Marion Cotillard and Jean Zidane was spotted in the He still won the game ever dreamed of.” Dujardin -- watching, Nadal flew stadium. anyway before summoning the Nadal joins Australia’s Mar- out of the blocks. Despite matching Nadal doctor and trainer courtside. garet Court as the only player to He reeled off the first six forehand for forehand, Thiem Whatever the problem, his win 11 titles at the same major. points for a 2-0 lead before was undone in the 10th game dominance remained and a love Victory also took Nadal’s Thiem settled and repaired the when three errors handed Nadal game took him to 4-2 before he record at Roland Garros to 86 damage for 2-2. the opening set after 52 minutes eventially sealed victory on a fifth wins and just two losses. The Austrian speared a 222 on court. match point when the Austrian For Thiem, playing in his first km/h ace just for good measure A wild, misguided forehand fired another backhand long. Samba shatters more Qatar clinch 2 more medals to records on way to win end Japan campaign in style FAWAD HUSSAIN ARMSTRONG VAS THE PENINSULA THE PENINSULA DOHA: Qatar’s Abderrahman DOHA: Qatar, yesterday Samba cruised to yet another clinched two more silver medals victory at the Diamond League, on the final day of the 18th Asian shattering several records by Junior Athletics Championships marking his personal best in in Gifu, Japan. Stockholm yesterday. Bassem Mohamed Awad The 400m hurdles spe- Hemeida and Nuh Abdulkadir cialists clocked 47.41 to create Ibrahim Anuh finished second new Asian, Diamond League and Abderrahman in the 400m hurdles and high Meeting records and maintain Samba of Qatar jump respectively to finish the his unbeaten run in the ongoing celebrates after event on a high note. season. In the 400m hurdles, winning the Qatar’s Nuh Abdulkadir Ibrahim Anuh in “I was looking for something Hemeida won the second place 400m hurdles action during high jump final yesterday. big and I got that today, I’m very yesterday. in a keenly contested race. happy and excited for the rest of Hemeida clocked a time of 50.55 the season,” Samba, who also to give Qatar the second silver collected impressive victories in next IAAF Diamond League,” Samba. He was the better man, medal at the Japan event as he 1,500m final. The third gold lifetime best set last year, was Rome and Oslo earlier this said Samba. of course, but I felt like I did my finished behind host nation’s medal came in shot put with eighth over the distance at the month, said after the victory. Turkey’s Yasmani Copello job and I had so much fun espe- Yusuke Shirao, who topped Moaaz Ibrahim topping the 2016 World U20 Championships “The weather was not great ended up third with a time of cially with a PB as well you have clocking a time of 50.52. event. in Bydgoszcz. - it was windy on the back 48.91. to be happy.” “I spoke to the Mahdi Pirjahan of Iran took Qatar had earlier won a Yuna Wada was second in straight so that made us push too Warholm, meanwhile, was great Ed Moses last year and he the bronze. silver medal in the men’s discus 9:14.13 to secure a 1-2 finish for hard, but it was no problem and also happy with his performance said consistency is the most Qatar’s third silver medal at throw with Moaaz Mohamed Japan while further back, Liu it was amazing to get the IAAF yesterday. important thing and my coach the Asian junior event came in Ibrahim clearing a distance of Fang of China took bronze in Diamond League record and a “It is always fun to get a per- has told me the same for a very high jump with Anuh finishing 61.5m. 9:35.69. personal best today,” he added. sonal record and to keep long time and now I have been behind Kyohei Tomori of Japan Qatar, thus finished with a Another meeting record Samba overcame a stiff chal- improving. I won the world able to show it - with three good while Hao Zhang of China took haul of three gold and an equal came in the penultimate event, lenge from his rival Karsten champs (IAAF World Champi- results,” he added. the bronze. number of silver medals. the women’s 4x400m relay, and Warholm, who finished second onships) last year so I knew that “The perfect race will come Tomori topped a personal Meanwhile, running at the again courtesy of the host nation. with his personal best time of some of the guys will want to run sometime. I am pushing the best 2.16m to win event over front for much of the race, Ayano Shiomi, Kasumi 47.81, – also a National record fast against me this year so since limits all the time. Now I can Anuh, who cleared 2.14m. 18-year-old Nozomi Tanaka Yoshida, Natsumi Murakami and for the Norwegian. then I have done all the work recover and that is easy after On Saturday, Saife Saifeldin dominated the women’s 3000m Ayako Kawata teamed to take a “It’s great we have raced in that I can and now we are seeing such a good performance,” said secured his second gold medal as she cruised to a 9:04.36 win, 3:38.20 win, shattering the pre- the last three races (with the results. But of course I still Warholm. at the event when he won the clipping nearly six seconds from vious mark of 3:39.24, set by Warholm) - it makes it more fun have some guys to chase,” he Both Samba and Warholm men’s 3,000m steeplechase, the previous championships China in 1997, by more than a and more exciting. Now I will get said. will be battling out for honour in while on the opening day record of 9:10.17 set by Lan Lixin second. Kawata and Shiomi fin- back into training and then I “But I am getting closer each Paris on June 30 – the 7th Saifeldin, gave Qatar the first of China in 1997. ished first and third in the 800m might compete in Paris at the race so today I was pushing meeting of Diamond League. gold medal by winning the Tanaka, who has an 8:54.27 on Saturday. 22 SPORT MONDAY 11 JUNE 2018 Fabra out of Last-minute World Cup Neymar on target again call-up for with injury Perez as Brazil crush Austria REUTERS AFP AFP Austria’s Watford defender BUENOS AIRES: BOGOTA: Colombia Sebastian Proedl, who was Argentina have called up defender Frank Fabra has VIENNA: Neymar marked his booked in the second half. River Plate midfielder been ruled out of a maiden return to the starting line-up Brazil, wearing black arm- Enzo Perez as a last- World Cup with a serious with another brilliant goal as bands in tribute to the country’s minute replacement for knee injury hours before the Brazil eased to a 3-0 win over tennis legend Maria Esther the injured Manuel South Americans were Austria in Vienna yesterday in Bueno who died on Friday aged Lanzini, the Argentine scheduled to travel to their their final friendly ahead of the 78, had chances to go in front Football Association said team base in Kazan, the World Cup.