SPORT llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll ntnews.com.au Federer fightback for crown Anger hurts Haas: Lorenzi gains Czech’s death-knell comeback ROGER Federer made a stirring recovery from a set and TOP-seeded Tommy Haas retired with a shoulder injury KLARA Zakopalova, of the Czech Republic, won her a break down to win his sixth Dubai ATP title, while losing 6-3 3-2 to Paolo Lorenzi, of Italy, in the third WTA singles title by coming from the brink of overhauling Thomas Berdych yesterday. The Czech Brazil Open semi-finals in Sao Paulo yesterday. Lorenzi defeat to beat Garbine Muguruza, of Spain, 4-6 7-5 6-0 saved two match points in the penultimate game will now face Argentina’s 61st-ranked Federico in the Brazil Cup final in Sao Paulo yesterday. Playing in before Federer closed it out, a game later, on his third Delbonis, who beat Tomas Bellucci, of Brazil, 6-4 6-7 her third final this year, the 32nd-ranked Zakopalova winning chance as the third seed sent a return wide (7-5) 6-4. Haas said he ‘‘felt a lot of pain’’ when he won 11 straight games to win the match in 2hrs12min, after nearly two hours. The winner ended with eight slammed his racket to the ground in frustration after securing her first trophy since 2005. Muguruza was aces and four breaks of serve. Berdych finished runner- losing his serve at 3-3 in the first set. He had medical leading 6-4 5-2 and serving for the match when she up a year ago to Novak Djokovic. treatment several times before retiring. suddenly couldn’t win another game. Chelsea had all the tricks

SOCCER pounded later in minute when he scored from ‘‘The gap to Man City is a Wenger. ‘‘We didn’t produce captain added By TOM WILLIAMS the day when a lofted pass. fake advantage. If they win the performance we wanted.’’ a stoppage-time penalty. Liverpool moved Hazard teed up Schurrle for their games in hand, they’re Arsenal’s defeat, their fifth ‘‘We left our two up front AN Andre Schurrle hat-trick above Arsenal his second goal in the 65th top of the league. We’re of the season, enabled Liver- and if teams want to go two- stretched Chelsea’s lead in into second place minute before Torres re- behind them.’’ pool to steal above them on on-two against Luis Suarez the English following a 3-0 leased the former Bayer Unlike City, who tackled goal difference after their suc- and Daniel Sturridge, all the yesterday, while Arsenal’s Andre Schurrle win at Leverkusen man for his third Sunderland in the League cess at Southampton. best,’’ Gerrard said. challenge has once again Southampton. goal four minutes later. Cup final overnight, Arsenal Luis Suarez opened the Meanwhile, Romelu Luka- stumbled. At , new Victory extended Chelsea’s do not have the consolation of scoring in the 16th minute, ku marked his return from a Germany international Fulham manager Felix lead to six points over Man- any games in hand on Chel- sweeping home after Jose month-long absence with an Schurrle scored three times Magath was overseeing his chester City, with have two sea after their defeat at Stoke. Fonte had inadvertently ankle injury by coming off the in 17 second-half minutes as first home game and almost games in hand, while Ful- Wenger had Mesut Ozil gifted him the ball to mark bench to score the winning PUB: Chelsea won 3-1 at Fulham saw his side take an early ham, who replied through back in his squad after injury, his 100th Premier League goal for Everton in a 1-0 win and a 1-0 loss for Arsenal at lead when Clint Dempsey Jonny Heitinga, are four but he saw his side beaten by appearance with a 62nd at home to West Ham. Stoke City left Jose Mourin- headed wide from close in. points adrift of safety at the a 76th-minute Jonathan league goal. The Belgian slammed home TNEWS NT ho’s side with a four-point However, after Fulham foot of the table. Walters penalty after Laurent In reply, Adam Lallana hit from Leighton Baines’s pass lead over their London rivals. goalkeeper Maarten Stekelen- ‘‘The second half was a Koscielny had been penalised the post for Southampton, but in the 81st minute to end West Arsenal manager Arsene burg had saved from Fernan- great reaction to the worst for handball. made it 2-0 Ham’s run of four consecu- Wenger described his side’s do Torres just before half- performance of the season,’’ ‘‘It is a big worry for us to in the 58th minute with his tive wins and take Everton to result as a ‘‘massive setback’’ time, Schurrle made the said Chelsea manager lose a game like that. It’s a first touch after coming on as within two points of fifth- and his misery was com- breakthrough in the 52nd Mourinho. massive setback,’’ said a substitute before Liverpool placed Tottenham. DATE:

3-MAR-2014 Pardew butt on line: Hull of a row

NEWCASTLE fined manager gret it and I will have to sit Alan Pardew $A187,300 and down from now on,’’ Pardew gave him a formal warning said. ‘‘I didn’t mean to do any- PAGE: for headbutting an opposition thing aggressive. I did move player in yesterday’s game. my head forward and that’s The 52-year-old Pardew cla- enough. I tried to push him shed with Hull’s David Mey- away with my head and I 32 ler during his side’s 4-1 win shouldn’t have done that. and later apologised for the ‘‘Of course I apologise. I re-

COLOR: sensational incident. present a big club. ‘‘Alan has accepted a ‘‘It’s a shame because it has formal warning from the club taken the gloss off a terrific in relation to his behaviour performance. today and also a club fine of ‘‘My team were terrific and 100,000,’’ the club said. it’s only myself who had a

C Despite apologising. poor performance.’’ Pardew will still face a Foot- Despite his apology, M ball Association investi- Pardew is likely to get a long

Y gation. Pardew appeared to touchline ban while book- take umbrage when Meyler makers installed Pardew as K pushed him to recover the the favourite to be the next ball as the hosts tried to get top-flight manager sacked. back into the game at 3-1 Hull manager Steve Bruce down during the second-half was keen to draw a line under and the manager offered no the incident and said: ‘‘We ac- protest when referee Kevin cept Alan Pardew’s apology. Friend sent him off. He has been big enough and Pardew, who has a history brave enough to come out and of explosive touchline bust- apologise which is that you ups including a furious row would expect. with Arsenal boss Arsene ‘‘In the heat of the moment Wenger during his time at things happen but Alan has West Ham, was quick to ac- apologised. cept responsibility for his be- ‘‘I can only be complimen- haviour when he appeared tary to David Meyler because before the media immediately of the way he reacted to it. after the match. ‘‘He could have rolled An irate David Meyler (left) gestures to Newcastle United manager Alan Pardew after the Hull City player was allegedly ‘‘It was a heat of the mo- around on the floor but he headbutted by Pardew during a tense moment in yesterday’s EPL clash at the KC Stadium in Hull Picture: LYNNE CAMERON ment thing. I massively re- didn’t,’’ said Bruce.

Suarez just one part of Red-hot team: Rodgers could be a sign of further suspension

LIVERPOOL boss Brendan Rodgers would not single four-point lead and with Man- WEST Bromwich Albion Ham in the EPL in Decem- ‘‘We are all waiting until Rodgers insists that the An- out Suarez for special praise. chester City having two ga- striker Nicolas Anelka’s ber. The punishment was Monday to see what the field giants’ pursuit of the ‘‘It helps when you have a mes in hand. five-game ban for perform- imposed by an independent judgement was,’’ Dyke said. EPL title is not all down to team and a squad. Luis was ‘‘It’s good for the supporters ing the controversial ‘‘quen- regulatory commission, ‘‘This is an evidence-based Luis Suarez despite another sensational. Although he has to dream, but I’m not focused elle’’ salute could be in- which will inform the FA of inquiry and what did Mr virtuoso performance by the only scored four of our last 33 on the title,’’ said Rodgers. creased, Football Assoc- the reasons for its decision Anelka say and what was the livewire Uruguayan. goals he is a huge influence,’’ ‘‘I’m focused on winning iation chairman Greg Dyke in writing today. basis for the decision — we Suarez, on his 100th league said Rodgers. the next game. The players said yesterday. Dyke said that the FA’s will see that on Monday. Any appearance for the club, was ‘‘But today was all about were tactically brilliant, we Anelka was given the sus- own disciplinary committee appeal will be decided by ot- named man-of-the-match in the squad and the collective.’’ had a clean sheet, scored pension, and a fine of could decide to extend Anel- hers on Monday, not by me. the 3-0 win at Southampton Rodgers refused to get drag- three and could have had five $A150,000 on Thursday after ka’s suspension, while the ‘‘... for most people in Eng- that lifted Liverpool into ged into talk of the title, espec- or six. But we’ll stay calm. making the gesture during player himself can also ap- land that sign (the quenelle) second place in the table. ially with Chelsea enjoying a Ten games to go,’’ he said. his side’s 3-3 draw at West peal against the decision. meant nothing.

32 NT NEWS. Monday, March 3, 2014. www.ntnews.com.au