SPORTS Monday, February 6, 2017 21 : Belgium into quarters Paris or Fabio Fognini in a decider. teve Darcis knocked In Osijek, Roberto Bautista Soff German teenager Agut forced a decisive fifth Maiden title for in four sets rubber between Spain and in yesterday’s reverse singles Croatia as the 16th-ranked to send Belgium into the Spaniard beat Franko Skugor Davis Cup quarter-finals and 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 7-6 (8/6). a potential showdown with Pablo Carreno Busta will have holders Argentina. a chance to atone for Friday’s Darcis, who famously shock loss to world number dumped out of 223 Skugor when he plays Wimbledon in 2013, dropped journeyman Nikola Mektic with Mladenovic the first set to 19-year-old a last-eight place against Novak Saint Petersburg accuracy saw here pull the scores level at Zverev before rallying for a Djokovic’s Serbia at rance’s won her one set all after one hour 46 minutes 2-6, 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8) win to stake. (AFP) maiden WTA singles title overcoming on court. hand Belgium an unassailable FKazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva in the final of In the deciding set Mladenovic, 3-1 lead in Frankfurt. the St Petersburg Ladies Trophy here yesterday. who was contesting her fourth The Belgians were playing Mladenovic, ranked 51st in the world, won WTA final, produced two more without world number 11 a tough three-setter 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 in breaks to take the set, the match , who skipped two hours 36 minutes to earn a 3-2 lead in and the title. the tie in order to recover their head-to-head record with 22-year-old In conclusion Mladenovic from his run to the quarter- Putintseva. promised to crowd she’d be finals at last month’s “It was a very difficult week with back next year to defend Australian plenty of close matches,” her trophy.(AFP) Open. Mladenovic said. Belgium, “Today it was the 2015 runners-up, will also tough as Yulia take on the winners of the clash (Putintseva) is such between defending champions a big fighter. Argentina and Italy for a place “I couldn’t relax in the last four in April. and couldn’t find However, the Argentines my rhythm. All the were trailing 2-1 overnight in match it was up and Buenos Aires with Sunday’s down and I tried really first reverse singles between hard to stay calm and and Paolo composed. Lorenzi held up in the “Finally I did opening set by a two-hour everything right to rain delay. win my first title and Should Berlocq extend now I’m super-glad.” the contest, Guido Pella The big hitting would play Mladenovic, 23, looked in complete command on the Davis Cup World Group results hard court of the United States 5 Switzerland 0 Sibur Arena from the Sam Querrey (USA) bt Adrien Bossel (SUI) 6-3, 7-5 start breaking twice (USA) bt Antoine Bellier (SUI) 6-4, 6-3 in the opening set for Croatia 2 Spain 2 a 1-0 lead after 43 (ESP) bt Franko Skugor (CRO) 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) minutes. Nikola Mektic or Ante Pavic (CRO) v Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) The pair traded Davis Cup - Serbia 4 Russia 1 breaks throughout the second set, which Serbia bt Russia 4-1 - Final match not played went to a tiebreak Australia 4 Czech Republic 1 as the - Jiri Vesely (CZE) bt (AUS) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 born Putintseva’s (AUS) bt Jan Satral (CZE) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2 BRR mourn Nicolas Ciaverlla Svitolina claims DT News Network and aquathlons and was participating in all of our Taiwan Open title [email protected] an accomplished triathlete events and was always full of Taipei as well. fun and will be sadly missed,” op seed of Ukraine won the Taiwan Open Manama Many members of the BRR he said. Sunday after beating China’s Shuai Peng in a ahrain Road Runners and the running fraternity “The BRR are a close knit convincingT victory. (BRR) are mourning the posted messages of condolence community and like a big The world ranked number 13 defeated Bsad passing of Italian Nicolas and sadness on the BRR family, we all care about the her opponent in straight sets 6-3, 6-2, Ciaverlla who died at the facebook page a nd the sad loss welfare of our runners and look clinching her fifth WTA singles title. weekend following a battle for his wife Libera Caputo, who out for each other, my sincere The Ukrainian, who had been struggling against cancer. herself participated in many sympathy goes out to Nicolas’s with flu since arriving in Taipei, played a Ciaverlla, who was in his BRR events over the years. wife Libero and family who tough quarter-final but breezed through early 50s worked for the Italian Former BRR chairman must be going through a the semi-final Saturday, defeating Embassy here in Bahrain Mustafa Fulad said, “It is with terrible time at the moment. Luxembourg’s Mandy Minella. and was back in his home heartfelt sadness and regret RIP Nicolas my dear friend,” Svitolina and Peng had only country receiving treatment, that I heard the news about the post said. played each other once before where he succumbed to the the death of Nicolas. He was BRR have announced Sunday in the 2014 New Haven Open, disease. Nicolas Ciaverlla a dedicated runner with the that the Bahrain Marathon when the Chinese emerged victorious. The Italian runner was a in many of the club’s main Road Runners and was very scheduled for 17 February Peng, ranked 71st, returned to member of the BRR for around events such as the marathon, popular among the members will be run in the memory of last March following an operation for a five years and participated half-marathon, cross-island and fellow runners. He loved Nicolas Ciaverlla. waist injury in 2015.(AFP)