Friday 43 Sports Friday, March 22, 2019 Defending champion Chen takes lead in men’s short programme Pairs crown taken by China’s Sui Wenjing, Han Cong TOKYO: Defending world champion Nathan Chen idol Hanyu, who returned to the ice after a four- of the United States took a commanding lead in the month break from competition due to an ankle in- men’s short programme at the World Champi- jury, performed a compelling but flawed skate that onships yesterday with a dynamic skate, while saw him double his planned quad Salchow. home favourite and Olympic champion Yuzuru “I couldn’t concentrate. After I missed my first Hanyu came in third. jump, my mind went blind. I guess I was a bit Chen, 19 and juggling training with courses at rushed for the first jump,” the 24-year-old said. Yale University, produced a series of clean, crisp Hanyu staged a comeback for the 2018 quad jumps in his playful and energetic routine that Pyeongchang Winter Olympics after another ankle brought a rousing reaction from the audience at injury that kept him from practicing jumps until just Japan’s Saitama Super Arena. before the Games, and fans are hoping for a similar “I felt great going up in the air, in the air, felt miracle this time. great and coming down,” said Chen, a three-time “I have a lot of experience in this type of envi- U.S. champion who took 107.40 points for a sea- ronment despite not competing for the last few son-best score, outstripping compatriot Jason months, and I am not happy about the fact I Brown by more than 10 points. couldn’t perform at my best for the short pro- “At the same time I am really happy with how I gramme. What I can do from here is to fix my mis- skated today. It’s not a reflection of any other takes and rest well,” he said. skaters, but I’m just happy with the way I skated.” Earlier yesterday, China’s Olympic silver medal- Brown, 24, was a surprise second with a fluid, clean lists Sui Wenjing and Han Cong took the pairs skat- performance that bucked current trends in men’s ing crown after a breathtaking free skate. Despite skating by not including even one quad jump. a season blighted by injury, the 2017 world cham- SAITAMA: (From L to R) Russia’s Vladimir Morozov, Evgenia Tarasova, China’s Wenjing Sui, Cong Han and Rus- “It feels amazing,” said Brown, who switched pions skated a lyrical, moving programme for a sia’s Natalia Zabiiako, Alexander Enbert pose on the podium during the medal ceremony after Pairs free Pro- coaches this season to join Hanyu and Russian season’s best 155.60 (234.84 combined), drawing a gram during the world figure skating championships in Japanese city of Saitama yesterday. —AFP skater Evgenia Medvedeva under Canadian Brian packed crowd to its feet with their clean jumps and Orser and whose eyes widened when his score, gorgeous lifts. 96.81, came up. “This has been a difficult year for us, we’ve had were able to turn into strength.” programme that included the latter putting his hand “For my free skating I have the same goals that injuries and other issues,” said Sui, who laughed as Russians filled out the rest of the podium with to the ice in the wake of their Triple toe loop. The I had before, I just want to give it a try and I would Han pumped his fists at the end of the routine. “But second place going to Evgenia Tarasova and World Championships continue at the arena north like to put out another personal best.” Japanese our coaches and team gave us support that we Vladimir Morozov after a regal but mistake-marred of Tokyo until March 23. —Reuters are you doing? Stuff like that I have to talk to Osaka sister her about.” The 21-year-old U.S.-based Japanese player has taken the tennis world by storm, winning the last two Grand Slams and earlier in the day under sunny skies in- act primed amassing $10.8 million in prize money while Rain again spoils volving Serena Williams, Roger Federer Mari, one year older, tries to claw her way up and world number ones Naomi Osaka and for Miami the rankings with $58,000 in career earnings. Miami Open party Novak Djokovic, action got underway While Naomi now holds sway over her with three-time Miami champion Victoria older sister, that was not always the case. “Up MIAMI: Rain again spoiled the Miami Azarenka defeating Dominika Cibulkova Open spotlight until I was 15 she was 6-0ing me, it was Open party wiping out the evening ses- 6-2 3-6 6-4 to christen the venue. ridiculous,” the Australian and US Open sion on Wednesday and adding to what All of the 29-year-old Belarusian’s ti- MIAMI: Serena and Venus Williams usually champion said. “In the win-loss record she is has been a soggy and dejecting kickoff to tles were celebrated at Crandon Park but get top billing at the Miami Open but this year up by a million or something.” a tournament looking for a new start. the move to Miami suburbs did not have there is another sister act vying for the spot- Naomi gets a first-round bye while Mari A move from the cramped Crandon any effect on Azarenka as the twice Aus- light with world number one Naomi Osaka starts her campaign against another wildcard Park on picturesque Key Biscayne to the tralian Open champion pounded 41 win- showing older sibling Mari the ropes. in American Whitney Osuigwe. On opposite wide open spaces at Hard Rock Stadium ners past her Slovak opponent. The Williams sisters have hoisted the sides of the draw, the only way the sisters could was hoped to provide the Miami Open “I think the stadium is beautiful. I think Miami trophy 11 times between them and all meet in Miami would be in an all-Osaka final. with a bright future. But so far dark storm the logistics here work out pretty well,” those victories were celebrated at Crandon Even if Mari’s stay ends up being short, clouds have cast a wet shadow over pro- said Azarenka, a former world number Park in Key Biscayne. however, Naomi is enjoying having her sister ceedings. one. “I feel the expansion of the tourna- But this year the tournament has moved to by her side. “It’s nice because you can give Prior to the start of the tournament, of- ment was, first of all, really necessary. the suburbs and Hard Rock Stadium is Osaka each other advice especially if you have ficials had boasted a 25 percent jump in “There is a lot more room. There is a country with Naomi and Mari growing up played the opponent,” Naomi said. “I really ticket sales but the stands have been lot better facilities. So I’m pretty happy.” three miles away and learning to play tennis enjoy having her around, most of the time we mostly empty through two days with only Before the rain began 17-year-old Amer- almost in the shadow of the Hard Rock home don’t play the same tournaments. ican hope Amanda Anisimova gave the of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, who are part- one of four sessions completed. “For me I don’t really talk to that many peo- small crowd something to cheer about as owned by the Williams sisters. Organisers have now been left with a ple and she is sort of the nicer one in this rela- backlog of matches to schedule and send- she romped into the second round with 6- Naomi will be joined in the draw by her tionship.” Mari Osaka’s focus will be getting 338th-ranked sibling who needed a wildcard ing out refunds. Canadian teen sensation 4 6-3 decision over Germany’s Andrea past the first round and advancing any further Bianca Andreescu, who claimed a stun- Petkovic. to get a place in the tournament. “It is a bit would be considered a wild success but Naomi weird that I have to give her advice and she is ning victory at Indian Wells on Sunday, Before Andreescu grabbed the spot- will have loftier objectives. “I actually drove was to be the headliner on the opening light Anisimova had appeared to be the my older sister,” Naomi told reporters on past this (stadium) a lot when I was a kid,” she Wednesday. “But she has been doing like day but never made it onto the 13,800- teenager to watch after she started 2019 said. “I grew up watching all these great play- seat stadium court to face Romania’s with a run to the quarter-finals in Auck- newbie mistakes. “Yesterday it rained out all ers winning it so just to come from being a kid day but she came here at 11 o’clock and her Irina-Camelia Begu. land and a fourth round appearance at the in the audience to being the one holding the Following a ceremonial ribbon cutting Australian Open. —Reuters match was the fourth on. “I mean, like, what trophy would mean a lot.” —Reuters.