FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 2 ATHLETICS | Page 5 Young Lions Bolt shakes off win fi rst world nerves to win title for England fi nal race on in 51 years home soil Monday, June 12, 2017 MOTOGP Ramadan 17, 1438 AH Dovizioso stays GULF TIMES cool to win searing Catalan GP SPORT Page 4 TENNIS / FRENCH OPEN REACTION ‘Amazing’ Nadal better King Rafa reclaims than ever, says throne with brutal Wawrinka defeat of Wawrinka ‘I’m a little emotional. The nerves and adrenaline I feel on this court is impossible to compare’ Reuters Only Bjorn Borg, who conceded 32 quetaires. “The nerves and adrena- fi rst blood the next time an opportu- ning Wawrinka back behind the Paris on his way to the 1978 title, has been line I feel on this court is impossible nity arose to take a 4-2 lead. baseline. Even when he was stretched a more ruthless champion. to compare.” Then he switched on the after- the response was emphatic, one as- Having beaten world number one Straw hats and fans were de burners. A matter of minutes later tonishing forehand, whipped from laycourt king Rafael Nadal Andy Murray with a majestic display rigueur for an expectant Court Wawrinka wafted a forehand long to close to the front row of seats to land regained his Roland Gar- of power in the semi-fi nal, third seed Philippe Chatrier as the fi nal began hand Nadal a second break of serve in the corner, drawing gasps from the ros throne after two years in Wawrinka arrived full of confi dence with temperatures hovering around and the opening set. crowd and applause from Wawrinka. exile with a brutal 6-2, 6-3, as, at 32, he tried to become the old- the 30 degrees Celcius mark — per- Wawrinka was fl at, striking not a Social media lit up at that point C6-1 mauling of Swiss Stan Wawrinka est French Open winner since Andres fect conditions for Nadal’s trade- single winner off his glorious single- with women’s semi-fi nalist Timea to complete ‘La Decima’ yesterday. Gimeno in 1972. mark monstrous topspin game. handed backhand in the fi rst set, and Bacsinszky tweeting “OMG!” Rewinding the clock to the days But the barrel-chested ‘Stani- Wawrinka, who spent nearly fi ve with less than an hour on the clock Wawrinka could not lay a glove on when he was untouchable on the mal’ was powerless as Nadal turned hours more on court than Nadal to his task already looked forlorn. Nadal and his frustration boiled over AFP crushed brick dust, the 31-year-old the fi nal into an exhibition of his reach the fi nal, looked tentative and Nadal was given a time violation as the Spaniard closed in on a two- Paris turned 2015 champion Wawrinka clayclourt supremacy — taking his heavy-legged although he did have warning at the start of the second, set lead, destroying his racket frame into a human punchbag, winning in French Open record to an eye-water- a glimmer in the third game when but Wawrinka could not halt his after a missed forehand. just over two hours. ing 79-2. Nadal was forced to save a break charge as the Spaniard bounded into After Nadal sealed the second set tan Wawrinka said Rafael Nadal This title, an unprecedented 10th at As a weary Wawrinka sliced a vol- point. a 3-0 lead in the second having won both players left the court while court was back at the peak of his powers a single Grand Slam in the professional ley into the net on match point Nadal seven games in a row. staff watered down the red dust. after storming to an incredible 10th era, was arguably the most impres- collapsed on his back on the base- FIRST BLOOD With the crowd attempting to Nothing could extinguish Nadal’s French Open title yesterday. sive of his 15 though as it arrived three line. Nadal failed to convert any of lift Wawrinka he stopped the rot to fi re though and he surged two breaks SSwiss third seed Wawrinka was trying to injury-plagued years after the last one, “I’m a little emotional,” Nad- the four break points he hold, fi ring himself up with a roar of ahead in the third set despite the best win his second Roland Garros title in three without dropping a set and conceding al said before getting to clamp had in the following “C’mon”. eff orts of Wawrinka to try and extend years but was blown away by Nadal 6-2, only 35 games in seven matches. his jaws on La Coupe des Mous- game, but drew Nadal was relentless though, pin- the contest. 6-3, 6-1. “For sure he’s playing the best he’s ever played. That’s for sure. But not only here,” La Decima said Wawrinka, who lost for the fi rst time in four Grand Slam fi nals. 2005: bt Mariano Puerta (ARG) 6-7, 6-3, 6-1, 7-5 “I think since the beginning of the year, 2006: bt Roger Federer (SUI) 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 you can see he’s playing more aggressive, 2007: bt Roger Federer (SUI) 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 staying more close from the line. “But that’s clearly his best he ever play. 2008: bt Roger Federer (SUI) 6-1, 6-3, 6-0 That’s why he’s winning so much again.” 2010: bt Robin Soderling (SWE) 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 Wawrinka admitted the daunting mental 2011: bt Roger Federer (SUI) 7-5, 7-6, 5-7, 6-1 challenge of facing Nadal on his favourite surface contributed heavily to the crushing 2012: bt Novak Djokovic (SRB) 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 defeat. 2013: bt David Ferrer (ESP) 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 “He’s playing his best level on clay. Five- 2014: bt Novak Djokovic (SRB) 3-6, 7-5, 6-2, 6-4 set match, you know, it’s going to be a re- ally tough challenge when you play against 2017: bt Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 6-2, 6-3, 6-1 him,” said the Swiss. “I didn’t play my best tennis for sure, I was a little bit hesitant with my selection of shots. “When you play against Rafa, if you hes- itate, it’s no good. If you hesitate for half a second, it’s too late. You will be late. “Physically I felt good, but mentally it was tough.” Wawrinka arrived in Paris fresh off winning a clay court title in Geneva and knocked out world number one Andy Mur- ray in a fi ve-set thriller in the semi-fi nals. But the 32-year-old, the oldest Roland Garros fi nalist in 44 years, had no answers as Nadal eclipsed Pete Sampras on the all- time list of major champions with 15 titles. “He’s an amazing fi ghter. On clay he’s just tough to play. There is always one ball coming back. He creates doubts that you Spain’s Rafael Nadal celebrates winning the cannot have if you want to beat him. French Open final against Switzerland’s Stan “I think today, if you play Rafa, if you’re Wawrinka at Roland Garros in Paris yesterday. not completely free with what you think (Right) Nadal celebrates with the trophy and and what you’re gonna do and not com- his Uncle Toni. (Reuters) pletely relaxed the way you’re gonna play, you have no chance.” Mattek-Sands and Safarova third straight major Injured Sharapova to miss grasscourt season American Bethanie Mattek-Sands majority of the hour-long contest ormer world number one Maria snubbed by French Open off icials. Stanford.” and the Czech Republic’s Lucie after their serve was broken Sharapova will miss the grasscourt The Russian’s low ranking meant she was The Stanford tournament begins at the end Safarova claimed their third con- three times in each set. Fseason, including this month’s Wim- only guaranteed a place in the Wimbledon of July. secutive grand slam doubles title Mattek-Sands, however, praised bledon qualifying tournament, after failing qualifying event if she wanted to secure a The five-times grand slam winner, who with a convincing 6-2 6-1 victory her opponents, who had dropped to recover from a left-thigh injury she suf- place in the July 3-16 grasscourt major. received wildcards to play in Stuttgart, over Australian duo Ashleigh just one set on their way to the fered during last month’s Italian Open. However, the 2004 Wimbledon champion Madrid and Rome after being left without Barty and Casey Dellacqua at the final. “You guys have done a great “After an additional scan, the muscle tear was granted a wildcard for the grasscourt a ranking when her doping ban ended, French Open on Sunday. job and you’re an awesome team,” that I sustained in Rome will unfortunately warm-up tournament in Birmingham, Eng- retired injured in her second round match The top-seeded pair of Mattek- the 32-year-old said. “I’m sure we’re not allow me to compete in the grass court land, which she will also miss. at the Italian Open. Sands and Safarova, who also won gonna be facing you again soon.” tournaments I was scheduled to play,” “I want to thank the LTA for their amazing She was wearing a bandage on her thigh at the 2016 US Open and the Austral- The Australian pair reached three Sharapova, who is on a comeback trail after support on my return and providing me the time.