• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

TENNIS | Page 2 CRICKET | Page 11 Australian Watson ton in To Advertise here Call: 444 11 300, 444 66 621 Open upset vain as India motivates win fi nal Serena T20 game Monday, February 1, 2016 FOOTBALL Rabia II 22, 1437 AH Big time Suarez GULF TIMES delivers again for Barcelona SPORT Page 4 SPOTLIGHT Djokovic equals record with sixth Australian Open title ‘There’s no doubt I’m playing the best tennis of my life over the last 15 months. I do feel that I’m at the peak of my abilities and my career. I don’t think about limiting my ambitions or what I might be able to achieve’ Reuters Melbourne Beaten Murray in a rush for the exit door With another Australian Open title ovak Djokovic vanquished having slipped through his fingers af- Andy Murray for the fourth ter a tournament plagued by off -court time in an Australian Open fi - dramas, Andy Murray could not wait nal yesterday to win a record- to see the back of Melbourne Park Nequalling sixth title and serve notice to after losing his fifth final yesterday. his rivals that he could surpass even his Murray suff ered a deflating 6-1 7-5 stellar 2015 this year. 7-6(3) defeat to Novak Djokovic, the The Serbian’s fi fth crown in six years man who had beaten him in three on his favourite court not only allowed previous finals in 2011, 2013 and again him to match Roy Emerson’s record last year. Australian Open tally but also brought He became only the second man him level with Rod Laver and Bjorn since tennis went professional to lose felt the diff erence this year was in the Borg on 11 grand slam titles. five finals at the same grand slam but unforced error count. He has won four of the last fi ve the other, Ivan Lendl, sandwiched his He had 24 more than the 11-times slams, 38 of his last 39 matches, and five losses at the U.S. Open with a hat- grand slam champion Djokovic, who at this rate Roger Federer’s record 17 is trick of wins from 1985-87. won exactly 24 more points than within range of the 28-year-old. Also runner-up to Roger Federer in Murray. “I didn’t hit my forehand par- Although world number two Murray 2010, Murray battled hard in the sec- ticularly well at the beginning of the battled hard after losing the opening ond and third sets against Djokovic match. I started to hit it better in the fi ve games in the blink of an eye, the but the loss will do little to convince third set,” he told reporters. dominant manner of Sunday’s 6-1 7-5 fans that the Scot can one day break “But, you know, I’m proud of the way 7-6(3) victory vindicated Djokovic’s his hoodoo against the Serb. I fought and managed to get myself opinion that he was at the zenith of his By any measure, Murray had a taxing back into the match and create powers. two weeks and was constantly wor- chances for myself. “There’s no doubt I’m playing the ried about his heavily pregnant wife “But, yeah, obviously didn’t start best tennis of my life over the last 15 back in Britain. particularly well.” months,” the 28-year-old, who topped He was rocked midway through the Murray spoke of a “tough few weeks” the ATP rankings for the whole of 2015, tournament by a medical emergency away from the court during the said. involving her father Nigel Sears, who trophy presentation and his voice “I do feel that I’m at the peak of my collapsed in the terraces at Rod Laver cracked as he paid tribute to his abilities and my career. I don’t think Arena when coaching Ana Ivanovic wife for her support under trying about limiting my ambitions or what I and was rushed to hospital. circumstances. “To my wife Kim, might be able to achieve.” For all that, Murray could not help but who I’m sure is watching back home For Murray, distracted on his 11th Serbia’s Novak Djokovic celebrates with the men’s singles trophy at the Australian Open yesterday. see the lighter side as he accepted now. You have been a legend for the visit to Melbourne Park by the illness the runners-up trophy for a fifth time. last two weeks and thank you for all of his father-in-law and the impend- slam champion Murray, who was game to his opponent, but the depth down in the third, but his resistance “I feel like I’ve been here before,” the your support. I’ll be on the next flight ing arrival of his fi rst child, a dispirit- catching the fi rst fl ight home, told re- and accuracy of Djokovic’s ground- snapped in the tiebreak and Djokovic Briton joked with his opening words home,” he said. ing night ended up with a record of the porters. strokes had the Scot chasing shadows fi red down his seventh ace to secure during his runner-up speech. “I’m proud that I got into this position, wrong sort. “I started the last couple of matches on the Rod Laver Arena. victory. Long accustomed to the bugbear of you know,” said the Scot. “Just quite The Briton’s defeat was his fi fth in quite slowly, understandable in some To his credit Murray, who beat Djok- “Every grand slam title is very sig- being runner-up at the post-match looking forward to getting home fi ve fi nals at the Australian Open. Only respects. ovic to win the US Open and Wimble- nifi cant in its own way,” Djokovic said. media conference, Murray said he now.” his former coach Ivan Lendl has lost as “Obviously it’s not good to begin don titles and probably would have “Here, I managed to make history to- many at one grand slam and he at least matches like that against someone claimed several more but for the Serb, night and equal Roy Emerson’s six wedged three US Open titles in be- like Novak. But I’m proud of the way I rose to the challenge. Australian Open titles. four majors last year and already has a match the feat and make more history. tween the defeats. fought and managed to get myself back He had chances too. He was 5-5 “I’m honoured to be mentioned 12-0 record this season, having thrashed He said he thought he was getting Murray gave it everything he had into the match. 40-0 ahead in the second set with alongside legends of our sport.” the other members of the “Big Four”— closer to winning the French Open ti- in the two-hour, 53-minute baseline “Now I just want to get home.” Djokovic under pressure before he While Emerson’s triumphs came in Rafa Nadal, Federer and Murray—to win tle every time he played the claycourt battle that was compelling viewing Djokovic reprised the two sets of came off second best in a spell- the pre-professional era of the 1960s in Doha and Melbourne. grand slam but had learned not to think throughout an engrossing and pivotal fl awless tennis he played in his semi- binding 36-stroke rally as Djokovic when few players from the rest of the Only Australian Laver, who was on too far ahead. 80-minute second set. fi nal against Roger Federer to race to a roared back to break before clinch- world made the long journey Down the court named after him watching the “(I’m) very hungry (for Paris),” he He was only able to delay the inevi- 5-0 lead in just 19 minutes. ing a two-set lead despite two dou- Under, Djokovic’s dominance is inter- fi nal, has managed to win all four grand concluded. “But the wolf needs to eat table though. Murray contributed to his downfall, ble faults. national. slams in one year and Djokovic would a lot of diff erent meals to get to Paris. “A lot’s been going on,” twice grand a double-fault handed his fi rst service Murray even fought back from 2-0 He won 11 titles including three of the have to break his Roland Garros duck to Paris is a dessert.” BOTTOMLINE 2022 World Cup is a source of pride for the Arab world, says Saudi actor Omar Hussein By Sports Reporter worked as a journalist, writer, actor Hussein also praised the steps taken “If you started selling tickets for Doha and a stand-up comedian, and he is the by the SC to make the 2022 FIFA World the 2022 World Cup now, they’d most viewed Saudi media personality Cup one with a legacy for the people sell out in a matter of hours. on social media, with 20 million page of the entire region: “Previously, for There’s tremendous enthusiasm uring his recent visit to Qa- visits in one year. He is also ranked the us the World Cup was just a series of for the World Cup” tar, the famous Saudi actor tenth most infl uential media personal- matches we’d watch on television. But and journalist Omar Hussein ity in the Arab World. after our dream of hosting a World Cup long as we have the opportunity to train made a stopover at the head- Speaking to www.sc.qa, Hussein said in the region became reality, we will our teams to international standards.

Load more

  12

Copy Link