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Established 1961 15 Sports Monday, November 6, 2017 Sock wins Paris Masters, Goerges wows with comeback in Zhuhai Sock becomes American number one for first time PARIS: American Jack Sock battled back from a set qualifying to the final was a dream come true.” down to beat qualifier Filip Krajinovic 5-7, 6-4, 6-1 and SOCK FIGHTS BACK win the Paris Masters title yesterday, snatching a place Any worries that the world number 77 would strug- at the World Tour Finals. The 16th seed ended his gle with nerves were quickly put to bed as he held his Serbian opponent’s fairytale run in the French capital to opening service game with an exquisite drop shot. break into the world’s top 10 for the first time and take Sock had dropped serve eight times going into the the last place for London from Spaniard Pablo Carreno final and Krajinovic brought up the first break point of Busta. the match in game five. The world number 22 saved it Despite dropping a tight opening set, the 25-year- with a drop volley, but the underdog quickly created old upped his game and stormed through the decider to another opportunity and Sock gifted him the break claim the biggest title of his career. “To be standing with a double fault. here after being so far down in my first match is incred- The vital breakthrough came shortly afterwards ible,” Sock, who trailed 5-1 in the third set of his opener though when Sock crunched two magnificent passing against Briton Kyle Edmund, told the crowd after win- shots from well behind the baseline to leave Krajinovic ning his third title of the year. stunned. Meanwhile, Germany’s Julia Goerges stormed “This will be my first time in the top 10 and first time to victory at the WTA Elite Trophy yesterday, hammer- at the Tour Finals in London, ing number two seed CoCo so much is going on right Vandeweghe in the final to now.” Sock, who was 24th in claim her second title of the the ‘Race to London’ stand- year. The 29-year-old made ings before arriving at This will be an unexpected comeback in Bercy, will become the the first set to take down American number one for my first time the fiery Vandeweghe 7-5, the first time, after beating 6-1 in one hour and 20 min- the man who knocked out in the top 10 utes in Zhuhai, China, as fel- his compatriots Sam low German and tennis leg- Querrey and John Isner ear- end Steffi Graf watched lier in the week. from the stands. Krajinovic showcased the With the title, which game that took him to the brink of becoming the first comes on the heels of a win in Moscow a fortnight ago, qualifier to win a Masters title since Albert Portas in Goerges is set to end the season with a career-high 2001, but ultimately he failed to become only the sec- ranking of world number 14. She joins other Elite ond Serb after Novak Djokovic to triumph at this level. Trophy winners Petra Kvitova and Venus Williams. “This was the best week in my life,” Krajinovic said. “There is no better way to end this season,” she told PARIS: Winner USA’s Jack Sock (R) poses with the trophy next to second placed Serbia’s Filip Krajinovic (L) after “I will never forget this moment in my life. Coming from journalists after the match. — AFP the final of the ATP World Tour Masters 1000 indoor tennis tournament yesterday in Paris. — AFP Tottenham edge past Palace with FIFA corruption Son winner trial opens in New York TOTTENHAM: Tottenham Hotspur rode their luck before South Korean forward Son Heung-min earned NEW YORK: It was the raid that changed the face them a 1-0 victory over bottom club Crystal Palace to of the world’s most popular sport. Swiss police consolidate their place in the Premier League’s top four swooped in on a five-star Zurich hotel at dawn, yesterday. arresting seven soccer officials at US request. Two Mauricio Pochettino’s side, fresh from beating and a half years later, the only defendants detained European champions Real Madrid in midweek, found in the United States who continue to profess their Palace a difficult nut to crack at Wembley and could innocence will go on trial. When US prosecutors have been behind before Son curled in the winner mid- unveiled a years’ long investigation on May 27, way through the second half. 2015, the allegations were dumbfounding: a quarter Despite not being at their best, however, Tottenham of a century of endemic corruption in the heart of remained in third position with 23 points having won FIFA, soccer’s governing body. five of their last six league games. They are behind Forty-two officials and marketing executives, Manchester United on goal difference before their and three companies were indicted in an exhaustive clash at fourth-placed Chelsea later. 236-page complaint detailing 92 separate crimes “No point in beating Real Madrid on Wednesday if LONDON: Crystal Palace’s Scott Dann, foreground left, vies for the ball with Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-Min, and 15 corruption schemes to the tune of $200 mil- you can’t win at home at the weekend,” Tottenham during the English Premier League soccer match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, at Wembley lion. It was the biggest corruption scandal in the defender Eric Dier said. “We knew it would be difficult Stadium, in London. — AP history of soccer. “Two generations of soccer offi- today with players missing but we wanted to keep the cials,” then attorney general Loretta Lynch said at momentum going.” the time, “used their positions of trust within their Palace have four points from 11 games but could Lloris and his deputy Michel Vorm were both unable to keeper. Tottenham began to commit players forward respective organizations to solicit bribes from count themselves unfortunate as Scott Dann was twice start, handing a first appearance to Argentina’s and Zaha should have punished them when he was sports marketers in exchange for the commercial denied by Tottenham’s debutant keeper Paulo Gazzaniga. The 25-year-old grabbed his chance, mak- clean through but, after going round a poorly-posi- rights to their soccer tournaments. They did this Gazzaniga while Wilfried Zaha wasted a great chance ing crucial saves to earn the man-of-the-match vote. tioned Gazzaniga, he shot wide with the goal at his over and over, year after year, tournament after shortly before Spurs scored. Tottenham dominated the first half without being mercy. tournament.” Tens of millions of dollars was hidden Gazzaniga also saved well from former Tottenham able to break down a stubborn Palace side and they It proved a costly miss for Roy Hodgson’s side. A few in offshore accounts in Hong Kong, the Cayman player Andros Townsend early in the second half while were grateful to Gazzaniga who saved well from Dann’s minutes later a clever Tottenham move ended up with Islands and Switzerland, US officials said. The Son could have given a nervy Tottenham breathing header. Harry Kane playing in Danny Rose whose shot was charges included racketeering, wire fraud and mon- space but dragged a good chance wide. The second half was more open and Palace grew in blocked. The ball ended up with Son on the edge of a ey laundering conspiracies. Tottenham were without Dele Alli, scorer of two confidence after Townsend took advantage of a defen- crowded area and he curled a delightful shot past Julian But only three people are actually going on trial- goals in the 3-1 victory over Real, while keeper Hugo sive mistake to force another great save from the home Speroni. — Reuters three fabulously wealthy and once formidably pow- erful South American soccer officials. BRAZIL EX-BOSS Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday at Wydad are African the federal court in Brooklyn. Opening statements could begin on November 13. It will be a hugely champions again complicated trial, expected to last weeks if not months, with prosecutors expected to present 350,000 pages of evidence and dozens of witness- after 25 years es. The most high-profile defendant is Jose Maria Marin, 85, former president of Brazil’s Football JOHANNESBURG: Wydad Casablanca of Morocco Confederation-the sport’s organizing body in one became African champions for a second time when they of the premier soccer-playing nations in the world. defeated Al Ahly of Egypt 1-0 Saturday in the second Since his arrest in Zurich and extradition, he has leg of the CAF Champions League final. Walid El Karty been out on bail, living in luxury at Trump Tower, nodded the lone goal on 69 minutes to give the home the Fifth Avenue skyscraper best known for housing team a 2-1 aggregate triumph after they forced a 1-1 the penthouse and company headquarters of the draw in Egyptian coastal city Alexandria last weekend. current US president. Also in the dock is former Achraf Bencharki, who equalised in the first leg, set FIFA vice president Juan Angel Napout, 59, and up the goal with a deflected cross for El Karty to score Manuel Burga, who led soccer in Peru until 2014 his third goal of the competition. Victory bridged a 25- and a one-time FIFA development committee mem- year gap for Wydad, who conquered Africa for the first ber. A US jury will now decide their fate.