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Home , Denis Shapovalov, Fabio Fognini

18 FRIDAY, MAY 18, 2018 sports storms past

Rafael Nadal to face• in the last eight Katie Ledecky Juan Martin del Potro• retired with a Ledecky smashes own groin injury during the second set of his clash 1,500m freestyle record with somewhere under 15:30, may- PA Sport | Rome Katie Ledecky be. • “When I saw the 15:20 I was touched the wall in pretty shocked,” she said. afael Nadal subdued the 15min 20.48sec This week’s meet in Indian- precocious talent of Den- apolis is Ledecky’s first since Ris Shapovalov to reach AFP | Indianapolis turning professional following the quarter-finals of the Rome the NCAA collegiate champion- Masters in Rome. ships in March. Shapovalov went into the ive-time Olympic swim- “My first pro swim -- that’s match with a winning record Fming champion Katie one I’ll never forget,” said Le- against Nadal after beating him Ledecky smashed her own decky, who added that so far on home soil in Canada last 1,500m freestyle world record she hadn’t felt any different in summer but the Spaniard on by five seconds on Wednesday her first meet as a professional. clay is, of course, a very different in her first race as a profes - Ledecky won gold in the proposition and he ultimately Rafael Nadal celebrates victory sional. 800m at the 2012 Olympics eased to a 6-4 6-1 victory. The 21-year-old American and followed it up with four There were plenty of the star touched the wall in 15min golds and a silver at the Rio eye-catching shots that make battling victories over Tomas Fifth seed Juan Martin del missing a set point, Del Potro 20.48sec at the Pro Swim event Olympics two years ago. 19-year-old Shapovalov such Berdych and in the Potro retired with a groin inju- decided he could no longer con- in Indianapolis, obliterating The 1,500m free will be in- an exciting prospect as he saved first two rounds here and could ry during the second set of his tinue and shook hands trailing her previous best of 15:25.48 troduced as an Olympic event eight break points in his first not live with the relentlessness clash with David Goffin. 2-6 5-4. set at the World Champion- for women at the 2020 Olym- two service games, but Nadal of Nadal. The Argentinian did not ap- The 29-year-old will hope to ships in Kazan in 2015. pics in Tokyo. broke for 4-3 and thereafter was In the last eight Nadal will pear comfortable at any point recover in time for the French “I was pretty surprised Ledecky was under in control. face another flashy player in in the match and went off court Open, which begins on May 27. when I saw the ‘20,’” Ledecky world-record pace for much of Shapovalov not surprisingly Italian Fabio Fognini, who de- for a medical time-out early in Tenth seed Pablo Carreno said with a little laugh, adding Wednesday’s race and touched began to look tired in the sec- lighted the home crowd with a the second set. Busta recovered from a sec - that she thought as the swim 49 seconds clear of the nearest ond set after his run to the Ma- 6-4 6-4 win against Peter Go- Initially that seemed to ad- ond-set wobble to beat Aljaz unfolded that she would be finisher in her heat. drid semi-finals last week and jowczyk. versely affect Goffin but, after Bedene 6-4 6-7 (3/7) 6-2. Bennett claims rainy Giro 12th stage Halep advances to ahead of reigning champion enth stage last Friday at Praia went early because I didn’t want quarter-finals Bahrain-Merida’s Tom Dumoulin at 47sec, with Mare, broke away in the final to let the stage get away from • Frenchman Thibaut Pinot third 400 metres at the end of the me,” said Bennett. Niccolo Bonifazio at 1min 04sec. 214km flat and twisty stage that Slovenian Matej Mohoric, finished third “I guess these were favoura- finished on the Imola motor impressive in the descent fol- ble weather conditions for an racing circuit. lowing the final climb, and Co- AFP | Praia Mare Englishman. And also for an Dutch rider Danny Van Pop- lombian Carlos Betancur made Irishman,” said Yates. pel and Italian Niccolo Boni- a break but were reeled in with reland’s Sam Bennett of the “It was a very difficult final. I fazio of Bahrain-Merida fin- 500 metres to go. IBora team won the 12th stage think a few guys underestimat- ished second and third respec- The early five-man breakaway of the Giro d’Italia for his sec- ed it, myself included.” tively after being taken off guard with riders from three Italian ond win of this year’s race in wet Four-time Tour de France by a late surge by the 27-year-old teams were also caught by the and slippy conditions yesterday. winner Chris Froome is stuck Irishman. peloton 20km from the line. Britain’s Simon Yates of down in a disappointing 12th “It was a tough final for a Belgian Tim Wellens pushed Mitchelton-Scott holds the place, more than three minutes bunch sprint. There were two ahead under the driving rain but overall leader’s pink jersey, off his compatriot’s pace. guys up front. I didn’t know how his 20-second lead slipped away which he claimed a week ago, Bennett, winner of the sev- much energy they had left so I on the final climb.

Simona Halep reacts

the top-ranking going into the AFP | Rome . Wozniacki plays her third round match later on imona Halep boosted her Thursday. Sbid to retain her world Keys withdrew from both number one ranking as the top singles and doubles, in which seed advanced to the quar- she was partnering Venus Wil- ter-finals of the liams. after American Madison Keys Venus Williams fell to her withdrew injured yesterday. second defeat in a week to Es- The Romanian, a finalist in tonia’s Anett Kontaveit losing Rome last year, is on her way in the third round match in to holding her top ranking as straight sets in 1hr 19min. she next plays France’s Caro- The 22-year-old Kontave- line Garcia or American Sloane it won through 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) Stephens. against her 37-year-old Amer- Halep needed to reach at ican rival who was seeded least the last eight and go fur- eighth in a tournament she ther than world number two won nearly two decades ago Sam Bennett celebrates after crossing the finishing line Caroline Wozniacki to retain to 1999.