36 Friday Sports Friday, August 20, 2021 Lucky seventh as Zverev finally wins at ATP Cincinnati CINCINNATI: Olympic champion Alexander American 21 to 17 on his way to a Zverev struck gold at the ATP Cincinnati Mas- 6-7 (5/7), 6-0, 7-6 (7/4) victory. Andy Murray’s ters on Wednesday with his first victory at the wild card run ended with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 loss to US Open tuneup event in seven attempts. The Poland’s . German has been deep in a rut from his first ap- The Scotsman, who has been struggling to pearance in 2015 at the Midwest US venue, ex- re-establish himself on tour after his latest in- iting in the first round every time. jury — a groin problem — lost the second- But that all changed as Zverev celebrated round contest in one and three-quarter hours success with a 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 win over South to the player who knocked Roger Federer out African Lloyd Harris to break his duck. “I’m of Wimbledon. happy where I’m at and I’m happy to get my first Murray fired a respectable 11 aces to the 17 win in seven years here,” he said. “It’s obviously of his ninth-seeded opponent in the first-time a great start to the week.” meeting while saving four break points. “This The breakthrough victory was the seventh in week was fairly positive. I played much better a row for the 24-year-old. “When I came on than at Wimbledon and the grass season,” he court and they said Olympic gold medalist, it did said. “This week my body felt good, even if hard- give me goosebumps,” Zverev said. “It made me courts are not easy on the body. Physically I was a little nervous at the beginning of the match, I tired after some of the long rallies, but I felt fine.” have to say, because it is a special feeling.” The 34-year-old Briton said the only factors Zverev now goes up against Argentine that would make him reconsider his comeback Guido Pella, a winner over Italy’s were “if my body doesn’t feel good “ or “my ten- 6-1, 7-5. Top seed Daniil Medvedev, last week’s nis starts going backwards.” The two-time Toronto champion, also advanced in a no- Cincinnati winner, ranked 105th, owns 14 career drama 6-2, 6-2 defeat of American Mackenzie Masters 1000 titles, the most of any man in a McDonald that took just an hour for the 2019 field missing the “Big 3” trio of Federer, Rafael MASON: of Germany plays a forehand during his match against Lloyd Harris of South Africa Cincinnati champion. Nadal and Novak Djokovic — all 20-time Grand during Western & Southern Open - Day 4 at Lindner Family Center on Wednesday in Mason, Ohio. — AFP Number two seed Stefanos Tsitsipas fought Slam champions. off Sebastian Korda for a 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 victory Olympic silver medalist Karen Khachanov that took the Toronto semi-finalist into the third joined Murrray in defeat as the Russian exited Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-5. Victory put the 34- wins. I’ve been on the Tour a long time. I’m round. The Greek won on his second match point 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 6-4 to Canada’s 12th-seeded Felix year-old into the third round against sixth seed quite blessed in my career.” American John as Korda drove a forehand long after 97 minutes. Auger-Aliassime, who will face Wimbledon fi- , aged just six when the French- Isner beat Italian 11th seed Jannik Sinner 5-7, Tsitsipas next plays Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego nalist Matteo Berrettini for a quarter-final place. man won his first ATP match in 2004. 7-6 (7/4), 6-4. Former champion Grigor Dim- who beat American 7-6 (11/9), 6-2. Frenchman Gael Monfils earned the 500th “It was at Metz against Xavier Malisse and itrov reached the third round over Kazakh Norway’s eighth-seeded Casper Ruud out-aced match win of his career as he beat Australian he retired,” Monfils said. “I remember all of my Alexander Bublik 6-3, 7-5. — AFP

Ohtani hurls eight Morikawa, Johnson innings, hits 40th grab Ryder Cup spots homer in Angels win as PGA playoffs begin WASHINGTON: Japanese two-way threat Shohei NEW YORK: Two-time major champions Collin Morikawa and Dustin John- Ohtani smacked his 40th home run of the season and son will be key players to watch this week as the US PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup threw a Major League Baseball career-high eight innings playoffs begin at the Northern Trust tournament. Morikawa leads the season in a Los Angeles Angels’ victory on Wednesday. Ohtani, points standings entering the three-event season finale that concludes with making his case for American League Most Valuable the Tour Championship while Johnson is the defending FedEx Cup champion. Player honors, powered the Angels past the host Detroit Both Americans also have become the first to clinch berths on the US team Tigers 3-1, including a solo homer in the eighth inning. for next month’s Ryder Cup matches against Europe at Whistling Straits. A field Ohtani’s previous MLB career best on the mound was of 125 this week at Liberty National in suburban New York will be whittled down 7 2/3 innings against Tampa Bay in May 2018 and he had to 70 for next week’s BMW Championship in Baltimore and 30 for the Tour reached seven innings three times this year. The 27-year- Championship in Atlanta. Morikawa, who won last month’s British Open and last old former Nippon Ham Fighters star became the first left- year’s PGA Championship, has won twice this year to top the points chase. handed batter in Angels history to reach 40 homers, “It’s great to start out number one going into the playoffs. It means I was surpassing Reggie Jackson’s previous lefty high total of doing something right throughout the regular season. We had a couple wins, 39 from 1982. DETROIT: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Angels hits a couple top-10s — overall, it feels good. My game feels good,” said Ohtani needed only 90 pitches to retire 27 Tigers, 69 a home run against the Detroit Tigers during the top of the Morikawa. “Not everyone has the luxury of knowing where they’re going to of which he threw for strikes. He struck out eight and did eighth inning at Comerica Park on Wednesday in Detroit, stand coming to the Tour Championship, but I at least know I’m going to be not walk a batter for the fifth time in 18 starts this season. Michigan. — AFP there, I’m going to have a chance with four rounds no matter where I stand.” The Angels brought in closing relief pitcher Raisel Iglesias After taking last week off following his victory at Royal St George’s and a for the ninth inning and the 31-year-old Cuban got the final batter in MLB since Babe Ruth a century ago could set an trip to the Olympics, Morikawa plans to focus on being in peak form for the three outs for his 27th save of the year. Angels record for homers in a season. The mark is now final event rather than trying to stay on a winning roll as he did last year after Ohtani broke the record for most homers in an MLB held by Troy Glaus with 47 homers in 2000. At 61-61, the his first major win at the PGA. “The way I looked into the playoffs last year, I season by a Japanese-born player when he smashed his Angels are 10 1/2 games behind Houston in the AL West was so focused, especially after that PGA win, let’s go win, win, win, and I think 32nd homer of the campaign last month to pass the old division and eight games behind Oakland in the race for a I was almost burnt out by the time I got to that third week,” he said. — AFP mark set by Hideki Matsui. The first regular pitcher and wildcard playoff spot. — AFP