Federer Expects Battle to Get Back to The
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GGOLFOLF | Page 3 FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 7 South Korea’s Toothless Milan Lee wins fi rst blow top-four PGA title at chance with Byron Nelson Cagliari draw Tuesday, May 18, 2021 CYCLING Shawwal 6, 1442 AH Sagan sprints to Giro GULF TIMES stage win as Bernal retains overall lead SPORT Page 4 FOCUS Qatar beach volleyball team qualifi es for Tokyo Olympics QNA In a statement, the FIVB said that to the Olympics by participating in Lausanne, Switzerland 13 teams have guaranteed direct the last two tournaments of the Ol- qualifi cation for the 2020 Olym- ympic qualifi ers at the Sochi Tour pic Games after the end of the last in Russia in May and the Ostrava he Qatari fi rst beach vol- three Olympic qualifying rounds in Tour in the Czech Republic in June. leyball team, consisting Mexico. The Qatari fi rst beach volleyball of Cherif Younousse and The FIVB’s statement indicated team, consisting of Cherif You- Ahmed Tijan, qualifi ed for that there is another opportunity to nousse and Ahmed Tijan, came in Tthe 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games qualify directly to Tokyo, as three the seventh position in the world following the newly announced teams are coming in the positions with 5,280 points, according to the ranking by the International Vol- from 14 to 16 that need to strength- latest FIVB ranking, and in fi fth leyball Federation (FIVB). en their ranking to qualify directly place in the Olympic classifi cation. In this May 1, 2021, picture, Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan celebrate their win in the semi-final of the third tournament at the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Cancun Hub. (FIVB) TENNIS SPOTLIGHT Cricket legend Federer expects battle Tendulkar reveals anxiety, to get back to the top insomnia ‘I’m just concerned about where my game is at. The guys on tour are all in a good rhythm’ Federer’s Geneva opponent Andujar understands his injury pain “But I think with the level he’s got and how he plays, if he’s 100% fit, he’s going to be Roger Federer once again.” Andujar recounted levelling with his wife and telling her: “This is the last chance for me”, resolving to overcome whatever pain and doubts came his way. “You need to be very strong mentally, but once this is over, I think you enjoy tennis more than you used to,” he said. “Since I came back, every tourna- ment is very special” — and none more so than the opportunity at AFP Geneva to face Federer. AFP Geneva, Switzerland Remarkably, it is the first time New Delhi, India they will play each other, despite their lengthy careers. Andujar oger Federer’s first oppo- turned professional in 2003 ecord-breaking Indian batsman Sachin Ten- nent at the Geneva Open, — the year Federer first won dulkar has revealed he struggled with anxiety Ras the 20-time Grand Wimbledon. for much of his career, often suff ering sleepless Slam champion continues his “It’s a dream. It’s a reward for a nights before a game. injury comeback after a year out, long time spent on the circuit,” RThe ‘Little Master,’ who accumulated more Test and knows all about how hard it is he said. one-day runs than any other player, said he would Switzerland’s Roger Federer takes part in a training session as coach Severin Luethi (right) looks on ahead of the to return to tennis after multiple “I’m really excited as it was some- shadow bat, watch TV and play video games in the small Geneva Open at Tennis Club de Geneve in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday. (Reuters) surgeries. thing I wanted to have: a match hours when he was unable to sleep. Federer faces world number 75 against Roger, just to tell my kids “In my mind the match started long before I entered AFP Federer told reporters. have all again gotten better natu- Pablo Andujar in Switzerland and grandkids when I get older the ground. The anxiety levels were very high,” he said, Geneva, Switzerland His old rivals Djokovic and Ra- rally because they have more expe- today as he bids to find his form that I played him. according to the Times of India. fael Nadal played out a two-hour rience,” he said. before the French Open, Wimble- “I’m really happy to play Roger in “I felt anxiety for 10-12 years, and had many sleep- 49-minute fi nal in Rome on Sun- “Dominic won a Slam in the don and the Tokyo Olympics. Switzerland as well.” less nights before a game. Later on I started accepting oger Federer said yester- day, with Nadal claiming a 7-5, 1-6, meantime. Rafa, Novak are still The Swiss great, 39, is attempt- Andujar has played compatriot that it was part of my day he expects to return to 6-3 victory to match the Serbian where they are. You would think ing to get back to the top of the Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic preparation. In my mind the match the top tier of tennis even world number one’s record of 36 that the game has improved again. sport after double surgery on during his long career, but “Then I made peace started long before I though the next generation Masters 1000 series titles. “For me, that’s going to be an ex- his knee — while Spain’s Andujar, somehow escaped Federer and with the times I was entered the ground. I Rof players will have gained ground “I’m excited about the come- tra challenge, extra hard for me to 35, was out from March 2016 to thought the chance had passed not able to sleep at felt anxiety for 10-12 during his lengthy injury lay-off . back, that’s what my focus needs fi nd that level, but I guess I knew January 2018, undergoing triple him by. night. I would start ‘years, and had many Federer begins his comeback- to be on and not about trying to be from the get-go it was never going elbow surgery. “Rafa, Novak, Roger: these guys doing something to sleepless nights before a proper on Swiss home soil in Ge- at the same level as Rafa and Novak to be simple, regardless of wheth- “I feel sympathy with all the became mythical. They grew the keep my mind com- game. Later on I started neva today, with the 39-year-old right now,” Federer said. er I was going to be out for three players that have been strug- sport and now they are above the fortable.” accepting that it was part tennis legend starting a run of But the 20-time Grand Slam title months or almost a year and a half.” gling with long-term injuries and sport. They are something else.” Mental health has of my preparation tournaments including the French winner added: “I believe I will be of course Roger is one of them Andujar said the chance to play become a key consid- Open, Halle, Wimbledon and then part of the top tier.” CLAY AND CONFIDENCE — and I know how diff icult it is,” Federer spurred him on during eration among ath- — Sachin Tendulkar, former India cricketer the Tokyo Olympics. The Geneva clay court tournament Andujar told reporters. his first-round victory yesterday. letes, including crick- Federer returned to the courts in ‘NEXT GEN’ THREAT should test what sort of shape Fed- “Sometimes you try to come Andujar beat Jordan Thompson eters and especially March, having been out for more Federer said he was impressed by erer is in ahead of the May 30-June back and it hurts and you have 6-0, 6-4 in a match which saw the during the pandemic when many are spending long pe- than a year following two knee sur- the level of tennis on show during 13 French Open before he targets his a lot of doubts and for sure, it’s Australian demolish his racquet riods in bio-secure “bubbles”. geries, winning his fi rst match in his absence from the tour. two major goals — a ninth Wimble- very diff icult for your mentality. in frustration. Tendulkar, who played 200 Tests and 463 ODIs dur- Qatar before losing his second. He said the so-called “Next don title and a singles gold medal at ing a 24-year international career, said it was vital to Doha was his fi rst appearance Generation” of players such as the Tokyo Games. accept fi rst that there is a problem. since January 2020 and an Austral- Stefanos Tsitsipas, Andrey Ru- Top seed Federer received a bye ing out on court, serving for hours and I think it’s a good schedule for “When there is an injury, physios and doctors exam- ian Open semi-fi nal defeat to No- blev, Alexander Zverev and Daniil into the second round and will play and then recovering and doing the me to come back this way.” ine you and diagnose what is wrong with you. Same is vak Djokovic. Medvedev plus 2020 US Open win- his fi rst match on Tuesday, against same thing again — that will all Federer said it would take him 10 the case with mental health,” he said. “I’m just concerned about where ner Dominic Thiem would all prove either Australia’s Jordan Thomp- just increase my confi dence,” said matches or so to be able to assess “It is normal for anyone to go through ups and downs my game is at. The guys on tour are a much tougher challenge now.