WEDNESDAY, MAY 31, 2017 SPORTS TENNIS Nadal knows he can’t lose, says Nick Kyrgios PARIS: Nick Kyrgios believes the French has come, pointing to the contrasting for- Open is Rafael Nadal’s to lose and that his tunes of 23-year-old Dominic Thiem in generation will have to wait a little longer Rome. before releasing the old guard’s grip on The Austrian stunned Nadal in the quar- men’s tennis. ter-finals but managed to take just one The fiery Australian, who famously game off Djokovic in the semis. “I can’t real- defeated Nadal at Wimbledon in 2014 ly see the changing of the guard happen- when he was just 19 and ranked 144 in the ing any time soon because of one tourna- world, has still to get beyond the quarter- ment,” said Kyrgios, who is playing in Paris finals of a major. Indeed, the big four of having suffered hip and elbow injuries Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and which ruled him out of the Rome and Andy Murray have captured 25 of the last Monte Carlo events this spring. 29 Grand Slams. “I think the young ones have a ways to Of the other four, Stan Wawrinka has go. Thiem played an unbelievable match in three with just Marin Cilic at the 2014 US Rome to just beat him. “Then look what Open managing to play the role of shock happened the next round, he’s completely gatecrasher. For Kyrgios, Nadal remains the gone.” overwhelming favourite to win a 10th Kyrgios managed to keep his com- French Open and take his personal majors bustible temper in check despite a long haul to 15. running conversation with umpire Jake “Nadal, I don’t think he’s worried at all Garner over why some balls leave marks on about anyone in this tournament, to be clay and not others. fair,” said the 18th seeded Australian, who He is still trying to learn to love clay, but downed German veteran Philipp he admits it’s not easy. “What don’t I like Kohlschreiber 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 to reach about clay?. I don’t like how my shoes get the second round at Roland Garros. dirty. When I’m back home I don’t really “Best of five, it suits him. He knows he’s train that much on clay because it makes not gonna lose. Let’s be realistic.” It was 20- my cars dirty, too.” year-old Alexander Zverev’s triumph over Kyrgios fired an impressive 20 aces and Djokovic in the Rome Masters final which 40 winners past Kohlschreiber tosday and prompted whispers of an imminent shift in goes on to face either Kevin Anderson of power at the top of the game. South Africa or Tunisia’s Malek Jaziri for a But Kyrgios is not convinced that day place in the last 32. — AFP England’s Morgan confident morale intact after Proteas’ pummelling SAN DIEGO: Ian Happ #8 of the Chicago Cubs strikes out during the eighth inning of a baseball game against the San Diego Padres at PETCO Park on Monday in San Diego, California. MLB players across the league are wearing special uniforms to commemorate Memorial Day. — AFP LONDON: England captain Eoin Morgan opening match of the Champions Trophy remained in upbeat mood heading into the across London at The Oval tomorrow. Champions Trophy despite a seven-wicket The venue is the Surrey home ground of BASEBALL defeat by South Africa at Lord’s on Monday. England opener Jason Roy, currently strug- The hosts collapsed to 20 for six-the first gling for runs. But Morgan indicated Roy time any side had lost six wickets in the first would remain at the top of the order for five overs of a one-day international-after the clash with the Tigers, despite Bairstow’s being sent into bat in overcast conditions fine form. Nationals win heated and on a green-tinged pitch at ‘the home of “He (Bairstow) never lets us down-every cricket’. time he comes in, he scores runs, and he South Africa’s pacemen duly cashed in, continues to bang on the door,” said with Kagiso Rabada (four for 39 in nine Morgan. “It’s the hardest thing telling overs) and Wayne Parnell (three for 43 in Jonny he’s not playing and he’s done noth- match against Giants eight) running through the top order. ing wrong.” Jonny Bairstow’s battling 51 helped Morgan, however, added: “As regards England recover to 153 all out, a target that selection, Jason is our number one pick at SAN FRANCISCO: An enraged Bryce Harper pitched six shutout innings before allowing of wildness in his last start to pitch five innings, provided few problems for South Africa, the moment. “He and (Alex) Hales have charged the mound, fired his helmet and trad- back-to-back homers to Yonder Alonso and giving up one run and two hits. In his previous who made 156 for three. England still won been very important to the way we’ve ed punches to the head with San Francisco Ryon Healy in the seventh. The right-hander, outing, also against the Cardinals, he permitted the three-match series 2-1. Morgan, asked played as a team for quite a long time.” reliever Hunter Strickland after getting hit by a who hasn’t lost since April 28, allowed four hits five runs on four hits and seven walks in four if this result on his Middlesex home ground Morgan said he did not expect to fastball, setting off a wild brawl Monday during and struck out seven. Andrew Miller struck out innings. Mike Leake (5-3) entered the game had dented Champions Trophy hosts encounter a similarly bowler-friendly pitch the Washington Nationals’ 3-0 win over the the side in the eighth. Cody Allen gave up Khris leading the majors with a 1.91 ERA, but allowed England’s confidence ahead of their latest at any of the three Champions Trophy ven- Giants. Drilled in the right hip by a 98 mph Davis’ solo homer and two singles in the ninth, a season-high four runs in 6 2/3 innings. bid to win a maiden major global 50-over ues-The Oval, Edgbaston and Cardiff. heater on Strickland’s first pitch in the eighth but struck out Trevor Plouffe and recorded his title, said: “I’d like to think it doesn’t. “I’d be disappointed if we did, because inning with two outs, none on and Washington 14th save. Daniel Mengden (0-1), recalled from PADRES 5, CUBS 2 “Obviously what cost us was that first hour- any team (would have) the potential to win ahead 2-0, Harper didn’t hesitate. The slugger Triple-A Nashville to make his first start of the Rookie Hunter Renfroe hit a grand slam off a lot of live, green grass on the wicket, but or lose a game on a toss in a major tourna- pointed his bat at Strickland, yelled at him and season, allowed five runs in 3 1/3 innings. Kyle Hendricks as San Diego handed Chicago ultimately I thought South Africa bowled ment-which is hard to take.” England rested took off. No one got in Harper’s way as he its fourth straight loss. The defending World beautifully.” The former Ireland batsman a trio of first-choice all-rounders from rushed the mound. His eyes were wide as he WHITE SOX 5, RED SOX 4 Series champion Cubs have lost six straight added: “We didn’t play too aggressively-a Monday’s game in Ben Stokes, Chris flung his helmet - it sailed wide of Strickland, it Boston lefty David Price had an uneven sea- road games. They were coming off a three- lot of our shots were defensive-so a lot of Woakes and Moeen Ali, with Morgan credit goes to South Africa.” Test wicket- expecting all three to feature against might’ve slipped - and they started swinging son debut while Melky Cabrera homered and game sweep at the Los Angeles Dodgers. The keeper Bairstow is still struggling to nail Bangladesh. “We’re very confident,” he said. away. The 6-foot-4 Strickland hit Harper in the drove in four runs, helping Chicago rally. Price, Cubs had only three hits. They drew 10 walks down a permanent place in England’s ODI For South Africa, top of the International face, then they broke apart for a moment who missed the first part of the year with a left and two batters were hit by pitches. side, despite some impressive recent bat- Cricket Council ODI rankings, this was a before squaring off again. Harper punched elbow strain, threw 88 pitches in five innings. Hendricks (4-3) retired his first 10 batters ting displays in white-ball cricket. timely victory. “We’re pretty happy with the Strickland in the head as the benches and The former AL Cy Young Award winner gave up before allowing seven of his final 11 to reach. way things have panned out for us,” said bullpen emptied. Harper and Strickland were two hits, including Cabrera’s three-run homer, Jose Torres (3-2) pitched two scoreless, hitless ‘INTERESTING’ SELECTION coach Russell Domingo. “We knew condi- both ejected. They have some history between walked two and hit two batters. He also struck innings for the win. He walked two and struck England coach Trevor Bayliss accepted tions were in favour of the bowlers ... and them - in the 2014 NL Division Series, Harper hit out four.