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 game against the 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 opening match of the Champions Trophy remained in upbeat mood heading into the across London at The Oval tomorrow. Champions Trophy despite a seven- The venue is the Surrey home ground of BASEBALL defeat by South Africa at Lord’s on Monday. England opener , currently strug- The hosts collapsed to 20 for six-the first gling for runs. But Morgan indicated Roy time any side had lost six 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 ’. 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.” ’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 , 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 ’ 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 . 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 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 , 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 , 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 . 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. Price was in line for the win before out one. Brandon Maurer pitched the ninth the Yorkshireman could force his way in you’ve got a chance against England, two home runs off Strickland, and the All-Star Kevan Smith hit an RBI double off Matt Barnes for his seventh save. come the Champions Trophy, telling Sky because they play that expansive brand of outfielder glared at the reliever as he rounded (3-2) in the seventh, tying it at 4. Cabrera had Sports: “He’s doing everything he possibly cricket.” Rabada, meanwhile, was optimistic the bases. Tanner Roark (5-2) struck out six and an RBI single with two outs. Red Sox second MARINERS 6, ROCKIES 5 can do. He’s putting a lot of pressure on, about the Proteas’ Champions Trophy allowed six hits in seven innings. The NL East baseman Dustin Pedroia injured his wrist in the Sam Gaviglio pitched into the sixth inning and that’s what we want.” The Australian chances. “Why not? We’ve got really good leaders opened a nine-game West Coast trip first inning and exited in the second. He was to get his first career victory, and Seattle used added: “It’ll be an interesting selection players, amazing talent and some experi- with their sixth win in eight games. Koda Glover hurt trying to beat out a hit when first baseman six relievers to beat Colorado. Danny Valencia meeting.” England face Bangladesh in the ence as well,” he said. — AFP pitched a scoreless ninth to notch his sixth save Jose Abreu slid into the bag and Pedroia fell had three hits and Kyle Seager had a key dou- in seven tries. Ryan Zimmerman hit his 14th over him. Juan Minaya (1-0) pitched a scoreless ble to help Gaviglio (1-1) get the milestone in homer, off Matt Moore (2-6) in the second. inning and David Robertson closed for his his fourth appearance and third start. The eighth save in nine chances. Mariners had given Gaviglio a 6-2 lead with ASTROS 16, TWINS 8 three runs in the third on just one hit, and Carlos Beltran homered and singled during ORIOLES 3, YANKEES 2 three more in the fifth on three walks, three an 11-run burst in the eighth inning against Dylan Bundy allowed two runs over seven singles and a two-run double by Seager off Minnesota’s beleaguered bullpen as Houston innings in another strong start at Camden Yards starter Tyler Chatwood (4-7). Edwin Diaz overwhelmed the Twins in a matchup of AL as Baltimore beat New York to snap a seven- worked the ninth for his ninth save. division leaders. The Astros combined for eight game losing streak. Jonathan Schoop had two hits, two walks, a hitter batter and a balk in the RBIs to help the Orioles end their longest skid METS 4, BREWERS 2 eighth to rally from an 8-2 deficit. The Twins since a nine-game drought in 2011. Aaron Judge Hours after the Mets ticketed him for the tried three in the inning, a day after hit his major league-leading 17th home run for bullpen, rookie Robert Gsellman pitched sev- they used eight relievers in a 15-inning loss to the first-place Yankees in this AL East matchup. en innings of three-hit ball and had two RBIs Tampa Bay. Beltran finished with four hits and Bundy (6-3) gave up seven hits, struck out three to lead New York past Milwaukee. Rene Rivera Carlos Correa had three, including a home run. and walked one. Brad Brach got three straight and Michael Conforto each hit an RBI double Alex Bregman also homered for Houston, which outs for his 10th save in 13 tries. Yankees rookie during a three-run fifth against starter Matt had a season-high 18 hits, 13 of them in the last Jordan Montgomery (2-4) allowed three runs, Garza (2-2). Sandwiched in between, two innings. Jordan Jankowski (1-0) got his first one earned, in 4 1/3 innings. Gsellman drove in the go-ahead run with a major league win with 2 1/3 innings in relief of sacrifice fly. Before the game, general manag- starter Brad Peacock. He allowed four earned DODGERS 5, CARDINALS 1 er Sandy Alderson said Gsellman (3-3) proba- runs and gave up home runs to Miguel Sano Chase Utley, Cody Bellinger and Logan bly is headed back into a struggling bullpen and Robbie Grossman but he benefited from Forsythe hit solo home runs, leading Rich Hill when injured starters Steven Matz and Seth ANTIGUA: In this Friday, March 3, 2017 file photo, England’s captain Eoin Morgan the Houston hit parade. Craig Breslow (1-1) and Los Angeles over St. Louis for its fifth Lugo come off the disabled list. Addison Reed plays a shot against West Indies during a one day international cricket match at the took the loss. straight victory. Hill (2-2) recovered from a bout got three outs for his seventh save. — AP Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua. — AP PIRATES 4, DIAMONDBACKS 3 Andrew McCutchen hit a leadoff homer in MLB results/standings the ninth inning, lifting Pittsburgh over England, S Africa bid Arizona in a wild ending. McCutchen sent a 1- Atlanta 6, LA Angels 3; Tampa Bay 10, Texas 8; Detroit 10, Kansas City 7; Miami 4, Philadelphia 1; Toronto 17, 1 pitch from Archie Bradley (1-1) over the right Cincinnati 2; San Diego 5, Chicago Cubs 2; NY Mets 4, Milwaukee 2; Cleveland 5, Oakland 3; Pittsburgh 4, Arizona 3; field wall to cap off a back and-forth ninth. It Washington 3, San Francisco 0; Seattle 6, Colorado 5; LA Dodgers 5, St. Louis 1; Chicago White Sox 5, Boston 4; Houston 16, Minnesota 8; Baltimore 3, NY Yankees 2. to end title droughts was the eighth homer this season for McCutchen, recently dropped to sixth in the American League National League batting order for the first time in his career. Eastern Division Eastern Division LONDON: South Africa and England are Cricket World Cups. Diamondbacks pinch hitter Chris Iannetta tied W L PCT GB Washington 31 19 .620 - the perennial underachievers in one-day The English, playing at home and with a NY Yankees 29 19 .604 - Atlanta 22 27 .449 8.5 the game moments earlier with a two-run international cricket, mixing high hopes new-found enthusiasm for the one-day for- Boston 27 23 .540 3 NY Mets 22 27 .449 8.5 homer to left field off closer Tony Watson. with high-profile failures in the big tourna- mat under coach Trevor Bayliss, are many Baltimore 26 23 .531 3.5 Miami 19 30 .388 11.5 Watson (4-1) was credited with the win after Tampa Bay 28 26 .519 4 ments. They’ll have to cope with the people’s tips. Yet they have never won an Philadelphia 17 32 .347 13.5 blowing his third save in 13 opportunities. It Toronto 24 27 .471 6.5 Central Division favorites’ tag at the eight-team Champions ICC trophy, having been a runner-up three Central Division was a costly victory for the Pirates, as starting Milwaukee 27 24 .529 - Trophy starting on Thursday. times at the World Cup and lost finals on Minnesota 26 21 .553 - right fielder Gregory Polanco left the game Chicago Cubs 25 25 .500 1.5 The South Africans are the top-ranked home soil in the Champions Trophy in 2004 Cleveland 26 23 .531 1 ODI team, with the top-ranked batsman and 2013. Still, it would be a surprise if the with an injury. Polanco got his right ankle Chicago White Sox 24 26 .480 3.5 St. Louis 24 24 .500 1.5 (AB de Villiers) and the top-ranked bowler two teams didn’t qualify for the semifinals caught awkwardly in the railing separating the Detroit 24 27 .471 4 Cincinnati 24 26 .480 2.5 (Imran Tahir). That should install the Proteas in what should be a competitive tourna- stands from the playing field while chasing Kansas City 21 29 .420 6.5 Pittsburgh 24 28 .462 3.5 as the outright favorites but it’s been a long ment played under heightened security down a foul ball in the sixth inning. Western Division Western Division and painful trophy drought since winning after last week’s bomb attack in Houston 36 16 .692 - Colorado 33 20 .623 - LA Dodgers 32 20 .615 0.5 their only piece of ICC silverware at the Manchester, and being held across three INDIANS 5, ATHLETICS 3 LA Angels 26 28 .481 11 Texas 25 27 .481 11 Arizona 31 22 .585 2 inaugural Champions Trophy in 1998: Four locations from June 1-18: The Oval in Carlos Carrasco won his third straight deci- sion and Edwin Encarnacion hit one of Seattle 23 29 .442 13 San Francisco 22 31 .415 11 semifinal defeats in the Champions Trophy London; Edgbaston in Birmingham; and Oakland 22 28 .440 13 San Diego 20 33 .377 13 to go alongside four semifinal losses in the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, Wales.—AP Cleveland’s three solo home runs. Carrasco (5-2)