BASEBALL | Page 5 FORMULA 1 | Page 7 Perez’s late Hamilton homer lift s still has Royals to win respect over Mariners for Vettel Friday, July 7, 2017 FOOTBALL Shawaal 13, 1438 AH United agree fee GULF TIMES for Lukaku but Chelsea may bid SPORT Page 3 TENNIS Mattek-Sands injury takes focus from Djoko, Federer ‘She was in shock. Her knee was in a very weird position. I’ve never seen REQUEST anything like this except in the movies. And, yeah, I panicked a little bit, as well’ Sponsor Head drops AFP London Tomic aft er ‘bored’ olourful US star Bethanie Mattek-Sands suff ered an comments horrifi c knee injury at Wim- bledon yesterday which left Reuters Cher screaming in pain, pleading for help London and offi cials accused of freezing in her desperate moment of need. The distressing drama on Court 17, ead, the tennis racket man- where the 32-year-old lay stricken for ufacturer, has dropped its at least 20 minutes, pushed the title sponsorship of Australian campaigns of Novak Djokovic and Rog- player Bernard Tomic af- er Federer onto the sidelines. Hter his comments that he had been “Please help me! Please! Please!” “bored” during his fi rst-round exit screamed Mattek-Sands as she from Wimbledon. clutched her right knee after collaps- “We were extremely disappointed ing running to the net in the fi rst point with the statements made at Wim- Head sponsors a number of top of the deciding set of her second round bledon by one of our sponsored ath- players in both the men’s and wom- match against Romania’s Sorana Cir- letes, Bernard Tomic. His opinions in en’s game including Andy Murray, stea. no way refl ect our own attitude for Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapo- The women’s tour said Mattek- tennis, our passion, professionalism va. The company received criticism Sands had suff ered an “acute knee in- and respect for the game,” the com- for standing by Sharapova when she jury” and had been taken to hospital. pany said in a statement. was banned after testing positive for Cirstea questioned why it took so “Therefore, we have decided to use of the substance meldonium. long for the medical team to arrive at discontinue our collaboration with Tomic’s comments were criticised Court 17 which is right next door to the Bernard Tomic.” by many pundits who suggested he tournament’s famed Centre Court. Tomic spoke about his lack of mo- was cheating fans by his attitude. “She was in shock. Her knee was in tivation following his listless 6-3 Women’s nine-time Wimbledon a very weird position. I’ve never seen 6-4 6-3 defeat by Germany’s Mischa winner Martina Navratilova sug- anything like this except in the movies,” Zverev on Tuesday. gested that Tomic’s comments were said Cirstea. “It’s a roller-coaster and I just ungracious and suggested he “stay at “And, yeah, I panicked a little bit, as Switzerland’s Roger Federer serves against Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic on the fourth day of the 2017 Wimbledon can’t seem to fi nd the commitment home”. well. I called for help, but no one was Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon, southwest London, yesterday. to work hard, to enjoy, and to lift tro- “It’s disrespectful to the sport and coming. phies,” he told reporters. “The last disrespectful to the history of the Meanwhile, Djokovic shrugged off long rallies,” said Djokovic. played some inspired stuff .” va who has yet to get beyond the second two years, nothing motivates. sport. If you can’t get motivated at sweltering 30-degree heat to breeze Gulbis, a former top 10 player, sprang The Swiss star next faces German round at the All England Club. “It was defi nitely a mental issue Wimbledon it’s time to fi nd another past outclassed Adam Pavlasek 6-2, a surprise as the world number 589 de- serve-and-volleyer Mischa Zverev. Top seed Angelique Kerber eased out there. Wasn’t mentally and phys- job,” Navratilova said. 6-2, 6-1 to reach the third round. feated former US Open champion Juan The women’s event was thrown wide into the third round with a 7-5, 7-5 win ically there to perform. I don’t know But former world number one The three-time champion brushed Martin del Potro 6-4, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3). open when third seed Karolina Pliskova over Kirsten Flipkens, a former semi- why, but, you know, I felt a little bit Mats Wilander defended Tomic, say- aside the 136rd-ranked Czech to make Third seed Federer continued his crashed to defeat against world number fi nalist. bored out there to be completely ing many other players silently had the last-32 for the ninth year in succes- campaign for a record eighth Wimble- 108 Magdalena Rybarikova. Kerber next faces Shelby Rogers who honest with you,” the 24-year-old the same problems. sion. don title by seeing off world number Rybarikova won 3-6, 7-5, 6-2 on beat Lucie Safarova 6-7 (4/7), 6-4, 6-3 told reporters. “I guarantee you every single play- Djokovic, the second seed whose 79 Dusan Lajovic 7-6 (7/0), 6-3, 6-2 to Centre Court, earning the Slovakian with the Czech possibly still distracted The Australian also conceded that er here at Wimbledon feels or has shock third round loss to Sam Querrey reach the third round for the 15th time. a last 32 clash with Ukraine’s Lesia by the events involving close friend and he had called for medical assistance, felt like Tomic is saying he feels,” the at Wimbledon 12 months ago precipi- “I struggled at the start and couldn’t Tsurenko. doubles partner Mattek-Sands. not because of injury, but in order to Swede told Reuters. “I really appreci- tated a worrying decline in form, will fi nd my rhythm,” said Federer, who “For me, the tournament is over. So Canadian sixth seed Milos Raonic, disrupt the momentum of the game. ate that he was honest about it.” next face Ernests Gulbis. dropped his fi rst service game to trail whatever happens happens. I’m not go- the runner-up to Andy Murray in 2016, Tomic was subsequently fi ned Others have suggested Tomic’s “It was a very warm day, it wasn’t 2-0 to his 79th-ranked opponent. ing to pray for somebody losing or win- beat Russia’s Mikhail Youzhny 3-6, 7-6 11,600 pounds ($15,010.40) for “un- words may refl ect wider issues and easy to play point after point and some “But once I got rid of the nerves I ning. That’s not my thing,” said Plisko- (9/7), 6-4, 7-5. sportsmanlike conduct.” off ered support. CRICKET Ton-up Root turns tide in England’s favour AFP New Zealand’s Kane Williamson — SCORECARD London all of whose Test averages as captain of their respective countries have far outstripped their equivalent fi gure in England 1st Innings 5-190 (Stokes) oe Root marked his fi rst innings ‘the ranks’. A. Cook c de Kock b Philander 3 Bowling: Morkel 16-1-64-1 (6nb); as England captain with a superb Earlier the 26-year-old Root opted K. Jennings lbw b Philander 8 Philander 16-2-46-3 (5nb); Rabada 23-4- 184 not out against South Africa to bat fi rst after the coin fell in his fa- G. Ballance lbw b Morkel 20 94-1 (1nb); Maharaj 22-1-107-0 (1nb); De at Lord’s yesterday. vour. J. Root not out 184 Bruyn 5-1-30-0; Bavuma 5-0-14-0; JEngland were 357 for fi ve at stumps, But a green-tinged pitch gave South South Africa: J. Bairstow lbw b Philander 10 Dean Elgar (capt), Heino having collapsed to 76 for four before Africa’s bowlers hope of early move- B. Stokes c de Kock b Rabada 56 Kuhn, Hashim Amla, JP Duminy, Temba lunch on the fi rst day of the opening ment.Cook had made just three when M. Ali not out 61 Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Test of a four-match series. he was caught behind fl at-footedly Extras (lb2, nb13) 15 Kock (wkt), Vernon Philander, Keshav But Root’s 12th hundred in 54 Tests chasing a Philander ball outside off Total (5 wkts, 87 overs, 392 mins) 357 Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Morne Morkel and third at Lord’s justifi ed his deci- stump. To bat: L Dawson, S Broad, J Anderson, Toss: England sion to bat fi rst after winning the toss in Fellow opener Keaton Jennings, M Wood Umpires: Paul Reiff el (AUS), S Ravi what was England’s fi rst match at this born in South Africa, fell next for eight Fall of wickets: 1-14 (Cook), 2-17 (Jen- (IND) level since he was appointed following on his home debut when lbw to Phi- nings), 3-49 (Ballance), 4-76 (Bairstow), TV umpire: Simon Fry (AUS) Alastair Cook’s resignation as skipper lander, who bowled the Proteas to a in February. series-clinching victory at Lord’s fi ve right back on the rope at long leg. He was ‘bowled’ off a Morne Morkel New vice-captain Ben Stokes made years ago. He had another break when on 16 an no-ball on 44, the fast bowler having 56 and helped turn the tide in a fi fth- The 32-year-old Philander, fi t fol- edged drive off Rabada fl ew through JP only himself to blame for a consider- wicket stand of 114.