FOOTBALL | Page 7 BASKETBALL | Page 5 Arsenal Rivals sense Spurs battle chance to for bragging end US reign rights at World Cup Saturday, August 31, 2019 TENNIS Muharram 1, 1441 AH Townsend sends GULF TIMES Halep packing from US Open SPORT Page 2 TENNIS/US OPEN Federer razor sharp in win over Evans, Nishikori upset Federer, who is seeking his sixth US Open title, rifled 48 winners and 10 aces to see off the overmatched Evans Agencies third seed Karolina Pliskova, New York chasing her fi rst Grand Slam title, advanced to the fourth round by outlasting Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur fter slow starts in his 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. fi rst two US Open Pliskova, the 2016 US Open matches, Roger Fed- runner-up who could fi nish erer took his game up the fortnight as world number Aa notch yesterday with a stress- one, booked a spot in the last 16 free 6-2 6-2 6-1 win over Briton against either British 16th seed Daniel Evans to reach the round Johanna Konta or China’s 33rd- of 16 in New York. seeded Zhang Shuai. The Swiss great was brimming After taking the fi rst set in 26 with confi dence from the start, minutes, Pliskova broke to open taking advantage of the speedy the second. Jabeur, ranked 62nd, hardcourts under the open roof had her right knee retaped and at Arthur Ashe Stadium on a battled back to break Pliskova warm and sunny day. three times in the second set, the Federer, who is seeking his last on a forehand winner to force sixth US Open title, rifl ed 48 a third set. winners and 10 aces to see off the Pliskova broke to start the overmatched Evans, who is now third set and seized another in 0-3 lifetime against the 38-year- the fi fth game on an errant Jabeur old. forehand before advancing on a Federer has had limited court backhand winner after two hours time since his epic defeat to No- and eight minutes. vak Djokovic at the Wimbledon “She improved the game a lot fi nal in July but appeared to shake in the second set, she hit a couple Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic returns a shot to Ons Jabeur off any remaining rust with the unbelievable shots and got into of Tunisia during their third round yesterday. win. her rhythm,” Pliskova said. “I really enjoyed myself today. “Especially had to serve well. Beautiful sky and you guys out Was able to hit a couple aces in Del Potro targets October return from knee injury here also helped,” he said in an the third set which really helped. on-court interview in front of an Physically it was quite a tough New York: Former US Open tweeted. adoring crowd. battle. It was important to win champion Juan Martin del Po- The injury-plagued 30-year- Next up for third seeded Fed- so it doesn’t matter how I feel. So tro said yesterday he expects old was forced to miss this erer is a meeting with either Pa- pleased to be through.” to make his return from a year’s US Open after finishing blo Carreno Busta or David Gof- Pliskova, 27, is battling top- broken right kneecap in Octo- runner-up to Novak Djokovic fi n, and Federer said he would not ranked defending champion ber at the ATP tournament in in the 2018 final. underestimate either opponent. Naomi Osaka of Japan and Aus- Stockholm. He first fractured his kneecap “They are both really quality tralia’s second-ranked Ashleigh Del Potro, the 2009 cham- last October when he fell dur- baseliners,” he said, adding that Barty, the French Open winner, pion from Argentina, has not ing a match at the Shanghai he expected the 15th seed Goffi n for the world number one spot. played since slipping and Masters. Del Potro is a two- to come out on top in his tie with Barty, who faces Greek 30th hurting his knee on the grass time winner of the Stockholm the Spaniard. seed Maria Sakkari later, has the in the Wimbledon tune-up at Open, which runs from Octo- “I expect it to be tough, not like inside track because Osaka has so Queen’s in June. He under- ber 14 to 20, and also claimed today anyway.” many points to defend. went surgery before returning the 2012 title in Vienna, Meanwhile, Australia’s Alex Osaka must win the title to home to begin his recovery. where he plans to compete de Minaur knocked out 2014 US have any chance at staying on top “I’m very happy to tell you the following week. Del Potro Open fi nalist Kei Nishikori the while Pliskova must reach at least that I’ll play in Stockholm and reached a career high of third third round to collect his fi rst the semi-fi nals. Vienna in October. These two in the world but is currently victory over a top-10 player. Former world number one Ser- tournaments are very special ranked 16th, although he will Roger Federer of Switzerland celebrates his The 20-year-old Aussie, ena Williams resumes her quest to me, as I had the chance to tumble down the standings win over Daniel Evans of Great Britain on day ranked 38th, advanced 6-2, for a 24th career Grand Slam win both of them,” Del Potro after the US Open. five of the US Open at the USTA Billie Jean King 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 in just under three title to equal Margaret Court’s National Tennis Center in New York yesterday. hours. De Minaur will face Bul- all-time record when she meets garia’s Grigor Dimitrov or Polish 44th-ranked Czech Karolina times a US Open champion, has last won a Slam crown at the 2017 lucky loser Kamil Majchrzak in Muchova in a third round match- been a runner-up in three of the Australian Open while pregnant the last 16. up at Arthur Ashe Stadium. past fi ve Slams, falling to Osaka and hasn’t won the US Open title In women’s action, Czech The 37-year-old American, six in last year’s US Open fi nal. She since 2014. CRICKET England great Anderson out of Ashes series AFP But after bowling during a sec- fi ve-match contest after Ben statement added. reer could be over, although the Derby, United Kingdom ond XI match against Durham Stokes’s stunning 135 not saw “Further review with the ECB prospect of becoming the fi rst this week he has been declared them to a dramatic one-wicket medical team has confi rmed that fast bowler to 600 wickets in the unfi t for the fi nal two Tests of the win in the third Test at Heading- he will be unavailable for the re- format may spur him on to make ngland star James An- series. ley last week. maining two Specsavers Ashes a comeback on England’s up- derson has been ruled On the same day Australia had “England and Lancashire Tests.” coming tours of New Zealand and out of the remainder of better news, with star batsman seamer James Anderson has Anderson has taken 575 wick- South Africa. the Ashes series with Steve Smith proving his fi tness been ruled out for the rest of the ets in 149 Tests at 26.94. England have now added Som- Ea calf injury, in a blow to home by batting in his fi rst competitive Specsavers Ashes series,” said an His tally is the most by any erset quick Craig Overton into a hopes of winning the series game since suff ering concussion England and Wales Cricket Board quick bowler, with Anderson 13-man squad for the fourth Test. against Australia. after being felled by fast bowler statement issued Friday. fourth in the all-time list of lead- Anderson, England’s all-time Jofra Archer in the second Ashes “Whilst bowling in the ninth ing Test wicket-takers. England squad: leading wicket-taker, has not test. over on Thursday in Lancashire’s And his new-ball partnership Rory Burns (Surrey), Jason Roy bowled in the series since break- Smith, in the middle for 47 second XI four-day friend- with Stuart Broad is the most- (Surrey), Joe Root (Yorkshire, ing down with the injury after minutes in Australia’s three-day ly against Durham at Chester successful in Tests between two capt), Joe Denly (Kent), Ben delivering just four overs in Aus- match against Derbyshire, faced Boughton Hall Cricket Club, An- fast bowlers — they have taken Stokes (Durham), Jonny Bairstow tralia’s 251-run win in the fi rst 38 balls and struck two fours on derson became aware of right calf more than 850 wickets in games (Yorkshire, wkt), Jos Buttler Test at Edgbaston. his way to a total of 23 before he pain following on from 20 overs together. (Lancashire), Chris Woakes (War- The 37-year-old Lancashire was caught out. Not a great in- he had bowled on Tuesday. Anderson may now have made wickshire), Jofra Archer (Sussex), paceman had tried to get fi t for nings but a morale booster for the “He immediately sought a his fi nal Ashes appearance given Stuart Broad (Nottinghamshire), the fourth Test at his Old Traf- tourists. medical assessment from Lan- he will be 39 by the time England Jack Leach (Somerset), Sam ford home ground starting on England will travel to Man- cashire and was withdrawn from tour Australia in 2021/22.