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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2016 SPORTS Zain sponsors Kuwait’s National Jet Ski team for sixth consecutive year KUWAIT: Zain, the leading telecommunications The National Jet Ski team is authorized by the company in Kuwait, announced its main sponsorship Kuwait Sea Sport Club to officially represent Kuwait of the Kuwait National Jet Ski team for the sixth con- in regional and international Jet Ski championships. secutive year. The company’s sponsorship will extend The team champions won a number of prominent during the team’s participation in the upcoming titles during past participations, most notably many World Jet Ski Championship 2016 that will be held first place titles of last year’s World Jet Ski early October in the United States. Championship, held in the United States. Zain’s sponsorship falls under its solid Corporate The company expressed its pride in all National Sustainability and Social Responsibility strategy teams that raise the Kuwaiti flag high by achieving towards the youth and sports sectors as well as sup- top international titles, and it further confirms its porting Kuwaiti athletes. The company further commitment towards Kuwaiti champions, which expressed its keenness on encouraging Kuwaiti ath- resembles the company’s endless confidence of the letes to represent Kuwait in the various international- competencies of these young athletes and their ly renowned championships. capabilities in excelling in different fields. Zain expressed its utmost confidence in the tal- As a leading telecommunications company in ents of the Kuwaiti youth. The company’s officials Kuwait, Zain is constantly looking to identify and were present with the team in Kuwait International support excellence across the sports sector. The Airport before their departure to the United States, company will continue to put Kuwaiti National teams where they expressed Zain’s wishes of the best of and individual athletes at the forefront of its priori- luck to the team on their upcoming participation in ties and pledges to continue motivating them to the World Jet Ski Championship. achieve all the recognition they deserve. Zain Jetski Team 2016 Serena will come back strong, warns new number one Kerber WUHAN: Newly minted world number one Williams pulled out of the Wuhan Open Angelique Kerber warned yesterday that and next week’s China Open in Beijing on Serena Williams will come back strong after Friday, almost guaranteeing that Kerber the German stripped her of her long-held will end the year as world number one. position atop the rankings. “I am sure that But the 28-year-old-the oldest ever she (Williams) will (be) coming back strong,” women’s player to debut at the top of the Kerber told AFP in Wuhan, China. rankings-isn’t letting the pressure of her Williams was gunning for her 23rd new position get to her. “The ranking... it’s Grand Slam title at the US Open-that would just a number,” she said. have taken her past the record she shares “I was always telling myself if that day with Steffi Graf-when she was cut down by will come... then that would happen, but (I 11th-ranked Karolina Pliskova in the semis. was) not putting too much pressure on The Czech’s victory ensured that Kerber, myself.” That was also a tip she was given by who had been snapping at Williams’ heels mentor Graf, who Kerber met for a few days for weeks, would rise to number one. in Las Vegas, where the tennis idol lives The German then went on to beat with her husband Andre Agassi, after her Pliskova in the final to claim her second Australian Open triumph. Grand Slam title of the year. Williams’ slip “Actually she was just telling me to from the number one spot in September enjoy everything, to work hard and believe also denied her a second record: the in yourself. So actually nothing new but it’s American veteran had topped the rankings of course a little bit different to hear it from for 186 weeks-a run Graf also matched.And her,” said Kerber. For now, for the left-han- that double slight is sure to motivate der, the plan is more of the same. Williams’ to come back strong, said Kerber. “This is my game... this is also what “She will try to win some more Grand brings me (to) where I am right now. Slams and write history for sure,” she said. I will not change it.” — AFP Zverev wins St Petersburg Open MOSCOW: German teenager Alexander levelled the match by taking the second Zverev won his first ATP Tour singles title against the world number 27. with a 6-2 3-6 7-5 upset win over Things looked to be going Wawrinka’s Switzerland’s world number three Stan way when he led with a break in the third Wawrinka at the St Petersburg Open yester- but Zverev, who had lost his previous two day. Top seed Wawrinka, playing in his first ATP finals, was not going to let history tournament since winning the US Open, repeat itself a third time. TORONTO: Sergei Bobrovsky #72 of Team Russia reacts as Team Canada celebrates a third period goal by John Tavares #20 at the semifi- was shocked by the fifth-seeded 19-year- The big right hander produced some nal game during the World Cup of Hockey tournament at Air Canada Centre on Saturday in Toronto, Canada. Team Canada defeated Team old who quickly took the opening set. excellent tennis to storm back and claim Russia 5-3. — AFP The Swiss, who was looking for his fifth victory in just under two hours and 30 min- Canada rolls over Russia title in what has been an excellent season, utes. — Reuters to reach World Cup final TORONTO: Sidney Crosby was at his best on it. “That’s why he’s one of the best goalies in the a game in which it gave up more than twice as one of hockey’s biggest stages. Again. Crosby world,” teammate Alex Ovechkin said. “He many shots as it put on the Price-protected net scored once and assisted on both of Brad played unbelievable. When they score, it’s not until pulling their goalie late to add an extra Marchand’s goals, including the winner early his mistake. He gave us a chance.” skater in a nothing-to-lose attempt to get back the third period, to help Canada beat Russia 5-3 Nikita Kucherov made it 1-all midway in the game. Artemi Panarin scored with 9 sec- on Saturday night in the World Cup of Hockey through the first and Evgeny Kuznetsov put onds left, making the score look slightly more semifinals. Russia ahead 2-1 with 3:36 left in the second. respectable. “He always comes up big in the big games,” Crosby, a two-time Olympic gold medalist The Russians were without one of their top Marchand said. The Canadians will face the win- and two-time Stanley Cup champion, made a players, Pavel Datsyuk , because of a lower-body ner of Sweden -Team Europe game in the best- cross-crease pass to set up Marchand for his injury. of-three finals that will start tomorrow night. tying goal just 1:12 after Russia went ahead. As usual in a matchup of NHL superstars, “We’re going to be measured on what hap- In the dressing room after two periods, Crosby came out on top against Ovechkin. It pens next,” said coach Mike Babcock, who has Babcock delivered a brief message. “There’s no looked as if it might end up that way even helped Canada win gold at the last two Winter chance they can keep up if we keep doing what before the puck dropped. Both captains were Olympics. we’re doing,” Babcock recalled telling his team. called the center ice for a goodwill gesture, pair- Crosby opened the scoring at 7:40 into the ing them up with young boys on skates holding game on a spectacular sequence, showing he GAME’S BIGGEST STARS flags that represented each country. has plenty of energy despite having a brief sum- The Russians, and perhaps any other team, While Crosby put his arm around the young- mer between winning the Stanley Cup and may not have much of an opportunity to win ster next to him, a stone-faced Ovechkin stood competing in the World Cup. against a Crosby-led team with some of the with his gloves at his side. “It was short, but exciting, knowing we were game’s biggest stars. Crosby helped the host Canadians crush the coming here,” he said. Crosby skated hard into With a chance to take a pivotal lead in the Ovechkin-led Russians 7-3 in the quarterfinals a corner, forcing Alexey Marchenko to give up third, Crosby chose to give up the puck, not of the 2010 Vancouver Games. Four years later, the puck earlier than he wanted. Dmitry shoot it. He deftly dropped a pass to Marchand with a chance at redemption at the Winter Kulikov ended up with the puck in the left cir- atop the left circle to assist on the game-win- Olympics in Russia, Ovechkin couldn’t do cle, but didn’t have it long because Crosby ning goal 1:16 into the third. enough to help his team get past the quarterfi- snatched it away. Corey Perry gave Canada a two-goal cushion nals while Crosby and the Canadians earned Crosby made the puck dance on both sides at 5:48 of the third and John Tavares made it 4-2 gold again. Ovechkin is also left waiting and of his stick as he skated across the front of the midway through the period.