MONDAY, JANUARY 20, 2014 SPORTS Ivanovic stuns Serena MELBOURNE: An inspired Ana Ivanovic blew the race for the Australian Open women’s title wide open when she stunned overwhelming favorite Serena Williams in the fourth round at Melbourne Park yesterday. Novak Djokovic was for once forced to cede the spotlight to another Serbian but showed no signs of relinquishing his iron grip on the men’s title and was merciless in his 6-3 6-0 6-2 flogging of Fabio Fognini. Third seed David Ferrer also advanced to the last eight and a meeting with Tomas Berdych and his stripy football shirt, while women’s fourth seed Li Na and Flavia Pennetta set up a last eight clash of 31-year-olds. Li and Pennetta had every reason to expect their path to the final to be blocked by world number one and top seed Williams until Ivanovic secured the biggest shock of the tournament with a 4-6 6-3 6-3 victory on Rod Laver Arena. The Serbian’s win instead sent her through to a quarter-final clash against Canadian teenager Eugenie Bouchard, who ended Australia’s hopes of a home champion when she overcame Casey Dellacqua 6-7 (5-7) 6-2 6-0. “I actually believed,” said Ivanovic, whose mental toughness has been frequently ques- tioned because of her failure to back up her 2008 French Open title. “Going on to the court today, I really just tried to give my best. “I tried to make it a good match. I was very competitive till the last moment and I’m just very thrilled.” Williams was riding high on a winning streak MELBOURNE: Ana Ivanovic of Serbia celebrates, as she won the second set against Samantha of 25 matches going back to the start of last Stosur of Australia during their third round match at the Australian Open tennis champi- year’s US Open and had not lost a single set to onship. —AP Ivanovic in four previous meetings. BUDAPEST: Germany’s Maylin Wende and Daniel Wende compete in the pairs free When the 32-year-old took the first set laughter. “I don’t want to blame anything. I feel winners in a highly impressive display of aggres- skating at the European Figure Skating Championships. — AP despite looking a little lethargic, she seemed to like Ana deserves all the credit. I feel she played sive tennis to overcome Spain’s Tommy Robredo be on her way to a record 62nd victory at the unbelievable today. I think she went for her 6-3 7-6 (3) 7-6 (5) in the final match on Rod Laver Australian Open, where she is 51-1 after going 1- shots. “It’s not like I gave her the match. I tried to Arena. Berdych reached the last eight for the Volosozhar and Trankov 0 up in match. In the second set, though, fight the best I could today.” fourth year in a row at the only grand slam Ivanovic really started to take the game to Djokovic gave his friend of 10 years Fognini where he has never made the semi-finals with- retain pairs title at Euros Williams, attacking the 17-times grand slam absolutely nothing in their 93-minute encounter out having given up a service game let alone a champion’s serve with a success very few have on Rod Laver Arena and still had plenty of ener- set. The seventh seed’s 6-2 6-2 6-3 win over BUDAPEST: Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim onships, Julia Lipnitskaia of Russia became managed and dictating the back court with her gy left at the end to launch into an imperson- Kevin Anderson was his 10th in 10 matches Trankov retained their title in the pairs event the youngest winner of the ladies’ event with forehand. ation of new coach Boris Becker. against the South African and left him with despite a series of errors as the European fig- a poignant performance to John Williams’ Her tally of 20 forehand winners to two for There were no jokes, however, when he was “plenty of gas in the tank” for his next match ure skating championships concluded yester- score to “Schindler’s List” in her free skate. Just Williams told its own tale but, most importantly, asked to assess his form after registering his 28th against David Ferrer, who beat Florian Mayer 6-7 day. Volosozhar and Trankov, skating to music 15 years old, she was spectacular on her once in front in the deciding set, Ivanovic kept victory in a row and reaching the last eight for a (7-5) 7-5 6-2 6-1. Former French Open champion from “Jesus Christ Superstar,” led Russia’s podi- jumps and spins. Another Russian, Adelina her head before serving out to love for the 19th straight grand slam. Li, who reached the final here last year and in um sweep and won despite a performance Sotnikova, was second, repeating her 2013 match. “I really did certain things extremely well “I felt from the start of this tournament that 2011, allowed Ekaterina Makarova not so much that saw both of them fall. The Russian duo result. Italian Carolina Kostner, the defending and I kept her under pressure I felt throughout I’ve been elevating my game as the tournament as a sniff of an upset as she set up meeting with had built a large lead ahead of Sunday’s champion, finished third. Javier Fernandez of the whole match,” the 26-year-old said. “I didn’t is going on. Every match is better,” the second Pennetta by demolishing the Russian 6-2 6-0. finale, following a season-best score in Spain successfully retained his title in the think much about the occasion and who I was seed, who is seeking a fourth straight title, said. Pennetta’s journey to her first Australian Friday’s short program. Volosozhar apolo- men’s event and boosted his chances for a playing, because it can get overwhelming.” “The general feeling on the court, all the Open quarter-final was a bit more complicated gized, promising that “Next time we will try to medal at Sochi. Though his program was not Williams’s four-year quest for a sixth shots, using the court position really well, being and she took 53 minutes longer to beat ninth do better.” flawless, the mistakes, mainly on jumps, did Melbourne title has been bedevilled by injury aggressive, playing my style of the game. seeded German Angelique Kerber 6-1 4-6 7-5. The next time will be at the Olympics in not break the flow of his routine. but she offered no excuses until realising coach “Mentally I was there. I was tough. I was Li had her own particular reason for being Sochi in February. Trankov agreed with his Still, the biggest talking point in the men’s Patrick Mouratoglou had let the cat out of the focused. I feel great about myself in this delighted to face the Italian. “She’s one day older partner. “I hope at the Olympics we will skate field was which Russian skater will be named bag about a back problem she had suffered. moment. Trying to keep it up.” Djokovic next than me, so for once I don’t have to play a like we did at the beginning of the season,” to the only men’s slot available in Sochi for “So he’s the one that’s snitching?” she said to faces eighth seed Stan Wawrinka, who hit 57 younger player,” she beamed. — Reuters Trankov said.Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor the host country. Two Russians flanked Klimov skated without mistakes and surged Fernandez on the podium - Sergei Voronov from fourth after the short program to claim was second and Konstantin Menshov third. silver ahead of Vera Bazarova and Yuri Current Russian national champion Maxim Heat scorch Bobcats Larionov. The respective point totals for the Kovtun was fifth, another disappointing skate three medalists were 220.38, 207.98 and at an international event after placing 17th at 201.61. Volosozhar and Trankov had only the the last world championships. CHARLOTTE: LeBron James had 34 points and second-highest score behind Stolbova and Evgeny Plushenko, the 2006 Olympic eight rebounds, and the Miami Heat beat the Klimov in the free skate but were awarded champ, skipped the Europeans and is sched- Charlotte Bobcats for the 15th straight time, 104-96 top marks for elements including lifts, spins uled to audition at a closed-door session for in overtime Saturday night. and steps and got the gold despite the falls Russian skating officials on Tuesday. The fed- James scored six points in the extra period, and under-rotated jumps. eration’s choice for Sochi is set to be including two driving layups to lift the Heat to their “In our team nobody understands what announced Thursday. second win in two nights. Chris Bosh added 25 has happened. We skated amazing in the In another twist, Russian Sports Minister points and seven rebounds for Miami. practices and in the short program,” said Vitaly Mutko lauded Voronov while also sug- Al Jefferson had 22 points to lead the Bobcats, Trankov, who fell twice. “We were not able to gesting Plushenko was still in the running. who were playing their fourth game in five nights. cope with our program today and I didn’t do “The production Voronov has performed Charlotte lost point guard Kemba Walker in the my job. All the mistakes were my mistakes. “It on the ice here was absolutely amazing, it third quarter with an ankle injury.