WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 28, 2019 16 Serena proves too strong for Sharapova Serena Williams wins 6-1, 6-1 over Maria Sharapova in 59 minutes

Reuters | New York on to serve out the set. Sharapova had a glorious erena Williams trounced chance to break Williams and old foe Maria Sharapova work her way back into the S6-1 6-1 in their blockbuster match in the fourth game of the first-round clash at the U.S. Open second set but at 15-40 she let on Monday to get her quest for KNOW WHAT the opportunity pass her by. a record-tying 24th Grand Slam The Russian sent a service title off to a flying start. return into the net on her first Williams, returning to the Serena Williams chance before Williams fought U.S. Open after last year’s in - defeated Maria Shara- off the next one with a sublime famous final in which her row backhand winner that whizzed with the chair umpire overshad- pova for the 19th past a charging Sharapova. owed Naomi Osaka’s maiden straight time She had three more break Grand Slam victory, used her points while trailing 4-1 but was trademark power to overwhelm unable to convert. Sharapova in the first New York “I went through a shoulder meeting between two of the jury-hit season that included procedure about four months sport’s biggest names. shoulder surgery in February. ago. Eighth seed Williams showed Williams, dialed-in through- To find myself playing at a no signs of the back spasms that out the 59-minute encounter, got night match at the U.S. Open forced her to retire in tears from the first break of the match to go with people excited about the the Toronto final two weeks ago ahead 3-1 and that appeared to matchup, it’s a pretty big deal. and instead showcased some free up the six-time champion’s I’m fortunate to be a part of of her best on-court movement playing style as she did not give that,” said Sharapova. Serena Williams returns a shot to Maria Sharapova since returning from maternity Sharapova any chance to wrestle “It’s easy to be discouraged leave in 2018. ball somehow lands in my strike earned her breakout win against but it quickly became apparent away momentum. after a match like this. But if I’m “I just feel like her game really zone. I don’t know. It’s just per- Williams in that year’s Wimble- she simply did not have the same The 37-year-old Williams, fac- personally discouraged, I wake matches up well against mine,” fect for me.” don final, came out firing right high gear she used to collect five ing Sharapova for the first time up tomorrow, I don’t feel like I said Williams, who improved The rivals, who have had a from the start. Grand Slam titles. since the 2016 Australian Open, want to go out, train, be better, to 20-2 in career meetings with frosty relationship that dates Sharapova did her best to The Russian has fallen to 87th kept pressing and grabbed a dou- that’s more discouraging than the Russian. “I always said her back to 2004 when Sharapova trade big shots with Williams in the rankings during an in - ble-break for a 5-1 lead and went the result.” Barty fights back after ‘appalling’ start Dynamite debut: Lukaku scores as Conte’s Inter AFP | New York “I probably would have pre- time to kind of break her down women’s doubles title alongside ferred if it was a little bit more in the end.” CoCo Vandeweghe a year ago. eigning French Open straightforward, but, yeah, Barty is favourite to regain the “It was cool. A bit of a unique reign starts in style champion Ashleigh Barty happy the way we were able number one ranking after the feeling, bizarre feeling walk- Rshook off an “appalling” to fight through that and find a Flushing Meadows fortnight, ing back out on to Arthur Ashe. first set to defeat Kazakhstan’s way after a pretty awful start,” with incumbent Naomi Osaka, It was really cool. Different Zarina Diyas 1-6, 6-3, 6-2 Mon- said Barty. Wimbledon champion Simona to what it felt like during that day in the first round of the US “I think I just didn’t give my- Halep and Kristina Pliskova also match,” said Barty. Open. self a chance in that first set. in contention. “Obviously it was an incredi- The Australian second seed Sort of appalling, probably made Her opening match was Bar- ble atmosphere, and then walk- advanced to a second-round a set’s worth of errors. I think ty’s first singles outing on the ing out to practice obviously has match against America’s 73rd- it was just nice to kind of lock cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadi- a bit of a different buzz. ranked Lauren Davis. down a little bit. It took some um court, where she lifted the “Incredible memories from my time here in New York last year, an extremely good fort- night of tennis, both in singles and doubles. “I’m just glad we’re off to a good start here and now we can start really getting our teeth Inter Milan’s Belgian forward Romelu Lukaku (C) outruns Lecce’s Slovenian stuck into the tournament.” midfielder Zan Majer The 23-year-old, who during a break from tennis played crick- AFP | Milan strike for his 15th goal in his et for the Brisbane Heat in the sixth season with Inter. Women’s Big Bash League four elgian forward Romelu But another new signing years ago, has also been keeping BLukaku scored on his In- Stefano Sensi, a summer loan a close eye on the ongoing Ash- ter Milan debut as new coach from Sassuolo, also found a es series between England and Antonio Conte’s reign got off way through three minutes Australia. to a perfect start with a 4-0 later. England levelled the five- win over promoted Lecce on Lecce played the last quarter match showdown with an Monday. of an hour a man down after incredible one-wicket win at “There was a spark, but now Brazilian Diego Farias saw red Headingley on Sunday, as Ben we must become dynamite,” in his first game for a studs on Stokes produced one of the said Conte as he begins his tackle on his former Cagliari greatest innings in Test histo- campaign to topple eight-time teammate Nicolo Barella. ry with a remarkable 135 not holders Juventus. Antonio Candreva blasted Ashleigh Barty of Australia returns the ball against Zarina Diyas of Kazakhstan out. Lukaku -- a 65 million euros in the fourth goal on 84 min- ($73 million) summer signing utes, allowing Inter to match from Manchester United -- champions Juventus and run- scored the third goal on the ners-up Napoli who both won Cantona to be honoured with UEFA President’s Award hour mark at the San Siro. their opening league matches A blunder by Lecce goal - at the weekend. AFP | Lausanne, Switzerland Cantona is the third Man - France but retired before the keeper Gabriel parried the ball Juventus beat Parma 1-0, chester United player to receive 1998 World Cup triumph. into the path of Lautaro Mar- with Napoli edging a sev - ormer Manchester Unit- the award after Bobby Charlton His career, which ran from tinez allowing Lukaku to finish en-goal thriller at Fiorentina Fed and France legend Eric in 2008 and David Beckham 1983 when he first played for off. The 26-year-old turned 4-3. Cantona is to receive the UEFA last year. Auxerre to 1997, often courted and took a bow in front of the “We started off well with President’s Award at the Cham- “This award not only rec - controversy. jubilant Inter fans among the the right intensity and desire, pions League draw in Monaco ognises his career as a player In 1988 Cantona was tem - 65,000 crowd. respecting the idea of what I on Thursday. of the highest calibre, but also porarily suspended from the “Lukaku entered the world wanted,” said Conte. The 53-year-old, who won honours him for the person he French national team for calling of Inter in the best way, with “Then at 2-0 I didn’t like five English championships is -- a man who refuses com- team manager Henri Michel a great humility,” said Conte. what I saw from the lads. Too with Leeds and Manchester promise, who stands up for his “bag of s**t”. “He’s a gentle giant, a giant relaxed, losing intensity under United in the 1990s and two values, who speaks his mind In 1995 he was banned from with a smile. He is ready to pressure. French titles with Mar - and in particular puts his heart football for eight months and work for the team. But not only “We need to improve both seille, joins an illustrious and his soul into supporting stripped of the France captaincy Romelu, Lautaro also played mentally and physically but I list of previous recipients the causes he believes in,” said after attacking a Crystal Palace very well.” am very happy and satisfied, I which includes Johann Cruy- UEFA president Aleksander supporter who was jeering Can- Croatian Marcelo Brozovic like working with these guys ff, Alfredo Di Stefano and Eric Cantona plays a pass during a Ceferin. tona after the Frenchman was had opened the scoring after who have always shown great Eusebio. charity football match (file photo) Cantona played 45 times for sent off. 21 minutes with a powerful commitment.