NBA | Page 5 Leonard, Raptors rally, move within one Tel: 4498 6498 E-mail: [email protected] win of Finals web: www.garminqatar.com Saturday, May 25, 2019 FOOTBALL Ramadan 20, 1440 AH Liverpool defeat GULF TIMES has ruined Barca’s season, says Messi SPORT Page 3 TENNIS Djoko ready to fi re at Roland Garros as landmark beckons ‘This is the tournament I was preparing for, so to say, for last couple of months I wanted to peak in this tournament’ Reuters Paris Federer admits he’s stepping into the unknown in Paris orld number one Novak Djokovic be- Reuters “I feel like I’m playing good ten- lieves he is peak- Paris nis but... is it enough against the ing at the perfect absolute top guys when it really Wmoment to win four successive comes to the crunch? I’m not Grand Slam titles for the second aving won 20 grand slam sure if it’s in my racket. time in his career by capturing titles during a glittering “But I hope I can get myself the French Open. Hcareer, one might think in that position deep down in The Serb became the fi rst man that Roger Federer has seen the tournament against the since Rod Laver in 1969 to hold it all. top guys. But first I need to all four Grand Slams simultane- Yet the 37-year-old Swiss admits get there and I know that’s a ously when he won the French he is stepping into the unknown challenge in itself. Yeah, it’s Open for the fi rst time in 2016. as he returns to the French definitely going to be an excit- Now he stands on the cusp of Open after a three-year hiatus. ing tournament mentally to go doing it again, less than a year af- The former world number one through.” ter many predicted his best days won his only Roland Garros title Federer will kick off his cam- were behind him after his strug- back in 2009, and he wanted to paign against Italian Lorenzo gle to recover from elbow surgery. give it another go after skipping Sonego and has a relatively After a dip in form following his the last three editions of the easy path until the quarter- Australian Open triumph this year, claycourt major. finals, where he could meet the 15-times Grand Slam winner Asked if he thought he could lift Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas before has impressed on the European the Musketeers’ Cup on June 9, a potential semi-final against claycourts, winning the Madrid ti- Federer replied: “I don’t know. 11-time champion Rafael Nadal, tle and reaching the fi nal in Rome A bit of a question mark for me. whom he has never beaten at where he was beaten by French Some ways I feel similar to may- the French Open. Open holder Rafael Nadal. be the Australian Open in 2017. A Federer won the title in 2009 He arrived at Roland Garros in bit of the unknown,” Federer told after Nadal had been beaten by peak condition and high on con- reporters yesterday referring to Swede Robin Soderling midway fi dence. his comeback to the season’s first through the event. Federer then “This is the tournament I was major in 2017 after being out of defeated Soderling in the final preparing for, so to say, for last action for six months. to complete his career slam. couple of months I wanted to peak in this tournament and this is where I want to play my best Rafael Nadal (left) of Spain is congratulated by Novak Djokovic of Serbia after winning during their ATP Masters tournament in Rome on Sunday. tennis,” Djokovic told reporters Djokovic has said that Nadal is the favourite to win the tournament at Roland Garros. (AFP) yesterday. “I’m sure I’m not the only one, Cecchinato in the quarter-fi nals The 32-year-old said he had to reach the top of my potential “He’s lost, what, two times in but there’s extra motivation and — then angrily walking into a press tweaked his strategy in recent physically, emotionally, mentally his career on Parisian clay? So lots incentive to win Roland Garros conference saying he was consid- months to peak at the Grand for the Grand Slam.” of respect for him. We had a good because of the opportunity to ering skipping Wimbledon. Slams. “Because at this stage of Djokovic said Nadal was the match in Rome. He was a better hold all four slams, something I Instead he regrouped and took my career, those are the ones that favourite to claim a record-ex- player. Was just too strong.” did three years ago, and that gives the title a few weeks later on the matter the most for me,” Djoko- tending 12th title in Paris. Djokovic faces a tricky opener me enough reason to believe I can London lawns, before winning vic added. “I think it wouldn’t be fair to against Poland’s 43rd-ranked do it again.” the US Open and this year’s Mel- “Those are the tournaments pick anybody else but him as the Hubert Hurkacz with a possible Last year in Paris Djokovic bourne title to reach 15 Grand where I want to play my best. So main favourite, because he has second-round against Sam Quer- showed glimpses of his best form Slam titles — fi ve behind the we try to obviously set up a train- won this tournament so many rey, the American who beat him at before falling to Italian Marco mark of Roger Federer. ing schedule that would allow me times,” he added. Wimbledon three years ago. CRICKET Pakistan’s Azam primed to thrive under World Cup spotlight Reuters Bengaluru England’s Morgan injures fi nger in practice Reuters “England captain Eoin Morgan omparisons with Virat Bengaluru has sustained a small flake Kohli have been a stum- fracture to his left index finger,” bling block for many ECB said in a statement. batsmen in world cricket ngland captain Eoin Mor- “Morgan picked up the injury Cbut Pakistan’s Babar Azam has gan has sustained a small during catching practice... he embraced the challenge whole- Eflake fracture on his finger will not take part in the match heartedly and will carry his coun- but the injury will not aff ect his (against Australia)... but is ex- try’s hopes at the World Cup. participation in the World Cup pected to make a full recovery Pakistan head coach Mickey starting on May 30, the England and be available for England’s Arthur fi rst mentioned Azam, the and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) opening World Cup match world’s top-ranked Twenty20 in- said yesterday. against South Africa.” ternational batsman, in the same Morgan picked up the injury The ECB did not say if Morgan breath as Indian skipper Kohli ear- to his left index finger during would play in another warm-up ly last year, based on the 24-year- training at the Hampshire Bowl clash against Afghanistan on old’s potential across formats. ahead of today’s warm-up Monday. Azam’s international career is match against world champi- Favourites England begin their just over 100 matches old, but his ons Australia and was sent to a World Cup campaign against prowess with the bat has already hospital to have a precautionary South Africa on the opening day broken several records. X-ray. of the tournament. He is the fastest batsman to reach 1,000 T20I runs, taking 26 strike rate is around 80 and he fact that the team needs more mands more aggression. innings to get there and dethron- Pakistan’s Babar Azam scored a century in the 2019 Cricket World Cup warm-up match against Afghanistan knows he needs to increase that, runs in the middle overs. “If I can be number one in the ing Kohli in the process. in Bristol, England, yesterday. (AFP) as do some of the other batsmen That again encourages com- world without power hitting, He also reached 1,000 ODI and we’ve spoken about that.” parisons with Kohli, who has then I don’t need power hitting,” runs in 21 innings, a record he khar Zaman broke it last year. sluggish conditions in the Unit- in the world,” Arthur said of the Pakistan have come up short often had to hold a thin Indian he said. “But when I need to, I shared with an elite group of Azam’s classy stroke-making ed Arab Emirates, the national right-handed batsman. “If he’s since the start of 2019, beaten by middle order together and use utilise it well. players, including West Indies has provided the platform for his team’s adopted home. getting us a 100, we’re comfort- South Africa, Australia and Eng- every opportunity to score in the “My individual role is to take great Viv Richards and England record-breaking run spree, and “We have some serious bats- able we have the batsmen around land. Some impressive totals on powerplays. the innings as deep as I can and power-hitter Kevin Pietersen, he often single-handedly drives men in our team but he has the him to get 300-320. small grounds against England Azam is confi dent he can perform in a way that benefi ts the until his Pakistan teammate Fa- Pakistan to competitive totals in ability to be as good as anyone “Over the last two years, his this month do not disguise the switch gears if the situation de- team most.” Gulf Times 2 Saturday, May 25, 2019 CRICKET ROUND-UP SPOTLIGHT Windies bank on Afghanistan, SA pick Gayle storm to blow away rivals up warm-up wins Reuters ries might be a little longer, but Cary, North Carolina will nevertheless be well within his reach.