Serena 'Ready to Go' Says Fed Cup Captain Rinaldi
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SPORTS Friday, February 9, 2018 21 SL bounce back as bowlers dominateDhaka openingbalanced day because we have to ri Lanka hit back with four take another six wickets, we wickets after being bowled have to bat another innings BRIEF SCORE outS for 222 as bowlers led by and we have to bowl them out Bangladesh 56 for 4 (Liton 24*, Bangladesh spinner Abdur in another innings,” said Sri Lakmal 2-15) trail Sri Lanka222 Razzak dominated day one of Lanka batting coach Thilan (Mendis 68, Roshen 56, Razzak 4-63, the second Test in Dhaka on Samaraweera. Taijul 4-83) by 166 runs Thursday. “For me, I think we were Razzak, making a Test return 30 runs short. Normally, on a after four years, and fellow Dhaka wicket 240, 250 is a very result-oriented wicket and the left-arm spinner Taijul Islam good score,” he said. match, given its current state, claimed four wickets each to Earlier 35-year-old Razzak may not go in to the fifth day,” wrap up the Sri Lankan innings returned impressive figures Razzak said after opening day’s shortly after tea. of 4-63 to land the opening play. Sri Lanka paceman punch for Bangladesh after the “It wasn’t an unplayable Suranga Lakmal then picked visitors elected to bat first. wicket in a larger sense. This up two wickets to leave the Taijul complemented type of turn is evident in a lot hosts tottering at 56-4 at Razzak’s effort and claimed of places. It wasn’t stopping or stumps. Liton Das, on 24, and the final wicket of Roshen keeping low,” he said. nightwatchman Mehedi Miraz, Silva, who made 56 after Kusal Razzak, who played the on five, were batting at close Mendis top-scored with 68 for last of his previous 12 Tests of play. the Sri Lanka. in 2014, struck three times in Lakmal drew first blood Bangladesh’s Abdur Razzak (2nd L) celebrates with team- Silva was involved in the morning session including after taking a return catch off mates after the dismissal of Sri Lanka’s Dinesh Chandimal two dogged partnerships getting skipper Dinesh his own bowling to remove with Perera (31) and Akila Chandimal for a first-ball duck. Tamim Iqbal for four in just run out in the very next over Test in Chittagong, returned before Dilruwan Perera ended Dananjaya (20) against a Mendis brought up his 50 in the third ball of the Bangladesh that left the hosts in trouble. without scoring. the brief resistance of Imrul persistent Bangladesh bowling 81 balls with a six off Taijul but innings. Haque, who scored centuries in Lakmal then bowled Kayes, who made 19. attack. Razzak rocked Sri Lanka with But it was Mominul Haque’s both innings of the drawn first Mushfiqur Rahim for one “I think the game is still “I think it is definitely a two wickets in two balls. (AFP) Serena ‘ready to go’ says Federer to bid Fed Cup captain Rinaldi for number Washington against the Netherlands, captain skipped this year’s opening grand erena Williams will be “ready Kathy Rinaldi said on Wednesday. slam due to concerns about her one spot in to go” when she returns to Williams has not played a WTA fitness four months after giving Saction this week in the United tournament since she won the birth to her first child. Rinaldi said States’ Fed Cup first round tie Australian Open title last year and she expects Williams, who was Rotterdam named in the U.S. squad that will compete on an indoor hard court in Asheville, North Carolina, to make a smooth transition in her return to competitive tennis. “Serena’s just coming back. She played an exhibition in (December) and it’s incredible,” Rinaldi told a news conference at the U.S. Cellular Center in Asheville. “It’s a quick turnaround after having her first child. She’s very Roger Federer has the world number one ranking within his sights professional and she has a lot of Paris “I remember playing for the first time pride for playing for her country. oger Federer announced on in 1999 as it was one of the first events She’ll be ready to go.” Wednesday that he will play in next where I got the chance to play at the Williams, 36, has played once week’sR ATP event in Rotterdam, where a highest level. since winning an Open-era record run to the semi-finals would make him “It feels good to join in the celebrations 23rd grand slam singles title in the oldest-ever world number one. of the 45th edition.” Melbourne last year, losing to The 20-time Grand Slam champion is American Andre Agassi has held the Roland Garros champion Jelena 155 points behind old rival Rafael Nadal record as the oldest top-ranked men’s Ostapenko in an exhibition match in the rankings, with 180 points up for player in history since achieving the feat in Abu Dhabi last December. grabs for reaching the last four in the aged 33 years and 131 days in 2003. For Williams, this weekend Netherlands. Federer could beat Agassi’s mark by will mark the first time she It will be the 36-year-old’s first more than three years. has competed in a Fed tournament since winning a record- The Swiss great completes a Cup tie since April 2015. equalling sixth Australian Open title last strong field for the Rotterdam event, Tennis player Serena Williams She owns a 13-0 singles month with a five-set victory over Marin joining compatriot Stan Wawrinka, attends the 2017 Glamour Women record and 3-1 doubles Cilic. world number four Grigor Dimitrov, of the Year Awards at the Kings record in Fed Cup competition. “The tournament is special for Alexander Zverev and defending Theater in Brooklyn, New York (Reuters) me,” Federer, a two-time winner in champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Rotterdam, said in a statement. draw. (AFP).