Nadal and Sharapova Stumble at Indian Wells
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SPORTS WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2014 Photo of the day Nadal and Sharapova stumble at Indian Wells INDIAN WELLS: Rafa Nadal and Maria Murray lost the opening set despite el is. Even if I won 6 and 6 today, I just Sharapova were both knocked out of going up an early break but then strug- feel like I was calm and served for the the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells gled on serve against the left-handed set. on Monday after stunning upsets at Vesely, ranked 77th in the world. “Okay, got broken. Still managed to one of the world’s biggest tourna- The Scotsman was broken six times stay calm. Down ... in the second; ments outside the four grand slams. in the match and trailed in both the stayed calm and came back. So those Nadal was sent packing by Ukraine’s second and third sets but fought back are the moments where you feel there Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5) each time, reeling off four consecutive is confidence around somewhere.” after Sharapova fell to Italian qualifier games to seal victory. Australian Open champion Stanislas Camila Giorgi 6-3 4-6 7-5 as last year’s “It was just one of those matches Wawrinka extended his unbeaten run men’s and women’s singles champions where there wasn’t one period where I this year to 13 matches with a ruthless both crashed out. Nadal blew a 4-2 thought that the level of tennis from 6-0 6-2 win over Italy’s Andreas Seppi lead in the deciding tiebreak after the both of us was high at the same time,” in just 49 minutes before joining forces Spaniard had fought his way back from said Murray. with Federer in the doubles. 5-2 down in the deciding third set. “That can create a lot of breaks and China’s Li Na, the top seed in the “I wanted to play very well here. I a lot of sort of back and forth swings in women’s draw, had no problems book- had good success in this tournament the match. It wasn’t just the start of the ing her place in the fourth round, beat- in the past, a tournament I always feel match that was frustrating. The whole ing Karolina Pliskova of the Czech good about,” said Nadal, who will now match was.” Republic 6-3 6-4. turn his attention to the Sony Open in Murray will play Canada’s big-serv- Despite dishing up nine double- south Florida. ing Milos Raonic in the next round as faults and having her own service bro- “I’m going to keep working hard to try to be ready to play better in Miami.” Nadal beat Dolgopolov in the final of the inaugural Rio Open last month but Aaron Hadlow performs during a road trip at Shark Bay in Cape Town, South Africa the Ukrainian got his revenge on the on February 13, 2014. — www.redbullcontentpool.com world number one in the Californian desert. “I feel great, as after every win, of course. I beat the defending champion and the number one in the world,” said Vettel lags behind off Dolgopolov, whose next opponent is Fabio Fognini after the Italian saved two match points in a 6-2 3-6 7-5 win track as well as on it over Frenchman Gael Monfils. Giorgi, a 22-year-old ranked 79th in the world, made the fourth round of LONDON: Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso Ferrari this season after leaving the highest levels of interest in any F1 the US Open last year as a qualifier, but is Formula One’s most marketable sport and then making a comeback team,” added Geach. her win over the world number five driver with Red Bull’s Sebastian Vettel with Lotus, rated higher than Vettel in “With races screened across 160 Russian was the biggest of her career. only fourth despite winning the last awareness but below him in overall global markets to a cumulative global “I did not play a good match at all,” four world championships, according marketability. TV audience of 1.8 billion, one can said Sharapova, who dropped serve to a report published yesterday. The “It may be a surprise to some that see the importance this can have on eight times and committed 58 report by global sports marketing globally, Sebastian Vettel does not perception.” unforced errors. INDIAN WELLS: Rafael Nadal, of Spain, returns a shot to Alexandr research firm Repucom found the score as highly in terms of public The report said Alonso was known “(I’ve) never played against her, but Dolgopolov, of Ukraine, during their match at the BNP Paribas Open tennis Spaniard, a double world champion, opinion as the likes of Alonso, by 71.14 percent globally, although she’s someone that doesn’t give you tournament. —AP enjoyed the greatest worldwide Hamilton and Massa,” said Repucom’s only 12.76 percent of those in the much rhythm. She’s quite aggressive, recognition and celebrity impact Nigel Geach, senior vice president of United States were aware of him. but some shots she hits incredible for a while Germany’s Vettel ranked only motorsport, in a statement. Vettel’s global awareness rating was long period of time. he bids to win one of the few North ken twice, Li was far too strong and fourth. He said that was due in large part 54.30 percent. “Sometimes they go off a bit. But, if American hardcourt titles to have elud- streetwise for Pliskova, wrapping up Britain’s 2008 champion Lewis to Ferrari’s popularity and brand “Alonso is a very likeable driver I’m speaking about my level, it was ed him. the win with an ace. Hamilton, who drives for Mercedes, recognition - the Italian team are the and as the global appeal of the sport nowhere near where it should have Switzerland’s former world number “At least I could win the last point was second on the list and Brazilian most glamorous and successful in the increases, people seem to be rooting been.” Giorgi will play her country- one Roger Federer also advanced after and stay in the tournament,” Li said. “If Felipe Massa, who moved from Ferrari sport - as well as Alonso’s own inter- more and more for a new F1 champi- woman Flavia Pennetta in the next he was pushed all the way by Russia’s you’re a tennis player, you’ll make dou- to Williams at the end of last season, national sponsorship deals. “Despite on and as the results show, Alonso is round after she beat Australian Sam Dmitry Tursunov before winning 7-6 ble faults. At least I can improve my took third place. Red Bull’s recent successes, globally, starting to edge ahead as the fans Stosur 6-4 3-6 6-1. There were no other (9-7) 7-6 (7-2). serve even more from here.” Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen, the 2007 59 percent of F1 fans have an interest favorite,” Geach said. major surprises although Britain’s Andy Federer, who won his 78th career Li is looking to win her first Indian world champion who has returned to in the Ferrari team, representing the The season starts with the Murray was forced to dig deep to see singles title in Dubai earlier this month, Wells title and continue her great start Australian Grand Prix on Sunday and off promising Czech Jiri Vesely and will play either German Tommy Haas or to the year after capturing the Vettel’s Red Bull team are already on avoid a similar fate. Japan’s Kei Nishikori in the fourth Australian Open women’s title. the back foot after problems with The Wimbledon champion won 6-7 round. Her next opponent is Canada’s their new Renault V6 power unit in (7-2) 6-4 6-4 but only after clawing “I feel like I’m in a good place,” said Aleksandra Wozniak, who defeated testing. Hamilton and Mercedes are back from the brink of defeat against Federer, a four-time champion at Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 6-1 the early bookmakers’ favourites. the 20-year-old Vesely. Indian Wells. “I know what my solid lev- 6-7 (3-7) 6-0. — Reuters Despite Hamilton’s global recogni- tion being second only to Alonso, the report found compatriot Jenson Button was more marketable to a Dallas Seavey British audience. “Button’s appeal, influence and clinches his second aspirational scores see him as a better product endorser and a more mar- Iditarod dog race ketable personality,” it said of the McLaren driver and 2009 world cham- NOME: Dallas Seavey ran a blistering pace to rally from third pion. place and win his second Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race early Massa enjoyed the highest domes- Tuesday in a record-breaking finish, after a sudden storm blew tic recognition of any driver, with a the front-runner out of the competition and kept another 99.2 percent rating in Brazil com- musher minutes away from her first win. pared to Vettel’s 97.58 percent in The victory was so strange that Seavey said he didn’t even Sebastian Vettel takes a curve in this file photo. Germany. — Reuters realize he won the race until about 90 seconds after he crossed the finish line. “Man, this is a lot of people coming out SWITZERLAND: Austria’s Anna Fenninger prepares to com- to see third place come in,” he thought about the hubbub pete on his way to clock the fastest time during an alpine when he arrived in Nome early yesterday.