THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3 , 2013 SPORTS Vettel eyes Korean GP Photo of the day SEOUL: Sebastian Vettel has heard boos ond, for the third race in a row, under the from the crowd after winning the last three Singapore floodlights. races but Sunday’s Korean Grand Prix “If we cannot win the race, we need to should put a stop to that. be right behind and try to take any oppor- Fed up Formula One fans hoping to see tunity but being realistic, we know that we a different driver standing on the top step need to be very, very lucky,” added the of the podium may be disappointed but Spaniard. they are more likely to be shouting at their Ferrari team boss Stefano Domenicali television sets than making a noise in put it even more bluntly after Singapore. Mokpo. The Yeongam circuit, reached after “The only thing we have to do is try to stay a three hour journey south from Seoul on there and see because maybe next time the country’s fastest train, is near a remote something will happen to him (Vettel) and port more on the map for shipbuilding realistically speaking this is the only chance than tourism or a passion for motorsport. we have to win the championship,” said the “The atmosphere at the track isn’t great Italian. Alonso’s nightmare would be to because there aren’t many spectators, but have another Red Bull one-two like last the track’s got some challenging sections year but he has already done his best, and some good corners,” commented albeit unwittingly, to ensure that does not Vettel’s Red Bull team mate Mark Webber. happen. The Australian started on pole position last Webber, who has been on the Korean year but it is Vettel who has won the race podium and ahead of Alonso in the last for the past two seasons and is favorite for two years, will have a 10 place grid penalty the hat-trick, even if that does not sit well on Sunday after collecting his third repri- with Ferrari fans and others yearning for a mand of the season in Singapore. closer battle. That came after he hitched a ‘taxi ride’ The champion’s fourth successive title on Alonso’s Ferrari to get back to the pits looks a foregone conclusion and could be after the race was over but while cars were won by the end of the month but until still on their slowing down laps. then the 26-year-old is putting into prac- His demotion should lift Alonso up the tice the old German saying that all good grid, even if the front row may still be out things come in threes. of reach with Lewis Hamilton and Nico Since the end of the August break, Rosberg fancying their chances for Vettel has chalked up his third Italian win, Mercedes. his third Singapore GP victory in a row and “It’s a good racing track with places that Jerome Smith and Mubarak Marzouk perform at Red Bull King of the Rock on Alcatraz Island in San Francisco, USA.— www.redbull.com his third successive win this season. you can attack to overtake which makes it a Only Vettel and Ferrari’s Fernando good challenge for the drivers,” comment- Alonso, the man who is now his closest ed Hamilton. rival in the championship even if there is a “We’ll be hoping to improve our qualify- Del Potro sends Berlocq packing 60 point gap with six races remaining, have ing performance this weekend to give the ever won the Korean race since it first best possible chance in the race and I hope TOKYO: Top-seeded Juan Martin appeared on the calendar in 2010. we can have a strong weekend.” Lotus will del Potro moved into Japan Open Alonso needs to win it again but even also be hoping that Kimi Raikkonen’s back quarterfinals with a comfortable 6- he recognises that it will likely take a stroke pain has eased after a difficult weekend in 2, 6-2 win over fellow Argentine of luck to slow the German’s rush to the Singapore for the Finn. “When the car is Carlos Berlocq yesterday. title. right, you can go well there,” said the 2007 Del Potro broke Berlocq’s serve “We need to be lucky for the last six champion, who finished fifth at Yeongam in twice in the second set, and lost races if we want to win the championship,” 2012. “Last year, we saw it’s a good place to only eight points on serve under the Ferrari driver said after finishing sec- race with a good car.” —Reuters the roof, closed by rain. After Tuesday’s three-set victory over Marcos Baghdatis, del Potro said it was good to find his rhythm. “I played a lot better than yester- day,” del Potro said. “I served well, my forehand was strong and I was able to break his serve and be aggressive. I had control of the match all the time which was important to me.” Del Potro, who is seeking his third title of the season following victories in Rotterdam and Washington, will next play of Ukraine, who defeated eighth-seeded Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia 6-3, 7-6 (2). In the day’s only upset, Ivan Dodig of Croatia ousted second- seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 6-4, 7-6 (5). Matching 2009 champion ANTWERP: US gymnast Simone Biles competes in the vault qualifications at the 44th Tsonga with nine aces, Dodig saved Artistic Gymnastics World Championships. —AFP all three break points he faced. Dodig will attempt to earn a JAPAN : Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina returns a shot against his compatriot Carlos Berlocq during Biles leads world qualifying place in his third semifinal of 2013 their second round match of the Japan Open. —AFP against Jarkko Nieminen of Finalnd, ANTWERP: Simone Biles used superb floor Karolyi should certainly scare her more who beat Michal Przysiezny of Japan in the opening match on lier in the day than what I’m used to the second round today. and vault exercises to sweep past US team- than Mustafina. The Russian wobbled her 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2. Center Court. Raonic, coming off a but I played well on the important The fourth-seeded Nishikori is on mate Kyla Ross yesterday and take the pro- way through the opening balance beam In other matches, third-seeded win at the Thailand Open on points and did what I needed to do.” the verge of becoming the first visional lead in all-around qualifying at the exercise and followed it up with clumsy fall of Canada advanced to Sunday, dominated Soeda with his Raonic lost in the final last year Japanese player to break into the world gymnastics championships. Biles was on the opening series of tumbles of the the second round with a 6-4, 7-6 (0) serve, hitting 24 aces. “I served real- to local favorite , who top 10 and is bidding to win his sec- the only gymnast to break the 60-point floor exercise in another listless perform- win over wild card Go Soeda of ly well,” Raonic said. “It was a bit ear- will face Feliciano Lopez of in ond title of the season. —AP mark with 60.133, leaving overnight leader ance. Ross well behind with 59.198 in second The indignity was complete when she place overall. With only one of five qualify- landed on her backside on her second ing groups to go, Yao Jinnan of China was vault, slapping her hand into the mat in Nalbandian in third position with 57.965. frustration. She was through to the final so “She did an excellent job. She handled it left only her confidence and reputation here temper and was aggressive,” US coach badly bruised after Wednesday’s perform- announces Martha Karolyi said of Biles. “She even can ance. do a better job.” The US team came into Antwerp with- Even though the top 24 go through and out defending champion Jordyn Wieber retirement all start from scratch in the all-around, the and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Douglas wobbly performance of 2010 champion but still will be favored to at least medal on : Argentina’s 2002 Wimbledon finalist and title favorite Aliya Mustafina drew Friday. said he would quit next much attention as the Russian finished It was almost a luxury to have three U.S. nearly three points behind Biles with gymnasts fighting for only two available month, citing physical problems that have sidelined 57.165. The women’s all-around final is set places per nation in the final. McKayla him for most of the year. for Friday, one day after Japan’s Kohei Maroney stood in provisional sixth place “It’s not easy what’s happening to me now, my shoul- Uchimura is seeking to become the first but won’t make Friday’s final behind Biles der is not helping me to train as I should for the circuit,” four-time all-around world champion in the and Ross. the 31-year-old told a news conference on Tuesday. sport. There should be plenty of Americans in “It’s a tough day to (have to) announce my retire- In a US battle of 16-year-olds, Biles came the apparatus finals too. Maroney topped ment today,” said the former world number three, win- up on top off Ross, but together they Biles in the provisional standings of the ner of 11 ATP Tour titles including the season-ending proved the strength in depth the US team vault and should at least make that week- ATP Championship in Shanghai in 2005 when he beat has early in the new Olympic cycle ahead end final. in the final. of the 2016 Rio Games. Biles was outstanding on the floor too, CHINA: Li Na of China returns to Sabine Lisicki of during her women’s single Nalbandian, who had right shoulder surgery in May, And for showing few nerves in their first letting her stocky muscles do the work on match of the tennis tournament. —AFP said he would quit tennis after playing two exhibition world championships, look for veteran leaps and tumbles while letting her per- matches against his friend Rafael Nadal, the world num- coach Karolyi, long known for her tough sonality take over on the dance elements ber two, in November, one in Buenos Aires and the oth- handling of recruits to prime them for the and should be joined by Ross there. In all, Li advances in China er in his birthplace, Cordoba. top. Biles said no one could intimidate her Biles could make all apparatus finals on A fierce competitor, Nalbandian said the emotional at the Antwerp Sports Palace because top of her outstanding all-around per- highs during his career had been playing for Argentina CHINA: Home favorite Li Na overcame as she beat former French and US Open “Martha scares me more than the judges.” formance.—AP in the including three finals between 2006 Germany’s Sabine Lisicki 7-5 6-4 at the China champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 4-6 6-4 6-1. Open yesterday to set up a quarter-final “This is the first tournament that I’ve and 2011. “The closest was the final in Mar del Plata. It’s Ex-police chief to probe showdown with former Wimbledon champi- been able to really keep up my intensity and not easy to win the Davis, it’s the only title Argentina on Petra Kvitova. keep up my focus. I think I’ve played two lacks,” he said after the Argentine team blew their best The Czech, who won the Japan Open last good matches,” Petkovic said after setting up chance at home to a Spanish side without Nadal in horse racing operation weekend, overcame Italian fifth seed Sara a clash with Czech Lucie Safarova in the third 2008. Nalbandian, who climbed to number three in the Errani 6-4 6-7(3) 6-3 in their third round clash round. ATP rankings in March 2006, turned professional in 2000 LONDON: Britain’s former top policeman trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni was culpable at the prestigious $5 million Beijing tourna- “Personally it’s really important to see and ends his career with a 383-192 win-loss record. John Stevens is to look into the entire horse and he was later banned for eight years. ment. that I can still beat the players on the top The junior US Open champion in 1998, he reached racing operation of Sheikh Mohammed bin Sheikh Mohammed is Britain’s leading race- World number four Agnieszka Radwanska level, two past champions. It’s the semi-finals of the four grand slam tournaments after Rashid Al Maktoum after being asked to horse owner. was one of a number of high profile women just a big boost for my confidence, no mat- a surprise appearance in the 2002 Wimbledon final investigate by the Dubai ruler himself. UK Stevens, the former head of London’s to win through in second round action on ter what happens now in the future.” The vic- authorities seized unlicensed veterinary Metropolitan Police Service, said in a state- which he lost to Australian . the hard courts at the National Tennis Centre tories though were only warm-up acts for products, which included steroidal injec- ment quoted Wednesday by the website of He is also remembered on the grass courts of as the Pole dispatched promising American the home fans keen to see their compatriot tions, anaesthetics and anti-inflammatories, Britain’s Guardian newspaper: “I have been London for an incident in last year’s final at Queen’s Madison Keys 6-3 6-2. Li in action. described as “potentially toxic and danger- asked by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed against Marin Cilic when he kicked in frustration at the Radwanksa will next face Slovenian wild- Li, the first Asian to win a grand slam sin- ous to horses”, from a Dubai government to oversee an internal inquiry that will board surrounding a line judge’s chair, injuring him, and card , who stunned former gles title when she triumphed at the 2011 private jet at London’s Stansted airport in examine organisational structures, internal was disqualified. world number one Ana Ivanovic 6-4 6-4 in , had the crowd happy as she May. Then, in August, there was a raid by communication and veterinary practices at In 2009, when the ATP named the top five players of the day’s only upset. scored a break in her 13th seeded oppo- the UK’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate all of the major components of Sheikh the decade as Federer, Nadal, Hewitt, Andre Agassi and “It was a big challenge for me to go out nent’s first service game. on Moorley Farm, owned by the Sheikh’s Mohammed’s equestrian properties and Andy Roddick, Nalbandian was given a special mention there on a big court and play against Ana The world number five ran in to trouble Darley company, in the eastern English operations, including Darley, Godolphin, for having finished in the world’s top 10 in five consecu- Ivanovic, and I’m just really happy the way it though as she attempted to serve out the town of Newmarket that is the headquar- Meydan and Janah, the equine flight com- turned out,” Hercog told the WTA Tour. “It’s set as Lizicki broke back to level at 5-5 only tive seasons from 2003. Nalbandian helped Argentina ters of British racing, where similar goods pany. “We will look into events surrounding probably one of the biggest victories for for Li to break again and win it 7-5. to upset France in their Davis Cup quarter-final in April were taken. These incidents followed the the seizures at Stansted and Moorley Farm, me.” Another break came midway through the as a doubles player, before his shoulder operation. unearthing of the biggest doping scandal including the chain of custody for the med- Germany’s Andrea Petkovic provided the second set as Li wrapped it up 6-4 despite a Asked whether he might one day become in racing history when the British ications in question and their intended pur- upset of the first round when she ousted match total of seven double faults. Argentina’s Davis Cup captain, he said: “I’m not thinking Horseracing Authority (BHA) revealed in pose. “We will also look beyond those spe- winner Victoria Azarenka That serving issue will need to be about the future beyond my present state.” April that 22 horses stabled at the Sheikh’s cific events for a wide-ranging assessment and the Bosnia-born world number 43 fol- resolved if she is to find a way past in-form World number one is also going to elite Goldolphin Racing complex in of veterinary procedures and practices to lowed that up with a second round win over Kvitova. World number one Serena Williams play Nadal in an exhibition match in Buenos Aires and Newmarket had tested positive for anabol- determine whether they are in support of another grand slam champion yesterday. is back in action today when she takes on Nalbandian said he might call the Serbian “to arrange ic steroids. horse welfare and in keeping with all appli- Petkovic again needed to go the distance in the third round. —Reuters something”. —Reuters The BHA said then no one other than cable laws and regulations.”—AFP