22 SUNDAY, JUNE 10, 2018 sports

Thomas cements Dauphine pole French Open: Halep AFP | La Rosière, France

eam Sky’s Welsh rider Ge- Traint Thomas cemented achieves ‘dream’ title his control of the Criterium du Dauphine after finishing second on yesterday’s 6th and penultimate stage won by Simona Halep beats Spaniard Pello Bilbao. • Bilbao made his move late Sloane Stephens 3-6, on during the gruelling stage 6-4, 6-1 in a gruelling that is almost the same as stage French Open final 11 in the Tour de France next Britain’s Geraint Thomas celebrates 01 month, with four major climbs on the podium is the current WTA world and a summit finish at la Ro- AFP | Paris ranking of Simona Halep siere. of Romania Thomas came in second, Thomas. France’s Romain Bar- imona Halep fought back managing to put further valu- det, of AG2R, jumped to third from a set and a break able seconds between himself from seventh overnight and is Sdown to finally achieve her and his rivals for the yellow at 2min 01sec. “dream” of winning a Grand leader. Briton Adam Yates, “It wasn’t ideal but AG2R Slam title, beating Sloane Ste- trophy I wanted, but it’s still riding for Mitchelton, is sec- rode really well today,” Thom- phens 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 in a gruelling beautiful.” ond overall, 1min 29sec behind as said. French Open final yesterday. Simona Halep played a scin- The world number one had tillating deciding set in which lost all three of her previous she made only five unforced er- major finals, including two at rors, breaking her major duck in Serena Williams should be fit Roland Garros, and said she style after two hours and three struggled to contain her emo- minutes. BBC | London “Within two weeks she tions after staging a thrilling The 26-year-old Halep cele- should recover and will be comeback. brated her victory in a way usu- ormer world number one able to hit again,” Mouratoglou “In the last game I felt like Romania’s Simona Halep poses with her trophy ally seen at Wimbledon, climb- FSerena Williams should be said. “Then she has 15 days to I could not breathe anymore”, ing into her box to greet friends fit for Wimbledon, according do a lot of fitness and improve said Halep. and family. to her coach Patrick Moura- her speed on court. She should It was the perfect way for the added Halep, only the second US Open champion Stephens “I tried to not do the same toglou. be ready for Wimbledon.” Romanian to banish the demons Romanian to win a Slam after had looked set to lift a second thing as last year. It’s a dream The 23-time Grand Slam Roland Garros was the first of her painful final defeat by Virginia Ruzici who won the Grand Slam trophy when lead- and it’s so special to do it here champion pulled out of Mon- Grand Slam event Williams Jelena Ostapenko 12 months 1978 French Open. ing 6-3, 2-0, but the American in Paris,” she said. day’s last-16 match at the had entered since she returned ago, when she blew a lead of a “But it’s emotional to be mak- 10th seed wilted in hot condi- “When I was down a break French Open against Maria to tennis after giving birth to set and 3-0. ing this speech as a winner. I’ve tions and Halep pounced. in the second set I just tried to Sharapova with an injury that her first child in September “Last year it was tough to been dreaming of this since I “It’s been amazing here for relax and enjoy the match,”She affected her serve. 2017. talk because I lost this match,” was 14.” me,” said Stephens. “It’s not the added. Nadal eyes 11th French Open

Roger Federer by four major Rafael Nadal to face titles although the Swiss star is • more than four years older. Dominic Thiem in final “For me, the motivation to For me, the play here always is high, high motivation to AFP | Paris as possible,” said Nadal after play here always breezing past Juan Martin del is high, high as afael Nadal admits that Potro 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 in Friday’s his desire to clinch an 11th semi-finals in what was his 85th possible R Sebastian Vettel drives French Open title today is fired win in Paris against just two RAFAEL NADAL by his growing realisation that defeats. “But for me, I believe the end of his career may not be that there are limited chances in too far away. your career. “I have lost a lot of in his career through a legacy of Canadian GP: The 32-year-old Spaniard will opportunities through injuries, wrist and knee problems. play his 24th Grand Slam final at Spain’s Rafael Nadal and I know the years are going Such is his motivation to win Roland Garros against Dominic quick. So there is not 10 more his 17th Grand Slam on Sunday, Vettel takes pole Thiem who is in his first. record for wins at the same Slam chances to keep playing here.” that the task facing Austrian Victory on Sunday will give event -- in her case, the Austral- The statistics illustrate Nad- 24-year-old Thiem was de - Nadal an 11th title in Paris and ian Open from 1960 and 1973 al’s concerns -- he has missed scribed as “almost impossible” Valterri Bottas equal Margaret Court’s all-time Nadal still trails great rival at least eight Slam tournaments by Del Potro. in• second position

AFP | Montreal KNOW WHAT

West Indies stretch lead over Sri Lanka past 400 ebastian Vettel roared to Spole position with a re - Sebastian Vettel ets, including Powell for 88, in Holder showed his positive The left hander had im- cord-breaking lap for Ferrari clocked a best lap in West Indies lost the morning session as they intent when he was out just be- pressed with his elegant stroke- in Saturday’s dramatic qualify- • reached 209 for seven in their fore the break, trapped leg-be- play in reaching 64 overnight, ing session for this weekend’s a record one minute, three wickets in the second innings at the Queen’s fore for 39 attempting a reverse and looked on course to reach Formula One Canadian Grand 10.764 seconds to morning session as they Park Oval despite losing three sweep against veteran left-arm three figures in partnership Prix. It is the Italian team’s secure his 54th pole reached 209 for seven wickets in the morning session. spinner Rangana Herath. with the first innings centu - first time on pole in Montreal position in their second innings The hosts, who declined to Before that, the general tenor ry-maker, Shane Dowrich. How- since seven-time champion enforce the follow-on despite a of the first two hours of play, as ever fast-medium bowler Lahi- Michael Schumacher managed 229-run first-innings lead, now 78 runs were added from the ru Kumara, who has enjoyed it in 2001. teams, Vettel clocked a best AFP | Port of Spain have an overall advantage of 438 overnight position of 131 for an excellent match, trapped “The car was incredible lap in a record one minute, runs with three wickets in hand. four, suggested that the West Dowrich lbw on the back foot in qualifying and it just kept 10.764 seconds to secure his ieran Powell missed out The tail-enders have an op- Indies were always thinking of with a delivery that jagged back getting quicker,” said Vettel, 54th pole position and outpace Kon a century but the West portunity to accelerate the batting into the afternoon to sharply to the little right-hander whose Ferrari team were using nearest rival Valtteri Bottas of Indies further solidified an scoring to set up a declaration effectively eradicate any chance to earn his seventh wicket of new engines. “I think I was Mercedes and Dutchman Max already dominant position at by captain Jason Holder which the Sri Lankans might have en- the match. Holder replaced his a bit in trouble after Friday Verstappen. Defending cham- lunch on the fourth day of the would allow his frontline bowl- tertained of successfully chas- fellow-Barbadian, putting on 42 practice, but I guess I woke up pion Lewis Hamilton was first Test against Sri Lanka in ers enough time to push for vic- ing a daunting target. for the sixth wicket before an the right way today.” down in fourth for Mercedes Trinidad yesterday. tory going into the final day on Most attention was focused error of judgement by Powell In a tight and intriguing con- ahead of Finn Kimi Raikkonen West Indies lost three wick- Sunday. on Powell at the start of play. brought an end to his innings. test between the three leading in the second for Ferrari.