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Home , Alexander Zverev, ATP Cup

11 FRIDAY, JANUARY 3, 2020 sports

Djokovic, Nadal lead calls for ATP Cup, merger Zverev says no concerns over curtailed off-season Alexander Zverev said he is in top shape for the 2020 season despite playing a five-stop exhibition tour of South America and China with

AFP | ,

ermany’s Alexander Zverev said he felt in top The last year I (R) of poses with of after winning shape for 2020 yesterday finished number the ATP Masters tournament final match at the Foro Italico in Rome G despite only starting to hit balls seven in the AFP | Brisbane, Australia a week ago after an off-season world. I had good curtailed by a lucrative exhibi- tournaments, but uperstars Novak Djokovic tion tour. it was still not the Sand Rafael Nadal said yes- The 22-year-old only won terday there was little in one title last year, in Geneva, year that I wanted to have and I hope I having two men’s KNOW WHAT not quite taking the step up competitions so close together that many had predicted as he can kind of improve and suggested the new ATP slipped from fourth to seventh this year Cup should merge with the in the men’s tennis rankings. ALEXANDER ZVEREV Davis Cup. Djokovic’s first match But Zverev remains a big The ATP Cup is about to in the ATP Cup will be drawcard and he finished 2019 kick off its inaugural edition, against ’s playing a five-stop exhibition replacing a number of previ- on tour of South America and Chi- know I can play longer than ous warm-up Saturday, while Nadal na with Roger Federer. most guys.” tournaments. is set to face ’s Although the tour meant a While Zverev is confident It comes six weeks after the shorter off-season than normal, about his on-court stamina, he revamped Davis Cup, which on Zverev insisted it made little admitted he could have played also has countries playing each the same day difference. better last year and wants to put other in a round-robin format, “I mean, still I think I had a that right this season. was held in Madrid. quickly, it can happen possibly good off-season. It was a little “For me I need to get my ten- Canadian for 2022. bit different. It was shorter this nis back a little bit and kind of suggested yesterday that the “I hope it will happen be- year, for sure,” he said at the ATP have a fresh start as well,” he Alexander Zverev of hits a return against Roger Federer of Switzerland two events -- one run by the cause it’s kind of hard to get Cup team event in Brisbane. said. men’s tour, the Association top players to commit to play “I only started playing tennis “Obviously, the last year I of Tennis Professionals, and both events, the Davis Cup and a week ago, pretty much, so I finished number seven in the Australia. who are great singles players,” the other by the International the ATP Cup. don’t have a lot of tennis prac- world. I had good tournaments, Under the tournament for- he said. Tennis Federation -- should “And it’s six weeks apart, so tice yet, which I will build up. but it was still not the year that I mat, 24 nations are split into “So we want to give ourselves combine. they’re not really helping each “But I feel good. I feel pretty wanted to have and I hope I can six round-robin groups across the best chance to win and I “It’s a really similar event other in terms of marketing, fit again. My physical (condi- kind of improve this year.” Brisbane, and with think Boris can play a big part and it’s literally back-to-back in terms of the value of the tion) was never really my prob- Zverev is playing the inaugu- only eight teams qualifying for in that. from the other one, so it’s a event.” lem. It was in the beginning of ral ATP Cup under the captaincy the knockout phase. “He can play a big part in what little bit of a weird sensation Djokovic’s concerns were my career, but in the last one, of German great “We have a good team. We he will say on the bench, the coming from what felt like the shared by world number one two years it’s never been a prob- and he is confident they will do have top doubles players in the energy that he has. I mean, he world championships coming Nadal, who also questioned the lem. well, despite being in a tough world. We have myself, Jan-Len- is one of the most iconic sports- to play another world champi- timing of the events. “I know I can last matches, I group with the -led nard (Struff ), Mats (Moraing), men in German history.” onship,” Shapovalov said. “Yeah, is confusing to have “So for me I don’t see why two World Cups of tennis in they, the ATP and ITF can’t one month. For me personally combine, can’t join, can’t come that’s not the ideal situation to some agreement and make for our sport, but that’s how it Tornado Riders edge Riffa Stars in CBA Div C just one, really unique and spe- works today,” he said in Perth. cial tournament for everyone.” Asked if the two should TDT | Manama Naushad 3/35) by 13 runs lence Training Solutions. Satya 3/28) by 36 runs When asked about the Ca- be combined into one world Young Stars 216/5 in 24.4 from Indian Lions bagged the Azeem CC 234/5 in 25 overs nadian’s comments, Djokovic, championship, he replied: ornado Riders’s Opener overs (Ansari 44, Younas 37, Man of the Match Finals for his (Abbas 76, Omran 56, Qadeer who heads the ATP players’ “I think that tennis deserves TRanjeet scored a quick fire Manjith 35) beat Hempel Paints all-round performance 47, Zafar 2/28) beat Young Chal- council, agreed. something like this.” 147 runs in 56 balls to help his 213/5 (Ahsan 69, Rashid 51, Division B 25 overs League lengers 165/7 (Alaudin 56, Ziau- “We need to have one Super ’s also team beat Riffa Stars by 120 Suresh 30) by 5 wickets Public Security 132/10 ddin 2/18) by 69 runs World Cup event, whatever said having two men’s team runs in CBA Division C 25 overs Mumbai Riders 198/9 in 24.1 (Hamza 32, Ismail 28, Jamal MOI 212/6 (Raza Butt 61, you want to call it,” he said. competitions was “too much”. League. overs (Waleed 54, Muzammil 2/24) beat Hajweri 96/10 (Zo- Mubashir 50) beat Srilanka Club “That’s not going to happen “Obviously, we don’t need Riffa Stars had won the toss 38, Johnson 3/36) beat Royal hair 14, Hamad 3/14, Ibrahim 187/10 (Niroshan 64) by 25 runs. next year as well. But if the two two competitions the same and elected to bowl fist. Tornado Blasters 195/7 (Deep 47, Vinod sides, the ITF, the Davis Cup, way. Two team competitions Riders’s Opener Ranjeet helped 43, Wahid 2/22) by 1 wicket and the ATP get together very is too much,” he said. them to score a mammoth to- CBA Division C T-20 League tal of 306 runs at the end of 25 Modest XI 162/3 (Jibin 63, CLASSIFIEDS overs, which is one of the high- Jamsheer 25) beat Honda Bah- est team score in this season. rain 63/10 (Rasel 15, Rafeek Chasing the target, Stars’ play- 3/10) by 99 runs ers Waqar and Murtaza scored Union CC 134/10 (Kailash 87, half centuries but the target Puneeth 4/15) beat Karnataka was too high for Stars as they Royals 97/10 (Numair 18, Khan woundup for 186 runs and lost 3/29) by 37 runs the match to Riders by 120 runs. Global Stars 178/7 (Imran 39, Ashiq took four wickets and Reji Anwar 44, Vivik 2/26) beat Sa- took three wickets for Riders chi CC 70/10 (Poorna 17, Imran Tornado Riders 306/6 in 25 5/12, Tariq 4/13) by 108 runs overs (Ranjeet 147, Manu 35) Pak Eagles 154/9 (Shabaz 66, beat Riffa Stars 186/10 (Waqar Hassham 25, Hardik 4/22) beat 58, Murtaza 57, Ashiq 4/24, Reji Awali Bapco 136/9 (Jay 32, Latif 3/27) by 120 runs 2/13) by 18 runs th SNCS TransFast 178/5 in 21 Shahzad Zafar 130/10 (Asif 17 January, 2020 overs (Anu 50, Satish 43, Abbas 34, Farhan 29, Saif 3/14) beat TI- 31, Tayyab 2/21) beat Patrick SCA Stars 125/10 (Asif 25, Waqas York 172/10 (Noman 31, Anu 3/13, Hamad 2/13) by 5 runs 3/31) by 5 wickets CBA Division B T-20 Finals FOG CC 177/9 (Sreejith 47, Vijil Indian Lions beat Strikers by Please Call / WhatsApp: +973 38862215, 33784481, 33911860 26, Arun 3/34) beat Matrix CC 41 runs in CBA Division B T-20 164/10 (Shyju 35, Sreejith 3/22, League Sponsored by Excel-