Friday 43 Sports Friday, May 10, 2019 Nadal finds his rhythm again, Ferrer ends career in Madrid

MADRID: Rafael Nadal believes he is finding his that energy, which I now feel again.” rhythm again after beginning his bid for a sixth Ferrer bowed out after losing to Zverev, call- Madrid Open title on Wednesday by beating ing time on a distinguished career that included Canadian teenager Felix Auger-Aliassime in 27 ATP titles and a highest ranking of number straight sets. The victory also came hours before three in the world. Renowned for his never-say- Nadal’s fellow Spaniard David Ferrer played the die attitude, the 37-year-old reached the French final match of his career, losing 6-4, 6-1 to Open final in 2014, as well as five more Grand Alexander Zverev in his last tournament before Slam semi-finals. “I couldn’t have given more to retirement. this sport,” said Ferrer, who left his bandana on Nadal has endured a turbulent few weeks the ‘T’ of the service box. “I don’t know what my after slipping to surprise defeats in both Monte legacy will be but I always fought until the last Carlo and Barcelona last month before then point. Maybe it will be that.” being hit by a stomach bug on Sunday. But there Nishikori and Wawrinka will meet in the third was never much sign of an upset in the Spanish round on Thursday after Nishikori took just over capital, where the world number two opened up two hours to win 7-5, 7-5 against Bolivian qual- with a 6-3, 6-3 victory. “Right now every victory ifier Hugo Dellien and Wawrinka defeated Ar- is important for me because it gives me the op- gentina’s Guido Pella 6-3, 6-4. The Swiss has tion to play again the next day,” Nadal said. won his last two matches against Nishikori, in- “Two weeks ago maybe playing again was cluding a three-set victory in Rotterdam in Feb- not a chance to improve because I didn’t feel like ruary, when he went on to reach his first final that in training. “Now I am feeling better in since undergoing knee surgery in 2017. matches and I think everyone gives me the chance to get better.” Nadal has not arrived in Osaka in control Madrid without winning in either Monte Carlo Juan Martin del Potro lost 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 to or Barcelona since 2015 and, after also pulling Serbia’s Laslo Djere in his first match since Feb- out of Indian Wells due to a knee injury in ruary as the Argentine continues to work his March, concern was growing ahead of the way back from a knee injury. Nishikori’s compa- French Open later this month. triot and world number one Naomi Osaka is MADRID: Spain’s Rafael Nadal returns the ball to Canada’s Felix Auger Aliassime during The 32-year-old, who will be chasing his 18th through to the quarter-finals of the women’s their ATP Madrid Open round of 32 tennis match at the Caja Magica. — AFP Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, will now face tournament for the first time after she eased past another young talent in America’s Frances Belarusian Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-2, 6-3. I feel like I’m having fun playing tennis again 6-2. A potential semi-final foe for Osaka is world Tiafoe, with either Stan Wawrinka or Kei Osaka pulled out of the semi-finals in which is always a good thing for me. I always number three Simona Halep, who annihilated Nishikori waiting in the quarter-finals. “After In- Stuttgart last month with an abdominal injury play well if I have that mentality.” Slovakian Viktoria Kuzmova 6-0, 6-0 in 44 min- dian Wells, I had a big mental drop,” Nadal said. but has said she is no longer feeling discomfort In the last eight, the two-time major cham- utes. Number two seed Petra Kvitova saw off “I had to stop for two weeks and mentally I during matches. “I feel fine, so that’s great,” pion will face Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic who France’s Caroline Garcia 6-3, 6-3 and will now dropped. “I struggled a lot to get fit and recover Osaka said. “I’m at a really good place right now. beat Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna Kozlova 6-0, face the Netherlands’ Kiki Bertens. — AFP

added that marquee players were likely to be a part of the Folau could play competition. Global Rapid Rugby, a fast-paced game with radical new rules, was set up by mining magnate Forrest First wave of Tokyo 2020 in billionaire’s after his beloved Western Force were cut from the Super Rugby competition in 2017. Olympic tickets on sale Asian venture Play for free An eight-team, 56-game competition is due to begin in TOKYO: The first tickets for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics went on sale 2020 after its launch was delayed by 12 months because of yesterday, with Japanese residents able to enter a lottery to watch SYDNEY: Australian billionaire Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest this year’s World Cup in Japan. Instead, some of the teams the sport of their choice. Tickets for the 33 sports range from the could offer Israel Folau a career lifeline in Asia if the star are involved in a “Showcase Series” travelling throughout cheapest general tickets at 2,500 yen ($23) to an eye-watering Wallaby’s contract is terminated over his homophobic com- Asia and the Pacific. The next match is in Hong Kong on Sun- 300,000 yen ($2,730) for the best seats at the opening ceremony. ments, it was reported yesterday. coach day followed by fixtures in Fiji, Australia and New Zealand. Those lucky enough to score the best seats for the showcase men’s has also said he is keen for Folau to switch allegiance to his But Forrest could face competition from Tonga for Folau, 100m final will pay 130,000 yen ($1,200). But half of all tickets will be team, even though the fullback would have to serve a three- with Kefu saying he would welcome the prolific try scorer. priced at 8,000 yen ($73) or less and special tickets priced at 2,020 year stand-down period to be eligible. “I’d love that. I think he would get a lot of satisfaction out yen ($18) are available for families resident in Japan with children, sen- The devoutly Christian player was found guilty this week of playing for Tonga,” he told the Australian Broadcasting ior citizens, and people with impairments. Prices for domestic residents of a “high-level” breach of the sport’s code of conduct after Corporation. “He could definitely be available for the next are “about the same as London 2012 but a little higher than the 2016 posting an anti-gay statement on social media, leaving his World Cup (in 2023).” However, the former Wallabies for- Rio Games,” Yuko Hayakawa, senior 2020 marketing official said. career hanging in the balance. The 30-year-old has limited ward revealed there was a catch if Sydney-born Folau The lottery — only for residents of Japan during an initial period options if his lucrative contract is torn up, chose to represent his parents’ homeland — he would have with the National Rugby League ruling out signing him and — runs until May 28, with successful applicants notified on June to do it for free. 20 and payment due a fortnight later. The website saw high demand many overseas rugby clubs shying away from his anti-gay “The Tonga has no money, we are 100 views. But Sydney’s Daily Telegraph reported that Forrest, upon opening with a queue system in place even though tickets are percent funded by , he said.”We can’t afford himself a committed Christian, could find a spot for Folau in not sold on a first-come first-served basis and everyone entering to pay our players. So our players they play for pride of his Global Rapid Rugby competition, which is set to kick off the lottery by May 28 having an equal chance of scooping tickets. jersey, they play to representative their families, they play next year. Overseas applicants will be able to snap up tickets from June 15 to go to a World Cup.” Rugby Australia’s code of conduct It said the competition was interested in making the full- via special “Authorized Ticket Resellers” in each country. Organiz- back a marquee signing for either the Hong Kong-based panel is yet to decide what sanction Folau will face — he ers have not offered a precise number of tickets available as various South China Tigers or the Singapore-based Asia Pacific could be fired from his four-year Aus$4 million contract, stadium configurations are still being finalized with just less than Dragons. “Global Rapid Rugby has spoken to a number of fined or suspended. No timescale has been given for the 450 days to go until the opening ceremony. But they said it would talented international players and will continue to do so,” a decision, with legal experts warning that whatever hap- be roughly the same as the 7.8 million tickets they estimated when spokesman for the competition told AFP when asked about pens an appeal is likely, potentially followed by a drawn- bidding for the right to host the Games. — AFP Folau. “No contracts have been offered to any players.” He out court battle. — AFP