FORMULA 1 | Page 4 NBA | Page 6 McLaren will Lowry stars be champs, as Raptors predicts stun Cavs Ron Dennis to tie series

Wednesday, May 25, 2016 FOOTBALL Sha’baan 18, 1437 AH Ronaldo confi dent GULF TIMES of C’League glory despite injury scare SPORT Page 3 AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE / PREVIEW AL SADD STADIUM, 7PM Jaish aim to wrap up slot in quarters as Lekhwiya hope for Emir Cup inspiration Sabri Lamouchi’s team go into this second-leg Round of 16 tie with a 4-0 advantage over Djamel Belmadi’s boys

El Jaish coach Sabri Lamouchi (L) and Lekhwiya coach Djamel Belmadi during the pre-match press conference yesterday ahead of their AFC Champions League Round of 16 tie. PICTURES: Anas Khalid

AFC derrazzaq Hamedalleh and Mohamed result in the fi rst leg and this result got D fi xtures, before picking up a draw Lekhwiya, meanwhile, will be look- di, who will again be without injured Doha Methnani have put El Jaish in a com- us closer to the next round,” said Lam- against Uzbekistan’s Nasaf to secure ing for an early goal if they are to have striker Mohammed Muntari. manding position to advance to their ouchi yesterday. their last 16 qualifi cation with two any chance of advancing to the last “But we will not give up and we will fi rst ever quarter-fi nal of the conti- games to spare. eight for the second successive year. try our best to get the best possible re- oach Sabri Lamouchi is urging nental competition. NOT EASY “We need to fully concentrate and And they go into the tie with re- sult. In football anything is possible and caution ahead of El Jaish’s AFC But after suff ering a heavy 4-1 defeat “However, that doesn’t mean our task play as if we didn’t win the fi rst leg. Le- newed confi dence following a penalty we will be fi ghting to win until the end. Champions League Round of to Al Hilal of Saudi Arabia in their pre- will be easy because I believe Lekhwiya khwiya’s win in the Emir Cup [over Al shootout victory against Al Sadd after “We have prepared well for the 16 second-leg clash with fel- vious home fi xture in the tournament, will be strongly motivated to avenge Sadd on Saturday] will give them moti- a 2-2 saw them lift the Emir Cup at the match and hopefully we can have a lowC Qataris Lekhwiya today despite El Jaish will need to be wary of compla- their defeat.” vation to win this match and we should weekend. good performance and get the result their four-goal lead from the fi rst leg. cency ahead of the clash at Jassim Bin Making only their second appear- not underestimate them,” added Lam- “We know that our task will be very we are looking for,” added the Algerian. A brace from Brazilian Romarinho Hamad Stadium. ance in the AFC Champions League, ouchi, whose side were eliminated at hard after the big defeat in the fi rst leg,” Now to see what happens when the and further goals from Moroccan Ab- “We achieved an important and big El Jaish won their opening three group the Round of 16 in the 2013 edition. said Lekhwiya coach Djamel Belma- two rivals face each other today.

AFC ROUND-UP Wu’s late winner puts Shanghai through

AFP be the visitors’ best moment as they Shanghai went down 3-2 on aggregate, after the fi rst leg fi nished 1-1. Leonardo fi zzed a free kick into the u Lei’s dramatic injury- side-netting on 19 minutes before he time winner put Sven- recalibrated and hit the far top corner Goran Eriksson’s Shanghai from an acute angle 10 minutes later. SIPG into the AFC Cham- Leonardo rattled a stanchion with Wpions League quarter-fi nals against a another free kick after half-time and dumbfounded FC Tokyo yesterday. then shot inches wide, before thumping The Japanese visitors were seconds home Ricardo Lopes’s inviting square away from Asia’s last eight until Wu ball to make it 2-0 on 71 minutes. struck in the 91st minute for a 1-0 win, With six minutes left, Berisha sparking chaotic celebrations among squeezed home a tight near-post fi nish the SIPG players and fans. from Jai Ingham’s cross, but there was SIPG’s win on the away goals rule, to be no miracle, last-gasp revival for after the last-16 tie’s fi rst leg fi nished FC Tokyo. 2-1, means Eriksson’s side have reached South Korea’s Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors midfielder Leonardo Pereira (L). the quarter-fi nals at their fi rst attempt Results after coming through qualifying. away the loose ball before wheeling away ons Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors beat Mel- Although SIPG are debutants, the and being mobbed by his teammates. bourne Victory 2-1 to reach the last eight. Jeonbuk (South Korea) 2–1 Melbourne well-travelled former England coach SIPG will now believe fate is on their The dead-ball specialist, who buried Victory (Australia) has seasoned performers to call on side as they fl y the Chinese fl ag in the a superb free kick in last week’s fi rst leg, Shanghai SIPG (Chin)a 1-0 FC Tokyo including Elkeson and Dario Conca, latter stages, after the demise of hold- fi red home another in the opening half (Japan) who have both lifted the trophy with ers Evergrande and fellow big-spenders before scoring a sizzling second goal af- Lok. Tashkent (Uzbekistan) 2-1 Al-Hilal Guangzhou Evergrande. Jiangsu Suning. ter the break. (Saudi Arabia) And it was Elkeson’s rocket of a shot Wu Lei (front) of China’s Shanghai SIPG celebrates after scoring a goal during the Earlier Brazilian maestro Leonardo Besart Berisha gave Victory hope but Tractor (Iran) 3-1 Al Nasr (UAE) which rebounded to Wu, who tucked AFC Champions League round of 16 second leg tie against Japan’s FC Tokyo. bagged a brilliant brace as 2006 champi- his late strike on 84 minutes proved to Gulf Times 2 Wednesday, May 25, 2016 FOOTBALL

SPOTLIGHT SUPPORT Van Gaal deserved more respect: Blind Cantona sideswipe Reuters Lagos

etherlands international Daley Blind believes sacked Manchester United manager Louis as Mourinho closes Nvan Gaal deserved more respect, better treatment and faced unfair speculation over his future before being dismissed on Monday. “I always worked well with him and would have been keen that the co-operation lasted longer. The manager of a top File picture of then Manchester in on Man Utd job club in England is naturally un- United manager Louis van Gaal der much more pressure but over with midfielder Daley Blind. the last six months he has not ‘Guardiola is in Manchester, but at the wrong one. I love Jose Mourinho, but in terms been treated fairly,” Defender good season in which I played 57 Blind told reporters at the Dutch matches plus a few internation- of the type of football he plays I don’t think he is Manchester United’ team’s training camp in Portugal. als,” he said. “I think a manager like Louis Team mate Memphis Depay AFP van Gaal, who has achieved so said he believed his future at the London much already, deserved more club was safe despite Van Gaal’s respect,” added Blind from the departure. “I don’t know why Netherlands’ base for three post- it wouldn’t be. I am happy to be ose Mourinho was closing in on season internationals over the there and the management know becoming Manchester United’s next fortnight. I’m happy to be there,” said the new manager yesterday despite “Even through there was 22-year-old forward, who was club great Eric Cantona saying in- so much being written about left out of the FA Cup fi nal squad. comingJ Manchester City boss Pep Guar- him losing his job over the last “A love-hate relationship? diola would have been a better pick. months, he always looked to pro- I’m not sure about that. But him Mourinho’s agent Jorge Mendes was tect and shelter us. It is not easy leaving is part of life in football in talks with United’s executive vice- for a coach if you are repeatedly and you learn from that and it chairman Ed Woodward, British media being fi red in the newspapers. makes you stronger.” reported, less than 24 hours after Louis “Still, we as a squad kept be- Finishing the season with the van Gaal’s troubled two-year reign came lieving in the manager and showed Dutch national team, added De- to a sour end. that with our FA Cup win (over pay, would be a chance “to train Former Chelsea boss Mourinho, one Crystal Palace on Saturday). at a high level and hopefully play of football’s most intriguing characters, “That we did together for the some internationals, a fi ne way would march into Old Traff ord boasting a supporters, the manager and for to end the season”. personal trophy haul that includes three ourselves. It was in the end, a “Of course, I want to show English Premier League titles and two good fi nish to the season,” added here that I can play football. It is Champions League crowns. the 26-year-old Blind, who Van a good opportunity to play again But Cantona, whose goals helped fi re Gaal brought across from Ajax after being on the bench for a lot United to four Premier League titles in Amsterdam when he took over at of games,” he said. the 1990s, said the defensive-minded Old Traff ord two years ago. The Netherlands are sched- Portuguese was the wrong man for the “If it is true that Jose Mourinho uled to play friendlies against job, in an unexpected and incendiary in- is coming, then it is also a man- three Euro 2016 qualifi ers start- tervention. ager who has achieved much. I... ing with Ireland on Friday, before “Guardiola was the one to take,” the will have to show what I can do. matches against Poland (June 1) Frenchman told The Guardian newspa- Personally I can look back on a and Austria (June 4). per. “He is the only one to change Man- chester (United).He is in Manchester, but at the wrong one.” Korea’s Jeonbuk play down bribery Cantona’s comments will only infl ame the personal rancour between Mourinho allegations and Guardiola. South Korean champions sentenced to jail time for in- Mourinho would arrive at Manchester Jeonbuk Motors rejected al- volvement in a bribery scandal United just as Guardiola joins their bit- legations yesterday that a club last year, when it emerged the ter rivals Manchester City from Bayern scout paid top-flight referees former president of Gyeong- Munich, for his fi rst taste of the Premier to influence games, saying nam FC had paid tens of thou- League. the payments were made on sands of dollars to referees to When Mourinho was in charge of Real a personal basis and the sums award favourable decisions. Madrid and Guardiola running their Portuguese football manager Jose Mourinho is pictured as he returns to his home in London yesterday. involved were too small to be However, Jeonbuk Motors sworn enemy Barcelona, the Portuguese considered bribes. off icial Kim Sang-soo said this never missed an opportunity to take a As unfancied Leicester won the ti- “We continued to believe in each other pected to be completed within the week. Two referees have been case was diff erent. swipe at the Spaniard. tle and with Arsenal, Tottenham and and our manager, with the beautiful end Mourinho would face the challenge of charged with accepting “Yes, money was handed over However, Mourinho won just three of Manchester City ahead of them, United result of winning the FA Cup.” signifi cantly improving an unbalanced bribes totalling 5 million won but the scout and referees their 16 meetings. fi nished fi fth in the Premier League and and often lacklustre United squad in time ($4,195.51), prosecutors told knew each other from outside thereby missed out on a spot among Eu- CHELSEA BLUES for the new season, which begins in Au- Reuters, with the scout mak- the game,” Kim said by tel- CANTONA KICKS OUT rope’s elite. Mourinho has been out of work since be- gust. ing three payments to one off i- ephone, adding that referees “I love Jose Mourinho, but in terms of the That proved the fi nal straw for the Glazer ing sacked by Chelsea in December after Outgoing Paris Saint-Germain for- cial and two to the other, each do not make much money and type of football he plays I don’t think he is family, the club’s US-based owners. a miserable campaign marred by rifts ward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Sporting Lis- for 1 million won, in 2013. the scout was helping them Manchester United,” said Cantona, who Van Gaal, who said in a statement he with the club’s star players and backroom bon midfielder Joao Mario, Everton de- The case had been sent over out in tough times. turned 50 on Tuesday. was “very disappointed” by his sacking, staff . fender John Stones, Chelsea midfielder to the courts for trial next “The amounts were for around “I love his personality, I love the pas- agreed a severance package of £4.55 mil- The situation eventually became intol- Nemanja Matic and Atletico Madrid month, Busan District Pros- 1 million won (each time).It’s sion he has for the game, his humour. He lion ($6.5 million, 5.8 million euros) on erable for owner Roman Abramovich as forward Antoine Griezmann are report- ecutor’s Off ice said. not really on a scale where is very intelligent, he demands 100 per- the fi nal year of his three-year contract, the Blues, champions just months earlier, edly among the names on his wanted Korea’s Yonhap News quoted you can say it was a bribe cent of his players. And of course he wins The Tines newspaper reported. languished near the relegation zone. list. prosecutors as saying the and there was something things. United’s Dutch defender Daley Blind Now the colourful and controversial But Mourinho might also have to deal referees had already been expected in return.” “But I don’t think it’s the type of foot- said Champions League winner Van Gaal, 53-year-old will hope to restore his rep- with scepticism that his rock-solid de- ball that the fans of Manchester United 64, had not always been well treated over utation by bringing back the sparkle to fensive approach might prove too similar will love, even if they win.” the past six months and he would have United. to those of Van Gaal, whose dull tactics Van Gaal was dismissed on Monday, liked to have worked with him more. A casually-dressed Mourinho left his frustrated United fans. FIFA less than 48 hours after winning the FA “A manager like Louis van Gaal has London home on Tuesday and returned If he can rebuild the confi dence of his Cup: the price for failing to get one of the achieved so much and therefore deserves carrying hand-written notes. squad and make United champions for world’s biggest clubs into the Champions more respect,” he told Dutch newspaper The BBC said his appointment was un- the fi rst time since 2013, Mourinho may League. De Telegraaf. likely to be fi nalised Tuesday but was ex- regard it as his fi nest achievement yet. Blatter ‘astonished’

BOTTOMLINE by Kattner’s sacking

AFP body – now led by Gianni Infan- Geneva tino who has vowed to cut out the rot that spread during the Man Utd sack managers the hard way Blatter era – said an internal in- IFA’s disgraced ex- vestigation uncovered evidence AFP among staff , Alexander said of “United’s executives and president Sepp Blatter that Kattner had breached his Manchester, United Kingdom the sacking rumours. communications team told AFP yesterday he fi duciary responsibilities in con- Statements should have been certainly have lessons to Fwas “astonished” by the nection with his contract. prepared in advance and “senior learn aft er this episode,” sacking of the body’s deputy That investigation covered the here is no easy way to executives should have ensured said Alexander of Calacus general secretary Markus Kat- period from 2008 to 2014, when sack a Premier League that a meeting with Van Gaal was sports.”Once is careless but tner over millions of dollars of Blatter was president. manager and Manches- held quickly to ensure that he was for it to happen twice does bonuses he awarded himself. Blatter told AFP that both he ter United have found appraised of the situation.” not refl ect well on a club of FIFA dismissed Kattner on and Valcke “had the authority Tthat out the hard way with their The Dutchman negotiated his Monday on charges that he paid to decide on bonuses and it was United’s stature” fi ring of Louis Van Gaal. departure with a top employ- himself secret bonuses worth mil- all done in conformity with the Some are calling the manner ment lawyer on Monday, two that saw him win major honours lions of dollars under a contract rules”, an apparent admission of the Dutchman’s departure days after the reports started. at Barcelona, Bayern Munich whose terms were kept secret from that he was aware of the details from United a “public relations There had been widespread and Ajax Amsterdam. FIFA’s audit committees. of Kattner’s contract and bo- disaster” for England’s most fa- reports of player unrest over Van Of his departure Van Gaal him- “I have never met a more hon- nuses. mous club as it prepares to name Gaal’s tactics. self said only that he was “disap- est man than Markus Kattner,” A source familiar with FIFA’s Jose Mourinho. But some said they felt Van pointed” not to be able to carry said Blatter, who is himself un- internal investigation of Kattner The Dutchman was “appar- Gaal was treated badly. out the third year of his contract. der investigation by Swiss pros- who was not authorised to speak ently informed” of his impend- “The manager of a top club But media reports said he ecutors and is serving a six-year publicly told AFP that Blatter ing departure by his wife Truus in England is naturally under was given a pay off of more than ban imposed by FIFA over ethics and Valcke were both fully aware on Saturday night after United much more pressure but over fi ve million pound (6.5 million violations. of Kattner’s actions. had won the FA Cup, the BBC re- the last six months he has not euro/$7.3 million) in part not to Kattner’s fi ring “was for me Valcke is also under criminal ported. She had just read a news been treated fairly,” said United’s speak publicly. an huge surprise...I don’t know investigation in Switzerland. report on the Internet. Dutch defender Daley Blind. The Daily Mail newspaper the reasons for his dismissal, Kattner’s sacking was a fur- Van Gaal’s predecessor David “I think a manager like Louis said Van Gaal “feels aggrieved at but if there was any guy at FIFA ther reminder that turning the Moyes also found that he was to van Gaal, who has achieved so his treatment and the fact that who did his job in an exceptional page on the Blatter era could be fi red from the media before he much already, deserved more his fi nest hour at United was ru- manner, it was defi nitely Mr. prove a long and arduous proc- was told by Manchester United. respect,” Blind told reporters at ined by news of Mourinho’s im- Kattner,” Blatter added, de- ess. Calacus sports public rela- File picture of then Manchester United manager Louis Van Gaal. the Netherlands’ training camp minent appointment.” scribing himself as “astonished” Infantino only this month tions agency managing director in Portugal. “United’s executives and by the decision. named Senegalese Fatma David Alexander said Van Gaal’s most before his team had even A source close to the club Van Gaal and Manchester communications team certainly Kattner, a 45-year-old Ger- Samoura as its new general sec- sacking may not be a surprise changed out of their playing kit said only that United had been United “was a mismatch,” the have lessons to learn after this man-Swiss national, had been retary. given the results of the Ameri- after savouring an extra-time “hampered” in their communi- Dutch daily Trouw said. episode,” said Alexander of Ca- acting general secretary after Samoura is the body’s fi rst can-owned club. victory at Wembley.” cations because of the rules they But it added that the major lacus sports.”Once is careless previous general secretary Jer- woman secretary general and But he said: “It is a public re- “United clearly had not learnt face as a quoted company. question now is whether Van but for it to happen twice does ome Valcke was also dismissed FIFA also wanted her United Na- lations disaster for news to leak from their previous mistakes,” United should have put more Gaal, 64, “still wants to, or can” not refl ect well on a club of Unit- for irregularities. tions background to give a sign of that he was to be replaced al- he added. emphasis on “confi dentiality” go on with an illustrious career ed’s stature.” World football’s governing football’s new direction. Gulf Times Wednesday, May 25, 2016 3 FOOTBALL

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PRAISE Zidane hails Atletico Ronaldo confi dent ahead of fi nal of glory despite

injury scare Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane with James Rodriguez (L) and Luka Modric (R) during training session. ‘It would be nice to equal or even pass the record, but I am not obsessed with that DPA aldo goes in to the fi nal at 100 per Madrid cent,” he said. because the most important thing is to win’ “On Saturday he didn’t play a game we played between our- eal Madrid coach Zine- selves as precaution. We’ll see dine Zidane has warned how he is today, but he’ll be ready his team not to under- for Saturday.” estimate the attacking Central defender Raphael Var- strengthR of city rivals Atletico ane, however, is defi nitely out of Madrid ahead of the Champions the fi nal with a thigh injury. League fi nal. “Zizou” wouldn’t tell the hun- “People only ever say that they dred or so journalists from all defend very well and hardly con- over the world how he’d set his cede any goals, but when they go team up on Saturday in Milan.”To forward they can cause their op- be patient and play on the coun- ponent problems,” the French- ter, like Atlético coach Diego man said at Real’s media day in Simeone has predicted?” he was Madrid on Tuesday. asked.”Wait till Saturday, then Zidane had an injury scare on you’ll see whether or not we’ll Tuesday as striker Cristiano Ro- play on the counter.” naldo was treated on the train- The 43-year-old did say ing ground but he is not thought that he thinks possession alone at risk of missing Saturday’s “won’t be enough” in the repeat Champions League fi nal against of the 2014 Lisbon fi nal (which Atletico Madrid. Real won 4-1 after extra-time). The Portugal international Zidane, who only succeeded Rafa suff ered a knock on his right Benitez as Real coach at the be- thigh in a collision with reserve ginning of the year, came across keeper Kiko Casilla. modestly despite having reached After treatment on the ground, the fi nal of Europe’s premier he walked off unaided. football tournament. Ronaldo has returned from a He described Simeone as “one pulled right hamstring suff ered of the best coaches in the world” in April but has still felt some and conceded: “I still have to pain in the muscle, according to learn a lot, and I’m looking for- Spanish media reports. ward to that. I’ve still got a long Coach Zinedine Zidane said way to go to become an impor- yesterday before the training tant coach.” knock that Ronaldo was fully fi t. That said, the fi nal’s not keep- “There’s not going to be any ing him up at night: “But I’m still problems that Cristiano Ron- happy and excited.”

SECURITY Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo during a training session at Valdebebas in Madrid yesterday.

AFP once more despite winning just once in three games last month. Real’s fortunes with 21 wins from 26 Euro 2016 terror Madrid 10 games against Atletico since lifting He also came off at half-time of Real’s games since replacing the sacked Rafael their 10th European Cup in Lisbon. fi nal La Liga game of the season -- having Benitez in January. “We will see who is the best. I am posi- scored twice in the fi rst-half to take his “I think everybody feels the fun comes threat worries ristiano Ronaldo played down tive. I think Real are better than Atletico, tally for the season to 51 -- at Deportivo back a little bit when he arrived,” said fears over his fi tness ahead but we have to show it on the pitch.” la Coruna 10 days ago. Real midfi elder Toni Kroos. of Real Madrid’s Champions To do so Real must break down a rock Zidane confi rmed Ronaldo also didn’t However, the Frenchman -- who won France’s Desailly League fi nal against Atletico solid Atletico defence that has kept 35 play in a practice match on Saturday as a the Champions League for Madrid with a MadridC on Saturday after the three-time clean sheets in 56 games this season, precaution, but expects him to be fully fi t sensational volleyed winner in the 2002 World Player of the Year limped off to- including shutouts at home to Barce- for the fi nal. fi nal --- insisted he still has a lot to learn wards the end of training on Tuesday. lona and Bayern Munich in dumping the “There will be no problem. He felt as a coach. “I am fi ne. I had a little problem in Spanish and German champions out at something on Saturday when we had a “I have a lot to learn, the desire I have to training, a dead leg as they say here, but the quarter-fi nal and semi-fi nal stages game between us and he didn’t play as a learn is tremendous and I am convinced I tomorrow or the next day I will be fi ne,” respectively. precaution,” said Zidane. am going to improve,” said Zidane. he said. Atletico also managed a 1-0 win at “He will be ready for Saturday and I “I have a lot to do to be a good and im- Ronaldo will be aiming to break his own Real’s Santiago Bernabeu to infl ict Real think we are in good shape physically.” portant coach in football.” record of 17 Champions League goals in a coach Zinedine Zidane’s only La Liga de- However, there isn’t such good news for And Zidane rejected Ronaldo’s asser- season in Milan having already netted 16 feat in four months in charge when the French defender Raphael Varane as Zidane tion that Atletico’s success in reaching a in the competition so far this campaign. sides last met in February. confi rmed he will miss Saturday’s fi nal and second Champions League fi nal in three His 17th two years ago came in the fi nal “Atletico always play the same way. We his participation at Euro 2016 is now in years is solely due to their defensive against Atletico as Real ran out 4-1 win- know there will be very few opportuni- jeopardy due to a hamstring injury. record. ners after extra-time. ties because they all play behind the ball,” Varane was unlikely to start at the San “It will be a diffi cult game because we “It would be nice to equal or even pass continued Ronaldo. Siro in any case with captain Sergio Ra- are playing against a team that doesn’t the record, but I am not obsessed with “It is no coincidence that Barca and mos and Pepe Zidane’s preferred central just defend well. that because the most important thing is Bayern couldn’t score many goals against defensive partnership. “Everyone talks about them defending File picture of France’s World Cup winner Marcel Desailly. to win,” he added. them.” An 11th European Cup would cap a well, but they are a complete team. They And Ronaldo insisted Real will show Ronaldo has been dogged by a persist- sensational start to Zidane’s senior man- can also cause you problems playing with AFP diffi cult and football will bring they are the kings of the Spanish capital ent thigh injury which forced him to miss agement career having turned around the ball.” Cardiff some smiles to the faces, like we did in 2000 and 1998.” The former Chelsea and AC EURO 2016 rance’s World Cup win- Milan defender hopes Didier De- ner Marcel Desailly is schamps’ squad can win a third worried about security European crown after their 1984 for Euro 2016 after the and 2000 triumphs. deadlyF attacks on Paris last No- vember. ‘A BIG BLOW’ “Of course, there is a little Desailly said the absence of ex- England look to end years of hurt fear,” the 1998 World Cup win- perienced striker Karim Ben- ner and Euro 2000 champion zema could hurt France, but they Reuters es, a fl at performance and 2-1 panache and bite to a midfi eld told AFP. have the talent to cope. London Wembley defeat by a Dutch team where Wayne Rooney is also “Because of the level of secu- Benzema was suspended by who did not even make the Euros likely to feature to give the side rity, we hope nothing will hap- France in December because of brought everyone down to earth. experience and leadership. pen, but it’s a very diffi cult thing his alleged role in an attempt to hen England fans Ironically, as England have Rooney has been usurped up to be able to check everyone. blackmail ‘Les Bleus’ teammate sang about “30 years gradually adopted a more conti- front by free-scoring duo Harry “It’s not just the stadiums, Mathieu Valbuena over a sex- of hurt” at Euro ‘96 nental style of play, and can now Kane and Jamie Vardy, the latter it can happen anywhere in any tape. they had high hopes keep the ball and build patient fresh from leading Leicester City city.” Desailly said it is now up to Wof ending the pain with a fi rst tro- attacks with the best of them, to their surprise Premier League His comments came amid a Olivier Giroud and Andre-Pierre phy since the 1966 World Cup but their traditional strengths have title, but conservative Hodgson new scare over security breaches Gignac to support Atletico Ma- 20 years on from that agonising been left behind. is unlikely to play both men to- at the Stade de France in Paris drid’s in-form forward Antoine near miss there is precious little Since John Terry left the gether despite the partnership during the French Cup fi nal on Griezmann. optimism in the air. scene England have looked looking good in Sunday’s 2-1 Saturday. “Yes, it hurts France, because To a buoyant chart-topping horribly vulnerable in the cen- friendly win over Turkey. The stadium, which will host he (Benzema) is a very good play- Three Lions soundtrack of tre of defence and, having been Despite their defensive short- the opening match on June 10 er, he’s a point of reference at the “football’s coming home” Eng- bundled out of the 2014 World comings it would still be a mon- plus the July 10 fi nal, was tar- front of the attack for France, so land came within the width of Cup group stage on the back umental shock if England failed geted by suicide bombers during it’s a big blow,” said Desailly. Paul Gascoigne’s bootlace of of the most basic errors in that to advance from a group con- the November 13 attacks that left “Didier will still play a 4-3-3, securing a place in the Euro ‘96 department, they were caught taining Russia, Wales and Slo- 130 dead. but he just has to hope a player fi nal on home soil. out in both friendlies in exactly vakia, and should they top the Desailly, a key member of the like Griezmann will show up The midfi elder’s extra-time, the same way. standings to face a third-placed side that won the 1998 World well to allow France to win the open-goal miss against Ger- Manager Roy Hodgson is tak- qualifi er they would also expect Cup fi nal in the stadium, said he games.” many led to penalties, which File picture of England manager Roy Hodgson. ing John Stones, Chris Smalling to reach the quarter-fi nals. hopes France can win the Euro- Desailly compared the French England lost, just as they did in and Gary Cahill to France and However, having failed to get pean championships on home squad to where world champi- their only other semi-fi nal ap- dispiriting exit. ers, scoring 31 goals and conced- mobile opposition attackers beyond that point in any tour- soil to lift the whole country. ons Germany were six years ago pearance since 1966 at the 1990 That see-saw frustration was ing three, England put the icing must be licking their lips in an- nament in the last 20 years, “If France win the title, it before beginning their rise to the World Cup. summed up in the space of four on the cake with an uplifting 3-2 ticipation. stand by for yet another re- will boost more than just foot- 2014 World Cup crown. Since then England have been days by England’s two most re- away win over world champions The coach is better served release of the Lightning Seeds’ ball, it will boost the economy, “Didier Deschamps has a very, serially unsuccessful despite cent friendlies in March. Germany. elsewhere, with the emergence pop classic for the next World it will boost the hope,” said the very good generation of players, the virtually biennial routine of Having reached the Euro 2016 However, with predictions of of Tottenham Hotspur duo Cup, with the hurt counter 47-year-old. you can see the talent is there,” excitable build-up followed by fi nals by winning all 10 qualifi - glory still fi lling the back pag- Dele Alli and Eric Dier adding clicking round to 52 years. “People are quite sad, life is said Desailly. Gulf Times 4 Wednesday, May 25, 2016 SPORT

FORMULA ONE SPOTLIGHT McLaren will One streak over, replace Mercedes Rosberg aims for as champions, predicts Dennis

Reuters McLaren’s partners but were London plagued by unreliability and a lack of power. another in Monaco This year has seen improve- cLaren will be the ment, with Britain’s Jenson But- team that topples ton scoring in the last two races The Mercedes driver completed a hat-trick of wins last year in the street circuit dominant Mercedes and Fernando Alonso sixth in as Formula One Russia and reaching the fi nal Mworld champions, chairman Ron phase of qualifying in Spain. dennis predicted yesterday. Dennis said next year’s rules Honda-powered McLaren revamp represented an opportu- have not won a grand prix since nity. “The 2017 regulations level 2012 while Mercedes, with triple the playing fi eld and it is enough champion Lewis Hamilton and time for us to catch up with Hon- Nico Rosberg, have been victori- da, so I think we’ll have a good ous 36 of 43 since the start of the chance next year,” he said. V6 turbo hybrid era. Renault, who power Red Bull This weekend’s showcase Mo- although the units are badged as naco Grand Prix has been won Tag Heuer, expect a big step up by championship leader Ros- after testing their new specifi ca- berg for the last three years, al- tion engine last week. Renault F1 though McLaren are historically operations director Remi Taffi n the most successful team in the predicted a gain of around half principality with 15 triumphs. a second a lap and said the new “I honestly believe that the unit could be taken to Monaco. next world champions after Mer- “We had originally planned cedes will be McLaren,” Dennis to use the new version in Can- told the BBC.”We’ll get to that ada when the current units are goal before other people. It is scheduled to be removed from challenging but I have a fi rm be- the cycle, but if we can get the lief in the technical competence units together and completely Monaco is a home race for Nico Rosberg, of our people and a fi rm belief in validated by Monaco we will use the German-born son of Finland’s 1982 Honda.” the ones available at this race,” world champion Keke, who grew up and Former champions McLaren, he said. went to school there. (AFP) the most successful team after Red Bull won in Spain with Ferrari in the history of the sport, 18-year-old Dutch driver Max have scored 12 points from fi ve Verstappen, the sport’s youngest races this season compared to winner. Ferrari have also closed Mercedes’ tally of 157. Ferrari are the gap on Mercedes since last second with 109 and Red Bull year, and believe they should third on 94. have won already this year with Honda returned in 2015 as more luck and reliability.

Reuters Four wins would still be one behind the October, and the collision at the Circuit to be contenders as well at a track where Monaco Brazilian, who won fi ve in a row and six de Catalunya left him 43 points behind outright engine power matters less than in total, but still a sequence that multiple the German with 16 races remaining, but driveability. The new ultrasoft Pirelli champions like Graham Hill, Alain Prost he is still the bookmakers’ favourite. tyres, making their debut, could also ne winning streak ended with a and Michael Schumacher never man- Monaco – the glamour highlight of help. Both the current Ferrari drivers Se- bang for Nico Rosberg in Spain aged. Monaco is a home race for most of the season – is also special for him, a bastian Vettel and Kimi Raikkonen – sec- but Monaco’s tight, metal- the drivers but even more so for Rosberg, race the boyhood Senna fan has always ond in the standings and 39 points off the fenced streets could see the the German-born son of Finland’s 1982 loved, and he needs to start reeling in pace – have won in Monaco before, but continuationO of another remarkable run world champion Keke, who grew up and Rosberg as soon as possible. “Barcelona not for the Italian team, whose last vic- for the Formula One championship leader went to school there and this time returns was the worst feeling but, like I always tory there was with Schumacher in 2001. on Sunday. Only one man – triple world in the form of his life. say, the true test is how you get back up Red Bull, whose Australian driver Dan- champion Ayrton Senna – has won more “I have memories from every corner when you’ve been knocked down,” said iel Ricciardo set the race lap record last than three times in a row in the Mediter- going right back to my school days and I the Briton, who won in Monaco with year, had already targeted Monaco as their ranean principality’s showcase race but always have great support there from my McLaren in 2008. best chance of a victory before 18-year- Rosberg is on the cusp of stepping up family, my friends and the fans, which “It was a tough moment for all of us old Dutch driver Max Verstappen won in alongside the late Brazilian. gives you that extra boost through the after the race but it’s now chapter closed Spain on his debut with the team. The Mercedes driver, whose hopes of weekend,” he said. and looking ahead to Monaco. It’s an “The trend now is we’re coming strong- an eighth successive win ended at the “It’s been amazing to win there for the incredible feeling making a car dance er and stronger,” said Ricciardo.”Monaco previous race in Barcelona when he and past three years – but I know it will be through those streets, one of the purest is for me the best circuit to drive one... triple world champion teammate Lewis tough to repeat that with Lewis, the Fer- thrills you can have in a racing car. I’m there’s no circuit on the calendar that Hamilton collided on the opening lap raris and the Red Bulls all so strong now.” approaching this weekend with only one gives me that same feeling, that same while fi ghting for the lead, completed his Hamilton has not won since he took his result in mind.” adrenaline and that feeling of wanting Britain’s Jenson Button (right) scored in the last two races, while hat-trick last year. third world championship in Texas last Ferrari and resurgent Red Bull can hope more.” Fernando Alonso was sixth in Russia.

GOLF FOCUS Willett monitoring Zika threat Lahiri qualifi es for second AFP Wentworth, United Kingdom US Open and ninth Major

asters champion Danny Willett By Correspondent when he missed the halfway cut in his debut ap- insists he will not risk the health Texas pearance at the tournament. of his family in pursuit of Ol- The tenacious Indian also featured in the Masters ympic glory in Rio de Janeiro in Tournament in April where he fi nished tied 42nd. MAugust. The Englishman is keeping a close eigning Asian Tour number one Anirban Lahiri, who is playing his rookie season on the eye on the spread of the Zika virus in South Lahiri of India earned his place at next PGA Tour this year, has missed only three cuts all America and will not compete at the games month’s U.S. Open, the year’s second Ma- season and was joint runner-up in his defence of if he or his family are in any danger. jor, by virtue of being in the top-60 of the the Indian Open in March. Rory McIlroy said on Monday that he was OffiR cial World Golf Ranking as of Monday. He will also look to match his impressive tied also eyeing the situation and Willett is do- The 28-year-old Lahiri, currently 56th in the fi fth result at last year’s PGA Championship, which ing the same for the sake of his wife Nicola world rankings, will make his second U.S. Open and was the best performance by an Indian golfer at a and his son Zachary, who was born 12 days ninth Major appearance when he tees it up at the Major. Anirban, all set to represent India at the Rio before the Yorkshireman’s win at Augusta. Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, Olympics later this year, is slowly also making his The virus is a threat to unborn babies from June 16 to 19. way up on the list of Indians with most Major ap- and McIlroy also spoke about his intention The U.S. Open is the only Major where Anir- pearances. Jeev Milkha Singh is currently on top of to start a family with his fi ancé Erica Stoll. ban has not made the cut so far. He will be eager that list with 13 appearances. Lahiri is placed sec- “We are monitoring it,” Willett told report- to redeem himself after last year’s disappointment ond with eight appearances. ers at Wentworth ahead of the European PGA Championship. “I had an e-mail from the WHO (World Health Organisation) and we are keeping on top of it. It’s not great, is it? There’s going to be 500,000 people watching the Olympics, and you have 11,000 athletes right in the heart of where it’s at. “But I’m not a doctor; I don’t know the Masters champion Danny Willett (left) and Rory McIlroy are eyeing the situation on the ins and outs of it, but I’m going to have a spread of the Zika virus in South America. (Reuters) sit down with the guys this week and just double-check everything. If it turns out 23rd at last week’s Irish Open. The 28-year- on that back nine, and then it was real class that it would be a massive threat to my- old played with McIlroy, and Russell Knox, down the stretch last week. He hit two of the self or to Nic or to Little Man (son), then I in the fi nal round at the K Club, in Dublin, best shots I think you’ll see on 16 and 18 to India’s Anirban Lahiri is probably wouldn’t go. Family comes fi rst. and saw the Irish crowd cheer their favour- kind of keep Russell from really challenging. currently 56th in the world. But as it stands at the minute, I think eve- ite son to the title. “Hopefully we get more of the same this rything should be okay. We’re down to go, And Willett is hoping the English crowd week where there’s a few British lads up and hopefully, they can give us some proper can will him to win the biggest tournament there contending and the crowds can get guidelines as to how to keep it at bay and held in England this year. He added: “Last right behind them and hopefully get them keep it under control so that it doesn’t ruin week was unbelievable. Again, that’s what over the line.” what could be potentially a fantastic Olym- you practice for, 18 holes on a Sunday with The European Tour’s fl agship event, pics.” Rory in Ireland, it was brilliant. The crowd which starts tomorrow, was weakened by Willett is playing in England for the fi rst got right behind him. When things weren’t the withdrawal of world number 10 Justin time since winning the Green Jacket after going his way. Rose earlier with a back problem leaving missing the cut in the Players’ Champion- I think they helped him get through a Willett, ranked one place above Rose, as the ship at Sawgrass and fi nishing in a tie for couple of the sticky situations that he had only player in the world top 20 on view. Gulf Times Wednesday, May 25, 2016 5 SPORT

CYCLING SHOOTING Diamond needs Valverde wins stage as help, says teammate

Reuters Kruijswijk extends lead Sydney ustralia’s most decorated ‘I wanted to give my team a win but it’s an ideal situation for the pink jersey’ Olympic shooter Michael Diamond needed help with personal problems longA before he was arrested for drink driving and fi rearms off ences at the weekend, said former teammate Russell Mark. Diamond, who won back-to-back trap gold medals at the Atlanta and Sydney Olympics, was charged with “high range drink driving, not keep- ing fi rearm safe and handling or us- ing fi rearm while under the infl uence of alcohol”. While his arrest has jeopardised his chances of appearing at a seventh Olympics in Brazil in August, Mark, the double trap champion in Atlanta, said Diamond’s well-being was more important than medals. “I actually feel sorry for Michael. Forget about the Olympic medals. He needs help, I tried to help him,” Mark, who has fallen out with Dia- mond, told Sydney’s Daily Telegraph. “It was only a matter of time be- fore something like this happened. “When Michael is not drinking he is manageable. But when he is drink- ing things become diffi cult.” Mark told the newspaper he had previously informed Shooting Aus- tralia, the sport’s national govern- ing body, of his concerns about Dia- mond’s behaviour but said offi cials had failed to take any action. After Diamond’s arrest following a domestic dispute in Nelson Bay on Saturday, a shotgun with 150 rounds of ammunition was found in his car and a breath analysis showed he was three times over the legal blood-al- cohol limit. His driver’s and fi rearms licenses have been suspended and he has been granted bail to appear at court on June 7. Australia’s Olympic team chef de mission Kitty Chiller said on Mon- day that Diamond’s nomination for Rio was up to Shooting Australia, Dutch Steven Kruijswijk celebrates the pink jersey of the overall leader on the podium of the 16th stage of the 99th Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy, from Bressanone/Brixen to Andalo yesterday. (AFP) but added that the AOC could still overrule it. AFP bali nearly fi ve minutes in his wake Chaves crossed the fi nish line the Dutchman after Saturday’s ‘Queen Team 2hr 58min 54sec, 2. Steven Kru- The selection of Australia’s trap Milan however, he said: “I wanted to give my 42secs in arrears, with Nibali fi nishing Stage’ in the Dolomites mountains. ijswijk (NED/LNL) same time, 3. Ilnur team for Rio had already been de- team a win but it’s an ideal situation for nearly two minutes behind alongside Kruijswijk, meanwhile, keeps going Zakarin (RUS/KAT) at 8secs, 4. Diego layed pending teenager Mitchell the pink jersey as I’m now three min- compatriot Domenico Pozzovivo. from strength to strength. Ulissi (ITA/LAM) 37, 5. Bob Jungels Iles’s appeal to the Court of Arbitra- utchman Steven Kruijswijk utes ahead of Esteban Chaves and the Chaves remains second but is 3:00 “I was feeling really good so I had to (LUX/ETI) s.t., 6. David Lopez Garcia tion for Sport (CAS). moved closer to a history- others.” behind Kruijswijk, with Valverde mov- make the best of this short but really (ESP/SKY) 38, 7. Sergey Firsanov (RUS/ Shooting Australia said in a state- making Giro d’Italia triumph On his Giro debut, Movistar leader ing up to third at 3:23 and Nibali, the hard stage,” he added. GAZ) s.t., 8. Esteban Chaves (COL/ORI) ment on Monday that they were yesterday after stretching his Valverde has done better than expected 2014 Tour de France champion, drop- “I had to follow Nibali when he at- 42, 9. Rafal Majka (POL/TIN) 50, 10. “working closely with Michael to leadD over Esteban Chaves and Vincen- as years of racing experience, and good ping one place to fourth at 4:43. tacked early in the stage. I didn’t ex- Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/A2R) 1min support him and to ensure that his zo Nibali in a thrilling 16th stage won legs, came to the fore for the Spaniard Italian champion Nibali had been pect so much action the day after the 47sec welfare is protected”. by Alejandro Valverde. when he launched a telling attack in- at the forefront all day but came up rest day.” Kruijswijk, of the Lotto team, start- side the fi nal 15 km. short on the fi nal climb, the Fai della A day after Nibali promised to bite Overall ed the hilly 132 km race from Bressa- “It’s a good day for me as I move Paganella, following an attack by Val- into his deficit, ‘Lo Squalo’ (The Shark) 1. Steven Kruijswijk (NED/LNL) 63hr none to Andalo with a 2min 12sec lead up in the overall standings, although I verde. will now look to recover on stages 17 40min 10sec, 2. Esteban Chaves (COL/ on Colombian Chaves (Orica) and 2:51 wanted a stage win as a gift for the me- There were only 15 kms remain- and 18 before the race for the pink ORI) at 3min 03sec, 3. Alejandro on 2013 champion and pre-race fa- chanics, soigneurs, directors, my fam- ing and Kruijswijk was quickly on to jersey resumes in earnest with two big Valverde (ESP/MOV) 3:23, 4. Vincenzo vourite Vincenzo Nibali (Astana). ily... all the people who have helped me the Spaniard’s wheel. Nibali, by this days in the mountains on Friday and Nibali (ITA/AST) 4:43, 5. Ilnur Zakarin Kruijswijk didn’t have enough in overcome the day I had on Saturday time, had used up most of his fuel. He Saturday. (RUS/KAT) 4:50, 6. Rafal Majka (POL/ the tank to stop Movistar team leader because of the altitude,” said Valverde. was dropped back to a chasing group TIN) 5:34, 7. Bob Jungels (LUX/ETI) 7:57, Valverde, 36, from claiming his maiden “We wanted to break the race up that contained Chaves. Nibali has now RESULTS 8. Andrey Amador (CRC/MOV) 6:53, 9. stage win on the race after a two-up today. It’s a great feeling to win for the lost time to Kruijswijk on the past two Stage: Domenico Pozzovivo (ITA/A2R) 10:05, sprint at the fi nish. After leaving Ni- fi rst time at the Giro.” stages having been only 41secs behind 1. Alejandro Valverde (ESP) Movistar 10. Kanstantsin Siutsou (BLR/DDA) 11:03.

RUGBY Jones promises ‘enormous scrap’ Down Under

Reuters London Cheika welcomes England’s selection of Te’o Wallabies coach Michael Cheika campaign, returned to Sydney and ngland head coach Ed- has welcomed the inclusion of Ben the 13-man game after just over a die Jones has warned Te’o in the England squad for the year. Unlike the English born and Australia to be pre- June series in Australia and thinks raised Burgess, Te’o could be a pared for an “enormous the rugby league convert will case study for those arguing for an scrap”E when the teams clash handle the step up to test rugby if overhaul of the rules on interna- next month in a three-test series called upon. tional eligibility. Down Under. Te’o has excelled at outside centre Born in New Zealand where he Australian Jones, who named since leaving Australia and rugby represented the Kiwis’ rugby injured centre Manu Tuilagi and league in 2014 for Irish province league team at junior levels, he three other uncapped players in Leinster, who Cheika coached moved to Australia as a 17-year-old his 32-man squad for the tour, to their maiden Heineken Cup and built a successful career in the made no secrets of his ambitions triumph in 2009. National Rugby League with West for the team. “I spoke to him a fair bit before he Tigers, Brisbane and South Sydney. “We want to be the top team went over, he went to my club in He represented Samoa at the in the world... therefore, if we go Ireland, Leinster, so they’ve been 2008 rugby league World Cup, to Australia, we should expect to very pleased with him over there,” declared for Australia to play State win the series,” the 56-year-old Cheika, a big fan of rugby league, of Origin for Queensland before told British media. said in the Australian Rugby Union moving to Leinster. “It would be a failure if we podcast. Less than six months after sign- don’t win the series.” “It’s been a very quiet transition, ing for Worcester Warriors for Australia were convincing 33- not a lot of noise, so it’s probably next season, and on the back of 13 winners against England in given him a chance to get really in- his mother’s English heritage, last year’s Rugby World Cup, and stilled into the art of playing at 13, the 29-year-old was one of four Jones urged his players to fi ght which is where he’s been playing. uncapped players included in Ed- harder to ensure a diff erent re- “You know you’re going to get a die Jones’s squad for the Australia sult this time around. “It’s got to tough, hard defender there and tour. “I think it’s a pretty smart be an enormous scrap,” he said. from what I’ve watched he’s made play,” Cheika added. “There’s not “We’re going to be in their face, the transition really, really well.” much risk on the line. He’ll get physical, unrelenting, don’t give Te’o’s smooth transition is in experience with the team. them a moment.” of threats posed by the southern teams did in the Six Nations and marked contrast to that of Sam “Whether he plays tests or not, England go into the tour af- hemisphere side. try and play with an intensity Burgess, the last rugby league con- you don’t know, but I think he’ll ter winning the Six Nations “(Australia) are just much and pace that isn’t common in vert to grace the England squad. handle the jump up. He’s played on grand slam for the fi rst time better with the ball,” he added. the northern hemisphere.” Burgess, a scapegoat for the the biggest stage, so I don’t think since 2003 under Jones, but the “They’re going to put more The fi rst test against Australia host’s miserable 2015 World Cup it’s an issue.” former Wallabies coach is wary questions to our defence than is in Brisbane on June 11. Gulf Times 6 Wednesday, May 25, 2016 SPORT

NBA NHL Sharks on the brink as Blues beaten Lowry and DeRozan AFP each round. In the LA series we Los Angeles had one. We had one against Nashville. We had one in this series. he San Jose Sharks “Hopefully it’s out of the moved to within one way. Every time we’ve reset. win of the Stanley Cup The guys have got back to our fi nals on Monday after game. When we’re playing that star as Raptors stun beatingT the St. Louis Blues 6-3 way, we’re hard to beat.” to take control of their Western Sharks goaltender Martin Conference series. Jones made 18 saves while his A Joe Pavelski strike 16 opposite number Jake Allen seconds into the fi nal period stopped 21 of the 25 shots he handed the Sharks a 4-3 lead faced. before two empty-net goals The Blues had looked on in the fi nal minute gave the course for a win after twice Cavs to tie series scoreline a fl attering look. taking the lead in the second The win puts San Jose 3-2 period. ahead in the best-of-seven se- But the Sharks hit back ‘They played well the first two games and they protected home. Now we’ve protected home’ ries, meaning they will reach twice through power-play the Stanley Cup for the fi rst goals to tie the game. Both time in franchise history with goals came while Blues de- AFP a win at home today in Game fenseman Kevin Shattenkirk Montreal Six. was in the penalty box. A decisive Game Seven, if Ward made it 2-2 after a needed, would be played in St. roughing penalty to Shat- yle Lowry and DeMar Louis on Friday. tenkirk. Shattenkirk was then DeRozan scored more Pavelski’s go-ahead goal called again for hooking, leav- than 30 points each as came after he redirected a shot ing Pavelski free to grab his Kthe Toronto Raptors by Brent Burns past Jake Allen fi rst of the game and make it withstood a ferocious Cleveland for his 12th goal in 17 playoff 3-3. Cavaliers fi ghtback to level their games. The Blues had earlier capi- Eastern Conference fi nal series Chris Tierney made it 5-3 talised on a power-play goal of on Monday with a 105-99 vic- and Joel Ward completed the their own from Robby Fabbri tory. scoring with his second goal of to take a 3-2 lead in the second Lowry scored 35 points while the game. It was the fi fth time period before Pavelski’s equal- DeRozan weighed in with 32 as during the postseason that iser. Toronto completed a victory that the Sharks have bounced back San Jose had taken the lead leaves the best-of-seven series from a defeat to score a win. through Marc-Edouard Vasic tied at 2-2 with three games to San Jose coach Peter De- in the fi rst period before Jaden play. The win continues a re- Boer paid tribute to his team’s Schwartz and Troy Bouwer put markable transformation in for- mental strength when asked to the Blues 2-1 ahead. tunes for Toronto, who had lost comment on their “bounce- Blues coach Ken Hitchcock the opening two games of the backability.” said he expects San Jose to go series heavily to trail 2-0. “They’re a smart group. for the jugular today. The Canadian franchise – They’re a veteran group. The “I think they’re going to playing in its fi rst Eastern Con- most important thing is they try to hit us with a knock-out ference fi nals – held its nerve understand our identity as a punch early, he said. “We fully to hang on for a thrilling win on team,” DeBoer said. “When we expect that’s what they’re go- Monday. get away from it, we get burnt. ing to do. Our job is to answer “They played well the fi rst We’ve had one of those games the bell.” two games and they protected home,” Lowry said. “Now we’ve protected home.” With Lowry and DeRozan in imperious form, the Raptors had surged into an 18-point lead midway through the third quar- ter. However, the Cavs rallied superbly through LeBron James, who fi nished with 29 points, and Kyrie Irving to haul themselves back into the contest. With just over fi ve minutes of the fourth quarter remaining, the Cavs had wiped out the defi - cit and taken a 92-89 lead. But just when it looked as if the Cavs might score a vital road victory – and open up a 3-1 se- ries lead – the Raptors rallied again, going on an 11-3 scoring run in the closing minutes to Kyle Lowry (right) of the Toronto Raptors shoots a three point basket in the first half against Iman Shumpert of the Cleveland Cavaliers in game claim the win. four of the Eastern Conference Finals during the 2016 NBA Playoff s at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. (Getty Images/AFP) “I thought we had control of the game, built a three-point lacklustre start to the game. ing up an eight-point lead at ever two Irving three-pointers before the lead changed hands lead, but we just made some de- “We got off to a horrible first one stage. DeMarre Carroll had helped trim the defi cit for the several times in a frenzied fensive mistakes that you can’t half and we were playing catch seven fi rst-quarter points to lead Cas while J.R.Smith’s three cut fi nale. The crucial passage make down the stretch,” Cavs up,” James said. “We had a the Raptors scoring while Cavs the lead to seven. The Raptors came when fi rst Lowry and Bi- coach Tyronn Lue said. chance to win the ballgame but got seven points from Kyrie Irv- hung on however to lead 78-69 yombo sank free throws to put “Each time we made a mistake we can’t dig ourselves a hole like ing. at the end of the third. Toronto fi ve points ahead with they made us pay. We had an op- we did in the fi rst half.” Toronto went 13 points clear But Cleveland then reeled off 2:22 left. portunity to not play well and Toronto’s defensive giant with 4:35 left in the second when the fi rst fi ve points of the fourth Irving’s three-pointer put win that game. They executed Bismack Biyombo produced Patrick Patterson laid up before quarter to narrow the gap and the Cavs within two, but To- every time we made a mistake.” another towering performance Lowry drained a three. soon trailed by one point after ronto held on. “We were solid San Jose Sharks centre Joe Pavelski (left) is congratulated by near the rim, mopping up 14 re- Toronto were comfortably Channing Frye made his second down the stretch, understanding centre Tomas Hertl after scoring a goal against the St. Louis Blues ‘Horrible first half’ bounds to keep the Cavs at bay. ahead 57-41 at half-time and straight three-pointer. that when they scored we had during the third period in game five of the Western Conference James, who also had nine re- The Raptors had led 27-24 early in the third led by 18 after James then gave Cleveland to come down and get a bucket” Final of the 2016 Stanley Cup Playoff s at Scottrade Centre. The bounds, bemoaned the Cavs after the fi rst quarter after open- another DeRozan basket. How- a fl eeting one-point advantage DeRozan said. Sharks won the game 6-3. PICTURE: USA TODAY Sports

MLB Hill throws 8 shutout innings in A’s victory

By John Hickey early, but the veteran has shown homer and his fi rst since April 28. “Boston can be a place that can East Bay Times in the fi rst two months of the Walker didn’t know it at the be tough for your Major League season that he can deal with time, but he was just about done, debut. He gave us three innings, trouble, and he was most eff ec- hurt as much by the defense of he was aggressive and I liked the here’s something about tive this time around. shortstop Chris Taylor as the movement on his fastball.” Safeco Field that is After a double play got Hill A’s off ense, although Oakland’s Gray, who went on the disa- bringing out the best out of a jam in the fi rst, an infi eld lumber fi nally made its presence bled list Sunday with a strained Tin the Oakland A’s, 5-0 single, a looper over the second known in the eighth. right trapezius, is likely to be winners over the Seattle Mari- baseman and a pop fl y to left gave A two-base throwing error by out a little longer than 15 days. ners on Monday. the Mariners a bases-loaded sit- Young and a one-out RBI single “To get him actually back into It doesn’t hurt that lefty Rich uation with no one out in the sec- by Smolinski made it 2-0, and a start mode in 15 days might be Hill has pitched twice here. The ond. Hill showed poise, getting a when the Mariners had a chance tough,” the manager said. It was veteran pitched eight scoreless strikeout of Chris Iannetta, get- to get out of the inning with a Gray who was the last pitcher to innings Monday after having ting Nori Aoki to hit a grounder to double play, Young muff ed the throw more than seven innings in limited the Mariners to one run fi rst, where Yonder Alonso threw grounder, leaving men at second a start, doing it on Aug. 22, 2015. in six innings back in an April 9 a strike to the plate for a force, and third. Walker walked Billy The fracture of Josh Reddick’s Safeco win. then struck out Chris Taylor. Burns intentionally to load the left thumb is at the tip of the Hill, 7-3, allowed eight hits Hill allowed two singles in the bases before lefty reliever Vidal thumb and not in the joint, so but walked no one, his big curve third, but they were sandwiched Nuno hit Vogt with a pitch, giv- the expectation is that Reddick setting up a darting fastball that around a double play grounder to ing the A’s a 3-0 lead. will need closer to four weeks to was at its best when Seattle had shortstop Marcus Semien, so the That led to the call for Joel heal than the six it would be if the runners on base. Hill was the fi rst Mariners never really had much Peralta to come out of the Seat- joint had been injured. pitcher in the past 83 games – going. And it would be their last tle pen, and Danny Valencia hit just over half a season – to throw chance for a while. After Rob- Peralta’s fi rst pitch for a two-run RESULTS more than seven innings in a start inson Cano’s single in the third, double and a 5-0 lead. Pittsburgh 6 Colorado 3 for Oakland. Hill set down the next 14 men in The A’s will go with rookie Zach Chicago White Sox 7 Cleveland 6 The Mariners own the best order. If anything, Seattle starter Neal to start today’s series fi nale NY Mets 7 Washington 1 record in the American League Taijuan Walker was even more against the Mariners in place of Detroit 5 Philadelphia 4 West at 26-18, but the A’s have eff ective in the fi rst six innings. the disabled Sonny Gray. Neal, Miami 7 Tampa Bay 6 owned them in their Seat- After Coco Crisp opened the who pitched one inning of relief LA Angels 2 Texas 0 tle home. Oakland is now 4-0 game with a single, the right- in Boston on May 11, has earned a Cleveland 5 Chicago W Sox 1 against Seattle in the Pacifi c handed Walker put away 16 Oak- promotion with a 5-1 record and Kansas City 10 Minnesota 4 Northwest, but even with the land batters consecutively before 2.53 ERA for Triple-A Nashville. St. Louis 4 Chicago Cubs 3 win, the 20-26 A’s are seven Jake Smolinski singled with one scoreless deadlock until Stephen with an above-average fastball, strike. His fastball wasn’t up to “We were impressed with what LA Dodgers 1 Cincinnati 0 games out in the West. out in the sixth. Vogt led off the seventh. Walker but after falling behind Vogt par, and Vogt clubbed it out over we saw, and he’s been pitching Oakland 5 Seattle 0 Hill was in a mess of trouble The game was sitting in a is an impressive young pitcher 3-1, Walker just tried to throw a the right fi eld wall, his fourth well,” manager Bob Melvin said. San Francisco 1 San Diego 0 Gulf Times Wednesday, May 25, 2016 7 SPORT

SPOTLIGHT FOCUS Beijing medals at risk for Russia aft er Korean golfer An positive re-tests

Reuters doping rules at the 2008 Bei- Moscow jing Olympics after re-testing their samples,” Russia’s Sports Ministry said in a statement. ussia could lose med- “Any athletes found cheat- aiming to overtake als from the 2008 Bei- ing should face correspond- jing Olympics after 14 ing sanctions. We have taken of its athletes tested numerous steps to eradicate positiveR for banned substanc- the issue of doping, and un- es during re-tests conducted derstand that the roots of the from eight-year-old samples, problem, particularly in ath- the Russian Olympic Commit- letics, go back to the past.” tee (ROC) said on Tuesday. The latest revelations were Olympian parents The ROC said in a statement a further blow to Russia and that it had been informed by its hopes of sending a full team the International Olympic to Rio. The country’s track and ‘They played it. They got silver and bronze medal. I’ve got to try to get gold then’ Committee (IOC) that re-tests fi eld athletes have been sus- of those samples had yielded pended since November after 14 positive results from Rus- an international investigation sian athletes. uncovered damning evidence The ROC said it would not of doping and corruption. give the names of the athletes The world athletics’ gov- until the results of testing of erning body, the IAAF, will de- their B samples and the start of cide on June 17 whether Mos- offi cial disciplinary proceed- cow has done enough to clean ings. up its act and be readmitted to Russian media reported a competition and this year’s Rio list of athletes, which could de Janeiro Olympics. not be verifi ed by Reuters. Russia’s athletics federa- It included high jumper tion said on Tuesday that it Anna Chicherova who won a would not allow athletes who bronze medal in Beijing and had been caught doping in went on to claim gold in Lon- previous years into the Russian don in 2012. team for the Rio Games. Her coach confi rmed she The IOC said it would not was on the list earlier on Tues- comment on the ongoing day. process. It is expected to an- Several other athletes who nounce the results of re-tests won medals in Beijing were of the London 2012 Games this named. week. “The Ministry of Sport is Calls for a blanket ban of extremely disappointed to the entire Russian team have hear the speculation that Rus- grown louder with every twist sian athletes are among those of this scandal that has rocked found to have violated anti- world sport.

AFP in the world - he was 132nd could play in all the majors. A last year that winning one of Eu- and defi nitely changed it a lot Wentworth, United Kingdom when he stunned European golf strong fi nish to the season saw rope’s premier events was a life- when I look back. 12 months ago and a win here him break into that elite group changer had come true. “My goal was to try to get Top would book his ticket for Rio de and An fi nished up by being The 24-year-old added: “I’m 50 in the world in last year and outh Korea’s Byeong Janeiro as one of the two highest named Rookie of the Year by the 26th in the world. That’s a lot of try to get me into all the majors Hun An is aiming to go ranked South Koreans. European Tour. change from last year because this year. Somehow I just kept one better than his par- “I’d love to play in the Olym- before this event, I was 133rd or the momentum going. It defi - ents if he qualifi es for pics. They played it. They got An’s father Ahn Jae-Hyung something like that. nitely started last year after this SAugust’s Olympic golf tourna- silver and bronze medal. I’ve got “So that’s a big change, and event,” won a bronze medal in ment in Brazil. to try to get gold then,” An told table tennis at the Seoul I got to play all the majors, the An starts the defence of his An’s father Ahn Jae-Hyung reporters at Wentworth ahead of games in 1988 and his Masters this year, and all three crown on Thursday when he won a bronze medal in table ten- Thursday’s start to the tourna- mother Jiao Zhimin won a majors last year. That’s a big plays with Ireland’s Shane Lowry nis at the Seoul games in 1988 ment. silver in the same pursuit. change in my life, and now I and Italian Francesco Molinari. and his mother Jiao Zhimin won “Just playing in it is really have a chance to play on the PGA Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose are a silver in the same pursuit. special for me. So I’ll try to try He has had two top-5s on Tour, and basically I got it for this missing from the fi eld through An is back at Wentworth this my best to try to make the team.” the European Tour this season year. choice and injury respectively week to defend the European An surged up the world rank- - in Abu Dhabi and Dubai - and “It got me into a lot of events but Masters champion Danny PGA Championship title he won ings on the back of last season’s missed out in a play-off to Brian and boosted my confi dence that Willett is here and he will play last season and give another victory and he eclipsed his main Stuard in the Zurich Classic of I could compete and got me good the fi rst two rounds with an- Anna Chicherova of Russia reacts after clearing the high jump bar boost to his Olympic ambitions. goal of getting into the top 50 New Orleans recently. results in The Final Series last other Korean, Soomin Lee, and during the women’s high jump final at Olympic Stadium during the He is currently ranked 26th by the end of last year so he And An admits his prediction year. It gave me good confi dence France’s Victor Dubuisson. 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London. (Kansas City Star)

INTERVIEW Septuagenarian dreams of Tokyo aft er Rio blow

Reuters years, will be treating his horse ties, Hoketsu made the cut for Berlin Brioni W for a nagging cough the 1988 Seoul Olympics but af- and watching from afar with his ter making the trip to the South hopes of a fourth Games appear- Korean capital with his horse, apan’s Hiroshi Hoketsu ance dashed for now. was ruled out of the Games due will miss out on a chance “That’s life, you can’t do any- to quarantine problems. to become the oldest thing about it,” Hoketsu, who In 2003, he moved to Europe ever Olympian at Rio due rode Whisper in 2008 and 2012, and started competing interna- toJ his horse’s ill health but the said. “I am sorry for myself, ok, tionally, improving his chances of 75-year-old remains hopeful of but that is the situation.” a dressage spot on Japan’s Olym- establishing the record at Tokyo Brioni W, a 15-year-old geld- pic team and earning two more 2020, some 56 years after his ing acquired a few months ago Games appearances in 2008 and fi rst Games. as Hoketsu focused on fi nding 2012. “I left my business at 63 Hoketsu, who made his Olym- a competitive partner for Rio, and I decided to move to Germa- pic debut in show jumping at the developed a cough recently that ny to compete internationally,” he 1964 Tokyo Games before turn- would make combining proper added. ing to dressage and riding in the treatment and attempting to Despite the Rio Games dis- 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 qualify impossible. appointment, Hoketsu is not London Games, said a spot in “When a horse coughs they prepared to bury his Olympics Tokyo would see his career come stretch their neck and put the dreams just yet and has cast an eye full circle. head down,” the Germany-based on Tokyo. “My strongest motiva- “If I can do it and be in To- horseman said. “When he starts tion is the feeling I get from riding kyo, that would be marvellous,” coughing you cannot ride. When every day and that I can say, ‘ok, Hoketsu told Reuters in an inter- they start coughing during the it looks like I am making some view, days after he conceded de- competition you have to give progress in riding’. That’s my big- feat in his bid to reach Rio. up,” he added, opting to treat gest motivation,” he said. “Four years from now I will be his horse without the burden of The Tokyo native is already 79 and I have to see if it will still competing in Olympic qualifi ers. fairly certain which horse could be physically possible.” be ready by then. Hoketsu’s 2012 appearance OLYMPIC SETBACKS “It won’t be Brioni W, he is made him the third oldest Olym- This, however, is not the fi rst going to be too old,” he said. “But pian, with Swedish shooter Os- Olympic setback for the retired another horse I have, that one car Swahn currently the oldest former pharmaceutical com- could be it.” when he competed at the 1920 pany executive, nicknamed the With 44 years separat- Antwerp Games aged 72. “Hope of Old Men” in the Asian ing Hoketsu’s fi rst and sec- Instead of being in Rio this media ond Games, few will be betting August, the soft-spoken Hoket- After swapping show-jump- against him making his fourth su, who has lived in Europe for 13 ing for dressage in his mid-thir- Olympics in four years time. Gulf Times 8 Wednesday, May 25, 2016 CRICKET

SPOTLIGHT ROUND-UP Sri Lanka’s Bairstow determined to Chameera out of keep role as wicketkeeper England ‘I wouldn’t have kept wicket for Yorkshire for seven years if I didn’t want to keep wicket for England’ tour Reuters AFP Colombo London ri Lankan paceman ngland wicket-keeper Jonny Dushmantha Chameera Bairstow is ready to move up will return home from the order if required for the sec- England with a lower Eond Test against Sri Lanka as backS injury, his country’s crick- his coach at Yorkshire, Jason Gillespie, et board announced yesterday, compared him to Australia great Adam compounding the team’s woes Gilchrist. on the tour. With Ben Stokes ruled out of the The islanders lost pace bowler match at his Durham home ground Dhammika Prasad to a shoul- because of a left knee injury suff ered der injury even before the fi rst during England’s crushing innings and Test at Leeds, which England 88-run victory in the fi rst Test at Head- wrapped up inside three days. ingley, the home side will have to make Even in that innings and 88-run at least one change to their team when defeat, the 24-year-old Cha- the second of a three-match series meera managed to impress by starts in Chester-le-Street on Friday. dismissing top scorer Jonny Bairstow made 140 batting at number Bairstow, Moeen Ali and Stuart seven at Headingley, his Yorkshire home Broad in England’s fi rst innings. ground, to lay the platform for Eng- “Chameera underwent an land’s win and also held nine catches MRI/CT Scan this morning, behind the stumps. which has indicated a stress England must decide whether to se- fracture to his lower back, and lect Warwickshire all-rounder Chris medical recommendation is Woakes, called into the squad on Mon- treatment and rest for as much day before taking a career-best nine for as four months,” Sri Lanka 46 against Durham at Edgbaston, as a Cricket said in a statement. like for like replacement for Stokes or The team would name a re- give a debut to Nottinghamshire seamer placement soon, it added. Pras- Jake Ball. ad, who has since been replaced As for his position in England’s bat- by stumper-batsman Kusal ting order, Bairstow said: “I’ll bat wher- Perera, had been undergoing ever. (Number fi ve) is the position I bat treatment, the board added. The for Yorkshire and keep wicket – so if second match of the three-Test that opportunity comes up, it comes up. series begins at Chester-le- I’m happy at seven.” Street on Friday. There has been repeated talk that England could fi t both one-day keeper KENT COACH WILLIS TO JOIN Jos Buttler and Bairstow into the same SRI LANKA STAFF Test side by having the Yorkshireman Kent high performance director give up the gloves. But the 26-year- Simon Willis is to leave the Eng- old Bairstow, the son of former York- lish county side for a similar role shire and England wicket-keeper David with Sri Lanka later this month, Bairstow, has had enough of such talk. it was announced on Monday. “As I’ve said numerous times before, I “Very excited about this new wouldn’t have kept wicket for Yorkshire opportunity and looking for- for seven years if I didn’t want to keep ward to working with everyone wicket for England,” he insisted. @OfficialSLC#1Team1Nation,” But having been dropped several tweeted Willis, a former kent times by England, Bairstow is deter- wicket-WWWkeeper who has mined not to take his current good form been with the Canterbury-based for granted. “Form can be taken from club for 23 years, becoming the you very quickly,” he said. county’s high performance di- “At this moment in time, I’m feeling rector in 2009. The 42-year-old good, happy with the way I’m striking added: “23 amazing years @kent- the ball and with my movement. Let’s cricket which has played a big part hope that can continue, well for the in my life. Thanks to everyone.” next 15 years!” Jonny Bairstow made 140 batting at number seven at Headingley to lay the platform for England’s win and also held nine catches behind the stumps. (AFP) Willis will oversee SLC’s Meanwhile Gillespie, writing in the cricket academy based in Khet- London Evening Standard, said: “Jon- ingley Test against Sri Lanka,” added were in a spot of bother, at 83 for fi ve.” your technique unless you come to us cricketer. “Since making his Test debut tarama and play a key role in ny Bairstow can do the same job for the former Australia fast bowler, who Bairstow’s early days in international with a specifi c area to look at. We will in 2012, Jonny has been left out of by identifying talent and devel- England that Adam Gilchrist did for played international cricket alongside cricket saw his batting technique called judge you purely on how many runs you England four times, for various reasons. oping cricketers within the Sri Australia over so many years, without free-scoring keeper Gilchrist. into question but Gillespie, Yorkshire’s score’. I haven’t spoken to him about his It really does test your character but Lankan system. a doubt. Why not? I don’t usually like “Batting at No7, he scored 140 of fi rst team coach since 2011, said: “At batting since - apart from to say, ‘Well now he is benefi ting from knowing that He takes up his new position comparing players, but you see glimps- England’s fi rst-innings total of 298. Yorkshire, we never had any doubts but done’ most of the time. But the credit captain Alastair Cook, coach Trevor on June 1, having been specifi - es of what Gilly used to do in Jonny’s That’s nearly half the team’s runs – and I said to him, ‘I give you my word that must go to Jonny. Bayliss and the selectors back him com- cally sought out for this job by performance for England in the Head- don’t forget that he came in when they nobody at the club will talk to you about He has turned himself into a fi ne pletely.” the board.

FOCUS Henriques gets surprise England’s Stokes undergoes knee operation Australia Test call-up Sydney: All-rounder Moises play. Jackson Bird and Nathan AFP Henriques earned a surprise Coulter-Nile join the squad and Leeds, United Kingdom recall yesterday to Australia’s will give us good control and Test squad for Sri Lanka after pace.” pacer James Pattinson was He added that O’Keefe would ngland all-rounder Ben Stokes ruled out injured, with spinner complement Nathan Lyon said on Monday he would miss Stephen O’Keefe included as a well, if selected in the final XI. the rest of the Sri Lanka series second spinner. “We know his ability, he takes because of a knee injury. Australia are embarking on wickets continually in first EThe England and Wales Cricket Board their first Test tour of Sri Lanka class cricket and he impresses (ECB) had previously announced that in five years, as part of a two- when we select him to play Test Stokes had been ruled out of the second month series that also involves cricket,” he said. Test at his Durham home ground starting five one-day internationals and But Pattinson’s omission is a on Friday after he limped off with a left two Twenty20s. setback, failing to recover from knee injury during England’s innings and Henriques was an unexpect- the back problem he picked 88-run in the fi rst of a three-match se- ed choice, returning for the first up on the New Zealand tour. ries at Headingley last week. time since 2013 with pacemen “Unfortunately his back pain Stokes updated his Twitter followers Pattinson and Peter Siddle both continued... and after further late on Monday and suggested he had ag- ruled out with back injuries. He investigation it confirmed that gravated a longstanding injury problem. is currently plaing for Sunrisers he has had a recurrence of “Devastated to be missing the rest of Hyderabad in the IPL. Nathan a back stress fracture,” said the series,this has been a ongoing issue Coulter-Nile was also included Cricket Australia physiothera- for 2/3 years which I’ve managed to play in the 15-man squad for the pist David Beakley. through until now,” he said. July-August Test series, along “James will continue to “All the best to the lads in the rest of with O’Keefe who was picked spend the winter recovering the series,see you down at @Durham- for last summer’s final Test from this injury, at which point Cricket in the crowd.” against the West Indies but we hope to have a clearer view The 24-year-old saw a specialist yes- overlooked for their two-match of timelines for his return to terday and underwent a surgery to ad- tour to New Zealand on green, play.” dress a cartilage tear in his left knee. He seaming pitches. The top-ranked Australia could be out of action for as long as six Ben Stokes (second left) had a surgery on his left knee after pulling up injured during the first Test against Sri Lanka. (Reuters) Pace spearhead Mitchell play Tests in Kandy, Galle and weeks. That would see Stokes miss both Starc returns to Test cricket Colombo from July 26 with the fi nal two Tests against Sri Lanka and match where England lost but won the by the end of the season.” home with a shoulder injury. after a six-month injury ab- Lyon and Khawaja the only the subsequent fi ve-match one-day series. He will compete for a place in Meanwhile, Sri Lanka have confi rmed “Kusal will join the team as soon as sence. “This squad has proven players to have previously international series with the islanders England’s X1 against uncapped Notting- that Kusal Perera will be joining their possible and acclimatise, so he can do experience in sub-continental experienced the five-day game starting on June 21. And with England hamshire quick Jake Ball, in the squad at squad. Perera was cleared to play again some serious work with the bat,” Sri conditions,” said national selec- in Sri Lanka, when Michael also facing Pakistan in a four-Test series Headingley. two weeks ago after the International Lanka chief selector Sanath Jayasuriya tor Rod Marsh. Clarke’s team won their last that gets underway at Lord’s in July, team Another England bowler, Reece To- Cricket Council lifted a provisional dop- told Cricinfo. “Henriques comes into the series 1-0 in 2011. management will be wary of rushing key pley, who broke his hand batting in his ing ban and all associated charges against ENGLAND SQUAD FOR 2ND TEST squad to give the flexibility Australia squad: Steve Smith player Stokes back into the side. fi rst game for Hampshire in April, has him following concerns over the reliabil- Alastair Cook (Essex) (capt), Moeen Ali of an additional all-rounder (capt), David Warner, Jackson Stokes has been replaced in Eng- suff ered a new injury setback. “Reece ity of the drug test carried out by a World (Worcestershire), James Anderson (Lanca- option, having already shown Bird, Joe Burns, Nathan Coulter- land’s 12-man squad by Warwickshire Topley has been diagnosed with a par- Anti-Doping Agency accredited labora- shire), Jonathan Bairstow (Yorkshire, wkt), he plays and adapts well to Nile, Josh Hazlewood, Moises all-rounder Chris Woakes, who took a tial stress fracture of the lumbar spine tory in Qatar. Jake Ball (Nottinghamshire), Stuart Broad spin-friendly conditions. He Henriques, Usman Khawaja, career-best nine for 36 against Durham and will require a signifi cant period of The wicket-keeper/batsman’s arriv- (Nottinghamshire), Nick Compton (Mid- has been working hard with Nathan Lyon, Mitchell Marsh, at Edgbaston on Monday. Woakes is now rehabilitation,” the England and Wales al, possibly in time for the second Test, dlesex), Steven Finn (Middlesex), Alex Hales his fitness and we believe he is Shaun Marsh, Peter Nevill, in the hunt for a seventh Test cap. cricket Board said on its website. will change the balance of Sri Lanka’s (Nottinghamshire), Joe Root (Yorkshire), in prime condition to serve us Stephen O’Keefe, Mitchell Starc, His last appearance came against “He will miss the next three months squad as he is replacing injured paceman James Vince (Hampshire), Chris Woakes well should he be selected to Adam Voges. South Africa at Centurion in January, a and will aim for a return with Hampshire Dhammika Prasad, who has returned (Warwickshire) Gulf Times Wednesday, May 25, 2016 9 CRICKET

IPL De Villiers’ magical knock sends Bangalore into fi nal Bangalore had looked dead and buried as Gujarat seamer Kulkarni tore through their top order to end with figures of 4-14

Agencies Smith bludgeoned his way to an enterprising 73 Bangalore off just 41 deliveries with fi ve fours and six sixes. AB de Villiers constructed a superb run chase as he blazed his way The next best score was just 26 as Smith looked a to 79 not out off just 47 balls with five fours and five sixes. (AFP) class apart from his teammates. B de Villiers scored a spectacular half- Seamer Watson played his part in restricting Gu- century to lead the Royal Challengers jarat with his excellent return of 4-29. Watson was Bangalore to a place in the fi nal of the In- well supported by left-arm spinner Abdulla (2-38) dian Premier League after a four-wicket and paceman Chris Jordan (2-26). Gujarat, after winA over the Gujarat Lions in their qualifi er at the being asked to bat, were soon in trouble as Abdulla M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore yesterday. strike twice in the second over when he had Bren- Gujarat had posted 158 all out but they must have don McCullum (1) caught at deep extra cover and thought that they had the match sewn up as they Aaron Finch (4) caught at fi rst slip as the Lions reduced Bangalore to 29 for fi ve and then 68 for six. crashed to 6-2. But De Villiers constructed a superb run chase as Gujarat’s problems worsened when Suresh Rai- he blazed his way to 79 not out off just 47 balls with na (1) pulled a short ball from Watson straight to fi ve fours and fi ve sixes as Bangalore reached 159 for Sreenath Aravind at short fi ne leg with the fi elder six with 10 balls of their innings remaining. taking a sharp catch as the visitors slipped to 9-3 in Bangalore had looked dead and buried as seamer the fourth over. But Smith and Dinesh Karthik (26) Dhawal Kulkarni tore through their top order to end rescued the innings with an 85-run fourth wicket with fi gures of 4-14. But Stuart Binny (21) and De stand off 10.1 overs. Villiers rescued the innings a touch with a sixth- Smith reached his fi fty, off 31 balls, with the wicket stand of 39 before Binny was trapped leg- fourth six of his innings to go with fi ve fours but the before by left-arm spinner Ravindra Jadeja. stand was fi nally ended when Karthik walked across De Villiers and Iqbal Abdulla then shared in an his stumps a delivery from Jordan and was bowled. unbroken seventh-wicket stand of 91 off just 8.4 Jadeja (3) did not last long before he cut a Watson overs to seal a remarkable victory. Abdulla ended delivery to Gayle at backward point as Gujarat stut- not out on 33 off 25 deliveries. tered to 105-5 in the 16th over. Smith’s fi ne innings Bangalore will now contest the fi nal while Gujarat was ended in the next over when he slammed a de- are not out of the tournament as they will play in a livery from legspinner Yuzvendra Chahal straight to second qualifi er, against either the Kolkata Knight Kohli at long-on. Riders or the Sunrisers Hyderabad. Eklavya Dwivedi (19) struck a few lusty blows Kulkarni struck for the fi rst time in the second before he heaved a Watson delivery towards long- over when he bowled the in-form Virat Kohli (0) af- on where Kohli, running in, took a superb juggling ter the batsman chopped the ball onto his stumps. catch after he dived forward. Watson struck with In his next over Kulkarni struck twice in two balls his next ball when he bowled Dwayne Bravo (8) be- when he bowled Chris Gayle (9) with a delivery that fore Jordan bowled Praveen Kumar (1) in the last kept a touch low before having KL Rahul (0) caught over while Kulkarni (10) was run out off the last ball at a wide fi rst slip. Kulkarni nabbed his fourth of the innings. wicket in his next over when he had Sachin Baby (0) BRIEF SCORES caught in the covers as Bangalore crashed to 29 for Gujarat Lions 158 all out in 20 overs (Dwayne Smith fi ve inside six overs. But De Villiers was not over- 73, Dinesh Karthik 26; Shane Watson 4/29, Chris Jordan awed by the occasion and he raced to his fi fty off 33 2/26) lost to Royal Challengers Bangalore innings balls. Shane Watson had earlier nabbed four wickets 159 for 6 in 18.2 overs (AB de Villiers not out 79, Iqbal while Dwayne Smith fought a lone battle as his fi fty Abdulla not out 33; D Kulkarni 4-14, R Jadeja 2-21) by helped prop up a faltering Gujarat innings. four wickets

Gujarat Lions bowler Dhawal Kulkarni (left) celebrates after dismissing Royal Challengers Bangalore batsman Chris Gayle in Bangalore yesterday. (AFP)

PREVIEW INDIA’S THAKUR RELISHING WEST INDIES CHANCE Kolkata has the edge against Hyderabad Mumbai: Uncapped Shardul Thakur (right) has vowed to IANS do his ‘homework’ on the West New Delhi Indies after the right-arm pace bowler earned his first India call-up for the Test tour of the wo-time champions Kolkata Caribbean. Knight Riders (KKR) will have The 24-year-old, who has their task cut out when the take starred for Mumbai in domestic on Sunrisers Hyderabad for a cricket, is the only new face Tplace in the Indian Premier League’s (IPL) included in India’s 17-member second qualifi er at the Ferozeshah Kotla squad that will play four Tests stadium here today. in July and August. Having won both their league games “Obviously I will speak to against the David Warner-led side, KKR the senior players to get an will defi nitely go into the match with the idea about what to expect in upper hand, despite fi nishing one notch the Caribbean,” Thakur told below them on fourth in the points table the Press Trust of India news due to an inferior run-rate. agency following the squad an- KKR defeated Sunrisers by eight wick- nouncement on Monday. ets in their fi rst meeting this season and “I will definitely do my came out victorious by 22 runs in a must- homework before leaving for win match on Sunday to qualify for the the tour,” he added. Thakur the Tests are yet to be finalised. play-off s. has been in scintillating form Meanwhile, limited-overs Going into Wednesday’s clash, KKR for Mumbai in India’s domestic skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni will once again bank on a good start from first-class championship, the will lead a weakened side to the tested duo of skipper Gautam Gam- Ranji Trophy, taking 89 wickets Zimbabwe for three one-day in- bhir and Robin Uthappa. Both Gambhir over the past two seasons. ternational and three Twenty20 and Uthappa would have in their mind “It is good to see Shardul matches in June. the national selectors’ snub for the up- Thakur being rewarded for Uncapped batsman Faiz coming tours of Zimbabwe and the West bowling his heart out for Mum- Fazal, Karun Nair, Mandeep Indies despite being amongst the runs in bai,” Indian batting great Sunil Singh were included in the this edition. Gavaskar told NDTV. 16-member ODI squad while ex- While Gambhir has amassed 473 runs Only two changes have been perienced players such as Rohit from 14 games with fi ve half-centuries, made to the India Test squad Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin Uthappa has got 383 runs under his belt that faced South Africa at the and Suresh Raina were rested. so far from as many outings. Besides the end of last year for the tour. India Test squad for West duo another India discard Yusuf Pathan, Kolkata Knight Riders have won both their league matches against Sunrisers Hyderabad this season. (AFP) Fast bowler Mohammed Shami Indies tour: Virat Kohli (capt), who has been in good nick, will also aim returns to international cricket Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, to make a mark. department which includes leg-spinner While their pace bowling has been the Veteran Yuvraj Singh has contributed for the first time since 2015 Lokesh Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, The middle order boasts of young Piyush Chawla, Sunil Narine, pacers Ja- talk of the season, with Bhuvneshwar Ku- in bits and pieces as has Australian all- after overcoming injury. Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, right-hander Manish Pandey and the son Holder, Morne Morkel, Ankit Rajpoot mar, Mustafi zur Rahman, Barinder Sran, rounder Moises Henriques. Right-arm pacer Varun Aaron Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran troika of all-rounders in West Indian An- and Umesh Yadav in their ranks. the spin department, led by leg-spinner New Zealand skipper Kane Wil- and all-rounder Gurkeerat Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravindra dre Russell, New Zealander Colin Munroe On the other hand, the Sunrisers are Karn Sharma, has been a disappoint- liamson, Englishman Eoin Morgan and Singh Mann drop out. Ace Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Moham- and Bangladesh’s Shakib Al Hasan. still to cope with the loss of veteran Ash- ment. The batting revolves around skip- youngster Deepak Hooda, who form the batsman Virat Kohli will captain med Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, With chinaman Kuldeep Yadav coming ish Nehra who was ruled out of the re- per David Warner, his opening partner middle order, must contribute if the Sun- India, with Ajinkya Rahane act- Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur, to the party in the previous match, KKR mainder of the tournament following a Shikhar Dhawan and stumper Naman risers fancy a chance to beat the Knight ing as his deputy. The dates of Stuart Binny will be spoilt for choice in the bowling hamstring injury. Ojha. Riders. Gulf Times 10 Wednesday, May 25, 2016 TENNIS

FOCUS Court of French opinion on Rafa's side at the start of tenth title tilt Spaniard is suing former French minister for alleging that his absence from sport in 2012 was to conceal use of drugs

SPOTLIGHT Golden girl Bouchard reveals eating disorder

AFP purpose as a way of sharpening Paris and toning her body image. Even these days, she still faces the prospect of having to force ennis golden girl Eugenie herself to eat. Bouchard admitted yes- It’s all a long way from the diz- terday that she has bat- zy days of 2014 when she ended tled an eating disorder the year at seven in the world. Twhich caused alarming weight “I was just so stressed I was loss as she attempted to put her burning calories even more high-fl ying career back on track. than I normally would, so it was The 22-year-old Canadian hard to kind of intake enough to became one of the WTA’s most keep my weight up or even gain bankable assets in 2014 when she weight, which was the goal, to stormed to the Wimbledon fi nal become stronger. as well as the semi-fi nals of the “I feel like I learned from it. I Australian and French Opens. know now that even if I feel sick But the confi dent, charismatic I have to force food down my blonde then saw her career dive throat. Yeah, I feel like I’ve come into a tailspin in 2015. out stronger and able to deal with First round exits in Paris and a problem if it ever comes back to Wimbledon were followed by a me again.” freak fall in the showers at the US Bouchard, now at 47 in the Open which saw her play just one world, made the Roland Garros more match in the season until second round on Tuesday with the start of 2016. a 6-2, 6-2 win over Germany’s “I felt a lot of pressure and kind Laura Siegemund. of this expectation if you win a She will face Timea Bacsinsz- match it’s normal and if you lose ky, the eighth-seeded Swiss who it’s a disaster,” said Bouchard at made the semi-fi nals in 2015, for Roland Garros yesterday. a place in the last 32. “Before matches I was very Bouchard admits that being nervous and defi nitely had trou- reunited with former coach Nick ble eating. I just felt like it would Saviano, the man who guided come right back up. her to her successes of 2014, has Rafael Nadal of Spain serves during his first round French Open match against Australia’s Sam Groth in Paris yesterday. (Reuters) “It’s a diffi culty I went helped reboot her confi dence on through. And not just before the court. By Kim Willsher him very popular with the public.” comments like this,” he said at the time. could have missed … how can a nation matches, it happened to me at “He knows me so well. He The Guardian Eric Winogradsky, head trainer of the “This is going to be the last one, because suddenly dominate sport at this level other meals as well.” understands when I’m going French men’s team, told L’Equipe: “We I’m going to sue her. I am tired about from one day to the next? Bouchard denied that she had through diffi culties. It’s like he’s are all happy to see Rafa back to the form these things. I let it go a few times in “Did they suddenly discover avant garde been trying to lose weight on inside my head,” she said. afael Nadal is eagerly awaited we have come to expect of him. Now has the past. Not more. A minister of France techniques and training programmes that on court – as opposed to in he rediscovered enough confi dence? In should be serious. This time is the time nobody else imagined? I’ve looked and I court – in France for the fi rst my view there is still a gap but he’s made to go against her.” cannot fi nd any of these inventions listed time since starting legal ac- a good comeback.” He added: “Through this case I intend or documented ... between you and me, tionR against one of the country’s former In 2010, a team of tennis experts as- not only to defend my integrity and my I’ve great diffi culty believing this idea. sports ministers over doping allegations. sembled by the French daily sports image as an athlete but also the values I You know what they say in the sporting The Spanish player, competing for his newspaper L’Equipe, voted him the best have defended all my career. I also wish cafés (I know very well because I’m often 10th Roland Garros title, is suing Roselyne ever Open tournament player on a clay to avoid any public fi gure from making in them)? That those who win are those Bachelot for alleging he had dropped out court, closely followed by Bjorn Borg. insulting or false allegations against an who slip through the net, who are quicker of the sport in 2012 to conceal the use of Bachelot’s comments about Nadal athlete using the media, without any than the testers and use products not yet performance-enhancing drugs. came after Maria Sharapova failed a evidence or foundation and to go un- detectable.” French fans of the 14-time grand slam drug test at the Australian Open in Janu- punished.” Nadal described the attack as “puer- champion know which side they are on, ary. The former minister suggested that Any eventual damages would be given ile”. “He [Noah] knows better than any- however. Romain Lefebvre, editor in Nadal’s decision to quit tennis for seven to a charity in France, Nadal told jour- one that it’s stupid to say such things at chief of L’Equipe magazine, said French months – for a knee injury – was prob- nalists. “That’s what you call a good the current time with all the testing that tennis fans, particularly the young, love ably due to a positive drug test. sport,” the celebrity magazine Pure Peo- we undergo,” he said. Nadal, who eased past Sam Groth 6-1 “We know that Nadal’s famous seven- ple wrote. Of course, it is not only tennis fans 6-1 6-1 yesterday. “He is enormously month injury was without a doubt due Bachelot’s accusations are the lat- who love Nadal; the French magazine popular and something of a hero. People to a positive [drug test],” Bachelot said. est in a long-running spat – in French a Women’s Journal declared the Spaniard appreciate his play and his personality,” “When you see a tennis player who stops guéguerre – between France and Spain “very sexy” and 22% of its female read- Lefebvre told the Guardian. playing for long months, it is because over sport. In 2011, former French Open ers voted him their favourite champion. “Nadal has always said how he likes he has tested positive and because they winner Yannick Noah, writing in Le Despite Novak Djokovic’s position at playing at Roland Garros and that it’s are covering it up. It is not something Monde, accused the Spanish of having a the summit of the men’s game, Nadal his favourite tournament and how he is that always happens but, yes, it happens “magic potion”. may yet upset the odds to win a 10th grateful for the support he receives in more than you think.” “Today they run faster than us, they French Open title. “He’s no longer fa- Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard celebrates after winning a point against France. He’s shown a profound respect Nadal has always vehemently denied are much stronger and they leave us the vourite to win but it’s just possible his Germany’s Laura Siegemund during their first round French Open for the Roland Garros tournament and doping allegations; this time he decided crumbs. Next to them, it’s clear, we look favourite tournament might revive some match at Roland Garros in Paris yesterday. (AFP) has won it nine times and that’s made to sue. “There is a couple of times I heard like dwarfs. What’s happened that we of the old magic,” Lefebvre said.

BOTTOMLINE Navratilova pushing for Shouldn’t have made ‘I’ve got millions’ boast: Tomic return of Sharapova

AFP World number one Novak Djokovic, a Paris potential last-16 opponent at the French Open, blasted Tomic for being immature and lacking commitment. ustralian star Bernard Tomic Ironically, Tomic has been hitting with admits he shouldn’t have made Djokovic – a neighbour of his in Monaco his notorious rich-boy boast – in practice in Paris. Abut refused to backtrack entire- “I was practising with a lot of quality ly from the remarks which also led to him hits. Novak a few days ago. Good to see snubbing the Olympics. and get good rhythm,” he added. The 23-year-old breezed past Brian “Playing bloody well, so I think the Baker, the 662nd-ranked American, 6-3, week I had training prior to this has given 6-4, 6-4 to reach the second round of the me the best chance to feel good.” Martina Navratilova is hoping for a positive outcome to the Maria French Open yesterday. Tomic made the Wimbledon quarter- Sharapova doping drama which has kept the popular Russian But his first victory on clay this sea- fi nals in 2011 as an 18-year-old but has from tennis for months. All-time great Navratilova, winner of 18 son was overshadowed by his ongoing been unable to push on. grand slam titles, has been in Sharapova’s corner since the Rus- problems. His decision to skip the Ol- Injury – as well as on and off -court sian was provisionally banned for testing positive for meldonium, ympics came after he was widely lam- problems – helped push his ranking only declared an outlaw substance since January. basted for his poor form over the Euro- down to 130 in 2014. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has now said their medical pean spring where he had played four But he insists he can be a top-fi ve staff could not actually determine how long the heart and circula- claycourt tournaments and lost in the player as long as he can ignore the sport’s tion medicine actually stayed in the body, which could allow first round every time. many distractions. athletes back. He made headlines in Madrid when he “I don’t need to train much to be where Navratilova is hoping that Sharapova will also come up fortunate turned his racquet the wrong way to face I am, 30, 20 in the world. I always have once her case is reviewed. Reports indicate that a hearing was a match point against Fabio Fognini. US dollars, but maybe ten million Aus- – maybe if I had 100 that’s diff erent.” the talent,” said Tomic. held in recent days, though no confirmation was forthcoming Tomic later told his post-match news tralian,” said Tomic yesterday. Dubbed ‘Tomic the tank engine’ by “If I want to get more in my career and from secretive WADA in the International Tennis Federation. conference: “I don’t care about that “Yeah, I shouldn’t have said that, but sections of the Australian media, Tomic life, I have to be 100% in everything. You “When you have such a superstar missing from your sport, it is a match point. Would you care if you were that’s in the past. That was my fault. You lasted just eight minutes in his opening have to give 100% all the time and com- loss,” Navratilova said on BT Sport. “There is a hole, as there would 23 and worth over $10 million?” got me there. clash at the Rome Masters earlier pete all year. That’s been one of the things be if Roger Federer wasn’t playing. But let’s hope that she can get It prompted Australia’s Olympic chef “I was just in that moment. I just said this month, retiring after a medical I’ve probably been struggling on prior to back on the tour. Some 200 athletes tested positive for the drug. de mission Kitty Chiller to call his behav- that and I was talking to my friends about timeout when leading Frenchman Benoit this year.” Something’s amiss with the communication between the drug iour “appalling”. some things, so it just sort of came out.” Paire 2-1, saying he had been “feeling bad Tomic will take on Croatian teenager people and athletes.” “I would love to say I have ten million However, he added: “I don’t really care all night”. Borna Coric for a place in the last 32. Gulf Times Wednesday, May 25, 2016 11 TENNIS

FRENCH OPEN SPOTLIGHT Djoko calls for Djokovic, Murray ranking points at Olympics

Reuters portance for all of us, even more, through as Kerber, because it happens every four Paris years. “I would defi nitely encour- ennis at the Olympics age people to rethink of getting should be treated like points out there.” a fi fth grand slam and ranking points awarded, ‘NO POINTS A BIG FACTOR’ Tworld number one Novak Djok- Isner is not the only player to Azarenka exit ovic said yesterday, after top turn down the Olympics, where American John Isner confi rmed Andy Murray and Serena Wil- Nadal and Serena make quick work of their first round opponents he would skip the games in Rio liams will be defending their de Janeiro. titles. Rising Austrian Dominic AFP With no agreement in place Thiem, Australian Bernard Tom- Paris between the International Ten- ic and veteran Spaniard Feliciano nis Federation (ITF) and the two Lopez will all be absent. Tours, the ATP and WTA, no Isner said the schedule had op seed Novak Djokovic launched points will be available for those worked against him, since the US his bid for a fi rst French Open ti- players competing for medals at Open shortly comes after Rio and tle with a routine victory as Andy the Games which start in August. the Davis Cup quarter-fi nals just Murray battled through to round World number 17 Isner said after Wimbledon. But the lack Ttwo yesterday, while Australian Open that was a pivotal factor in his of ranking points had convinced champion Angelique Kerber crashed out. decision against representing him. Serena Williams wasted little time in the United States. Djokovic will “I think the fact that they have demolishing Slovakian Magdalena Ryba- compete in Rio, but he has some no points, to be honest, was a rikova as the world number one kicked off sympathy for the American. pretty big factor,” Isner said after the defence of her French Open title with “That was one of the debates, I beating Australian John Millman a 6-2, 6-0 victory. think, whether or not we should in the fi rst round of the French Djokovic, a three-time Roland Garros have points in the Olympic Open on Tuesday. fi nalist, faced little resistance from Tai- Games,” Djokovic told reporters “Obviously the Olympics is wan’s world number 95 Lu Yen-Hsun as after his fi rst round win against not about the money, but no he eased to a 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 victory. Taiwan’s Lu Yen-hsun at the points, I think, hindered me a The Serb, bidding to become just the French Open yesterday. bit.” eighth man to secure a career Grand “To be quite frank, I don’t see Several top golfers, including Slam, needed just 90 minutes on Court a reason why not. You know, we Adam Scott and Louis Oosthui- Phillipe Chatrier to book a second-round have the best players in the world zen, have said they will not play encounter with Belgian qualifi er Steve participating in arguably the in the inaugural Olympic golf Darcis. fi fth Grand Slam. It’s of that im- tournament. “Well, second and third set were really good. I thought I found my rhythm. First set, you know, was up and down. But I’ll take the positives out of it, and I’m hop- ing I can progress as the tournament goes on,” said Djokovic. However, Murray was forced to re- cover from a two-set defi cit to overcome 37-year-old Radek Stepanek 3-6, 3-6, 6-0, 6-3, 7-5 in a match lasting three Serbia’s Novak Djokovic in action against Yen-Hsun Lu of Taiwan during their first round French Open match at Roland Garros in hours 41 minutes in total. Paris yesterday. (Reuters) The second seed had been trailing by two sets to one but up a break in the fourth when play was suspended on Monday due to darkness. The Scot duly returned to complete the job after making the crucial breakthrough at 5-all in the decider to set up a second- round encounter with 164th-ranked French wildcard Mathias Bourgue. “He’s always been extremely diffi cult to play,” said Murray after a ninth career comeback from two sets down. John Isner will not be representing the United States in Rio. (AFP) “He was playing drop shots, hitting the ball very fl at, it was very diffi cult to get into a rhythm. That’s credit to him and the way he played.” Rumours of my retirement are While Murray toiled, there were no such problems for nine-time champion greatly exaggerated: Schiavone Rafael Nadal who extended his record at Roland Garros to 71 wins against just two It was a heart-tugging mo- losses. ment: As Francesca Schia- The fourth-seeded Spaniard made vone went down to defeat in quick work of 100th-ranked Sam Groth, the first round of the French taming the Australian’s powerful serve Open, the tournament or- with eight breaks in a resounding 6-1, ganisers announced she was 6-1, 6-1 win. retiring, and the crowd had “It’s obvious that was a good start for seen her last Roland Garros me,” said Nadal. campaign. “I managed to break him very quickly. Angelique Kerber (foreground) shakes hands with the chair umpire after her first round loss to Kiki Bertens yesterday. (Reuters) But one person didn’t feel It was important because against such an very warm and sentimental: opponent it’s not easy to take his serve.” number 118 Karin Knapp. itially against Inigo Cervantes, dropping Carla Suarez Navarro needed three sets to Schiavone. The retirement Fifth seed Azarenka quit with a knee the opening set to the Spaniard, but the beat Czech qualifi er Katerina Siniakova. was news to her. KERBER DUMPED OUT injury down 4-0 in the third set having 13th seed rallied to claim a 3-6, 6-2, 7-5, Seven-time major winner Venus Wil- Roland Garros’s Twitter feed However, Kerber became the tourna- already saved a match point in a second 6-1 victory. liams, who lost the 2002 fi nal to sister had carried the announce- ment’s fi rst major casualty as Dutch- set tie-break. Thiem, who retained his Nice title over Serena, edged out Estonia’s Anett Kon- ment. The tweet was quickly woman Kiki Bertens consigned the Ger- Both Kerber and Azarenka were in the weekend, is one of just three players taveit 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/4), while 2008 deleted, but several report- man third seed to a 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 defeat. champion Serena Williams’ section of alongside Nadal and Pablo Cuevas with champion Ana Ivanovic held off French ers took the information into “The fi rst rounds are always tough in the draw. multiple clay-court tournament wins wildcard Oceane Dodin in three sets. the news conference room the tournament, especially for me, but, Sixth-seeded Frenchman Jo-Wilfried this season. Former runner-up Sam Stosur over- after Schiavone’s 6-2 6-4 loss to Kristina Mladenovic. yeah, what can I say? It happens,” la- Tsonga strolled to a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 victory John Isner fi red 40 aces to advance 6-7 came Misaki Doi of Japan 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, “Roland Garros announced my retirement, but I didn’t,” Schi- mented Kerber, who was hampered by against German qualifi er Jan-Lennard (4/7), 7-6 (14/12), 7-6 (9/7), 7-5 over Aus- but Francesca Schiavone, the 2010 cham- avone told them. “So you can stand up, all of you, and go back to an ongoing shoulder problem. “She’s a Struff , with Tomas Berdych also cruising tralian John Millman, while Bernard Tomic pion, bowed out in straight sets to French work in the off ice, because I didn’t say that.” tough opponent. I was ready. But, yeah, at to a straight-sets win over Vasek Pospisil. put recent struggles behind him to dispatch 26th seed Kristina Mladenovic. Schiavone lifted the Suzanne Lenglen Cup at the 2010 French the end she made the important points.” David Ferrer, the 2013 runner-up, American Brian Baker in three sets. Jelena Jankovic also made an early exit, Open and was runner-up in 2011. She turns 36 next month, an Another former Melbourne cham- thrashed Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy 6-1, Swiss eighth seed Timea Bacsinszky the Serbian 23rd seed dumped out by Tat- age when tennis players start hanging up their racquets. But Schi- pion, Victoria Azarenka, retired in her 6-2, 6-0. swept past Spanish lucky loser Silvia jana Maria as the German won for the fi rst avone would prefer not to be hurried along. opening-round match with Italy’s world Austria’s Dominic Thiem struggled in- Soler-Espinosa 6-3, 6-1, while 12th seed time in Paris. “I will announce when I will want to stop,” she said. “When I finished, everybody stood up. I say, I don’t know if it’s re- spect, I love, I appreciate this situation. But I think that everybody BOTTOMLINE thought this because Roland Garros announced it. It was not the last one for me.” Next up for the 26th-seeded Mladenovic is American Samantha Crawford. No bad blood between Amelie and I: Murray Lepchenko tight-lipped on Reuters came the fi rst high-profi le male player to that Amelie had said had come out. And meldonium claim Paris hire a woman coach. “We certainly didn’t the last two days... I was supposedly fall out. hitting back at Amelie’s comments and America’s Varvara Lepchenko refused to comment yesterday “The reason we stopped working to- disagreeing with everything that she said on claims that she served a ‘silent ban’ after testing positive for ndy Murray tried to end spec- gether... was the fact that we literally are and that we had a really tough breakup,” meldonium, the drug which has put Maria Sharapova’s career on ulation about the state of his spending hardly any time together in a said Murray. hold. relationship with former coach three-month period right before major “That simply is not true. When we sat The Uzbekistan-born world number 64 didn’t play on the WTA Amelie Mauresmo by declaring events coming up. And she was not able down in Madrid... it was far from heated. Tour from February to May. “weA certainly didn’t fall out”. to help me during that period.” We spoke very calmly,” Murray added. “To The reason, according to allegations made by Russian physio As if surviving a fi ve-set thriller against Murray won seven trophies under say that the reason that we stopped work- Anatoly Glebov, was that she had tested positive for 1mg of wily Czech Radek Stepanek in the fi rst Mauresmo’s guidance, including his fi rst ing together is because of my behaviour on meldonium. round of the French Open was not ex- two titles on clay. However, the French- the court, that is not true. In Madrid when However, as that is below the limit set by the World Anti-Doping hausting enough, the British second seed woman has not been regularly on the cir- we spoke, we didn’t discuss that one time.” Agency (WADA) she was allowed to return to competition in was then quizzed on why he ended his cuit with Murray since giving birth to her Responding to Mauresmo’s observa- Rome earlier this month. two-year partnership with Mauresmo. son Aaron last August. tion that he was a complex character, Eight times Lepchenko was asked to address the allegations, A sequence of interviews by the two Mauresmo had indicated that the un- Murray admitted there are still things he but eight times she refused after losing to Russia’s Ekaterina grand slam champions seemed to suggest ion ended because she felt she could not needs to work on to curb his tendency to Makarova at the French Open yesterday. that things had turned frosty between the “take things further anymore” with Mur- shout at his entourage when things are “At the moment I have no comment on any of this. I’m here just duo before they parted ways. ray before adding: “Andy is complex. On not going his way. to answer tennis questions. If you have any questions about my However, Murray said that was far from court, he can be opposite of what he is in “On the court... when I’m losing I get match, I would gladly answer them,” she said. the truth. “Me and Amelie have a good life. It can be confusing.” very frustrated. When I’m winning, obvi- “But otherwise, I just have no comments.” relationship,” said the 2013 Wimbledon But Murray clarifi ed that wires had ously I’m happier,” he said. “I don’t know Sharapova was suspended in March after she revealed she had champion, whose alliance with Mauresmo simply got crossed. if that’s complex or not. It’s actually quite tested positive for meldonium at the Australian Open in January. two years ago created a buzz after he be- “I did an interview before anything simple, to me.”

Wednesday, May 25, 2016 GULF TIMES SPORT

FOCUS SPOTLIGHT It was an amazing Pep will change season: QFA prez the face of English football, says Xavi QFA president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani ‘People talk about Qatar without having been here. They have to come here’ By Sports Reporter preciation all around,” Sheikh Doha Hamad said. “I also congratulate the organ- isers of the awards ceremony. It atar Football Associa- was a very well organised event,” tion president Sheikh he said. Hamad bin Khalifa “The 2015-16 season was bet- bin Ahmed al-Thani ter than the previous year of congratulatedQ the winners at football. Clearly the standards of the QFA Award Ceremony that play went up and we saw intense brought down curtains on the battles,” he said. football season on Saturday. In response to a question “It was an amazing season. We about the increase in the number got to see high intensity foot- of seats at the Asian Champions ball,” the QFA president said on League in 2017, the QFA presi- Sunday. dent said things would be re- “I congratulate the award solved soon. winners and say ‘well done’ to “I applaud El Jaish and Le- them,” he added. khwiya for reaching the last 16 “The evening was a standout of the AFC Champions League,” event of great memories and ap- he said.

12 sides in QSL from 2017-18 season

Qatar Stars League (QSL) has confirmed that 12 teams will com- pete in the 2017-2018 season. The decision was made yesterday morning by the QSL Executive Committee under the chairman- ship of Qatar Football Association president Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmed al-Thani. Also present at the meeting were members of the executive committee, Ahmed Abdul Aziz al- Bounien, Jassim al-Rumihi, Nasser Mohamed al-Hitmi, and QSL CEO Hani Ballan. Kharaitiyat set for camp in Slovakia

Al Kharaitiyat have confirmed the dates of the side’s training camp in Slovakia. The squad is set to travel to Slovakia on August 13 and return to Doha on August 30. The side will also play three friendly games over the course of the camp. Al Kharaitiyat will be returning to the same camp that they used for the 2015-2016 preseason. Head coach Amir Osim will be eager to prepare his squad well ahead of the new season, which is set to kick off on September 15. Last year Kharaitiyat avoided relegation on the final day of the season on goal diff erence, finishing in 12th position with a tally of 27 points.

Al Sadd captain Xavi (second from right) in action during the Emir Cup final against Lekhwiya on Friday. PICTURE: Shemeer Rasheed

ormer Barcelona captain Xavi ‘tiki-taka’ philosophy of play which he for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. tional Stadium – the fi rst proposed host Hernandez believes his long-time has come to embody is also being taken “I have seen a country with a total fo- venue to be completed for the 2022 FIFA coach Pep Guardiola will trans- up in Qatar. cus on construction, not only the stadi- World Cup Qatar when major construc- form English football once he ums but also the infrastructure. They are tion concludes at the end of this year – takesF over at Manchester City this sum- “There are many teams here in building a new metro system to make sure Xavi said visiting fans had something to mer. Qatar who have taken on the the traffi c is not so dense. They are pre- look forward to in six years’ time. “It is a big opportunity for him at Man- philosophy of Barcelona and the paring very well on all these fronts, and “Khalifa International Stadium will be chester City. I think he will change the Spanish national team, or even they have time to solve any challenges spectacular. All of the stadiums will be face of English football,” Xavi said in an they face. Qatar can host a fantastic and marvellous and people will be surprised interview with SC.qa in Doha. “If there is now like the German team, they historic World Cup for football.” because the stadium designs are spectac- anyone capable of changing that mentali- like to play an attacking style of The Terrassa-born midfi elder, who ular. People will enjoy this World Cup and Al Khor confi rm Iajour signing ty, it is Guardiola. It is a great opportunity football with domination of collected an astonishing 28 titles in a in December the weather is great to really but there will also be a lot of pressure, be- possession,” Xavi said. glittering career with Barcelona and the enjoy the country.” Mouhcine Iajour will be joining Al Khor on a one-year loan deal cause everyone always expects a lot from Spanish national team, also sent a clear The Catalan midfi elder concluded by from Qatar SC, it was confirmed by Al Khor team manager Yousef Pep Guardiola. But he is without doubt “There are many teams here in Qatar message to those who criticise Qatar revealing some of his favourite places in Jalal. one of the best coaches in the world at the who have taken on the philosophy of Bar- without having been to the country. Qatar after making the move from Barce- “Iajour has signed a one -year deal with Al Khor and will be avail- moment.” celona and the Spanish national team, or “My message is that people should lona last summer. able for the 2016-17 season. He signed with the club on Monday, The skilful midfi elder, who was a cru- even now like the German team, they like come and see the country. People talk “It is a fantastic country, very hospi- and an off icial press conference to introduce the player to fans cial part of Guardiola’s team at Barcelona, to play an attacking style of football with about Qatar without having been here. table. You have diff erent types of enter- and media will take place soon,” he said. added that it was Guardiola’s attention to domination of possession. A lot of coach- They have to come here and share time tainment, great cuisine, leisure activities Jalal added: “Iajour played very well towards the end of the detail which made him such an innovative es here are working in this style now. with the people, get to know the peo- for diff erent budgets. I like Katara cul- season with Al Ahli, which made him a target for the club. We are force in world football. “Guardiola thinks There are diff erent styles in the league ple – they are good people who put a lot tural village, which is fantastic, the Pearl, pleased to have signed such a prestigious player.” about football all the time, he is obses- here but the coaches are well prepared, of emphasis on sports. I have gotten to where you can go for a nice walk. You also The club will be without Julio Cesar, who retired, and his replace- sive in his attention to detail. We still talk and the Qatar Stars League will continue know people who decide things in Qatar have the desert, where you can go for a ment, Park Hee-do, who is set to leave the club along with Heo Jae regularly and discuss football.” improving.” and they are very noble, so I would say to safari, and Dukhan is nearby, where my Wan. Khor is looking for an Asia-based player to complete their With the midfi eld maestro placing Looking back at his fi rst season in Qa- the people who talk badly about Qatar to daughter was born. It is a small country four professional player line-up, which includes Madson, Marcos huge importance on Guardiola’s arrival tar, Xavi said he has seen from close quar- come here and see it.” but a very welcoming one. My family and Antonio and Iajour at the moment. in England, Xavi also pointed out that the ters how quickly the country is preparing Looking out across Khalifa Interna- I feel very comfortable here.” (SC.qa)

HORSE RACING RECOGNITION Al Shahania’s Rawah wins Prix Koora Time wins CSR award in Dubai By Sports Reporter Index (BMI) rate of participants in the over- Neft a for second straight year Doha weight category. The awards category featured eight com- Agencies panies from diff erent sectors, competing to Bordeaux, France atar Football Association (QFA) demonstrate how their CSR initiative best and Qatar Shell’s Koora Time ini- use sport as a platform to promote corpo- tiative has been honoured as the rate social responsibility. Judges looked for H Sheikh Mohammed Best Corporate Social Responsi- evidence of community engagement and bin Khalifa al-Thani- bilityQ (CSR) Initiative at the Sports Industry achievement of pre-set objectives. owned Rawah won the Awards 2016 held in Dubai in March this year. “These are exciting times for us and our Prix Nefta (Gr2 PA) at Koora Time is a fi ve-year sustainable ini- partner Qatar Shell. Since Koora Time’s HBordeaux on Monday. tiative designed to improve the health and inauguration in March 2013, we have wit- The fi lly cantered in second po- wellbeing of Qatar’s youth through football. nessed some truly fantastic results. Being sition and found herself battling The initiative facilitates access to additional recognized as leaders in the Middle East against the Sheikh Mansoor bin hours of physical activity and more oppor- acknowledges just how much we can con- Zayed al-Nahyan-owned Mab- tunities and spaces to play football. The tribute to society and we hope others are in- rooka in the fi nal phase. She fi nally fl agship programme Il’AbWe’Yana provides spired to follow suit,” said QFA Koora Time took the advantage by a short head, each child with an additional 72 hours of Project manager Hamad al-Kuwari. maintaining her unbeaten status physical activity over its 18-week duration. “The Koora Time initiative is part of QFA’s after three runs. She had already This award adds to Koora Time’s many CSR strategy which aims to constantly lev- won this race last year. accolades which include recognition at erage on its existing partnerships to educate “She did not work that much,” CSR Award Qatar for ‘Best CSR Impact Ini- the communities about the positive values said Rawah’s trainer, Francois tiative’, the Sport Industry Awards 2014 for of playing football and inspire the youth to Rohaut. “She only arrived a ‘Best Youth Development Initiative’, the play football,” he added. month and a half ago from Haras AFC Dream of Asia Award in the area of so- “At Qatar Shell we are committed to de Saubouas. She showed what Trainer Francois Rohaut leads in Rawah along with jockey Francois- cial responsibility and the Dar Al Sharq CSR supporting the Qatar National Vision she is capable of. We did not Xavier Bertras after the filly’s win in the Prix Nefta (Gr2 PA) in Bordeaux. Award for Best Sports Initiative. 2030 by working with Qatari partners to think we could defeat Mabrooka Judges were impressed by fi ndings pub- create and deliver long-term contribu- even though we knew she would Bertras rode a good race. She is there won’t be a lot of possibili- lished by an independent sports education tions to society that generate measurable Koora Time receives Best Corporate Social run a race in which you needed very good, that’s it. We will fol- ties for her. It’s good, with such a research agency showing that the program social impact,” said Qatar Shell CSR man- Responsibility (CSR) Initiative at the Sports a little strategy. Francois-Xavier low the program gently. Anyway, fi lly, it’s easy.” had signifi cantly improved the Body Mass ager Mohamed Abujbara. Industry Awards 2016.