BASKETBALL | Page 3 FOOTBALL | Page 7 United States UEFA player face tough of year honour task to retain for Liverpool’s world title Virgil Van Dijk Friday, August 30, 2019 TENNIS Dhul-Hijja 29, 1440 AH Serena survives GULF TIMES scare from US teen McNally SPORT Page 2 TENNIS / US OPEN Osaka sweeps through as Kvitova goes out AFP Bronx champion Linette in 30 est woman to reach the last 32 in this season, was to face Bolivia’s New York minutes but endured a brief New York since Anna Kourniko- Hugo Dellien, while Germany’s wobble, falling 3-0 down in the va in 1996. Alexander Zverev was attempt- second, before reeling off six of Andrea Petkovic knocked out ing to match his best run here eigning US Open cham- the fi nal seven games to advance. Czech sixth seed Kvitova, a two- against American Frances Tia- pion Naomi Osaka eased “I’m really happy to not have time Wimbledon champion, to foe. into the third round of to play a three-set match,” Osaka reach the third round for the fi rst Three-time US Open winner Rthe US Open yesterday said. time since 2015. Rafael Nadal takes on Austral- but Petra Kvitova crashed out as Among the celebrities watch- German world number 88 ian wildcard Thanasi Kokkinakis organisers sought to play catch ing her match at Louis Arm- Petkovic, whose best US Open in the evening session at Arthur up at Flushing Meadows follow- strong Stadium were basketball showing was a 2011 quarter-fi nal Ashe Stadium, where reigning ing heavy rain. legend Kobe Bryant and former run, strung together succes- Wimbledon champion Simona Top seed Osaka proved too NFL quarterback Colin Kaeper- sive main draw wins for just the Halep was due to face American strong for 53rd-ranked Magda nick, whose kneeling protest second time this season in a 6-4, Taylor Townsend in the after- Linette of Poland, sweeping to became a national symbol for 6-4 triumph. noon. a 6-2, 6-4 victory and setting objecting to racial inequality and “I’ve beaten her before in Nick Kyrgios, who again land- up a potential showdown with social injustice. Grand Slams and big matches. ed himself in hot water after call- 15-year-old American sensation “I’m really grateful they came That gave me the belief. That’s ing the ATP “corrupt” follow- Coco Gauff for a spot in the last out,” Osaka said. “It’s really cool. the most important part if you ing his fi rst-round win, meets 16. I honestly just wanted to fi nish as want to win,” said Petkovic, who 104th-ranked Frenchman Anto- Twenty-two singles ties were fast as possible because I didn’t next faces Czech Kristyna Plisk- ine Hoang. pushed back from Wednesday want them to be out in the sun ova or Belgian 25th seed Elise Britain’s Dan Evans took out after a steady downpour lim- too long.” Mertens. French 25th seed Lucas Pouille ited play to the two principal Osaka awaits the winner be- “She really played a good in four sets to book a clash with show courts in New York, beef- tween teenager Gauff , the world game. I don’t think I played that fi ve-time US Open champion ing yesterday’s schedule up to 54 number 140 who reached the badly. I did have my chances, for Roger Federer, while Denis Kudla matches across both halves of the fourth round in July at Wimble- sure, but somehow I just couldn’t awaits world number one Novak singles draws. don, or 112th-ranked Hungarian make it,” Kvitova said. Djokovic after the American beat Osaka wrapped up the open- qualifi er Timea Babos. Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts after defeating Magda Linette of Poland in the second round of the US Fifth seed Daniil Medvedev, 27th seed Dusan Lajovic of Ser- ing set against last week’s WTA Gauff can become the young- Open in New York yesterday. who owns an ATP-best 45 wins bia. FOOTBALL Duhail held by gritty Arabi as Al Wakrah pip Qatar SC The fast-paced action saw The Red Knights seize the early initiative through Msakni By Sports Reporter Doha l Duhail dropped points in their second match of the QNB Stars League when they were held to Aa 1-1 draw by a gritty Al Arabi at the Al Janoub Stadium yesterday. Yousef Msakni took Al Duhail ahead by scoring as early as the seventh minute, only to see Al Arabi restore parity through Aron Gunnarsson in the 40th minute. Al Arabi, who had beaten Al Ahli 3-1 in Week 1, had Gregory Gomis’ rock-solid performance under the bar to thank for their draw. The fast-paced action saw The Red Knights seize the early initia- tive through Msakni. The Dream Team soon hit back, but defender Morteza Mohammed shot wide. After Al Duhail’s Ali Afi f’s shot was blocked by Musab Keder, Pao- lo Edmilson had a goal disallowed for off side by referee Mohamed al- Shammari. Al Duhail attackers kept the rival defenders on their toes and Gomis thwarted Almoez Ali. At the other end, Al Arabi’s Hamdi Harbaoui saw his bicycle kick go over the bar and striker Mohamed Salah El Neel came up with a cracker of a shot, a minute before Gunnarsson’s equaliser Al Wakrah players celebrates their win over Qatar Sports Club. with a power-packed grounder. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil Msakni missed a sitter in fi rst- Aron Gunnarson celebrates as he his congratulated by Al Arabi players after he scored the equaliser against Al Duhail yesterday. half injury time by skying the ball PICTURE: Ram Chand nanga then came close to scoring Benyettou was fouled by Musa with only Gomis to beat. in fi rst-half stoppage time. Haroon the next minute, result- Soon after resumption, Pierre- Mohannad Ali, who was off -target Meanwhile, Al Wakrah scored an bled their lead in the 69th minute es and made use of them. There was no respite for action ing in a forehead injury to the Michel Lasogga’s headed goal was time and again. impressive 2-0 victory over Qatar as Qatar SC suff ered their second The own goal by Jimena resulted after the start of second half. Al former, and Sanchez Cortes sent disallowed, also for off side and the Towards the end, Gunnarsson SC at the Al Sadd Stadium. successive defeat, having lost 1-2 from a headed clearance off a cor- Wakrah striker Mohamed Benyet- the resultant free-kick straight to eff orts of Edmilson and El Neel wreaked havoc with a volley, Al- Promoted Al Wakrah, who had to Al Duhail earlier. Qatar SC had ner kick from the left. tou sent his shot wide and Al Wak- al-Hail. went in vain. moez hit the side netting, Gomis lost to reigning champions Al Sadd more of the ball with 60 per cent After Al Wakrah’s Cristian Ce- rah goalkeeper Saoud al-Khater The Kings revved up their attack Al Arabi brought in Fahad Kha- saved Bassam al-Rawi’s eff ort and 1-4 in their opener, surged ahead possession at half-time and 61 per ballos’ shot was stopped by Qatar blocked Ali Awad’s header from with substitutions as the game lfan, Hossam Kamal and Jassem then Al Arabi defender Marc Mu- through an own goal by Alejandro cent at the fi nal whistle, yet they SC goalkeeper Jassim al-Hail, Qa- close. The 69th minute saw Ismail wore on, but all their eff orts could Gaber, while Al Duhail’s Mohamed niesa eff ected a goalline save as the Jimena in the 39th minute. And were at the receiving end. tar SC’s Abdelaziz Metwali skied help Al Wakrah go 2-0 up with a not stop The Blue Wave from col- Muntari came off the bench for teams shared points from a thriller. substitute Ismail Mahmoud dou- Al Wakrah created more chanc- the ball. Qatar SC’s Junior Kaba- rising shot. lecting full points. Gulf Times 2 Friday, August 30, 2019 TENNIS FOCUS SPOTLIGHT Federer in favour of prize money boost Serena, Federer in ‘lower ranks’ AFP fully we’re going to get that right New York hopefully, as well, in the next sort of fi ve to 10 years.” Controversy has arisen over oger Federer added the past months concerning rally, Djokovic his voice to growing various issues in the sport, with calls for increased prize ATP player council president money for players “in Novak Djokovic often on the op- Rthe lower ranks” after battling posite side of discussions from into the third round of the US Nadal and Federer. Open on Wednesday. Splits widened at Wimbledon A sizeable number of top when Djokovic was taken to task men’s players are backing a pe- over his relationship with the hurt at rainy Open tition seeking a larger slice of disgraced Justin Gimelstob. tournament revenues at Grand Former player Gimelstob, who Slams and other events, with has sat on the player council, McNally hadn’t been born when Williams won her first Slam at the 1999 US Open those outside the top 100 strug- pleaded no contest to assault gling to make money or break charges in Los Angeles earlier even. this year for attacking a man in “I do believe the challenger front of his wife and children at players and also maybe quali- Halloween in 2018. fying and second-round losers Djokovic has come under fi re should get more,” said Federer, for refusing to rule out a possible who rejoined the ATP player return to the board for Gimel- council along with Rafael Nadal stob.