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MONDAY, JUNE 11, 2018

Justify dominates Belmont to J.D. Martinez hits 21st HR Neymar set for start as Spain, 25become 13th Triple Crown winner 26 as Red Sox beat White Sox 4-2 27 France labour in warm-ups

PARIS: This combination of pictures shows Spain’s Rafael Nadal posing with the Muskeeters trophy during his eleven victories in the men’s French Tennis Open at the Roland Garros stadium. Nadal poses with his trophy on June 10, 2018 (R); (From top L to bottom R) on June 5, 2005; on June 11, 2006; on June 10, 2007; on June 8, 2008; on June 6, 2010; on June 5, 2011; on June 11, 2012; on June 9, 2013; on June 8, 2014 and on June 11, 2017. Rafael Nadal claimed an 11th title yesterday with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 demolition of Dominic Thiem despite a worrying injury scare in the closing stages of the final. — AFP Nadal wins 11th French Open title Victory takes Nadal’s record at Roland Garros to 86 wins

PARIS: Rafael Nadal claimed an 11th French Open title something I ever dreamed of.” Nadal joins Australia’s He saved another two in the 11-minute sixth in the seventh game as Nadal collected a time viola- yesterday with a 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 demolition of Dominic Margaret Court as the only player to win 11 titles at the game, a performance cheered by the crowd who tion for taking too long to serve. Thiem despite a worrying injury scare in the closing same major. briefly became more animated when glum-looking The world number one saved it and went on to stages of the final. The 32-year-old world number one Victory also took Nadal’s record at Roland Garros French football icon Zinedine Zidane was spotted in secure a two sets lead when yet another backhand now has 17 titles, just three behind great to 86 wins and just two losses. For Thiem, playing in his the stadium. Despite matching Nadal forehand for from the Austrian drifted wide. Thiem was under the rival Roger Federer. first Slam final, it was a tremendous letdown for a play- forehand, Thiem was undone in the 10th game when cosh, saving four break points in the first game of the Nadal endured a nervy conclusion to the final, how- er who is the only man to have beaten the Spaniard on three errors handed Nadal the opening set after 52 third set before Nadal inevitably broke for 2-1. ever, when he needed treatment in the fourth game of clay in the last two years. minutes on court. A wild, misguided forehand Bizarrely, Nadal then halted playing in the fourth the third set for a finger injury before sealing victory on With a celebrity audience-including actors Hugh sealed his fate, one of 18 unforced errors to Nadal’s game complaining of pain in his left hand and stretch- a fifth match point when Thiem fired a backhand long. Grant and Tim Roth as well as French stars Marion 12 in the set. ing his middle finger. He still won the game anyway “It’s really incredible. I played a great match against a Cotillard and Jean Dujardin-watching, Nadal flew out In their previous nine meetings, all on clay, the man before summoning the doctor and trainer courtside. great player,” said Nadal. of the blocks. He reeled off the first six points for a 2-0 who took the opening set went on to win the match. Whatever the problem, his dominance remained “I had tough moment in the third set with cramps in lead before Thiem settled and repaired the damage for That scenario loomed again with Nadal going to 2-0 and a love game took him to 4-2 before he eventially my hand. I was very scared but that’s sport-it was very 2-2. The Austrian speared a 222 km/h ace just for good in the second set on a fifth break point as Thiem fired sealed victory on a fifth match point when the humid. “To win 11 times here-it’s fantastic and not measure in the fourth game to save a break point. another backhand wide. Thiem wasted a break point Austrian fired another backhand long. — AFP

three, with Stoke’s Jack Butland (8) and Burnley’s England manager Nick Pope (1) as back up. To put that into per- spective, England’s three Group G opponents have nine keepers with 334 caps between them. Czechs end Japan’s Southgate demands Of course, results, not experience, are what ulti- mately count and it is no surprise that England, who Roland Garros break with the past have not even made the quarter-finals for 12 years and flopped in their last tournament outing at Euro 2016, are trusting a different approach. doubles dream LONDON: England fly to Russia next week unen- Southgate is encouraging his players to dream cumbered by the usual great expectations, with big. “Why would I limit what they feel is possible?” manager Gareth Southgate promising a complete the manager told the Sunday Telegraph. “My job is PARIS: Eri Hozumi and Makoto Ninomiya’s hopes of break from previous tournaments when they sel- to allow people to dream - what’s the saying? - becoming the first all-Japanese pair to win a Grand dom lived up to their billing. ‘make the impossible seem possible’. They are at an Slam women’s doubles title were swamped by a barrage “We are nothing to do with the past,” said age with hunger, enthusiasm... of big hitting from Czech pair Barbora Krejcikova and Southgate in one of his final round of media inter- “We have got to improve to reach the latter Katerina Siniakova in Sunday’s French Open final. views before they head to their camp in the village stages of a tournament and that is going to take a The sixth seeds won 6-3, 6-3 in just 65 minutes of Repino, which is approximately 30 miles from St. lot of hard work over the next few weeks and a against Hozumi and Ninomiya who had stunned top Petersburg. huge commitment but I am seeing evidence that we seeds and champions Kristina “The past can inform us and help us but are embracing that challenge.” Mladenovic and Timea Babos in the semi-finals. shouldn’t shape us. We have got to be our own As a former England Under-21 manager, For the Czechs, it was their first Slam title. “I’d like to team. This is a diverse team with different sets Southgate relies on many of the techniques which dedicate this victory to Jana Novotna,” said Krejcikova of skills. They have got a chance to make their have brought success at youth levels. England in honour of her compatriot and 1998 Wimbledon own history.” enjoyed another triumph on Saturday by winning champion who died of cancer in November last year at In plumping for an inexperienced squad whose their third successive Toulon Under 21 Tournament the age of 49. Siniakova paid tribute to the Japanese average age is 26, Southgate has made a powerful and the senior players have been asked to remem- team. “You had an amazing two weeks and we hope we statement of intent and observers have been ber the enthusiasm they had as children for previ- can play many more times in the future,” she said. On impressed by the open approach he has encour- ous tournaments and share photos of their Saturday, Japan had enjoyed two title victories at the aged the squad to what lies ahead. younger selves in an England kit. Even the 47- French Open. World number one won her third Whereas two years ago former keeper Joe Hart year-old manager has dug out one of his 12-year- Gareth Southgate memorably refused to reveal who won the team old self from 1982. Roland Garros women’s wheelchair championship darts competition at Euro 2016, Fabian Delph has “I think there’s been a disconnect from the fans with a 2-6, 6-0, 6-2 victory over Diede de Groot of been happy to talk about the team-building exer- with the players. We recognise that and part of it have a good opinion on things and they are able to the Netherlands. It was the sixth Slam singles title cises which Southgate has implemented, with was maybe not knowing how much they care or suggest solutions that they may think are better for the 24-year-old world number one. Shingo Raheem Sterling apparently starring at table tennis their backgrounds. So we have tried to have an than those we propose,” he said. Kunieda then claimed the men’s title, his seventh in and Delph himself prospering at pool. effect on that.” “They have a voice. We want them to have some Paris and 22nd overall at the majors. The 34-year-old Hart has not even made the squad this time, the The relaxed approach has been extended to ownership. When I decide, ‘Okay, we are not going defeated Argentine second seed Gustavo Fernandez experience of his 75 caps ditched in favour of encouraging players to have a major input into with that one but we will have a think about this 7-6 (7/5), 6-0. — AFP likely No. 1, Everton’s Jordan Pickford, who has tactics. “They know they can have an input, they one,’ they really respect that.” — Reuters