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Earnhardt win McIlroy wins completes Bridgestone season sweep at Pocono TUESDAY, AUGUST 5, 201417 18 Mixed feelings about sailing in polluted Rio bay Page 18 LEXINGTON: Marco Andretti (25) collides with Tony Kanaan (10), of Brazil, in a first lap crash during the IndyCar Honda Indy 200 auto racing at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, while Takuma Sato (14), of Japan, and Ryan Briscoe (8), of Australia, try to avoid the crash. (see Page 17) — AP Serena wins Bank of West Classic STANFORD: Serena Williams won her WTA-lead- fully that pays off, especially after Wimbledon,” “To be that of as that is pretty awesome.” ing fourth title of the season Sunday, beating Williams said. “I stayed positive here. This shows Williams extended her winning streak to 13 third-seeded Angelique Kerber 7-6(1), 6-3 in the I’m moving in the right direction.” matches in winning her third title at Stanford in Bank of the West Classic. Questions were raised after she retired from a four years. “It just says how much I love to play Playing her first tournament since her depar- doubles match with sister Venus at Wimbledon here,” she said. ture from Wimbledon because of equilibrium in June. A viral infection affected her equilibri- Kerber, who will rise to No. 7, was the first problems, the top-ranked and top-seeded um. She answered those questions with an German to reach the final in the event since Williams won the hard-court event for the third exclamation point Sunday.”Every week is a new Sylvia Hanika in 1987. Bettina Bunge, in 1983, time. Kerber, 0-4 in finals this season, won five week and all I can do is try and improve,” was the last German to win the tournament. straight games to go up 5-1 and was serving for Williams said. “For me it’s all mental: being there, “I had a great week,” Kerber said. “I played the first set at 5-2. Williams saved two set points being positive and being good to myself.” some great matches against some good oppo- and went to win five games in a row. Williams has beaten the left-handed Kerber nents. She showed she’s the best player in the “I blinked my eye and I was down 1-5,” four straight times and five of six overall. All of world.” Williams said. “Angelique was playing well and I their matches have been in straight sets. Williams has not lost to a top-10 player this thought ‘What’s going on?’ I tried to relax, not “I gave everything I could out there,” Kerber season. Kerber has never beaten a No. 1 player. think about anything and just do the right said. “When she was down she started hitting Williams improved to 17-2 overall in matches thing.” the ball better. It’s a special thing she has. On the played at Stanford. She’s 30-5 on the season and The eighth-ranked Kerber forced a tiebreaker, important points, she goes for it.” 662-117 for her career. Williams is 61-17 in finals. but Williams took the first five points. “It’s a good Williams will be No. 1 for the 200th week in Williams has not played well at Grand Slam thing that it happened,” Williams said. “When I’m her career when the rankings are announced events this year, failing to reach the quarterfinals not playing great I know I can make some kind Monday. She is fifth on the career list, nine of the Australian Open, French Open and TORONTO: Milos Raonic of Canada receives Emirates ATP Top Ten Ranking award from of comeback.” Williams didn’t play well in any of weeks behind fourth-place Martina Hingis. Wimbledon. Winning the US Open, she said, ATP Executive Chairman and President, Chris Kermode at Rexall Centre at York the first sets this week but always found a way to “I feel like I’m just me. I don’t feel any different “would make it better but not erase anything. But University. — AFP win. “I’ve been training hard all year and hope- from anyone else on this planet,” Williams said. I’m just focused on the next tournament.” — AP Raonic beats compatriot Pospisil in Washington WASHINGTON: Milos Raonic won the ing with something. I didn’t sleep much first all-Canadian final of the professional last night. era when he beat Vasek Pospisil 6-1 6-4 “I don’t think it would have made in the final of the Citi Open in much difference to be honest, especially Washington on Sunday. that first set.” Raonic’s lethal weapon was Second seed Raonic took barely an his dominating serve. He dropped only hour to dispose of Pospisil on the hard- two points on first serve, one in each set. court at the William H.G. Fitzgerald The second set was closer as Pospisil’s Tennis Center, breaking serve three serve improved. Raonic finally broke times in the first set. serve on match point, firing a backhand The second set was a tighter battle as crosscourt passing shot for the winner. Pospisil raised his game before Raonic Next up for both players is a home game delivered the knockout blow in the 10th or sorts, the Rogers Cup starting in game for his sixth ATP title, his first of Toronto late yesterday. Meanwhile, Japan’s the year. Raonic, 23, playing his first Kei Nishikori has withdrawn from next event since making the Wimbledon week’s hard-court tournament in Toronto semi-finals, is projected to rise from sev- because of what his agent says is a “severely enth to sixth in the ATP rankings. “I infected right big toe.” couldn’t have imagined starting that Nishikori’s agent, Olivier Van Lindonk, well,” Raonic told ESPN. says Sunday that Nishikori has been strug- “It’s tough after a few weeks away. I gling for a week with the problem and most couldn’t have asked for a better way to likely will need “a small procedure to remove lead into probably my most enjoyable the infection.” part of the year.” Pospisil, who won a Nishikori lost to Richard Gasquet in the quarterfinals in Washington on Friday. tough three-set semi-final against Gasquet said he could tell his opponent was Frenchman Richard Gasquet late on injured, but Nishikori said after the match he Saturday, was flat at the start of the final. was fine. Nishikori, the first Japanese man to “He came out so strong. He really reach the top 10 in the rankings, is No. 11 caught me off guard,” said the 13th seed, this week. Missing the Rogers Cup in who is still seeking his first ATP title. “I Toronto deals a blow to Nishikori’s prepara- wasn’t 100 percent but nobody’s 100 tion for the US Open, which begins August STANFORD: Serena Williams holds the winner’s trophy after beating Angelique Kerber, of Germany, during the championship match of the Bank of the West percent at this stage. Everybody’s deal- 25. —Agencies Classic tennis tournament. — AP.

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