SPORTS Tuesday, February 27, 2018 21 Schwartzman reigns in Rio Rio rgentina’s ended a two-year wait for his second ATP Atour title as he overpowered an exhausted to win the Rio Open 6-2 6-3 on Sunday. The world number 23 was in commanding form against an opponent who appeared to run out of puff after reaching both the singles and doubles finals in Rio. “I was very patient, solid, intense, I knew he was very tired as he had played both singles and doubles,” Schwartzman said of his opponent who won the doubles final on Saturday. “It’s been two years since I’ve won a tournament so I am very happy. It was a perfect week for me.” Schwartzman broke serve three times in the first set as Verdasco produced a string of unforced errors. Once the Spaniard squandered four break points at 2-2 in the second set, he appeared to wilt under pressure and Schwartzman ran away with the match. (Reuters) Diego Schwartzman celebrates (Pic courtesy: Reuters) , Pouille Dubai Draw Morkel to retire from international

Grigor Dimitrov (file pic) cricket Morne Morkel (file pic) Dubai rigor Dimitrov leads the field at the Dubai Duty Free Cape Town up a Kolpak contract to play in “I still feel there is a lot of Premier League. Championships in a draw that is guaranteed to produce just outh Africa fast bowler England. cricket left in me and I am He played the first of his 83 Gthe second first-time winner of the event since 2009. Morne Morkel will “It was an extremely tough excited for what lies ahead. For tests against India in 2006 and The prestigious Middle Eastern tournament, which has been Sretire from all formats of decision but I feel the time is now, all of my energy and focus has taken 294 wickets at an voted Best ATP World Tour 500 event 11 times in its history, international cricket after right to start a new chapter. is on helping the Proteas win average of 28.08. boasts a diverse and competitive field of players looking to add the four-match home test I have a young family and a the upcoming series against The tall seamer has their name to the list of champions. series against Australia foreign wife, and the current Australia.” also featured in 117 one- Dimitrov opens against Tunisian veteran and wild card Malek starting this week, he said demanding international Morkel will now be free day internationals and 44 Jaziri. One-handed are out in full force in Dimitrov’s yesterday. schedule has put a lot of strain to play in Twenty20 leagues Twenty20 Internationals, quarter of the draw, which features fellow single-handed players Morkel, 33, cited family us,” Morkel said in a Cricket around the world, although taking 529 wickets across the and . pressures following local media South Africa news release he went unsold in the recent three formats of the game. Rounding out the top half of the draw are 2018 ASB Classic reports that he was set to take yesterday. auction for this year’s Indian (Reuters) champion and , who are seeded No. 3 and No. 5 respectively this week in Dubai. Bautista Agut will play in the first round, while Gasquet takes on Borna Coric. The bottom half of the draw features an in-form ITF plans World Cup of Tennis Finals as the tournament’s No. 2 seed. The Frenchman is coming off a London of directors and could start for final approval of the players representing their title in Montpellier and a final last week in Marseille. He faces a n 18-nation World Cup of in 2019. proposals. nations to decide the Davis tricky test in his opening match, where he’ll play former World Tennis Finals is planned The ITF has outlined a That meeting is scheduled Cup champions,” said ITF No. 10 in the first round. Aas the International Tennis 25-year, $3bn (£2.15bn) plan to take place in Orlando in chairman David Haggerty. , who was last week’s champion in Marseille, Federation (ITF) revamps the with an investment group August. Barcelona and Spain could set up a possible rematch of that final with Pouille should he . founded by footballer Gerard “Our vision is to create a defender Gerard Pique said navigate his way past . The week-long event, which Pique. major season-ending finale his Kosmos investment group Additionally, Ilya Ivashka, who was a surprise semi-finalist last would be held in November, A two-thirds majority that will be a festival of was “thrilled to join in this week in Marseille, drew No. 8 seed Yuichi Sugita, and will look to has been unanimously at the ITF annual general tennis and entertainment, exciting partnership with the continue his own run of form as he takes on the field in Dubai. endorsed by the ITF’s board meeting will be required featuring the world’s greatest ITF.” (BBC) (atpworldtour)