Sport FRIDAY 2 JULY 2021 FormulaF One: Red Bull’s Verstappen ththe driver to beat in Austria race They’veT definitely made some big steps and we’ve not really gogot an answer for it. I’ve got confidence in the team that we’ll sosomehow find something. LewisLeL Hamilton Sport |14 TOUR DE FRANCE: Stage 6 Winner - M. Cavendish, Deceuninck-QuickStep, 3hr 17m 36s, Overall leader: M van der Poel, Alpecin - Fenix Federer gets his sparkle back; Barty battles past Blinkova to advance REUTERS — LONDON Roger Federer celebrates beyond the last 16 at after winning his second Wimbledon. The sun finally came out at round match. She ultimately had too Wimbledon yesterday and much firepower for Blinkova, eight-time champion Roger however, and wrapped up Federer got his old sparkle victory after an hour and 30 back on Centre Court to eclipse minutes when her opponent Richard Gasquet and move swiped a forehand long. serenely into round three. Also yesterday, three-time It was not quite vintage Grand Slam champion Federer, but the 7,500 fans Angelique Kerber held off a packed around his favourite spirited challenge from Spain’s court did not care as the Swiss Sara Sorribes Tormo to win gave them plenty to ooh and 7-5, 5-7, 6-4 and book her aah about in a 7-6(1), 6-1, 6-4 place in the third round. The 25th-seeded German Sanchez RESULTS (SELECTED) made a sure-footed start and Men’s Singles (Second Round) gave very little away on her Alexander Zverev (4), Germany, def. own serve before breaking names Qatar Tennys Sandgren, US, 7-5, 6-2, 6-3. Sorribes Tormo’s serve with Matteo Berrettini (7), Italy, def. Botic van consecutive forehand winners squad for de Zandschulp, NED, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4). to go up 5-3. Pedro Martinez, Spain, def. Gael Monfils Sorribes Tormo, ranked (13), France, 6-3, 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (5). 50th in the world, roared back Gold Cup to draw level at 5-5 but con- Daniil Medvedev (2), Russia, def. Carlos THE PENINSULA — DOHA tinued to leak unforced errors, Alcaraz, Spain, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2. victory. to be slipping away from the in danger against the 89th- allowing Kerber to regain Nick Kyrgios, Australia, def. Gianluca Mager, The 39-year-old Swiss Swiss. ranked Blinkova, but it was composure and take the Qatar head coach Felix Sanchez Italy, 7-6 (7), 6-4, 6-4. took a while to find his timing He eventually got through still not plain sailing for the opening set. (pictured) yesterday named a Roger Federer (6), Switzerland, def. and needed to save three break after Mannarino suffered a Australian scrapper. After an early trade of 23-player squad for this month’s Richard Gasquet, France, 7-6 (1), 6-1, 6-4. points in his first service game. knee injury after slipping on Her serve, so often a breaks, Kerber showed CONCACAF Gold Cup set to take Women’s Singles (Second Round) But having been pushed the greasy turf. dependable weapon, was at glimpses of her best tennis place in the US. Ashleigh Barty (1), Australia, def. Anna into a tiebreak, the 20-time Meanwhile, world number times wayward, as she hit nine with a string of booming The Asian champions are cur- Blinkova, Russia, 6-4, 6-3. Grand Slam champion flicked one Ash Barty moved into the double faults and was broken backhand winners to take a rently undergoing a training Coco Gauff (20), US, def. Elena Vesnina, the switch and his game began third round at Wimbledon but three times, while her 33 4-2 lead and threatened to run camp in Croatia to prepare for Russia, 6-4, 6-3. to flow. not without a battle as she unforced errors suggests she away with the match. the event where they will make Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia, def. Daria After taking the opener the overcame spirited Russian has some way to go to get fully But Sorribes Tormo, who their debut. Kasatkina (31), Russia, 6-1, 3-6, 8-6. sixth seed moved smoothly Anna Blinkova and her own sharp on the grass. has never progressed beyond Qatar will play their first Gold Angelique Kerber (25), Germany, def. Sara through the gears and Gasquet inconsistency in a 6-4, 6-3 win Barty, whose sole Grand the second round at any major Cup match against Panama on Sorribes Tormo, Spain, 7-5, 5-7, 6-4. could not live with him as he yesterday. Slam title came at the 2019 event, halted her opponent’s July 13. The Asian champions will Order of Play suffered an 11th successive The top seed never looked French Open, has never gone momentum with deft touches play their other Group D matches CENTRE COURT defeat against Federer. at the net to break back imme- against Grenada on July 17 and Next up for the Swiss will diately, before saving a match Honduras on July 20. 21-Ons Jabeur (Tunisia) v 11-Garbine Ashleigh Barty in be in-form British 29th seed point to stretch the contest to SQUAD: Saad Al Sheeb, Muguruza (Spain) action yesterday. Cameron Norrie who thrashed a decider. Meshaal Berchem, Yusuf Hassan, 22-Dan Evans (Britain) v Sebastian Korda Australian Alex Bolt. Both players dropped serve Pedro Miguel, Abdul Karim (US) “It was a wonderful match twice in a chaotic start to the Hassan, Tariq Salman, Ahmed 10-Denis Shapovalov (Canada) v Andy for me and I’m really happy final set as fatigue started to Suhail, Musab Al Khader, Bassam Murray (Britain) with my performance,” set in, before Kerber regained Al Rawi, Hammam Al Amin, COURT ONE (1200) Federer said on court. control by converting her Khoki Boualem, Mohamed Waad, Liudmila Samsonova (Russia) v Sloane It was a marked contrast seventh break point. Assem Madbou, Karim Boudiaf, Stephens (US) to Tuesday evening when per- The former world number Ismail Mohamed, Abdullah Al 1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) v Denis Kudla sistent rain meant Federer’s one held her nerve to seal to Ahraq, Abdel Aziz Hatem, Akram (US) first-round clash with another seal victory in three hours and Afif, Hassan Al Haydos, Youssef 13-Elise Mertens (Belgium) v 23-Madison Frenchman, Adrian Man- 18 minutes as the crowd at Abdel Razzaq, Al Moez Ali, Keys (US) narino, took place under the Court Two gave the players a Mohamed Muntari, Ahmed Alaa. Centre Court roof and looked standing ovation. Road to Qatar 2022: Japan, We will play our own game against Australia in Group B for last AFC qualifying round Belgium, says Italy coach Mancini REUTERS — MUNICH Belgium, who have also won AFC — KUALA LUMPUR equally thrilling with Australia four out of four games at Euro and Saudi Arabia both having Italy coach Roberto Mancini 2020, does not mean Mancini Asia’s best learnt of their oppo- made the Finals five times pre- said his side will play their own will adopt more conservative nents following the conclusion viously and China once. Oman game against Belgium, the tactics. of the AFC Asian Qualifiers – and Vietnam have never qual- nation top of the FIFA world “We will play our own Road to Qatar virtual draw in ified for the global rankings, in today’s Euro 2020 game, well aware that we are Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia showpiece. quarter-final in Munich. up against the best team in the yesterday. The respective group Mancini’s team, who con- world at this moment of time,” The 12 teams were drawn winners and runners-up will ceded their first goal in 19 hours Mancini told a news conference into two groups with Japan, the seal their places or the global and 28 minutes against Austria yesterday. continent’s top team in the FIFA showpiece, while the third- in their 2-1 last-16 victory on “If they have been top of the World Ranking, drawn in placed teams will advance to Saturday, have also impressed FIFA rankings for three years it Group B while second-ranked the Asian playoff to determine in attack, scoring nine goals in means they have been very Islamic Republic of Iran were the side that will advance to the four matches in the good for a long time, but we will drawn in Group A. intercontinental playoff. tournament. still play our way. Iran, with five previous Based on the special FIFA But the prospect of facing “We could tweak a few appearances at the global Ranking released for Asian things a long the way if things showpiece, will have Korea teams on June 18, top seeds do not go to plan, but we have Republic, United Arab Emirates, Japan and the Iran were placed a certain style of play and Iraq, Syria and Lebanon for in Pot 1 of the draw, with Pot 2 Belgium do too. I am sure it will company in Group A. comprising Australia and Korea be a wonderful game of football. Japan, seeking a seventh Republic while Pot 3 had Saudi The winner will be the team consecutive appearance at the Arabia and the United Arab who makes the fewest errors,” FIFA World Cup Finals, were Emirates. Pot 4 contained Iraq he said. joined in Group B by Australia, and China PR, followed by Belgium’s main threat is a Saudi Arabia, China PR, Oman Oman and Syria in Pot 5 and familiar one for the Azzurri and Vietnam. debutants Vietnam and defence with Romelu Lukaku, Roberto Mancini (centre) during a training session yesterday. Both groups promise to be Lebanon in Pot 6.