Qualifier Niculescu Sends Sharapova Packing on Day
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WWINTERINTER OOLYMPICSLYMPICS | Page 4 NNBABA | Page 5 Gusts hit James and schedule, retooled snowboarders Cavaliers roll at Games in Boston Tuesday, February 13, 2018 FOOTBALL Jumada I 27, 1439 AH Tottenham stand GULF TIMES between Allegri and Champions League SPORT Page 6 TENNIS / QATAR TOTAL OPEN FOCUS Sport Day embraces Qualifi er Niculescu all communities, says QOC president QNA sends Sharapova Doha atar Olympic Com- mittee (QOC) pres- ident HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Qal-Thani said that National Sport Day is an exceptional occasion for community packing on Day One members to celebrate sport, pointing out that the com- mittee aims at raising aware- ‘I did a really good job in the first set and a half, but that’s not enough to win’ ness among those who live in Qatar on the importance of By Sahan Bidappa physical fi tness. Doha HE Sheikh Joaan said that Qatar is proud of being one of the fi rst countries in the aria Sharapova’s head must world and the fi rst in the Mid- mary goal of organising all be spinning after her loss dle East to devote a holiday to sports activities, noting that to Monica Niculescu at the sports day for all residents. QOC encourages everyone to Qatar Total Open last night. In order to enrich this event, participate in this event and MFor, the Russian was subjected to a series he said, QOC is organising 72 enjoy a lively and active day. of incredible topspin forehand shots by sporting events for all com- The achievements of Team Niculescu, which brought Sharapova’s munity members of all ages Qatar champions are a source downfall on the opening day of the Pre- on the day, with the aim of of inspiration and a good ex- mier 5 WTA tournament at the Khalifa giving everyone the opportu- ample for youth, Sheikh Joaan International Tennis and Squash Com- nity to practice sport. said, adding that QOC is de- plex yesterday. This year, he added, fun lighted to have many of them Having managed to defy Niculescu’s and benefi t will be the pri- in this year’s sporting event. unique style of play when she won the fi rst set, Sharapova found herself tangled in a web of sliced shots from the Roma- nian to crash out of the tournament 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. Qatar Total Open Results, Order of Play World No. 92 Niculescu, who had to win two of her qualifying matches to RESULTS elsewhere make it to the 64-fi eld strong main draw, Monica Niculescu of Romania plays a shot against Russia’s Maria Sharapova (right) during their first round singles match in the Singles (1st Round) CENTRE COURT plays the most unique brand of tennis on Qatar Total Open at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex yesterday. PICTURES: Jayan Orma Dominika Cibulkova (SLO) bt Qiang Wang (CHN) v Madi- the WTA Tour. Her game is not based on Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS) son Keys (USA) [12] power, baseline rallies or volleys but her and a break before turning the tide on the of her game. I think those two matches putting the pace on her,” the Russian said. 7-6 (8), 6-4 Shuai Peng (CHN) v Kristina signature style of play is centred on a top- Russian wildcard, breaking at love to level in the qualifi ers helped me a lot. I knew Meanwhile, the other qualifi ers too had Q-Anna Blinkova (RIS) bt Mladenovic (FRA) [11] spin forehand, which makes her a tricky the match and winning 12 of the fi nal 13 a little bit about the surface and the con- a good day, with Anna Blinkova, Cather- Elena Vesnina (RUS) 6-1, 6-3 Cagla Buyukakcay (TUR) v opponent. points to secure the victory after two ditions; it’s a bit windy. I’m happy that I ine Bellis and Ying-Ying Duan also book- Q-Catherine Bellis (US) w/o Petra Kvitova (CZE) [16] And Sharapova found it the hard way hours and 38 minutes on court. could get through. It was a tough match, ing their sport in the second round. Daria Kasatkina (RUS) retired Ying-Ying Duan (CHN) v yesterday. The fi ve-time Grand Slam Niculescu’s consistency got her on the and to beat Maria fi rst round here on American CiCi Bellis advanced after 7-5, 4-1 Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP) [4] champion is still on a comeback trail after winning side in the end. She hit just 12 Doha Centre Court was a good match, in Russia’s World No. 24 Daria Kasatkina Q-Monica Nicalescu (ROU) Not before 7pm returning from a 15-month ban for dop- winners but also made only 17 unforced three hours too,” Niculescu added. pulled out of their opener with an neck bt Maria Sharapova (RUS) 4-6, Julia Goerges (GER) [9] v ing violation. Currently No. 41, 30-year- errors, converting six of her seven break- Sharapova was clearly lost for words injury while trailing 7-5, 4-1. Unheralded 6-4, 6-3 Lucie Safarova (CZE) old Sharapova received a wild card for the point opportunities. as she once again bowed out of a tourna- Blinkova shocked her Russian compatriot Q-Ying-Ying Duan (CHN) bt Caroline Garcia (FRA) [7] v main draw in Doha, where she has won Sharapova, on the other hand, failed to ment early. “I thought I did a really good and No. 23 Elena Vesnina 6-1, 6-3, while (WC)-Ons Jabeur (TUN) 6-2, 6-3 Dominika Cibulkova (SVK) twice before — in 2005 and 2008. And the nail her forehand winners, committing 52 job in the fi rst set and a half, but that’s Chinese Duan beat Tunisian wildcard Mihaela Buzarnescu (ROU) reception she got from the motley crowd unforced errors that cancelled out her 31 obviously not enough to win the match,” Ons Jabeur 6-2, 6-3. bt Lesia Tsurenko (UKR) 7-5, 6-4 COURT 1 showed she is still one of the favourites in winners. Sharapova said. “I did a good job of win- Earlier, Dominika Cibulkova rallied Ekaterina Makarova (RUS) bt Johanna Konta (GBR) [10] v women’s tennis. “I thought I played really well in quali- ning the longer rallies, even though that’s past Russia’s Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova Shuai Zheng (CHN) 7-5, 6-0 Bernarda Pera (USA) It was the fi rst meeting between the fi ers, and I thought I have the game but not really what I wanted to get myself 7-6 (8), 6-4 as she progressed to a sec- Doubles (1st Round) Fatma al-Nabhani (OMA) v two, with Sharapova also playing in Doha when I saw the draw I wasn’t too happy, into. So physically I felt good. I just got ond round meeting with France’s seventh Anastasia Pavylchenkova Magdalena Rybarikova (SVK) for the fi rst time since 2013. And Nicules- actually, because I thought I’m playing pretty passive in the end and started seed Caroline Garcia. Romania’s Mihaela (RUS)/olga Savchuk (UKR) bt [14] cu put Sharapova through the grind with good,” said Niculescu, who will next play making too many errors. Buzarnescu eased past Lesia Tsurenko Shuko Aoyama (JPN)/Katarina Barbora Strycova (CZE) v some head-spinning, slow sliced fore- either No.14 seed and 2018 Wimbledon “I love playing in three-set matches, 7-5, 6-4 to set up a clash with sixth- Srebotnik (SLO) 6-3, 6-2. Aleksandra Krunic (SRB) hands. The Romanian was ready to play semifi nalist Magdalena Rybarikova or and I think I’ve thrived in them my career. seeded French Open champion Jelena Anna Smith (GBR) / Renata a patient game, which clearly frustrated wildcard Fatma al-Nabhani of Oman. So I don’t necessarily shy away from that Ostapenko. ORDER OF PLAY Voracova (CZE) v Andreja Klepac the former No. 1. “But I thought I was getting better and challenge. I think I have to look at the tape Russian Ekaterina Makarova also Starts at 12pm on Center Court, (SLO) / María José Martínez Niculescu, the 2012 Qatar Total Open better by match, and in the second and and see why I started going back behind reached second round after a 7-5, 6-0 win 5pm on Court 6 and 3.30pm Sánchez (ESP) [8] quarter-fi nalist, twice trailed by a set third set I could understand a little bit the baseline and not moving forward, not over Shuai Zheng of China. BOTTOMLINE Refreshed Kerber in quest for lost glory By Sahan Bidappa gained her lost self. The left-hander’s I can fi ght,” Kerber said at the Qatar think that I reached it, the goal which I I was really playing good tennis again, Doha aggressive streak that brought her suc- Total Open, which began yesterday at had for the Australian trip, and that was and I think it was more a combination cess in 2016 is back and is the most in- the Khalifa International Tennis and more important for me than the results of both, good recovery to start again form player in 2018. Squash Complex. and the points and all of this,” the 30- and to focus on the next tournaments. or Angelique Kerber, 2016 Kerber was a point away — twice — “And yeah, having my tennis back, year said. I think that I needed a little bit time seems a long time ago. It was from advancing to the Australian Open my motivation and everything like I had In Doha, Kerber has been drawn to recover from all the matches that I when the German had a spec- fi nal last month, before losing a dra- like two years ago.