ARAB TIMES, TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2021 16

United States’ celebrates after defeating Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in their fourth round match at the championship in Melbourne, Australia, Feb 15. (AP) Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Nadal rolls to 43rd GS quarterfinal Daughter of Bills, Sabres owners into all-US QF in Australia

MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb 15, (AP): So much for Klopp says ready the thought that Rafael Nadal’s bad back might for the challenge hold him back at the LIVERPOOL, England, Feb 15, Australian Open as he tries (AP): Liverpool manager Jurgen to break a tie with Roger Klopp insisted Monday he is ready for the challenge of turning his team Federer for the most Grand around after a tough period both on Slam singles titles won by a and off the field. man. Klopp conceded that his team Win three more matches this would not be retaining the Premier week, and Nadal will be the only League after a 3-1 loss to Leicester one with 21. on Saturday, which left Liverpool So far, he hasn’t dropped a set on a run of only two wins in 10 through four matches, moving into his matches and 13 points behind first- 13th quarterfinal at Melbourne Park place Manchester City. and 43rd in all at major championships It also has been a difficult time for with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 victory over No. Klopp personally with his mother, 16 seed Fabio Fognini on Monday. Elisabeth, dying last month at the age Take it further, to the start of last of 81 after contracting COVID-19. year’s , and Nadal has Klopp was unable to attend the funer- won his past 33 Grand Slam sets in a al because of travel restrictions. row. Speaking ahead of the first leg of Liverpool’s last-16 match against Leipzig in Budapest in the TENNIS Champions League, Klopp said he was not in need of any “special sup- He called the first set against port.” Fognini “without a doubt” his “best level in the tournament.” Why was that? Well, the 34-year- SOCCER old Nadal offered a rather simple explanation: He came into the match finally having been able to practice for “I don’t need a break,” Klopp two days in a row, after having his said, dismissing speculation he was work limited by the back pain that contemplating quitting Liverpool. surfaced about three weeks ago. “I can split things, I can switch Not that everything is perfect, mind you. off, one thing and the other thing, I “My physical condition needs to don’t carry things around,” he keep improving,” Nadal said. “But I added. “Of course we are influenced think this match helps, too. I was not by things that happen around but able to practice the proper way for the nobody has to worry about me or last 19 days, but yesterday I started Spain’s Rafael Nadal hits a forehand return to Italy’s Fabio Fognini during their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in whatever. I might not look (fine), again to increase the amount of work Melbourne, Australia, on Feb 15. (AP) because the weather is not cool, the (in) practice. And today has been a beard gets more and more gray, I positive victory with some long points, don’t sleep a lot, my eyes look like so that helps for the next match.” Suns improve to 17-9 as Clippers hand Cavs 7th straight loss this, but I am full of energy.” That’ll be on Wednesday against Addressing Liverpool’s poor No. 5 seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, who form, which has seen the team lose advanced when his fourth-round oppo- three straight league games for the nent, No. 9 Matteo Berrettini, pulled first time since he joined in 2015, out of the tournament because of Nuggets end Lakers seven-game winning streak abdominal injury he picked up in his Klopp said it was an “interesting prior win. DENVER, Feb 15, (AP): Nikola Jokic challenge.” Before Berrettini’s withdrawal offi- recorded his sixth triple-double of the “Nobody wrote a book about it, cially was announced, Nadal acciden- season and the Denver Nuggets beat England struggle to 53-3 at stumps about how you come into a situation tally broke the news by telling the Los Angeles 122-105 on Sunday night like this and how you solve it, but media he’d be facing Tsitsipas. in a game where Lakers forward we will sort it,” he said. “Please, Nadal is 6-1 against the 22-year-old Anthony Davis hobbled from the court Ashwin sparkles as India look poised for victory everyone, we will sort it. It could be Tsitsipas, including a 6-2, 6-4, 6-0 win after re-aggravating his sore right tricky, but we will sort it by playing for the Spaniard in the 2019 Australian Achilles. CHENNAI, India, Feb 15, (AP): Local hero career. football, sort it by sticking even Open semifinals. Davis will have an MRI on Monday. Ravichandran Ashwin delivered a series of body blows He moves ahead of Garfield Sobers (West Indies), more together, sort it by fighting The other quarterfinal on their half He strained his Achilles late in the first to England as the tourists struggled Shakib al Hasan (Bangladesh) and Jacques Kallis with all we have. Sort it by learning of the draw will be No. 4 Daniil half. to 53-3 at stumps on day three of (South Africa) on the all-time list and now trails only more than you can learn in each Medvedev, the 2019 U.S. Open run- The spotlight was on the showdown the second Test against India on England’s Ian Botham, who achieved the feat five season.” ner-up, against No. 7 Andrey Rublev between Jokic and LeBron James, who Monday. times. in an all-Russian matchup between are both among the favorites in the With England needing an unlike- friends since childhood. NBA MVP race. Jokic finished with ly 482 for victory, Ashwin fol- NBA Results/Standings A third Russian man, 114th-ranked 23 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists. lowed up his century with the bat CRICKET qualifier Aslan Karatsev, already had James had 22 points, 10 rebounds and by dismissing Rory Burns for 25 advanced, giving the country a trio of nine assists, but the Lakers’ seven- while fellow spinner Axar Patel quarterfinalists at a major tournament for game win streak ended. claimed 2-15. “I have been practising with batting coach Vikram WASHINGTON, Feb 15, (AP): the only time in the professional era. Jamal Murray scored 25 points for Earlier, Ashwin (106) scored his Rathour and would love to credit him with how my bat- NBA results and standings on After Jessica Pegula earned her first Denver in its third straight win. Zeke fifth Test century and captain Virat ting has come through over the last four or five match- Sunday. trip to a Grand Slam quarterfinal, the Nnaji had 16 points, and fellow reserve Ashwin es,” Ashwin said. “I played a lot of sweep shots today Washington 104 Boston 91 Kohli made 62 as India was bowled San Antonio 122 Charlotte 110 daughter of the owners of Buffalo’s Facundo Campazzo finished with 15. out for 286 in the second innings. and we had a plan against Jack Leach. I am thankful the NFL and NHL franchises scribbled on Detroit 123 New Orleans 112 Clippers 128, Cavaliers 111 Having picked up a 29th five-wicket haul in England’s plan paid off.” Minnesota 116 Toronto 112 the screen of an Australian Open Post tea, Ishant Sharma was caught for seven off Portland 121 Dallas 118 courtside TV camera: “hi mom, hi dad, In Los Angeles, Lou Williams first innings, it meant 34-year-old India all-rounder Ashwin registered a century and bagged five wickets in Leach, who finished with 4-100. Fellow spinner Moeen Oklahoma City 114 Milwaukee 109 see you next rd Jen B.” scored a season-high 30 points in his Phoenix 109 Orlando 90 In addition to a shoutout to her par- first start of the season, and the an innings in the same Test for the third time in his Ali also took 4-98. LA Clippers 128 Cleveland 111 ents, that was a message for Jennifer Clippers handed the Cavaliers their Memphis 124 Sacramento 110 seventh straight loss. Denver 122 LA Lakers 105 Brady, a good pal of Pegula’s whose Eastern Conference fourth-round match was up next in Pistons spoiled Stan Van Gundy’s scored 22 points for Memphis, which In Tampa, Fla, Karl-Anthony Rod Laver Arena on Monday. return to Motown. had lost five of six. Towns scored seven of his 20 points Atlantic Division The 61st-ranked Pegula beat No. 5 BASKETBALL Van Gundy was the coach and pres- Thunder 114, Bucks 109 late in the fourth quarter before fouling W L Pct GB ident of basketball operations for the out, helping Minnesota snap a four- Philadelphia 18 9 .667 - seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine 6-4, In Oklahoma City, Justin Jackson Brooklyn 16 12 .571 2-1/2 3-6, 6-3, before the 22nd-seeded The three-time Sixth Man of the Pistons from 2014-18. He’s coaching game losing streak. scored a season-high 22 points and hit Boston 13 13 .500 4-1/2 Brady, a Pennsylvanian who played Year added a season-high 10 assists the Pelicans now, and Detroit became Malik Beasley also scored 20 points New York 13 15 .464 5-1/2 college tennis at UCLA, had a 6-1, 7-5 and made all eight of his free throws the latest team to blitz New Orleans a critical 3-pointer in the final minute for the Timberwolves, and Anthony Toronto 12 15 .444 6 victory over No. 28 Donna Vekic of on a night when the Clippers were from 3-point range. to help Oklahoma City overcome Edwards finished with 18. Southeast Division Croatia. without Kawhi Leonard and Paul Grizzlies 124, Kings 110 Giannis Antetokounmpo’s triple-dou- Spurs 122, Hornets 110 W L Pct GB George. Leonard has a lower left leg ble. Brady was one of the 72 players In Charlotte, NC, Dejounte Murray Charlotte 13 15 .464 - contusion and Paul is dealing with In Sacramento, Calif, Jonas With Milwaukee making a late Miami 11 15 .423 1 who had to go through a hard lock- Valanciunas scored a season-high 25 had 26 points and 12 rebounds, and the down - two weeks stuck in a hotel bone swelling in his right toe. push, Jackson hit a 3-pointer with 14.9 Atlanta 11 15 .423 1 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, lead- Spurs outlasted the short-handed Orlando 10 18 .357 3 room, not allowed to leave for any Trail Blazers 121, Mavericks 118 ing Memphis to the victory. seconds remaining to put the Thunder Hornets. Washington 7 17 .292 4 reason - after flying to Australia in in control for good in just his second In Dallas, Damian Lillard hit a tie- Ja Morant added 16 points and 10 Derrick White scored 12 of his sea- Central Division January because someone on their breaking 3-pointer in the final minute, assists despite a rough 7-for-18 shoot- start of the season. son-high 25 points in the fourth quar- flight tested positive for COVID-19 W L Pct GB and the Trail Blazers overcame anoth- ing night from the field. Dillon Brooks Timberwolves 116, Raptors 112 ter, helping San Antonio to its fifth Milwaukee 16 11 .593 - upon arrival. er high-scoring outing from Luka win in six games. Indiana 14 13 .519 2 Brady and Pegula gave the U.S. Doncic. Terry Rozier had 33 points for the Chicago 10 15 .400 5 three women’s quarterfinalists at Cleveland 10 18 .357 6-1/2 The young Dallas sensation scored Hornets, who played without leading Melbourne Park, joining 23-time scorer Gordon Hayward because of a Detroit 8 19 .296 8 Grand Slam champion Serena 44 points two nights after getting a Western Conference career-high 46 in a victory over New sore back and P.J. Washington, Caleb Southwest Division Williams, who advanced a day earlier. Martin and Cody Martin due to health Top-ranked Ash Barty ensured a Orleans, but it wasn’t enough to extend W L Pct GB the Mavericks’ four-game winning and safety protocols. In addition, San Antonio 16 11 .593 - fourth American didn’t make it to the Devonte Graham departed because of last eight, beating unseeded Shelby streak, tied for their longest this sea- Memphis 11 11 .500 2-1/2 son. knee discomfort and did not play in the Dallas 13 15 .464 3-1/2 Rogers 6-3, 6-4 to set up a quarterfinal second half. New Orleans 11 15 .423 4-1/2 match against No. 25 Karolina Muchova. Suns 109, Magic 90 Wizards 104, Celtics 91 Houston 11 15 .423 4-1/2 She is on quite a breakthrough run. In Phoenix, Devin Booker scored 27 Northwest Division In Washington, Bradley Beal scored Pegula has won four matches at points, Mikal Bridges added 21 and W L Pct GB Melbourne Park over the past week - Phoenix cruised to its sixth straight 35 points in his return from a rare Utah 22 5 .815 - including victories over two-time victory. night off, leading Washington to the Portland 16 10 .615 5-1/2 Australian Open champion Victoria The Suns have won nine of their victory. Denver 15 11 .577 6-1/2 Oklahoma City 11 15 .423 10-1/2 Azarenka and 2011 U.S. Open cham- past 10 games and this one wasn’t Beal went 10 for 18 from the field pion Sam Stosur - after entering the and 11 for 11 at the free-throw line. Minnesota 7 20 .259 15 close. Phoenix never trailed and Pacific Division hard-court tournament with a total of jumped out to a 14-2 lead after Orlando The NBA’s leading scorer rested dur- three wins at majors for her career. missed 12 of its first 13 shots. ing Friday night’s loss to the New W L Pct GB Also significant for Pegula, who York Knicks. LA Lakers 21 7 .750 - Pistons 123, Pelicans 112 Russell Westbrook had 13 points, LA Clippers 20 8 .714 1 works with ’ former Phoenix 17 9 .654 3 coach, David Witt: She came into the In Detroit, Mason Plumlee had 17 Sacramento Kings center Richaun Holmes (22) blocks the shot of Memphis 11 assists and nine rebounds for the Golden State 14 13 .519 6-1/2 day with an 0-6 record against Top 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists for Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas (right), during the first half of an NBA Wizards. Rui Hachimura added 15 Sacramento 12 14 .462 8 women. his first career triple-double, and the basketball game in Sacramento, Calif on Feb 14. (AP) points.

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