SPORTS SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2016

No kids, but millions in bank, Sharapova has no regrets MELBOURNE: A younger Maria Sharapova was convinced she would be retired from tennis and have children by now, but it has- n’t quite turned out that way. Instead, she has five Grand Slam titles and millions in the bank, and is listed by Forbes as the top- earning sportswoman in the world. All in all, the 28-year-old Russian said she had no regrets about how her life has gone. “I nev- er thought that I’d be playing at this age, honestly,” she said in Melbourne, after mov- ing into the Australian Open fourth round. “When I was born, my mother was very young. I thought I would, I mean, not have kids at 20, but I would have children at this point. “When you’re younger, that’s what I envisioned because that’s what my family had. You always look to family traditions.” Her personal life remains out of bounds, although she most recently had a relation- ship with fellow player Grigor Dimitrov. Sharapova said she had managed to find a good balance between tennis, her personal life and her flourishing business career as she gets older. As well as being one of the MELBOURNE: Ballboys dry the court following Russia’s Maria Sharapova’s win against Lauren Davis of the US during their world’s most recognizable athletes, she has women’s singles match on day five of the 2016 Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne yesterday. —AFP become a major force in the business world more than hitting balls on a tennis court. “I playing points, when that comes back to the two, you know, rocks that have really with a series of successful ventures. They mean, I really love what I do. Although I’d me, I’m like, This is what I love to do. guided me in so many incredible direc- include Sugapova, a candy line, and a Nike love to sit on the beach and read a book “There’s no better feeling.” tions,” she said. “My father paved this career apparel collection. Forbes calculated she and drink margaritas, after a few days I get A reflective Sharapova credited her par- for me that I just keep following. He just earned US$29.7 million in the year to last bored,” she said. “I know, especially when I ents Yuri and Yelena for much of what she really opened the door to my dream. I’m June, naming her as the highest-paid miss a couple of weeks... I get back on the has achieved, calling them her “rock” in a just kind of living it. “My mother opened up female athlete for the 11th year in a row. court, it’s funny, those first few moments life that has seen countless people come the world to me culturally, educationally. So Despite the luxurious life her money can where you feel a bit rusty, but the feeling of and go. “I’ve had many different people in I got very different things from both of bring her, she said she still likes nothing hitting the ball, even though you’re not my life. Ultimately my parents are kind of them.” — AFP FRENCH LEAGUE PREVIEW Masakadza and Madziva Ibrahimovic hits form; PSG tackle game glut lead Zimbabwe to victory PARIS: Runaway leaders Paris Saint-Germain host third-placed Angers in Ligue 1 today, with star striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic in towering form KHULNA: A record-breaking innings by Wednesday’s third contest, had again looked match. “The momentum definitely helped as a series of eight games in three weeks awaits the French champi- led Zimbabwe to an 18- dangerous in an 18-ball innings before he after the third game. Obviously the guys got ons. Elsewhere, Marseille’s visit to Lyon is a clash of struggling giants run victory over yesterday as the was bowled. But Masakadza continued to more confidence with what they were tomorrow, and on Friday new Rennes boss Rolland Courbis hopes to tourists clinched a series draw in the fourth blaze away and was joined at the climax of doing,” he added. Bangladesh skipper give his new team a first home win since August. A massive 21 points and final in Khulna. the innings by Zimbabwe skipper Elton Mortaza lamented his teams’s top-order bat- ahead of second-placed Monaco, PSG’s midweek French Cup win Masakadza hit 93 off 58 balls, the highest Chigumbura, who made an unbeaten five on ting collapse. “It was always going to be delivered by a late Ibrahimovic goal means Laurent Blanc will be rotat- innings by a Zimbabwean in a T20 interna- his return after taking a break in the previous tough to chase 180 runs when you are four ing his line-up in their seven scheduled games before Chelsea’s visit in tional, as the southern Africans reached 180- two matches. down within the first three overs,” he the Champions League on February 16. 4. His heroics were then followed by Neville “I thought the guys showed a lot of char- said. “It put us on the back foot at the very “We have to get through this month of January, which is difficult Madziva who grabbed 4-34 as the hosts were acter to come back from 2-0 down. They beginning of our innings.” Bangladesh won with this crazy schedule,” Blanc said after the come-from-behind 2-1 dismissed for 162 in 19 overs. showed a lot of willpower, making such a the first two matches, respectively by four home win over Toulouse. On current form it is hard to imagine PSG top-scored for Bangladesh good comeback,” Masakadza said after the wickets and 42 runs. — AFP allowing Ibrahimovic, whose contract expires in June, to leave at the with 54 off 41 balls, but Zimbabwe were end of the season. The Swede took his club goal tally in all competi- always in control after Madziva and Tendai tions to 20 in midweek, but he is also the leader of the team, dictating Chisoro both claimed two wickets in their SCOREBOARD matters on the pitch and also ruling the roost in the dressing room. opening spells to reduce the home side to So the Swede will start at the weekend while Edinson Cavani, 17-4.Mahumudllah and Imrul Kayes (18) linked with a switch to Manchester United this week and increasingly steadied the innings before Nurul Hasan (15) KHULNA, Bangladesh: Scoreboard of the fourth Twenty20 international isolated both on the pitch and off it, may make way for Brazilian for- and (22) gave Bangladesh between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe at the Sheikh Abu Naser Stadium in ward Lucas. “Rotating the team all the time is making PSG a little slug- a faint glimmer of hope. But Madziva sealed Khulna yesterday: gish,” former France and Liverpool coach Gerard Houllier told sports the victory with two wickets in his final spell, Zimbabwe c Sub (W. Masakdza) b daily L’Equipe this week, before praising the club’s fitness coaches as giving the visitors a significant confidence V. Sibanda c Shakib b Mortaza 4 Chisoro 1 the reason why PSG were hurting rivals in the latter stages of games. boost in the build-up to the World Twenty20 H. Masakadza not out 93 Imrul Kayes c Jongwe b Raza 18 “They are aiming at being ready by March and they’ve got real experts which begins in India in early March. R. Mutumbami b Hider 32 b Chisoro 4 in the fitness domain,” said Houllier. However, PSG have several stars Masakadza, who had equaled his own M. Waller b Taskin 36 Mahmudullah b Chisoro 54 in the sickbay in Thiago Silva, Marquinhos, Javier Pastore and Marco record of 79 in the opening match of the S. Raza st Nurul b Shakib 2 Nurul Hasan c Chigumbura b Raza 15 Verratti. Visitors Angers tumbled out of the Cup on Tuesday with a 2-1 E. Chigumbura not out 5 Mashrafe Mortaza c Sibanda b Jongwe22 home deafeat to Bordeaux. series, struck eight fours and five sixes in an unbeaten knock that ensured Zimbabwe Extras (b2, w6) 8 c Masakadza b Madziva 14 compiled an imposing total. After opting to Total (for four wickets, 20 overs) 180 b Madziva 10 Struggling giants clash Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Sibanda), 2-84 not out 1 Marseille and Lyon are in eighth and ninth respectively. Lyon, run- bat first, Zimbabwe began aggressively, shrugging off the early dismissal of opener (Mutumbami), 3-145 (Waller), 4-149 Extras (lb 2 w9) 11 ners up last season, fired their coach at Christmas while Marseille’s (Raza) Total (all out; 19 overs) 162 incumbent Michel has been being booed by home fans lately. The for- Vusi Sibanda who was caught at cover by Shakib Al Hasan off the bowling of Mashrafe Did not bat: P. Moor, L. Jongwe, T. Fall of wickets: 1-12 (Soumya), 2-13 mer Spain international will be looking for Belgian striker Mishy Chisoro, N. Madziva, G. Cremer (Tamim), 3-13 (Sabbir), 4-17 (Shakib), 5- Mortaza after making just four. Much of the Batshuayi, second only to Ibrahimovic in the Ligue 1 scoring charts, to Bowling: Mortaza 4-0-40-1, Hider 4-0-33- 53 (Kayes), 6-110 (Nurul), 7-134 damage came during a second- part- add to his 12 league goals. Marseille can also build upon the momen- 1 (w3), Sunny 3-0-27-0, Taskin 4-0-31- (Mahumdullah), 8-139 (Mortaza), 9-157 tum of a midweek home win in the Cup over Montpellier, following nership of 80 between Masakadza and 1(w1), Shakib 4-0-35-1 (w2), Sabbir 1-0- (Sunny), 10-162 (Hider) last Sunday’s 3-1 victory at Caen. “It’s going to be a huge game in their Richard Mutumbami. 11-0 Bowling: Chisoro 4-0-17-3, Madziva 4-0- brand new stadium, but it’s nice to travel up there on the back of a Rookie paceman Abu Hider bowled 34-4(w1), Jongwe 3-0-35-1 (w1), 3-0-31- win,” Marseille midfielder Remy Cabella told regional paper La Mutumbami for 32 with a brilliant yorker Bangladesh 2 (w6), Cremer 4-0-27-0 (w1), Provence. Rennes sacked their coach Philippe Montanier on before Taskin Ahmed took the wicket of b Madziva 1 Chigumbura 1-0-16-0. Wednesday, and his replacement Courbis immediately promised to for 36. Waller, man of the c Mutumbami b Madziva 1 Result: Zimbabwe won by 18 runs. target second place. —AFP match in Zimbabwe’s 31-run victory during