SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2018 18

Sneijder set for final Dutch Stephens into US goodbye Storm rages over Open fourth round

The Hague, Netherlands New York, United States est-ranked woman left in the draw after the exits of world ecord-breaking Dutch umpire’s pep-talk efending champion Sloane number one Simona Halep and Rmidfielder Wesley DStephens reached the number two Caroline Wozni- Sneijder is set to play one fourth round of the US Open on acki in the first and second last time for the national Friday with a 6-3, 6-4 victory rounds. team next week, bringing an over former world number one She’ll face 15th-ranked end to an illustrious career Victoria Azarenka. Belgian Elise Mertens for a spanning 15 years and more Stephens, unseeded in quarter-final berth. Mertens than 130 appearances. her fairytale run to a first withstood a late challenge to Netherlands national Grand Slam title here last beat Czech veteran Barbora coach an- year, is now at No. 3 the high- Strycova 6-3, 7-6 (7/4). nounced a 25-man squad Friday to face Peru in a friendly in next week, to be played in honour of Sneijder, a for- Champions League group mer Ajax, Real Madrid and Galatasaray midfielder. stage draw 2018-19 “This is the final time will form urope’s new Champions of the strongest UEFA nation- part of the selection camp,” ELeague season kicks off on al associations. It is the top the Royal Dutch Football September 18 and culminates club competition in European Federation (KNVB) said in a with the final at Spain’s Es- football and one of the most statement. tadio Metropolitano, the new prestigious tournaments in the “The record-breaking in- home of Atlético Madrid, on world. The Champions League An umpire has come under fire for giving Nick Kyrgios a pep talk at the US Open ternational ends his nation- June 1, 2019. Reigning cham- final is the most watched an- al football career officially pions Real Madrid will face nual sporting event world - on Thursday with 133 caps down. He doesn’t need to say Roma, CSKA Moscow and Vik- wide. The final of the 2012-13 to his name,” it said. • Roger Federer set- the words he said on the video. toria Plzen in the group stages, tournament had the highest up third round clash That is not his job. I don’t think while 2018 finalists Liverpool TV ratings to date, drawing 360 against Nick Kyrgios he’s a coach, he’s an umpire.” contest matches against million television viewers. It Kyrgios, however, played St-Germain, Napoli, and Red was played at Wembley Stadi- Ronaldo omitted Sharapova took her KNOW WHAT down the incident. Star Belgrade. Elsewhere, um in London, England, where • “He said he liked me. I’m five-time Champions League Bayern Munich beat Borussia at own request night time record at not sure if that was encourage- winner Cristiano Ronaldo will Dortmund in the first all-Ger- the tournament to 21 The match ment,” said the Australian who return to Manchester Unit- man Champions League final. Lisbon, Portugal wins in 21 matches nevertheless won 19 of the last ed with new club Juventus Real Madrid are the defend- created a huge 25 games following Lahyani’s following his €100m summer ing champions, having won ristiano Ronaldo has storm after unprecedented intervention. transfer to Italy. The UEFA the title for three successive Cbeen left out of Portu- AFP | New York, United States respected um- “He just said that it’s not a Champions League is contest- seasons in 2015-16, 2016-17 and gal’s squad for the Nations pire Mohamed good look. I know what I was ed by the highest ranked teams 2017-18. League and friendly match- oger Federer on Lahyani lost pa- doing out there wasn’t good.” es at his own request, coach Thursday set-up a tience with the Fernando Santos said Fri- US Open third round Two-point penalty Europa League Group Stage draw R under-perform- GROUP A GROUP G day. clash against Nick Kyrgios Djokovic downed Tennys Santos said he and Ron- who found himself at the cen- ing 30th seed Sandgren of the United States Bayer Leverkusen GER Villarreal ESP Ludogorets BUL Rapid Vienna AUT aldo had discussed the sit- tre of an impartiality row after 6-1, 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-2. FC Zurich SUI Spartak Moscow RUS uation after the star moved an umpire climbed down from round by seeing off France’s Next up for sixth seed Djok- AEK Larnaca CYP Rangers SCO from Real Madrid to Juven- his chair to tell him: “I want to Pierre-Hugues Herbert 4-6, 7-6 ovic is Richard Gasquet of GROUP B GROUP H tus. help you”. (8/6), 6-3, 6-0. France who he has beaten 12 Salzburg AUT Lazio ITA “After a conversation I Second seed and five-time The match created a huge times in 13 meetings. Celtic SCO Marseille FRA had with the player, who champion Federer, 37, made it storm after respected um - German third seed Alexander Red Bull Leipzig GER Frankfurt GER Rosenborg NOR Apollon Limassol CYP had just signed with Juven- 18 wins in 18 second round ap- pire Mohamed Lahyani lost Zverev made the third round tus, I decided, given the pearances in New York by see- patience with the under-per- for the first time in four tries GROUP C GROUP I process of adaptation he ing off error-plagued French- forming 30th seed and climbed after a 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Zenit RUS Besiktas TUR FC Copenhagen DEN Genk BEL needed, that he would not man Benoit Paire 7-5, 6-4, 6-4. down from his chair to tell the lucky loser Nicolas Mahut. Bordeaux FRA Malmo SWE be with us during this win- “I think it’s always tricky Australian, trailing by a set and Australian Open champion Slavia Prague CZE Sarpsborg NOR dow,” the coach said. against Benoit, never quite the 3-0, to try harder. Wozniacki went down 6-4, 6-2 GROUP D GROUP J Ronaldo scored at least same point. Sometimes he plays “I want to help you,” Lahyani to world number 36 Tsuren- Anderlecht BEL Sevilla ESP 40 goals a season in the last very deep in the court, then could be heard saying. “This ko who claimed a second top Fenerbahce TUR Krasnador RUS eight seasons at Real Ma- he plays up in the court,” said isn’t you. I know that. You are 10 win this month having also Dinamo Zagreb CRO Standard Liege BEL Spartak Trnava SVK Akhisar TUR drid but has yet to score for Federer. great for tennis.” defeated Garbine Muguruza in his new club. Also going through were A furious Herbert said that Cincinnati. GROUP E GROUP K Wimbledon champion and Lahyani had over-stepped the Sharapova took her night Arsenal ENG Dynamo Kyiv UKR Sporting Clube POR Astana KAZ two-time US Open winner No- mark. time record at the tournament Qarabag AZE Rennes FRA vak Djokovic as well as Maria “The umpire doesn’t have to to 21 wins in 21 matches with a Vorskla Poltava UKR Jablonec CZE Sharapova, the 2006 champion talk to him at all. The only thing 6-2, 7-5 win over Sorana Cirstea Ronaldo ‘furious’ at Chelsea GROUP F GROUP L in New York. he can tell him is pay atten- of Romania. summer Olympiacos GRE Chelsea ENG losing UEFA honour However, women’s second tion, because if you continue Wimbledon champion An- signing AC Milan ITA PAOK GRE Jorginho Real Betis ESP BATE Borisov BLR seed Caroline Wozniacki was like this, I’m going to give you gelique Kerber kept her bid for Dudelange LUX Vidi HUN Milan, Italy knocked out by Lesia Tsurenko a warning,” said the 27-year-old, a second US Open title on track, of the Ukraine. “They can tell him from the outlasting Sweden’s Johanna MATCHDAYS 1. Sep 20 2. Oct 4 3. Oct 25 4. Nov 8 5. Nov 29 6. Dec 13 ristiano Ronaldo was Kyrgios reached the third chair. He doesn’t need to go Larsson 6-2, 5-7, 6-4. Source: UEFA Picture: Newscom © GRAPHIC NEWS Chopping mad at losing out to Croatia star Luka Modric for the UEFA Player of the Year, Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri re- vealed yesterday. Record-breaker Sahin quits Dortmund for Werder Real Madrid and Croatia midfield star Modric beat Berlin, Germany able to convince a player of this won the German league, and his former teammate Ron- quality to come to Werder,” said played for Real Madrid and Liv- aldo and Liverpool’s Mo- undesliga record-break- sports director Frank Baumann. erpool,” said Bremen head coach hamed Salah to the prize Ber Nuri Sahin signed for The midfielder was not in the Florian Kohfeldt. which was awarded on Werder Bremen on Friday, plans of new head coach Luc- “He has the potential to take Thursday in Monaco. just before the transfer win - ien Favre, who left him out for us even further and allows us “Yesterday he (Ronaldo) dow closed in Germany, after Sunday’s 4-1 home win over RB more options.” was very angry, and it’s only being frustrated by a lack of Leipzig, and Sahin was released Sahin’s arrival in Bremen is normal,” said Allegri. chances this season at Borussia with a year left on his Dortmund too late for him to be included “The attitude of Ronaldo Dortmund. contract. for Saturday’s away game at Ein- shows how much he con- Sahin, who turns 30 on With 51 international appear- tracht Frankfurt. tinues to strive and work to Wednesday, won the 2010-11 ances for Turkey, Sahin comes Bremen, who drew 1-1 with be still the best. This is an title with Dortmund with a wealth of experience hav- Hanover 96 in their opening advantage for us.” and has reportedly signed a two- ing also had spells at Liverpool game of the 2018/19 Bundesliga Ronaldo, 33, had the con- year deal with Bremen for an and Real Madrid, who he joined season, have aspirations to finish solation of being awarded undisclosed sum. from Dortmund in 2011 before in the European places in May. the prize for best striker He made 274 appearances for Nuri Sahin returning to Borussia in 2014. They signed Dutch midfield- chosen by journalists and Borussia, scoring 26 goals with “I don’t think there is much er Davy Klaassen from Ever- Champions League and Eu- 49 assists in 11 seasons, having In 2005, Sahin became the years, 334 days, a record that to say about the qualities of ton for a reported club record ropa League coaches from joined Dortmund as a schoolboy youngest player to make his still stands. Nuri, he has experienced almost of 14 million euros ($16.3m) last season. in 2001. Bundesliga debut, aged just 16 “We are glad that we were everything in the Bundesliga, last month.