The Business | SPOThRursdaTy , JaS nuary 231, 20 20

ADELAIDE: The Peloton ride through the Barossa Valley during stage one of the Tour Down under UCI World Tour cycling event. ‘Not ambitious about T20 Djokovic, Serena eyeing WC selection’: Shoaib Malik career highs at Australian MELBOURNE: De - Court´s record of 24 Grand fending champion Novak Slam titles in her sights. Like Djokovic meets Japanese Djokovic, the 38-year-old wildcard Tatsuma Ito at the American is unbeaten this Australian Open on year after breaking a three- Wednesday as he seeks to year trophy drought in Auck - ramp up his spectacular start land. She dropped only three to the season. games against Anastasia The second seed, chasing Potapova in the opening a record-extending eighth round in Melbourne. Break - Australian Open title, is un - out star Coco Gauff, fresh beaten so far this year after from beating Williams´s sis - leading Serbia to victory at ter Venus in round one, plays the inaugural ATP Cup. Sorana Cirstea, and defend - Djokovic swept aside Jan- ing champion Naomi Osaka Lennard Struff in the first is up against China´s Zheng round in Melbourne and is Saisai. Roger Federer faces : Ace run getter with 455 runs for like Muhammad Hafeez and unlikely to fear his first ca - Serbia´s Filip Krajinovic and all-rounder Shoaib Malik has Rajshahi Royals, which him. Shoaib Malik said the reer meeting with Ito, the Caroline Wozniacki, playing said that he was not ambi - eventually won the recently Bangladesh and other crick - world number 146. her last tournament before re - tious about playing upcom - concluded BPL7, said he eters do get feedback on The 16-time Grand Slam tiring, comes up against ing T20 World Cup for the knew all of the Bangladesh playing in Pakistan, adding winner dropped the third set highly rated Ukrainian country but he was optimistic players through the BPL and that he had always told them against Struff but he finished Dayana Yastremska, 19. The his good form may earn him his experience would help to come and play in Pakistan a place. the team in the T20 series. as the people love strongly and wielded a rapier Djokovic said, warning that it gets me going from the be - myself to be better as the locals will be in full voice for serve, hitting 14 aces with a Australia´s women´s world Talking to media persons Admitting the dip in form here and everything was safe. was just the start he wanted. ginning," said the Serb. "I tournament progresses." Ser - after a practice session at the during the CWC 19 in Eng - On Mushfiqur Raheem’s de - 65 percent first-serve per - "Historically I had a lot of have to be alert, I have to be ena Williams will also look to number one Ashleigh Barty, centage. "I ended this match who will be hot favourite Qaddafi Stadium here on land and Wales for which he cision not to visit Pakistan success in the Grand Slams on a high level and I think I build on a strong start when Wednesday, he said his only was not picked against Sri citing family pressure, the in a good fashion, in the right where I had a tough opponent was. Of course, you can al - she plays Slovenia´s Tamara against Slovenia´s unseeded way and this is very positive," Polona Hercog. —AFP focus was the upcoming Pak - Lanka, Shoaib said he was highest run-getter in T20 in the first round because it ways play better and I expect Zidansek, with Margaret istan- Bangladesh T20 series doing well in the T20 leagues cricket for Pakistan urged in Lahore, adding that he across the globe. Mushfiqur Raheem to come wanted to contribute to the On the question of cap - to Pakistan for test matches. England face team’s performance and taincy, he said captaincy did To a query, he was fully fit grooming the youngsters and not matter to him what mat - and doing well in all depart - difficult choices the youthful T20 tered was donning Pakistan ments batting, bowling and Sharapova career in balance as they chase Babar Azam. To a question, Green on the field, adding it fielding, adding that it all de - Pakistan had a talented pool was important to give your pended on the team plans series victory of cricketers in T20 cricket, best what you have learnt how to utilise him as an all- after Melbourne humiliation adding that the young players over the years. Regarding rounder. To a question, he MELBOURNE: Maria Williams is going for a would replicate Babar Central Contract, he hailed said he always wanted to Sharapova burst onto the record-equalling 24th Major JOHANNESDURG: Eng - Azam’s feats in the recent PCB decision to award Cen - play the T20 WC in Australia scene as a supremely gifted in Melbourne, Sharapova land face a selection dilemma past if provided consistent tal contract to the youngsters and he would continue to teenager and won five Grand has hardly played in the past as they look to beat South opportunities. Shoaib Malik, who had a long future ahead play leagues afterwards as Slams before serving a drugs year because of long-stand - Africa in the fourth and final who was the fourth highest rather than the senior players well. —APP ban, but at age 32 a persist - ing shoulder problems. test to complete a 3-1 series ent injury has now thrown When she did play she lost win at The Wanderers. her turbulent career into as many matches as she won After losing the opening grave doubt. and was dumped out in the test, England have turned The Russian former world first rounds at Wimbledon around their fortunes with Tennis: Imperious Federer sweeps number one's ranking is set and the US Open - and now back-to-back victories in to dive below 350 after Melbourne. A former cham - Cape Town and Port Eliza - Tuesday's first-round defeat pion in Melbourne, it was beth. Coach Chris Silverwood past Krajinovic into third round at the Australian Open. her earliest Australian Open and captain Joe Root must MELBOURNE: Third seed Roger Federer There have been sugges - exit in a decade. make tough choices in the hit winners at will in an imperious display as he cantered into the third round of the Aus - tions that Sharapova could ‘I DON'T HAVE A bowling department before soon retire and she did little CRYSTAL BALL’: Shara - tralian Open with a 6-1 6-4 6-1 thumping of Friday's start with Jofra to dispel that notion follow - Open, also said that she did it starts with that because pova shot to fame as a giggly Serb Filip Krajinovic on Wednesday. Starting ing the straight-sets loss to not know what her playing you can't always get to 17-year-old Wimbledon Archer and Chris Woakes his second-round match at around 2100 local the 19th seed Donna Vekic. schedule will be in the weeks where you want to go winner in 2004, the third- knocking to get into the side. time on Rod Laver Arena, the six-time cham - Asked by AFP if she will ahead. There were moments alone," replied Sharapova. youngest player to conquer If Archer proves his fitness, pion appeared to be in a hurry to finish the be back in Melbourne again, when Sharapova's downcast The Russian once rivalled the All England Club's hal - England will have to decide contest, breaking his opponent's serve twice in she replied: "I don't know, I press conference took on the Serena Williams on court lowed grass courts. She be - whether to use him on a fast the first two sets and thrice in the third. Kraji - don't know. "It's tough for air of a farewell. for Grand Slams as well as came world number one in in the rarefied air of novic took a medical timeout to have his right me to tell what's going to One journalist asked what off it as one of the most mar - 2005 and won the US Open the high altitude venue or upper arm attended with Federer leading 2-1 happen in 12 months' time." the best decision had been in ketable women in sport, her the next year. But in 2007 stick with off-spinner Dom in the third set but it made no difference to the Sharapova, banned for 15 her career. "I surrounded net worth estimated by Sharapova began her long Bess, who claimed a five- momentum for the 20-times Grand Slam champion, who hit his 42nd winner to end the months for failing a drugs myself with great people Forbes at US$195 million. on-off battle with shoulder wicket haul in the first innings contest in a little over 90 minutes. Next up for Federer, who was broken only once in the test at the 2016 Australian and a great team, and I think But while the 38-year-old trouble. —AFP in Port Elizabeth. —AFP match, will be a meeting against local hope John Millman. —Reuters Bismah excited to lead Pakistan in ICC Women’s T20 World Cup ISLAMABAD: Skipper Bismah Sohail, we have a young middle- Maroof is excited to lead Pakistan in order batter who is growing with the ICC Women’s Twenty20 World every match. In Iram Javed and Cup saying the squad has a good Aliya Riaz we have big-hitting bat - blend of senior and junior players. ters. She said Muneeba Ali has The upcoming ICC Women’s been an outstanding performer. T20 World Cup in Australia would “She recently scored a century in see Bismah lead Pakistan for the the domestic T20 event and her first time in a global event. Bismah numbers were outstanding. Overall, has led Pakistan in 36 T20s and was we have a group of batters who the only batter from Pakistan to have done well and they can take have more than 2,000 runs, while responsibility of taking the team she also has the most number of forward,” she said. “ has half-centuries (11) in the shorter been bowling really well with the version of the game, said a press re - new ball and Aimen Anwar is mak - lease issued here. Pakistan would ing a comeback after a year. Aimen kick off its World Cup campaign on had bowled well in the West Indies February 26 against the West Indies series last year which gave me an Women. They take on England on lead your country in such an event the experienced players who share a impression at that time that we have February 28 after which they play but, so far, I have been enjoying my good number of World Cup appear - a reliable T20 bowler coming up. I South Africa and Thailand on role as a captain. “I am quite excited ances between them. am excited with the prospect of March 1 and 3. to lead this squad which has a good “Javeria has been performing re - using her, especially after how she Speaking to PCB digital, Bismah mix of senior and junior players. In ally well and Nida’s experience will has shown good rhythm in the re - LAUSANNE: (From L to R) Switzerland’s skier Robin Tissieres, Canada’s Jack Morrow said it was a big responsibility to and we have prove beneficial for us. In Omaima cent T20 tournament. —APP and Czech’s Richard Zachoval compete during the Winter Youth Olympic Games.