Soliman defends Arsenal star Ozil title16 against Taylor out for 12 weeks THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2014 18 English Premier League explores global expansion Page 18 SHANGHAI: Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns a shot against Dominic Thiem of Austria during the men’s singles second round match at the Shanghai Masters 1000 tennis tournament. — AFP Federer, Djokovic win, Nadal crashes SHANGHAI: Roger Federer joins Novak Djokovic in peting in his second tournament since his exit ing his final set 3-0. The fourth seed was in need of Spanish opponent at the Masters 1000 event. Generali Ladies yesterday, while No. 2 Ana the third round of the Shanghai Masters after win- from Wimbledon in July, after being dumped out a morale-boosting victory after his last outing Ferrer will play Andy Murray in the next round, Ivanovic pulled out injured. The 94th-ranked ning by the skin of his teeth yesterday, while Rafael of the China Open in the quarter-finals last week resulted in a first round exit at the Japan Open to after the British 11th seed won his match against Friedsam missed two match points while serving Nadal crashed on a day of shocks. by a qualifier. Nadal lost the first set, but looked to 103-ranked Tatsuma Ito. Poland’s Jerzy Janowicz 7-5, 6-2. at 5-2 but converted the fourth chance in her next World number three Federer will unseat sec- be proving the doubters wrong as he led 5-2 in the The world number four started brightly in Meanwhile, seventh seed Kei Nishikori and service game. Two-time former champion ond-placed Nadal in the ATP rankings on the back second. But Lopez, who is ranked 21st, powered Shanghai, taking the first set in his tightly-fought 10th seed Grigor Dimitrov both crashed out in Ivanovic withdrew with a hip complaint one day of his incredible victory. The Swiss player saved five back to force a tie-break and claimed victory with battle with Gilles Simon of France. But his 29th- their opening matches. The Japanese star looked after receiving medical treatment during her first- match points, including three at a third set tie- his first match point. “I lost. Feli played better than ranked opponent fought back to earn a 5-7, 7-5, 6- injured during the closing stages of his 7-6 (7/5), 6- round win over Pauline Parmentier of France. break, before converting his first chance to seal a me. That’s it,” Nadal said afterwards when asked 4 victory. The results in Tokyo and Shanghai could 4 defeat to American Jack Sock, and received treat- “This injury has been plaguing me the whole gripping 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory against about his condition. “I talked about that yesterday, undermine Wawrinka’s bid to book his place at the ment with the scores at 4-3 in his opponent’s summer, and it got worse during the recent tour- Leonardo Mayer. The 17-times Grand Slam winner so I don’t need to talk again about my health.” end of season ATP World Tour Finals, which fea- favour. The US Open finalist won his next service naments in Asia,” Ivanovic said in a statement on needed to draw on all his years of experience to Elsewhere, Serbian world number one Djokovic tures the world’s top eight players. game, but appeared slightly in pain as he lost the the tournament website. “I am sorry but I can’t remain level-headed as he closed out the game, claimed a 6-3, 6-4 victory against Austrian Dominic “Two first rounds. It’s never easy, for sure,” next two, which ended his participation in the play on.” The eighth-ranked Ivanovic, who won the leaving his Argentine opponent distraught as he Thiem, the youngest player in the top 50. Wawrinka said. “Two weeks. Didn’t win matches. tournament. Bulgaria’s Dimitrov was dumped out indoor hard-court event in Austria in 2008 and trudged off the court. Second seed Nadal, mean- The top seed in Shanghai broke his 21-year-old But you have to accept that and see what was the by Julien Benneteau of France 7-5, 6-3. Eighth 2010 and reached the final last year, has qualified while, battled the early stages of appendicitis and opponent in his final service game in the first set, problem. “I need to accept, go back home, try to seed Canadian Milos Raonic also failed to make for the WTA Finals in Singapore. Her withdrawal a ruthless Feliciano Lopez in his 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) open- and then again early in the second. focus on the rest of the year because there are so the next round, after he withdrew from his match advanced Madison Brengle of the United States to ing game loss. The current world number two was Thiem, who is ranked 39th, then forced two many to play, so many big challenges for me, that I with Juan Monaco of Argentina suffering from her first career quarterfinals. diagnosed with appendicitis on Sunday but did break points in Djokovic’s next two service games, want to be fresh and ready mentally for that.” fever as he was trailing 5-2. The ATP World Tour In second-round play, Camila Giorgi of Italy not show any obvious signs of suffering from it in but failed to capitalise, leaving his opponent to The fifth seed in Shanghai, David Ferrer, also Masters 1000 event concludes in Shanghai on saved 10 of 11 break points while defeating Ons the match. close in on victory in one hour 28 minutes. faced a tough battle in his opening match, but Sunday. Jabeur of Tunisia 6-3, 6-2 to set up a quarterfinal But he was still far from his world-beating best But it was agony for Australian Open champion finally overcame Slovak Martin Klizan 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), Meanwhile in Linz, Anna-Lena Friedsam of against Marina Erakovic of New Zealand. Erakovic as he returns to competition following three Stan Wawrinka, who crashed out of his second suc- 6-4. Klizan dumped Nadal out of the China Open, Germany rallied to defeat third-seeded Dominika had six aces to earn her first quarterfinal since months on the sidelines. The Spaniard was com- cessive tournament at the first stage-despite lead- but could not repeat his heroics against his Cibulkova 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the reaching the semifinals in Washington in July. — AP Ibra injury illustrates Sweden’s lack of depth STOCKHOLM: With captain Zlatan from the poor pitch at the Friends Arena. “I Ibrahimovic likely to miss Sweden’s crucial spoke to Kim Kallstrom, my Spartak Euro 2016 home qualifier against Russia Moscow team mate about the upcoming through injury today, the battle to replace game,” said midfielder Denis Glushakov. “He him offers a gloomy outlook for the future said that the pitch is not in great condition of Erik Hamren’s side. and this will create even more problems. Sweden’s record goalscorer is struggling with a tendon injury in his heel that has sidelined him for Paris St Germain. Unlike his club side, however, the Scandinavians do not possess an Edinson Cavani to shoul- der the burden of his absence. Even worse, it is an early sign of what is to come if the 33-year-old Ibrahimovic does retire after the Euro 2016 finals in France, leaving an enormous pair of international boots to fill. Against Russia, coach Hamren will most likely turn to Johan Elmander, a striker who failed to sparkle during two spells in England’s Premier League and is now plying his trade at Brondby in Denmark. Another option is Ola Toivonen, who also plays in France, but any similarities with Ibrahimovic end there. He and Elmander both possess a tremendous work ethic, but lack the flashes of genius that Ibrahimovic has made his trademark, especially at the Friends Arena. Johan Elmander Surprisingly, Hamren resisted the temp- tation to call up Manchester City striker “The Swedes have a strong team, who John Guidetti, who has got off to a flying like to fight. They have a number of tall play- start at Celtic since moving to the Scottish ers, who are good in the air. However, if we club on loan. Guidetti will instead join up play to the best of our capabilities and give with Sweden’s Under-21 side. 100 percent - then we should not have any Often credited by Ibrahimovic for turn- problems,” he added. Russia top the group ing him into a goal-scoring machine when on three points, following an easy 4-0 win they worked together at Juventus, Russia over Liechtenstein, while the Swedes are coach Fabio Capello arrives in Sweden joint third with Austria after the two sides knowing that, in the absence of his protege, played out a hard-fought draw in their Zlatan Ibrahimovic in action in this file photo. the biggest threat they face might come opening game in Vienna. — Reuters.