46 Friday Sports Friday, July 13, 2018 Sublime Serena to face Kerber in her 10th Wimbledon final Serena is the third oldest female Grand Slam finalist

LONDON: Serena Williams booked a this. This was not inevitable for me.” The years since her first title at the All Eng- Wimbledon final rematch against An- American star will have history in her land Club, Serena remains the pre-emi- gelique Kerber as the seven-time cham- sights against Kerber as she tries to nent force in the women’s game. In a pion marched into her 10th All England equal Margaret Court’s record of 24 testament to her remarkable longevity, Club title match with a 6-2, 6-4 rout of Grand Slams singles titles. An eighth the former world number one has now Julia Goerges yesterday. Wimbledon title would also move her made at least one Grand Slam final for On 20-match winning streak at past Steffi Graf into second place on the the last 12 years. Wimbledon, Serena is the third oldest list of female Wimbledon champions, Serena had lost only one of her 10 female Grand Slam finalist in the Open behind nine-time winner Martina previous Wimbledon semi-finals and the era at 36 years and 291 days. She will Navratilova. 11th followed a familiar script. When a face German world number 10 Kerber Serena will go into her 30th Grand panicked Goerges error wrapped up the on Saturday in a repeat of the 2016 Slam final-her first since winning the first set, Serena’s dominance was so showpiece won by Williams. 2017 Australian Open-holding a 6-2 total that the American, whose emotions Williams has often blasted her rivals lead in her head to head record against are usually on full display, barely ac- off Centre Court with ferocious power- Kerber. “She is clearly a really good knowledged the moment. grass-court player. But whatever hap- hitting, but German 13th seed Goerges By the time a Goerges drop-shot pens it’s a great moment for me and in- LONDON: US player Serena Williams returns against Germany’s Julia Goerges was sent packing with a more subtle drifted into net to present Serena with credible motivation to keep going for during their women’s singles semi-final match on the tenth day of the 2018 70-minute display featuring just 16 win- the decisive break in the sixth game of ners and five aces. the rest of my career,” Serena added. Wimbledon Championships at The All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimble- the second set, the contest had already In only her fourth tournament since After all the controversy about the don yesterday. — AFP been sapped of any drama and moments the birth of her daughter Olympia in decision to seed Williams 25th at Wim- September, the 23-time Grand Slam bledon despite her position at 181 in later the title favourite was waving to shot herself in the foot with 36 unforced “I’m really happy and proud to be in champion is closing in on her first major the WTA rankings, she has proved the the crowd in celebration. errors. “I was just trying to move good a Grand Slam final. These are the title as a mother. tournament’s officials were actually Earlier, Kerber raced into her second and take my chances. I’m so excited,” matches I was working for since I was a “It’s crazy. I don’t even know how to too conversative. Wimbledon final and fourth Grand Slam Kerber said. kid.” It will be Kerber’s first Grand Slam feel. I didn’t expect to do this well in my Williams, who missed Wimbledon showpiece as the German crushed for- “It’s such a great feeling to be back final since she won the second of her fourth tournament back,” Williams said. last year due to her pregnancy, won the mer French Open champion Jelena in the final. Playing on Centre Court is two major titles at the 2016 US Open. “I had a really tough pregnancy deliv- grass-court Grand Slam on her previous Ostapenko 6-3, 6-3 in 67 minutes. always great.” Referencing her dismal Kerber, who also won the Australian ery. I had to have multiple surgeries and two visits in 2015 and 2016. Twenty The 30-year-old hit only 10 winners form last year, Kerber added: “2017 is Open in 2016, is bidding to become the almost didn’t make it to be honest. years after making her Wimbledon but that was all it took to get the job over and I’m really happy about that. first German woman to win Wimbledon “I’m just enjoying every moment of debut as a precocious teenager and 16 done as Latvian 12th seed Ostapenko We are in 2018! since Graf in 1996. — AFP

during India’s 2-1 win in the preceding Six star Kuldeep series, just two balls to strike at Trent Bridge. Roy attempting an ambitious reverse sweep, mistimed the shot and gave a dolly catch to Rabada, who came back after an injury, re- Yadav leaves Umesh Yadav as he fell for 38. Karunaratne ton turned figures of 4-50, while Shamsi took three Test Joe Root, back in the team after on a seemingly turning sub-continent England in a spin being left out of the team that lost the third T20, lifts S Lanka to pitch. Rabada had made the first breakthrough then played back to Kuldeep and was plumb lbw for South Africa, dismissing Danushka Gu- for three. Bairstow had looked in excellent touch nathilaka with a that rose sharply and NOTTINGHAM: Kuldeep Yadav grabbed a su- but, like Roy, he too fell for 38 when lbw to 287 on day one got the batsman caught behind for 26. perb six- haul as India dismissed England Yadav on review. He then struck twice in his sixth over of the for just 268 in the first one-day international at Spin also proved the undoing of England GALLE: Opener Dimuth Karunaratne hit an day, removing , for one, and Trent Bridge yesterday. Only a few weeks earlier, captain Eoin Morgan (19) when he carelessly unbeaten 158 to lift to 287 all out Roshen Silva, for nought, shortly after lunch. on June 19, on the same ground, England com- chipped leg-break bowler Yuzvendra Chahal to against South Africa on day one of the first Test Those two wickets came towards the start of piled a men’s ODI record total of 481 for six Suresh Raina at midwicket. Morgan’s exit left in Galle yesterday. Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada Sri Lanka’s middle-order, when they lost six against Australia. England 105 for four in the 20th over. Stokes and claimed four wickets to reduce Sri Lanka to wickets for 61 runs, slipping from a relatively It was a different story yesterday as 23-year- Buttler staunched the flow of wickets without 176-8 but Karunaratne gave the total respect comfortable 115-2. But Karunaratne rarely at- old left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep finished with breaking the shackles. with his 222-ball knock after the hosts elected tempted to counter attack, preferring instead career ODI-best figures of six for 25. After Buttler was still able to complete a 45-ball Kuldeep had run through England’s top order with to bat first. to steadily build his innings, which featured 13 fifty, albeit with just five fours, including a stylish a burst of three wickets for five runs in 10 balls, The left-handed Karunaratne, who regis- fours and an impressive six off Dale Steyn in cover-drive off Umesh. But with England hoping Ben Stokes (50) and Jos Buttler (53) tried to repair tered his eighth century in his 50th Test, built the first session. he would cut loose late on, Buttler was instead the damage with a fifth-wicket stand of 93. crucial partnerships including a 63-run 10th He completed his ton with a off dismissed when a glance off Kuldeep was well wicket stand with Lakshan Sandakan, who Shamsi and then moved to 150 for the fourth But neither batsman could break the shackles and both eventually fell to Kuldeep. His return rep- caught down the legside by veteran wicket- made 25. time in his Test career. South Africa skipper Faf keeper MS Dhoni. In response South Africa were in trouble at du Plessis was forced to rotate his regular resented just the third time an overseas spinner had taken a five-wicket haul in an ODI in England The normally hard-hitting Stokes then com- four for one at stumps after veteran spinner bowling options as Karunaratne played sensi- following Sri Lanka great ’s pleted a fifty off a sedate 102 balls, including got Aiden Markram out for ble with the tail enders. Stand-in- five for 34 at Lord’s in 1998 and Suraj Randiv’s five just two fours. Stokes was also unable to press nought. Dean Elgar, on four, and nightwatch- captain Suranga Lakmal also fought with for 42 for India at Old Trafford in 2011. on. One ball after reaching his fifty, the left- man Keshav Maharaj were at the crease at Karunaratne during their 48-run ninth wicket England, in the absence of the injured Alex hander tried to reverse sweep Kuldeep only for close of play on a tough day’s cricket that saw stand that frustrated the bowling side. Hales, saw openers Jason Roy and Jonny debutant Siddarth Kaul, who had been at short rain in the afternoon and an extended final ses- Sri Lanka’s regular captain Dinesh Chandi- Bairstow put on a brisk 73 after India captain third man, to hold an excellent catch. Kuldeep, sion. The day belonged to Karunaratne who mal is suspended for the two-match series, Virat Kohli sent them into bat. But the introduc- who did not concede a boundary in his maxi- stood tall during his marathon stand after after pleading guilty to breaching the spirit of tion of Kuldeep, in his 21st match at this level, mum 10 overs, struck again with his final deliv- Rabada and then left-arm wrist spinner Tabraiz cricket during the team’s Test tour of West In- changed the course of the innings. ery when David Willey holed out in the deep Shamsi tore into the Sri Lankan middle-order. dies last month. — AFP It took Kuldeep, a thorn in England’s side to KL Rahul. — AFP