Sports FRIDAY, JUNE 5, 2015 44 Nadal ‘will be back’ PARIS: Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray believe Rafael Nadal is not ready for the scrapheap despite being dethroned as French Open champion and facing life outside the top 10 for the first time in a decade. Djokovic routed nine-time Roland Garros winner Nadal in straight sets in a brutal quarter-final demolition on Wednesday that con- demned the Spaniard to only his second loss in 72 matches in Paris since his 2005 debut. “At the end of the day, he’s human and it’s normal to have seasons like this,” said world number one Djokovic. And it has been a poor season by Nadal’s lofty standards. He came into the French Open ranked at seven in the world and without a European claycourt title for the first time in 10 years. It was always likely to be a struggle after he underwent surgery on his appendix in November last year, which in turn followed a three-month absence to rest a wrist problem. From his second round exit at Wimbledon, the 14- time Grand Slam title winner played just three more tourna- ments in 2014, missing the defense of his US Open title in the process. “It’s normal to have people questioning his game now. But if you need a reminder of who he is, just look at his career stats and Grand Slams that he has won,” said Djokovic. “That says enough about his quality as a player and a champion. He understands what he needs to do to come back and fight to be the best. “This is not a big deal. He’s 29 and still has years in front of him.” Nadal, who will likely slip out of the world top 10 next week for the first time since April 2005, is no stranger to rebuilding his often injury- TAMPA: Antoine Vermette #80 of the Chicago Blackhawks celebrates his third period goal against the Tampa Bay scarred career. After losing in the second round at Lightning during Game One of the 2015 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 3, 2015. — AFP Wimbledon in 2012, he didn’t play again for eight months due to knee tendinitis. His powers of recovery stunned his critics as he raced through 2013, winning another French Open and the US Open, just two of 10 titles he collected that Bishop’s save-streak season which ended with a 75-7 win/loss record. Credit column ends for Lightning Against all his major rivals, his record is still in the credit column. He leads Djokovic 23-21, although the Serb has claimed victory in six of their last seven meetings. He has a Slow start, fast finish for Blackhawks as they win Game 1 23-10 advantage over Roger Federer, winning the last five and is 15-6 against Murray having come out on top in seven CHICAGO: The Chicago Blackhawks alive. “I was a little more aggressive 4:31 in the first period, swatting the of their last 10 duels. “I think Rafa will come back, it will take overcame a slow start to race past the than usual. I just tried to take away any puck out of mid-air with his back to the time,” said Murray who faces Djokovic on Friday for a place Tampa Bay Lightning 2-1 in the open- net he may have.” Chicago’s outburst net. in the French Open final. “He will need wins to build his con- ing game of the Stanley Cup Finals on ended a shutout streak for Bishop who Chicago coach Joel Quenneville said fidence back up.” Murray says he empathizes with Nadal Wednesday. Trailing 1-0 deep into the had held opponents scoreless for a total during the game that his team had after he too was written off last year when he was plagued third period, Tuevo Teravainen tied the of 113:28, dating back to Game Six of been surprised by Tampa Bay’s speed as by a back injury. “I was getting asked a lot of questions, it contest with a wrist shot at 13:28 before the Eastern Conference final. the Blackhawks usually hold that advan- was the end, it was over,” added Murray. Despite his 7-5, 6-3, Antoine Vermette came through with Bishop finished with 19 stops but the tage over their opponents. While 6-1 loss to Djokovic, which came on his 29th birthday, Nadal the game-winner with less than five Lightning would lament their lost Tampa Bay have only been to the Finals was adamant that he has plenty of gas left in the tank. minutes to play. With the game looking opportunity. “You want to protect the once, winning the Cup in 2004, Chicago The likes of Rod Laver and Ken Rosewall won the French like it would head to overtime, Chicago lead and we’ve been quite successful in have tons of big-game experience and Open after their 30th birthdays, but that was in the gentler put pressure on the Lightning and doing so in past games,” said Lightning their patience paid off on Wednesday. 1960s and 1970s. When Andre Agassi won his 1999 Roland when the puck came loose in their zone defenseman Anton Stralman said. “This Both teams needed Game Seven wins in Garros title, he had just passed 29. If Nadal were to clinch a Vermette gathered and fired it past time, we’re playing a highly-skilled their conference final battles, but 10th Paris title in 2016, he will have already celebrated being goaltender Ben Bishop to complete the team and they’re a little bit too good to Tampa Bay’s playoff road has been par- 30. “It’s not a big surprise after a year where I didn’t win comeback. give that much room and that much ticularly tough. They needed seven enough,” said Nadal. “I lost here in 2009, I lost in 2015. It’s “We just had to stay patient and not puck possession. So, lesson learned.” games to take down Detroit in the get frustrated,” Blackhawks goaltender For much of the night it looked as opening series and six to beat Montreal not the end. I hope to be back next year with another Corey Crawford told reporters after though the Lightning had the measure before their seven-game thriller with chance. “I am going to come back next year, I will try and be making 22 saves. Crawford made a stop of the Blackhawks, who have won two the New York Rangers. Game Two of the competitive, try to be better prepared and try to arrive with on a Ryan Callahan shot just before of the last five Stanley Cups. Tampa best-of-seven series is on Saturday in confidence.”— AFP Chicago’s equalizer to keep his tem Bay’s Alex Killorn opened the scoring at Tampa Bay.—Reuters Playing through pain is for everyone in the NBA Finals OAKLAND: Sore, tired and hurting players healed right foot injury while Golden State’s but it’s what it is at this point. I’m just going order to have their best chance against a have enjoyed the longest-ever break before Klay Thompson has been declared fit after to go out there and will myself to play,” Irving Golden State club that won a league-best 67 the NBA Finals, but it’s time to play through suffering a concussion last week, taking a said. times this season. the pain again because there’s a champi- knee to the head in the Warriors’ finals- “It’s definitely tough because mentally “I can appreciate him just fighting onship at stake. The Cleveland Cavaliers, try- clinching win. and physically you want to be in line. Some of through it,” James said. “Whatever he can ing to end a 51-year title drought for their “There’s not one guy in this series who is the things I’m thinking about doing mentally, give us, it’s going to be great for our team. supremacy-starved city, face the Golden 100 percent,” Golden State center Andrew your body just kind of stops and you catch Kyrie at 50, Kyrie at 60, Kyrie at 70 (percent) State Warriors, who have not won a crown in Bogut said. “Just because we’re not talking yourself a little bit sometimes. You’ve got to is better than Kyrie at zero. “When Irving 40 years, in the best-of-seven series starting about it doesn’t mean we’re not all feeling get off the ball. But for me, it’s just about steps onto the court, he’s a presence. And Thursday. Each team has withstood the rigors something.” But he also knows the cure for finding my spots and seeing where I could be the defense has to be aware of him, has to of an 82-game season and three playoff what ails them all. “Winning relieves every- more effective out there for my teammates.” account for him just because of his abilities rounds to put themselves on the brink of a thing,” Bogut said. “One of those hoodoos is LeBron James, the four-time NBA Most to make plays. “Any guy that is playing long-sought prize, but both are bruised and going to go out the window. There will be a Valuable Player whose dream of making his through injuries, I mean, we all are at this battered as a result even with an eight-day celebration and a record broken either way.” hometown Cavaliers champions is only four point, but he’s dealing with something break.