WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 2015 SPORTS FIFA names six cities, seven stadiums for 2016

SAO PAULO: Six cities and seven stadi- responsible for overseeing stadium man- ums are to be used as soccer venues for agement, said the club would not foot the 2016 Olympics in Brazil, FIFA the bill for alterations. announced on Monday, but Sao Paulo “It’s a great honor for Corinthians to club Corinthians have already threatened have the Corinthians arena selected as to pull their ground out unless they are the city’s stadium for the 2016 Olympic paid for necessary alterations. Games,” Sanchez said in a statement There will be two venues in the host posted on their web site. city of Rio de Janeiro with matches held “However, we are once again replying at the Olympic stadium and the to a request from the city of Sao Paulo Maracana, site of the 2014 World Cup and we need to know who will be final, FIFA said. responsible for paying. The other games are to take place at “If we don’t, the club will review the the Mineirao stadium in Belo Horizonte, decision to host the Olympic (football),” the Mane Garrincha stadium in Brasilia, Sanchez added. The Corinthians arena the Amazonia arena in Manaus, the hosted six matches in the 2014 World Fonte Nova arena in Salvador and the Cup, including the prestigious opening Corinthians arena in Sao Paulo. game and the semi-final between “The Olympic football tournaments Argentina and the Netherlands. will be a fantastic opportunity to revive However, it was one of the last to be the great atmosphere seen during the ready and one of the most costly. 2014 FIFA World Cup, not only in Rio de Corinthians are in severe financial diffi- Janeiro but also in the other five cities,” culties and although Sanchez has trav- said Marco Polo Del Nero, chairman of elled the world seeking companies to the organising committee for the Games pay for naming rights, no buyers have soccer. “They did an excellent job in 2014 appeared. and now they can use the World Cup sta- Olympic gold is the only major title diums and infrastructure already in place that Brazil have not won and the host to unite the country for a major event nation are determined to end that run. INDIAN WELLS: Maria Sharapova hits a forehand return against Victoria Azarenka in their 3rd round match at the BNP Paribas Tennis Open. —AFP once more,” he added in a news release. All the teams will be largely made up of Sixteen men’s sides and 12 women’s youngsters but three players over 23 are teams will play 58 matches between permitted in each squad. Barcelona for- Sharapova beats Azarenka in slugfest Aug. 3-20. ward Neymar has already confirmed that However, Andres Sanchez, former he plans to be one of Brazil’s three over- INDIAN WELLS: Caroline Wozniacki became the court crowd to one of the best women’s matches that ended with her at seventh in the world president of Corinthians and who is age players. —Reuters biggest name to fall at the BNP Paribas Open on so far. The Belarusian saved five match points rankings, Eugenie Bouchard has already piled Monday when the fourth seed was ousted 6-4 6- before Sharapova sealed victory at the sixth up plenty of career highlights but would prefer 4 by Swiss teen Belinda Bencic on Monday. attempt, ending the contest with a dipping now to carve out new ones. Having celebrated Second seed Maria Sharapova won an crosscourt backhand. her 21st birthday last month, the self-assured absorbing baseline battle with long-time rival “My serve let me down in the first set,” Canadian with a lethal forehand dreams of ris- Victoria Azarenka 6-4 6-3 in just under two hours Sharapova said after levelling her career record ing to top spot in the global pecking order and while sixth-seed Eugenie Bouchard demolished against her fellow former world number one at winning her first grand slam singles crown. American CoCo Vandeweghe 6-3 6-2. 7-7. “I did everything else well, except serving. “I’m (ranked) seven right now, so it takes Wozniacki, champion at Indian Wells in 2011, “I did a much better job in the second set. steps to get there. I also want to be more consis- had overwhelmed Bencic 6-0 6-0 in their only She will play until the last point and that’s what tent this year,” the Montreal native said after previous meeting in Istanbul last year but it was made it so tough.” The two players traded crushing American CoCo Vandeweghe 6-3 6-2 in a very different story at the California desert ven- breaks in the seventh and eighth games before the third round of the BNP Paribas Open on ue as the Dane struggled for consistency. Sharapova took the opening set in 67 minutes, a Monday. “Honestly, it was two completely different marathon 10th game ending when a miss- “I want to go to every tournament well pre- matches,” Wozniacki said after being broken timed Azarenka forehand flew wide. With pared, go to every tournament believing that I twice in the opening set and once in the second improved serving, Sharapova seized control of can win, being prepared to win, expecting to at a sun-bathed Indian Wells Tennis Garden. the second set and broke Azarenka in the fourth win, and having that kind of mindset.” “I went out there today and I didn’t play well and sixth to take a 5-1 lead. The Belarusian Last year, Bouchard reached the semis at the at all. “She was steady. She took the ball early as clawed her way back to 3-5 but the second seed Australian Open and French Open as well as the normal, and she served pretty decently, but I then served out for the win. Wimbledon final and, though there is very little didn’t put three balls in play today. She only had While Sharapova had to battle before sinking she wants to change in her overall game, she is to put balls back in my court.” Azarenka, it was plain sailing for Bouchard. excited to be working with a new coach. GERMANY: Dortmund’s players warm up during a training session on the eve of the Round Bencic, who celebrated her 18th birthday last The Canadian used her potent forehand to Bouchard, who became Canada’s first grand of 16, second-leg UEFA Champions League football match against Juventus. —AFP week, was delighted to clinch her first victory great effect as she broke an error-prone slam singles finalist at Wimbledon last year, over a top-five player. “In Istanbul I had maybe Vandeweghe once in the opening set and twice readily accepts that lofty expectations have too much respect and I was afraid, nervous,” said in the second, completing a one-sided victory in been heaped upon her. Dortmund boost the Swiss, who gave notice of her potential by just over an hour. “I have definitely felt a change in the past reaching last year’s US Open quarter-finals. In other matches, fifth-seeded Serb Ana year or so, a lot more outside attention, pressure chances against Juve “Today I really had a good game plan. I did what Ivanovic lost 6-2 5-7 6-2 to Frenchwoman and expectations,” she said. I had to do.”3 Caroline Garcia, while reigning champion Flavia “But I really try to not focus on it and focus Pennetta of Italy beat Australian Samantha on the pressure I put on myself, because that’s GERMANY: Borussia Dortmund’s must score Westfalenstadion. But in order to book a spot SERVING WOES Stosur 6-4 6-2. more than enough already. Just focus on my at least once to overturn a 2-1 Champions in the last eight they have to snap a losing Sharapova and Azarenka treated the stadium Meanwhile, after a stellar 2014 campaign goals.”—Reuters League last 16 first leg deficit against run at home against Juventus, having lost all Juventus today but are confident their water- three previous encounters against the Italians tight defence can hold firm and keep the in Dortmund. Italians at bay. Klopp will be counting on goals from The improving Germans, who have recov- Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has scored Djokovic and Murray ered after a dismal first half to the domestic five in his last seven outings and in-form season that saw them anchored in last place Marco Reus, who has struck five times in eight as recently as last month in the Bundesliga, games. have kept a clean sheet in their last three Juventus are flying high in Serie A, edging tested in Indian Wells league games, including a 0-0 draw against closer to the Italian title with their first tri- Cologne on the weekend. umph away from home in over two months at With Neven Subotic and Mats Hummels Palermo, opening up a 14-point lead. “One back fit in central defence, along with full- less win needed to win the league,” Juventus INDIAN WELLS: World number one Novak backs Marcel Schmelzer and Lukasz Piszczek, manager Massimiliano Allegri said, knowing Djokovic and fourth-seeded Andy Murray each Dortmund’s defence has been as solid as it he will now need to shift his focus to had to contend with different degrees of adver- has been all season. Dortmund and their attacking game. sity before they advanced to the fourth round of “(Against Cologne) we played another “We will need to take the lead there, the BNP Paribas Open on Monday. game without letting in a goal and that is maybe score more than one goal,” said the Djokovic, the top seed in the elite ATP something we can build on,” coach Juergen coach. They will, however, be without influen- Masters 1000 event, was broken twice in his Klopp told reporters. “We want to advance to tial playmaker Andrea Pirlo who has yet to ful- opening set against Spaniard Albert Ramos- the quarter-finals and we can do this.” ly recover from a thigh injury suffered in the Vinolas before advancing 7-5 6-3 in an evening Dortmund boast a fine record at home in first leg. “He has made good progress but not match lasting just under an hour and a half. Europe having won 11 of their last 14 enough to be in Dortmund,” the club said in a “I managed to play the right shot at the right Champions League games at the statement. —Reuters time in the important moments,” said Djokovic, who is bidding for a fourth title at Indian Wells. “And I managed to sneak through in straight sets.” Scottish world number four Murray recov- Historic task awaits ered from a surprising second-set lapse during the searing heat of the afternoon at the Indian Man City in Barcelona Wells Tennis Garden to beat German Phillipp Kohlschreiber 6-1 3-6 6-1. BARCELONA: Manchester City face a huge at the Camp Nou all but seal a trophyless sea- However, Spanish eighth seed David Ferrer challenge if they are to reach the last eight of son. “I have no sense whatsoever that my job’s made an early exit, ousted 7-5 6-4 by Australian the Champions League for the first time ever by at risk,” the Chilean told The Guardian. “The Bernard Tomic in the third round. overturning a 2-1 first leg deficit when they Champions League is very important but it can’t Djokovic won a topsy-turvy opening set that travel to an in-form Barcelona today. distort everything.” Pellegrini was criticised by featured five service breaks. The Serb failed to The English champions were outplayed at many for his over-eager attacking intent in the hold in the first game before breaking back in home for the second season in a row at this first leg, which allowed Barca’s star front three of the sixth and eighth, but was surprisingly bro- stage of the competition three weeks ago and Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar to prosper. ken again in the ninth when serving for the set could have been even further behind travelling However, he believes that philosophy is what at 5-3. Though Ramos-Vinolas fought back to to the Catalan capital had Joe Hart not saved a still gives them a chance despite the daunting level at 5-5, Djokovic held to love before break- Lionel Messi penalty in stoppage time at the prospect of having to win at the Camp Nou.“The ing the Spanish left-hander again in the 12th, Etihad. starting point is that it is possible to go to the set ending after 49 minutes when his oppo- Both sides also come into the game at the Barcelona and win. We have to have that men- nent netted a backhand. The second set went Camp Nou in contrasting form domestically. tality, our mentality. “Our identity is to have a with serve until a protracted eighth game which City’s title challenge appears all but over after a big-team mentality, to go to win. And now los- the Serb won when Ramos-Vinolas blasted a low shock 1-0 defeat at relegation threatened ing 2-1, we have to attack.” By contrast, forehand wide, then served out to love in the Burnley on Saturday, whilst Barca have soared Barcelona now have a treble in their sights with ninth to seal victory. to the top of La Liga in recent weeks on a run of a potentially decisive La Liga clash with eternal 16 victories in their last 17 games. rivals Real Madrid to come on Sunday and a BIG-SERVING OPPONENT Yet, City boss Manuel Pellegrini is insistent Copa del Rey final against Athletic Bilbao to look Djokovic will next face big-serving American that his job is not on the line should elimination forward to at the end of the campaign. —AFP John Isner, who powered past South African Kevin Anderson 7-6(6) 6-2. “He’s one of the best servers in the history of the game,” said the Serb. “I expect a very tough match.” Murray appeared in total control after breezing through the opening set in just 25 min- utes, but was broken after a marathon eighth game in the second as Kohlschreiber levelled the contest. It was then back to business in the third for Murray as he broke the German’s serve in the second and fourth games before sealing victory in a little under two hours when his opponent hit a forehand wide. “Towards the end of the sec- ond set there were a lot of long games and he was creating a lot of opportunities,” Murray said. INDIAN WELLS: Novak Djokovic of Serbia hits a forehand return against Albert Ramos-Vinolas “The game where I got broken, I played a few of Spain during their third round match at the BNP Paribas Tennis Open. —AFP poor shots as well. He capitalised on that. But these conditions.” der Fernando Verdasco 6-7(6) 6-1 6-4 while MANCHESTER: The Manchester City squad take part in a training session at the club’s apart from that, I thought I played a good match In other matches, fifth-seeded Japanese Kei Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis scraped past Juan training facility in Manchester ahead of their UEFA Champions League last 16, sec- against a tough opponent who plays well in Nishikori fought back to beat Spanish left-han- Monaco of Argentina 6-2 5-7 7-6(5).—Reuters ond-leg tie against Barcelona.—AFP