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Qatar Superstock 600 double for Abdulla al Qubaisi page 14

SUNday, JANUARY 26, 2020

Qatar beat Bahrain to meet South Korea in Asian men’s handball final Korea, were a confident lot and played fluently unlike to what the scoreline may suggest. The team was served su- perbly by pivot Youssef Benali and left-back Rafael Capote among others. Goalkeeper Danijel Saric was at his best as usual, but had to retire towards the end of the match being hit in the left eye by a ball blow from a Bahrain raider. Qatar were in big attacking mode in the opening half but saw a couple of reversals when the Bahrain custodian scored from long in empty rival goal. That aside, Qatar were quite in Qatar’s Frankis Marzo in action in the semi-final on Saturday. control and showed good de- fence in the second half. Tribune News Network Qatar in their fourth suc- The final against South Ko- Doha cessive final at the Asian rea will be played on Monday. championship have set up a Qatar are seeking a fourth Three-time champions Qa- summit clash with South Ko- Asian title, having won the tar took their appointed place rea, who edged Japan 34-32 championship in 2014, 2016 in the final of theA sian Men’s in extra time (5-3) after the and 2018. Handball Championship 2020 scores were locked 29-all at Qatar have been cham- prevailing over Bahrain 28-24 full time. pions at the Asian Games in (HT 14-11) in the semi-final at Qatar, who had earlier 2014 and 2018. They were the Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah defeated Bahrain in the 2018 The Qatar handball team celebrates their semi-final win over Bahrain with officials at the Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Hall in Kuwait City, Kuwait on runners-up at the World Hall in Kuwait City on Saturday. Asian final in Suwon, South Saturday. The final of the 19th Asian Men’s Handball Championship will be played on Monday. Championships in 2015. Kyrgios wins thriller,

I was very focused on what I wanted to faces Nadal next do. It all went fast my way. AFP Melbourne ‘Layer of – Garbine Muguruza respect’ with Firebrand Spain’s Garbine Muguruza celebrates victory over Ukraine’s Elina scraped past Karen Khachanov Rafa despite Svitolina in the third round of women’s singles of the Saturday in five thrilling sets to feud: Nick in Melbourne on Saturday. (AFP) set up a grudge match against top seed in the Melbourne: Australia’s Nick Australian Open fourth round. Kyrgios said he had “respect” The Australian showman for Rafael Nadal despite their Muguruza claims came through a tense battle with It was crazy, I don’t personal differences after he the Russian 16th seed after 4hrs even know what to set up a last-16 match with Svitolina scalp as top 26 mins in front of passionate say right now, it was the top seed on Saturday. home support on Melbourne insane, I have no Kyrgios played down disagree- Arena to win 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 ments with the World No. (6/8), 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 (10/8). words for how I’m 1 – against whom he has a women’s seeds tumble “Mate, it was crazy, I don’t feeling right now. 2-1 record on hard courts. AFP Rod Laver Arena. even know what to say right – Nick Kyrgios after “Regardless, if we don’t like Melbourne She saved two break points now, it was insane, I have no each other or whatever, I think while serving for the match, words for how I’m feeling right defeating Karen there’s a layer of respect,” Elina Svitolina became the then sealed an emphatic victory now,” said Kyrgios. Khachanov in five sets Kyrgios said after his five-set sixth top 10 women’s seed to with a winner. “This is epic, man, I don’t and super tie-break. thriller with Russia’s Karen exit in the Australian Open “I was very concentrated even know what’s going on,” Khachanov. third round after she was well and focused on what I wanted to he added. “He’s (Khachanov) “He’s one of the greatest of all beaten by unseeded Garbine do, it all went fast my way,” the an absolute warrior.” Australia’s Nick Kyrgios soon after his victory against Russia’s Karen Khachanov during their men’s singles time. I also read that he thinks Muguruza on Saturday. Spaniard said of the rapid first It sets up a mouthwatering match on Day Six of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Saturday. (AFP) I’m good for the sport. There’s Two-time set. “I played a very good match clash with the world number a layer of respect that we both champion Muguruza won 6-1, and managed to disturb her.” one Nadal, who romped past have for each other. Doesn’t 6-2 and faces Zarina Diyas of Muguruza had been suffer- fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno necessarily mean we like each Kazakhstan or Dutch ninth ing a viral illness when she be- Busta 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. other, but we’re going to go seed Kiki Bertens in the last 16 gan her Melbourne campaign. Kyrgios admitted he was out there and give contrasting in Melbourne. “The first day I didn’t feel on the verge of going “to a styles and personalities.” The 26-year-old Spaniard very well at all and I am in very dark place” in his second- Last year Kyrgios won a bad- Muguruza, a former world round four because of my big round clash against Gilles Si- tempered match with Nadal number one but now ranked fight (spirit),” she added. mon before refocusing. in Mexico, hitting underarm 32, failed to win two matches The top women’s seeds And he mostly held it to- serves and complaining about in a row last year after the have tumbled at the Australian gether against Khachanov, be- his slow play -- prompting the in May-June. Open in round three. fore a blow up at the umpire in Spaniard to complain that he But the 2016 Roland Gar- Second seed Karolina set four over a time violation. “lacks respect”. ros and 2017 Wimbledon Pliskova and sixth seed Belin- He had a match-point The 24-year-old later told an champion spent the off-season da Bencic were both beaten on chance in each of the third and interviewer that Nadal was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro Saturday. fourth sets but the Russian held “super salty”, and he mim- to help clear her mind of ten- Reigning champion and firm to ensure Kyrgios played icked his signature serving nis – and it appears to have third seed Naomi Osaka, the longest match of his career. routine when warned for slow done the trick. eighth seed Serena Williams The Kyrgios serve was on play during his round-two win She seized the first set and 10th seed Madison Keys fire early on, sending down over Gilles Simon. against fifth-seeded Ukrainian all fell out the Melbourne trap- four aces in the first two sets. However, Kyrgios, who lost to Svitolina in only 23 minutes at door on Friday. He made the break in Nadal in four sets in round two game six, with Khachanov fir- last year at Wimbledon, said ing wide after a deft drop shot both players were aware of from the Australian. But Kyr- each other’s qualities. gios was grimacing and at 5-2 “At the end of the day, we’re Open Results took a medical timeout for an two different players. Men’s singles (3rd Round) upper left leg niggle. Rafael Nadal serves against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta during their men’s singles on Saturday. (AFP) We go about it completely Nick Kyrgios (AUS x23) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x16) 6-2, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (6/8), 6-7 (7/9), 7-6 He returned to break again different,” he said. “After Wim- (10/8) and empathically take the set. went to another tiebreaker. There was nothing be- beating the Belgian 2-6, 7-6 bledon, I lost, I got beaten by (GER x7) bt Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 The second set went with Kyrgios saved two break tween them as they slammed (7/3), 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) to secure a the better player. I shook his (RUS x4) bt (AUS) 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 serve up to a tiebreaker, with points at 3-3 in the fourth set balls at each other until the place in the fourth round. hand, looked him in the eye, Rafael Nadal (ESP x1) bt Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP x27) 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 Gael Monfils (FRA x10) bt (LAT) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-3 some electrifying tennis from then lost control after being Australian finally won in the He will face 7th seed Alex- and said, ‘Too good’.” (AUT x5) bt (USA x29) 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4 both men. Kyrgios won it and given a time violation, hurling super tiebreaker, falling to the ander Zverev, who beat Fer- Nadal earlier gave a cool Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI x15) bt (USA x19) 6-4, 4-1 ret Khachanov slammed his rac- his racquet and confronting the ground exhausted. nando Verdasco 6-2, 6-2, 6-4. response when asked whether A Rublev (RUS x17) bt D Goffin (BEL x11) 2-6, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) quet in frustration. umpire, calling him “stupid”. Meanwhile, Andrey Austrian fifth seed Domi- he liked Kyrgios. Women’s singles (3rd Round) The Australian worked His rant continued as he Rublev’s “amazing” unbeaten nic Thiem came through 6-2, “When he does stuff that Kiki Bertens (NED x9) bt Zarina Diyas (KAZ) 6-2, 7-6 (7/3) three break points in game received attention for a nas- start to the season showed no 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-4 against Tay- in my opinion is not good, I Anett Kontaveit (EST x28) bt Belinda Bencic (SUI x6) 6-0, 6-1 five of the third set and while ty cut on his knuckle at the signs of slowing, with the Rus- lor Fritz, Gael Monfils beat Er- don’t like,” said the Spaniard. Iga Swiatek (POL) bt Donna Vekic (CRO x19) 7-5, 6-3 Khachanov managed to save changeover after a spectacular sian young gun rallying from nests Gulbis 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-3 “When he plays good tennis Elise Mertens (BEL x16) bt Catherine Bellis (USA) 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-0 and he shows passion for this Simona Halep (ROU x4) bt Yulia Putintseva (KAZ) 6-1, 6-4 two, he sent down a double airborne half-volley. a set down to dump 11th seed and Stanislas Wawrinka, the Garbine Muguruza (ESP) bt Elina Svitolina (UKR x5) 6-1, 6-2 fault to hand Kyrgios a crucial That set also went to a tie- David Goffin. 2014 champion, progressed game, he is a positive player Angelique Kerber (GER x17) bt Camila Giorgi (ITA) 6-2, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 3-2 advantage. But he lost focus break where Khachanov pre- The 22-year-old extended when John Isner retired in the for our tour.” (AFP) Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (RUS x30) bt Karolina Pliskova (CZE x2) 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/3). and was quickly broken and it vailed, sending it to a fifth set. his unbeaten streak to 11 games, second set.