SPORT Tuesday 12 Septemberp 2017 PAGE | 25 PAGE | 26 PAGE | 27 Hingis amazed by World XI arrives CrystalC Palace sack US Open doubles in Pakistan for manager Frank triumph T20 series de Boer Nadal races to third US Open, 16th Grand Slam title New York “It’s a very special two Nadal, winning his first errors to Anderson’s 23 with the AFP weeks for me. It’s unbelievable hardcourt title since January South African unable to muster what’s happened this year after 2014 in Doha, gave up just 15 a single break point. afael Nadal raced to a some seasons with serious inju- points on his serve and won 16 The one-way traffic contin- third US Open title and ries and not playing very well,” out of 16 net points. ued in the second set as Nadal R16th Grand Slam crown said Nadal. “Rafa, we are the same age broke for 4-2 off the back of on Sunday with a 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 “It’s been an emotional year but I have looked up to you all three successive volleys. rout of South African giant since the Australian Open. I of my life,” said Anderson. Anderson even collected a Kevin Anderson. played a high level of tennis and “It was an honor playing time violation for his troubles The world number one, the winning here in New York again you. You are one of the great as his efforts to compose him- champion also in New York in it’s unbelievable.” ambassadors of our sport.” self failed horribly. 2010 and 2013, added the US Nadal also praised his coach In a final guaranteed to A brutal crosscourt forehand title to the record 10th French and uncle Toni who has coached result in the fifth Slam cham- winner gave Nadal the second Open he captured in June. him since he was three but who pion in succession who is 30 or set 6-3. Old rival Roger Federer won will step down from his team at older, Nadal was on top from the Anderson was broken again the season’s other two Slams at the end of the year. start. in the opening game of the third the Australian Open, beating “I cannot thank him He had 28th-seeded Ander- set. Nadal in the final, and Wimble- enough,” said the champion. son scrambling to save two It was his fourth loss of don in an illustration of the two “Without him I would not be Spain’s Rafael Nadal poses with his winning trophy after break points in the third and serve in the final; before Sun- Grand Slam greats’ enduring here playing tennis. He gave me defeating South Africa’s Kevin Anderson during their 2017 fifth games before the Spaniard day, he had been broken just appeal and power. strength and motivation. When US Open final at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis converted his fifth off a fore- five times in the entire Nadal’s Grand Slam tally is I had injury problems I got Center in New York on Sunday. hand error for a 4-3 lead. tournament. just three behind Federer’s through them because of him.” The world number one held Anderson called the trainer record 19. It was a desperately disap- African in a US championship The Johannesburg-born, and broke again, cleverly forc- for a bloodied right index finger For Nadal, it was his fifth title pointing afternoon for final since Cliff Drysdale in 1965 Florida-based Anderson fin- ing the 31-year-old South after the fifth game, but his of the year and 74th of his career Anderson, the world number 32 and was bidding to become his ished the 2hr 28min final with African out of position on set struggles continued. while the $3.7m (3.07 euros) win- playing in his maiden Slam final country’s first Slam champion 40 unforced errors to Nadal’s point after 58 minutes of action. He saved a match point but ner’s prize boosted his earnings at the 34th attempt. since Johan Kriek at the 1981 11, failing even to carve out a By the end of the opening Nadal wrapped it up with a clin- to a shade under $90m. He was the first South Australian Open. single break point. set, Nadal had just five unforced ical backhand volley. Mourinho eyes PSG ready to finally make last 16 spot for in-form United Champions League mark Manchester Reuters Paris AFP anchester United are back in their “nat- ural habitat” in the Champions League and aris Saint-Germain kick off M are up for the challenge of playing against their latest bid for Cham- the best teams in Europe, manager Jose Mourinho pions League glory at said. Celtic today bolstered by United had failed to qualify for the Champi- the big-money signing of ons League for Mourinho’s debut campaign but PNeymar and Kylian Mbappe. their Europa League triumph last season secured The French giants will be hop- a return to Europe’s elite competition. ing that their lavish close-season The Old Trafford outfit begin their campaign spending can help finally achieve today, hosting Swiss side FC Basel in the opening their Qatari owners’ dream of lifting group stage match. the European Cup. “Being back in the Champions League is going PSG responded to last season’s back to the natural habitat. Manchester United disappointments of losing the Ligue (have been there) season after season,” Mourinho 1 title to Monaco and their stunning told reporters. “Motivation is very high.” Champions League last-16 defeat at “We have to try to go to the last 16 and enjoy Barcelona, by smashing the world that special knock-out phase with the best teams record transfer fee with the in Europe.” 222m-euro ($267m) signing of Ney- The Portuguese boss believes his team are in mar from Barca. good form after starting their league campaign PSG produced four consecutive with three wins and a draw. French titles from 2013-2016, that Mourinho says he loves the packed Christmas form has yet to translate to European schedule that English teams have and believes Paris Saint-Germain’s Brazilian forward Neymar (centre) laughs with team-mates during a training session competition. they cannot use the busy schedule as an excuse PSG’s last, and only, Champions at the Camp des Loges in Saint-Germain en Laye yesterday, on the eve of their Champions League match for poor Champions League performances. League semi-final appearance was against Celtic FC. “We have no winter break, and in other coun- in 1995, with four straight last-eight tries there is a winter break, but that’s cultural - it exits followed by the harrowing 6-1 “We are more than ready for the “I’ve always said that the Cham- “It’s the first game of the Cham- means a lot, and I have to admit I love it,” he added. second-leg loss at the Camp Nou ear- Champions League,” said defender pions League is a special pions League against one of the great “But no complaining this is what we have, we lier this year, having beaten Barca Thomas Meunier after a 5-1 thrash- competition, it is the competition for teams now of the competition, it will have squads and if we think they’re tired we play 4-0 in the first game. ing of Metz on Friday. the big players and where we see the be another special night at Celtic with other players.” But with the additions of Ney- “We are a very good group, we big players.” Park. Mourinho also said he was not surprised by mar and Mbappe, hopes are high that can see that on the bench today with PSG will have their European “We’ll look forward to the chal- the sacking of Crystal Palace manager Frank de Unai Emery’s men can put their con- all the options we have. credentials tested by what promises lenge and we’ll recover well and Boer after just four league games in charge. tinental troubles to bed. “Every footballer plays for the to be a spine-tingling atmosphere at prepare well for it.” CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES Champions League, and with the Parkhead, as Celtic look to cause an PSG’s fellow wannabee members Jose Mourinho’s team we have this year, we must upset in Group B after an under- of the European elite, Manchester United are back Main Tournament - Group Stage show the world that we want to go whelming return to the Champions City, came unstuck with a 3-3 draw in their “natural Today’s Fixtures further than in previous years.” League group stages last season. at Celtic Park last season, and the habitat” Teenage sensation Mbappe Brendan Rodgers’ men have Scottish champions still have the All Times in GMT joined from Monaco on deadline day gone from strength to strength since potential to be a danger on home Group D: Barcelona vs Juventus (1845) on a season-long loan, with an the turn of the year, and are turf. Olympiakos Piraeus vs Sporting (1845) option to buy for a fee that could unbeaten in their last 54 domestic While Celtic won the 1967 Euro- Group C: AS Roma vs A’ Madrid (1845) reach a staggering 180m euros. matches. pean Cup with a 15-man squad made “It’s too early to say (how far we “What we’ve learned from our purely of players born within 30 Chelsea vs Qarabag FK (1845) can go), we haven’t even played yet,” first game of the Champions League miles of their stadium, Paris have Group B: Celtic vs Paris St Germain (1845) said Mbappe, who scored on his last year is that we’re not going to be flung an expensive net far and wide FC Bayern Munich vs Anderlecht (1845) debut against Metz.