NNBABA | Page 5 FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 7 Thomas Quick-fi re scores 17 Manchester points in Cavs City back in win vs Blazers the groove Thursday, January 4, 2018 CRICKET Rabia II 17, 1439 AH Woakes out, Crane to GULF TIMES make Test debut for England, says Root SPORT Page 4 QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN Thiem battles on as seeds The tournament will see a new champion this year after Gasquet fall by the wayside is sent packing by Tsitsipas By Anil John Doha RESULTS Singles (Round 1): 1-Dominic Thiem (AUT) bt Aljaz Bedene (SLO) 7-5, 6-4; even down, one more to go! Or- Peter Gojowczyk (GER) bt Matteo dinarily, that’s not how tennis Berrettini (ITA) 6-2, 6-2; Mirza Basic reports are supposed to begin (BIH) bt 8-Feliciano Lopez (ESP) but considering the rather unu- 6-4, 7-6 (2); Guido Pella (ARG) bt Ssual circumstances at the Qatar Exxon- Stefano Travaglia (ITA) 7-6 (4), 6-3; Mobil Open, one just also cannot totally Andrey Rublev (RUS) bt 7-Fernando wish that thought away. Verdasco (ESP) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Borna As of yesterday, the third day of the Coric (CRO) bt Nikoloz Basilashvili 26th edition of the prestigious tour- (GEO) 6-1, 6-3; Gael Monfils (FRA) nament, as many as seven of the eight bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-3, 1-6, seeds had fallen by the wayside, four 6-3; Q-Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) bt ousted in the fi rst round itself and three 5-Richard Gasquet (FRA) 6-3, 6-4 following them in the second. Blame it on the imperfections of the TODAY’S ORDER OF PLAY seedings system or the early-season CENTRE COURT (from 3:30pm) blues, the fact remains that the non- Q-Mirza Basic (BIH) vs Guido appearance of Novak Djokovic, Stan Pella (ARG) Wawrinka and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Andrey Rublev (RUS) vs Borna through injuries and the premature Coric (CRO) ouster of many of favoured players 1-Dominic Thiem (AUT) vs Q- among the confi rmed lot have robbed Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) the event of some star power. WC-Gael Monfils (FRA) vs Fifth-seeded Richard Gasquet, sev- Peter Gojowczyk (GER) enth-seeded Fernando Verdasco and eighth-seeded Feliciano Lopez bowed COURT 1 (from 5pm) out in the second round yesterday, fall- Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP)/Guill- ing to Greek qualifi er Stefanos Tsitsi- ermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) vs 2-Oliver pas, Russian Andrey Rublev and Bos- Marach (AUT)/Mate Pavic (CRO) nian wildcard Mirza Basic, respectively. 1-Jamie MURRAY (GBR)/Bruno The results mean that the tourna- SOARES (BRA) or Borna CORIC ment will have a new champion this (CRO)/Jan-Lennard STRUFF (GER) year, with the exit of 2013 champion vs 3-Feliciano Lopez (ESP)/Rajeev Gasquet. Austrian top seed Dominic Thiem in action against Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene during their Qatar ExxonMobil Open match at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Ram (USA) Earlier, Pablo Carreno Busta, Tomas Complex yesterday. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil Berdych, Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Filip Krajinovic had fallen at the fi rst again on show in the second set. He had I come in. And maybe I come in a little happy to take my revenge because I lost hurdle. a golden chance to break Bedene in the bit more often, but I’m not going to against Fernando (2017 Paris Masters) Thankfully, though, Dominic Thiem, second game itself but couldn’t capi- come in every short play on the volley.” a few months ago. Also a tough match. the top seed, has survived, albeit not talise, thanks to a couple of wayward Thiem played in Qatar for the fi rst Today I won a tough match, so I’m re- before blowing hot and cold against shots. It was the same story in the sixth time as a qualifi er in 2014, and having ally happy. And I’m really happy to be in unseeded Slovenian Aljaz Bedene. game which Bedene managed to save made the transition to top seed at this the quarter-fi nal, and I will try to do my The 24-year-old Austrian played a with great diffi culty. year’s event, was pretty pleased with best tomorrow,” added the rising Rus- patchy match. One moment he was sub- Games went with serve, until the himself. sian, whose father was a professional lime, the very next he was atrocious. In Austrian, leading 5-4, broke Bedene in “When I played here in 2014, I think I boxer and mother a tennis coach. fact, the main reason why he got through the 10th game to secure victory after a was 140 in the world. So it was amazing Croatian Borna Coric, meanwhile, to the quarter-fi nals was that he had a lacklustre match. for me to qualify. I was the happiest guy followed up his impressive upset victo- superior serve and also because of Be- Thiem said he had no complaints, on the planet because I qualifi ed and ry over second seed Carreno Busta with dene’s own lack of self-belief. having won the match in two sets, even it was the start of my career basically. a 6-1, 6-3 romp over Georgian Nikoloz Thiem won 7-5, 6-4 when logically saying his two matches so far were a Everything started here. Basilashvili. It was the world number he should have wrapped up the en- perfect start for him in the new season. “And now, of course, I’m experienced. 48 Coric’s fi rst win over the Georgian counter with much more ease. But then “I’m pleased today. I’m through in I know how the Tour works. I’ve probably in three meetings, having previously when you convert only three of your 13 straight sets. It was a tough match, but I played 350 matches since then. And it lost to him in Lyon and Cincinnati last break points such things are bound to expected it and had two tough matches was nice back then. I was inexperienced. year. Coric will take on Rublev in the happen. which I both won in straight sets. So I I was really young and fearless. And a lot quarter-fi nals. Thiem was up 5-4 and held two set think that’s a perfect start to the new of things change. But of course, it’s better Gael Monfi ls of France, who was points in the 10th game but he squan- year,” said the Austrian who has won to be up in the ranking and top seed then given a wildcard, also advanced to the dered the advantage allowing Bedene six titles so far. have to pay the qualies.” quarters, beating German Jan-Lennard to draw level. That left the match in a “If you have to fi ght a lot, if you have Seventh-seeded Fernando Verdasco lost to Russia’s Andrey Rublev yesterday. Earlier in the day, Rublev, 20, ousted Struff 6-3, 1-6, 6-3, who had shocked tricky situation but the Austrian was to suff er a bit, I think it’s very good like Spain’s seventh-seeded Verdasco in third-seeded veteran Tomas Berdych in quick to recoup, winning his next serv- this. You get a lot of tough situations fi nals against Tsitsipas, added that im- that easy to come in nowadays. All the three sets, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, and wildcard the fi rst round. ice game and then breaking Bedene to already in the fi rst matches, and that’s proving his net play was a priority for players are very fast. They play really world number 138 Mirza Basic shocked In the last singles match of the day, take the set in 51 minutes. why I’m happy with the start.” him. good passing shots. So I improve my eighth seed Lopez 6-4, 7-6 (2). Tsitsipas went past veteran Frenchman Thiem’s lack of consistency was Thiem, who will play the quarter- “I practise volleys a lot, but it’s not volley, but still I have to watch out when “Of course I’m really happy. I’m Gasquet 6-3, 6-4 in straight sets. BOTTOMLINE Djokovic to return to action Asian kids still prefer studies, says ITF VP Khanna before Australian Open Novak Djokovic is finally set to Classic and is also scheduled to By Sports Reporter “Costs are constantly rising and it return to action next week after take part at the Tie Break Tens Doha has become diffi cult to fi nd sponsors. six months out with an elbow evening exhibition at Melbourne Countries like China are still doing well injury and will then decide Park next Wednesday. though, also, India, but costs are so pro- whether to take part in the Janu- The former world number one, sian children prefer the safety hibitive that not many others can aff ord ary 15-28 Australian Open. who won the last of his 12 grand net of a good education rather to host big tournaments.” “After pulling out from Abu slam honours when he captured than risk their future taking He was all praise for the Qatar Exx- Dhabi and ATP Doha events his maiden French Open title up professional sports, Inter- onMobil Open which was voted the best due to pain in his right elbow, in 2016, has not played since Anational Tennis Federation (ITF) vice- ATP World Tour 250 Series event for two Novak is travelling to Australia retiring against Czech Tomas president Anil Khanna said yesterday.