SUNDAY 24 MARCH 2019 SPORT 05 I started thinking about winning and not the things I FOOTBALL CRICKET could do in order to win. I had Naomi Osaka after her Netherlands vs 2nd ODI: Pakistan vs a dip and she started playing win over Wickmayer in Germany, 10,45pm, Euro Australia; Sri Lanka vs South really well. the Miami Open. ACTION Championship qualifying Africa, 3rd T20 TODAY’S Favourite Djokovic, Osaka off to winning Alaphilippe sprints to win PARIS starts as Thiem crashes out REUTERS AFP this new stadium, it felt like to dig deep after the Belgian, French all-rounder Julian Alap- MIAMI being indoor a little bit. It’s who reached the Miami Open hilippe justified his tag as race unique. last eight in 2010, forced a third favourite as he timed his sprint Novak Djokovic put his Indian “Now hopefully,” he added, set as Osaka’s game badly to perfection to claim his first Wells disappointment behind “I can build some dipped. Monument victory at Milan- him on Friday at the ATP and momentum.” “In the second set, I got San Remo yesterday. WTA Miami Open with a ruthless On a day that saw Djokovic, really emotional, so in the third, With the field whittled 7-6 (7/2) 6-2 destruction of top-ranked woman Naomi I just tried to shut off my down to a lead group of 11 Australian Bernard Tomic to Osaka and 23-time Grand Slam feelings,” Osaka said. riders after the Cipressa and move into the third round. champion Serena Williams “I started thinking about Poggio ascents, Alaphilippe The Serbian world number advance, the shock of the day winning and not the things I burst to the front with 100 one endured a meek exit at the was the departure of Indian could do in order to win. I had a metres to go and held on for hands of German Philipp Kohls- Wells Masters winner Dominic dip and she started playing really victory in the Spring classic. chreiber in the California desert Thiem, who was beaten 6-4, 6-4 well. France have now won two but arrived desperate to land by highly rated Polish 22-year- “I just had to breathe and consecutive Monuments for the what would be a record seventh old Hubert Hurkacz. regroup,” she said. first time since 1992 after title in South Florida. Elsewhere, there was dis- “I find myself doing it often Thibaut Pinot won last year’s Tomic, the current world No. appointment for Kei Nishikori. when I am in emotional situa- Lombardia. 81, gave the 31-year-old a few The fifth seed lost to Serbian tions, it’s like an energy saver.” Last year’s winner Vin- problems yet the Australian Dusan Lajovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 but Next up in the third round is cenzo Nibali, three-times world struggles to consistently chal- reigning champion John Isner Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-Wei, who champion Peter Sagan and lenge the best players and this outlasted Italian qualifier defeated American Alison Riske reigning world champion Ale- was evident once again as Lorenzo Sonego 7-6 (7/2), 7-6, 6-2, 7-5. jandro Valverde were also in Djokovic eased through the (9/7). The pair had a rollercoaster the small lead group that broke gears at Hard Rock Stadium with Japanese star Osaka had to clash in the Australian Open at clear off the Poggio, but when just one hour and 13 minutes on keep her emotions in check as the start of 2019 with Hsieh a set a game of cat and mouse the clock. she opened her campaign by and 4-1 up in Melbourne only to developed on Via Roma it was “In Indian Wells I wasn’t outlasting Yanina Wickmayer lose a dramatic third-round Alaphilippe who made the feeling my best,” conceded 6-0, 6-7 (3/7), 6-1. encounter. decisive move. Djokovic who won 81% of points Since winning her second Serena Williams survived a Slovenia’s Matej Mohoric on his first serve and hit 11 aces. consecutive Grand Slam title in second-set lull to beat Sweden’s (Bahrain-Merida) took it on ini- “Everyone has nerves January at the Australian Open, Rebecca Peterson 6-3, 1-6, 6-1, tially but Alaphilippe was coming onto center court Osaka has failed to go deep in and elder sister Venus also quickly locked onto his back regardless of how much expe- Dubai or Indian Wells. advanced with a 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 wheel and surged past, rience you have and what your But she appeared in solid win over Spain’s Carla Suarez punching the air as he crossed ranking is. You care about it and form against 141st-ranked Wick- Navarro. the line. The red hot 26-year- if you are nervous that means mayer, despite losing her way in There will be a repeat of last old Deceuninck-Quick Step Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns a shot to Bernard Tomic of you care. the middle of an entertaining week’s WTA final in Indian Wells rider now has seven victories Australia during the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami “I commonly feel like that. match at Hard Rock Stadium. between Bianca Andreescu and this season, having also won Gardens, Florida on Friday. This was my first time playing at The 21 year-old was forced Angelique Kerber. the Strade Bianche. Park, Liu Elvira has two-shot advantage share LPGA heading into the final round Founders AFP KUALA LUMPU Cup lead Nacho Elvira edged closer to a AFP maiden European Tour trophy LOS ANGELES after he posted a six-under-par 66 to gain a two-shot China’s Liu Yu made the most advantage over David Lipsky of her early morning start, at the Maybank Championship Nacho Elvira of Spain plays firing an eight-under par 64 on penultimate round yesterday. a shot during the third Friday to join world number The title, however, remains round of the 2019 Maybank one Park Sung-hyun atop the up for grabs with Australian Malaysia Golf Championship leaderboard of the LPGA Scott Hend, Germany’s Maxi- at Saujana Golf and Country Founders Cup. milian Kieffer and Thai stalwart Club, in Shah Alam, on the Liu matched France’s Jazz Janewattananond only three outskirt of Kuala Lumpur, Celine Boutier -- a former shots off Elvira. yesterday. teammate at Duke University Elvira had been in con- -- for low round of the tour- tention after he joint-led with nament to seize a share of the Marcus Fraser on Thursday. halfway lead on 12-under par Coming into the third round, 132. Elvira of Spain trailed Thomas swing.” will also be confident of ending South Korea’s Park posted Pieters by a single shot in sti- Two-time European Tour a six-year title drought after her second straight 66 at flingly hot conditions, but gained winner Lipsky will be hoping to another consistent showing for Wildfire Golf Club in Phoenix, the advantage courtesy of his add a third after he finished the a 69. Arizona. seven birdies. day with a 67 despite two bogey The South African sits only She and Liu were two “I’m very happy with a 66. It flaws. four strokes away from Elvira at strokes clear of a group of eight was tough with the heat and “It’s a tricky course so you nine-under-par 207. players on 10-under 134 that humidity today. I stayed patient are going to make bogeys out The local crowd will also pay included overnight leader and it paid off in the end,” he there, you have just got to make attention to Nicholas Fung on the Paul Casey of England reacts to a missed Boutier as well as former world said. your share of birdies. If I can final day today after the number one Lydia Ko of New putt on the 16th hole during the second “It would be great to start keep making birdies like I am, I Malaysian ended the day tied- Zealand. round of the Valspar Championship on here (winning on the European think I’ll be alright,” the 13th, seven shots off the pace. They were joined by Amer- the Copperhead course at Innisbrook Golf Tour but I really don’t think American, who shot seven The $3m event is co-sanc- icans Angel Yin and Cheyenne Resort in Palm Harbor, Florida on Friday. about it too much. I like the way birdies, said. tioned by the Asian and Knight, Sweden’s Linnea Strom, things are right now with my Crowd favourite Ernie Els European tours. That group is headlined by top-15 players Amy Yang of South Korea and Lydia Ko of New Zealand. It also includes Casey, Cook joint leaders at Valspar Championship Boutier, Americans Angel Yin and Cheyenne Knight, Swe- AFP South Korean Im Sung-jae and at 10 and landing his third shot “I struggle a little bit around “Nice to turn it around after den’s Linnea Strom, Denmark’s MIAMI American Scott Stallings were a inches from the cup before a Sawgrass and that frustrated me, last week to suddenly be not in Nanna Koerstz Madsen and stroke back on 137. tap-in at the par-5 11th. annoyed me, coming in here control of this event but I’m near South Korean Hur Mi-jung. Defending champion Paul Casey Donald had five birdies and Casey scored on the other trying to defend my title, which the top, which is good.” Defending champion Park fired a five-under par 66 to grab four bogeys in his one-under 70, par-5 holes as well, sinking a I would love to do because I Casey’s lone bogey came In-bee of South Korea headed a share of the 36-hole lead surrendering a one-shot lead three-foot birdie putt at 14, a never defended a professional on his closing ninth hole, a group of five players on 135.