Sport THURSDAY 8 JULY 2021 Kerber banking on good Wimbledon vibes in semi-final against Ash Barty It's more about this tournament for me because when I was a kid I really looked forward to playing my best tennis here. Now I'm back... after a tough time. I wasn't playing good the last few months. Now I'm winning... playing well, that means a lot. Angelique Kerber Sport |19 TOUR DE FRANCE - Stage 11 Winner: Wout Van Aert, Belgium, 5h 17m 43s. Overall Leader: Tadej Pogacar, Slovenia, 43h 44m 38s. England down Denmark in extra time to set up title clash against Italy REUTERS — LONDON superiority count and lost the battle from the spot 4-2. Harry Kane struck an extra- It was a fitting ending to a time winner as England beat tournament where Spain were Denmark 2-1 at Wembley often unable to convert their yesterday to reach the final of chances. However, above all Wout van Aert celebrates Euro 2020 where they will there was a sense of pride after after winning 11th stage. face Italy. winning over their doubters, The Danes had taken a having been booed by their 30th-minute lead when Mikkel own supporters in Seville and Damsgaard stunned the home heavily criticised by pundits at Van Aert claims crowd with a brilliant free kick home and abroad. from 25 metres out which flew “I’ve seen many positive Ventoux stage, things, young players who contributed so much. The Pogacar keeps objective was to form a team and make the fans proud of yellow jersey their players and we did that,” said Luis Enrique. AP — MALAUCENE England’s Harry Kane celebrates Defender Eric Garcia said: after scoring their second goal. “We have to think this can be Belgian champion Wout van Aert the start of something great." twice conquered the daunting and Garcia is set to lead the grueling Mont Ventoux to win the into the net. England drew brought down in the box by was ultimately a story of defence for many years to prestigious Stage 11 of the Tour de level nine minutes later when Joakim Maehle and although redemption and renewal that come alongside Aymeric France yesterday. Kane's clever pass allowed Denmark keeper Kasper Sch- gives them plenty of hope for Laporte, who switched nation- Van Aert was part of a Bukayo Saka to get behind the meichel pushed out Kane's the future. alities from France a month breakaway that formed in the early Danish defence and his low penalty, the England captain Luis Enrique’s young side before the tournament began. stages of the nearly 200-kilometers ball across was turned into his pounced to drive home the were not the favourites for “We got this far, we’ve seen trek in southern France featuring Second sem-final own net by Simon Kjaer. winner. the tournament or against other sides who are stronger an unprecedented double climb of England bt Denmark 2-1 After a goalless second half, Meanwhile, Spain’s Euro Italy but they produced a than us on paper and fell the iconic mountain known as the England secured a place in 2020 campaign began in dis- bold and thrilling display in before us. There were many “Giant of Provence.” Sunday's final their first tournament final array and ended with the pain the 1-1 draw at Wembley and changes, many new faces but Race leader Tadej Pogacar was 10pm: England vs Italy since 1966 when Raheem of a penalty shootout defeat by dominated extra-time but what we’ve done is spec- one minute and 37 seconds behind, Sterling was ruled to have been Italy in the semi-finals but this could not make their tacular,” said Laporte. according to provisional results, and kept the yellow jersey. At 26, Van Aert is a jack of all trades. He can sprint, climb and time trial, but did not fight for the Qatar reach Houston to take part in Gold Cup general classification this year, working in support of Jumbo-Visma leader Primoz Roglic. The former cyclo-cross world champion was given more leeway by his team after Roglic retired from the Tour last week, setting his sights on a stage win. Van Aert went solo during the second ascent of the Ventoux, about 11 kilometers from the summit, to open a big gap with his breakaway companions. He kept his lead intact in the long downhill to the finish line. He smiled to TV cameras and Qatar squad arrived in Houston, United States yesterday to make their debut at the upcoming CONCACAF Gold Cup. clinched his fist as he approached The Asian champions underwent a training camp in Croatia to prepare for the tournament. In Croatia, Felix Sanchez- the town of Malaucene, then raised coached side also played two friendly matches against Croatia’s reserve side and El Salvador, which they both won. on his pedals and yelled in triumph Qatar will play their first Gold Cup Group D match against Panama on July 13, before taking on Grenada on July 17 with his arms stretched. It was van and Honduras on July 20. Aert’s fourth career stage win at the Tour. Federer’s dream of 9th title in tatters after Qatar SC unveil Spain’s Martinez Hurkacz mauling; Djokovic reaches semis LONDON REUTERS — Roger Federer waves after losing his quarter-final 50th Grand Slam quarter-final, against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz (left). Novak Djokovic recorded a Roger Federer’s dream of century of tour-level wins on winning a record-equalling grass as he suffocated the chal- ninth Wimbledon title ended lenge of Marton Fucsovics with with a heart-breaking 6-3, a 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 win to reach the 7-6(4), 6-0 quarter-final defeat Wimbledon semi-finals by Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz yesterday. yesterday. While such numbers might Before this fortnight, 14th sound impressive, for Djokovic seed Hurkacz had won only four the only statistic that matters New Spanish signing, midfielder Javi Martinez poses with a matches on turf but no one is that his dream of joining Qatar Sports Club official during his unveiling for the QNB Stars would have guessed his lack of Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal grasscourt pedigree after wit- on a record 20 Grand Slam League club yesterday. Martinez represented Spain since 2010 nessing the stupendous display titles was still very much alive and was a member of the squads that won the 2010 FIFA World he put in against his own as was the chance of becoming Cup and UEFA Euro 2012. He also played at the 2014 FIFA World childhood idol. the first man since Rod Laver Cup. In addition, the 32-year-old has featured in 251 official All the cheers and standing biggest win of his career while Never before had Federer in 1969 to complete the cal- games over the course of six La Liga seasons, scoring 26 goals. ovations in the world could not fans were left wondering that been wiped out in a set at endar slam. save Federer from the Centre should this turn out to be the Wimbledon. Fucsovics produced some Court mauling as it seemed his Swiss’s final Wimbledon After celebrating his triumph gutsy shots to stay alive in the 39-year-old body finally said appearance, there could not with a flying leap, Hurkacz first set when Djokovic stood at Qatar’s Cherif, Tijan gear up enough is enough. have been a more cruel way to joined the near 15,000 fans who 5-0 up with two set points and A Federer forehand into the bow out than losing 6-0 in the had packed into Centre Court to hung in with the top seed till 4-4 for Olympics in Gstad event tramlines handed Hurkacz the final set of his 22nd appearance. give Wimbledon’s favourite son in the second. a standing ovation as he made But once Djokovic broke for THE PENINSULA — DOHA Haussener. In their second WIMBLEDON a swift exit from the arena. a 5-4 lead in the second set, it group match yesterday, they Men’s Quarter-finals Results “I don’t know if we will ever was clear that this would not be Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and fell to Dutch pair of Stefan Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 see the great man again here,” his day. Tijan Ahmed are taking part Boermans and Yorick De Denis Shapovalov (CAN x10) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS x25) 6-4, 3-6, 5-7, 6-1, former champion Boris Becker In his 10th Wimbledon semi- in the FIVB Beach Volleyball Groot, who won the match 6-4 said, voicing the fears of thou- final, and 41st across all four Tournament, which started in with a 22-20, 12-21, 11-15 Hubert Hurkacz (POL x14) bt Roger Federer (SUI x6) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-0 sands of fans who had flocked majors, the Serbian will meet Gstad yesterday. score-line. Matteo Berrettini (ITLx7) bt Felix Auger-Aliassime (CANx16) 6-3, 5-7, 7-5, 6-3. Women’s Semi-final Line-up to the All England Club to see Canadian 10th seed Denis The Olympic-bound duo The Qatar side is placed in Ashleigh Barty (AUS x1) v Angelique kerber (GER x25) him and millions more watching Shapovalov, who defeated Rus- kicked off the event with a Group C of the Tokyo Karolina Pliskova (CZE x8) v Aryna Sabalenka (BLR x2) on TV.