18 WEDNESDAY, MAY 23, 2018 sports Hypersoft will make Monaco qualifying Liverpool good, but Autosport | Monaco enault Formula 1 driver RCarlos Sainz Jr expects qualifying in Monaco to be Real better: Ronaldo “absolute madness” thanks to the extra pace provided by Pirelli’s new hypersoft tyres. Cristiano Ronaldo is looking to win a fifth Champions League title in his career, All teams have weight - with Real Madrid seeking their third straight trophy ed their Monaco compound choices heavily towards the hypersoft, with Red Bull, Wil- Eurosport | London While Madrid’s domestic liams and Renault choosing title defence fell flat, finishing as many as 11 sets from their eal Madrid forward Cris- third, 13 points behind win- total allocation of 13 - picking tiano Ronaldo knows a “I have a lot of ners Barca and three points just one example each of the “This tyre around thing or two about being respect for them, off city rivals Atletico, Ronaldo Monaco could R Cristiano Ronaldo supersoft and ultrasoft. part of a pacey, direct forward but I think Madrid feels a Champions League Although the tyre was not be something line and has compared the Liv- are better. We win would more than used at Barcelona, the pink special, we will erpool team to Real sides of the have to realise make up for any dis- sidewall tyres were sampled see very quick lap recent past. the history we appointment. by several drivers in last week’s times if that is the “They remind me of Madrid can make and we “I love this com- test at the Spanish Grand Prix case” from a couple of years ago, with petition. They’re venue. three quick players up top,” he need to show our always good “It is quite impressive, that CARLOS SAINZ JR said, looking forward to the experience” games and to win tyre, I must say,” said Sainz. Champions League final on CRISTIANO RONALDO it you need to “It gives easily a second per Saturday. beat the world’s lap, and we’re at Barcelona Ronaldo, formerly of Liver- best teams. It’s where the last sector normally pool’s arch-rivals Manchester “It’ll be something historic, a competi - you arrive with the tyre quite ness. It will be crazy. United, is looking to win a fifth we’re really up for it,” he added. tion in which on the limit. “Last year with the new cars Champions League title in his Ronaldo injured his ankle in something “This tyre around Monaco it was something incredible, career, with Madrid seeking the 2-2 draw with Barcelona in always hap- could be something special, we and this year, two steps softer their third straight trophy. He El Clasico this month, however pens, as we will see very quick lap times if compound and the tyre that is confident they will do it. he appears to have shaken off saw with that is the case. for me is the best tyre Pirelli “I have a lot of respect for any lingering doubts about his Juventus,” “I would be prepared to see has done in a lot of years, it’s them, but I think Madrid are fitness after playing an hour of he said, re- lap records in Monaco again.” going to be crazy.” better. We have to realise the last weekend’s 2-2 draw with ferring to Asked how impressive qual- Toro Rosso’s Brendon Hart- history we can make and we Villarreal. He netted his 17th the scram- ifying in Monaco could be, ley is also expecting fast lap need to show our experience,” goal in his last 10 La Liga ap - bled win in Sainz said: “Absolutely mad- times. said the Portuguese attacker. pearances in the process. the quarter-final. Serena will not be seeded Dennis clinches Giro’s 16th stage at Roland Garros Overall leader Yates lost less Britain’s Simon time to second placed defending BBC | London • champion Dumoulin than many BETTER Yates retained the observers had predicted. ormer world number one leader’s pink jersey “I felt good in the first half. I FSerena Williams will not be with a 56-sec lead on had a good rhythm,” said Mitch- seeded for this year’s French KNOW defending champion elton–Scott rider Yates. Open. “I was trying to hold on to my The 36-year-old made Tom Dumoulin position. But I died in the final her comeback in March, six 10 kilometres. months after giving birth, and Serena Williams AFP | Praia Mare Italian climber Fabio Aru, her ranking has fallen to 453. had early defeats who had looked out of the race She had early defeats at In- at Indian Wells and ustralia’s Rohan Dennis after losing 20 minutes on Sun- dian Wells and Miami as she Miami as she has Awon the 16th stage of the day, created the big surprise of has struggled for form and struggled for form Giro d’Italia, a 34.2km individ- Australia’s Rohan Dennis in action the day as he achieved the best pulled out of clay-court events ual time-trial between Trento time-trial of his career finish- in Madrid and Rome. and pulled out of and Rovereto in northern Italy “I really wanted to come here win for the rider from Adelaide ing just two seconds behind The French Tennis Fed - clay-court events in yesterday. to win a stage. who finished second in the first Froome. eration says the 32 women’s Madrid and Rome Britain’s Simon Yates retained “I just have to hold on for as time-trial in Jerusalem, and But France’s Thibaut Pinot seeds at Roland Garros will be the leader’s pink jersey with a long as possible. There’s going adds to his stage wins on the lost more than three minutes on “based on the WTA ranking” . 56-sec lead on defending cham- to be guys trying to do crazy Tour de France and Vuelta a the stage winner to drop to fifth “Consequently, (the seeds) pion Tom Dumoulin going into things in the last week.” Espana. overall 1min 08sec off Italy’s will reflect this week’s world The 23-time Grand Slam the crucial, final week of racing. Dennis, 27, finished 14sec Four-time Tour de France Domenico Pozzovivo who occu- ranking,” the organisers added. champion’s last appearance on “This is a big day for me to ahead of Germany’s Tony Mar- winner Chris Froome was fifth pies the final podium position. Williams has won the French clay was in the final at Roland jump back into the top ten,” said tin of Katusha–Alpecin with on the stage, 35sec behind the Wednesday’s 17th stage over Open, which takes place from Garros in 2016 when she lost BMC rider Dennis who is now Dumoulin of Team Sunweb Australian as the Team Sky rider 155km from Riva del Garda to 27 May to 10 June, three times. to Garbine Muguruza. sixth overall five minutes be- third 22sec off the pace. moves up to fourth from sev- Iseo, east of Milan should suit hind Yates. It was the first Giro stage enth overall at 3min 50sec. the sprinters. Watson ends four-month losing streak over Kateryna Bondarenko to Heather Watson reach the second round of the • Nuremberg Cup. beats Kateryna The 26-year-old overturned a Bondarenko 6-3 deficit in the third-set tie-break 3-6 7-6 (7-3) to beat her Ukrainian opponent 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-3) and end a win- less run of eight matches. BBC | Nuremberg Briton Watson’s last victory came in the quarter-finals of the eather Watson ended her Hobart International in Janu- Hfour-month WTA Tour sin- ary. She will play Fanny Stollar gles losing streak with victory Heather Watson in the second round in Germany. Serena Williams.