Sport FRIDAY 5 MARCH 2021 England post below-par 205 despite Stokes fifty in final Test against India We’re more than capable of scoring at least 300 on that pitch. It’s frustrating, but we can’t dwell on it too much. Overall, it’s a much better wicket than the last time we played here. Ben Stokes Sport | 14 PREMIER LEAGUE: Burnley 1 - 1 Leicester City; Sheffield United 1 - 0 Aston Villa; Crystal Palace 0 - 0 Manchester United Pegula stuns 2nd seed Pliskova; Muguruza, Kvitova into semi-finals Azarenka defies pain to crush top seed Svitolina FAWAD HUSSAIN Petra Kvitova of WTA QATAR TOTAL OPEN THE PENINSULA the Czech Republic RESULTS celebrates after QUARTERFINALS After breaking Elina Svitolina making it to the Petra Kvitova (4), Czech Republic, def. in the first game of the match, semi-finals with Anett Kontaveit, Estonia, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. Victoria Azarenka took a a win over Anett Jessica Pegula, United States, def. medical time-out for an Kontaveit of Estonia Karolina Pliskova (2), Czech Republic, apparent lower back pain. The yesterday. 6-3, 6-1. Belarusian quickly regrouped Victoria Azarenka (8), Belarus, def. in the high-profile Qatar Total Elina Svitolina (1), Ukraine, 6-2, 6-4. Victoria Azarenka of Belarus Open quarter-final after getting Garbine Muguruza, Spain, def. Maria plays a shot during her singles treatment and returned with an Sakkari, Greece, 6-3, 6-1. quarter-final match against emphatic performance to oust Elina Svitolina of Ukraine on the top seed. WOMEN'S DOUBLES SEMIFINALS the fourth day of the Qatar Following her resounding Total Open 2021 at Khalifa Nicole Melichar, United States, and 6-2, 6-4 victory yesterday, Aza- International Tennis and Demi Schuurs (2), Netherlands, def. renka - the 2012 and 2013 Squash Complex yesterday. champion – remained on course Sania Mirza, India, and Andreja Klepac, of becoming the most successful Slovenia, 7-5, 2-6, 10-5. WTA player at the Khalifa Inter- Monica Niculescu, Romania, and TODAY'S ORDER OF PLAY knowing that I don’t have to be national Tennis and Squash Jelena Ostapenko, Latvia, def. Barbora CENTRE COURT too concerned about injuries or Complex as no player has ever Krejcikova and Katerina Siniakova (1), Starts at 04:00pm anything like that,” she added. won the prestigious tournament Czech Republic, 2-6, 6-3, 10-8. FINAL Pegula, who has dropped three times. M. Niculescu (ROU), J. Ostapenko just one set in the tournament Although, Azarenka had (LAT) vs N. Melichar (USA), D. Schuurs so far against Anastasia never lost to Svitolina in their (NED) (2) Potapova in qualifying stage, previous three matches, the Not before 6:00pm now faces fourth seeded Petra World No.5 Ukrainian entered SEMI-FINAL Kvitova in the semi-final. the centre court as favourite to P. Kvitova (CZE) (4) vs J. Pegula (USA) World No.10 Kvitova go through the last-8 clash. But, Followed by defeated Estonia’s Anett Kon- the two-time Australian SEMI-FINAL taveit 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 after an champion Azarenka, facing a V. Azarenka (BLR) (8) vs G. Muguruza intriguing first quarter-final that Top 20 opponent for the first (ESP) lasted for one hour and 46 time this season, maintained minutes. her unbeaten record against Both the players, enjoying a her doubles partner, striking colour as intensity was missing purple patch of form, displayed 25 winners in her 85-minute in her performance. She looked powerful shot-making but it win. no match for the 27-year-old, was the 2018 champion and last After taking 4-1 lead in the who played the Australian Open year’s runner-up to Sabalenka, first set, the Belarusian received quarter-final last month. Kvitova, who struck the most additional treatment, but she World No.44 Pegula showed winners tallying 31 winners to still managed to win the first set. good command all over the 24 unforced errors to win the The former World No.1 took 5-2 court, firing 20 winners to just match. lead in the second set breaking seven unforced errors as she Two-time Wimbledon Svitolina thrice, she then failed ousted the 2017 Doha champion champion Kvitova started the Garbine Muguruza of Spain celebrates to convert two match points at in one hour. match strongly grabbing the 5-3 finally doing it while serving after defeating Maria Sakkari of Greece. The American took the first first set in only 29 minutes for the match second time at set easily and saved the only before Kontaveit, who also 5-4. A winner with a backhand break point she faced before didn’t drop more than five down the line gave Azarenka score, how long it’s going to take Sabalenka in a three-set thriller, But today I felt like everything powering past the World No. 6, games like her opponent before her 60th career WTA semi-final to play, if it’s going to be two maintained her form to avenge was going well.” defying her brief fightback in the match, struck back by appearance. sets or three sets. I’m really her Abu Dhabi loss in the pair’s the second set. It was Ameri- winning the second set. The “There was pain this proud of the way I handled it previous meeting. Pegula sets up Kvitova can’s second top-10 win of the former World No.2 clinched the morning but I thought it got mentally and how I approached Such was Spaniard’s form semi-final clash season after she shocked World decisive set after a solid better, then in the warm-up I this match,” she added. last night that hit 14 winners as Yesterday, it was a sixth No.5 Svitolina at the Australian performance. felt the pain again. I really just Azarenka will meet Spain’s compared to her seven unforced match in as many days in Doha Open. “I’m really glad that after tried to focus on what I could Garbiñe Muguruza – the 2018 errors, dominating World No.25 for qualifier Jessica Pegula but “(The win was) definitely a losing the second set, which I do, and not think about any- finalist in Doha – who out- Sakkari. the American remained high in confidence builder,” a delighted didn’t play the best probably, I thing else, and try to find solu- classed Greece’s Maria Sakkari “Happy that today I was a energy against second seed Pegula said after her win. started very well in the third tions and use every opportunity 6-3, 6-1 in one-hour and six little bit more efficient in the Karolina Pliskova, recording a “I would definitely say my and, you know, was important, I had to play,” eighth seeded minutes in yesterday’s last important moments. Yeah, I 6-3, 6-1 victory. fitness, staying healthy, and the first break in the first game Azarenka said in a post match quarter-final. could close the match in two Pliskova, returning to the then mentally, I think staying of the third set,” Pliskova told interview yesterday. Muguruza, coming into the sets,” Muguruza told reporters. centre court just hours after her healthy has really helped me reporters yesterday after “I just tried to play point by match after knocking out “Sometimes you try your thrilling three-set win over mentally knowing that I feel reaching another semi-final in point and not think about the defending champion Aryna best and it doesn’t go your way. Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur, looked off good pretty much every match, Doha. WTT Middle East Hub Action during the WTT Contender Doha 2021 Singles pre- quarter-finals and doubles quarter-finals held at Lusail Sports Hall yesterday. A total of 298 players are taking part at the event, representing 66 countries. Sport FRIDAY 5 MARCH 2021 14 Stokes defends England post below-par 205 despite England team selection after Stokes fifty in final Test against India frustrating REUTERS — AHMEDABAD opening day Indian players celebrate REUTERS — AHMEDABAD England endured a top-order the wicket collapse before they registered of England’s a below-par 205 in their first Ben Foakes on England all-rounder Ben innings in the fourth and final opening day Stokes found their below-par Test against India in batting display frustrating but of fourth Test Ahmedabad yesterday. defended the team selection yesterday. A sixth consecutive sub-200 PHOTO for the fourth and final Test total looked on the cards for the COURTESY: BCCI against India in Ahmedabad tourists after they slumped to yesterday. 30-3 in the morning session. Scarred by that experience, Ben Stokes (55) and Dan Joe Root brought back off- Lawrence (46) propped them spinner Dom Bess, along with up but England might regret not specialist batsman Dan Law- making the most of the perfect rence, while quicks Stuart batting conditions at the Broad and Jofra Archer missed Narendra Modi Stadium. out. India, who are 2-1 up in the “We felt that seam isn’t going to offer as much in terms SCOREBOARD of being a threat, it’s more of a holding role,” Stokes said ENGLAND 1ST INNINGS after England were all out for Z. Crawley c Siraj b Patel....................................9 205 on what appeared a good D. Sibley b Patel ..................................................2 J. Bairstow lbw b Siraj ......................................28 batting track at the Narendra J. Root lbw b Siraj ...............................................5 Modi Stadium. B. Stokes lbw b Sundar....................................55 “It’s definitely a better O. Pope c Gill b Ashwin ....................................29 wicket than the last Test D. Lawrence st Pant b Patel ...........................46 match.