ARAB TIMES, THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021 SPORTS 14 Korda stuns Schwartzman for biggest win Barty, Medvedev rise to challenge on tough day at Miami Open MIAMI, March 31, (AP): Aryna Sa- tough, which Korda appreciated. balenka clearly labored in the fi nal set After some early clouds cleared out of her match. Frances Tiafoe seemed and bright sunshine starting pounding to barely have the energy needed to down, the mid-afternoon temperature reach the post-match handshake. reached the mid-80s Fahrenheit (upper Conditions were tough at the Miami 20s Celsius) at Hard Rock Stadium and Open. The top seeds, however, were the humidity made it feel even hotter. up to the challenge. Barty didn’t wilt, ousting Sabalenka World No. 1 Ash Barty of Australia 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3 for her third three- won the fi nal nine points to fi nish off set win in four matches at the tourna- the seventh-seeded Sabalenka in a ment. Medvedev beat Tiafoe 6-4, 6-3, three-set women’s quarterfi nal, while and has gone 10-1 in sets against the men’s top-seeded Daniil Medvedev American in their past four head-to- of Russia reached the quarters with a head matchups. straight-set win over Tiafoe - part of a Barty faced seven break points in day where the American men’s contin- gent was pared from four to one, with Sebastian Korda the lone round-of-16 TENNIS survivor for the U.S. The 20-year-old Korda stunned fi fth- the match and saved them all. She’ll seeded Diego Schwartzman of Argen- meet No. 5 seed Elina Svitolina in tina 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 for the biggest win of Thursday’s semifi nals; Svitolina eased his career to date. And it’ll make for an Daniil Medvedev of Russia, cele- past Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 6-2 on interesting Thursday for the Korda fam- brates a point against Frances Tia- Tuesday night to make the fi nal four in ily: he’ll be in the Miami quarterfi nals foe, during the Miami Open tennis Miami for the fi rst time. that day while his sisters, Jessica and tournament, on March 30, in Miami Barty is now 18-3 in her past 21 Nelly, will be playing in the fi rst round Gardens, Florida. (AP) three-setters, 10-1 in her past 11 quar- of the fi rst women’s golf major of the terfi nal matches and 12-3 in her past 15 year, the ANA Inspiration. hope, then responded by breaking the meetings against fellow top-10 play- Korda, whose father Petr Korda Argentine right back and fi nally serv- ers. And she ran her winning streak in reached No. 2 in the world during his ing out the match. Miami to 10 matches. stellar career, put on a show to delight By then, it was maybe a bit cooler Tiafoe was a quarterfi nalist at Mi- Ashleigh Barty, of Australia, returns to Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, during the Miami Open tennis tournament, on the evening crowd. He was broken at than the brutal conditions that players ami in 2019 and couldn’t repeat that March 30, in Miami Gardens, Florida. (AP) 5-4 in the third to give Schwartzman endured in the day session - but still feat, nor John Isner. Australian uniforms unveiled Brathwaite’s delayed 100 gets 2026 Olympics plan for Cortina bobsled track at ‘outdoor’ oval ROME, March 31, (AP): Organizers think is the correct choice, which is West Indies to 354 in 2nd test for the 2026 Olympics are sticking with what was written in the dossier that we their plans to spend 50 million euros won with,” Malagò said. “That needs ($60 million) to rebuild an abandoned to be respected.” Sri Lanka trail WI by 218 runs bobsled track in Cortina d’Ampezzo The last time speedskating was held and take on the risky proposition of outdoors at the Olympics was for the holding speedskating at an outdoor 1992 Albertville Games, with the IOC NORTH SOUND, Antigua, March oval in Baselga di Piné. having since preferred the controlled Italian Olympic Committee presi- environment of indoor venues. 31, (AP): Left hanging on 99 over- dent Giovanni Malagò, who also leads Outdoor ice is notoriously tough to night, West Indies captain Kraigg the organizing committee for the Mi- keep in shape for all competitors to Brathwaite completed his ninth test lan-Cortina Games, offered an update have a fair chance at a medal. on the venues Tuesday during a pres- High temperatures made matters century on Tuesday to place his team entation of the 2026 logos. even worse in Albertville, where one in a strong position at stumps on the “As far as the track for bobsled, skel- recurring term was “slush,” with skaters second day of the second cricket test eton and luge, all of the problems have ploughing through soft ice that some- been resolved,” Malagò said. “It’s been times had a thin sheet of water on top. against Sri Lanka. completely resolved, thanks also to the Over longer distances, when a com- Brathwaite needed only two balls at the start excellent cooperation between the or- petition session can take two hours, of the day to reach his fi rst century since July ganizing committee, the Veneto region conditions at outdoor tracks can change 2018. He worked the second ball from Suranga and (Veneto president) Luca Zaia, the to the extent that gold can depend as Lakmal to fi ne leg for a town of Cortina, the IOC and the inter- much on the starting time as on four single to also complete his national federations.” years of preparation. fi rst hundred as West Indies The location of the sliding venue has After Albertville, the consensus was captain from 241 balls with been a source of debate because of con- never to return to outdoor skating for 11 fours. cern from the International Olympic the Olympics - until now, under IOC Brathwaite was the 16th Committee about runaway spending reforms aimed at cost-cutting. player in test history to be and white elephant venues. The venue locations could be fi nal- ized at the IOC’s coordination com- stranded on 99 overnight and mission visit next month. he maintained a streak as all Olympic hopefuls pose for photos in their green and gold competition kits in Sydney, Australia, on OLYMPICS Meanwhile, organizing commit- 16 have been converted into March 31, during the unveiling of the uniforms the Australian team will wear during the Tokyo Olympic tee CEO Vincenzo Novari suggested hundreds. He has now scored Games. (AP) The IOC had suggested that instead that road and railway works aimed at Brathwaite nine of the last 10 centuries of spending heavily to rebuild the Cor- improving access for the games are by a West Indies opener. ing different replay angles with the audio evi- Cornwall, 43 not out overnight, reached his half tina track, that sliding events could be already behind schedule - despite Brathwaite’s 103-run eighth-wicket partnership dence, ruled correctly that the sound didn’t come century with a four off Lakmal, from 64 balls with contested at a venue in neighboring $1 billion destined for infrastructure with Rahkeem Cornwall helped the West Indies to from the ball hitting the bat. eight fours and a six. Switzerland (St. Moritz) or Austria development from the Italian govern- 354 as it batted first after losing the toss. At Jason Holder, who was replaced by Brathwaite Brathwaite survived a confident appeal for lbw (Igls) instead. ment. stumps, Sri Lanka was 136-3, 218 runs behind. as captain, played a major role in encouraging the when he was 102. Sri Lanka’s appeal was rejected. Ever since Russia’s overall spend- “We have to accelerate on the infra- Lahiru Thirimanne followed his scores of 70 West Indies players late in the day. Replays showed the ball just clipping leg stump. ing linked to the 2014 Sochi Olym- structure works, because we don’t have and 76 in the first test with 55 which provided “It’s been a pretty docile wicket so far so we’ve The century partnership between Brathwaite pics topped $50 billion, the IOC has much time,” Novari said. “We’ve got solidity at the top of the Sri Lanka order. Dinesh got to try and motivate ourselves,” Holder said. “I been anxious to curb all infrastructure to hurry. We can’t be late.” and Cornwall came from 185 balls with Cornwall spending by local organizers. That pol- Added Malago: “The sports side is Chandimal and Dhananjaya de Silva then batted took it upon myself to try to encourage the guys contributing 72. through 25 overs in an unbroken fourth-wicket and ensure we kept going through the entire icy allows for taking events to another where there’s the least amount of con- Cornwall had reached a new high score, 73, country to cut costs. cern.” partnership which was worth 59 runs at stumps innings today. when he mistimed a drive off Lakmal and provid- when Chandimal was 34 not out and de Silva 23. Despite its closure 13 years ago for In Sydney, the topical color was yel- “It was a pretty good effort from the bowlers so ed a gentle, lobbed catch to Vishwa Fernando and far, not a wicket on which you can just blast peo- fi nancial reasons, the century-old bob- low on Wednesday. The plan is to con- ple out.” mid-off. sled track in Cortina is still a source of vert that to gold.