Sport MONDAY 7 JUNE 2021 SergioS Perez wins Azerbaijan Grand Prix NormallyN Baku is pretty crazy. I have to say sorry to Max, it would haveh been incredible to get that one-two for the team. But at the eend, it was a fantastic day for us. We were close to retiring the car bbut luckily we managed to finish the race. Sergio Perez Sport | 19 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES: England 1-0 Romania, Netherlands 3-0 Georgia, Luxembourg 0-1 Scotland, Moldova 1-0 Azerbaijan Qatar look to seal top spot with win over Oman FAWAD HUSSAIN THE PENINSULA Qatar just need a draw against Oman Oman have undergone changes and today to top Group E, but the reigning they are a strong side. We must be at Asian champions will look to collect our best in the match. It is going to be maximum points in their final game of the stage at the Joint Asian Qualifiers a different game as compared to the for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and previous games and our players are AFC Asian Cup China 2023. motivated and ready for the Al Annabi sit on top of the group challenge. We will do our best to win with 19 points after an unbeaten cam- the match: Felix Sanchez paign from seven matches, and if they avoid a defeat today at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium, they will seal their place as group leaders. “The team is supporting him and Oman – challenging the home side we hope him to recover as soon as pos- in a battle for top spot – have 12 points sible and become available for the from five games and need a victory forthcoming matches,” said Sanchez. against Qatar to keep their chances of Today’s other Group E match at the topping the group alive. The match will same venue will pit India and Bang- kick off at 8pm. ladesh, who are competing for auto- The Asian champions – coached matic places in the third round of qual- by Felix Sanchez are heading into the ifying for the AFC Asian Cup. The match Qatar players during a training session yesterday. game after their 1-0 victory against will start at 5pm. India on Thursday, while Oman have India – placed fourth in the group clinched wins over Thailand (1-0) and last group match crucial,” Sanchez told 2019, Qatar will go into the match with as compared to the previous games and – have three points from six matches Indonesia (3-1) in friendlies ahead of a pre-match press conference a psychological advantage. Sanchez, our players are motivated and ready while bottom-placed Bangladesh have the important match. yesterday. however, said players must show a for the challenge. We will do our best earned only two points from as many Qatar’s head coach Sanchez was “We will put our best effort to strong performance against Oman. to win the match,” Sanchez said matches. hoping his side to continue with the achieve good results in the match and “Oman have undergone changes yesterday. The local organising committee of good form they have maintained so far conclude our group campaign on a high and they are a strong side. We must be According to the Qatar Football the event, which is being held under in the qualifying campaign. note,” the coach added. at our best in the match,” the head Association yesterday, team midfielder strict COVID-19 protocols, has allowed “Oman is our main challenger in a Having defeated Oman 2-1 in the coach said. Salem Al Hajri will miss this summer’s 30 percent crowd attendance for the contest to win group, which makes our first leg at the Al Janoub Stadium in “It is going to be a different game CONCACAF Gold Cup due to injury. matches. Aidan O’Brien lands first win at QREC-sponsored French Derby St Mark’s Basilica storms to victory THE PENINSULA – CHANTILLY The Qatar Racing and Equestrian Club (QREC) sponsored the Qatar Prix du Jockey Club, the French Derby, for the first time in 2021. This Classic race reunites the best European 3-year-old colts and is also known as a stallion making race, with the likes of Lope de Vega, Shamardal, Dalakhani and Montjeu all former winners. H E Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al Thani, Ambas- sador of Qatar to France, and Edouard de Rot- shchild, President of France Galop, presented the trophies to the winners at the Chantilly Racecourse. The Irish trained St Mark’s Basilica, who started favourite, was the clear winner of this year’s exceptional edition, which reunited the cream of the 3-year-old crop,, three weeks after his triumph in the Group 1 Emirates Poule H E Sheikh Ali bin Jassim Al Thani, Ambassador of Qatar to France, and Edouard de Rotshchild, d’Essai des Poulains at ParisLongchamp. He was ridden once again by Ioritz Mendizabal, President of France Galop, with the representatives of St Mark’s Basilica and other officials. who gave his mount a dream ride on the rail. By leading French stallion Siyouni (based for trainer Frédéric Rossi. Milleboscwas a close St Mark’s Basilica is trained by Irishman at the Normandy stud of His Highness the Aga third: he runs in the colours of Gérard Aidan O’Brien, one of the most successful Khan), St Mark’s Basilica, gave his rivals the Augustin-Normand and was ridden by Grégory trainers in Europe (he has won the Epsom slip 300 metres from the post. Benoist. He is trained in Deauville by the young Derby eight times), although success in the Sealiway, representing the Haras de la StéphanieNigge, who was having her first Qatar Prix du Jockey-Club had eluded him Gousserie and Guy Pariente, came in second runners in this Classic race. until now. French Open: Rybakina stuns Williams as Federer withdraws AP – PARIS pulled out, citing a need for a mental FRENCH OPEN RESULTS health break. Men's Singles: Fourth Round Serena Williams turns 40 in Williams has won the French Open Stefanos Tsitsipas (5), Greece, def. Pablo Carreno September. Roger Federer hits that three times. But the American hasn’t Busta (12), Spain, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5. milestone the month before. No one been past the fourth round in Paris Daniil Medvedev (2), Russia, def. Cristian Garin knows how many more French Open since she was the runner-up in 2016. (22), Chile, 6-2, 6-1, 7-5. appearances each will make, and this Rybakina is a 21-year-old from Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Spain, def. Federico year's tournament ended for both Kazakhstan who is ranked 22nd. This Delbonis, Argentina, 6-4, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. yesterday. was just the seventh Grand Slam Women's Singles: Fourth Round Williams fell way behind and appearance for Rybakina - and the Tamara Zidansek, Slovenia, def. Sorana Cirstea, could not put together a comeback first time she ever made it so much as Romania, 7-6 (4), 6-1. against a much younger and less- past the second round. Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova (31), Russia, def. experienced opponent in the fourth Against Williams, whose right Victoria Azarenka (15), Belarus, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2. round at Roland Garros, losing 6-3, thigh carried a heavy tape job, 7-5 to Elena Rybakina - who wasn't Rybakina hit big, flat serves. She dealt Paula Badosa, Spain, def. Marketa Vondrousova even born when the American made with, but managed to steady, her (20), Czech Republic, 6-4, 3-6, 6-2. Serena Williams shakes hands with Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina after losing her tournament debut in 1998. nerves. She even produced the occa- Elena Rybakina (21), Kazakhstan, def. Serena her fourth round match. That defeat came hours after sional return winner off Williams’ Williams (7), United States, 6-3, 7-5. Federer withdrew, saying he needed speedy and spectacularly gifted serve, to let his body recover ahead of Wim- breaking her five times, including in the way of a shot from Rybakina that side of the women’s draw is going to by eliminating 12th-seeded Pablo bledon after a long third-round victory the next-to-last game. was flying long. Williams smiled rue- be Paula Badosa against Tamara Carreno Busta 6-3, 6-2, 7-5. that ended at nearly 1 a.m. on Sunday. "I am so happy with my match fully and leaned over, resting and Zidansek. Neither has been this far at Tsitsipas next faces No. 2 Daniil Williams has won 23 Grand Slam today. It was amazing," Rybakina said. propping herself up with her racket. a major tournament, either. Medvedev, who has won six of their titles and Federer has won 20. They Williams was down 4-3 in the Rybakina now will meet Anastasia One of those four players will previous seven meetings. are two of the sport's greatest and second set but pulled even again when Pavlyuchenkova with a semifinal become a first-time Grand Slam Medvedev is a two-time Grand most popular players, so it was quite Rybakina sailed a forehand well wide berth on the line. Pavlyuchenkova finalist next weekend. Slam finalist - at the 2019 US Open and a blow to the tournament, its TV to get broken. advanced with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 victory Stefanos Tsitsipas is still looking this year’s Australian Open - but was partners and tennis fans to see both In the next game, Williams gave over two-time Australian Open for his first major final, too, and he 0-4 for his career in Paris until now.