SPORTS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2014 Federer seeks Davis Pacquiao expected Cup consecration LILLE: Roger Federer leads the Swiss quest to win a first Davis to gobble up Algieri Cup title in Lille yesterday, taking on a powerful French quartet spearheaded by Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Gael Monfils. The 33-year-old tennis superstar will be playing in his first Davis Cup final and as a partner will have long-time accomplice MACAU: A rejuvenated Manny Pacquiao Stan Wawrinka. Australian Open champion Wawrinka gets pro- will look to make short work of Chris ceedings underway against Tsonga with Federer then taking on Algieri tomorrow to defend his World Monfils in what promises to be a blockbuster of a match for the Boxing Organisation welterweight belt capacity 27,000 crowd. and raise his chances of a showdown The buildup to the final has been dominated by the fallout with Floyd Mayweather. Few believe the from last Saturday’s gruelling clash in London between Federer eight-weight world champion, oozing and Wawrinka in the last four of the ATP Tour finals. confidence and surrounded by a 300- By the end of an extraordinary match Wawrinka was left plus entourage in Macau, will be serious- “destroyed” after letting slip four match points, Federer had hurt ly troubled by Algieri. his back, and they had endured an ugly spat over some inappro- The 30-year-old American (20-0) is a priate words from Federer’s watching wife Mirka. capable and likeable former kickboxer The two have since buried the hatchet over the Mirka inci- from Long Island with a master’s degree dent, but Federer admits that he will take an element of uncer- and an ambition to be a doctor. tainty into his opening rubber Friday against Gael Monfils due to In June, he got up from the canvas his back injury. Wawrinka, however, said that he is full of confi- twice in the first round to shock Russia’s dence despite his loss on the London hardcourt. “For sure, it was formidable light welterweight champion tough to lose against Roger with four match points. But I took a Ruslan Provodnikov and take the WBO lot of positive from that week. I’m feeling great from London, a belt on a split decision. lot of confidence from there. Playing really good tennis,” he said. “I’ve had five days here to change surface, to play on clay. I did Now he says he wants to pull off an what I could here with some good practice. I’m feeling ready for almighty upset and end the fabled career the weekend. —AFP of the 36-year-old Filipino icon and con- gressman from Sarangani province. The last man to make such a bold prediction was another American, Brandon Rios, at the same venue a year ago. Rios instead Today’s received a lesson in boxing, speed, agility matches on TV and power from “Pacman”. Pacquiao, MACAU: This file photo taken on August 25, 2014 shows Philippine boxing who once described Algieri as just an icon Manny Pacquiao attending a pre-fight press conference. — AFP English Premier beIN SPORTS 2 HD “okay” fighter, remains dismissive of his League beIN SPORTS 14 HD challenge. “I know my opponent is excit- will Pacquiao prove the fearsome “fight- Chinese double Olympic gold medal- Chelsea v W Bromwich 18:00 Sunday ed to win, but I won’t let that happen,” he er of the decade” in the 2000s is back, list flyweight Zou Shiming (5-0, 1 KO) beIN SPORTS 1 HD Deportivo V R Sociedad 0:00 said at the Venetian Macau venue. two weeks before his 36th birthday. If he had a cameo role in the recent Everton V West Ham 18:00 beIN SPORTS 6 HD Pacquiao, whose record stands 56-5-2 does-and his Hall of Fame trainer Freddie “Transformers 4” blockbuster movie and beIN SPORTS 6 HD with 38 KOs, had a questionable build-up Roach has predicted a first-round knock- he will take on Thailand’s Kwanpichit Italian Calcio League Man City V Swansea 18:00 in which he made his professional basket- out-then a potential $1 billion megafight Onesongchaigym (27-0, 12 KOs) in a final beIN SPORTS 11 HD Atalanta V AS Roma 20:00 ball debut in the Filipino league last with “Money” Mayweather may become eliminator for a world title shot. Leicester V Sunderland 18:00 beIN SPORTS 3 HD beIN SPORTS 8 HD SS Lazio V Juventus 22:45 month. But he says he his fight prepara- closer to reality next year. Kwanpichit is an uncanny Pacquiao Stoke City V Burnley 18:00 beIN SPORTS 3 HD tions have helped him regain the aggres- Pacquiao and Algieri will fight for the look-alike-dubbed ‘mini-Manny’ by the beIN SPORTS 10 HD sion and power that put away world-class WBO welterweight (147lb) title at a media-and Zou will be hoping that the Newcastle V QPR 18:00 German Bundesliga adversaries such as Oscar de La Hoya, Erik catchweight limit of 144lb. A host of similarity applies only to the Thai’s looks beIN SPORTS 9 HD Paderborn V Dortmund 17:30 Morales, Marco Antonio Barrera, Juan celebrities will be ringside as promoter and not his punching power. Arsenal V Man United 20:30 beIN SPORTS 3 HD Manuel Marquez, Ricky Hatton and Bob Arum aims to show tonight pay-per- Two other world title fights complete beIN SPORTS 1 HD B Munich V Hoffenheim 17:30 Shane Mosley in his younger days. view audiences in the United States that the pay-per-view card. WBO feather- beIN SPORTS 4 HD Chinese territory Macau is growing to weight champion Vasyl Lomachenko (2- Spanish League FC Koln V Hertha 20:30 ‘MONEY’ MAYWEATHER rival Las Vegas as a fight venue. 1, 1 KO) and WBA super lightweight Atletico V Malaga 18:00 beIN SPORTS 4 HD beIN SPORTS 2 HD “I’m very happy with my training Hollywood superstars Sylvester champion Jessie Vargas (25-0, 9 KOs) will SD Eibar V Real Madrid 20:00 French League camp because it was a new birth. It was Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger defend their titles against Thailand’s beIN SPORTS 2 HD OGC Nice V Stade 22:00 like back to the old days-my speed and have already confirmed they will be Chonlatarn Piriyapinyo (52-1, 33 KOs) Barcelona V Sevilla 22:00 beIN SPORTS 4 HD power and determination are back,” there. On the undercard they will see and Mexico’s Antonio DeMarco (31-3-1, Pacquiao said. Only by stopping Algieri another screen star. 23 KOs) respectively. — AFP Hamilton clocks fastest in Abu Dhabi ABU DHABI: World championship leader Lewis out-score him by at least 18 points. hoping they are closer!” Dane Kevin Magnussen was Hamilton set a blistering pace ahead of Mercedes team- “I’ve just got to drive the way I usually do and what third fastest for McLaren ahead of four-time champion mate Nico Rosberg in yesterday’s practice for the Abu will be will be,” said Hamilton. “I feel good in the car. German Sebastian Vettel, who on Sunday starts his Dhabi season finale grand prix. Undoubtedly, there is more time to find so I’ve got to go 113th and final race with the Red Bull team before leav- And the 29-year-old Briton was also quick to praise and chip away at it tonight. ing for Ferrari as successor to two-time champion his team for the car they prepared for the double points “It’s just been nice to get in the car. I was so excited Fernando Alono. climax to the season. “The car felt really great out there to drive the car, like a kid at Christmas.” Hamilton said The Spaniard was out of luck on Friday when his car today and the team has done an amazing job,” said he was still working on the set-up of his car for both idled to a halt at the start of the second session with Hamilton, who hopes to seal his second world title qualifying and the race. Hamilton’s performance boost- possible electrical problems. It meant he was unable to tomorrow. “It is the best car I have ever driven here at ed his hopes of claiming a third pole in Abu Dhabi, hav- record a lap time. this circuit.” Hamilton was fastest in the opening sunlit ing achieved that feat for both the inaugural 2009 race Finn Valtteri Bottas of Williams was fifth fastest ahead session and in the evening twilight session set a best and again in 2012. Rosberg is seeking his first pole at the of Australian Daniel Ricciardo in the second Red Bull, lap of one minute and 42.113 seconds, 0.083sec ahead track. His previous best qualifying performance was Finn Kimi Raikkonen in the second Ferrari and Briton of Rosberg. It was the 15th time in 19 races this year that third place on the grid last year. Jenson Button, who was eighth in the second McLaren. Hamilton had been the fastest driver in second practice “Pole is important for sure,” he said. “That will help a Red Bull-bound Russian Daniil Kvyat was ninth fastest and gave him near-perfect preparation for Sunday’s 55- lot for the race, but even being second, there’s still so for Toro Rosso and Brazilian Felipe Massa 10th in the lap race at the Yas Marina circuit. many chances. “I try and approach it as a normal week- second Williams, as the British team improved following Hamilton, who has a 17 points lead over Rosberg, will end.