FRIDAY 23 AUGUST 2019 SPORT 17 I can honestly reflect and say I probably haven’t had fun FOOTBALL playing Tennis since Australia Japan’s Naomi Osaka says CRICKET and I’m finally coming to terms as she heads to defend Premier League: Aston Third Ashes Test, Day 2: with that while relearning that her US Open title. Villa vs Everton England vs Australia ACTION fun feeling. TODAY’S Conseslus Kipruto US Open: Djokovic favourite despite shock Cincinnati loss REUTERS Djokovic was on a roll until semi-final defeat in Flushing Meadows every year WASHINGTON Cincinnati, having won three titles, including two since 2007. Grand Slams, on three different surfaces this year. If there is one possible dis- Novak Djokovic (pictured) was traction, it comes off the court. all set to cruise into the US Open He won the Australian Open in January, took the ATP The 32-year-old faces oppo- as hot favourite but a semi-final Masters event in Madrid in May, before saving two sition from rivals for political defeat at the Cincinnati Masters match points to overcome old foe Roger Federer in dominancy of the ATP Players last week has at least given hope Council, the body set up to give to his challengers that the world the longest men’s singles final at Wimbledon in July. tour members a voice. Steeplechaser Kipruto’s number one is not invincible. Djokovic has led the Players Djokovic was on a roll until centre court. I’m going to fight Apart from 2017 when he Council since October last year Cincinnati, having won three for a title as everyoneveryone else does, missed the tournament througthroughh but his s two main a rivals va s Federer ede e return a relief for Kenya titles, including two Grand and I like my chances.chances. I feel goodgood injury,injury, the Serb has aandnd NaNadaldal returnereturnedd to tthehe bbodyody Slams, on three different sur- and I look forwardforward to it.”it.” reached at eearlierarlier this month, a move thathatt ahead of Doha Worlds faces this year. Djokovic, whoo hhasas won ffourour out least the was seen byby many as a unitedunited He won the Australian Open of the last fiveve GrandGrand SlamsSlams -- semi-sem i- frontfront to counter Djokovic’sDjokovic’s AFP in January, took the ATP Masters with his only lossloss over thethe past ffinalsina l s influence.influence. NAIROBI event in Madrid in May, before 13 months beingeing in thethe semi-semi- iinn TheThe councicouncill willwill meemeett saving two match points to finals of this year’syear’s French Open inin New York ahead of ththee World and Olympic 3000m steeplechase champion Conseslus overcome old foe Roger Federer -- will still be one of the US OpenOpen and the subtextsubtext Kipruto is targeting a winning return in his first race in a year in the longest men’s singles final favourites to win his fourth US willwill add to an alreadalreadyy in the Paris Diamond League meeting tomorrow. at Wimbledon in July. Open title. fiercefierce rivalryrivalry among thethe The return of the Kenyan 2018 Diamond League winner But last weekend’s defeat by A triumphph at FlushingFlushing threethree menmen whowho havehave after suffering a leg stress fracture last year is a relief for Kenya Russian Daniil Medvedev did not Meadows wouldould alsoalso taketake him ddominatedominated tthehe men’men’ss ahead of the World Championships in Doha, where its stran- shake the confidence of a man to within onee ofof RafaelRafael Nadal’sNadal’s ggameame fforor more tthanhan a glehold on global steeplechase titles was under threat for the who has spent nine months as total of 18 Grandand SlamSlam titlestitles aandnd decade. first time since 1991. the game’s top ranked player. to within threehree of Federer’sFederer’s “I am proud to return to racing again after such a long time. “I see mostly positives really record 20. The most important thing is that I am fully healed, and my target in my game,” he said after Sat- Althoughh a men’s now is to take back my position at the top of the 3000m stee- urday’s loss, only his seventh in champion has not plechase,” Kipruto said before leaving for Paris. 45 matches this year. defended the USUS OpenOpen Kenya has won every Olympic gold medal in the men’s stee- “I lost to a player that was crown sinceince plechase since 1968 and are undefeated at the world champi- playing amazing, so I’ll take that Federer in 2008,08, onships since 1991. and I’ll move forward to New Djokovic canan In Paris, Kipruto is expecting to renew his rivalry with York and have a good practice take encour-- Morocco’s Souffiane El Bakkali, who has taken full advantage week. agement fromm of the Kenyan’s absence to cement his place as the season’s “Then, of course, get myself a fine run off world number one, with two world-leading victories at the ready for the Open. I love playing form there inn Doha and Monaco Diamond League meetings. in those conditions there on recent years. The 23-year-old Moroccan, who won a silver medal behind Kipruto at the 2017 world championships in London also heads the list of seven qualifiers for the Diamond League finals in Zurich on August 29 and Brussels on September 6. Osaka heads to New York ITF postpones But victory for Kipruto in Paris will open the door for him to qualify for the two-legged final before heading back home India-Pakistan to prepare for the Kenya team’s world championships trials on September 12-13. striving for form, fitness Davis Cup tie REUTERS TOKYO Japan’s Naomi Osaka reacts during her to November first round match against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva at Wimbledon in this REUTERS MotoGP: Dovizioso It has been a roller-coaster 12 NEW DELHI months for Japan’s Naomi July 1, 2019 file photo. Osaka since her dramatic India’s Davis Cup tie against confident ahead of victory over Serena Williams Pakistan at Islamabad next in the US Open final last year. month has been postponed to After clinching her maiden November under “exceptional Silverstone challenge Grand Slam in a final that will circumstances” after a security always be remembered for review, the International Tennis AFP favourite, having finished Serena Williams’ extraordinary Federation (ITF) said yesterday. LONDON second or better in 10 of the 11 row with the umpire, Osaka The All India Tennis Associ- races so far, including six became the first Japanese to ation had last week written to After claiming victory in Austria, victories. claim the world number one the ITF asking them to shift the Andrea Dovizioso (pictured) The other big news for ranking when she captured her Sept. 14-15 tie to a neutral venue and Ducati will try to further Honda is the return of Marquez’s second slam in January at the or postpone it until political ten- close the gap on runaway cham- team-mate Jorge Lorenzo. Australian Open. sions simmer down between the pionship leader Marc Marquez The three-time MotoGP The rising star has gone on bitter neighbours. at the British MotoGP at Silver- world champion has been side- to become the second highest- “Following an in-depth stone on Sunday. lined since breaking his back at paid female athlete in the security review of the current Last year’s race was can- round eight in the world, behind Williams, off the situation in Pakistan by inde- celled due to standing water on Netherlands. back of a host of lucrative pendent expert security the track but the weekend “It’s very good to be back, it sponsorship deals. advisors, the Davis Cup Com- forecast looks to be fine for an has been a long time since Assen. But with the tennis world mittee has taken the decision to event that has been dominated I would have liked to have been at her feet, the 21-year-old postpone the Davis Cup Asia/ by Ducati and Yamaha in recent back sooner, but the nature of struggled to kick on. Oceania Group I tie,” ITF said in years. the injury meant I had to take A difficult few months saw a statement. Five-time world champion my time,” said Lorenzo who has her fail to win a tournament, “The committee concluded Marquez and Honda will be won at the circuit in 2010, 2012 lose her number one ranking that this is an exceptional cir- looking to exact revenge after and 2013, and was on pole and crash out of Wimbledon cumstance while the first pri- Dovizioso denied him a win in position last year before the race in the first round. ority of the ITF is the safety and the close-run Austrian Grand was cancelled. She opened up about her security of athletes, officials and Prix on August 11. Another man to watch is struggles on social media spectators. Dovizioso is now 58 points Yamaha’s Maverick Vinales, who earlier this month, calling the “The tie has been behind Marquez with eight races recorded the first victory of his last few months the “worst of rescheduled for November, with left. career at Silverstone in 2016. my life”. the exact dates to be confirmed Marquez won at Silverstone He is confident that the new “I can honestly reflect and by the Committee no later than inn 2014 andand Dovizioso tooktook thethe SilverstoneSilverstone surface,surface, laidlaid this say I probably haven’t had fun forcing her to retire in the presentation ceremony. Much September 9.” chequeredhequered flflagag ttherehere in 2017.