22 Friday, October 20, 2017 SPORTS SPORTS Friday, October 20, 2017 23 Tsonga opens Antwerp Hamilton Kasatkina campaign dismisses Chelsea-Roma ‘silly’ title talk strides past Lewis Hamilton (file pic) draw in thriller Austin elaborate on his plans or the London 3-3 draw with Roma to stay top of straight loss for the first time under the ewis Hamilton dismissed significance of his comments den Hazard Champions League Group C. Italian’s stewardship. talk of him wrapping up a about why winning is such a and Edin Chelsea had surrendered a two- Hazard’s first goal of the season fourthL world title at the United priority for him. He suggested EDzeko each goal lead to trail 3-2 with 20 minutes followed David Luiz’s opener but States Grand Prix this weekend that a member of the media scored twice remaining after former Manchester City Aleksandar Kolarov halved the deficit as “silly”. audience understood, without Kremlin Cup Daria Kasatkina (file pic) as Chelsea striker Dzeko’s quick-fire double. before Dzeko’s delightful volley and The 32-year-old Briton can explaining. Sasnovich rescued a But Hazard headed in to prevent free header within seven second-half claim the 2017 crown if he is When he was asked directly Moscow The Russian made a brilliant start, serve to close the gap – and broke Kasatkina will next face Irina- thrilling Antonio Conte’s side slipping to a third minutes. triumphant for Mercedes and if he intended to take a knee aria Kasatkina beat Aliaksandra securing a double break to race to a once more to keep herself in it. Camelia Begu, who beat qualifier Chelsea were second best, but Hazard nearest rival Sebastian Vettel in support of the protests by Sasnovich in straight sets, 4-0 lead, but Sasnovich was dogged Kasatkina clung on, though, as Vera Lapko, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 - but she headed in Pedro’s cross to give the of Ferrari fails to finish in the NFL players against racial 6-4,D 6-3, to make her way into the and got herself on the board with a she used her forehand brilliantly did not know her opponent until Blues seven points ahead of the trip top five in Sunday’s race at the injustice and police brutality, semifinals of the Kremlin Cup. break of her own. and benefited from a Sasnovich later in the day, and immediately to the Eternal City on Oct. 31. Circuit of the Americas. he distanced himself from It was a match in which neither Kasatkina looked unstoppable double fault to break to love and after the match she said whoever Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (file pic) The Blues were seeking a “Honestly, I don’t know, all some of his earlier comments player held very often, struggling to on her opponent’s serve, breaking take the set 6-4. she faced she would need to Antwerp response to successive Premier of the talk of a championship on the subject. make their first serves count. once more to give herself the The pair exchanged breaks at improve her game. econd seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who League losses to Manchester City win here is silly really –- “I’ve not given that much “I am glad I managed to close opportunity to serve out the first the start of the second set, but after “I need to be playing more is bidding to capture his 16th ATP and Crystal Palace which have Sebastian won’t have the same thought,” he said, adding that out the first set and closed out set. that the Russian took command, aggressively because these are very WorldS Tour title this week, moved into left the champions nine points difficulties and he will be very when he had referred to a that match,” Kasatkina said via a But the Belarusian took the third using her brilliant forehand to powerful girls,” admitted Kasatkina. his eighth quarter-final this year by adrift ahead of Saturday’s quick. “gentleman at the front” who translator on court afterwards. of three break points and then held force her opponent into errors. (wtatennis) beating fellow Frenchman and qualifier fixture with Watford. “For me, it (the title) will be understood his thinking he Kenny De Schepper 6-4, 6-3 in 88 The Blues did not get the done in the last four races so was not considering the protest minutes at the European Open. win they craved, but will my focus here is on winning. action. “I’ve worked hard to be Tsonga, who is 30-13 on the season, have been boosted by “I don’t mind if it is done here today and I have feelings Kevin Anderson enters Stockholm Open quarter-finals will next face another compatriot, the way they fought here or at the last race, but the about the whole situation, but Stockholm 35-year-old Julien Benneteau. Tsonga back after ceding most important thing here is at the moment I have no plans outh African Kevin Anderson has already lifted silverware in 2017 the initiative to to win, in the midst of all that to do anything.” stepped up his bid yesterday for at the ABM AMRO World Tennis Roma. is going on in the country and He added that if he was not oneS of the four remaining places Tournament in Rotterdam, the Open Chelsea that is a priority for me -– and to win the title in the United at the Nitto ATP Finals when he 13 in Marseille and the Open Parc marked their you know what I am talking States, he would be happy to knocked out South Korean Hyeon Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Lyon in Lyon. Champions about.” win it in Mexico, Brazil or Abu Chung 6-3, 6-2 for a place in the Fourth seed and last year’s finalist League return Hamilton declined to Dhabi. (AFP) Intrum Stockholm Open quarter- Diego Schwartzman needed one hour after last season’s finals. The second seed struck 18 aces and 41 minutes to beat #NextGenATP European absence with a 6-0 win over and won 28 of his 32 first-service American Ernesto Escobedo 6-3, Qarabag and followed that up with points to improve to a 32-18 mark on 7-6(5) for a place in the quarter-finals an impressive display in winning at Alonso the season. against fifth-seeded Spaniard David Atletico Madrid. “In the beginning I felt I was hitting Ferrer or Steve Darcis of Belgium. A draw in Baku between those sides the ball great and I was creating Escobedo is No. 11 in the Emirates earlier on Wednesday gave Chelsea staying at opportunities,” said Anderson. “He ATP Race To Milan with 497 points, added incentive. Beat Roma here was hanging in there and it took me attempting to qualify for next month’s and they would have one foot in the McLaren quite a few attempts to break serve. Next Gen ATP Finals. knockout stages with three group He defends so well and is a great Greek qualifier Stefanos Tsitsipas games to play. If only it were so simple. Luiz’s athlete, so for me to come off the Kevin Anderson (file pic) booked a spot in his first ATP World in 2018 court with that scoreline feels good.” Tour quarter-final on Thursday when deployment in midfield, with N’Golo He will next face Spaniard season finale, to be held at The O2 today at the VTB Kremlin Cup. Troicki 6-2, 6-3. leading Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 7-6(4), Kante out injured, provided balance, Austin feel at home here,” the Spaniard Fernando Verdasco. in London from 12-19 November. Medvedev knocked out Carreno Elsewhere, seventh-seeded 5-6. Karlovic retired after injuring his while striker Alvaro Morata made ouble world champion said in a team statement at the Anderson is at No. 12 in the Chung is No. 8 in Emirates ATP Race Busta in Moscow. Japanese Yuichi Sugita recorded left ankle while serving. a welcome return from his own DFernando Alonso will U.S. Grand Prix. Emirates ATP Race To London To Milan for a spot at next month’s Fifth-seeded German wild card his 22nd match win of a career- Tsitsipas will now challenge top- hamstring injury, but Roma were stay with McLaren in 2018, the “McLaren has the technical with 2,450 points — 155 points inaugural 21-and-under Next Gen Mischa Zverev will take on top seed best season by knocking out 2009 seeded Belgian and Nitto ATP Finals better throughout. team said yesterday in a long- resource and financial behind ninth-placed Pablo Carreno ATP Finals with 760 points, having and 2013 champion Grigor Dimitrov champion Marcos Baghdatis of contender Goffin or American Frances Morata spurned an early chance, expected announcement that strength to be able to very Busta of Spain, who sits in the been overtaken by Russian Daniil of Bulgaria or Polish qualifier Jerzy Cyprus 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in one hour and Tiafoe, who is bidding to qualify for the shooting straight at Alisson. finally ended one of the sagas quickly win races and world final qualification berth for the Medvedev (772 points) who won Janowicz after he moved past Viktor 49 minutes. (atpworldtour) Next Gen ATP Finals. (atpworldtour) Diego Perotti shot over before Luiz of the Formula One season. championships in F1,” added struck against the run of play. McLaren did not say whether the 36-year-old, who won The Brazilian roamed forwards and, the new contract extended his two championships with when his attempted pass to Morata beyond next year.