SPORTS THURSDAY, MAY 8, 2014 Hamilton ready to make his move on Rosberg BARCELONA: Formula One’s European season kicks off in fifth on the grid, and arrives buoyed by his first podium Spain this weekend with Lewis Hamilton on a roll and appearance of the season in China last month when he fin- ready to wrest the championship lead from Mercedes team ished third and way ahead of team mate Kimi Raikkonen. mate Nico Rosberg. Hamilton has never won a grand prix The Spaniard, who also won his home race with Renault in Spain but, after racking up three successive victories for in 2006, can expect an improved car and huge support the first time, the 2008 world champion can break new from the local crowd but Mercedes have not been standing boundaries at the Circuit de Catalunya on Sunday. “I’m in a still either. good place right now and I’m hoping that this will be the The dominant team, who have taken every pole posi- year,” said the Briton, who is four points behind Rosberg tion so far and won every race, have also been working flat despite winning three races to the German’s one. out to make their car even better. “The circuit is fantastic, our car has performed well so “Our aim must be to increase the advantage we enjoyed far and I’m really looking forward to a good race.” Rosberg at the last race in China,” said Mercedes motorsport head was on pole in Spain last year but has also never won there. Toto Wolff. Barcelona, the fifth round of the 19-race season that “If we are to build a sustained level of success in this ends in Abu Dhabi in November, could also see the first big sport, any small advantage must be seen as a platform shake-up of the pecking order after the opening ‘flyaways’ upon which to build a bigger advantage.” in Asia and the Middle East. While Hamilton and Rosberg have been out on their The return to the sport’s European roots, and its most own, the gap between the rest of the midfield pack has fervent fans, sees the teams back in their palatial paddock been far closer and that pecking order could be in for a ‘motorhomes’ and represents something of a fresh start. reshuffle in Barcelona. All the teams plan to bring upgrades and Renault, who The question is which of Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, power Red Bull and their four times world champion Force India or Williams will make the bigger step. “Spain is a Sebastian Vettel, are confident they can bring much more good leveller,” said Rob Smedley, head of vehicle dynamics to the party after a difficult start to the season. at Williams, whose solid results so far have only hinted at “There are significant improvements to the software the car’s untapped potential. that should further enhance driveability and therefore “We have got a big step coming in all areas of the car,” overall performance,” said Remi Taffin, Renault’s head of added the Briton. McLaren have failed to score a point in track operations. their last two outings after a strong start in Australia and MADRID: Rafael Nadal from Spain returns the ball during a Madrid Open tennis tournament match against Juan Monaco “With three weeks between China and Spain we’ve have dropped to fifth overall. They too are hopeful a corner from Argentina. — AP made a huge amount of progress and in fact this race may has been turned. well show that the ‘engine race’ is a lot closer.” If that is the “We know the areas where our package falls short, and case, then predictions that Mercedes will run away with the we’ve taken steps - both short- and long-term - to address season could be premature. those,” said Racing Director Eric Boullier. Nadal and Serena ease “While not all of those will be in evidence in Barcelona ALONSO AT HOME this weekend, they mark the start of a fresh push and spirit Ferrari’s Fernando Alonso won in Spain last year, from within the whole organisation.”— Reuters into last 16 in Madrid MADRID: World number one Rafael Nadal dismissed lin- n’t convert on two break points and Williams needed just gering doubts over his recent form with a resounding 6-1, one chance to seal the only break of the set, before serving 6-0 win over Juan Monaco to reach the third round of the out the match to set up a third round meeting with Spain’s Madrid Masters yesterday. Monaco failed to win a game on Carla Suarez Navarro. Williams wore heavy strapping on her serve all match as Nadal, who suffered shock defeats in left leg throughout the match, but insisted there is no seri- Monte Carlo and Barcelona, rolled off 10 straight games to ous injury to worry about. seal victory in little over an hour. “It’s okay. I was just taping it to make sure it stays kind of He now meets Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen. “Obviously warm and ready. I just had some issues and went preven- once you lose a match it takes a bit longer to find the confi- tive to make sure I didn’t make anything worse,” she said. dence in your movement and your shots,” admitted the 13- “I’m literally taking it one day, one match at a time, and time Grand Slam champion. “Once it went to 4-1 in the first not putting any pressure on myself here.” Fourth seed set I felt I played a lot better and I am happy with the way I Simona Halep also had a comfortable passage into round felt on court today.” three as she saw off Spain’s Lara Arruabarrena 6-4, 6-4. Nadal is the only top four seed remaining in the men’s However, there was disappointment for 13th seed draw as Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer withdrew due Caroline Wozniacki as she was beaten in straight sets 6-3, to injury and family reasons respectively, while Stanislas 6-3 by Italian Roberta Vinci. Elsewhere, world number six Wawrinka lost to Austrian qualifier Dominic Thiem on Thomas Berdych stretched his perfect record against South Tuesday. However, the Spaniard insists he has not been dis- African Kevin Anderson to 11-0 with a 6-1, 6-4 win. tracted by the draw appearing to open up perfectly for a “I always like to play here. The courts are great, very well fourth title in Madrid. prepared. It’s a bit faster because of the altitude, which “In the past two tournaments I didn’t get to the rounds suits my game well and means I can serve well and play where I would have played those players anyway. “At this aggressively,” said the Czech number one. “I think we have level all the opponents are difficult and next I will face similar games, but I can always find something extra and Jarkko who has huge experience form being on the tour so that’s the difference. It’s also probably a mental thing as many years. “I congratulate Roger on becoming a father well now.” again and wish Novak the best in his recovery.” Serena Ninth seed John Isner of the United States sealed victo- Williams also cruised into the last 16 of the WTA Madrid ry with the only break of serve in the match to overcome Open with a 6-2, 6-3 thrashing of China’s Peng Shuai. The Australia’s Marinko Matosevic 7-6 (11/9), 6-7 (5/7), 7-5. 17-time Grand Slam champion powered through the first Polish lucky loser Lukasz Kubot made the most of SILVERSTONE: In this Saturday, June 29, 2013, file photo, Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton of Great Britain (left) cele- set against the world number 42 for the loss of just one Federer’s withdrawal by beating Frenchman Gilles Simon 7- brates after winning the pole position, along with his teammate Nico Rosberg (right) of Germany who finished second point on her own serve. 5, 2-6, 6-4 and Latvia’s Ernests Gulbis also advanced with a following the qualifying session at the Silverstone circuit. — AP Peng showed more resistence in the second, but could- 6-3, 6-4 win over Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov. —AFP Takayama retains IBF crown Clermont hires first female coach in OSAKA: Japan’s Katsunari Takayama With fast-changing footwork, Takayama retained his International Boxing Federation dominated the fight against his left-handed minimumweight title yesterday, beating challenger. A flurry of blows to the face and French pro game compatriot Shin Ono with a unanimous deci- body sent Ono sliding down from the ropes sion by the judges. to the floor in the 10th round. Takayama FRANCE: Players from French second-division club Clermont Takayama, a former World Boxing Council staggered him to the verge of a knockout welcomed the appointment of Helena Costa, the first woman minimumweight champion who also once with more punches until the bell saved Ono. to coach a men’s professional football team in France. held the World Boxing Association interim In the final round, Ono buckled down after Clermont announced the hiring for next season yesterday title, knocked down Ono twice in the 10th taking more blows for a count of eight. on its website, adding “this nomination should help Clermont and 12th rounds at the Prefectural “Ono’s rhythm made me struggle hard enter into a new era,” and that she will work closely with Gymnasium in the western city of Osaka.