Teen star Haaland bags hat-trick on Dortmund debut PAGE 14 SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2020 Palace hold City to a draw Crystal Palace force Manchester City to settle CRICKET ODI for a 2-2 draw in the Premier League PAGE 14 INDIA VS AUSTRALIA Qatar roll past Japan to zoom into the main round of Asian Men’s Handball Championship Qatar’s handball team defeated Japan 36-28 in their second Group B match of the 2020 Asian Men’s Handball Championship at the Sheikh Saad Al Abdullah Sports Hall in Kuwait on Saturday. Qatar had started their campaign with a thumping win over China on Thursday. The win saw the 2015 World Championship finalists Qatar top the group with 4 points from two matches to qualify for the main round. Japan with 2 points with one win also made the grade. Qatar will now play South Korea in Group 2 of the main round on Monday (January 20). The Asian championship, which concludes on January 27, is also a qualifying meet for the World Championships that will take place in Egypt in 2021. Australian Open Federer blasts lack of communication Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki addresses the media ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne on Saturday. (AFP) on smog ‘No regrets’ as Wozniacki embarks on swansong AFP “It doesn’t feel the same. MELBOURNE I still want to work hard, but I want to do something dif- CAROLINE Wozniacki said ferent. Honestly, I’m leav- Saturday that she has no re- ing with no regrets at all be- grets and it is “the right time” cause I’ve worked so hard my to walk away from tennis whole life, my whole career,” with the former number one Wozniacki added. set to retire after the Austral- Wozniacki, who finished Roger Federer of Switzerland hits a return during a practice session ahead of the Australia Open in Melbourne on Saturday. (AFP) ian Open. 2010 and 2011 on top of the But the Dane, whose only rankings but had to wait until Grand Slam triumph came 2018 to finally win a Major, “Communication is key from the tournament to the people, to the media, to the fans, to the in Melbourne in 2018, ad- does not anticipate emulat- mitted that she will be “a bit ing Kim Clijsters, the former players, because you do hear it’s not safe to be outside, keep your pets inside, close your windows” emotional” when the moment number one who is set to re- finally comes over the next turn to tennis seven years af- AFP inside, close your windows,” The rules will apply to all underway on Monday, when fortnight. ter retiring. MELBOURNE Federer said. outside courts and the Grand rain is forecast. Air quality in Wozniacki announced in The 36-year-old Belgian “You have court calls, then Slam’s three arenas with re- Melbourne on Saturday was December that she would re- will not be at the Austral- ROGER Federer demanded you look at the haze and every- tractable roofs, where play rated ‘moderate’, one step tire from tennis to focus on ian Open, having delayed her better communication about thing, it doesn’t look good. How will be halted until the roof is below ‘good’. other things, including start- comeback because of injury, air quality at the Austral- far are we from that threshold closed. The 38-year-old said the ing a family with husband and and Wozniacki warned that ian Open on Saturday after of playing, not playing?” Some players in qualify- air quality scale was a step in former NBA star David Lee. returning after so long out smoke from bushfires hit the World number six Ste- ing questioned why influential the right direction, and that he “There’s been a lot of will be tough. tournament’s build-up, as of- fanos Tsitsipas was another stars like Federer didn’t do was not worried about playing thoughts. It’s (retirement) “I personally don’t think ficials announced new guide- player who was troubled by the more to speak up on their be- in smoke haze. been something I’ve been so,” Wozniacki said, asked if lines on pollution. smog, saying he had difficulty half during the choking haze, “From what we were told thinking about for a long time, she expects Clijsters to chal- Federer, the 20-time breathing even after practising but the Swiss great, who is on yesterday in the player meet- for a while,” the 29-year-old, lenge once more for Grand Grand Slam champion, said indoors in Melbourne. the ATP player council, insist- ing, the Olympic Games and now ranked 35 in the world, Slams. “She can prove me a lack of information made “I was coughing a lot, had ed he did everything he could. other competitions have the told media in Melbourne. wrong. I think tennis has matters worse for players troubles breathing for a cou- “What can I do? I can go (particulate matter) numbers “I just looked at my life, changed in seven years. I who were forced to stay on ple of hours,” Tsitsipas said Roger Federer speaks at a press to the office, speak to them. set at 300. Ours is set at 200,” at my career, everything else, don’t think it’s as easy – I the courts on Tuesday and Saturday, while Canadian conference ahead of the Aus- I went to them the first day he said. and I just had a look inside of don’t know if she thinks it’s Wednesday, when air quality young gun Denis Shapovalov tralia Open in Melbourne when it was bad on Tuesday, “From that standpoint, I myself and it felt right. It felt easy – I know it’s not as easy in Melbourne was among the claimed “I wouldn’t play” if on Saturday. (AFP) the next day on Wednesday think we’re moving in a very like the right time for many as it looks from the outside.” worst on the planet. conditions deteriorated dur- when it was still bad,” he said. safe range. We’re not here for reasons.” Wozniacki played doubles Slovenian Dalila Jakupovic ing the tournament. Play will be stopped if “I told them, ‘Look, I just six months straight at over Wozniacki was diagnosed with close friend Serena Wil- was forced to retire during “I’m 20 years old, I don’t the particulate matter rating think communication is key 200, 300, you know. That’s with rheumatoid arthritis in liams last week at the Auck- qualifying after a distressing want to risk my life, risk my (PM2.5) – the solid and liquid for all of us, for everybody’. when maybe effects really be- 2018 but says that has nothing land Open, where they were coughing fit, while Britain’s health being out there playing particles suspended in the air We just need to do more be- come bad.” to do with her decision to quit. beaten in the final. Liam Broady claimed “mul- in this condition,” he added. – hits 200, or five on the air cause I feel like I hadn’t gotten Australian Open chief The Dane, who begins “It’s probably the most tiple” players needed asthma In the wake of the backlash, quality scale. enough information. Craig Tiley told reporters on her final tournament against fun I’ve had on court, we had medication. Australian Open organisers on Between 97 and 200 – a “Can I go on court and say, Thursday he “absolutely un- Kristie Ahn of the US, added: a blast,” she said. “We would “I think communication Saturday unveiled a five-step four rating – will trigger a Everybody stop play? I can try. derstands the anger”. “I’ve achieved a lot, I’ve given pretend to talk tactics – we is key from the tournament air quality rating to determine discussion between medical I don’t think that’s going to do “I do think air quality it my all. Every single day I go really would talk about every- to the people, to the media, when play should be halted, staff and officials about halt- much. Maybe it was all a bit for sport and for tennis is a out and I work so hard to stay thing else,” Wozniacki added, to the fans, to the players, be- based on pollutants meas- ing play, with the match ref- late. But I don’t think I can do conversation we’re going to at the top or to get back to the laughing. “Just went out there cause you do hear it’s not safe ured by monitoring stations eree able to suspend a match more than what I did.” have more of in the future,” top, whatever it may be. and had fun, enjoyed ourselves. to be outside, keep your pets throughout Melbourne Park. if he sees fit. The Australian Open gets he added. Sports Sunday, January 19, 2020 13 Longines Qatar Equestrian Tour Hathab 2019-2020: Big Tour Salman al Emadi shows his class on The Toymaker TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK DOHA India’s Sania Mirza (left) and Nadiia Kichenok of Ukraine after winning SALMAN Mohammed al Ema- the women’s doubles at the Hobart International in Australia di, who missed the first two on Saturday. Mirza returned to court after 2017. rounds of the annual Longines Qatar Equestrian Tour Hathab 2019-2020 national series, pro- Sania enjoys winning duced a telling showjumping performance on his bay gelding The Toymaker on Saturday to return with Nadiia top Big Tour in Hathab 6 at the Al Shaqab Indoor Arena.