Sport SUNDAY 22 AuGusT 2021 Barty beats Krejcikova to reach semis I feel like I did a good job looking after my own serves. I felt like a lot of the time I was in control of it. That just allowed me to be more free on Barbora’s service games. Overall, I was able to use my forehand and slice effectively. Ashleigh Barty Sport |09 PREMIER LEAGUE: Liverpool 2-0 Burnley, Aston Villa 2-0 Newcastle United, Crystal Palace 0-0 Brentford, Leeds United 2-2 Everton GCC Aquatics Championships: Team MEDAL TABLE (OPEN) G S B Kuwait shines on penultimate day Kuwait 7 4 3 14 Qatar 1 2 1 4 Oman 1 2 1 4 UAE 1 1 1 3 Bahrain 0 1 2 3 KSA 0 0 2 2 A Qatari swimmer in action during the penultimate day of the 28th GCC Aquatics Championships at Hamad Aquatic Complex in Doha, yesterday. At the end of the day's proceedings, Kuwait took the lead in the open medal tally with 14 medals (7 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze), while Qatar, with four medals (1 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze), were in the second spot. On Friday, Team Qatar juniors emerged age-group champions with an outstanding medal haul of 30 gold, 15 silver and seven bronze. RIGHT: Action during the water polo contest between Qatar and Saudi Arabia yesterday. PICtureS: AMED OUKDA / QSA Qatar contingent leaves for Liverpool cruise past Burnley Tokyo 2020 Paralympics to make it two wins from two REUTERS – LIVERPOOL Liverpool’s Sadio Mane scores their second goal. Liverpool made it two wins from two at the start of the new Premier League season as they cruised to a 2-0 home victory over Burnley yesterday. Diogo Jota edged Liverpool in front with his second goal in as many games in the 18th minute, a brilliant header in front of a first full Anfield in 17 months. Burnley, the team who last season ended Liverpool’s 68-match unbeaten home league run, a record that stretched back almost four years, had chances to level, but their final ball was lacking at the crucial moment. Ashley Barnes thought he had levelled early in the second half, Qatari para-athletes Abdulrahman Abdulqadir Fiqi only to be denied by the offside Champions League defeat by Burnley, who fielded a starting his first of the season after a and Sara Hamdi Masoud with the team officials at the flag, with Liverpool capitalising Atletico Madrid in March last year, XI consisting only of players with flicked pass from Trent Hamad International Airport yesterday, prior to their on their reprieve in the 69th the visitors looked like they might numbers one to 11 on their backs Alexander-Arnold. departure for Tokyo ahead of the 2020 Paralympic minute, as Sadio Mane drilled become the first Burnley team - the first Premier League team While Chelsea and Man- Games. Abdulrahman, a former world champion and home their second. since 1897 to win back-to-back since Charlton Athletic in 1998 to chester City have both been a silver medallist at the Rio Paralympic Games in The hosts pressed for a third, league games at the famous do so - remained undeterred, with tipped to be eventual champions 2016, will compete in the men's shot put - F34. Sara, urged on by a buoyant crowd, but stadium after making a bright McNeil again going close moments this season, very few have pre- who has also won a silver medal at the Rio Games, they settled for two, and a second start. after Liverpool’s opener. dicted Liverpool can go all the will compete in the shot put - F33 event in Tokyo. clean sheet of the campaign, to go Firstly, Dwight McNeil was just Salah then thought he had his way and wrestle the title back The Tokyo Paralympics will be held from August 24 top of the standings, and leave offside when he was denied by the 99th Premier League career goal, from City. - September 5. Burnley pointless from their post, before Chris Wood was only for VAR to rule it out for But this comfortable victory opening two matches. thwarted by a smart save from offside, with Barnes also seeing a means Juergen Klopp’s side are With Anfield in Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson. fine finish cancelled early in the unbeaten in 12 matches in the fine voice, at But, for the second time in as second half. league - the longest run in the Qatar's Alabsi renews capacity for the many games, Jota settled Liverpool Liverpool stepped it up division. With Virgil van Dijk back first time since nerves, scoring his first Anfield another gear, with the pressure in defence, they look a formidable national record at World L i v e r p o o l ’ s goal since November last year. telling as Mane hammered home unit once again. U-20 Championships Ronaldo staying at Juventus: Allergi REUTERS – TURIN 36-year-old has been offered to we also have to work as a team to Premier League champions Man- get the best out of an individual.” Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri chester City. Allegri is back at Juventus for a said Cristiano Ronaldo (pictured) “He has always trained well, I second spell having taken over from has told him that he will stay at the just read the gossip in the papers. He Andrea Pirlo, who disappointed in club this season, something the new never told us he wanted to leave,” his only season in charge of the Turin boss believes guarantees goals for Allegri told a news conference ahead side, steering the club to a fourth- the Serie A giants. of his side’s season opener at placed finish in Serie A last term. Ronaldo has been linked with a Udinese today. The Italian tactician’s five move to a host of clubs this summer, “Ronaldo told me that he is seasons at the helm from 2014 to with reports in Spain suggesting he staying at Juventus. He is an added 2019 brought five league titles, four could return to Real Madrid, while bonus for us, because he guarantees Coppa Italia wins and two runners- the Italian media speculated the a large number of goals. Obviously, up finishes in the Champions League. Dzeko on target as Inter thrash Genoa REUTERS – MILAN The visitors had a great chance to get back in the contest just before the Debutant striker Edin Dzeko was on interval, but Yayah Kallon dragged target as Inter Milan got their Serie A his effort wide from a good position. title defence off to a flying start, That miss proved costly as Inter, Qatari hurdler Saeed Othman Alabsi in action during the thrashing Genoa 4-0 in their opening who had two strikes ruled out for World U-20 Championships in Nairobi. Alabsi clocked match of the season in front of fans offside, the second of which was a time of 13.46 secs to set a new Qatar national U-20 in the San Siro yesterday. another fine finish from Calhanoglu, record despite finishing fourth in yesterday's 110m Hakan Calhanoglu, who crossed added a third in the 74th minute hurdles final. French hurdler Sasha Zhoya won the the divide to sign for Inter from city through substitute Arturo Vidal to gold medal at 12.72 secs, a new world junior record, rivals AC Milan in the summer, took make sure of the three points. bettering his own world record mark which was set centre stage from the off, setting up To complete the perfect afternoon barely 24 hours before. Jamaica’s Vashaun Vascianna Milan Skriniar for his side’s sixth- for Inter, on his 200th Serie A clocked a personal best of 13.25 to take silver while minute opener, before drilling home appearance, veteran forward Dzeko Inter Milan’s Edin Dzeko Polish athlete Jakub Szymanski took the bronze with a second eight minutes later. headed home a late fourth. celebrates with team-mates. a lifetime best of 13.43. Sport SUNDAY 22 AUGUST 2021 14 Medvedev Barty beats Krejcikova to ready to seize US Open reach semis in Cincinnati AP – MASON, OHio opportunity Top-ranked Ashleigh Barty beat Barbora Krejcikova 6-2, 6-4 on Friday REUTERS – MASon, OHio to reach the semifinals of the Western & Southern Open. With his game in fine form and a slew of past Barty will face two-time Cincinnati champions sidelined with injuries, Daniil finalist Angelique Kerber, who won her Medvedev said he is feeling confident as he quarterfinal when two-time Wim- prepares to try to win his first major title at bledon champion Petra Kvitova retired the upcoming US Open. during the second set because of a NBA releases The world number two, who fell to Rafa stomach problem. Kerber won the first Nadal in an epic five set final at Flushing set 6-4 and was tied 3-3 in the second. schedule, Meadows in 2019, is guaranteed not to suffer Barty beat Kerber in the Wimbledon the same fate this year after the Spaniard said semifinals in July. They have split their he would sit out to focus on healing a nagging six matches. plans to foot injury. “She’s one the best competitors in In addition to Nadal, past champions the world,” Barty said. “Angie’s never mark 75th Roger Federer, Stan Wawrinka, Dominic far off her best. Even on days where Thiem and Juan Martin Del Potro will also be she’s not playing her best tennis, she anniversary missing in action in New York.