TUESDAY 8 JANUARY 2019 SPORT 05 This win will give us a different Captain Virat Kohli FOOTBALL identity as an Indian team and can after India’s first FOOTBALL inspire kids to do the same for the Test series victory in EFL Cup semi-final: Asian Cup: Iraq vs country going forward. Australia. Tottenham Hotspur vs Vietnam; Saudi Arabia vs ACTION Chelsea TODAY’S North Korea Sydney to NBA: Raptors host finals Australia bad-boy showdown down Pacers of new ATP without Team Cup to highlight Kooyong Classic Leonard REUTERS TORONTO AFP AFP The opening day line-up SYDNEY Nick Kyrgios of MELBOURNE announced yesterday includes Norman Powell scored a Australia hits a Sydney will host the American Jack Sock playing season-best 23 points off the finals of the new ATP Nick Kyrgios will face off against return against Tomic, Serb Filip Krajinovic bench and the Toronto World Team Cup, organ- Bernard Tomic for the first time Jeremy Chardy taking on Damir Dzumhur of Raptors, playing without isers announced as Australia’s most combustible of France during Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Aus- Kawhi Leonard but with Kyle yesterday, while pair battle for last-minute Grand their men’s tralian Jason Kubler playing Lowry back in the line-up, Brisbane and one other Slam form at the Kooyong singles second Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia. defeated the visiting Indiana city will feature round- Classic from today. round match The event once again fea- Pacers 121-105 on Sunday. robin games in a revamp The three-day event, at the at the Brisbane tures women’s matches, which Lowry had 12 points and of the season-opening private club which served as the International in were reintroduced in 2017 after eight assists after missing six tennis calendar. home of the Australian Open Brisbane, in this more than two decades. straight games with a stiff The Association of until 1988, is famed as a rela- January 2, 2019 Day one sees rising back. It was the Pacers’ 11th Tennis Professionals, tively stress-free preparation for file photo. American teenager Amanda Ani- regular-season loss in a row which runs the men’s the opening major of the year simova face Britain’s Katie in Toronto, dating to March game, voted in London next week at Melbourne Park. Boulter, fresh from the Hopman 2013. earlier this year to award Kyrgios and Tomic will both Cup last week. Serge Ibaka added 18 the tournament to count on lifting their games, with In addition a new format -- points and Danny Green Australia. each suffering in his own way as used last week at the Hopman chipped in 15 for the Raptors, It will be played in from burnout and lack of Cup -- will see matches played who beat the Bucks in Mil- January over 10 days in motivation. as best of two sets with a third waukee on Saturday night. the lead-up to the Aus- Controversial Tomic could set, if necessary, a 10-point Bojan Bogdanovic had 21 tralian Open, the first not even qualify for the Aus- tiebreak. points and nine rebounds to Grand Slam of the year, tralian Open 12 months ago fol- The field is headed by top 10 lead the Pacers, who saw starting in 2020. lowing a car-crash season, and players Marin Cilic and Wim- their six-game winning streak Sydney will host the faced a backlash after later bledon finalist Kevin Anderson. end. Domantas Sabonis final of the 24-team boasting “I just count my World number seven Cilic scored 16 points and had 11 event at the Ken millions”. did not play last week as he rebounds, and Victor Oladipo Rosewall Arena, which His ranking is now back up works to heal a knee problem added 16 points. will get a new roof this to 51st. while Anderson, ranked six, Meanwhile, Jeff Teague year, along with some Kyrgios, infamous for pet- began 2019 with a title in Pune, contributed a pair of round-robin matches. ulant behaviour and outbursts India. 3-pointers to a game- Group action will on court, ended his season early “The 2018 highlight for me opening, 15-1 run that paved also be played in after arguing with an umpire at was achieving some of the goals the way for host Minnesota to Brisbane along with I had set for myself, specifically rout Los Angeles, which is still another city, reportedly The three-day event, making London year-end finals, without LeBron James. Adelaide. at the private club winning more than one tour- The win came shortly Perth was thought to which served as the nament in the year, winning a before head coach and pres- be in the running, but the home of the Australian 500 (series event), and of course ident of basketball operations success of this year’s Open until 1988, is making another Grand Slam Tom Thibodeau was fired, mixed teams Hopman famed as a relatively Shanghai then picking up an other top players want match final,” Anderson said. ending his tenure midway Cup, spearheaded by elbow injury in Moscow. practice under competitive “In 2019, I hope to continue through his third season in Roger Federer and stress-free preparation While Australia’s notorious conditions. pushing the boundaries. A big Minnesota. Serena Williams, has for the opening major pair will not clash until In 2018, both Novak goal of mine is winning the Teague finished with 15 thrown that into doubt. of the year next week at tomorrow, organisers have lined Djokovic and Rafael Nadal Masters series, being in the finals points and a game-high 11 “The ATP Cup fits Melbourne Park. up a tasty programme, leaving played in one-off exhibition there, and giving myself a shot assists, while Karl-Anthony perfectly with our gaps for any late requests in case matches. at another Grand Slam.” Towns added 28 points and strategy to innovate and a game-high 18 rebounds for look towards the future,” the Timberwolves. said ATP chief Chris Elsewhere, hosts Los Kermode. Angeles played one of its best “We know from our Monfils pulls out in Auckland defensive games of the season extensive discussions to beat Orlando. with the players that the The Clippers are 24th in ATP Cup will provide a AFP “I have had a pain for two AUCKLAND CLASSIC RESULTS Marius Copil 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, has defense, giving up an average great way for them to WELLINGTON days with my quadriceps and lost his two previous matches of 114.7 points per game, but First round open their season. unfortunately I am not able to against Isner. they held the Magic to 37.1 “It will bring together Gael Monfils became the third play the tournament,” he said. Philipp Kohlschreiber bt Bradley Klahn 6-4, Germany’s Philipp Kohlsch- percent shooting from the the world’s best for a big name to pull out of the ATP “So I’m disappointed about 7-6 (7/2) reiber continued his phe- floor. major team event that Auckland Classic yesterday side- the situation I’ve put myself and Cameron Norrie bt Benoit Paire 6-3, 6-2 nomenal run in Auckland when Tobias Harris had 28 compliments existing lined by injury while seventh the tournament through, Joao Sousa bt D Shapovalov 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 the 35-year-old defeated points and nine rebounds, scheduling, provides seed Denis Shapovalov was because obviously this year is Taylor Fritz bt Marius Copil 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 American Bradley Klahn 6-4, 7-6 and Lou Williams scored 17 highly-coveted ATP bundled out in three sets. tough because they’ve had a Jan-Lennard Struff bt Laslo Djere 7-6 (7/5), (7/2) to move through to the off the bench for the Clippers, ranking points and Monfils, the eighth seed, said couple of retirements.” 2-0 rtd second round for the 11th time who have won six of their last clearly links to the Aus- he was hampered by a niggling Shapovalov, the 19-year-old Tennys Sandgren bt M Marterer 6-3, 6-4 in 12 years. nine. tralian Open.” pain in the leg. Canadian and only seed in action Matteo Berrettini bt M McDonald 6-3, 6-4 In other action, German Jan- The event is His withdrawal followed the on day one, romped through the Lennard Struff won his first set NBA RESULTS returning to the global absence of top seeds Tomas first set against Portugal’s Joao 7-6 (7/5) against Laslo Djere and Toronto 121, Indiana 105 calendar for the first time Berdych and Roberto Bautista- Sousa, but went off the boil for the below par performance. led 2-0 in the second when the Atlanta 106, Miami 82 since taking place in Agut, who both pulled out after most of the second set. In the reshuffled draw, John Serbian retired. Dusseldorf from 1978 to contesting the Qatar Open final The third set went with serve Isner takes over as top seed and Tennys Sandgren raced Phoenix 113, Charlotte 119 2012, and will feature on Saturday which Bautista Agut until 3-3 when Sousa made the goes straight through to the through his opening singles 6-3, Oklahoma City 98, Washington 116 US$15m in prize money, won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. vital break and then held on to second round to play fellow 6-4 against qualifier Mackenzie Chicago 100, Brooklyn 117 along with ATP rankings The flamboyant Monfils said win the error-filled match. American Taylor Fritz.