FOOTBALL | Page 4 ATHLETICS | Page 6 Maguire return Former a timely boost marathon for Manchester record holder United Kipsang banned Saturday, January 11, 2020 CRICKET Jumada I 16, 1441 AH India clinch GULF TIMES Twenty20 series over Sri Lanka SPORT Page 3 TENNIS / QATAR EXXONMOBIL OPEN Expect amazing as Rublev takes on Moutet in fi nal French qualifier Moutet upsets Swiss top seed Wawrinka in semis; Rublev brushes aside Kecmanovic By Anil John Doha t’s diffi cult to keep track of the number of times Andrey Rublev uses the word “amaz- ing” when he is asked ques- Itions specifi cally related to the Qatar ExxonMobil Open. It’s not that he doesn’t have a decent enough vocabulary - be- cause he didn’t utter that word even once when asked general questions about his preparations, his fi tness regime or even Rus- sia’s excellent show at the ATP Cup in Australia. But when the focus turns to Doha, he seems to be lost for words and simply can’t do with- out “amazing”. It’s clear that he simply loves this tournament, and everything else around it. In 2018, he gave glimpses of his tremendous potential by reaching the fi nal in Qatar on his fi rst appearance here, falling to Frenchman Gael Monfi ls. France’s Corentin Moutet returns during the semi-final against Stan But that time he was just out of Wawrinka (not pictured) of Switzerland yesterday. his teens and a little wide-eyed about the whole professional Russia’s Andrey Rublev in action during the Qatar ExxonMobil Open semi-final against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic (not pictured) at Khalifa winners and 10 aces. He won an sport and you cannot do any- tennis business, even though no- International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha yesterday. PICTURES: Jayan Orma impressive 45 points under fi ve thing. You just have to accept and body doubted his promise. shots and made a whopping 92 try to do your best.” But now he is more confi dent Corentin Moutet in today’s fi nal to his fi rst fi nal. two hours and 58 seconds with two an amazing tournament, amaz- percent of his fi rst serves count. The fi nal will be played at 6pm and measured in his attitude, both after the latter caused the big- But after catching his breath he service breaks in the fi nal set. ing everything,” he had said. In sharp contrast, Kecmanovic today. Expect amazing. on the court and off it, a 62-minute gest shock of the tournament was more composed. For Rublev earlier, everything Kecmanovic had reached the could only win points on just 46 victory over Roger Federer at the by upsetting top-seeded Stan “After the fi rst match against was, well, amazing. semi-fi nals with a fi ne win over percent of his fi rst serves as Ru- YESTERDAY’S SINGLES RESULTS ATP Masters quarter-fi nals in Wawrinka 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. Verdasco, I had a nice nap for a “I mean, the feeling, of course Hungarian Marton Fucsovics, the blev broke him once in the fi rst Semi-finals Cincinnati in addition to wins over Moutet has had the busiest few few hours,” smiled Moutet. “I it’s amazing when in the begin- only singles match in the last- set and thrice in the second. 2-Andrey Rublev (RUS) bt Stefanos Tsitsipas and Nick Kyr- days here, playing two rounds in was fresh. There were lots of ning of the season you go to the 8 that was played on Thursday Rublev said playing two match- Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB) 6-3, 6-1 gios at other events sending his qualifying before reaching the French people in the stands and fi nal. It’s (an) amazing feeling,” as rain played havoc with the es in a day sometimes cannot be Q-Corentin Moutet (FRA) bt stock soaring last season. fi nal. Along the way, he account- also other people, I don’t know he said at his post-match press schedule. helped and players should take 1-Stan Wawrinka (SUI) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 And his good form contin- ed for the fourth-seeded Milos from where. I thank them all for conference. The Serb therefore didn’t have such situations in their stride. Quarter-finals ued yesterday as he ended the Raonic before adding the scalps their support.” “So we’ll see how it’s going much to worry about as he had to “To be honest, I did it a couple Q-Corentin Moutet (FRA) bt dreams of the 20-year-old Serb of veterans Fernando Verdasco Wawrinka was in a league all his to happen tomorrow - I mean, play only one match yesterday, of times. I did it in Washington. I Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 Miomir Kecmanovic 6-3, 6-1 in (6-4, 4-6, 6-4) and favourite own in the fi rst set where Moutet what’s going to happen tomor- but Rublev didn’t off er him even played my fi rst and second round 1-Stan Wawrinka (SUI) bt Aljaz the semi-fi nals, a few hours after Wawrinka on the same day yes- couldn’t even handle his serves. row. I will do my best and we’ll a whiff off a chance, winning in 53 in one day then the quarter-fi nal Bedene (SUI) 6-3, 6-4 he had dispatched off Frenchman terday. But the tide changed later as see what’s going to happen.” minutes fl at. and semi-fi nal also in one day. 2-Andrey Rublev (RUS) beat Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 6-3 “I don’t know, I didn’t expect Moutet began fi nding his feet and Earlier at the courtside inter- Rublev had taken an hour and It happened somewhere else too Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-4, 6-3 in the quarter-fi nals, postponed that,” a visibly stunned Moutet matched Wawrinka in every de- view he was asked how he felt at 41 minutes to down Herbert but I don’t remember. from Thursday due to rain. said when asked courtside how partment of the game, except the getting another shot at the title earlier on Court No 1, but that “So, I mean, this is the way TODAY’S FINAL Rublev will clash with he managed to pull off two tough aces where the Swiss had 12 and he in Doha. seemed to have no eff ect on him sometimes happens. We just 6PM: 2-Andrey Rublev (RUS) vs 20-year-old French qualifi er wins on the same day on the way none, before he nailed the win in “It’s an amazing feeling, this is as he unleashed 13 fi erce forehand have to accept this as part of our Q-Corentin Moutet (FRA) SPOTLIGHT Bopanna and Koolhof clinch doubles title By Syed Arhm Ahmad positive, regardless of the sce- Doha nario we are facing and this al- ways helps when you play with a new partner.” hird-seeded pair of Ro- They were asked whether it han Bopanna from India was easier to play with a dou- and Wesley Koolhof from bles specialist when forming a the Netherlands beat new partnership, as opposed to TLuke Bambridge from Great Brit- a singles player to which Koolhof ain and Santiago Gonzalez from responded, “We are both used Mexico in the doubles fi nal of to playing with singles guys, I the Qatar ExxonMobil Open yes- played with Robin Haase and terday. The duo won an exciting Rohan played with Denis Shapo- match 3-6, 6-2, 10-6 in an hour valov in the latter half of last and 12 minutes. year but it helps to partner with It was a day of double duty for a doubles specialist because you both the fi nalists pairs as they have more time to practice to- also had to play their semi-fi nal gether rather than having to wait earlier in the day after Thursday’s Qatar ExxonMobil Open doubles champions India’s Rohan Bopanna (fourth from right) and the Netherlands’ Wesley Koolhof (third from right) pose with their trophies, runner-up pair for singles matches to be com- matches were washed out. of Britain’s Luke Bambridge (fourth from left) and Mexico’s Santiago Gonzalez (third from left), and off icials during the prize distribution ceremony yesterday. PICTURE: Jayan Orma pleted and to assess if the singles Bopanna and Koolhof, who got player is fi t enough to come and together for the fi rst time for the man pair of Frederik Nielsen and and deft drop shots. Bambridge Dutch duo fought back and broke tiebreak, but Bopanna and Kool- panna responded, “It took us two play doubles.” tournament, beat the second- Tim Puetz 2-6, 6-2, 10-4 in the and Gonzalez broke once in the the Gonzalez serve twice with hof took their chances on the big days of good practice this week Bopanna echoed the same sen- seeded Henri Kontinen from semi-fi nal earlier yesterday. fi rst set, courtesy of a backhand some aggressive return winners, points and closed the match out to to gel together and feeding off of timent stating, “An advantage of Finland and Franko Skugor from The fi nal was an entertaining cross-court winner from Briton. wrapping up the set 6-2 to set up win their fi rst title together. each other’s energy is what makes not playing with a singles player Croatia 7-5, 6-2.