WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 6, 2016 SPORTS DOHA: Spain’s David Ferrer returns the ball to Illya Marchenko of Ukraine during their tennis match in the Qatar Open tournament yesterday, in Doha. — AFP Williams insists she will make Australian Open Chargers, Raiders seek move to LA LOS ANGELES: The San Diego Chargers, before it can go forward. St. Louis Rams and Oakland Raiders have The Chargers said the biggest reason submitted applications to relocate their for wanting to move was a lack of a suit- franchises to Los Angeles, the National able state-of-the-art stadium. Football League said late Monday. “Today, the San Diego Chargers sub- The NFL released a statement confirm- mitted to the National Football League the ing that they have received formal peti- team’s application to relocate to Los tions from each of the three teams indicat- Angeles,” the Chargers said in a statement. ing they are ready to pay the $550 million “We have tried for more than 14 years, relocation fee for the team that wins through nine separate proposals and sev- approval through a vote of the owners. en different mayors, to create a world-class “Three teams-the Oakland Raiders, St. stadium experience for fans in San Diego. Louis Rams, and San Diego Chargers each “Despite these efforts, there is still no cer- submitted applications to our office today tain, actionable solution to the stadium to relocate their franchises to the Los problem. We are sad to have reached this Angeles area beginning with the 2016 sea- point.” son,” the league said in a statement. “Each The Chargers have pledged to respect team submitted the appropriate docu- the League owners’ final decision. The mentation in support of its application as Rams issued a brief statement indicating required by the NFL Policy and Procedures they had informed the NFL of their reloca- for Proposed Franchise Relocations.” tion proposal, effective for the 2016 NFL It said the applications would be League Year. reviewed by league staff and three league All three teams have plans to develop committees meeting in New York on a stadium in south Los Angeles. Rams Wednesday and Thursday. owner Stan Kroenke plans to build a sta- Next week’s league meeting in dium site in Inglewood near the Los Houston will also take up the applications, Angeles International Airport, and there the statement added, noting that three is a joint stadium plan in the south cen- quarters of NFL clubs — 24 out of 32 — tral suburb of Carson for the Chargers must approve of a franchise relocation and Raiders. —AFP PERTH: Serena Williams of the US hits a return against Jamila Wolfe of the Australia Gold team during their women’s singles match on day three of the Hopman Cup tennis tournament in Perth yesterday. — AFP Sharapova suffers arm injury, PERTH: The Australian Open preparations of I will be able to get it right for Australia,” she said. fashion 7-5, 7-6 (7/3). In the dead mixed doubles Serena Williams suffered a potentially significant “I only think positive and I know I’ll be okay.” rubber, the Czechs kept their final hopes alive Halep out with leg problem blow when she was forced to retire with a knee Earlier in the day, Alexandr Dolgopolov put with a 6-3, 6-1 win. Having already beaten the injury during the United States’ 3-0 Hopman Cup Ukraine within reach of their second Hopman USA on Monday, the result puts Ukraine in pole BRISBANE: Australian Open contenders on the east coast of Australia, causing further loss to Australia Gold yesterday evening. Cup final. In Ukraine’s first appearance at the position to reach Saturday’s final. Maria Sharapova and Simona Halep withdrew headaches for tournament organisers shorn The world number one retired due to sore- event since being runners-up in 1995, world As the only unbeaten team in their group, from the Brisbane International yesterday of two of their biggest draw cards. ness in her left knee during her singles match number 36 Dolgopolov gave his country two Dolgopolov and Svitolina simply need to beat after suffering injuries less than two weeks The injuries to Halep and 28-year-old against Jarmila Wolfe (nee Gajdosova) when wins from as many ties with his victory over the Australia Gold in their last round-robin match before the first grand slam of the year. Sharapova, five-times a grand slam singles trailing 7-5, 2-1. Czech Republic’s Jiri Vesely. Thursday to reach the final. In Ukraine’s last Romanian top seed Halep was felled by champion, follow fitness concerns over Veteran Lleyton Hewitt then secured the tie After the 19th-ranked Elina Svitolina upset appearance at the Hopman Cup, siblings Andrei inflammation in her left Achilles, an injury Australian Open defending champion Serena for Australia Gold with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Jack world number 11 Karolina Pliskova in straight Medvedev and Natalia Medvedeva were beaten that hampered her 2015 campaign, but was Williams, who pulled out of her first match of Sock, and it became a clean sweep for the home sets in the women’s singles, Dolgopolov in the final by Germany’s Boris Becker and Anke hopeful of being fit in time for next week’s the year at the Hopman Cup in Perth on side when the mixed doubles was a walkover clinched the tie when he beat Vesely in similar Huber.—AFP event in Sydney. Monday because of a knee complaint. due to Williams’ absence. Russian Sharapova, the defending cham- Halep, the world number two, was sched- The result meant the US bowed out of con- pion, was nursing an arm injury which meant uled to face twice Australian Open champion tention in the tournament. But of more concern a premature exit and no matches at her only Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in second round to their camp was the fitness of the defending No shortage of qualified tournament before the Melbourne slam action after receiving a bye and she down- Australian Open champion. Williams had already coaching candidates for NFL teams which begins on Jan 18. played concerns about the injury being any- missed the United States’ opening Hopman Cup “I hurt my forearm in practice a couple thing serious. “I did an MRI and it’s nothing tie on Monday due to inflammation of her left days ago and need to precautionary with- dangerous, but it’s still an inflammation,” said NEW YORK: Teams looking for a new head Was hot name past couple pf years. Helped draw with the #AusOpen starting,” Sharapova Halep who was replaced in the draw by lucky knee and was keen to gain some valuable match coach will find plenty of qualified candidates. Russell Wilson have his best season this year. practice against Wolfe. was quoted as saying by Brisbane tourna- loser Ysaline Bonaventure of Belgium. Picking the right one is the tough part for the Teams have to wait to interview him. Titans ment organisers. Sharapova has long been “I have just to take a few days’ rest.” U.S. However, she appeared extremely restricted Giants, Eagles, Dolphins, 49ers, Browns and would be nice fit. in her movements, particularly on her left side. dogged by injuries and missed last year’s US Open finalist Roberta Vinci escaped any dra- Titans. Chip Kelly, Adam Gase and Mike Open with a leg muscle injury and then suf- ma and became the first woman through to The ailment appeared to cast significant doubt Shanahan are just a few of the hot names. ASSISTANT COACHES over her title defence in Melbourne, where she fered an arm injury on her return in China in the last eight on the Brisbane hard courts From proven winners to successful coordina- Anthony Lynn: Bills running backs coach October. The world number four had been after the Italian demolished Dominika will aim for a seventh singles title later this tors to Super Bowl champions, here’s a list of and assistant HC. Has been RB coach since month. due to face compatriot Ekaterina Makarova in Cibulkova 6-1 6-1. In the men’s draw, seeds some of the top candidates. 2003 with four teams. Dolphins have interest. first round action later on Tuesday but was David Goffin and Domini Thiem won on Williams admitted she retired because she Doug Marrone: Jaguars assistant HC. Was was being hampered by the knee and could not replaced by another Russian, lucky loser Tuesday to make the second round, where THE COORDINATORS 15-17 as Bills head coach in 2013-14. Browns, Margarita Gasparyan. 17-times grand slam champion Roger Federer move around the court as she wanted. However, Adam Gase: Bears offensive coordinator Eagles, Dolphins have interest. the 21-times Grand Slam singles champion was That match, on Pat Rafter Arena, was one will begin from against German Tobias Kamke and former Broncos OC. Has helped Jay Cutler of several to be delayed on Tuesday by rain today. — Reuters confident it was only a minor problem and even and Peyton Manning have success. Dolphins, FORMER COACHES refused to rule herself out of Thursday’s Hopman Browns and Eagles have interest. Mike Shanahan: Won two Super Bowls with Cup tie against the Czech Republic. Sean McDermott: Panthers defensive coor- Broncos. Dolphins, 49ers possibilities. “I just have some inflammation that’s been dinator since 2011. Former Eagles DC. His Chip Kelly: Was 20-12 first two seasons going away very slowly,” she explained. “It’s still defense has ranked in top-10 four straight before 6-9 cost him job in Philadelphia.