TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2018 18 Murray climbs 457 places in ATP rankings Kuznetsova triumphs AFP | Paris hree-time Grand Slam The Russian saved four match points to claim Washington WTA title Tchampion Andy Mur- ray climbed 457 places in the ATP world rankings, de- AFP | Washington spite withdrawing from the Washington Open before wo-time Grand Slam champion his quarter-final last week. Svetlana Kuznetsova saved four The former world num- Tmatch points and rallied to defeat There’s something going on ber one is now ranked 375 as Croatia’s Donna Vekic and win her 18th with Washington. I never lose he continues his comeback career WTA title Sunday at the Washing- from an 11-month injury lay- ton Open. here. I played two times and I off. Murray also pulled out The 33-year-old Russian, ranked won both of the Rogers Cup in Toron- 128th in the world, defeated 44th- SVETLANA KUZNETSOVA to, though, after winning his ranked Vekic 4-6, 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 for last-16 match in Washington her first WTA title since 2016 in DC at 3 a.m. Moscow. Alexander Zverev re - It was also Kuznetsova’s first Vekic, 22, won her only WTA mained as the world num- title since left wrist surgery that had titles in 2014 at Kuala Lumpur ber three by successfully sidelined her earlier this year. and last year at Nottingham. defending his Washington “I know I’ve been a lit- Missing out on another af- title with a straight-sets win tle bit lucky today,” ter coming so near left her Svetlana Kuznetsova in action over Alex De Minaur, while Kuznetsova said. wiping away tears on fourth-ranked Juan Mar- Kuznetsova, win- the court as she tin del Potro was beaten in ner of the 2004 US accepted a runner-up trophy following come.” the Los Cabos final by Fabio Open and 2009 only her second final in three seasons. “Tennis is a little bit difficult sport. Fognini, who jumps a spot French Open, “Sorry for what happened today,” she When you lose it’s really bad and when to 14th. claimed a second told coach Torben Beltz. “Hopefully we you win you have everything.” Washington title can have some more finals together. Vekic had two match points in the 10th ATP top 20 to go with the one “Tennis is not an easy game. It’s not game of the second set but Kuznetsova 1. Rafael Nadal (ESP) 9310 pts she won in 2014, easy when you lose with match points denied her to reach a tie-breaker. 2. Roger Federer (SUI) 7080 her only other ap- up. But I love this sport. Hopefully I can Kuznetsova gave the Croatian two 3. Alexander Zverev (GER) 5665 pearance. be in some more finals and win some more match-point chances in the 4. Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) 5455 “There’s some- more titles.” tie-breaker but saved each with a fore- 5. Grigor Dimitrov (BUL) 4610 (+1) thing going on A sympathetic Kuznetsova of- hand winner before forcing a third set. 6. Kevin Anderson (RSA) 4355 (-1) with Washington,” fered condolences, prais- Kuznetsova rolled through Vekic in the 7. Marin Cilic (CRO) 3905 Kuznetsova said. ing her effort and final set, leading 5-0 and breaking her in 8. Dominic Thiem (AUT) 3665 “I never lose here. I Svetlana saying, “I’m the final game to claim the crown after 9. John Isner (USA) 3490 played two times and I Kuznetsova sure your two hours and 31 minutes, jumping for 10. Novak Djokovic (SRB) 3355 won both.” victories will joy in celebration. Zverev says Federer, Nadal still the best Serena, Murray among unseeded stars for Cincy Sky Sports | AFP The 21-year-old German won their level wouldn’t be fair to his third title of the year and the them.” lexander Zverev says Roger ninth of his career by defeating Not since 20-year-old Nadal AFederer and Rafael Nadal Australian teenager Alex De Mi- beat 19-year-old Novak Djok- are “still the best out there” af- naur 6-2 6-4 on Sunday. Roger and Rafa are ovic 11 years ago at Indian Wells ter admitting he is not on their But the world No 3 has failed still the best out there had the combined ages of ATP level despite defending his to make an impact at a Grand and still competing finalists been so young. And not Washington Open title. Slam yet and he still sees a big since 1995 in Buenos Aires had for Grand Slam titles. all four semi-finalists been 21 I haven’t won a Grand or under [Zverev 21, Stefanos Slam title. Saying I’m Tsitsipas 19, Andrey Rublev 20, on their level wouldn’t De Minaur 19]. be fair to them “It’s not only me that’s the ALEXANDER ZVEREV future of the sport. I think everybody who made it to the semi-finals is the future,” Zverev said. “We all want to be the best. Some of us already think we’re gap to 20-time major winner the best. We all have a lot of Maria Sharapova and Serena Williams (file photo) Federer and top-ranked Nadal. talent.” While Zverev stands atop a He added: “What a fantastic generation of rising young stars, week for me. Winning a tour- AFP | Cincinnati, United States don final to Angelique Kerber he still puts 36-year-old Federer nament on its 50th anniversa- last month, the 36-year-old and Nadal, 32, on the highest of ry is something amazing. This erena Williams, Maria American’s first Grand Slam pedestals. has been a very special week SSharapova and Andy Mur- final since an extended ab - “Roger and Rafa are still for me. ray were among the stars who sence after giving birth to a the best out there and still “(Defending a title) feels great went unseeded Monday for baby daughter last September. competing for Grand Slam ti- and shows mental strength as next week’s WTA and ATP Cin- Russia’s Sharapova, a five- tles,” he said. “I haven’t won a well. It shows a little maturity, cinnati Masters event. time Grand Slam champion, Alexander Zverev plays a shot Grand Slam title. Saying I’m on I think.” Novak Djokovic and Venus reached the French Open Williams also were among the quarter-finals but was a first- Grand Slam champions who round loser at Wimbledon. missed out on a first-round bye Reigning Wimbledon cham- at the last major tuneup event pion Djokovic, a 13-time Grand Buzarnescu dominates Sakkari for first title for the US Open, which starts Slam champion, was named August 27 in New York. the 10th seed while Britain’s AFP | Los Angeles wondered if her left knee would Top seeds for the Cincinnati Murray, a three-time Grand ever mend, Buzarnescu received event followed the latest ATP Slam champion, will be un- ihaela Buzarnescu’s long her Ph.D in sports science. and WTA rankings with world seeded in only his fourth start Mroad to a WTA title ended But her tennis dream re - number ones Rafael Nadal of since an 11-month absence in San Jose, California, on Sun- mained and she has enjoyed a Spain and Simona Halep of with a right hip injury. day as the Romanian powered breakthrough 2018, her first ti- Romania leading the 16 seeds Djokovic has reached the past Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-0 in tle coming in an elite Premier in each 56-player field, the top Cincinnati final five times the final of the US Open hard- level event after she was disap- eight of whom receive first- without ever taking home the court tuneup. pointed in finals at Hobart and round byes. winner’s trophy. For 30-year-old Buzarnescu, Prague earlier this year. Serena Williams, a 23-time Behind 17-time Grand Slam ranked 24th in the world and “It means that no matter all Grand Slam champion need- winner Nadal in the men’s seeded fifth, it was a reward for that’s passing through your life ing one more major victory to seedings are 20-time Grand perseverance. -- injuries and people not be- match Margaret Court’s all- Slam champion Roger Federer, Once the top junior in Europe, lieving in you and not thinking time record, will try to extend Germany’s Alexander Zverev she endured two knee surgeries that you can ever be able to play her streak of years with a ma- fresh off defending a title in and saw her ranking tumble to again and reach a high level -- jor title to seven by winning Washington, Argentina’s Juan 891st in the world. if you believe in yourself and the US Open. Martin del Potro and defend- During her extensive con- don’t give up you can make it,” Two-time Cincinnati cham- ing Cincinnati champion Grig- valescence, during which she Mihaela Buzarnescu in action Buzarnescu said. pion Serena lost the Wimble- or Dimitrov of Bulgaria..