FFOOTBALLOOTBALL | Page 3 NNBABA | Page 5 Late David Brooklyn Nets’ double keeps Harden stars Lille top of PSG in return to in Ligue 1 Houston Friday, March 5, 2021 CRICKET Rajab 21, 1442 AH Patel, Ashwin spin GULF TIMES England out for 205 in fi nal Test SPORT Page 7 TENNIS / QATAR TOTAL OPEN Azarenka, Muguruza set up exciting semi clash Belarusian beats top seed Svitolina in straight sets, while former World No. 1 Spaniard downs Greek Sakkari By Yash Mudgal Doha wo-time champion Vic- toria Azarenka main- tained a clean slate over top seed and her doubles Tpartner this week Elina Svitolina to enter her 60th career WTA semi-fi nal at the Qatar Total Open yesterday. With the victory she also set up a faceoff with the 2018 Doha runner-up Garbine Muguruza, who defeated Maria Sakkari 6-3, 6-1 in yesterday’s last match to complete the semifi nal lineup. In her fi rst match against a Top 20 opponent this season, Aza- renka played through persistent pain and medical attention to fi re 25 winners, more than double the amount from Svitolina. “In the warm-up, I just felt a Spain’s Garbine Muguruza prepares to serve during the Qatar Total Open quarter-final against Maria Sakkari very sharp pain and I was very (not pictured) of Greece at Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex yesterday. Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in action during the Qatar Total Open quarter-final against Elina Svitolina (not worried. I tried my best. I really pictured) of Ukraine yesterday. tried to just focus on what I could up dropping that game, but still on Svitolina’s serve at 5-3. Never- ners, double the amount of her do, and not think about anything had enough zip on her returns to theless, serving for the match for unforced errors. more to sweep to victory. a tough match and then the next Doubles (Semi-finals) else, and try to fi nd solutions and break Svitolina in the top seed’s a second time at 5-4, Azarenka got An early break by Muguruza All told, Muguruza was stu- day be able to play another tough M. Niculescu (ROU) / J. Ostap- use every opportunity I had to next two service games and build it done on her third match point was nullifi ed when Sakkari broke pendous on serve, getting 79 per- match. I am happy that today enko (LAT) d. 1-B. Krejcikova (CZE) play,” Azarenka said. a 4-1 lead. with a backhand winner. back to level the opening set cent of her fi rst serves into play, I was a little bit more effi cient / K. Siniakova (CZE) 2-6, 6-3, 10-8 “I just tried to play point by Additional treatment from the Muguruza avenged a loss to at 3-3, but that would prove to and winning 80 percent of the in the important moments and 2-N. Melichar (USA) / D. Schu- point and not think about the trainer followed after that game, Sakkari in their only previous be the only break point Sakkari points when she did so. I could close the match in two urs (NED) d. A. Klepac (SLO) / S. score, how long it’s going to take but Azarenka still maintained meeting, which came earlier would generate all day. Muguruza, who had less sets,” the former World No. 1 said. Mirza (IND) 7-5, 2-6, 10-5 to play, if it’s going to be two sets her solid form, holding her serve this season in Abu Dhabi. There, Strong depth of return by Mu- than 24-hour to recover af- or three sets,” Azarenka added. twice more to pick up the one- Sakkari emerged winner in guruza helped her immediately ter last night’s three-set match RESULTS TODAY’S ORDER OF PLAY “I’m really proud of the way I set lead. Azarenka won three- straight sets, but former No. 1 re- reclaim her break at 4-3, and the against the defending champion Singles (Quarter-finals) CENTRE COURT starts at 4pm handled it mentally and how I quarters of points off of Svitoli- quired just over an hour to reach former World No.1 repeated the Sabalenka, was happy to close V. Azarenka (BLR) d. 1-E. M. Niculescu (ROU)/J. Os- approached this match.” na’s second serve in the opening the semi-fi nals for the second feat as she broke the Greek once the match in two sets. Svitolina (UKR) 6-2, 6-4 tapenko (LAT) vs 2-N. Melichar Azarenka broke Svitolina in frame. time in her six successive appear- more to take the one-set lead. “It’s true that we had a tough G. Muguruza (ESP) d. M. (USA)/D. Schuurs (NED) the fi rst game of the match but Azarenka broke Svitolina three ances at the event. Muguruza started the second match and I had less time to re- Sakkari (GRE) 6-3, 6-1 Not before 6pm took her fi rst medical time-out times en route to a 5-2 lead in the The highest-ranked unseed- set thunderously, holding serve cover, but, you know, this is also 4-P. Kvitova (CZE) d. A. Kon- 4-P. Kvitova (CZE) vs Q-J. to have her back evaluated dur- second set, but she did not serve ed player in the fi eld this week, easily with an ace, then charged what we try to work on. There taveit (EST) 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 Pegula (USA) ing the second game. The two- out the match in that game, and Muguruza converted fi ve of her through the remainder of the is never really an easy match. So Q-J. Pegula (USA) d. 2-Ka. V. Azarenka (BLR) vs G. Mugu- time major champion would end failed to convert two match points 12 breakpoints and fi red 14 win- match, breaking Sakkari twice you have to be prepared to have Pliskova (CZE) 6-3, 6-1 ruza (ESP) SPOTLIGHT Pegula’s giant-killing act continues with win over Pliskova By Yash Mudgal ever encounter and for her sixth qualifying. On the brink of elimi- champion Petra Kvitova, who Doha straight win, including the quali- nation, Pegula battled 19-year- survived Estonia’s Anett Kon- fi ers here. old Russian Anastasia Potapova taveit 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 in the fi rst Pegula, who conquered fi fth- 6-2, 6-7(3), 7-6(6). Since that match of the day. ualifi er Jessica Pegula ranked Elina Svitolina en route tough test in qualifying, Pegula Both players have been in top continued her giant- to her fi rst Grand Slam quarter- has unleashed her aggression form this week, reaching the killing act by beat- fi nal at the Australian Open, has roaring through eight straight quarter-fi nals without drop- ing the second top-10 momentum in her favour and she sets into a showdown against ping more than fi ve games in any Qplayer in a fortnight to earn her is ready to carry it forward. Pliskova. match, and were able to bring biggest semi-fi nal of her career “I would defi nitely say my “Defi nitely a confi dence builder. that level against each other. But in Doha yesterday. fi tness, staying healthy, has re- I had a really tough match in my overall, it was Kvitova who land- At the Khalifa International ally helped me mentally knowing second-round quallies against ed the most lethal blows at the Tennis and Squash Complex, the that I feel good pretty much every Potapova, and honestly, I probably right times, tallying 31 winners to American needed just 57 min- match, knowing that I don’t have should have lost,” she said. 24 unforced errors. utes to upset No. 2 seed Karolina to be too concerned about in- “I think after that match I de- The Czech raced out of the Pliskova 6-3, 6-1 to reach the last juries or anything like that. So I cided to just use that confi dence blocks, taking a 5-1 lead in just four stage at Qatar Total Open. think that has defi nitely been the to scrape out that match to play 19 minutes after a brilliant pur- Pegula, a quarter-fi nalist at biggest factor, you know, to start really aggressive and step in and ple patch of play. Kontaveit never the Western & Southern Open the year,” Pegula said after the just go for my shots. So I actu- backed down, even if too late to last year and the Australian Open win yesterday. Czech Republic’s Petra Kvitova ally think that match, second- save the fi rst set, but was useful a month ago, now has a 20-7 Pegula took control of the Jessica Pegula of the US returns a shot against Karolina Pliskova (not celebrates her win over Estonia’s round quallies, really helped me in terms of fl ipping the dynamic record since the Tour resump- match from world go, aiming her pictured) of Czech Republic during their Qatar Total Open quarter-final. Anett Kontaveit (not pictured). to this point and why I’m play- to dominate the second set. tion. returns deep and at Pliskova’s ing pretty well right now,” added Two-time Wimbledon cham- Striking 20 winners to just feet. Pegula took full advantage movement and intensity. court effi ciently, Pegula saved the Pliskova briefl y rejuvenated Pegula, who defeated former pion Kvitova, a winner here in seven unforced errors, the of the Czech, who had battled The American has dropped only break point she faced in the her tennis to break Pegula at the French Open champion Jelena 2018 and runner-up to Aryna 27-year-old showcased a fi ne past midnight the previous day just one set this week, and rarely fi rst set and sealed her second start of the second set, but it was Ostapenko 6-2, 7-5 in the previ- Sabalenka last year, displayed all-court game to take down 2017 to edge Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in looked like doing so again yester- set point with another baseline short-lived.