TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2019 16 Solari uncertain over Real Madrid future despite victory Illness ends Serena’s bid AFP | Valladolid, Spain eal Madrid’s losing run Simona Halep battles past Kateryna Kozlova to reach Indian Wells fourth round Ris over but Santiago So- lari offered no assurances over his future after a cha- Serena Williams was otic 4-1 victory over strug- • gling Real Valladolid on 3-6, 0-1 down against Sunday. Garbine Muguruza Asked afterwards if it before withdrawing could have been his final from the tournament game as coach, Solari said: “I cannot answer that. To- citing ‘extreme dizziness morrow we have a training and extreme fatigue session and that is what I focus on.” AFP | Indian Wells Karim Benzema scored twice, including one from erena Williams’s first tour- the penalty spot, between nament since the Australi- strikes from Raphael Varane San Open came to an abrupt and Luka Modric as Madrid end on Sunday as the ailing 23- came from behind at the time Grand Slam champion re- Jose Zorrilla Stadium, after tired from her third-round WTA Anuar Tuhami had given match against Garbine Muguru- Valladolid a deserved first- za at Indian Wells. half lead. Serena Williams receives medical attention after she retired in the second set of her third round Simona Halep of Romania plays a forehand against Muguruza was leading 6-3, They could have been match against Garbine Muguruza Kateryna Kozlova of Ukraine 1-0 when Williams called it a four up had VAR not twice day in the battle of former world After a long talk with medi- tle in 2015 and Muguruza taking winner over Britain’s Johanna cancelled out goals from number ones because of a viral cal personnel Williams took the the 2016 French Open crown. Konta. Sergi Guardiola, who lat- illness. court for the second set, but af- It was a tough draw for Wil- er also hit the post, while “Before the match, I did not ter Muguruza held serve at love liams, who defeated former Halep holds on Ruben Alcaraz blasted feel great, and then it just got Williams called a halt. world number one Victoria Serving for the match, Bertens an early penalty over the worse with every second; ex- “By the score, it might have Azarenka in her second-round saved one break point and let crossbar. treme dizziness and extreme KNOW WHAT looked like I started well, but I opener. two match points slide by be- It was a frantic opening fatigue,” Williams said in com- was not feeling at all well phys- Muguruza was sorry to see it fore she reached the round of half an hour to a frenzied ments released via tournament ically,” Williams said. “I will fo- end the way it did. 16 for the first time at Indian night, which began with organizers. Halep next faces 61st- cus on getting better and start “We’ve played many times Wells when Konta sent a fore- the lights going out after a The 10th-seeded American, preparing for Miami.” and it’s always super-tough, su- hand wide. power failure before kick- continuing to work her way back ranked Czech Marketa It was the sixth meeting be- per-exciting,” Muguruza said. World number two Simona off and ended with Case- up the rankings in the wake of Vondrousova, who fol- tween Muguruza and Williams, “I wish I’m going to see her Halep had her hands full with miro being sent off, only time off to have a baby, had made lowed up her win over all five prior coming in Grand soon and feeling better,” added Ukrainian qualifier Kateryna for Modric to add Madrid’s a strong start, winning the first 2018 finalist Daria Slams. the Spaniard, who advanced to Kozlova but emerged with a fourth. three games. Kasatkina The last two of those were in a fourth-round clash with sev- 7-6 (7/3), 7-5 victory in her first Real stay third in La Liga, But she called for the trainer finals, with Williams beating the enth-seeded Kiki Bertens of the meeting with the 114th-ranked 12 points adrift of Barcelona after dropping six straight. Spaniard for the Wimbledon ti- Netherlands, a 7-6 (12/10), 6-4 player. and five behind Atletico. Arsenal steal march in top four race as tactics pay off Past champs Nadal, Federer move on London | Reuters wide once more. Rafael Nadal takes ‘positive step’ as Roger Federer also progresses at Indian Wells Against United, though, with rsenal manager Unai Em- Aubameyang and Lacazette Aery praised his team after both central, the former scored Nadal was too strong finding the winning formula and the latter got an assist in a • against visitors Manchester 2-0 win, while causing a nor- for Jared Donaldson United on Sunday, boosting mally resolute United lots of the Gunners’ Premier League problems. Federer was forced top four chances and hopes of Along with playmaker to• fight back in the catching third-placed rivals Mesut Ozil, who is back in second set against Tottenham Hotspur. favour and creating chances For most games this sea - — five against United, more Peter Gojowczyk son when Arsenal forwards than anyone else on the pitch Alexandre Lacazette and — Emery may have found the Roger Federer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang recipe to maintain Arsenal’s will• face fellow Swiss have started together the latter push for a Champions League Stan Wawrinka in has been played out of position qualifying spot. on the flank. “It is important to play a dif- the third round Such a ploy has been suc- ferent system, different play- cessful, with Aubameyang’s ers and keep the same perfor- AFP | Indian Wells 17 league goals bettered only mance,” he told reporters. “I Rafael Nadal of Spain plays a backhand volley against Jared Roger Federer of Switzerland plays a forehand against by Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah think we’re improving, we’re orld number two Ra- Donaldson of the United States Peter Gojowczyk of Germany this term, but usually it has feeling better with big confi- fael Nadal raced into been one or the other playing dence. Wthe third round of and, after saving four break with a crushing loss to Djok- France’s Adrian Mannarino. as a lone striker. “I don’t know if it is the best the ATP Indian Wells Masters points to make it 4-4, cruised ovic in the Australian Open final Mannarino, ranked 52nd in The last time both for - performance this season, we as Roger Federer made a less home. and included an early exit in the world, served for the match wards started a league game are improving. We are be - speedy but still successful start “I struggled a little bit with Acapulco, converted five of his at 6-5 in the third. together Arsenal slipped to ing competitive in different to his quest for a sixth title on my serving in that second set six break chances against Don- He couldn’t muster a match a 1-0 defeat at West Ham matches. Sunday. and that gave him chances. Be- aldson and never faced a break point and double-faulted United in mid-January, with “We are being consistent Nadal, a three-time Indian cause he was serving better, he point himself. on break point, and that was Aubameyang deployed out and that is very important.” Wells winner, needed just 72 started to swing more freely and He next faces Diego Schwartz- enough of a window for Nishi- minutes to get past overmatched then it was tough,” Federer said. man, who beat Spain’s Roberto kori. Jared Donaldson, 6-1, 6-1. “I’m really happy I found a Carballes, 6-3, 6-1. Nadal is 6-0 “I think in the tiebreak I Federer, who is seeking to way in that second set.” against the Argentine. played the best tennis of the break out of a tie with top seed Federer next faces compatriot “Today was a very positive match. I was really focused,” Novak Djokovic for most titles Stan Wawrinka, a three-time step for me, and the next one is said Nishikori, who opened in the California desert, looked Grand Slam champion currently going to be against a player that 2019 with a title in Brisbane and set for a similarly easy time of unseeded as he continues his we know each other very well -- then reached the quarter-finals it, but had to turn back a sec- return from injury. we practiced a lot of times, and of the Australian Open. ond-set challenge from German Wawrinka won a taut thriller we played some tough matches,” Eighth-seeded American Peter Gojowczyk in a 6-1, 7-5 against 29th-seeded Hungarian Nadal said. John Isner routed Australian win. Marton Fucsovics, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), “It’s going to be a tough one qualifier Alexei Popyrin, 6-0, Fourth-seeded Federer said 7-5, finally sealing it on his fifth against Diego,” he added, calling 6-2, the most lopsided win of he was relieved not to go to a match point after three hours Schwartzman “one of the best Isner’s career. second-set tiebreaker after fall- and 24 minutes when Fucsovics talents of the sport today.” Tenth-seeded Croatian Marin ing behind 3-1 to the free-swing- lofted a lob long. In other early matches, Cilic downed Serbian Dusan ing German, who is ranked 85th - ‘Positive step’ - sixth-seeded Kei Nishikori Lajovic, 6-3, 6-4 to book a meet- Arsenal’s Alexandre Lacazette shoots at goal as Manchester United’s Chris in the world.