WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2017 SPORTS TENNIS Kerber survives as leading seeds stumble in Dubai DUBAI: Former world number one “I’m happy about my performance, I was sets by France’s Kristina Mladenovic 6-2, 6-4. utes on court, retiring at 1-4 in the first set “Every time you walk, to kind of have a Angelique Kerber survived as three of the trying to play my game and focus on every Number three seed Dominika Cibulkova fell with a foot injury in her second round match pain there. It’s kind of (a) new one, honestly.” top five seeds were bundled out of the point, I felt strong,” Kerber said. victim to Ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 4-6, 6-2, against Kateryna Bondarenko of Ukraine. Fourth seed Agnieszka Radwanska, the Dubai Tennis Championships yesterday. The German next plays Puerto Rico’s having also lost to the Russian in the The physio called it an ankle problem while 2012 tournament winner, beat Belgian Elise The top seed and winner of two Grand Monica Puig, whom she lost to in the Rio Melbourne third round. “It was a tough Muguruza insisted it was an Achilles tendon Mertens 6-3, 6-2 to progress to the third Slams in 2016 dispatched fellow German Olympic gold medal match last August. match again against Domi,” said Makarova. “I worry left over from last week in Doha. round to help save some dignity for top Mona Bartel 6-4, 6-3 in a second-round “That match will be completely different,” started really good with aggressive tennis. “It’s not (the) ankle, that’s ridiculous. The five seeds. Elena Vesnina, seeded eight, match. World number two Kerber is battling Kerber said. “I will try to do my best against “Beating her at the (Australian) Open doctor said maybe it’s just inflammation. I beat Misaki Doi of Japan 6-2, 7-5 while to recover the WTA top ranking she claimed her.” Puig ousted 15th seed Caroline Garcia of helped a lot, I was believing more and I have to do an MRI,” Muguruza said. tenth seed Caroline Wozniacki stopped last September when winning the US Open, France 6-1, 4-6, 6-2. US Open finalist Karolina knew what to do, how to play, where to go.” “I don’t think it’s something big, but it’s Swiss Viktorija Golubic 6-4, 6-2 and Ana only to see Serena Williams reclaim it with Pliskova, last week’s Doha winner and the Roland Garros champion and fifth seed very irritated and it’s really bothering me Konjuh eliminated Australian 12th seed victory at last month’s Australian Open. second seed, was dumped out in straight Garbine Muguruza lasted less than 30 min- every time I have to run on the court. Samantha Stosur 6-4, 6-3. — AFP SOCCER Incredible Hulk blasts Shanghai to victory SEOUL: Brazilian forward Hulk blasted Shanghai REDS RUN RIOT SIPG to a 1-0 victory over FC Seoul but the big- Six minutes later Damjanovic tumbled in the spending Chinese giants needed to survive a box, earning a soft penalty and a second yellow penalty and a red card before winning their AFC card for He Guan-but the striker’s scuffed spot- Champions League opener yesterday. kick was easily saved by SIPG’s Yan Junling. Hulk’s rocket of a strike on 53 minutes got Earlier, Japan’s Urawa smashed four second- Andre Villas-Boas’s team off to a winning start in half goals past Western Sydney Wanderers to Group F, where they lie second on goal differ- open their campaign with a thumping win. ence after Urawa Red Diamonds’ 4-0 demolition Shinzo Koroki and Tadanari Lee struck within of Western Sydney Wanderers. In Group E, two minutes of each other before Tomoaki Kashima Antlers beat Ulsan Hyundai 2-0 and Makino and Rafael Silva also got on the score- Brisbane Roar were held to a 0-0 home draw by sheet as the Group F visitors ran riot in Sydney. Thailand’s Muangthong United. SIPG have The result gives Urawa an early boost in their splashed out 60 million euros on Brazilian mid- campaign for a second Champions League fielder Oscar, among other buys, in their bid for crown, but dents the Wanderers’ chances of glory after they reached last year’s quarter-finals emulating their fairytale title run of 2014, when under Sven-Goran Eriksson. the club was just two years old. It was Lee who But a speculative effort from Hulk and anoth- prised open the home defence on 56 minutes, er shot way over the bar from the Brazilian were when his perfectly placed through-ball released the closest SIPG came in a tepid first half in front Koroki who finished smartly with the outside of of a noisy Seoul crowd. At the other end, Dejan his right boot. Damjanovic had a chance to finish off a sweep- Two minutes later and Urawa took a stran- ing move from the hosts but the Montenegrin glehold on the game, when the Wanderers’ striker shot tamely at goalkeeper Yoo Hyun from defenders failed to clear and stood watching close range. each other as Lee swept home the second goal. Oscar’s most significant moment of the first Urawa capitalised on yet more slack defend- half came when he petulantly raised his hand to ing when Makino, unmarked on the back post, Lee Sang-Ho’s throat and shoved the Seoul for- prodded home a loose ball from a corner on 68 ward, earning a yellow card. But the muscular minutes to make it 3-0. Hulk brought the game to life with a moment of And four minutes from time, Brazilian for- magic on 53 minutes, when he smashed a left- ward Silva was afforded plenty of space when he footed shot from well outside the box which raced clear and beat Janjetovic on his near post swerved into the top corner. from the edge of the box. — AFP GLENDALE: Arizona Coyotes right wing Shane Doan (19) back checks Anaheim Ducks center Nate Thompson in the third period during an NHL hockey game, Monday, in Glendale, Ariz. Arizona defeated Anaheim 3-2. — AP NHL Trocheck’s late goal lifts Panthers past Blues, 2-1 ST LOUIS: The Florida Panthers began their five- game road trip near the back of a crowded field NHL results/standings in the Eastern Conference playoff race. After sweeping the trip they’re near the top of the Atlantic Division. Arizona 3, Anaheim 2; Florida 2, St. Louis 1. KASHIMA: Kashima Antlers midfielder Mu Kanazaki (#33) heads the ball to score a Vincent Trocheck scored with just under 5 sec- Western Conference Eastern Conference goal against Ulsan Hyundai during the AFC Champions League group E football onds remaining to lift the Panthers to a 2-1 victo- Central Division Atlantic Division match between Kashima Antlers of Japan and Ulsan Hyundai of South Korea in ry over the St. Louis Blues on Monday night. “It felt Montreal 31 20 8 166 153 70 WL OTLGFGAPTS Kashima, Ibaraki prefecture, yesterday. — AFP like we won the Stanley cup for just a second,” Ottawa 31 20 6 156 152 68 Trochek said. “I think to do it with four seconds on Minnesota 39 13 6 195 133 84 Florida 28 20 10 149 162 66 the clock, we showed a lot of poise there in the Chicago 36 18 5 172 151 77 Boston 30 23 6 159 156 66 third period, even when they tied it up.” Jonathan St. Louis 31 24 5 170 173 67 Toronto 27 20 11 181 173 65 HK’s ‘Beef Ball’ takes Buffalo 26 24 10 147 168 62 Marchessault also scored and James Reimer Nashville 28 22 8 164 159 64 Tampa Bay 26 24 8 160 166 60 stopped 26 shots to help the Panthers complete a Winnipeg 28 29 5 180 194 61 Detroit 24 25 10 149 175 58 bite out of gender gap 5-0 road trip - their first perfect trip of at least that Dallas 23 27 10 165 193 56 Metropolitan Division many games in franchise history. Colorado 16 38 3 113 190 35 Washington 39 12 7 195 126 85 HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s Chan Yuen-ting will year award and a place in a BBC list of the Reimer has won five straight decisions and has Pacific Division Pittsburgh 36 14 8 204 165 80 Columbus 37 16 5 187 143 79 smash another hole through football’s glass ceil- world’s 100 most influential women. Eastern not lost in regulation since Jan. 7 against Boston, San Jose 35 18 7 166 144 77 going 6-0-1 since. The Panthers moved into a tie NY Rangers 38 19 1 196 152 77 ing when she makes history in the AFC then became Hong Kong’s first club to be hand- Edmonton 32 19 8 171 152 72 Champions League today-but it couldn’t be a ed an automatic berth in the Champions League with Boston for third place in the Atlantic NY Islanders 27 21 10 174 174 64 Philadelphia 28 24 7 154 179 63 tougher debut for the trailblazing female coach. group stage, thanks to the recent performances Division, but have the edge because they have a Anaheim 31 20 10 156 154 72 New Jersey 25 24 10 138 170 60 Chan, nicknamed “Beef Ball” and just 28 years of the city’s teams in AFC competitions. game in hand on the Bruins.