Langer hopes Ponting can get Maxwell back in form

LONDON: Australia coach Justin Langer admitted the form of Glenn Maxwell was a worry ahead of a one-day series against England but said he hoped Ricky Ponting’s arrival into his backroom staff would be a boost to the talented ball-striker.

Former Australia captain Ponting will combine his work as a commentator on the upcoming five-match one-day international campaign with stints working alongside Langer. Maxwell was twice dismissed in single figures by spinners during Australia’s warm-up matches against Sussex and Middlesex. Ponting was also Maxwell’s coach at the Delhi Daredevils during this year’s Indian Premier League. But the 29-year-old Maxwell managed just 169 runs in 12 IPL innings at an average of 14.

Rafael Nadal was at his awe-inspiring best as he crushed Austrian Dominic Thiem to snatch a record-extending 11th French Open title with a 6-4, 6-3 6-2 victory on Sunday.

The Spanish world number one took his Roland Garros winloss record to 86-2 as he captured his 17th Grand Slam title by demolishing the seventh seed, who was hoping to become the second Austrian to win at Roland Garros.

In 11 finals in Paris, Nadal has only lost six sets as he matched the all-time record of most singles titles won at the same Grand Slam event set by Margaret Court at the Australian Open during the 1960s and 70s.

Sunday’s result marks the sixth consecutive Grand Slam won by either Nadal or 20-times major champion Roger Federer.

The muscular Spaniard had won all 10 of his previous Roland Garros finals and although Thiem was the only man to have beaten him on clay over the past two seasons, the Austrian never threatened the claycourt master on Sunday.

Nadal called on the trainer to get his forearms massaged twice in the final set but even that problem f ailed to i mprove Thiem’s chances of emulating fellow Austrian Thomas Muster’s 1995 triumph.

Nadal got off to a dream start, pocketing the first six points of the match as he broke Thiem in the second game to open up a 2-0 lead.

Thiem broke back immediately as he continued to go for his shots, and he saw off a break point to hold for 2-2.

FRUSTRATED THIEM

Nadal, however, turned the screw in the 10th game and Thiem seemed to grow nervous, sending a forehand long to hand his opponent the opening set.

The signs were already ominous for Thiem at that stage because in 112 best-of-five-set matches, Nadal had never lost after taking the first set.

The top seed went 2-0 ahead in the second set as he wore Thiem Break points won