Fed could face Nadal in US Open semifinals

Sharapova draws No. 2 Halep

NEW YORK, Aug 26, (AFP): World number one Rafael Nadal could face third-ranked Roger Federer in the semifinals of the US Open under the draw unveiled Friday.

Swiss star Federer, a 19-time Grand Slam champion who won this year’s Wimbledon and Australian Open titles, has never faced Spanish legend Nadal on the New York hardcourts in the year’s final Grand Slam tournament.

Nadal, a 15-time major champion who this year won his 10th French Open title, owns a 23-14 edge in his career rivalry with Federer, but the Swiss has won their past four meetings, including at this year’s Australian Open final.

Nadal begins his quest for a third US Open crown after 2010 and 2013 against Serbian Dusan Lajovic. He could face Frenchman Richard Gasquet in the third round, a foe he has defeated in all 15 of their previous meetings.

The 31-year-old Spaniard could meet Czech Tomas Berdych in the fourth round and Bulgarian seventh seed Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals.

Federer, 36, opens his run in the Flushing Meadows fortnight against American Frances Tiafoe and could meet Australian Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round as well as Austrian seventh seed Dominic Thiem in the quarter-finals.

Tiafoe upset Germany’s Alexander Zverev in the second round at Cincinnati last week.

British second seed Andy Murray plays American Tennys Sandgren in his first match with French 16th seed Lucas Pouille a possible round of 16 opponent and French eighth seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga potentially awaiting him in the quarter-finals.

Tsonga’s first match will be against Romanian Marius Copil.

Fourth seed Zverev and Croatian fifth seed Marin Cilic are also possible last-eight opponents.

Zverev opens against a qualifier while Cilic begins against Frenchman Gilles Simon.

Zverev could face South African Kevin Anderson, whom he beat earlier this month in the Washington final, in the third round and US 13th seed Jack Sock in the fourth round.

Cilic, the 2014 US Open winner, could meet US 10th seed John Isner in the last 16.

Argentina’s Juan Martin del Potro, the 2009 US Open champion, is a potential fourth-round opponent for Thiem.

Dimitrov’s fourth-round foe could be Belgian ninth seed David Goffin or French 18th seed Gael Monfils.

The field is missing several top contenders due to injury, including defending champion Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland, two-time US Open winner Novak Djokovic of Serbia, Japan’s Kei Nishikori, the 2014 runner-up, and Canada’s Milos Raonic.

Meanwhile, Russian wildcard Maria Sharapova, making her return to Grand Slam tennis after a 15-month doping suspension, will face world number two Simona Halep in the first round of the

Nadal

US Open.

Sharapova has a 6-0 career record against Halep, who last Sunday missed out on a third chance in as many months to climb to the top of the rankings.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova was issued a two-year suspension after testing positive for the banned heart and blood boosting drug meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open, but the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced the ban on appeal.

She said that she had taken it for several years and did not know it had been placed on the banned list at the start of 2016.

Former world number one Sharapova made her return in April at Stuttgart, reaching the semi-finals as a wildcard, but such invitations sparked criticism from some WTA rivals, saying she should have to work her way back without such benefits, some suggesting a life ban.

Sharapova was refused a wildcard by French Open organizers and missed Wimbledon with a thigh injury. A forearm injury has limited her to one US Open hardcourt tuneup match.

Sharapova has missed three of the past four US Opens, her last visit ending in the 2014 fourth round.

Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza of Spain humbled Halep 6-1, 6-0 in last Sunday’s final at Cincinnati to deny her the top ranking.

Halep also lost playing for number one in the French Open final against Jelena Ostapenko and a Wimbledon quarter-final against Johanna Konta, each time after taking the first set.

Britain’s Konta, the seventh seed, could meet Halep in the quarter-finals.

World number one Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic opens against Poland’s Magda Linette. She could meet Russian eighth seed Svetlana Kuznetsova in the quarter-finals.

Defending champion Angelique Kerber, the sixth seed from Germany, will open against Japan’s Naomi Osaka. She could meet Ukraine’s fourthseeded Elina Svitolina in the last eight.

Third seed Muguruza and Denmark’s fifth-seeded Caroline Wozniacki could also meet in the quarters. Wozniacki will open against a qualifier while Muguruza’s first foe is American Varvara Lepchenko. where we are after fist rest day.”

Ireland’s Nicolas Roche remains third overall, a further 13 seconds back.

Italian duo Vincenzo Nibalo and Fabio Aru were in the group alongside Chaves, 17 seconds behind Froome, to fall 53 seconds and 1min 06sec behind the race lead respectively.

Despite a return to form in the past few days, three-time Vuelta winner Contador remains over three minutes behind in his final race before retirement after a poor start.

Froome was once again put in the perfect position by his Sky teammates as they pushed the pace to prevent the breakaway.

“I know I say it every day but again a massive thank you to my teammates,” added Froome.

“The guys need a break but they have been so strong and it’s thanks to them I’m still in the red jersey.”

Whilst Froome put time into his rivals, Alaphilippe sealed Quick-Step’s third stage win of the race and the biggest of his career to date.

“I didn’t think I would win this stage today,” said the Frenchman.

“For me it’s been a little bit complicated for two or three stages, I didn’t feel so good, but I think it’s the same for everybody.

“We’ve had a great start with the team, from the beginning of the race we are always in the front.”

Sunday’s ninth stage contains another category one climb to the finish of the 174km ride from Orihuela to

This Jan 26, 2016, file photo shows Maria Sharapova of Russia playing a forehand return to Serena Williams of the United States during their quarter-final match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne,

Australia. (AP)

Cumbre del Sol.

Meanwhile, French rider Warren Barguil was thrown out of the Vuelta a Espana by his Sunweb team on Saturday for failing to follow team orders.

Barguil had been lying in 13th overall, less than two minutes behind race leader Chris Froome, but failed to fall back to help Sunweb’s leader Wilco Kelderman after a puncture in Friday’s seventh stage.

“Team Sunweb have decided to withdraw Warren Barguil from the Vuelta a Espana,” the German team said in a statement.

The 25-year-old rider, the recent winner of two stages and the mountain jersey at the Tour de France, “openly expressed that he didn’t race (in line with) the team’s goal, which left Team Sunweb with no other option than to take this decision.”

Kelderman lost 17 seconds on Friday’s stage to slip behind Barguil to 14th in the general classification.

“I have to leave the Vuelta by the decision of the team,” said Barguil.

“I feel very well and have good legs. I see myself in different a role and am eager to attack in the mountains, as I did in the Tour.

“The Vuelta is a great race and it is disappointing to leave but this is a decision from the team that I need to accept.”

Barguil will join French squad Fortuneo for the 2018 season.

However, Sunweb insisted he will continue with the rest of his race programme for the final months of his contract.

Results

Results from Saturday’s eighth stage of the Vuelta a Espana, a 199.5km ride from Hellin to Xorret de Cati:

1. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA/QST) 199.5 km in 4hr 37min 55sec, 2. Jan Polanc (SLO/EAU) at 0:02, 3. Rafal Majka (POL/BOR) 0:02, 4. Serge Pauwels (BEL/DDT) 0:26, 5. Nelson Oliveira (POR/MOV) 0:28, 6. Michel Kreder (/ABS) 0:32, 7. Maxime Monfort (BEL/LOT) 0:32, 8. Bart De Clercq (BEL/LOT) 0:34, 9. Alberto Losada (ESP/KAT) 0:37, 10. Emanuel Buch-