Halep dumps Sharapova out of Beijing
MARIA SHARAPOVA opened up on the despair she feels in defeat after she was ruthlessly knocked out of the China Open in the third round by Romania’s Simona Halep yesterday.
The world No. 2 was an emphatic 6-2, 6-2 winner in 72 minutes to leave five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova still searching for her first title since returning from a doping ban in April.
The Russian Sharapova, a former number one now languishing at 104 in the world rankings following her 15-month suspension for taking meldonium, gave an insight into the rollercoaster of emotions in top-level tennis.
“Hard work is not good enough any more, maybe it was – I don’t know how many years ago – but that’s just not a factor any more,” said the 30-year-old, asked about comments in a book she recently released.
“The reason I say that is there’s some incredible moments, very high moments, and there are very low moments.
“There have been times where I get off the court and you think, I don’t wish this on my future child. The feeling is so tough and disappointing.
“You work so much, you dedicate so much of your time, you have so many people around you, and sometimes it doesn’t work according to plan, so you start asking questions.
“But then once you work, you keep going, keep fighting through it, the rewards are very incredible and special.
“They have nothing to do with finance, they have nothing to do with trophies, it’s really internal.”
Halep, the second seed on Beijing’s outdoor hard courts, is the first woman into the China Open quarterfinals.
Having turfed out Sharapova and with world number one Garbine Muguruza exiting in the first round with a virus, the 26-yearold Halep is now favourite in the Chinese capital.
Nick Kyrgios said he wanted to make up for his notorious meltdown in Shanghai last year as he beat Mischa Zverev in the second round in Beijing.
A year ago the supremely talented but combustible Kyrgios was suspended for his petulant behaviour at the Shanghai Masters, where he swore and argued with the crowd and appeared to give away points in caving in to the German.
The enigmatic Australian, seeded eighth in the Chinese capital, smashed his racquet on the floor in anger, bending the head in half, when he conceded the opening set yesterday.
That earned the world No. 19 a warning from the umpire and raised the spectre of one year ago.
But the 22-year-old returned for the second set with renewed determination and errors began creeping into Zverev’s game.
Zverev, ranked 27 in the world and the older brother of rising star Alexander, surrendered his first service game of the second set and Kyrgios was never in trouble after that, surging into the quarterfinals 3-6, 6-2, 6-2.
Kyrgios said facing Zverev a year after Shanghai, and again in China, was the perfect opportunity to show how far he has come.
“I just wanted to go out there today and kind of redeem myself a little bit from last year,” he said, adding: “I just wanted to prove to myself how much I have improved.”
During one changeover the Australian appeared so relaxed that he sat back on his chair, arms behind his head, and sang along with a pop hit being played over the stadium loudspeakers.
“Nothing really, just chilling out,” Kyrgios said afterwards, asked about his behaviour.
He plays the Belgian qualifier Steve Darcis in the last eight. – AFP
Red Bull putting the fizz into F1 Whether it be Max Verstappen’s seat-of-thepants style of driving or Daniel Ricciardo’s eyewatering “Shoey” celebration, Red Bull are without doubt Formula One’s coolest team. Dutch flier Verstappen’s second career win in Malaysia fired a warning to Mercedes and Ferrari, while Ricciardo also finished on the podium. The only downside of continued success for the F1 hipsters is that more poor souls will be forced to drink champagne from the Australian’s sweaty boot.
Radio Alonso: the art of diplomacy
Fernando Alonso’s frustrations at McLaren have sparked more than the occasional tantrum from the Spaniard over the team radio. One of Alonso’s more memorable meltdowns came in Japan two years ago when the former world champion barked: “GP2 engine, GP2 engine, very embarrassing!” Engine suppliers Honda were far from amused and it remains to be seen if Alonso will show more charity this weekend after McLaren recently ended their ill-fated partnership.
Point to prove for Honda And speaking of Honda, how they would love to go out with a bang with McLaren at their home track – albeit it figuratively, rather than literally. Honda are set to supply Toro Rosso next year, which may fill the Red Bull-owned team with a sense of foreboding. But a strong showing at Suzuka would sweep away much of the gloom and doom that has followed the Japanese manufacturer around again this season, and hopefully ring in some optimism for 2018. – AFP
will take an indefinite break from cricket and has been ruled out of the Ashes series against England after reaggravating his lower back stress fracture, Cricket Australia said yesterday. The 27-year-old will continue his rehabilitation after pulling out of Australia’s recent tour of Bangladesh with inflammation in his back. “We made the decision to withdraw him from the tour of Bangladesh and monitor his pain. He returned to bowling after a period of rest and unfortunately he is still experiencing pain with bowling,” CA science and sports medicine manager Alex Kountouris said in a statement. “During this time we have been monitoring him, including regular scans and recent imaging has confirmed that James has begun to reaggravate his previous lower back stress fracture. As such, he has discontinued bowling as part of his recovery which unfortunately means that he will be unavailable for the beginning of the Sheffield Shield and subsequently Ashes campaign.” Pattinson’s unavailability ruins a potential fast-bowling quartet against England, made up of the Victorian right-arm quick and the New South Wales trio of Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Pat Cummins.