Woakes saves England’s blushes with inspired spell
MILAN: South Korea’s Chung Hyeon topped Group A in the Next Gen ATP Finals with his third straight victory on Thursday and was joined in the last four by Russia’s Andrey Rublev who ended the hopes of Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov.
Chung was pushed hard by Italian qualifier G ian lu ig i Quinzi before winning 1-4 4-1 4-2 3-4(6) 4-3(3) in the first match to go past two hours at the inaugural event showcasing the world’s best players aged 21 and under plus a batch of new rules.
Rublev, at 37th the highestranked player in the tournament, looked in trouble against Canadian teenager Denis Shapovalov in the evening session when he needed treatment on blisters to his feet after taking the third set.
He lost the fourth set in a flash but the rugged 20-year-old rallied to win a deciding set tiebreak, winning 4-1 3-4(8) 4-3(2) 0-4 4-3(3) to take runners-up spot in Group A in another match that went past two hours.
“You have to be focused 100 per cent from the beginning because even if you’re winning, suddenly in one, two minutes you can start to lose easily,” Rublev said.
Another Russian, world number 65 Daniil Medvedev beat already-eliminated American Jared Donaldson 3-4(3) 4-2 4-3(1) 4-0 for his second victory in Group B.
He had an anxious wait to find out if that was good enough LONDON: World number one Rafa Nadal is confident he will be “100 per cent fit” at the ATP Finals event in London as he continues to recover from a knee injury.
The Spaniard pulled out of the Paris Masters before his quarterfinal match against American John Isner after for a place in the last four, but Croatia’s Borna Coric did him a huge favour by coming back from two sets down to beat Karen Khachanov 3-4(3) 2-4 4-2 4-0 4-2 for his third win.
Chung will face Medvedev in Friday’s semifinals after Coric takes on Rublev.
NEW TWIST Chung offered a new twist to the debate about shot-clock, one of several innovations being tested including short sets played to four games and no advantage points.
The 21-year old is a big fan of the scoreboard ticking down for the 25-second rule between points — saying it meant he knew exactly how long he had to clean his distinctive white-framed spectacles.
In the past he has incurred the wrath of the chair umpire by going over time, but avoided that fate on Thursday in a match that lasted two hours and six minutes.
“I like shot clock, because sometimes I get a warning because I have to clean my glasses,” said Chung, who has worn prescription sports glasses throughout his career and only took up tennis to improve his eyesight.
“I get the warnings all the time in long matches. So I like the shot clock.”
All eight group matches before Chung’s afternoon clash with Quinzi had been completed in less than two hours — averaging one hour 26 minutes as the ATP experiments with speeding up play. experiencing discomfort in his right knee during his third-round win over Pablo Cuevas.
“Hopefully the knee is good,” Nadal told Sky Sports. “I’ve done everything I’ve needed to do in order to get ready for London... Let’s see if I am able to be 100 per cent to compete.
“If nothing happens, then I will play. I visited my doctors after the Paris Masters — it was a tough day for me having to pull out of Paris.
“I know I’m confident because I’m having a great season with one event to go. I am here to try my best.”
Reigning French and US Open winner Nadal begins the quest for his first ATP Finals title against Belgian David Goffin on Monday and will also compete with Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov and Austrian Dominic Thiem in his group. ADELAIDE, Australia: Paceman Chris Woakes claimed four wickets as England roared back to the verge of victory against the Cricket Australia XI after the third day of the four daynight tour match at Adelaide Oval on Friday.
The tourists scrambled to 207 in their second innings on the back of Jonny Bairstow’s unbeaten 61 off 66 balls leaving the CA XI 268 runs to win.
But Warwickshire’s Woakes led a spirited England fightback, capturing four for 17 off 10 overs to leave the CA XI innings in tatters.
England tried to wrap up victory, opting for an extra half hour of play on the third night under lights, but were thwarted by Matt Short (28 not out) and Gurinder Sandhu (17 not out) through to stumps at 70 for seven.
Tall Somerset quick Craig Overton also pressed his Test claims with an impressive two for 10 off seven overs.
“I’ve been very impressed with Craig. He’s a big lad, gets plenty of bounce and he’s very skilful too,” said Jimmy Anderson, named on Friday as England’s new vice-captain.
“He can swing the ball, seam the ball and he brings something different to the team. He’s settled in really well.”
Up until Woakes’s superb bowling spell it looked an embarrassing day for Joe Root’s tourists, stumbling to 124 for seven at one stage.
England tumbled from 79 without loss to lose seven wickets for 45 in a spectacular crash before Bairstow and leg-spinner Mason Crane (18) helped boost the innings in a 70-run stand.
When Anderson became Simon Milenko’s fifth wicket, England’s second innings was over, with injured Jake Ball unable to come to the wicket on his injured ankle.
Former England captain and opener Alastair Cook’s scratchy start to his Ashes tour continued, making 32 from 85 balls.
Cook began his tour with a secondball duck against a West Australian XI and made only 15 in the first innings in Adelaide.
The veteran’s dismissal triggered England’s slide — he was soon followed to the changeroom by his opening partner Mark Stoneman, who made 51, his third consecutive half-century on tour.
Captain Joe Root (one), Dawid Malan (five), James Vince (29), Woakes (two) and Craig Overton (0) fell in rapid succession as England plummeted to 124 for seven.
Bairstow hit a six to reach his halfcentury coming off 61 balls.
Meanwhile, Ball will miss the rest of CA XI match as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury.
The Nottinghamshire paceman fell awkwardly while bowling his fourth over on Thursday.
Ball was forced to withdraw from the day-night warm-up match and had a scan on Friday to determine the damage to his right ankle.
The tourists have already lost paceman Steven Finn, who has flown home because of a knee injury and his replacement Tom Curran arrived in Adelaide on Friday.
And spinning all-rounder Moeen Ali is yet to feature in the warm-up matches as he struggles with a side strain.