Sports News

Djokovic reaches third round at Roland Garros PARIS.Former champion Novak Djokovic reached the French Open third round for the 13th consecutive year by beating Spanish qualifier Jaume Munar 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, 6-4 on Wednesday, while second seed Alexander Zverev staged a fightback to win a five-setter with Dusan Lajovic. Djokovic, the 2016 Roland Garros champion and former world number one, is seeded 20 this year after struggling to rediscover his best form after returning from a right elbow injury. He wasn’t at his best on Court Suzanne Lenglen, but goes on to face Spain’s 13th seed Roberto Bautista Agut for a place in the last 16. The Serbian 12-time Grand Slam champion fired 39 winners but 33 unforced errors and was broken three times by Munar, the world 155. “I am very happy to be here on Suzanne Lenglen and see so many people and see the support, Jaume is a great player, he has lots of quality and good concentration. I congratulate him on a gr

Cricket still appeals to young people, insists ICC chief LONDON:England’s top cricket administrator may feel young people no longer care about cricket, but the man running the sport’s global governing body is adamant youth interest is rising worldwide. And David Richardson, the chief executive of the International Cricket Council, added that next year’s World Cup in England and Wales represents a brilliant opportunity to prove the doubters wrong. Colin Graves, the England and Wales Cricket Board chairman, sparked controversy with his recent comment that young people “are just not attracted to cricket”. It appeared he was trying to justify the proposed introduction of a new 100-ball format into the English game in 2020. But many cricket lovers were aghast at Graves’s seeming lack of faith in his own sport, while others were equally dismayed by what they saw as a slap in the face for various youth cricket initiatives, including those of the ECB itself.

Danilo defends Sterling over gun tattoo  LONDON:Manchester City defender Danilo has played down the row surrounding teammate Raheem Sterling’s gun tattoo. A picture of Sterling’s tattooed leg appeared on the front page of Britain’s popular Sun tabloid on Tuesday and prompted criticism from anti-gun campaigners. But the 23-year-old England forward insisted there was a deeper meaning behind the tattoo than was apparent from first glance. England’s governing Football Association backed what it said was Sterling’s “honest and heartfelt account” of why he had the new tattoo and now City teammate Danilo has also come to his defence. “Many times in football we give too much attention to these details,” he said Wednesday at the training ground of Tottenham Hotspur in north London, where Brazil are holding a pre-Russia 2018 training camp of their own. Suggesting it’s personal Danilo added: “It is something that is up to him. It is something that he is

Zidane resigns as Real Madrid manager French manager Zinidine Zidane has shocked the footballing world by announcing his resignation from Real Madrid. The 45-year-old recently made history with Los Blancos by guiding them to a third consecutive Champions League title; in an era in which no other team had ever won back-to-back titles before. Zidane announced his decision in an impromptu press conference at the club’s training ground. “The team needs to continue winning and needs a change,” said the outgoing manager. There had been speculation about Zidane’s future all season, with Real Madrid finishing a whopping 16 points behind Barcelona in La Liga, but the Champions League final win had meant he was sure to keep his place in the dugout if he so pleases.

Giroud, Fekir on target for France in 2-0 win PARIS:Olivier Giroud and Nabil Fekir were on target as France stepped up their World Cup preparations by beating the Republic of Ireland 2-0 in Paris on Monday evening. Chelsea striker Giroud bundled in the opener at the Stade de France, and Lyon captain Fekir — who has been linked with a move to Liverpool — got the second just before the break, with a helping hand from Ireland goalkeeper Colin Doyle. It was a very comfortable victory for Didier Deschamps’ side in the first of three friendly matches before they head to Russia. Les Bleus will also host Italy in Nice on Friday and the United States in Lyon on June 9, with their opening World Cup fixture against Australia in Kazan on June 16. France’s strength in depth, which they showcased here on a night of torrential rain, thunder and lightning, means they are among the contenders to win the tournament, 20 years after becoming world champions on home

Diminutive Modric stands as a giant among men MODRICI:The burned-out shell of a remote cottage bears testimony to the trauma that Luka Modric lived through long before he became a Croatian national hero and Real Madrid star. Hidden in the folds of Velebit mountain, with the nearest neighbours several kilometres away, trees now grow inside the roofless ruin where Modric spent part of his childhood and a sign warns of “Mines – Keep out!” The player’s grandfather, also named Luka, lived in the house, lying on a mountain road winding through the Modrici hamlet. Modric, born in 1985, spent his early years there and in the nearby village of Zaton Obrovacki until Croatia’s 1990s independence war broke out. His grandfather was killed by Serb forces, the house was burned and the family fled to the coastal town of Zadar, some 40 kilometres away. “I heard about a little hyperactive boy constantly playing with a football in the corridor of a refugee hotel, ev

Argentina’s hopes resting on Messi’s shoulders ROSARIO/BUENOS AIRES:Twenty years ago Enrique Dominguez was coaching 10-year-olds at Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina when he saw Lionel Messi for the first time. He remembers it still: “He was a gift of life!” Sitting in the empty stands of the Rosario club now as a 67-year-old, Dominguez gets emotional at the memory. “What was special about Leo was his naturalness. Leo was the natural leader of his group of companions.” While coach Dominguez gave his 10-year-old charges instructions, Messi would listen while juggling a ball, eager to start training. “Messi is exceptional. The best in history. He competes against himself, his own records.” The impishness he brings to a football pitch was there even as a kid. Dominguez says that in those days he was fat and wore a red tracksuit for coaching, so Messi nicknamed him “Santa Claus”. Though admired the world over for his raw talent, Messi still trails behind th

Shahid Afridi set to lead World XI in charity match KARACHI  : Former Pakistan captain and all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who has featured in over 500 international matches, will lead the World XI against the West Indies at Lord’s, after England’s Eoin Morgan pulled out due to injury. Morgan was sidelined due to a fractured finger and will be replaced by fellow countryman Sam Billlings in the World XI squad. World XI coach and stand-in as director of England cricket Andy Flower was not too worried about Morgan’s injury and hoped that he will recover in about a weeks’ time. “It is not a bad crack but it is bad enough to keep him out of tomorrow’s Middlesex game and the World XI game. It is not a huge concern, it is one we can hopefully manage past in about a week,” said Flower, according to official International Cricket Council (ICC) website. Shahid Afridi — who will be playing his last international match — held the record for the fastest One Day In

Chelsea owner Abramovich is reportedly an Israeli citizen now JERUSALEM: Russian Jewish billionaire and Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich arrived in Israel on Monday after receiving citizenship of the Jewish state, local Channel 10 television reported. “He landed today in his private aircraft at (Tel Aviv’s) Ben Gurion airport and was presented with an Israeli identity card,” the commercially-owned station said on its evening newscast. An official at Nativ, a department of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office dealing with Jewish communities in the ex-Soviet Union, said Abramovich had applied for an immigration visa at Israel’s embassy in Moscow, the station said earlier on its website. “His documents were examined under the ‘Law of Return’ and he was indeed entitled to immigrant status in Israel, and as a result he was issued an immigration visa,” it added. Spokesmen for Netanyahu’s office contacted by AFP did not confirm or deny t

Long, expensive flights await World Cup fans LONDON: England fans can expect to rack up the air miles and take a major hit to their bank balances to follow their side at the World Cup, but spare a thought for the most ardent of Uruguay supporters, who must make the longest trip for their opener. England have been drawn in Group G of the June-July tournament in Russia and will play in Volgograd (v Tunisia) on June 18, Nizhny Novgorod (v Panama) on June 24 and finally Kaliningrad (v Belgium) on June 28, before fans can even consider a Round of 16 encounter in either Moscow or Rostov. According to research carried out by Virgin Media and the Football Supporters’ Federation (FSF), England fans could end up spending £5,000 and travelling more than 3,400 miles (5,472 km) by air to watch the group fixtures. That would make a total flight time of about 12 hours and 15 minutes, ranking them 22nd among the 32 teams in Russia. Uruguay fans will, however, spend 25

Warner, Bancroft to return to competitive cricket SYDNEY:Disgraced Australian stars David Warner and Cameron Bancroft will return to competitive cricket at a low-level limited-overs tournament in the country’s tropical north in July, it was announced on Tuesday. Warner is serving a year-long ban from state and international cricket and Bancroft a nine-month suspension over a ball-tampering scandal in South Africa in March that rocked the game. But they are allowed to appear at club level in Australia and in domestic tournaments abroad. As they work to rebuild their careers, the duo will feature in the NT Strike League in Darwin, a month-long Twenty20 and one-day event that features four franchises — Desert Blaze, City Cyclones, Northern Tide and Southern Storm. Bancroft is available for the entire tournament with Warner committing to two one-dayers on July 21 and 22. “We’re delighted that Cameron and David will be joining us in Darwin for the Str

Mancini starts off Italy career with win ST. GALLEN:Mario Balotelli got new Italy coach Roberto Mancini off to a winning start by scoring the opener in a 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia in a pre-World Cup friendly in Saint Gallen on Monday. Saudi Arabia face hosts Russia in the opening match of the tournament on June 14 while four-time champions Italy stay home following their failure to qualify for the first time in 60 years. Made the scapegoat for Italy’s first-round exit from the 2014 World Cup, Balotelli’s four-year hiatus from the Azzurri squad ended when he was recalled by Mancini, appointed six months after Italy’s shock failure to qualify for Russia following a playoff defeat to Sweden. It took the 27-year-old Nice striker just 21 minutes to get on the scoreboard with his first goal for Italy since netting the winner against England at the 2014 World Cup. Italy have dropped to their lowest ever world ranking of 20th, but were in control against the 6

Liverpool sign Monaco midfielder Fabinho  PARIS:Monaco midfielder Fabinho will join Liverpool following the World Cup finals in Russia, the French Ligue 1 club and the Premier League giants announced Monday. Brazilian international Fabinho, 24, had agreed at the end of last year’s title-winning campaign to remain one more season in the Principality. But agreement has now been reached with the Premier League club that will see Fabinho join the Reds after the finals in Russia. No financial details were given by either club, although some reports claim the deal is worth £44m. “AS Monaco has reached agreement with Liverpool for the transfer of Fabinho to the English club on July 1,” said a statement on www.asmonaco.com. Usually deployed as a defensive midfielder, Fabinho has scored 31 goals in 233 appearances for Monaco since arriving at the club in 2013 from Real Madrid, winning the French league title in 2017. Liverpool, looking to bolster

England's Joe Root upbeat despite chastening defeat against Pakistan  LONDON:England captain Joe Root insisted his side could bounce back in the second and final Test against Pakistan at Headingley next week after a humiliating loss in the series-opener at Lord’s. Pakistan completed a nine-wicket win inside four days on Sunday as England suffered their sixth defeat in eight Tests. What made this latest reverse all the more embarrassing for England is that they are traditionally tough to beat at home in May, with many touring sides struggling to adjust when typically English conditions — overcast skies and green-tinged pitches — are at their most pronounced. Yet it was Pakistan, fresh from a trio of county warm-up matches and a five-wicket win over Test debutants Ireland in Dublin, who looked as if they were the home side. Their seam bowlers maintained a disciplined line and length as England, suffering their latest batting collapse, slumped to a me

Dhoni’s Chennai defy age to claim IPL title   MUMBAI: Mahendra Singh Dhoni said fitness was more important than youth as he celebrated winning the Indian Premier League at the age of 36 — and looked increasingly good for a fourth World Cup next year. Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings drew criticism for picking ageing warriors in the IPL auction, but the 30-somethings easily triumphed over Sunrisers Hyderabad in Sunday’s final. Shane Watson’s unbeaten 117, laden with eight sixes, and Dhoni’s tactical nous were more than a match for the Sunrisers’ spin wonderkid Rashid Khan, 19, and big-hitting captain Kane Williamson, 27. Both Dhoni and Watson will be celebrating their 37th birthdays in the next six weeks, making them the oldest of nine 30-plus players in Chennai’s 24-man squad that swept aside the Sunrisers by eight wickets. Watson said that he will now need a three-month rest to get over a hamstring injury that had made him question whether he would fin

Australia can earn back respect: Langer SYDNEY:  Australia is striving to be the most professional and honest team in world cricket, coach Justin Langer said Saturday as the squad prepares for its first international tour following a damaging ball-tampering scandal. The former opener recently took the reins during a time of crisis after the 12-month suspensions of ex-captain Steve Smith and his deputy David Warner over the scandal which also saw previous coach Darren Lehmann quit. Speaking to reporters in Brisbane as the team readies for a five-match ODI series in England next month, Langer said they were aspiring to a culture of world-best professionalism, honesty and humility. “It doesn’t matter how much money you have got or how many games or how many runs. If you’re not a good bloke — that’s what people remember,” Langer said he recently told the group. “Our mateship is really important. Sticking together is really important — that’s all of us in the

‘Son must step up to become World Cup great’ HONG KONG:Son Heung-min needs to overcome his status as a marked man after an impressive season for Tottenham Hotspur if he is to establish himself among the game’s elite at the World Cup in Russia, says South Korea coach Shin Tae-yong. Son has emerged as a leading light of Asian football since moving to Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, becoming an integral part of Mauricio Pochettino’s exciting and dynamic team over the last three seasons. The 25-year-old scored 12 times in 27 starts for Spurs in the past season as the north London club finished third in the Premier League, however Son has yet to make a similar impact for his country. And Shin believes the former Hamburg SV winger has become a victim of his own success. “He’s done well with Tottenham and he’s one our best attacking options,” Shin told Reuters. “He enhances our team totally with his attacking ability. Honestly speaking, when he plays

‘Fulham must invest to survive in Premier League’ LONDON: Slavisa Jokanovic admits Fulham will need to make major investment in their promotion-winning team to ensure they survive in the Premier League next season. Jokanovic led Fulham back to the top-flight after a four-year exile as Tom Cairney’s goal sealed a 1-0 win over Aston Villa in the Championship play-off final at Wembley on Saturday. The Serbian coach, who has also won promotion to the Premier League with Watford, has been linked with a move to Chelsea if they part ways with Antonio Conte. His latest success will only make him even more sought after, so if the 49-year-old is to stay, he will want enough funds to be able to compete with the English elite. In a clear message to Fulham owner Shahid Khan, Jokanovic called for a spending spree as the west London club celebrate the estimated £160 million windfall from increased revenues on offer in the Premier League “I personall

Real celebrate hat-trick of Champions League titles Gareth Bale came off the bench to score twice, including one of the all-time great goals in a Champions League final, as Real Madrid beat Liverpool 3-1 in Kiev on Saturday to take the trophy for the third year running. Bale’s jaw-dropping overhead kick in the 64th minute put Real 2-1 up moments after his introduction, following a dramatic start to the second half in which Karim Benzema gave Real the lead as a result of a Loris Karius howler. Sadio Mane had briefly restored parity, but Bale put Real in front again and then sealed the triumph late on with a long-range strike that the unfortunate Karius could only punch into the net. Jurgen Klopp’s and Liverpool’s own evening was marred by the loss of a distraught Mohamed Salah to injury in the first half, the Egyptian coming off half an hour in having damaged his shoulder. This was not to be Salah’s night, with Real allowing Zinedine Zidane to bec

Sarfraz ‘proud’ of charges after thrashing England LONDON: Pakistan captain Sarfraz Ahmed has heaped praise on his team, coaching staff and management, saying they all played a role in team’s nine-wicket win over England at Lord’s on Sunday. Set just 64 for victory on the fourth morning, Pakistan finished on 66 for one before lunch to go 1-0 up in this two-match series ahead of next week’s second Test at Headingley. Imam-ul-Haq was 18 not out and Haris Sohail 39 not out. “I’m very proud of my team, the way the young players produced their talent,” said Sarfraz in the post-match presentation ceremony. “When we came here we were very inexperienced but we were very confident. We have a very good bowling side. Our coaching staff worked really hard, told us to pitch it up. The way the bowlers did a job for us was great.” He then praised his fielders for showing up when they were needed. “We worked really hard on our fielding. Our catching was fantastic.”

Klopp aims to win his first final KIEV:“We’ve won it five times,” Liverpool supporters sing to celebrate their five European Cup final victories, but Jurgen Klopp, manager of the English giants, is attempting to end a very different run of results in Saturday’s Champions League final. Klopp has lost his last five finals, three with Borussia Dortmund before moving to Anfield in 2015, and two in his debut season with the Reds. “They don’t hang silver medals at Melwood (Liverpool’s training ground),” Klopp warned amid the euphoria of making it to Kiev this weekend after an enthralling 7-6 aggregate semi-final win over Roma. “There’s still a job to do but that’s how it is. Going to a final is really nice but winning is even nicer.” Those are words of a man who has been there and suffered before. Each of his five final defeats had their own context, but hurt all the same. “If something is really important for you, you have to be ready for suffering. That