The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Stosur tames angry Serena to win her first Grand Slam title
- Golf: Yani hangs on to beat Yang in playoff
- Farewell to badminton legend
| Stosur tames angry Serena to win her first Grand Slam title Posted: 12 Sep 2011 06:37 PM PDT SAMANTHA Stosur out-played three-time champion Serena Williams 6-2, 6-3 to win the US Open on Sunday, claiming the first Grand Slam title of her career in a stormy final. Stosur kept her composure as Williams erupted in anger at the chair umpire in the second set, dominating the 13-time Grand Slam champion who had reached the final without dropping a set. She became the first Australian woman to take the title in New York since Margaret Court in 1973, and the first to win a Grand Slam since Evonne Goolagong won Wimbledon in 1980. "I had one of my best days and I'm very fortunate that I had it on this stage in New York," Stosur said. "Ever since I started playing it was a dream of mine to be here one day." Williams arrived in the final after dismantling world number one Caroline Wozniacki in the semi-finals on Saturday night in a match that dragged toward midnight. "I was more tired than I expected," Williams said. "But I want to give all credit to Sam today ... She played really, really well. "That's what you have to do when you play a Grand Slam final." Stosur, playing her second career Grand Slam final after a runner-up finish in the French Open last year, quickly claimed the opening set, breaking Williams to lead 2-1 and winning the last 12 points of the set as Williams' frustration grew. Williams, whose powerful serve is a cornerstone of her game, struggled to get her first serves in and Stosur repeatedly made her pay. "She was cracking 'em today," Williams said of the Australian, who was still rolling in the opening game of the second frame when she gave herself a double break point with a crushing return of serve. Williams saved one with an ace, and appeared to save another for deuce. But the American's shout of "c'mon" as soon as she unleashed her forehand came before Stosur reached the ball, and umpire Eva Asderaki immediately penalised Williams for "intentional hindrance" and the point and the game went to Stosur. "Aren't you the one who screwed me over last time?," Williams bellowed at Asderaki. "That is totally not cool." The scene recalled Williams' similar meltdown in her 2009 semi-final defeat to Kim Clijsters. In that match, she unleashed a tirade of abuse at a lineswoman who called a foot-fault during the tense match and a penalty point sealed her fate in a 6-4, 7-5 defeat. This time an angry Williams - backed by a suddenly energised crowd on the 22,000-seat Arthur Ashe Stadium - immediately stepped up her game, breaking Stosur for 1-1 and holding to edge ahead 2-1. Stosur remained aloof from the dispute, but admitted the crowd response was intimidating. "It was probably the loudest I ever felt a crowd in my whole entire life," she siad. "You're right in the middle of it. "It was definitely a quite overwhelming feeling. But once I hit that next ball in the court and started playing again, I felt settled." Williams continued to berate Asderaki on the changeover, but Stosur stayed calm and saved two break points in the fourth game to level the set at 2-2. Stosur said she didn't really know just what was happening between Williams and the umpire. "I was just kind of there," Stosur said. "I do know the rule, but it's not something I've ever had to deal with before." She gained the edge with a break for 4-3, and broke again to seal the match with yet another blistering return off a Williams second serve on her third match point. — AFP |
| Golf: Yani hangs on to beat Yang in playoff Posted: 12 Sep 2011 06:36 PM PDT FAYETTEVILLE (Arkansas): Top ranked Tseng Yani made the most of her second chances on Sunday, rolling in a four-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff to defend her NW Arkansas Championship title. Taiwan's Yani holed the winning putt on the par-five 18th hole to edge South Korea's Amy Yang who failed to convert a six-foot birdie try just moments earlier. "I almost cried today because in the middle of the round, I felt like, 'Oh, I'm going to lose today.' Because I didn't feel any excitement and I wasn't making any birdies," Yani said. "But I just kept telling myself, 'I need to get excited, need to be more focused, try to stretch, move around, just feel more.' Like the last three holes, I made some birdies, so that was very important for me." The 22-year-old Yani had her own putting woes on the final hole in regulation after failing to make a five-foot putt that would have given her the victory at the Pinnacle Country Club course.Instead the pair headed to a playoff after they both closed with three-under 68s to finish at 12-under 201. Yani leads the LPGA Tour with five wins this season, including major titles at the LPGA Championship and Women's British Open. Yani made bogey on the par-four 13th to drop to 10 under, then rallied with birdies on the par-five 14th and par-four 16th. "After the second hole I was a hole behind and I keep telling myself, 'It's OK, we still have lots of holes, stay patient and be always positive and keep focused on every shot," Yani said. Yang parred the final 11 holes of regulation. She forced the playoff by making a four-foot putt on 18 after Yani missed her short one. Japan's Ai Miyazato shot a 66 to finish third at 11 under. Cristie Kerr was the lone American to crack the top seven as she fired a final round 68 to end up two strokes back of Yani. — AFP |
| Posted: 12 Sep 2011 06:35 PM PDT GEORGE TOWN: Some 50 close friends, relatives and church-goers gathered at the Mount Erskine crematorium near here to bid farewell to badminton legend Datuk David Choong. Tears swelled when the casket was lowered into the incinerator at about 3.30pm. Family members, relatives and friends had followed the cortege from his home in Tanjung Tokong to the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Pulau Tikus. They were joined by 150 others at the church during a 45-minute funeral service. David, 82, a three-time All-England doubles champion with his younger brother Datuk Eddy, died at his home on Saturday after being in a coma for nine years following a stroke. Also present were state MCA leaders, including Penang MCA deputy chairman Datuk Dr Loh Hock Hun. David leaves behind three sons and a daughter. Besides the men's doubles titles, he also shared the All-England mixed doubles crown with June White Timperly in 1953. He was inducted into the International Badminton Hall of Fame in 1998. The former Penang Free School student, who read law at Trinity College in Cambridge University, returned to Malaysia after Merdeka and joined MCA. David won a seat in the 1961 Penang City Council elections on an MCA ticket. |
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