The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- Golf: Veteran Bland leads Italian Open after late charge
- Tennis: Champions Spain on final brink, Del Potro in tears
- Nicol marches on, Wee Wern goes down fighting at the CIMB M'sian Open
| Golf: Veteran Bland leads Italian Open after late charge Posted: 14 Sep 2012 06:16 PM PDT TURIN: English 39-year-old veteran Richard Bland put himself in contention for a first European Tour title when a late birdie charge gave him a one-shot lead at the midway point of the Italian Open on Friday. Bland carded a six under par 66 for the second round to stand at 12 under with France's Gregory Bourdy, Spaniard Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, South Africa's Garth Mulroy and Scot Marc Warren all one shot back. Bland admitted that he needs a good performance this weekend to help retain his Tour place - he currently lies 126th on The Race to Dubai, with only the top 115 keeping their cards. "I've had a tough couple of years, but that's behind me now and I'm just trying to move forward and improve every day," said Bland who birdied the last three holes. "There's still 36 holes to go - all it is right now is a great position. There are great players behind me, it's low scoring, so two 70s isn't going to get it done." There were solid performances from members of Europe's Ryder Cup team taking part in the Italian Open. Martin Kaymer's 66 took him to eight under - just three behind the leaders - while Francesco Molinari is only one stroke further back after a 69. Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts compiled a 67 to advance to six under for the week, while there was a second straight 70 put Ryder Cup skipper Jose Maria Olazabal. - AFP |
| Tennis: Champions Spain on final brink, Del Potro in tears Posted: 14 Sep 2012 05:37 PM PDT PARIS: Champions Spain edged closer to a sixth Davis Cup final in 10 years on Friday when they shrugged off the absence of Rafael Nadal to open a 2-0 lead over the United States in the semi-finals in Gijon. Five-time champions Spain are defending a run of 23 consecutive home victories in the tournament, a streak stretching back to 1999. World number five David Ferrer beat Sam Querrey 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 before Nicolas Almagro won a four-hour slog against giant American John Isner, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5. "It was a hard match, difficult at every moment," said 30-year-old Ferrer. Isner saved three match points in the ninth game of the decider but buckled on a fourth when he went long with a weary forehand in the 12th game. "That was really disappointing because I did such a good job the whole fourth and fifth set of just hanging in there and I just kind of gave it away at the end," Isner said. In Buenos Aires, Argentina, who have yet to win the tournament, and were defeated by Spain in the 2008 and 2011 finals, were 1-1 in the other semi-final against the Czech Republic. Tomas Berdych recovered from two sets to one down, and 1-4 behind in the fourth set, to stun Juan Monaco 6-1, 4-6, 1-6, 6-4, 6-4 and pull the Czechs level. With Argentine football legend Diego Maradona and former tennis glamour girl Gabriela Sabatini amongst the raucous 13,00-crowd inside Parque Roca, Berdych dug deep to claim a famous win. Berdych, who defeated Roger Federer on his way to the US Open semi-finals last week, won nine straight games to lead 5-3 in the decider. But Monaco stopped the rot for a break to trail 4-5 before Berdych broke again to seal victory. Earlier, world number eight Juan Martin del Potro beat Radek Stepanek 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 to earn a comfortable first point. Del Potro was playing against medical advice after hurting his wrist at the US Open and he broke down in tears as he gave his victory speech. "It was very difficult to play with a hurt wrist," said Del Potro. "But the crowd was fantastic. I am very passionate about playing for my country. I like to give them a good show." In the play-offs, where a place in the elite World Group will be assured for 2013, world number one Roger Federer and his 2008 Olympic gold medal partner Stanislas Wawrinka put Switzerland 2-0 up against the Netherlands in damp and chilly Amsterdam. Federer eased past Thiemo de Bakker 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 before Wawrinka defeated 50th-ranked Robin Haase 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4). "It was important to get off to a good start and I played solidly in rainy and windy conditions," said Federer. In Hamburg, Florian Mayer saw off Lleyton Hewitt 7-5, 6-3, 6-2 as Germany finished the day at 1-1 against Australia. Hewitt became Australia's most capped player with 33 Davis Cup appearances, but the 31-year-old, now ranked 100 in the world, was swept aside by 25th-ranked Mayer. Bernard Tomic had put Australia ahead with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) victory over left-hander Cedrik-Marcel Stebe. Belgium are one win away from ending Sweden's 12-year stay in the World Group after opening a 2-0 lead in Brussels where Steve Darcis beat Michael Ryderstedt 6-3, 7-6 (7/3), 6-0 and David Goffin defeated Andreas Vinciguerra 6-4, 6-3, 7-5. In Naples, Andreas Seppi beat Guillermo Hormazabal 7-5, 6-1, 6-2 to give Italy a 1-0 lead over Chile before bad light halted the second rubber between Fabio Fognini and Paul Capdeville at 1-1 in the final set. Japan and Israel were level at 1-1 in Tokyo with Go Soeda beating Dudi Sela 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 and Amir Weintraub seeing off Tatsuma Ito 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Ito was only playing because Kei Nishikori suffered a shoulder injury on Friday morning. In Astana, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan were level at 1-1. Canada were 2-0 up on South Africa in Montreal while Brazil took a 2-0 lead over two-time champions Russia in San Jose do Rio Preto. - AFP |
| Nicol marches on, Wee Wern goes down fighting at the CIMB M'sian Open Posted: 14 Sep 2012 04:42 PM PDT PETALING JAYA: National No. 2 Low Wee Wern came very close to create a historic all-Malaysian women's final in the CIMB Malaysian Open squash championships yesterday. But facing three top five players in the world in three days took its toll on Wee Wern as she bowed out to world No. 2 Raneem El Weleily of Egypt. But it was not before the 22-year-old Penangite had the crowd cheering for her as she gave Weleily a real scare before gallantly losing 8-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-9, 9-11 in 64 minutes. The match started on a squeakily clean note, with not many lets as both Wee Wern and Weleily traded stroke for stroke. Weleily, however, upped the tempo in the first set to nick it before world No. 10 Wee Wern did the same in the second. The match was never a dull affair despite several long rallies as both players were on top of their game and it was only fair that it had to be decided by a fifth set. Weleily once again stepped on the gas in the decider and raced to a 5-1 lead and held match point at 10-7. Wee Wern, however, refused to stand down and pulled back two more points and appeared to have gathered momentum to force deuce. But luck was not on her side as she hit the last ball into the tin to hand Weleily the match. "It was a really good match despite losing because I played well and I'm really happy with my performances this week," said Wee Wern. "In the fifth set she had a good lead and after chasing her towards the end, I just ran out of gas. But to push the second ranked player in the world to the limit is really good for my confidence. "I was always getting close to the top players and my score was either 3-1 or 3-2. To turn that around and beat two of the three top five players in a week was really great." Despite the narrow defeat, the crowd still had much to celebrate by the end of the day as world No. 1 Nicol David demonstrated much of her famed resilience to come back from a set down to beat England's Laura Massaro. Nicol, who is chasing her eighth consecutive Malaysian Open crown and also her 63rd Women's Squash Association (WSA) title to equal Susan Devoy's all-time record, struggled initially but recovered well to win 10-12, 11-6,11-7, 11-8. "It was a really solid game and I was feeling the court and the ball well." "I've had so many tight matches with Laura in the past but I knew I could take it up a notch against her which I did. In the first set, she played some really good shots while I stepped back a little. But I was confident that I could come back and do the same," added Nicol. The 29-year-old Penangite will face Weleily in a clash between the top two players in the world. |
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