The Star Online: Sports
The Star Online: Sports |
- World No. 1 Park wins North Texas LPGA Shootout
- Chong Wei dedicates win to newborn son Kingston
- Clay king Nadal wins record eighth title in Barcelona
| World No. 1 Park wins North Texas LPGA Shootout Posted: 28 Apr 2013 04:54 PM PDT IRVING, Texas - World number one Park In-Bee drained a birdie putt at the final hole Sunday to win the inaugural North Texas LPGA Shootout, holding off Spain's Carlota Ciganda by one stroke. Park claimed the sixth LPGA title of her career and her third this year, a run of success that saw her rise to number one in the world this month - one week after her major victory at the Kraft Nabisco Championship. The South Korean played steady golf, posting four birdies without a bogey, her four-under 67 at Las Colinas giving her a 13-under total of 271. Ciganda, who kept the pressure on Park with her own birdie at 18, finished with a one-under 70 for 272. Ciganda, the 2012 Rookie of the Year on the Ladies European Tour, started the day with a two-stroke lead. After a bogey at the second she settled down, posting birdies at the third, sixth, eighth and 10th to move to 14-under for the tournament - two strokes in front of Park as they dueled in the final group. But the young Spaniard's round came unstuck with a bogey at the 14th, followed by a double-bogey at 15 that let Park assume a one-shot lead. At the par-five 18th, Park was in the fairway and Ciganda just off the fairway with a testing shot through the trees to the green. Park opted to go for the green and finished up just short, while Ciganda fired through the green. Ciganda's pitch left her a tough birdie putt, but she rattled it in to pull level, leaving Park, who chipped to about four feet, with a birdie putt to win. The South Korean calmly rolled hers in, giving a little fist pump as the ball dropped. "I had a lot of birdie chances out there, but I missed a lot of them, especially on the front nine," Park said. "I was trying to be very patient and finally the last one dropped." Norway's Suzann Pettersen carded a final-round 66 to claim third place on 274. South Koreans Park Hee-Young and Ryu So-Yeon shared fourth on 275, Park after a blazing seven-under 64 that included seven birdies with no bogeys and Ryu with a 68. South Korean I.K. Kim finished alone in sixth after a 68 for 276. |
| Chong Wei dedicates win to newborn son Kingston Posted: 28 Apr 2013 04:57 PM PDT KUALA LUMPUR: Fatherhood has not slowed down world No. 1 shuttler Lee Chong Wei (pic) at all. Yesterday, Chong Wei, the proud father of newborn son Kingston, delivered his 13th blow to Kenichi Tago of Japan in the men's singles final en route to regaining the India Open title in New Delhi yesterday. Looking more pumped up and determined, the 30-year-old Chong Wei showed more urgency in his game when he powered his way to a 21-15, 18-21, 21-17 win over Kenichi. And immediately after the win, he dedicated it to his two-week-old baby boy. It was his first Super Series title as a father. Chong Wei's victory yesterday was his 13th over the Japanese, who almost beat the Malaysian in the 2010 All-England final. And yesterday, the determined Kenichi showed that he had taken their rivalry to another level when he almost pulled it off again. Armed with variety of tricks in his attacking forte, the Japanese pushed Chong Wei to the limit but the Malaysian did not crumble. After losing the opening game, Kenichi upped the tempo with his fascinating smashes and tight spinning net shots to race to a 11-3 lead and finally wrapped up the second game at 21-18. The decider was close and both were often locked in long and thrilling rallies before Chong Wei pulled away for his 31st Super Series title. It was also the Malaysian's third Super Series title this year after winning the Malaysian and South Korean Opens in January. It was certainly a much better performances from Chong Wei who lost to China's Tian Houwei in the semi-finals of the Australian Open Grand Prix Gold last month. Chong Wei was thrilled to bits with his second India Open title and he described the win as more "meaningful". "Today, I have won my first Super Series title as a father and I dedicate it to my baby Kingston," said a delighted Chong Wei, who had also won the title in 2011. "I could have won the match in straight games today but I lost focus against Tago in the second game. What is important is not the manner of how I won it but the end result. "Tago has improved. But some of my errors and mistakes in the decider made him look good. Anyway, I am happy to keep my winning record against him intact." On his participation in the Malaysian Open Grand Prix Gold, the top seed and defending champion said: "I am heading back home immediately after this (the victory ceremony). I will arrive tomorrow (today) and I will decide whether I am still up to it." National singles coach Tey Seu Bock was relieved that Chong Wei pulled off the win yesterday although it was not his best game. "It was not a very good second game as Tago was ruthless in his attack and Chong Wei, who is normally solid with his defence, was unable to counter," said Seu Bock. "The beauty about Chong Wei was that he was still able to turn it around and nailed the title. He never gives up and I am proud of him." In the women's singles, Thailand's Ratchanok Intanon finally ended her bridesmaid role in the international stage by winning her first and deserved Super Series title in two years with a 22-20, 21-14 victory over Julianne Schenk of Germany. The 19-year-old Ratchanok, a bright talent from Thailand had finished second at the last four Opens over the last two years, including last month's All-England but yesterday, she showed her hunger and determination to end her title drought. Final results Men's singles: Lee Chong Wei (Mas) bt Kenichi Tago (Jpn) 21-15, 18-21, 21-17. Men's doubles: Liu Xiaolong-Qiu Zihan (Chn) bt Ko Sung-hyun-Lee Yong-dae (Kor) 22-20, 21-18. Women's singles: Ratchanok Intanon (Tha) bt Juliane Schenk (Ger) 22-20, 21-14. Women's doubles: Miyuki Maeda-Satoko Suetsuna (Jpn) bt Christinna Pedersen-Kamilla Rytter Juhl (Den) 12-21, 23-21, 21-18. Mixed doubles: Ahmad Tantowi- Lilyana Natsir (Ina) bt Ko Sung-hyun-Kim Ha-an (Kor) 21-16, 21-13. |
| Clay king Nadal wins record eighth title in Barcelona Posted: 28 Apr 2013 04:38 PM PDT BARCELONA: Rafael Nadal extended his record number of Barcelona titles to eight as he brushed off a slow start to beat Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 6-3 yesterday. Last weekend's Monte Carlo runner-up regained his accustomed position on an ATP winner's podium with his fourth title of 2013 and his third on clay for the year. He rallied from two breaks down on a day of drizzle and heavy conditions, beating Almagro for the tenth time without defeat. "It was a fantastic match for me," Nadal told a crowd which had huddled under umbrellas for the duration of the contest. "Thanks to the people who watched us." The world No. 5 has made a storming comeback to tennis after missing seven months from last summer with knee injuries. Since his February return, he has played finals in all six events he has entered. Nadal went into recovery mode after trailing Almagro 0-3 in less than a quarter hour on the heavy court. But as quickly as he had temporarily let his guard down, Nadal was able to muster his resources to fight back. He claimed an epic ninth game for a 5-4 lead before serving out the opening set a game later as Almagro couldn't reach a forehand to the corner. The second seed sped away with the second set in the testing conditions and finished off the victory with an overhead smash. "I'm used to losing to Rafa," said Almagro. "But matches like this are what makes you a better player. "I started well but after it really started to rain the balls got heavy and Rafa found his game in the conditions." Nadal becomes the first man this season to win four ATP titles, adding Barcelona to those he lifted in Brazil, Mexico and California. The 26-year-old who is rediscovering the form that habitually makes him the favourite when the French Open comes around in May. This victory took his Barcelona win streak to 39 matches. In clay finals, the impeccable Spaniard has lost only to Djokovic (three times), Roger Federer (twice) and Horacio Zeballos (once). He now stands 40-1 in Barcelona. The win was the second of the season for Nadal over Almagro after beating his countryman in the Acapulco semi-final. Nadal will now prepare for another home event, the Madrid Masters, beginning next weekend. — AFP |
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