Sport
International
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
15
Bayern ‘better than last year’, claims van Gaal Agence France Presse
AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic
Serbia’s players, from left: Viktor Troicki, Janko Tipsarevic, Novak Djokovic, Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac celebrate victory against Czech Republic after their Davis Cup semifinal match in Belgrade, Serbia, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010.
Serbia face France in Belgrade
BERLIN - Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal on Monday claimed that his team is playing “much better than last year”, despite having made their worst start to a league season for 33 years. “I’m not going to reproach anyone,” said van Gaal, as reported by the SID sport news agency. “I’ve analysed the season and I can’t say we’re playing badly. We’re playing much better than last year.” After four matches of the Bundesliga season, Bayern are in ninth place with five points — seven points behind leaders Mainz — and have a goal difference of 1. At the same stage last season, Bayern were in eighth place, with five points, but a positive +2 goal difference. They went on to win the Bundesliga and the German Cup before losing 2-0 to Inter Milan in the final of the Champions League. Bayern’s next three matches will be crucial as they bid to relaunch their season. On Tuesday they visit in-form Hoffenheim,
currently second in the table with 10 points from a possible 12, before hosting surprise leaders Mainz at the Allianz Arena on Saturday. The following Tuesday they visit Swiss outfit Basel for their second Champions League group stage match, having begun their campaign with a hard-fought 2-0 win at home to Roma last week. Victory against Basel would put them in a strong position to qualify for the last 16 ahead of a double-header with Romanians CFR Cluj. Van Gaal, however, says he will not put extra pressure on his players and believes it is down to them to correct the Bavarian giants’ stuttering form. “It’s all in the head,” he said. “The players know what happens when we win so few points. The pressure comes from the outside; from the media, the directors. “It’s normal. We’re a big team and we should be right at the top. “The season still has a long way to go. In March, April, May it will be crucial, and that’s when we’ll have to make sure we’re there.”
Agence France Presse
PARIS - Belgrade will host this year’s Davis Cup final between Serbia and France, the International Tennis Federation announced on Monday. The December 3-5 match-up pits first-time finalists Serbia against nine-time champions France, who last appeared at this stage of the competition back in 2002. Serbia reached the final for the first time in their 16-year history in the competition after coming from behind to defeat Czech Republic 3-2 in their semi-final in Belgrade at the weekend. Serbia are bidding to become only the 13th Davis Cup champion nation after a spectacular run to the 2010 final. The country only made their World Group debut in 2008, winning their first World Group tie earlier this year. Janko Tipsarevic was the hero of his country’s victory over Czech Republic, sending the 17,000 spectators into a frenzy with his 6-0, 7-6 (8/6), 6-4 victory over Radek Stepanek in the deciding rubber. With Novak Djokovic sidelined on the first day, Victor Troicki lost
to Stepanek 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4 in the opening rubber, before Tipsarevic levelled the tie with a 7-5, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5) victory over Tomas Berdych. Djokovic and Nenad Zimonjic then suffered a 36, 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 defeat by Berdych and Stepanek, before the Serb No. 1 set up the decisive rubber with a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 triumph over Berdych. Afterwards Tipsarevic paid tribute to the home supporters, saying: “Thank you, that’s what we needed, you raised us from the dead.” Djokovic added: “Whoever comes to Belgrade won’t be the favourite.” France cruised into the final weith a 5-0 whitewash of Argentinas in Lyon. Leading 4-0 after Gilles
Simon’s 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (6/8), 6-3 defeat of Eduardo Schwank earlier in the day, France secured the rout when Arnaud Clement beat Horacio Zeballos 7-5, 6-1 in the final singles rubber on Sunday. It was France’s second straight 5-0 win in the competition, following a quarter-final demolition of defending champions Spain. They also defeated Germany 41 in the first round. Sunday’s two singles matches were rendered dead rubbers by the straight sets victory of Clement and Michael Llodra against Schwank and Zeballos in Saturday’s doubles match, which gave France an unassailable 3-0 lead. France last won the title in 2001, overcoming Australia 3-2 in Melbourne.
AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson
Munich’s head coach Louis van Gaal of the Netherlands looks on prior to the German first division Bundesliga soccer match between FC Bayern Munich and FC Cologne in Munich, southern Germany, on Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010.
Mexico’s Rojas takes WBC super fly title Agence France Presse
SAITAMA - Second-ranked Tomas Rojas of Mexico scored a unanimous points victory against Japan’s Kohei Kono to take the
vacant World Boxing Council (WBC) super flyweight title on Monday. The 30-year-old Mexican, who became the interim champion in July last year, scored heavily with a barrage of uppercuts and straights
against the Japanese. Kono went on the attack in the final round, firing a right hook that put Rojas on the canvas, but the effort could not overturn the wide points margin.
“It was a good fight. He (Kono) fought bravely like other Japanese boxers. I was able to win despite the down in the end. I hope to come back to Japan and fight again,” said Rojas. Rojas improved his record to 34
wins, including 23 KOs, against 12 defeats, one draw and one null and void. The 29-year-old Kono, ranked top in the WBC, saw his record reduced to 25 wins, including nine KOs, against five defeats.