MONDAY, JUNE 27, 2016
S P O R
Djokovic stays focused on title defence but sees bigger picture Wimbledon 2016: Men and Women’s Preview The 29-year-old will
2016 win-loss: 44-3 2016 titles: 6 Career titles (total): 65 Grand Slams: 12 First man since Rod Laver to hold all four majors at once – could claim Golden Slam with Olympic victory.
begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title
Roger Federer
he plays British wildcard James
— 12 months after claiming a second
RECENT WIMBLEDON FINALS Djokovic, Murray and Federer have dominated final in last five years – only Rafael Nadal, absent this year with wrist injury, has broken through stranglehold.
2015
7-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-3
2014
2013
Andy Murray GBR Novak Djokovic SRB
6-4, 7-5, 6-4
2012
Roger Federer SUI Andy Murray GBR
S
* Data correct as of June 22
6-7, 6-4, 7-6, 5-7, 6-4 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4
Garbine Muguruza
2016 win-loss: 22-10 2016 titles: 1 Career titles (total): 3 Grand Slams: 1 Finalist here last year and secured maiden Grand Slam in Paris after stellar rise through ranks.
Angelique Kerber
2016 win-loss: 28-10 2016 titles: 2 Career titles (total): 9 Grand Slams: 1 Australian Open winner hoping to recover from poor clay season – but suffered early exit here last year.
2016 win-loss: 24-8 2016 titles: 1 Career titles (total): 18 Grand Slams: 0 Performs well on grass – finalist at Wimbledon in 2012 and semi finalist in two of last three years. RECENT GRAND SLAM CHAMPIONS New champions have claimed last three Grand Slams as Williams’ dominance falters.
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic SRB Roger Federer SUI
Agnieszka Radwanska
LONDON: On court Novak Djokovic is taking tennis to extraordinary new levels with his singleminded obsession with winning; off it the Serbian is more than happy to share power. The 29-year-old will begin his attempt to win a fourth Wimbledon title on Monday when he plays British wildcard James Ward on Centre Court — 12 months after claiming a second successive title by beating Roger Federer. While nothing will distract him from that goal, the dominant Serbian also knows that, however big the gap is between himself and his rivals — and it is a yawning chasm — no player is bigger than the sport. At his pre-tournament news conference at Wimbledon on Sunday, the world number one confirmed he had re-joined the 12man ATP Players’ Council, along
2016 win-loss: 27-9 2016 titles: 3 Career titles (total): 14 Grand Slams: 2
Novak Djokovic SRB Roger Federer SUI
2016 win-loss: 24-4 2016 titles: 1 Career titles (total): 70 Grand Slams: 21 Aiming for 7th title but attempt to equal Steffi Graf’s Open Era record of 22 majors is proving tricky.
beating Roger Federer
I’m hoping I can contribute to the evolution and to the betterment of our sport in every aspect
Grass arguably his least favourite surface. Quarterfinal is best finish to date at Wimbledon.
Serena Williams
successive title by
2016 win-loss: 33-6 2016 titles: 2 Career titles (total): 37 Grand Slams: 2 Excellent form on clay followed by record fifth title at Queens after reuniting with coach Ivan Lendl.
Stan Wawrinka
2016 win-loss: 16-6 2016 titles: 0 Career titles (total): 88 Grand Slams: 17 Season blighted by injury for first time in career – looking to end four year Grand Slam drought.
on Monday when
Ward on Centre Court
Andy Murray
Novak Djokovic
Roland Garros 2016
Garbine Muguruza ESP Serena Williams USA
7-5, 6-4
Australian Open 2016
Angelique Kerber GER Serena Williams USA
6-4, 3-6, 6-4
U.S. Open 2015
Flavia Pennetta ITA Roberta Vinci ITA
7-6, 6-2
Wimbledon 2015
Serena Williams USA Garbine Muguruza ESP
6-4, 6-4
Source: WTA
with chief rival Andy Murray and Murray’s brother Jamie, the world’s top doubles player. It is a responsibility Djokovic will apply himself to with the same devotion as his career for the next two years as tennis wrestles with the kind of doping and corruption scandals that have afflicted world sport. “I’ve been very flattered and humbled to be elected by my colleagues,” Djokovic told reporters.
CRICKET
Graphic News /
“The way I see it is that I managed to gain trust from players, which is very important to me. I have been part of the Player Council for three years earlier in my career. I’ve been familiar with the way the system works. “I’m hoping I can contribute to the evolution and to the betterment of our sport in every aspect.” There is little argument that he has taken tennis to new levels of
Graphics
perfection since losing to Murray in the 2013 final here. Since then he has won six of the 11 grand slam titles on offer, taking his tally to 12 overall. In beating Murray at Roland Garros earlier this month he became the first man in 47 years to hold all four majors. He also won the ATP World Tour Finals in November and will have his eye on Olympic gold in
Defending champion
August and probably the Davis Cup too. His immediate focus though is on a smooth opening to his Wimbledon campaign having chosen again not to play any grasscourt tournaments in the run-up. “This year is quite different from previous years because I’m coming in with a Roland Garros title,” he said. “That gives me, obviously, a lot of confidence. I’ve played a lot of points in the practice sessions these four or five days, trying to be on the grass as much as I can. So I’m really keen on getting on the court.” Djokovic, who beat Federer in the last two Wimbledon finals, could face a tough path to a hat-trick. Bigserving Canadian Milos Raonic is a potential quarterfinal opponent with Federer possible in the semis. Ward is unlikely to pose too many problems, although Djokovic is well aware that the crowd will be rooting for his opponent when play begins on Monday. “It’s going to be the first match on the untouched grass,” he said. “ That’s probably one of the most special tennis matches that you get to experience as a tennis player. “I’m looking forward to that. Obviously I know that he doesn’t have much to lose.” - Reuters
SAILING
Master XI, Asfandyar XI notch wins Oman Air triumphs in Cardiff Act MUSCAT: Master XI and Asfandyar XI notched wins in the ongoing NMC Cup 2016 MRI Ball Floodlit Ramadan Cricket Tournament at the Azaiba Cultural Sports ground. In the first match of the National Metal Can sponsored tournament, Masters XI beat Rahil Sports by five wickets, while in the match that followed Asfandyar XI beat Klair Sports by 2 runs. Brief scores (MRI Ball category): Rahil Sports 39 for 5 in 8 overs (Sarmad 2 for 12, Sunil 1 for 3, Irfan 1 for 9) lost to Masters XI
44 for 5 in 7 overs (Sunil11no, Irfan 10no, Muzam 2 for 2, Jitu -2 for 8). Man of the match: Irfan of Master XI Asfandyar XI 53 for 7 in 8 overs
(Ayaz 17, Ataullah 12, Farooq 3 for 6) beat Klair Sports 51 for 7 in 8 overs (Faisal 21, Rana Naveed -13, Azeem-3 for 7). Man of the match: Ghazanfar of Asfandyar XI.
MUSCAT: Oman Air swept to their second win in three Extreme Sailing Series events when they finished on the podium in all but one race on the final day in Cardiff to tighten their grip on the overall 2016 leaderboard. They stretched their lead at the top of the season table to three points over second placed Red Bull Sailing Team after a close contest in Cardiff that left the Austrian team just six points adrift by the end of the final race. Morgan Larson’s crew notched up ten outright wins from 29 races with another nine podium places to add to the mix, reaffirming their status as the most consistent team in the fleet and confirming them as Cardiff champions. A win in the final race may have eluded them but achieving overall victory, and fending off the 11th hour challenge from Red Bull, was reassuring, Larson said. “It’s a fantastic result because it was tough right up to the final moments of the last race, but we did what we needed to do and came away with a win.” Their success reaffirmed Oman Air’s strong track record in Car-
diff, added Pete Greenhalgh but it also signified a bright future for the next generation of young sailors coming through Oman Sail’s youth programmes. “I love doing the Cardiff event and it is amazing to win here,” he said. “The Oman Sail squad track record has been pretty good over the past four, five years and fortunately we have managed to keep that going so we are really happy. “We’ve been working really hard on bringing talented Omani sailors up through the project whether it is on the Oman Air boat or as part of our shore crew and it is really paying off with these results.”
Among the Omani sailors inspiring those youngsters with his growing collection of titles and trophies is Nasser Al Mashari, Oman Air’s super strong bowman and a rock solid member of the crew for many years. He was already looking ahead to the next Act in Hamburg next month. “It’s not the first time Oman Sail has won in Cardiff but this is a fantastic achievement,” he said. “We worked hard and sailed well and had a great time on the water.” Act 4 takes place in Hamburg from July 28 to July 31 when Oman Air will be back in action aiming for their third crown in 2016.
RAMADAN CRICKET
Klair, Qamar, Sialkot advance MUSCAT: Klair XI beat Sialkot Stallion by 9 wickets in the Omantel Ramadan Cricket (MRI) Tournament, while Qamar Al Barka and Sialkot Stallion A notched victories in the Tape Ball tournament organised by the Pakistan Social Club at the Pakistan School Muscat ground. Qamar Al Barka beat Double Road by three wickets, while Sialkot trounced Hala Phone by nine wickets. Brief scores: MRI category: Sailkot Stallion 56 for 8 in 8
overs (Nadeem 29, Farooq 3 for 8) lost to Klair 57 for 1 in 4.1 overs (Mohsin 37 not out, Faisal 16) by 9 wickets. Man of the match: Mohsin of Klair XI.
Tape Ball Category: Double Road 81 for 7 in 8 overs (Irfan 20, Bilawal 18) lost to Qamar Al Barka 82 for 7 in 6.3 overs (Shiraz 20, Waleed 17 not out, Mudassar 2 for 11) by 3 wickets. Man of the match: Shiraz of Qamar Al Barka. Hala Phone 87 for 8 in 8 overs (Sachin 28, Nithin 20, Wasif Khan 2 for 24) lost to Sailkot Stallion A 90 for 1 in 4.3 overs (Irfan Butt 74 not out) by 9 wickets. Man of the match: Irfan Butt of Sailkot Stallion A.