Friday July 05, 2019
PAGE 37
Kaieteur News
Wimbledon 2019: Defending women’s champion Angelique Kerber dumped Lauren Davis
Mailonline - American Lauren Davis produced some Independence Day fireworks as she damped defending Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber out in the second round. Lucky loser Davis fought back from one set behind to claim a stunning 2-6 6-2 6-1 victory over the German on Court Two. Despite not winning a tournament since beating Serena Williams in the final at SW19 last year, Kerber has shown some good recent form, including reaching the final in Eastbourne last week. The 31-year-old avoided becoming the first ladies’ champion to be defeated in the first round the following year since Steffi Graf in 1994 after beating compatriot Tatjana Maria on Tuesday. However, Kerber came unstuck second time around against Davis, who responded after losing the first set 6-2. At that point it looked like Kerber would go on to secure a second consecutive straight-sets win, but Davis did not read the script and won 12 of the next 15 games to seal a place in the third round. Serena Williams, the
Duchess of Sussex (left) was supporting Williams from the crowd on Court One. seven-time Wimbledon singles champion, who begins her superstar mixed doubles partnership with Andy Murray today, had to fight back from a set down before eventually prevailing 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 against world No 133 Kaja Juvan. The 18-year-old qualifier from Slovenia played with poise and style on her Wimbledon debut. She had never even faced a player inside the world’s top 50 but she was comprehensively outplaying the great American early on. Williams, watched from
the Court 1 stands by her friend the Duchess of Sussex, looked flat for much of the match. Her serve took some time to heat up but eventually it got her over the line. This tournament is likely to be the best chance Williams will have to win her record-equalling 24th Grand Slam and her first as a mother. She got the job done eventually but boy did it look hard work at times. The 37-year-old has been hampered by injury this year and stills looks short of match practice. Williams will hope to play her way into form here and the doubles with Murray
Davis celebrates beating the reigning champion on Court No 2 at Wimbledon. should help. At the start of the match Williams was as lacklustre as her opponent was sprightly. She was broken in her first service game after some deep returns from Juvan. Williams finished with two aces in a row and will face Germany’s No 18 seed Julia Georges for a place in the second week of Wimbledon. And, Jo Konta will spearhead a three-pronged British attack in the third
round after putting on a composed and confident display to come through in straight sets. It will be only her second time in the last 32 in eight visits here, but those watching on Centre Court were given a pleasing sense of déjà vu back to the British No 1’s run to the semi-finals two years ago. Indeed, such was her efficiency and control against world no 38 Katerina Siniakova that Annabel Croft
described her performance as ‘almost faultless’. Up next for Britain’s main singles hope is world No 9 Sloane Stephens, who was even more efficient than Konta when dispatching Wang Yafan 6-0, 6-2 in 56 minutes. While Konta has a pleasing record this year against Stephens, having won all three of their matches, she warned that she only gave herself a ’50-50’ chance of winning.
Rafael Nadal beats Nick Kyrgios in entertaining clash BBC Sport - Rafael Nadal allowed the tennis to do the talking against an irate Nick Kyrgios, who twice served underarm, to progress to the Wimbledon third round. Australian Kyrgios spent much of the match audibly questioning Nadal’s speed of play as the world number two prevailed 6-3 3-6 7-6 (7-5) 7-6 (7-3). His constant arguing saw him handed an official warning by the chair umpire, who he later called a “disgrace”. Spain’s Nadal will play Frenchman JoWilfried Tsonga in the next round. “He was a tough opponent,” Nadal, 33, told BBC Two. “When he wants to compete, he’s one of the toughest opponents you can face. “It was an important victory for me, sometimes it’s tough to see a couple of things on court. It’s amazing how good he is able to play, so if he is able to forget all these things, he’s potentially a Grand Slam winner.” Victory was two-time Wimbledon champion Nadal’s 50th match win at theAll England Club. The meeting came just five months after their last encounter at the Mexican Open in Acapulco, when Nadal was incensed by Kyrgios’ underarm serving. At Wimbledon five years ago, the then 19-year-old Kyrgios hit a remarkable 37 aces to beat Nadal, becoming the first man outside the top 100 to beat a
Federer continued his pursuit of a ninth Wimbledon title with a 6-1, 7-6, 6-2 victory. world number one at a Grand Slam since 1992. The 24-year-old world number 43 told a news conference: “I know what I’m capable of. Eight-time champion Roger Federer beat British wildcard Jay Clarke in straight sets to also reach the third round. The second seed, 37, was tested in the second set but otherwise dominated the 20-year-old, ranked 169th, to win 6-1 7-6 (7-3) 6-2.The Swiss has lost to a British player at Wimbledon on just one occasion - when Tim Henman defeated him in the quarter-finals in 2001. Meanwhile, ninth seed John Isner and 13th seed Marin Cilic both went out. American Isner, a semifinalist last year, was beaten 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 4-6 6-1 6-4 by Kazakhstan’s Mikhail
Kukushkin. Isner has not played any matches on grass prior to this tournament because of a foot injury.Croatia’s Cilic, the 2017 runner-up, lost 6-4 6-4 6-4 to Joao Sousa as the Portuguese set up a meeting with Britain’s Dan Evans in the third round. Federer cruised through the opening set in 29 minutes as Clarke struggled to get to grips with the 20-time Grand Slam champion. But the British number four looked much more assured in the second and was cheered on by the Court One crowd as he took the set to a tie-break. Clarke edged ahead, only for Federer to respond by winning five points in a row to eventually clinch it 73 for a two-set lead. The Swiss then accelerated away again in the third to progress in one hour and 36
Rafael Nadal celebrated emphatically after coming through the tricky second round tie. minutes as Clarke sliced a backhand into the tramlines on match point.Marcos Baghdatis’ retirement was confirmed when he lost 6-1 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 to Matteo Berrettini. The 34-year-old Cypriot announced his plans to call time on his career when his Wimbledon campaign ended, which came in round two at the hands of the Italian. Baghdatis treated the crowd after the match ended, handing out equipment and even his shoes to the fans on court two.
Three-day Table Tennis Coaching Course for Teachers conclude in Linden A three-day Developmental Table Tennis Coaching Course organised by the National Sports Commission, Ministry of Education and Guyana Table Tennis Association held for Teachers in Linden
concluded yesterday. Commencing on Tuesday, the course was conducted by National Table Tennis Coach, Linden Johnson and followed the path of similar Coaching programmes held in other (Continued on page 32)