I’m really disappointed to

withdraw from the Brisbane

International. It’s always a fantastic

and competitive place to start the

year so I’m sorry not to be in the draw:

Kvitova

25TUESDAY 2 JANUARY 2018 SPORT‘Tie Break Tens’ is a great

concept and we will see and play some exciting

matches.

3.30pm Onwards

Round of 16Khalifa International Tennis

and Squash Complex

FOOTBALL MEN’S SINGLES

MEN’S DOUBLES

Rafael Nadal,ahead of the exhibition event which will be held in Melbourne on January 10, five days before the Australian Open begins.

REUTERS

WORLD number one Simona Halep swatted aside American Nicole Gibbs while Maria Sharapova was flawless in her straight sets victory over Roma-nia’s Mihaela Buzarnescu in the opening round of the Shenzhen Open yesterday.

Halep, who sealed a 6-4 6-1 vic-tory, struck three aces and fired 12 winners and was at her aggressive best to set up a second round clash with China’s Duan Yingying who defeated Evgeniya Rodina 6-2 7-5.

“It’s always nice to play here in Shenzhen,” said Halep, who captured the Shenzhen Open title in 2015. “It’s my first victory this year as number one in the world, so I’m happy and enjoying the time.”

Five-times major winner Shara-pova hit 18 winners and needed an hour and 22 minutes to despatch the seasoned Buzarnescu 6-3 6-0 for a winning start to the year.

“Every match gets tougher and as a competitor and someone who tries to be realistic, I like to only look ahead to the next opponent,” Sharapova said after the match.

The Russian next faces 2017 runner-up Alison Riske, who upset China’s fifth seed Wang Qiang on Sunday.

“She beat a crowd favourite yes-terday, so I know I have a tough match ahead, but I just want to keep playing better, and keep improving no matter who is across the net.”

Unseeded Danka Kovinic, ranked 123 in the world, stunned Greek sev-enth-seeded Maria Sakkari 4-6 6-2 6-3.

Local hope Zhang Shuai powered past Russia’s Anna Blinkova 6-3 6-4 and was joined in the next round by Timea Babos who beat China’s Wang Xiyu 6-1 6-1.

Halep, Sharapova off to winning starts

Konta survives as Svitolina advances in Brisbane

AP

BRISBANE: Johanna Konta opened her season with a tough 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 win over U.S. Open finalist Madison Keys at the Brisbane International yesterday.

Fifth-seeded Konta entered the Australian Open tuneup tournament after losing her last four matches in 2017, including a first-round exit at the US Open.

After dropping the first set, Konta hit form quickly and had decisive service breaks early in the second and third sets before clinching it on her second match point, breaking Keys’ serve to finish off in just over two hours.

Keys, playing just her second match since her career-best run at the U.S. Open, had 11 aces and hit 37 winners but made 38 unforced errors and in humid conditions on Pat Rafter Arena.

“It was good tennis today — I haven’t played a match in four months, so it’s like a win for me,” Keys said. I “Played really well. She played better. I’m not that upset about it.”

In other matches, third-seeded Elina Svitolina opened with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Carla Suarez Nav-arro, 2012 champion Kaia Kanepi beat Daria Kasat-kina 6-2, 6-2 and qualifier Aliaksandra Sasnovich ousted No. 6-seeded Kristina Mladenovic 1-6, 6-3, 7-5.

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova withdrew from the tournament earlier Monday because of a viral illness and was replaced in the draw by Heather Watson, who lost 6-0, 6-3 to Anett Kontaveit.

REUTERS

BRISBANE: Twice Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova (pictured above) withdrew from the Brisbane Interna-tional with a viral illness yesterday.

The 27-year-old Czech was unable to take the court in her first round match against Estonian Anett Kon-taveit and was replaced in the draw by lucky loser Heather Watson.

“I’m really disappointed to withdraw from the Brisbane International,” Kvitova was quoted as saying on the WTA website.

“Unfortunately I picked up a virus on the flight to Aus-tralia and I haven’t been able to get healthy in time to play here.

“It’s always a fantastic and competitive place to start the year so I’m sorry not to be in the draw.”

The former world number two required four hours of surgery on her left hand in December 2016 after being attacked by a man wielding a knife who had gained access to her apartment by posing as a utility worker.

Kvitova returned to action, after months of rehabilitation, during the French Open in May and went on to win the Aegon Classic in June.

Kvitova withdraws with viral illness

Svitolina eyes Grand Slam success

AFP

BRISBANE: Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina (pictured) believes she can become world number one in 2018 despite a host of challengers for the coveted top ranking.

Svitolina, currently

ranked sixth in the world, was speaking after an impressive 6-2, 6-4 win over Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro in the first round of the Brisbane International yesterday.

The 22-year-old cruised through the first set but was forced to fight harder in the second as Suarez Navarro began to find her range with pow-erful groundstrokes.

But the Spaniard fal-tered while serving at 4-5

and Svitolina was able to close out the match in just under 90 minutes.

Svitolina won five titles in 2017 on her way to a career-high world ranking of number three.

She said she had worked hard during the off-season and there was no reason why she could not win a Grand Slam or take the top ranking.

Five women held the top spot at various times in 2017 -- Serena Wil-liams, Angelique Kerber,

Karolina Pliskova, Gar-bine Muguruza and cur-rent number one Simona Halep.

Svitolina said her ability to raise her game to see off someone as dangerous as Suarez Navarro showed she was also capable of taking the next step.

“This match was a good example that I can play a good level of tennis, a high level of tennis,” she said.

“So I will try to

continue to work and to, you know, to just be focused on these kind of things.

“That’s what’s impor-tant for me -- and then the Grand Slam and number one is all going to come if I have my game, if I’m healthy, if I’m playing my best.”

Svitolina will take on Ana Konjuh in the second round following the Croatian’s 6-1, 6-2 win over Dutchwoman Kiki Bertens on Sunday.

Every match gets tougher and as a

competitor and someone who tries to

be realistic, I like to only look ahead to the

next opponent: Sharapova

Nadal to make Australian return in exhibition event REUTERS

MELBOURNE: World number one Rafael Nadal, who is struggling to get any match practice before the Australian Open, will play an exhibition event at Melbourne Park in the week leading up to the season opening Grand Slam, organisers said yesterday.

The 31-year-old Spaniard has not played since he withdrew from the season-ending World Tour Finals in London in November with a knee injury.

He had already withdrawn from an exhibi-tion tournament in Abu Dhabi, this week’s Bris-bane International and another event in Sydney, citing a lack of time to properly prepare.

However, the 16-times Grand Slam winner will be part of the winner-takes all Tie Break Tens event at Melbourne Park on Jan. 10, five days before the Australian Open begins.

“Tie Break Tens is a great concept and we will see and play some exciting matches,” Nadal said in a statement.

“The field is fan-tastic and I expect some tough compe-tition which will be great for the Aussie fans.”

The eight-man field includes Novak Djokovic, three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, Aus-tralia’s Nick Kyrgios, and former world number one Lleyton Hewitt.

Each match is comprised solely of super tie breaks to 10 points. The knockout tournament provides a winner take-all purse of $250,000.

“It really will be an intriguing contest,” Aus-tralian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley said.

“These guys are all coming in at different stages of their preparation, but once their com-petitive instincts kick in, which will be almost instant in this format, there will be some absorbing contests.

“Remember, there is not much room for error. You lose the tie break and you are out.”

World No. 1 Rafael Nadal Simona Halep of Romania hits a return against Nicole Gibbs of the US in the first

round of the Shenzhen Open tennis tournament in

Shenzhen yesterday.

Johanna Konta of Britain hits a return against Madison Keys of the US during their first round women’s singles match at the Brisbane International tennis tournament yesterday.

FOFOFOOOOOOOOFOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOTOTOTOOOTOOTOTOTOTOTOOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOTOOTOTOTOTTOTOTOTOTOOTOTOTOOTOTTOTOTOOTOTOTOOOOTOTOTOTOTTOOTTOTOTOTTTOOTOOTTOOTOOOOTTTTOTOOOOOTTTTOOOTTTTTOTTTTTTOTOTTOTOOOTOOOTTTTOTOTTO BABABABBABABABABAABABABABBABABBBABABABAABABABABABABABABABABABABABABABBABABABABABABBBABABABAABABABAABABABABBABABBAAABBABBAABABABABABAABBBBAAAAABAABBBBAAABAAAAAAABBABABABBABAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL

The eight-man field includes Novak Djokovic, three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka, Australia’s Nick Kyrgios, and former world number one Lleyton Hewitt.

2726 TUESDAY 2 JANUARY 2018SPORT TUESDAY 2 JANUARY 2018 SPORT

FIFA World Cup, Asian and Commonwealth Games highlight action-packed year

Date(s) Sport/Event LocationJan 15-28 Tennis - Australia Open Melbourne, Australia

Feb 4 Gridiron/Football - Super Bowl Minneapolis, Minnesota

Feb 9-25 Winter Olympics Pyeongchang, South Korea

Feb 28 - Mar 4 Cycling - World Track Championships Apeldoorn, The Netherlands

March 9-18 Winter Paralympics Pyeongchang, South Korea

Apr 5-8 Golf - Masters Augusta, USA

April 4-15 Commonwealth Games Gold Coast, Australia

Apr 14 Horse Racing - Grand National Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool

May 5 Horse Racing - Kentucky Derby Louisville, Kentucky, US

May 4-20 Ice Hockey - IIHF World Championship Copenhagen, Herning, Denmark

May 19 Football - FA Cup final Wembley Stadium, London

May 26 Football - UEFA Champions League Final NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine

May 27-Jun 10 Tennis - French Open Paris, France

14 Jun -15 Jul FIFA World Cup Russia

June Ice Hockey - Stanley Cup finals

June Basketball - NBA Finals USA/Canada

Jul 7-29 Cycling - Tour de France

Jun 16-17 Auto Racing - 86th 24 Hours of Le Mans Circuit de la Sarthe, Le Mans, France

Jun 14–17 Golf - US Open Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, New York

Jul 2+ Tennis - Wimbledon London, England

Jul 19-22 Golf - British Open Carnoustie Golf Links, Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland

July 20-22 Rugby 7s - Rugby World Cup Sevens San Francisco, USA

Jul 21-Aug 5 Hockey (Field) - World Cup - Women London, England

July Boxing - AIBA World Championships (women) Chang Mai, Thailand

July World Combat Games

Aug 1-12 European Sports Championships Berlin & Glasgow

Aug 3-19 Central Caribbean Games Barranquilla, Colombia

Aug 16-19 Golf - US PGA Bellerive Country Club, Town and Country, Missouri

Aug 18-Sep 2 Asian Games Jakarta, Indonesia

Aug 27+ Tennis - US Open New York, USA

Sep 1-9 Rowing - 2018 World Rowing Championships Plovdiv, Bulgaria

Sep 10-23 Equestrian - FEI World Equestrian Games Bromont, Quebec, Canada Tryon, North Carolina, USA

Sep 10-30 Volleyball - World Women’s Volleyball Championship Italy and Bulgaria

Sep 11-23 Summer Youth Olympics Buenos Aires, Argentina

Sep 23-30 Cycling - UCI Road World Championships Innsbruck, Austria

Sep 28-30 Golf - Ryder Cup Le Golf National (Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, France)

Sep 30-Oct 21 Volleyball - World Women’s Volleyball Championship Japan

October Baseball - World Series

Oct 25 - Nov 3 Gymnastics - World Championships (Artistic) Doha, Qatar

Nov 6 Horse Racing - Melbourne Cup Victoria, Australia

November Weightlifting - IWF World Championships Lima, Peru

Nov 24-Dec 16 Hockey (Field) - World Cup - Men Bhubaneswar, India

Dec 7-11 Swimming - FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) Hangzhou, China

FIFA World Cup 2018 (June 14 – July 15)

ONE of the biggest and most attended sporting spectacle, FIFA World Cup will be held in 2018 with best players in the world descending on Russia.

Super powers such as Italy, Netherlands, and Chile will not be seen in action having failed in the qualifying stages, but a star cast which includes Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, are expected to make it an event to remember.

2018 Commonwealth Games (April 4-15)THE 2018 Commonwealth Games will be held in Gold Coast, Australia from April 4 to 15 and will be the fifth Commonwealth Games for Australia. Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth have previously played hosts to the event in Australia. Seventy countries are expected to compete in the 11-day sporting event.

2018 Winter Olympic Games (February 9-25)THE 2018 Winter Olympics will take place from February 9 to 25 in Pyeongchang, South Korea.

This will be the first time that the country would host to the Winter Games, having played host to Summer Games back in 1988 in Seoul. The extravaganza will feature 102 events across 15 sports with over 100 medals on offer for the first time.

5)

2018 Asian Games (August 18 – September 2)

THE 2018 Asian Games will be hosted by Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia and has thus been officially named as ‘Jakarta Palem-bang 2018’.

It will also be the first time that the Asian Games are being co-hosted by two cities – the Indonesian capital in Jakarta and Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra province.

The Asian Games would feature 462 events in 40 sports across 57 disciplines. Qatar, along with 44 other countries will participate in the games.

This year’s major sports events

ATP WORLD TOUR

LONDON: The 2016 battle for No. 1 finished in a sprint, with Andy Murray winning 24 consecutive matches and five consecutive titles to edge Novak Djokovic. The 2017 season also featured a two-man race, as Rafael Nadal beat out Roger Federer to finish atop the Emirates ATP Rankings for the fourth time, and, at 31, become the oldest year-end No. 1.

But the 2018 battle for the top spot hardly looks as if it will be a mano-a-mano contest. Rather, next year’s fight for No. 1 in the Emirates ATP Rankings looks as wide open as any in recent mem-ory. The seven men who could finish on top:

1) NO. 1 RAFAEL NADALNadal could very well back

his 2017 and finish atop the Emir-ates ATP Rankings for a fifth time. Spoiler alert: The Spaniard will again likely pick up thousands of Emirates ATP Rankings points on the European red clay. He will be going for his 11th title at each of the following tournaments: Monte-Carlo, Barcelona and at Roland Garros. Not to be over-looked, though, Nadal’s game on hard courts in 2017 was as good as anyone’s. The Spaniard won two of his six titles on the surface, including his third US Open crown, which was his 16th Grand Slam trophy.

But can Nadal’s body – namely his left wrist and his right knee – withstand another full season on the ATP World Tour? He’s already pulled out of the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp because he needs more time to recuperate from his right-knee injury, which forced him to participate in but eventu-ally withdraw from the final two tournaments of 2017 – the Rolex Paris Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals.

2) NO. 2 ROGER FEDERERIt’s hard to imagine

Federer, who will turn 37 in August, having a better season in 2018 than he did in 2017. To refresh: He p l a y e d i n 1 2

tournaments and won seven of them, including two Grand Slams – the Australian Open and Wim-bledon – and three ATP World Tour Masters 1000 events – the BNP Paribas Open, Miami Open presented by Itau and the Shang-hai Rolex Masters. Before 2017, Federer hadn’t won a Grand Slam in five years – the last coming at 2012 Wimbledon – and he hadn’t captured a Masters 1000 since August 2015 (Western & South-ern Open in Cincinnati).

Federer’s masterful manag-ing of his 2017 schedule was one of the keys to his success – he played in only 12 tournaments, and did so after a six-month break in 2016. Before the 2018 season, however, the Swiss right-hander will have only a six-week break. How will his back and left knee hold up with such little time to recover after his 2017?

3) NO. 3 GRIGOR DIMITROVSay what you want about

Dimitrov before 2017, but the Bulgarian officially arrived as a Top 5 player this sea-son. He won his maiden Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati and backed it up by going unbeaten in his debut at the Nitto ATP Finals to win the biggest

title of his life. On paper, he is a clear contender to compete for the year-end No. 1 spot in 2018. Dim-itrov finished 2017 at No. 3 in the year-end Emirates ATP Rankings, a career high.

But he’s never been in this position before, having to defend so many Emirates ATP Rankings points and having to back up a Top 5 season. How will he respond? Then again, Dimitrov had never played in the season-ending finale in London before, either, and he had no trouble fin-ishing his year on a perfect note at The O2.

4) NO. 4 ALEXANDER ZVEREVThe Grand Slam fanatics will

point to his record in Slams, something Zverev has been reminded of often. The 20-year-old has never made it past the fourth round of a Grand Slam, and he’s reached that stage only once, at 2017 Wimbledon. But

look no further than his

record in finals as a potential rebuttal: In 2017, Zverev was 5-1 in title matches, and two of those wins came against two of the best players in the world.

Zverev beat Novak Djokovic to win his first Masters 1000 title at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome, and the 6’6” German defeated Federer to win his sec-ond Masters 1000 crown at the Coupe Rogers in Montreal. Surely, as Zverev bulks up in the off-sea-son and gains more experience in five-set matches, his success at all tournaments, including Grand Slams, will come.

5) NO. 9 STAN WAWRINKAClimbing to No. 1 is one of the

bullet points missing from Wawrinka’s Hall of Fame resume, which includes three Grand Slam titles and a Masters 1000 trophy (2014 Rolex Monte-Carlo Mas-ters, d. Federer). Wawrinka was No. 3 before he had to end his season after an early Wimbledon exit (knee injury).

Wawrinka and coach Mag-nus Norman have split, but the 32-year-old Swiss still has some-one else very important on his side: Pierre Paganini, the trainer he shares with Roger Federer. Paganini guided Federer during his delicate recovery and come-back in 2017, and he’ll try to do the same with Wawrinka next season.

6) NO. 12 NOVAK DJOKOVIC

The top Emirates ATP Rank-ing spot was Djokovic’s home for 223 weeks, including four year-end No. 1 finishes (2011-12, 2014-15). And Djokovic was there as recently as 31 October 2 0 1 6 , before Murray took

over the top place at the

Rolex Paris Masters.

But the 3 0 - y e a r -old Serbian h a s n ’ t

played a match since

r e t i r i n g against Tomas

Berdych in t h e

quarter-finals of The Champi-onships, Wimbledon, and his

elbow injury forced him to miss the second half of the 2017 season and had bothered him for

more than 18 months.Novak Djokovic has further

delayed his competitive come-back by pulling out of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open tournament in Doha because of his ongoing elbow injury.

His latest w i t h -drawal will raise doubts about if he will play at the Austral-ian Open after the Serb had also pulled out of an exhibition match in Abu Dhabi following advice from his medical team.

7) NO. 16 ANDY MURRAY

The Scot surely would have preferred a more fruitful stay at No. 1. Murray, who ascended to the top place in November 2016, fell from No. 1 in August after eight months of not playing his best tennis. In 2016, Murray finished 78-9, including his 24-match win streak to end the year.

In his injury-shortened 2017, the Brit went 25-10, call-ing it a campaign because of his lingering hip injury after a Wimbledon quarter-final loss to American Sam Querrey.

But if Murray is healthy, why not expect the Brit to once again beat the very best in men’s tennis? In 2017, neither Federer nor Nadal matched Murray’s 24-match win streak, and the three-time Grand Slam champion and 14-time Masters 1000 titlist relishes f a c i n g a d o u b t i n g audience.

Will new faces challenge tennis legends at the top this year?

p ygoing for his 11th title at each of the following tournaments: Monte-Carlo, Barcelona and atRoland Garros. Not to be over-looked, though, Nadal’s game onhard courts in 2017 was as good as anyone’s. The Spaniard won two of his six titles on the surface,including his third US Opencrown, which was his 16th GrandSlam trophy.

But can Nadal’s body – namely his left wrist and his rightknee – withstand another fullseason on the ATP World Tour?He’s already pulled out of the Brisbane International presented by Suncorp because he needs more time to recuperate from his right-knee injury, which forced him to participate in but eventu-ally withdraw from the final two tournaments of 2017 – the RolexParis Masters and the Nitto ATP Finals.

2) NO. 2 ROGER FEDERERIt’s hard to imagine

Federer, who will turn37 in August, having a better season in2018 than he did in n2017. To refresh: He p l a y e d i n 1 2 p l a y e d i n 1 2

, gwill have only a six-week break. How will his back and left knee hold up with such little time torecover after his 2017?

3) NO. 3 GRIGOR DIMITROVSay what you want about

Dimitrov before 2017, but the Bulgarian officially arrivedas a Top 5 player this sea-son. He won his maiden Masters 1000 title inCincinnati and backed it up bygoing unbeatenin his debut atthe Nitto ATPFinals to winthe biggest

p ,something Zverev has beenreminded of often. The 20-year-old has never made it past thefourth round of a Grand Slam, and he’s reached that stage onlyonce, at 2017 Wimbledon. But

look no further than his

p32-year-old Swiss still one else very importside: Pierre Paganini, the shares with RogePaganini guided Fedehis delicate recovery aback in 2017, and he’lthe same with Wawrseason.

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to end his Wimbledon

oach Mag-lit, but the

quarter-finals of The Champi-onships, Wimbledon, and his

elbow injury forced him f to miss the second half

of the 2017 season and had bothered him for

more than 18 months.Novak Djokovic has further

delayed his competitive come-back by pulling out of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open tournament in Doha because of his ongoing elbow injury.

His latest w i t h -drawal willraise doubtsabout if he will play at the Austral-ian Open after the Serbhad also pulled out of an exhibition match in AbuDhabi following advicefrom his medical team.

7) NO. 16 ANDY MURRAY

The Scot surely would have preferred amore fruitful stay at No. 1. Murray, who ascended to the top place in

d -f as

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t i r i n g nst Tomas

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p pNovember 2016, fell from No. 1 in August afterr eight months of not playinghis best tennis. In 2016, Murray finished 78-9, including his 24-match winn streak to end the year.

In his injury-shortened2017, the Brit went 25-10, call-ing it a campaign because ohis lingering hip injury after aWimbledon quarter-final losssssto American Sam Querrey.

But if Murray is healthy, why not expect the Brit toonce again beat the very best in men’s tennis? In 2017, neither Federernor Nadal matchedMurray’s 24-match winstreak, and thethree-time Grand Slam championand 14-timeMasters 1000 titlist relishesf a c i n g ad o u b t i n g audience.

Tiger hopes to play full 2018 but not yet ready to commit REUTERS

LOS ANGELES: Tiger Woods hopes to play a full 2018 schedule, he said on Friday, while at the same time declin-ing to commit even to competing in February’s Genesis Open which is run by his foundation.

Writing a year-end blog on his website on the eve of his 42nd birthday, Woods was generally upbeat about the con-dition of his surgically-repaired back, but what he did not say was perhaps just as significant.

“One way or another, I will be at Riviera,” the 14-times major champion wrote of the annual PGA Tour event played on the famous course in southern California.

“It’s such an historic site and the course will always have special meaning for me. That’s where it all started back in 1992 when I played in my first PGA Tour event at age 16.”

Woods made his latest comeback in December at the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas, eight months after undergoing a spinal fusion.

While his performance - he finished equal ninth of 18 players - was competent and he swung with apparent free-dom, he acknowledged that he was in uncharted waters.

“I’m continuing to progress and trying to get strong enough to where I can handle a workload again,” he wrote.

“I would love to play a full schedule in 2018. What that entails, including back-to-back events, I don’t know. I just have to continue to work on my body and game and see where I pan out.

“I wish I knew where I was going to play and when I was going to play – it’s a lot easier to prep for that – but we really don’t know.”

Woods also acknowledged that his swing had changed.“My swing is definitely shorter and I can’t turn as far.

My back is fused and that’s as far as it’s going to go. But I was surprised at how explosive I was (at the World Challenge)...

“I’m more than a full-club longer than when I shut it down. I wasn’t hitting it very far and was struggling to hit it solid. That’s a bad combo.”

Woods, the second most successful golfer behind 18-times major winner Jack Nicklaus, has endured a chal-lenging time since ending his 2014 season early in order to undergo what turned into multiple back surgeries.

He has played only occasionally since, with a couple of comebacks aborted by continuing pain.

In 2017 he decided to have two vertebrae in his lower back fused, which basically was an all-or-nothing last-ditch attempt to both ease his pain and allow him to resume golf.

The prognosis right now appears to be fairly good, but it has been far from smooth sailing this year for Woods, who in May was arrested asleep at the wheel of his car, with five drugs in his system.

He subsequently pleaded guilty to reckless driving.“I appreciate competitive golf now more than I ever

have,” he wrote.“During that 10-month period I was away from the game,

I had a hard time walking and often needed assistance get-ting out of bed.

What they said in 2017No disrespect to Jessica. But Venus was busy with her own match and every working parent knows how hard it is to find a baby sitter. So this was just an emergency fix. As soon as my mom gets here, I promise, Alexis will go back to watching my matches from the stands.

I was having trouble picturing the shot, until Michael (Greller, his caddie) told me Tiger used to drive one of those.

Don’t forget. We beat you here the last time when it really mattered.

I hope people will real-ize once and for all how silly it is to call sporting contests ‘chess match-es. I’m only going to talk about our next oppo-nent and that’s the New York Jets. Questions?SERENA WILLIAMS after

she opened defense of her Australian Open title with a 6-0, 6-0 win over wild-card

entry Jessica Ponchet of France with 4½-month-old

daughter Alexis strapped into a baby sling on her

back. Unbeknownst to fans and foes, Serena

Williams was two months

pregnant when she won the title.

JORDAN SPIETH after he became the only golfer ever to complete the calendar Grand Slam and the youngest in the bargain by winning his fourth straight major, the PGA Championship.The 24-year-old Texan took advantage of the rules after an errant drive in the final round left him seemingly stranded in the Bellerive Country Club parking. Thanks to a free drop, he banged a 3-wood off the grille of a Cadillac Escalade and over the clubhouse to within six feet of the flag, then made the birdie putt to seal it.

picturing the shot, untiladdie) told me Tiger used

ecame the only calendar

est in the rth straight hip.k advantage drive in the gly stranded in

parking. Thanks 3-wood off the

e and over the of the

putt to

RUSSIAN PRESIDENT VLADIMIR PUTIN after handing over the Confederations Cup trophy to Germany who beat Chile in the final.

Magnus Carlsen after suc-cessfully defending his World Chess Championship in London against New Eng-land Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who competed under protest after an attempt to list both rooks, both knights and several pawns as “probable” for the first game is denied by the international federation.

final.

Tiger Woods

Rafael Nadal will again likely pick up thousands of ATP Rankings points on the European red clay. He will be going for his 11th title at each of the following tournaments: Monte-Carlo, Barcelona and at Roland Garros.

World No. 2 Roger Federer World No. 1 Rafael Nadal

Olympics: Kim says N Korea could participate in Winter Games AFP

SEOUL: Kim Jong-Un yester-day gave the first indication that North Korea could participate in next month’s Winter Olympics in the South, despite tensions over Pyongyang’s nuclear weap-ons programme.

“I sincerely hope the Pyeongchang Winter Olym-pics will be staged successfully,” said Kim, the North Korean leader, in his new year’s address to the nation.

“We are willing to take necessary measures includ-ing to dispatch our delegation.

“For this purpose, author-ities of the North and South would be able to meet in the near future,” he said.

Seoul’s presidential Blue House responded positively to Kim’s proposal for talks about sending a delegation to the Games.

“We welcome it,” a state-ment said. “Should the Olympics be staged success-fully, it will contribute to peace not only on the Korean peninsula but in the region and the world as well.”

Lee Hee-Beom, the head of the Pyeongchang Organ-ising Committee for the Olympic Games (POCOG) said: “We actively welcome the North’s suggestion that it is willing to engage in talks for the participation in the Olympics.

“We’ve been preparing for the Olympics on the assumption that the North will eventually take part in the Games,” he said, adding that POCOG have in place protocols for accommodation and transport for the North’s athletes.

Seoul and POCOG have billed the Games, which open on February 9, as a “peace Olympics” and have been keen for the North to take part.

Two North Korean ath-letes -- pairs figure skaters Ryom Tae-Ok and Kim Ju-Sik -- qualified for the Games but the North Korean Olympic Committee missed an Octo-ber 30 deadline to confirm to the International Skating Union that they would participate.

The pair could still be invited to compete by the International Olympic Committee.

“The IOC says the North would be able to take part in any event it wants,” said Lee yesterday.

“But North Korea is likely to send athletes to figure skat-ing, short track skating, cross country and women’s ice hockey.”

The Winter Olympic main venues are just 80 kilometres (50 miles) from the heavily fortified border with the North and the build-up to the event has been overshad-owed by tensions running high over the Pyongyang’s escalating nuclear and mis-sile tests.

Kim said the Olympics would “serve as a good chance to display our Korean people’s grace toward the world.”

“The year 2018 is a signif-icant year for both the North and the South, with the North marking the 70th anniversary of its birth and the South hosting the Winter Olympics.”

Kim did strike one note of caution.

“The sharp military ten-sion between the North and the South must be eased and a peaceful atmosphere should be in place,” he said.

NBA: Rockets end skid as Mavericks silence Thunder AFP

LOS ANGELES: The Houston Rockets take some good news -- and perhaps some bad -- into 2018 after snapping their five-game NBA losing streak with a 148-142 double-overtime victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.

James Harden scored 40 points but departed in the final minute of regulation with a ham-string injury.

Point guard Chris Paul scored 15 of his 28 points in the two overtime periods to carry Hou-ston to a much-needed win on their home floor.

Paul played a part in four straight baskets in the first extra period, but Lakers forward Bran-don Ingram made two free throws with eight-tenths of a sec-ond remaining to force the second.

In the second extra session, Paul made six free throws in the final minute and Houston took the lead for good on a second-chance basket by reserve forward P J Tucker -- his only points in the contest.

Moments later Tucker swat-ted away a three-point attempt by the Lakers Kyle Kuzma.

Trevor Ariza scored 26 points for Houston, who trailed by as many as 17 points.

The sight of Harden limping off must have tempered the Rockets’ pleasure in snapping their skid.

Houston coach Mike D’Antoni said it was too early to speculate about the severity of Harden’s injury.

“I don’t think we’ll know until tomorrow,” D’Antoni said. “I don’t think they’ll be able to assess it until then.”

In Los Angeles, Lou Williams came off the bench to score 40 points and propel the Clippers to a 106-98 victory over the

Charlotte Hornets. “He was just a nightmare tonight,” Charlotte forward Frank Kaminsky said of Williams. “He started hitting (three-pointers) early, so we start getting up on his screen.

“He starts driving to the rim, and then he’s getting fouled.”

Williams scored 16 points in the first quarter as the Clippers seized the lead. But the Hornets held them to just 13 points in the second period while fashioning a 28-7 scoring run that put Char-lotte up by as many as 14.

Charlotte led by 10 at the interval, but Blake Griffin scored 14 of his 25 points in a third quar-ter dominated 33-14 by Los Angeles.

While the Hornets remained within striking distance in the

fourth, they never got the deficit below four points.

The Boston Celtics held off the determined Brooklyn Nets 108-105 to notch their 30th win of the season.

Trailing by 14 points with 5:59 remaining, the Nets trimmed the deficit to three and had the ball after a timeout with 14.5 seconds left. Nets guard Spencer Dinwid-die unleashed a long-range effort that was wildly off-target.

Boston guard Kyrie Irving seized the rebound and called a timeout.

On the inbounds play, Irving was fouled and made two free throws to seal the win.

Irving, who scored 28 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Celtics, said the Eastern

Conference leaders should have clamped down at the end.

“We’ve just got to close out better,” he said.

In Oklahoma City, Dallas rookie Dennis Smith Jr produced 11 points in the final 1:39 to lift the Mavericks to a 116-113 victory over the Thunder.

“He was great tonight,” said Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle

after Smith contributed 19 points, four rebounds and six assists.

“They were trapping him in the pick-and-rolls. He hasn’t seen that. He went through some sit-uations that were very difficult, but he kept his energy up, he kept his head up, he kept attacking.”

Thanks in large part to Smith, the Mavs withstood Thunder star Russell Westbrook’s latest triple-double of 38 points, 15 rebounds and 11 assists.

Bradley Beal was the star in Washington, scoring 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter as the Wizards rallied to beat the Chi-cago Bulls 114-110.

John Wall scored 21 points for Washington, his three-point play with 29.4 seconds left to play putting the hosts ahead for good.

NHL: Avalanche rout IslandersAP

DENVER : The Colorado Avalanche have relied on their stars to carry the offense, but it was the supporting cast that got things rolling on New Year’s Eve.

Gabriel Landeskog scored twice in less than two minutes in the second period, and Colo-rado routed the New York Islanders 6-1 on Sunday night.

Carl Soderberg and Erik Johnson had a goal and an assist each, and Matt Nieto and Patrik Nemeth also scored for Colo-rado, which blew open the game with four goals in the second.

The first two goals of the frame came from Soderberg and Nieto, who make up the third line along with Blake Comeau.

The trio combined for 43 points entering Sunday, which matched top-line center Nathan MacKinnon’s total.

The third line had four points against the Islanders.

“Second period, I thought the Soderberg line kind of turned the tide for us,” Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said.

“They were fantastic. They were in on some big goals for us, getting to the net, coming up with secondary chances, bang-ing in rebounds, real good on their puck decisions. They had a lot to do with the win tonight.”

Jonathan Bernier stopped 27 shots, MacKinnon had three assists and Samuel Girard had two assists for Colorado.

The Avalanche have 41 points in 38 games this season, seven points short of tying last year’s 82-game total.

“I think training camp was real good and we set the bar

pretty high, and that’s kind of translated into this season,” Landeskog said. “We know there’s a lot of work to do still, but the first three months have been fun. I still think we have another couple of gears.”

The Islanders lost the game and head coach Doug Weight, who was given a game miscon-duct after Landeskog’s first goal.

Josh Bailey scored for New York, which has lost six straight on the road.

Jaroslav Halak had 30 saves, including 19 in the second period when Colorado put a season-high 23 shots on goal.

He was replaced by Thomas Greiss after two periods. Greiss stopped 12 shots.

“We had poor execution today and we didn’t seem as

hungry on the puck as they were. We aren’t winning enough bat-tles and that’s not creating a whole lot,” New York center John Tavares said.

“Obviously they came out hard and skated well. We just didn’t have our best today for whatever reason and it’s disap-pointing. Starting with myself, we have to look ourselves in the mirror and know we have a big week ahead where we have to challenge ourselves to be better.”

The Avalanche took a 3-0 lead on goals by Nemeth, Nieto and Soderberg, and then blew it open at the end of the second period.

Landeskog scored on the power play with 3:25 left, and after the goal Weight was

venting to the officials when he was ejected.

“He just wanted to show some passion,” assistant coach Luke Richardson said of Weight.

“Some of the frustration, our team as a whole, we got out-bat-tled from one end of the ice to the other, and your leader’s got to show some passion. It wasn’t there and Doug did that. Some-times it’s extreme, but when a game like this goes against us, you’ve got to be extreme.”

That put Colorado back on the power play. After Scott May-field drew a crosschecking minor, Landeskog scored his second of the game and 16th of the season on a 5-on-3. Bailey scored late in the third period to extend his points streak to 11 games.

Meanwhile Mark Giordano scored 52 seconds into overtime to lift the Calgary Flames over the Chicago Blackhawks 4-3.

Mikael Backlund sent a pass back to the blue line where Giordano took a couple strides and fired a shot into the top cor-ner on Jeff Glass.

It helped Calgary salvage a win after Chicago’s Brandon Saad tied it with 1:46 left in the third period.

Matthew Tkachuk had two goals and Sean Monahan also scored for Calgary, which had lost five of seven home games. Mike Smith turned away 34 shots.

Jordan Oesterle and Jonathan Toews also scored for Chicago. The Blackhawks extend their points streak against Calgary to 16 games (10-0-6), a streak that dates to Feb. 2, 2013. Glass fin-ished with 35 saves.

Toews and Saad also had an assist and each snapped six-game pointless streaks.

Saad tied it with the goalie pulled. Toews won a faceoff back to Saad, whose quick shot deflected off the skate of Travis Hamonic and through Smith’s pads.

Leading 1-0 after the first period thanks to a buzzer beater by Tkachuk, Calgary increased its lead to two when Tkachuk scored his second power-play goal of the night at 4:42, steer-ing in Johnny Gaudreau’s centering pass.

The Flames took a 3-0 lead 1:05 seconds later with Gaudreau again orchestrating the setup, this time to Monahan in front, who snapped his nine-game goalless drought.

Colorado Avalanche’s left wing Blake Comeau (14) and New York Islanders’ centre Mathew Barzal (13) battle for the puck in the second period of their NHL game at the Pepsi Center.

Houston Rockets’ guard James Harden (13) drives to the basket while Los Angeles Lakers’ guard Tyler Ennis (10) defends during the second quarter of their game at Toyota Center.

28 TUESDAY 2 JANUARY 2018SPORT

Bradley Beal was the star in Washington, scoring 17 of his 39 points in the fourth quarter as the Wizards rallied to beat the Chicago Bulls 114-110.

AP

MOUNT MAUNGANUI: Rain forced the abandonment of the second Twenty20 cricket international between New Zealand and the West Indies after nine overs yesterday, leaving the home team with a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.

New Zealand, which won the first match by 47 runs, was 102-4 when rain became heavy enough to force the players from the field. Play was eventually abandoned at 10 p.m.

Opener Colin Munro smashed 66 from 23 balls and reached a half century from 18 balls, which would have equaled his own New Zealand record if the match had been completed. Munro hit 11 fours and three sixes, falling after hitting four consecutive bound-aries from Kesrick Williams.

The third match is at the same venue Wednesday, when rain is also forecast.

Rain washes out T20 between NZ, West Indies

Ball-tampering claims ridiculous: AndersonREUTERS

SYDNEY: England pace bowler James Anderson (pictured) has described as “ridiculous” accu-sations that he was involved in tampering with the ball during the drawn fourth Ashes Test against Australia in Melbourne last week.

The 35-year-old was shown on television appearing to try to scuff up the ball with his thumb-nail on the fourth day on Friday and local commentators seized on the footage as the match meandered to a draw.

England coach Trevor Bay-liss, however, labelled the accusations as ‘Pommie bash-ing’ while Anderson scoffed at the suggestions.

“It escalated quite quickly, didn’t it?” Anderson said in com-ments published by Britain’s The Telegraph newspaper. “Ridicu-lous, but what we’ve come to expect.

“(I was) getting dirt off the ball. They’d watered the square so the footholes on the old wick-ets had mud.

“We went to the umpires to make sure they were happy with it,” he said

“You have to have a thick skin. You can’t worry what ex-players are saying in the media, whether they are opposition ex-players or English ex-player. There are many opinions about our players at the moment and you’ve got to try to block them out,” he added.

Anderson’s comments ech-oed those of Bayliss, who said the umpires had told him on Sat-urday the accusations were a ‘beat-up’.

Both sides had been warned by the umpires during the match about deliberately throwing the new ball into the ground to scuff it up in a desperate attempt to exert some assistance from a drop-in pitch that offered both sides little help.

Australia had already

regained the Ashes before the Melbourne game after they took a 3-0 lead in the five match series following victory by an innings and 41 runs in Perth.

In Melbourne, however, England dominated for much of the match, led by Alastair Cook’s unbeaten 244 and were thwarted by rain that washed out much of the fourth day’s play.

Anderson, undoubtedly on his last Ashes tour of Australia, said his side were looking ahead to try to grab a face-saving vic-tory in the fifth Test in Sydney, which starts on Thursday.

“We have played well at times in all four Tests,” Ander-son said.

“It would be nice if we can carry that on and have one last push at Sydney and try to get a win.

“It would mean a lot to the lads and all the English support we’ve had over here. You see them just non-stop and it means a lot to us that sort of support.”

Anderson said England des-perately needed quick bowlers if they were to challenge the Australians playing on home soil.

“I know my speed dropped off into my 58th and 59th overs,” Anderson said about his bowl-ing in Melbourne last week.

“I was bowling the ball, look-ing up at the board to see what speed it was and then looking at Steve Smith hitting it. I tried a fair bit. The pitch was so unre-sponsive. It’s quite demoralising when it gets to that point.

“There was a guy shouting at me: ‘You can’t bowl with a Kookaburra.’ I said ‘You might have a point there.’

“But if you put Starc on that pitch - or someone who bowls above 90 mph - they kind of take the pitch out of the equa-tion. It would be great if we could get someone who could bowl 90mph-plus, just to have that sort of X-factor.

“I know it’s a bit late [in my career], but if I can add another 5kph onto my bowling, that would be great.”

Anderson said England also needed to have batsmen who could slam big hundreds in Test cricket in away matches.

“We’ve got to score more runs,” Anderson said. “We need big hundreds. We’ve seen in all the Test matches, the team that has won or got on top has been the one with people scoring big scores, big hundreds.

“In this game in Melbourne it was us because of Alastair Cook, but it’s one area we need to improve.

Guptill returns for first two Pakistan ODIsAGENCIES

WELLINGTON: Martin Guptill returns from injury while the spin duo of Mitchell Santner and Todd Astle were retained in New Zealand’s 13-man squad for the first two ODIs against Pakistan.

Guptill missed New Zea-land’s 3-0 rout of West Indies last month with a hamstring injury.

However, he has regained fitness and is currently part of the national team for the ongo-ing T20I series against West Indies. Guptill’s inclusion means George Worker, who made two half-centuries in his last three ODIs as an opener, has been left out.

“It’s tough on George miss-ing out, but he’ll continue to push for selection and will get further opportunities down the road,” said Gavin Larsen, the national selector. “Martin is a proven world-class player, so we’re naturally thrilled to have him back in the mix. He and Colin (Munro) have been strong for us at the top of the order.”

New Zealand will also be without Colin de Grandhomme, the allrounder, who missed the West Indies series and returned to Harare after his father’s death. He has since returned to New Zealand and will play for Auck-land and is likely to return for the last three ODIs. The five-match series that starts in Wellington on January 9 will be followed by three T20Is.

New Zealand squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Todd Astle, Doug Bracewell, Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Martin Guptil, Matt Henry, Tom Latham, Colin Munro, Henry Nicholls, Mitch-ell Santner, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor.

Steyn waits to see if he will get a chance REUTERS

CAPE TOWN: Dale Steyn (pictured) has been close to the milestone for more than a year now but, at the age of 34, time is running out for the speed merchant to become South Afri-ca’s most prolific wicket taker.

Steyn’s 417 Test-wicket haul is just four shy of the South Afri-can record held by Shaun Pollock but the target remains both tantalisingly close and frus-tratingly elusive at the same time.

Standing between him and the tag of the country’s best ever bowler have been a serious shoulder injury and a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

After his latest piece of rot-ten luck, some doubt that Steyn will get his long-awaited oppor-tunity when South Africa take on India in a three-Test series starting at Newlands on Friday.

It has been 14 months since Steyn’s last Test and the rusti-ness of the lay-off, plus the absence of a decent examina-tion of his shoulder in match conditions, could see him left out, local media suggested.

“There is significant, ill-advised risk associated with any fast-track return,” wrote local cricket columnist Rob Houwing this week (www.sport24.co.za) after the pace bowler missed out on the Boxing Day Test against

Zimbabwe. Steyn’s shoulder tra-vails began against England in Durban in December 2015 but it was just under a year later in Perth in November 2016 that extensive damage was done as he broke the right shoulder and tore three major muscles on the second day of the first Test against Australia.

He went home to Cape Town for surgery, followed by lengthy rehabilitation and abor-tive comebacks before he was ygently eased back into Twenty20 action in November and then 12 wicketless overs in whites just before Christmas.

Steyn was due to return in the one-off Test against Zimba-bwe in Port Elizabeth last week but on the opening morning of the day-night match was unluckily ruled out by a bout of influenza.

In his absence, South Afri-ca’s four-man seam attack easily bowled out Zimbabwe twice and, although India are an alto-gether different proposition, there is a temptation for the selectors to stick with them.

Steyn, whose Test average is a staggering 22.3, can, how-ever, point to a prolific record at Newlands with 65 wickets in 13 Tests at an average of 21.93 –- 12 against India.

He -- and legions of sup-porters enthralled by his passionate approach to the game -- wait to see whether he will get to bowl this time.

Meanwhile visitors India have opted for two high-inten-sity training sessions at the Western Province Cricket Club, where they will try to replicate Test-match conditions.

“If you look at the wicket that we are playing on right now, it’s not even 15% of what we are going to get in the game,” Virat Kohli said at the team’s first media engagement.

“We understand that. There’s no point wasting two days, guys going in, scoring quick fifties and coming out. We’d rather have them do two sessions like today, get into Test match zone, test ourselves, try and prepare the wickets the way we want to. If you’re playing a two-day game, there’s no room to change the wicket at differ-ent times of the day.”

Stokes withdrawn from England’s ODI squad REUTERS

SYDNEY: Suspended England all-rounder Ben Stokes has been withdrawn from the squad for this month’s five-match one-day international series against Australia and was replaced by batsman Dawid Malan, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said yesterday.

Stokes, who was provision-ally named in England’s squad, is awaiting a decision on whether he will be charged by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) for his involvement in an altercation outside a Bristol nightclub in September.

The ECB said he would not travel with the group of players leaving for Australia today and his availability will depend on

CPS advice. “Should ECB receive formal confirmation that he has either, a) been charged or, b) will face no charges, the ECB board would convene within 48 hours to make a decision on his avail-ability to represent England at that stage,” ECB said in a state-ment on their website (www.ecb.co.uk).

The ECB said Stokes has been cleared to participate in the player draft for the Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament.

The first ODI between Aus-tralia and England will be played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Jan. 14.

Meanwhile Stokes will be eligible to play in the Indian Pre-mier League, according to BBC.

Stokes was recently granted

a ‘no objection certificate’ to play for Canterbury in New Zea-land, the land of his birth, though he cut short his stay there for “family reasons”.

And ECB chief executive Tom Harrison conceded it would be “difficult” to prevent him playing in the IPL.

Stokes is in fact looking at a lucrative contract in the IPL.

Last year he was signed for a record fee of £1.7m ($2.3m) by the Rising Pune Supergiants.

He repaid their investment handsomely by being the player of the tournament.

A big-money new television deal could see figures rise even higher at the player auction later this month, because teams have a salary cap that has risen by 20 percent.

Pakistan players during a training session at Saxton Oval Nelson in New Zealand. Pakistan will play five ODIs and three T20s on their tour with the first match beginning tomorrow.

Zealand’s Colin Munro bats during the second Twenty20 international cricket match against the West Indies at the Bay Oval in Mount Maunganui yesterday.

29TUESDAY 2 JANUARY 2018 SPORT

30 TUESDAY 2 JANUARY 2018SPORT

January shopping list for Europe’s top clubs AFP

PARIS: Liverpool’s £75m ($100m) splurge on Southamp-ton’s Virgil van Dijk indicated that the English Premier League will again be where most money is spent in the January transfer window.

But some of Europe’s top clubs will be active this month looking to strengthen their squads for the run-in. The Penin-sula looks at what to expect in the continent’s biggest leagues after the window opened yesterday.

Spain: Kepa set for Madrid La Liga leaders Barcelona

could say they already have their big January signing with Ous-mane Dembele close to a return having injured himself shortly after his big-money move from Borussia Dortmund at the start of the season.

That will not stop specula-tion that the Catalans will go back in for Liverpool’s Philippe Coutinho after failing in their bid to sign the Brazilian in the summer.

But strengthening at the back might be of more immediate importance with Javier

Mascherano set to depart. A move for the giant Colombian Yerry Mina of Palmeiras could be completed imminently. Atletico Madrid can finally reg-ister new players with a FIFA-imposed ban now having ended. That means Diego Costa and Vitolo can make their debuts after agreeing deals to move to the Wanda Metropolitano from Chelsea and Sevilla respectively in the summer.

Real Madrid are likely to make moves too. But if there is to be only one signing it should be that of Kepa Arrizabalaga, the Athletic Bilbao and Spain goal-keeper. The 23-year-old’s contract expires in June, but Madrid could pay his 20 million-euro buyout clause to get him now.

Italy: Sales at Milan?Juventus could splash some

cash as they chase league lead-ers Napoli and they have been linked with a move for Liver-pool’s Germany midfielder Emre Can.

“We know that he is a good player and a good opportunity but nothing more,” Juve CEO Beppe Marotta told Premium Sport on Saturday.

Already out of the Champi-ons League, Napoli are desperate to win a first Serie A title since 1990. They want to reinforce their attack this month, and have been linked with a 25 million-euro move for the Bologna striker Simone Verdi.

There could be sales at AC Milan, who are in financial dif-ficulty and struggling in mid-table. Most headlines, though, currently surround the future of goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, who has been linked with a move away but said on Saturday that he was “happy” at San Siro.

The window in Italy opens tomorrow.

Germany: Goretzka Bayern-bound

Bayern Munich are on course for another Bundesliga title. They are top, 11 points clear of Schalke, at the season’s halfway stage. And they are set to add insult to injury for their rivals by making a move for Schalke star Leon Goretzka.

The 22-year-old German international is out of contract at the end of the season and Sport Bild reported on Sunday that he would sign a pre-contract

agreement this month to move to Bavaria in the summer.

There is likely to be move-ment at Borussia Dortmund, with Andre Schuerrle being linked with West Ham United.

They will also have to deal with inevitable speculation as to the future of star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is under contract until 2021.

France: PSG to trim squad - There will almost cer-

tainly be departures from Paris Saint-Germain as they look to raise funds to comply with finan-cial fair play.

Javier Pastore is reportedly keen to leave to boost his chances of making the Argentina squad for the World Cup and could be Italy-bound. The out-of-favour Lucas Moura will depart too, while PSG are also hoping to bring in a midfielder, although they look to have missed out on the Brazilian Wen-del, who is set to join Sporting Lisbon from Fluminense.

Elsewhere, Monaco will trim their squad, and English clubs could come back in for Thomas Lemar, the target of huge bids from Liverpool and Arsenal in the summer.

Javier Pastore in action.

Silva signs for Leicester to end long saga AFP

L O N D O N : P o r t u g a l midfielder Adrien Silva says he tried to remain positive during a long saga which came to a happy end yester-day as he completed his move to Premier League side Leicester City.

The 28-year-old – capped 20 times and a member of the Portugal side that won Euro 2016 – has had to wait four months to com-plete the £22m ($29.7m) transfer from Sporting Lisbon.

The France-born mid-fielder has been in a state of limbo since his original trans-fer was not accepted because the paperwork was 14 sec-onds past the deadline in August -- an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) failed.

“When you have a period like this, it’s very up and down,” Silva told Leicester’s in-house television station.

“You have to keep a pos-itive mentality and that’s what I’ve tried to do. I’ve kept my mind focused on my job and what I love to do.”

Silva, who was named on the bench for Monday’s game with Huddersfield Town, said he had been keeping fit despite not having played all season.

“It’s been very frustrating, but now the difficult times are past me and I’m very happy to be close to my goal,” said Silva.

“I’ve been working hard every day to arrive at this moment and I’m in good shape.

“It’s been very important to keep training because it’s a long time not playing. There is nothing better than the game.”

Last-gasp Klavan strike gives Liverpool victory AFP

LONDON: Ragnar Klavan’s last-gasp goal gave Liverpool a dramatic 2-1 win at Burnley, while Stoke manager Mark Hughes faced calls for his sacking after a 1-0 defeat against Newcastle yesterday.

With Philippe Coutinho and Mohamed Salah missing due to thigh and groin injuries respectively and Roberto Firmino left on the bench, Sadio Mane was the lone member of Liverpool’s ‘Fab Four’ to start at rain-lashed Turf Moor.

After a scrappy first half, Senegal winger Mane showed Liverpool can thrive without his star team-mates as he opened the scoring in the 61st minute.

Mane collected Trent Alexander-Arnold’s pass and hammered home from the edge of the area for his eighth

Liverpool goal this season. Burnley equalised with just three minutes left as Sam Vokes flicked on and Johann Gudmundsson pounced to slot home.

But Liverpool’s Dejan Lovren headed on a free-kick four minutes into stoppage-time and Estonia defender Klavan poked home from close-range.

Liverpool’s third successive win extended their unbeaten league run to 13 games as they cemented their place in the top four.

The injuries to Coutinho and Salah are believed to be minor and the in-form pair are expected to have a chance of playing in Friday’s FA Cup third round tie against Merseyside rivals Everton

At the bet365 Stadium, Stoke’s latest lacklustre display piled pressure on Hughes, whose gamble of fielding a weakened team in Saturday’s 5-0 thrashing at Chelsea proved an unwise move.

Newcastle took a deserved lead in the 73rd minute when Ayoze Perez stabbed past Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland from close-range.

That triggered chants for Hughes’s dismissal from Stoke fans, with a ‘Hughes out’ banner held aloft in the stands.

Stoke have won once in their last six games and sit two points above the relegation zone.

Algeria duo Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani inspired Leicester’s 3-0 win over

Huddersfield.Claude Puel’s side took the

lead through Mahrez in the 53rd minute, the winger meeting Marc Albrighton’s cross with a well-taken volley for his eighth goal of the season.

With Leicester striker Jamie Vardy sidelined by a groin injury, Islam Slimani who marked only his second league start this season with his first league goal since April -- a chipped finish in the 60th minute.

Leicester’s Adrien Silva came on late in the second half for his long-awaited first appearance.

FIFA rejected the 28-year-old’s move from Sporting Lisbon in August when the paperwork arrived 14 seconds too late.

The Portugal midfielder finally completed his move yesterday and was cheered to the rafters when he made his first appearance at the King Power Stadium.

Albrighton’s 90th minute goal capped a good afternoon for Leicester, who ended a four-match winless run, while Huddersfield were beaten for the first time in five games.

Callum Wilson’s second goal

in three games earned Bournemouth a 2-2 draw at south coast rivals Brighton.

Anthony Knockaert put Brighton ahead in the fifth minute before Steve Cook’s looping header had the visitors level in the 33rd minute.

Glenn Murray restored Brighton’s lead three minutes into the second half.

But Wilson rescued Bournemouth in the 79th minute with his fifth league goal of the campaign and Eddie Howe’s side are now unbeaten in their last three games.

Swansea’s Naughton banned for 3 games REUTERS

LONDON: Swansea defender Kyle Naugh-ton (pictured) will be suspended for his team’s next three games after a review of a stamping incident in their 2-1 Premier League win over Watford on Saturday.

Television images showed Naughton appearing to tread on Watford forward Stefano Okaka’s leg and he was charged with violent conduct by the English Foot-ball Association after the game at Vicarage Road.

Swansea said Naughton had accepted the ban and will miss league games against Tottenham Hotspur and Newcas-tle United as well as next weekend’s FA

Cup third round clash away to Wolver-hampton Wanderers.

The Welsh club are bottom of the league with 16 points from 21 games and picked up their first win in five games in new manager Carlos Carvalhal’s debut on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace centre back Scott Dann faces a spell on the sidelines after injuring his knee in Sunday’s goal-less Premier League draw with leaders Manchester City.

Eagles skipper Dann was carried off on a stretcher in the 17th minute of a feisty clash that also saw Palace mid-fielder Jason Puncheon helped off the pitch while City lost attackers Gabriel

Jesus and Kevin de Bruyne to injury. “It looks like a serious knee injury, but how serious it turns out to be after he has the scan, we will have to wait and see,” Hodg-son said about Dann’s knock.

“You don’t know directly how bad it is after the game and the doctors loathe to make any bold statements but it doesn’t look good.”

Palace became only the second team to take points off City in the league this season, halting their winning streak at 18 games, and travel to 13th-placed South-ampton today.

Palace are 17th in the league with 19 points after four wins, seven draws and 10 defeats.

Adrien Silva

Brighton 2 (Knockaert 5, Murray 48)

Bournemouth 2 (S. Cook 33, Wilson79)

Burnley 1 (Gudmundsson 87) Liverpool 2

(Mane 61, Klavan 90+4)

Leicester 3 (Mahrez 53, Slimani 60,

Albrighton 90+2) Huddersfield 0

S’ City 0 Newcastle United 1 (Pere 73)

Playing Today(1945 GMT)Manchester City v Watford (2000),

Swansea vs Tottenham Hotspur,

Southampton vs Crystal Palace, West Ham

vs West Bromwich Albion

PREMIER LEAGUE RESULTS Liverpool’s Ragnar Klavan (left) celebrates with team-mates after scoring their second goal yesterday.

Al Sadd savour successful year as Al Gharafa create history

Lekhwiya players celebrate with the Falcon Shield. RIGHT: Al Gharafa players and officials celebrate after receiving the QSL Cup Trophy.

THE PENINSULA

DOHA: The year that went by portrayed the club football scene in Qatar in a good light in terms of action on the field, matters off it as well as achievements by teams and players individually.

A new year has dawned, with the teams looking forward to success and glory as ever, and The Peninsula takes a look at the high points of 2017.

Lekhwiya lifted the QSL Falcon Shield for the fifth time, the earlier occasions being 2010-11, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2014-15.

Xavi’s Al Sadd were the side that gained the most as far as number of titles were concerned. The Wolves lifted both Qatar Cup and the most prestigious Emir’s Cup, defeating El Jaish and Al Rayyan respectively by an identical 2-1 margin, before winning the season-opening Sheikh Jassim Cup, played between league champions and Emir’s Cup winners. Al Sadd got the better of Al Duhail 4-2.

At a personal level, Lekhwiya walked away with three major awards at the Qatar Football Association’s end-of-season ceremony.

South Korean playmaker Nam Tae-Hee (pictured below) walked away with the best-player award while Almoez Ali bagged the honours for the best Under-23 player.

Moroccan striker Youssef El Ara-bi’s top-scorer award (24 goals) made

it three in total for them. Al Sadd’s Baghdad Bounedjah was close behind on 23. Al Sadd’s Jesualdo Ferreira was adjudged the best coach.

The tournament was rebranded in the 2017-18 season as QNB Stars League that witnessed a slimmer and sleeker competition with 12 teams instead of 14 and 22 rounds of action as against 26.

The league’s new logo was launched at a press conference, attended by Qatar Stars League Man-agement CEO Hani Taleb Ballan, Acting Executive Director of Marketing and Communications Hassan Al Kuwari, Acting Executive Director of Compe-titions and Football Development Ahmed Al Adsani and QNB Assistant General Manager of Public Relations Salem Al Nuaimi, among others.

Lekhwiya and El Jaish got merged into Al Duhail, while Qatar SC and Al Markhiya got promoted. Al Markhiya celebrated the top-flight entry in style, shocking 13-time champions Al Sadd

in the first kick-off of the new sea-son. However, that result was

overturned as The Oryxes fielded an ineligible player.

Al Duhail were in pole position right from the

start. They asserted their supremacy after every

round to remain as the only unbeaten side with 29 points when the competi-tion’s first phase,

consisting of 11 rounds, concluded.

The Red Knights were held twice, by Al Gharafa and Al Sailiya.

The second position changed hands between Al Sadd and Al Rayyan,

but the former managed to finish just behind Al Duhail with 27 points, fol-lowed by Al Rayyan (25) and Al Sailiya (19).

The biggest highlight of fixtures was the Qatar Clasico in Week 6

fought between Al Sadd and Al Rayyan, which the latter won 2-1.

The match lived up to its top bill-ing. So was the build-up to the grand fiesta as the Qatar Stars League Man-agement had made all efforts towards making it a runaway success. This unique event gave the sponsors extra mileage and the huge attendance by fans was the icing on the cake.

Al Sadd and Al Arabi fought it out in the Qatar Derby in the previous round, with The Wolves winning by a 3-1 margin. Another derby in Week 8 saw Al Rayyan defeat Al Arabi 4-2.

Al Arabi topped the scorer’s chart with 16 goals, followed by his captain Youssef Msakni (nine) and Al Rayyan’s Abderrazaq Hamdallah as well as Al Sailiya’s Wagner Ribeiro (both eight). Al Arabi looks set to emulate his per-formance last season.

Other players who grabbed the attention were Nam (Al Duhail), Xavi Hernandez, Bounedjah, Jugurtha Ham-roun, Hassan Al Haydous (all Al Sadd),

Rodrigo Tabata, Sebastian Soria (both Al Rayyan), Temurkhuja Abdukholiqov (Al Sailiya), Yannick Sagbo (Umm Salal), Meshaal Abdullah, Yassine Chikhaoui (both Al Ahli), Luis Jimenez, Othman Al Yahri (both Al Gharafa), Madson (Al Khor), Khalfan Ibrahim, Mardik Mardikian (both Al Arabi), Rachid Tiberkanine (Al Kharaitiyat), Michael Babatunde, Ibrahim Jamal (both Qatar SC) and Kwame Karikari (Al Markhiya).

The Khalifa International Stadium, the first 2022 FIFA World Cup venue to be completed, hosted two QNB Stars League matches.

In all, 228 goals were scored and Week 8 witnessed the most (30).

Al Gharafa’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Al Rayyan provided the fitting finale to the sixth edition of QSL Cup, revived this year after a gap of three seasons. The win not only enabled Al Gharafa to end their long title drought, but made them the first team to win the QSL Cup twice too.

Al Sadd players lift Qatar Cup. RIGHT: Al Sadd captain is embraced by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during the presentation ceremony of the 2017 Emir Cup.

League that witnessed a sleeker competition wiinstead of 14 and 22 rounas against 26.

The league’s newlaunched at a press attended by Qatar Stars Lagement CEO Hani Taleb BExecutive Director of MaCommunications HassaActing Executive Directotitions and Football DAhmed Al Adsani and QGeneral Manager of PubSalem Al Nuaimi, among

Lekhwiya and El Jaishinto Al Duhail, while QatMarkhiya got promoted.celebrated the top-flight eshocking 13-time champ

in the first kick-off of tson. However, tha

overturned as fielded an inelig

Al Duhail wposition righ

start. They asupremac

round tthe onside wwhen tion’s

consistrounds, concluded.

The Red Knights werby Al Gharafa and Al Sail

The second positiohands between Al Sadd an

but the former managedbehinddddd Al Duhail with 2lowed by Al Rayyan Sailiya (19).

The biggest highligwas t e Qata C as cwas the Qatar Clasic The Khalifa International Stadium hosted the Emir Cup final and two QNB Stars League matches in 2017.

��The Wolves lifted both Qatar Cup and the most prestigious

Emir’s Cup, defeating El Jaish and Al Rayyan respectively by an

identical 2-1 margin, before winning the season-opening

Sheikh Jassim Cup,

��Lekhwiya lifted the QSL Falcon Shield for the fifth time, the

earlier occasions being 2010-11, 2011-12, 2013-14, 2014-15.

��Al Gharafa’s dramatic 3-2 victory over Al Rayyan provided the

fitting finale to the sixth edition of QSL Cup, revived this year

after a gap of three seasons.

��South Korean playmaker Nam Tae-Hee (pictured below) walked

away with the best-player award

��Al Sadd’s Jesualdo Ferreira was adjudged the best coach of the

year.

��The tournament was re-branded in the 2017-18 season as QNB

Stars League that witnessed a slimmer and sleeker competi-

tion with 12 teams instead of 14 and 22 rounds of action as

against 26.

��Defending champions Lekhwiya and El Jaish got merged into

Al Duhail, while Qatar SC and Al Markhiya got promoted. Al

Duhail are leading the standings.

QSL: FLASHBACK 2017

31TUESDAY 2 JANUARY 2018 SPORT

ARMSTRONG VASTHE PENINSULA

DOHA: Playing competitive matches after a long break is always a tricky affair. Top seed Dominic Thiem discovered it is not easy to find your rhythm right away with your first match of the season. The Austrian, however, held his nerve to over-come some first-set jitters to beat Russian Evgeny Donskoy to reach the second round of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open here yesterday.

The Austrian, who finished his 2017 season by making his second appearance at the ATP Finals in London, began his new season with a straight sets 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 win over the Moscow based Donskoy in the first meet-ing between the two.

Also making it to the second round were, Nikoloz Basilash-vili of Georgia, seventh seed Fernando Verdasco of Spain and Andrey Rublev of Russia.

The first-round action con-tinues today.

At the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, Thiem making his second appearance in Doha was pushed to the wall by Donskoy in the first set.

Thiem, who served 13 aces in the one hour 36 minutes encounter, bounced back in quick time to win the first set in the tie-break.

The World No. 5, who dou-ble faulted three times, broke the Russian’s serve twice in the second set, in the sixth and ninth games to claim victory.

The 24-year-old is the tour-nament’s top seed after the withdrawal of Novak Djokovic because of a persistent elbow injury.

Thiem is eyeing his second ATP World Tour hard-court title and his ninth overall in Doha was delighted to begin his sea-son on a winning note in Qatar.

“Very happy with the win. Win on the first day of the year is a nice feeling,” Thiem said while speaking to journalists after his match.

“The end of the season was

not so good, but the start of the new one is good. As for the last season almost all the players have forgotten or is a past for them. It’s a new season, a new beginning in the New Year”, he added.

“It was a good victory against tough opponent, play-ing after a pretty long break. After a good start, it got pretty close in the first set. I had to save two set points. In the end I’m satisfied with most parts of my game.

“It’s nice to be top seeded. But here it doesn’t really mat-ter because nobody has a bye, so it doesn’t matter if you are 2 or 1 seed. The season is going to be very long, and I hope that I can have a good start here,” Thiem said.

“Last year was not good on hard courts. Two years ago, it

was way better. So, I try to improve again or to have better results on hard court. I want to play better on hard courts.

The clay court-specialist will take on the winner of the first round clash between Slov-enian Aljaz Bedene and Malek Jaziri, a Tunisian handed a wild card by the organisers.

In the other matches, Basi-lashvili defeated Italian Thomas Fabbiano 6-4, 6-3 and will face the winner of the match between second seed Pablo Busta Carreno of Spain and Borna Coric of Croatia.

Verdasco rallied from behind to down Dudi Sela of Israel 4-6, 6-4, 6-0 to also advanced to the second round where he will square to Rublev. The Russian has it easy in the first round as his opponent C e d r i k - M a r c e l S t e b e

of Germany retired hurt with Rubley having won the first set 6-1.

Meanwhile, second and third seeds Carreno and Tomas Berdych play their opening round matches today.

Carreno said that he has set some goals for new season to take his game to a new level.

“It was a very, very good season, last one. For the new one, I hope to continue improv-ing, no. I think the most important thing for is continu-ing improving my tennis, my confidence. I think that I can do it better than last year,” he said.

Carreno said the opportu-nities were there for other players to claim this year’s Grand Slam titles.

“If Rafa, Federer, Murray or Djokovic plays at his best level, it will be very difficult for us to

win a Grand Slam,” he said. “But if we continue improv-

ing -- because I think that, for example, Dimitrov or Goffin, they are playing really good and they finish the season playing really, really good.

Another new season reso-lution for the Spaniard is not to slip from the top-ten.

“I would like to continue in the top 10, no. It would be fan-tastic to finish the year again in the top 10 and to play the ATP Masters Finals again. We know that is really difficult. Lot of players were injured last sea-son and now they kind of start again to play, like Murray, Djok-ovic, so it will be fun to start the new season.”

“You know, when you do a season like this, it’s always dif-ficult not to continue and to do it better. But the important thing for me is to continue improving my level. We know that the last season is difficult to repeat, but we are here to do it,” Carreno added.

Austrian top seed Dominic Thiem hits a return to Russia’s Evgeny Donskoy during their Qatar ExxonMobil Open first round match played at the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha yesterday.Pictures: Salim Matramkot/The Peninsula

Thiem is eyeing his second ATP World Tour hard-court title and his ninth overall in Doha was delighted to begin his season on a winning note in Qatar.The clay court specialist will take on the winner of the first round clash between Slovenian Aljaz Bedene and Tunisian Malek Jaziri.

SPORTTuesday 2 January 2018

Tiger hopes to play full 2018 but not yet ready to commit

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PAGE | 25 PAGE | 26-27 PAGE | 29Halep and

Sharapova off to winning starts

g us,,,,,,,,,

Thiem begins Qatar Open quest on a winning note

Qatar’s Mousa Shanan Zayed returns a shot to his doubles counterparts R. Ram and F. López while team-mate Malek Jaziri of Tunisia looks on.

It was a good vic-tory against tough opponent, playing after a pretty long break. After a good start, it got pretty close in the first set. I had to save two set points. In the end I’m satisfied with most parts of my game: Thiem

Germany’s Cedrik-Marcel Stebe (left) is attended by medical staff during his match against Russia’s Andrey Rublev. Stebe retired after the first set.