The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Dizzy Azarenka reaches Tokyo quarters Posted: 26 Sep 2012 07:46 AM PDT
Wrestling again with her service demons, second seed Maria Sharapova produced a laboured 6-2 7-6 victory over Czech Lucie Safarova to also reach the last eight in Tokyo. Azarenka (picture) had her blood pressure checked during the changeover after going 4-3 down in the first set but somehow dug in to take it after Vinci dumped a forehand into the net. "I felt dizzy on court and my head was spinning between points," said the Belarusian. "I was just trying to finish the points as quickly as possible." Azarenka, who won this year's Australian Open and reached the US Open final earlier this month, found her feet again to race to a 4-0 lead in the second set. Still looking flushed between points, Azarenka offered her opponent a glimmer of hope by dropping the next two games before slamming the door firmly shut. A sliced backhand brought business to a quick conclusion, although Azarenka was still grimacing as she shook hands with Vinci and waved to the crowd. "I arrived a few days before the tournament and really struggled with my health," said Azarenka. "I've been trying to save my energy for my matches." "I don't know what exactly it is. Hopefully I'll know as soon as possible and get rid of it. I was pretty lucky. I don't know how I got through really." French Open champion Sharapova finished with an ace but double-faults on big points almost cost the Russian the second set as the sun set over Tokyo Bay. "After a long match yesterday, I was just happy to win in two (sets)," said Sharapova, who had taken more than three hours to dispatch British qualifier Heather Watson the previous day. The two-times Pan Pacific Open champion was almost forced into a decider having blown a 3-0 lead in the set before winning the tiebreak 7-5. FURIOUS REACTION Sharapova almost choked in the breaker too, opening a 4-1 advantage before a wild forehand allowed Safarova to drew level, prompting a furious reaction from the Russian. Muttering to herself angrily between points, Sharapova smacked her racquet against the court in disgust but held her nerve and had just enough in the tank to get the job done. "After being up 3-0 I was frustrated," said the Olympic silver medallist, who served 14 double faults in her opener and six against Safarova. "I don't think it should have gone to a tiebreak because I had the momentum going in the second set." Sharapova next faces eighth seed Samantha Stosur of Australia in the WTA premier five event after last year's US Open champion beat Slovakia's Dominika Cibulkova 6-4 7-5. Seventh seed Li Na, one of three Chinese players to travel to Tokyo despite escalating political tensions between China and Japan, was beaten 4-6 6-3 6-4 by Denmark's Caroline Wozniacki. Former world number one Wozniacki next faces defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska, the third seed, who progressed with a 6-4 6-3 win over American qualifier Jamie Hampton. Fifth seed Angelique Kerber played party pooper for the Radwanska family, however, overpowering Agnieszka's younger sister Urszula 6-1 6-1. Azarenka awaits the German. Sixth seed Sara Errani ended the French resistance, overcoming ninth seed Marion Bartoli 3-6 6-2 6-2 to reach the last eight. – Reuters |
| Japanese-backed team out of Tour of Beijing amid tension Posted: 26 Sep 2012 06:53 AM PDT  Team Argos Shimano rider Yukihiro Doi (C) of Japan cycles during the 13th stage of the Tour of Spain 'La Vuelta' cycling race between Santiago de Compostela and Ferrol August 31, 2012. The team with a Japanese co-sponsor and rider, withdrew from cycling's Tour of Beijing on Wednesday amid tensions between Japan and China over disputed islands. – Reuters pic "Global Cycling Promotion and the local organising committee of the Tour of Beijing discussed with Team Argos-Shimano the option of not participating in the Tour of Beijing," the event's organisers said in a statement. "Due to the current circumstances, the team accepted to withdraw from the race." The Tour of Beijing would be held as scheduled from Oct. 9-13, the International Cycling Union (UCI) said. "At this time, the current situation is not affecting the participation of any of the 18 World Tour teams and all are expected to be on the start line in Beijing on the 9th of October," UCI's Global Cycling Promotion director Alain Rumpf said. "Of course the local organising committee and Global Cycling Promotion are closely following the evolution of the situation." Earlier this month, Japanese cycling team Aisan were kicked out of the Tour of China. Sino-Japanese relations deteriorated sharply this month after Japan bought the isolated East China Sea islands, called Senkaku in Japan and Diaoyu in China, from their private owner, sparking protests across China. – Reuters |
TOKYO, Sept 26 – World number one Victoria Azarenka recovered from a bout of dizziness to beat Italy's Roberta Vinci 6-4 6-2 and reach the quarter-finals of the Pan Pacific Open today.| You are subscribed to email updates from The Malaysian Insider :: Sports To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
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