The Malaysian Insider :: Sports
The Malaysian Insider :: Sports |
| Safarova leads Czechs to Fed Cup glory Posted: 04 Nov 2012 07:23 AM PST  Czech Republic's Lucie Safarova returns a ball to Serbia's Ana Ivanovic during their final match of the Fed Cup tennis tournament in Prague, November 3, 2012. — Reuters pic Left-hander Safarova, the word number 17, broke Jankovic's opening serve before winning 6-1 6-1 in front of a 14,000 capacity crowd at Prague's O2 Arena. She had won only one of their previous six encounters. "It is impossible to describe how great this feeling is, because it is at home," Safarova said. "I played unbelievably well. This was one of those days when everything you touch works out well. I really wanted to win and I am very happy." "Jelena is a great player but I was very focused and solid, it was one of my best matches... one of my best five games." Safarova's form contrasted with her two losses in last year's final against Russia and compensated for Petra Kvitova, who had stumbled in her return singles earlier today. Kvitova lost 6-3 7-5 to Ana Ivanovic who kept alive Serbia's hopes of winning their debut Fed Cup. World number eight Kvitova had been expected to hand the Czechs an unbeatable 3-0 lead but former French Open winner Ivanovic produced an inspired display. The 24-year old Serb took the first point for Serbia with a forehand winner on her third match point. "I knew today I would be playing better and I started swinging from the beginning and worked well for me. (Kvitova) started swinging again (in the second set), getting few winners down the lines, but I managed to stay calm," she said. Kvitova said she had felt healthy after but lacked power. "I did not have a lot of energy. At the beginning I was being much too hectic, I wanted to take the final point in this tie," she said. "Ana played very well, aggressively, I only could play a few shots in rallies, that is why I made errors and she took the winners." The Fed Cup title is the Czechs seventh overall including the former Czechoslovakia The Czechs are hoping to complete a double when the men's team take on Spain in the Davis Cup final later this month. — Reuters |
| Chinese 14-year-old earns ticket to US Masters Posted: 04 Nov 2012 07:18 AM PST  Winner Guan Tianlang of China (left) holds a certificate of invitation to the 2013 US Masters Tournament as runner-up Pan Chung-Tseng of Taiwan poses with a certificate of entry to International Final Qualifying for the Open Championship, during the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship at Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi, November 4, 2012. — Reuters pic Teenage hot-shot Guan earned an invitation to the 2013 Masters at Augusta after firing an even-par 71 to win by one stroke from Taiwan's Pan Chung-Tseng at Amata Spring Country Club. Pan shot a final-round 65 but Guan hung on to claim a memorable victory with a 15-under total of 269. Australia's Oliver Goss, who finished third a further shot adrift, told AAP that Guan was "too young to be intimidated". When Guan tees it up at Augusta in April he will beat the previous record set by Italy's Matteo Manassero, who was 16 when he played at the year's first major in 2010. Guan is quickly establishing himself as Asia's latest golf sensation, becoming the youngest player to compete at a European Tour event at the China Open earlier this year. Japan's Ryo Ishikawa and South Korean Noh Seung-yul both burst onto the scene while still at school, blazing a trail for the next generation of Asian golfers.Ishikawa, 21, has nine Japanese Tour wins to his name, his first coming as a 15-year-old, while Noh, also 21, captured a European Tour title at the co-sanctioned Malaysian Open in 2010. — Reuters |
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