Category: SPORTS BETTING

SPORTS BETTING

Rafael Nadal wins record 9th Gallic Open, 14th Grand Slam

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Paris:RafaelNadalclinchedhisninthFrenchOpenand14thcareerGrandSlamtitleonSundaywithabrutal3-6,7-5,6-2,6-4victoryoverabattlingNovakDjokovic.TheworldnumberonealsobecamethefirstmantowinfiveRolandGarroscrownsinsuccessionasthe28-year-oldtookhisrecordatthetournamentto66winsagainstjustonedefeat. Histallyof14majorsequalsthemarkofPeteSamprasandputshimjustthreebehindtheall-timerecordofRogerFedererwhoisalmostfiveyearsolder.DefeatwascruelforworldnumbertwoDjokovic,the2012runner-up,whostillneedsaFrenchOpentitletobecomejusttheeighthmantocompletethecareerGrandSlam. “Everymomentwascrucial,allthepointsweresohard,”saidNadal.”PlayingagainstNovakisalwaysabigchallenge,Ihavelosttohimthelastfourtimes.EverychanceIhavetobeathimit’sbecauseIhavehadtoplaytomylimit.IfeelsorryforNovak.HedeservestowinthistournamentonedayandIamsurehewill.” Headded:”It’sanamazing,emotionalmomentforme.IlosttheAustralianOpenfinalthisyearwhenIhadaproblemwithmyback.TodaytennishasgivenmebackwhathappenedinAustralia.”TheSerbdominatedtheearlystagesofSunday’sfinal,thepair’s42ndmeeting,seeminglyimmunetothesweltering30-degreeheatonPhilippeChatriercourt. ButNadal,playinginhis20thGrandSlamfinaltoDjokovic’s13th,grewstrongerasthefinalworeonasheendedafour-matchlosingstreakagainsthisoldrival.The3hour31minduelendedonasournotewhenDjokovicdouble-faultedonmatchpoint,shakenbyashoutfromthecrowd.InatenseopeningtotheirseventhGrandSlamfinalmeeting,thesteadierDjokovic,sportingawhitecapagainstthefiercesun,pouncedtobreakfor5-3,afterNadalputtoomuchziponaforehand.TheSpaniardhadtwopointstobreakbackintheninthgamebuttwomoreballoonedforehandskeptDjokovic,whohadevenservedandvolleyedat0-30,inthepicture.          HetooktheopeningsetwhenNadal,offbalanceandstrandedbehindthebaseline,wentlongwithaslappedbackhand.ItwasonlythesecondtimethechampionhaddroppedtheopeningsetofafinalinParis–in2005againstMarianoPuertaandin2006againstRogerFederer. However,heregainedtheadvantagewithabreaktolead4-2inthesecondsetwithaninside-outforehandstretchingtheSerbwhocouldonlynetadesperatereturn.ButbackcameDjokovicfor3-4afterasloppyNadalservicegamepunctuatedbyanuntimelyseconddoublefault.Theworldnumbertwosavedabreakpointtogoto4-4,NadalthenheldbeforeDjokovicsufferedhisfirstseriouslapse,whichwasassuddenasitwassurprising.  AwildforehandgiftedNadaltwosetpointsandthetopseedconvertedwithamerciless,crunchingforehand.DjokovicwasrapidlywiltingintheParisheatasa22-shotrallylaidthefoundationforaNadalbreakfor2-0inthethirdset,courtesyofawearybackhandvolleyintothenet. Aloveservicegamefollowedfor3-0withNadalhavingtakenfivegamesinsuccession.Djokovichadbreakpointsinthefifthgameaswellasan11-minuteseventhgamebuthadnoresponsetoNadal’sironwillandrock-soliddefence. Asthesundisappeared,sodidDjokovic’shopesasNadalclaimedthethirdsetoffalongforehandfromtheSerb.DjokovicappearedtovomitearlyinthefourthsetandhewasfeelingevenworsewhenhewasbrokeninthesixthgameasNadalagainturneddefenceintoscintillatingattack.Inkeepingtheirgrippingeight-yearrivalry,however,Djokovicensuredanothertwistwithabreakbackfor3-4.ButNadalclinchedvictoryonDjokovic’sthirddoublefaultwithhissecondserveinterruptedbyascreamfromthecrowd.

Wimbledon: Alize Cornet knocks out Serena Williams in thrid turn

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London:Allofasudden,SerenaWilliamsisconkoutingtovexaroundforlongatGrandSlamjourneys.Betrayedbyherbackhandshotand,moresurprisingly,herusuallygrievousservice,five-timeWimbledonboosterWilliamssufferto25th-seededAlizeCornetofFrance1-6,6-3,6-4Saturdayinthe3rdturnattheAllEnglandClub. “IfI’mnotplayingagreat,greatmatch,thesegirls,whentheyplayme,theyplayasifthey’reontheATPTour,andthentheyplayothergirlscompletelydifferent,”Williamssaid,rollinghereyes. “Itisneverwell-fixedrepresentinginmyplaces.”ItisherearliestwayoutattheAllEnglandClubsince2005,whenshealsorepresentbeateninthe3rdturn.Williamsgainthedeedofconveyancein2002,2003,2009,2010and2012. “Idon’tknowhowIdidit,”Cornetsaid.”Justwithmyheart-andthehelpofthecrowd.”TheNo.1-rankedandNo.1-seededWilliamsowns17GrandSlamtitles,onefewerthanMartinaNavratilovaandChrisEvert,butshenowhasdepartedbeforethequarterfinalsatfourofthepastfivemajors.Therewerefourth-roundlossesatWimbledonlastyearandattheAustralianOpeninJanuary,andasecond-roundlossattheFrenchOpeninMay. “Australia,Ijustcouldn’tplay.AndParisIplayedreallybad.Here,IactuallythoughtIplayedbetter,”shesaid.”I’mgoingtohavetowatchthisfilm.”Cornetalsobeatthe32-year-oldAmericanattheDubaiChampionshipsinFebruary.Still,thisresultwasratherunexpected,giventheirGrandSlamcareers.CornetneverhadbeenpastthethirdroundatWimbledon,andsheonlyoncebeforereachedamajor’sfourthround,in2009. Saturday’smatchwashaltedinthethirdgamebecauseofrain.Afteradelayofabout41/2hours,Williamswasterrific,reelingofffivegamestograbthefirstset.Thingschangeddramatically.Cornetbeganputtingshotsrightwhereshewantedthem,whileWilliamshadtroublefindingthemark.Williamswoundupwith29unforcederrors,11morethanCornet. “Shehelponeselfmeapiddlingbite,”Cornetsaid.TwofussycamstrokestumultuousTheodoresamuelwilliams:Herservicehaveherdownrepeatedly,withatotalityofsevendouble-faultsandfiveopenframes;herbackhandshotbringout12willingerrors.Inthe3rdlot,Cornetpass5-2butrepresentbrokendishoutingforthelucifer.Onher2ndhazard,shebecalmherself,presentingaarrantdrop-offniponlucifertip. WhenWilliamsclearthereply,Cornetimpoundherbureauwithherclenchedfist.ThenshehoparoundCourt1,beforekneelingtosnogthesmoke.Cornethavebeen0-13againsttop-20adversariesinGrandSlammatches. “Idon’treallyknowwhatIdidwrong,”saidWilliams,whosesisterVenuslost Friday.”UsuallyIdo.UsuallyIknowIdidthis,this,andthat.” Itrepresentbyfarthemostimportant-andsurprising-effectonasozzledtwenty-fourhourperiodtotalofstartsandstopovers.ThreeformerprecedingWimbledonblistersgainonCentreCourt,wheretheceilingrepresentclosedandsoccerleadDavidBeckhamrepresentintheRoyalBox:RafaelNadal,RogerFedererandMariaSharapova. ForhisthirdmatchinarowthisyearatWimbledon,two-timechampionNadaldroppedthefirstsetbeforecomingbacktowin,thistimebeating63rd-rankedMikhailKukushkinofKazakhstan6-7(4),6-1,6-1,6-1.”Fromtheveryfirstpointsofthesecondset,heimprovedalot.Allhisshotsjuststartedtobemuchmorehard,powerfulandmoreaggressive,”Kukushkinsaid.”Itwaslikeadifferentplayer. “Sharapova,the2004champion,wasupnextinthemainstadium,andshe,too,overcameaslowstart.Butafterfallingbehind3-1,shewon11consecutivegamesfora6-3,6-0victoryover44th-rankedAlisonRiskeoftheUnitedStates. AsforFederer,whohascollectedsevenofhis17majortrophiesattheAllEnglandClub,therereallyrepresentneveranyproblempost.Hepostulatelessthan75minutesofarctopass35th-rankedSantiagoGiraldoofColombia6-3,6-1,6-3andhasnotlostalotthroughthreematches. Nadalfollowingfaces19-year-oldAustralianNickKyrgios;FederermeetsNo.23TommyRobredoofSpain,whobeat2013semifinalistJerzyJanowiczofPoland6-2,6-4,6-7(5),4-6,6-3;andNo.8MilosRaonic,onlythe2ndCanadianIsleofManintheOpeneratogetunderone’sskintoWimbledonisquaternaryturn,playseitherNo.10KeiNishikoriofJapanorunseededSimoneBolelliofItaly,whoseluciferrepresentsuspendedbecauseofiniquityat3-allinthefifthpartlot. Inthecleaningwomenisquaternaryturn,SharapovafacesNo.9AngeliqueKerber.Cornet,meanwhile,takesonNo.13EugenieBouchard,a20-year-oldCanadianriverwhorepresentasemifinalistatthetwelvemonthisbeginningtwomajor.”ItshowsallofyouwhopostulatemeifI’mquicktomeetSerenainRound4,”Bouchardread.”ThatisoneofthegroundsIdonotsearchfarahead.”