Don't resort to sorcerers - Oman Daily Observer

MELBOURNE — Accused of gamesmanship
and dogged by injury, Victoria
Azarenka's bid for successive Australian
Open titles today will pit her
against an opponent in the form of her
life and a centre-court crowd wary of
any hint of bad sportsmanship.
The Belarusian will take on sixth
seed Li Na, who has not dropped a set
all tournament and boosted her skyhigh
confidence further by demolishing
last year's finalist Maria Sharapova
6-2, 6-2 in the semifinals.
Azarenka's performance against
American Sloane Stephens was less
assured, and marred by controversy
when the top seed took a near-10
minute medical timeout after blowing
five match-points.
Azarenka returned to the court with
jeers from the crowd, and after closing
it out on the sixth match-point, added
fuel to the fire by telling the on-court
interviewer she nearly had 'the choke
of the year'. Slammed on social media
and grilled by reporters, Azarenka denied
she had taken the timeout to calm
her nerves, saying it was to receive
treatment for a rib injury that was restricting
her breathing.
Medical staff confirmed the treatment,
according to tournament director
Craig Tiley, and the 23-year-old tried
to clear the air in an interview with the
host broadcaster Channel Seven.
"It wasn't really pleasant but there
are some things that you have to deal
with and some things you have to learn
from," said Azarenka of the controversy.
"The important thing is just to
move forward and have a great match
tomorrow."
If Azarenka requires any additional
motivation today, she knows she will
18 SPORT
OMAN DAILY Observer
SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013
Murray floors Federer for final date with Djokovic
Britain’s Andy Murray hits a return against Switzerland’s
Roger Federer during their men’s singles semifinal match
at the Australian Open in Melbourne yesterday. — AFP
Djokovic delighted to carry
lighter workload into final
MELBOURNE — Supremely
confident Novak Djokovic
says he is feeling fitter and
fresher than he did carrying
last year's leviathan workload
as he sits back and waits for
tomorrow's Australian Open
final.
The Serbian world No 1
has the benefit of an extra
day's rest and is in prime position
to go after his fourth
Australian title against Andy
Murray.
Djokovic demolished
Spanish world No 4-elect
David Ferrer in less than 90
minutes in one-sided semifinal
to clinch his third straight
Australian final appearance.
It is in stark contrast to 12
months ago, when Djokovic
had to dig deep to win the title
after fighting off Murray in a
five-set semifinal over four
hour and 50 minutes ahead
of his five hour and 53 minutes
final triumph over Rafael
Nadal, the longest-ever match
at Melbourne Park.
Djokovic, who taken to the
brink in a five-hour five-setter
with Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka
in the fourth round, has
bounced back with untroubled
wins over fifth seed Tomas
Berdych and Ferrer.
The defending champion's
confidence is sky-high as he
builds towards a shot at his
sixth Grand Slam crown.
"I definitely prefer being
fitter for the final and having a
little bit more time than I had
MELBOURNE — Andre Agassi was
shocked and saddened by disgraced cyclist
Lance Armstrong's confession to
using performance-enhancing drugs and
the eight-time Grand Slam champion said
tighter, more frequent dope testing procedures
in tennis would be good for the
sport.
The American, who co-founded a philanthropic
organisation with Armstrong
and other athletes like Muhammad Ali,
women's World Cup winner Mia Hamm
and NBA champion Alonzo Mourning,
said he had been convinced of Armstrong's
innocence.
"Well, my reaction to it is the same as
everybody. It was shock, hard to stomach,
sadness, disappointment. I think 'anger' is
a fair word," Agassi told reporters at Melbourne
Park yesterday.
"I was certainly one of those that flat
out believed him that long period of time.
The thought of it not being the case was
unconscionable to me."
Armstrong, 41, admitted in an interview
with Oprah Winfrey last week that
he used performance-enhancing drugs
and lied about it for over decade, finally
owning up to being at the centre of one of
the biggest drug scandals in world sport.
In 2007, Agassi and Armstrong were
two of the founders of the organisation
Athletes For Hope which helps educate
professional athletes on how to raise money
and the profile of charitable and philanthropic
causes. Armstrong is still listed
in 2012," Djokovic said. "It's
quite different circumstances
that I have to face this time.
"Last year I played five
hours in the semis and had
only a day-and-a-half to recover
for another six hours
with Nadal. This year it hasn't
been the case, and I'm very
glad. I was pushed to the limit
in the fourth round and I've
had some really physically
tough matches in this tournament,
and I'm glad that I got
through it. Right now I feel
great on the court."
Those are ominous words
for his title rivals as he has
dropped just three sets and
spent a total of 14 hours and
37 minutes on court to reach
the final. Djokovic described
his tennis as 'incredible'
against the outgunned Ferrer.
"It can only do positive
things for my confidence,"
he said. "Definitely at this
stage of a tournament, playing
semifinals against the world
number four and being able
to perform as well as I did, it's
incredible.
"I have a great feeling
about myself on the court
at this moment. Now I have
two days off before the final
which gives me enough time
to get ready and recover for
the finals," Djokovic said. "I
don't expect myself to play always
this well, but I was free
in my mind tonight and hopefully
I can maintain that to the
final."
as one of the founders of the organisation
on its website (www.athletesforhope.org),
though he does not have a biography link
on its front page.
The 42-year-old Agassi, who admitted
to recreational drug use in his autobiography
Open, said he felt that tennis was rela-
MELBOURNE — Britain's Andy Murray faced
down his Grand Slam nemesis Roger Federer in
an electrifying five-set thriller to reach the Australian
Open final yesterday.
The US Open champion finally ended his
run of Grand Slam failures against the Swiss
world No 2, winning their semifinal 6-4, 6-7
(5/7), 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-2 in exactly four hours.
Murray is now into in his third Australian
final and will play defending champion Novak
Djokovic tomorrow, a rematch of the US Open
decider when the Scot won his first Grand Slam
title last September.
Murray extended his record over Federer,
the 17-time major champion, to 11-9, but it
was his first victory over Federer in four Grand
Slam matches.
It will be Murray's sixth Grand Slam final
and he is the first Briton to reach three Australian
Open finals.
"It's always tough against Roger and he's at
his best in the Grand Slams and when his back
is against the wall, and (when) I was serving for
the match at 6-5 he produced some great shots,"
Murray said.
"I kept fighting and he made a few loose
shots early in the fifth set and I stuck in."
Murray, who has now extended his unbeaten
run in Grand Slam matches to 13, broke Federer's
serve six times, while dropping his own
serve twice, and hit 62 winners, including 21
aces, to 47 unforced errors while Federer committed
more errors than winners.
Murray began the better and had five break
points in Federer's opening two service games,
culminating in breaking the Swiss in the third
game.
The Scot was keeping on Federer's backhand
and earned two more break points before
Federer held in the seventh.
Murray went on to take the opening set in
45 minutes, but Federer came back in the sec-
lose her world No 1 ranking to Serena
Williams if she fails to take the title.
The public relations exercise is unlikely
to win much of the Rod Laver
Arena crowd back to her corner, especially
against an opponent like Li, who
lost in the 2011 final to Kim Clijsters
and remains a sentimental favourite at
Melbourne Park.
tively clean and doubted anyone would be
able to get away with the systemic level of
doping that Armstrong admitted to.
"It's a sport where I wouldn't know
how to get away with that level of cheating.
It's a year round sport," Agassi said.
"It's an out of body governance, a third
BRITAIN’S Andy Murray (right) is congratulated by Switzerland’s Roger Federer
after their men’s singles semifinal in Melbourne yesterday. — AFP
ond. Games went with serve to a tiebreaker and
Federer got the early jump on the back of two
forehand errors.
Murray got back one of the mini-breaks but
Federer seized on a mishit smash and rammed
home a forehand winner for set point, and levelled
the match on an overhit forehand.
Murray appeared to be having calf muscle
trouble in the third set but he broke Federer in
the sixth and went on to take a two sets to one
lead with an ace.
The Scot went down on the court wincing as
he chased an early break in the fourth set, but
it was Federer who struck. Murray fought off
two break points but a wide forehand gave the
Swiss a break.
Li, who will turn 31 next month
and is bidding to become the tournament's
oldest women's champion, is in
the shape of her life after a punishing
off-season boot-camp under new coach
Carlos Rodriguez, former mentor to
seven-time Grand Slam champion Justine
Henin.
Li said she was better prepared to
party governance. When last I played, it
was comprehensive in the sense of nearly
every tournament, nearly week to week,
blood, urine, out of competition testing.
"I don't know how it's changed, but if
it's stayed the same at least that's a good
thing."
He got back the break in the eighth
and broke Federer a second time to serve for
the match, but was broken on a forehand
error.
Federer played a great tiebreaker with three
mini-breaks to send the match into a fifth set.
But Murray was too strong in the deciding
set with two service breaks to take the match
and his second win over Federer on the big
stage after last year's Olympic final.
"I've been known for losing a lot of tough
matches and big matches, especially here a few
times, and having never beaten Roger in a big
match until the Olympics," he said.
"That obviously helps but it doesn't make it
any easier when you're trying to serve it out."
Azarenka faces headwinds again Li
take the title after being overwhelmed
in her first attempt against Clijsters,
which was also her maiden Grand
Slam final.
"(The) first time to the grand slam
final, I was a little bit shocked because
I didn't know what I should do," said Li
who captured her sole grand slam title
at the French Open a few months after
the disappointment Down Under.
"Also no one told me what I should
do on the court. But this time I've got
more experience, so I think I should be
better."
Rodriguez has not only encouraged
the hard-hitting Li to use more topspin
as a defensive weapon and to mix up
her play, but also brought a more tactical
approach to her game. The approach
was obvious against Sharapova, as Li
dominated the baseline and turned her
soft serve into a slicing weapon that
rarely allowed the Russian a free hit.
Most of Rodriguez's work has been
between the ears, however, teaching
the temperamental Li to silence the
voices of doubt in her head and trust
in her game.
"He gives me 'homework'. He'll
give me a piece of paper with some
things written on it," said Li, Asia's
first Grand Slam singles champion.
"It's just about believing in myself."
Azarenka holds a 5-4 record over
Li and has won their last four matches,
the most recent a tight battle in October
at the WTA Championships in Istanbul
that ensured she would finish the year
as world No 1.
Li, however, is 2-0 up in Grand
Slam encounters, having beaten Azarenka
at Melbourne Park in 2011 and
again during her run to the title at Roland
Garros. — Reuters
Agassi tested positive for methamphetamine
during his career, but lied to ATP
officials about how it got into his system,
claiming he had consumed a drink spiked
with the drug.
He felt that his own drug use, and how
he avoided a ban, may have helped ten-
RESULTS
Men's singles: Semifinal: Andy Murray
(GBR x3) bt Roger Federer (SUI x2) 6-4, 6-7
(5/7), 6-3, 6-7 (2/7), 6-2.
Women's doubles: Final: Sara Errani (ITA)/
Roberta Vinci (ITA x1) bt Ashleigh Barty (AUS)/
Casey Dellacqua (AUS) 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.
Mixed doubles: Semifinals: Lucie Hradecka
(CZE)/Frantisek Cermak (CZE) bt Kveta Peschke
(CZE)/Marcin Matkowski (POL) 3-6, 7-5, (10/7);
Jarmila Gajdosova (AUS)/Matthew Ebden (AUS)
bt Yaroslava Shvedova (KAZ)/Denis Istomin
(UZB) 7-5, 7-6 (7/5).
Agassi shocked and saddened by Armstrong’s confession
Amazed by ‘golden age’ of tennis
MELBOURNE — Eight-time Grand Slam-winner Andre
Agassi yesterday said tennis was witnessing a 'golden
age' and that Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and
Rafael Nadal were arguably the best the sport had seen.
Agassi, 42, speaking on his first visit to the Australian
Open since he retired in 2006, joked that the only
way he could have beaten Djokovic, the world No 1,
would have been to pick a fight with him.
"Let's see. I would have probably gotten in a fight
with him in the locker room before the match. I might
have had a chance, maybe there," Agassi said, adding
that he was amazed at how standards had soared.
"It's been amazing watching the standard continually
sort of get better. You wonder how it's possible, you
know, to continue at that sort of rate.
"I mean, what Federer did when he came and when
I said goodbye, a lot had to do with what I knew was
untouchable.
"It's just a different standard of tennis. It's different
rules of engagement when guys can do what these guys
can do. I don't recognise it from a standpoint of strategy,
because I counted on getting somebody behind in a
point and then slowly smothering them.
"But nobody's behind in a point. You never know
when they're behind in a point. That would have eliminated
any ability I had to move forward in the court.
"Means I would have had to be a different player,
would've had to have a different body. It means the
game has gotten a lot better."
Since Agassi retired, Federer has outstripped Pete
Sampras to reach a record 17 major titles, including
a career Grand Slam. Nadal has totted up 11 and
Djokovic, 25, has been the dominant player of the past
two seasons.
"You know, Fed raised it; Nadal matched and raised
it; Djokovic, for that intense little period of time, even
raised it," Agassi said.
"It seemed like last year settled down a bit, and now
all of a sudden (Andy) Murray is in the equation of
where is he going to go.
"But when I see those top three guys, I see what history
will say is the golden age of tennis. You're talking
about arguably the three best guys.
"Djokovic will still need some distance to cover, but
best of all time, if you're having that discussion in the
same generation, it's remarkable." — AFP
ITALY’S Roberta Vinci (left) and Sara
Errani pose with the winner’s trophy after
their victory over Australia’s Ashleigh
Barty and Casey Dellacqua in the women’s
doubles final in Melbourne yesterday.
Errani and
Vinci clinch
doubles title
MELBOURNE — Top seeds
Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci
beat local favourites Ashleigh
Barty and Casey Dellacqua
yesterday to win the
Australian Open women's
doubles title.
The world No 1 pairing
from Italy raced through the
first set in just under half-anhour
and were impeded in
the second, but they broke
three times in the final set to
win their third major trophy
6-2, 3-6, 6-2.
"It's very hard to figure
them out. They're obviously
the number one team in the
world," Dellacqua said.
"They're there for a reason.
They play very good doubles,
and a specific style of
doubles."
In mixed doubles, the
Australian pairing of Jarmila
Gajdosova and Matthew
Ebden reached the final
when they beat Kazak-Uzbek
duo Yaroslava Shvedova
and Denis Istomin 7-5,
7-6 (7/5). They will play
Czechs Lucie Hradecka and
Frantisek Cermak, who bettered
Czech-Polish pair of
Kveta Peschke and Marcin
Matkowski 3-6, 7-5, (10/7).
In today's men's doubles
final, American twins Bob
and Mike Bryan will play
Robin Haase and Igor Sijsling
for a record 13th Grand
Slam trophy. — AFP
nis in pursuing more vigorous drug testing
programmes.
"You know, for their own reasons I
might have played a part in it, for them
going to Wada (World Anti-Doping Agency)
and the governance that has no horse
in the race," he said.
"That, to me, is a great thing.
"For me, it would have kept me from
destroying a few years of my life. That's
what I did to myself with the use of the
recreational, destructive substance of
crystal meth.
"It would have saved me on a lot of
fronts."
Agassi was also keen for tennis officials
to increase testing so that the sport
was not tainted by claims and counter
claims of hiding the extent of any problem.
"Anything that can protect the integrity
of the sport, and those that aren't cheating
should absolutely be considered," he
added.
"The more the better as far as I'm concerned.
The stricter, the better; the more
transparency the better; the more accountability
the better.
"It's sad to watch people who may
question things for those that worked
pretty darn hard.
"Describing a problem is a heck of
a lot easier than solving it, is one thing
I've learned. Let's always have the
discussion of making it more comprehensive."
— Reuters