Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Wednesday 5 July 2017
I quit! Federer, Djokovic benefit from Wimbledon retirements

When two of tennis’ big- er’s 315. pounds (about $45,000).
gest stars crossed paths af- But the way the afternoon “Unless you’re (in the) top
ter both advanced when went meant Centre Court 10 ... it’s significant mon-
opponents stopped play- spectators who paid 56 ey,” said Dolgopolov, who
ing because of pre-existing pounds (more than $70) is ranked 84th.
injuries, they kidded each per ticket, some of them Tipsarevic, Dolgopolov and
other about a way to try to waiting in line for hours, got Federer all would like to see
make it up to the fans. only brief glimpses of sev- the majors follow the ATP’s
“We had a little joke about en-time champion Federer lead.
it in the locker room,” or three-time champion “A player should not go on
Djokovic recounted, “say- Djokovic. They did, how- court if he knows he (can)
ing we should maybe play ever, have the opportu- not finish. The question is:
a practice set on the Cen- nity to watch a pair of top Did they truly believe they
tre Court, have the crowd women, current No. 1 An- were going to finish? If they
stay.” gelique Kerber and former did, I think it’s OK that they
The short workdays for the No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki, walk on court. Otherwise,
two were quite similar. win full-length matches. I feel they should give up
Djokovic led 6-3, 2-0 when “I feel for the crowd. the spot,” Federer said.
Martin Klizan retired with a They’re there to watch “The ATP has adjusted its
left leg problem that has good tennis. Proper tennis. rule, but maybe the Slams
bothered him for about At least they see the two should ... look at what they
two months; Federer was of us, who gave it all they could do for the players to
ahead 6-3, 3-0 when Al- had. They saw other play- make it just a little bit eas-
exandr Dolgopolov quit ers that tried, at least,” Fe- ier.”
because of a painful right derer said. “It’s unfortunate At Centre Court on Tues-
ankle he first twisted last that it happened.” day, Federer and Djokovic
month. Two other men also had an easy go of things.
Those still go into the books stopped mid-match Tues- Kerber, last year’s runner-
as wins, allowing Federer to day, 19th-seeded Feliciano up to Serena Williams at
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic returns to Slovakia’s Martin Klizan dur-
ing their Men’s Singles Match on day two at the Wimbledon Ten- collect his 85th at Wimble- Lopez (left foot) and Janko the All England Club, had
nis Championships in London Tuesday, July 4, 2017. don, breaking a tie with Tipsarevic (right leg), bring- more to do to get past Irina
Associated Press Jimmy Connors for the most ing the first-round retire- Falconi of the U.S. 6-4, 6-4,
in the Open era. Djokovic ment total to seven. That and Wozniacki, a two-time
By HOWARD FENDRICH lasted all of 40 minutes picked up his 234th match equals 2008 for the most by U.S. Open finalist, need-
AP Tennis Writer Tuesday. Roger Federer’s, victory at all majors, mov- men in the first round dur- ed three full sets to edge
LONDON (AP) — No- which was next in the All ing ahead of Connors and ing the 50 editions of Wim- Timea Babos 6-4, 4-6, 6-1.
vak Djokovic’s first-round England Club’s main sta- alone into second place in bledon in the Open era. But it was the short men’s
match at Wimbledon dium, went 43. history, behind only Feder- It sparked discussion about matches that had every-

whether Grand Slam tour- one talking.
naments should change “If it’s just excruciating
their rules to allow players pain, OK, you can’t play. If
to still receive prize money something is tweaked here
if they withdraw before an or there and you feel like
event. That’s a system be- you can give it a decent
ing employed on a trial ba- go without hurting yourself,
sis this season on the ATP I think they should stay out
Located in the Riu Antilles Resort (Formerly the Westin Resort) Tour — which doesn’t run there and I think you owe
FREE TRANSPORTATION TO THE CASINO FROM ALL majors — and lets some- it to the fans,” said 23rd-
HIGH RISE AND LOW RISE HOTELS AND TIMESHARES. one who lost in qualifying seeded John Isner, who
CALL 525-7777 FOR MORE INFORMATION take the spot in the main beat Taylor Fritz 6-4, 7-6
draw of an injured player. (3), 6-3 in an all-American
LIVE POKER The theory behind that set- matchup on Court 14. “I
up: Players who are injured know the Wimbledon Cen-
won’t step on court simply tre Court didn’t get their
GAMES START 8 PM TO THE WEE HOURS to collect their prize money money’s worth today,
as an entrant, before call- that’s for sure.”
ing it a day without finishing Collette Sherratt, 54, a
1-2.....2-5......5-5 1-3.....2-5......5-5 the match. spectator who traveled
$100 HIGH HAND BONUSES EVERY HOUR “Even if I had a torn muscle from Manchester, England,
OVER $20,000 PER WEEK GIVEN OUT IN HIGH HAND BONUSES today, and the doctor says, to attend the tournament
‘You shouldn’t go on court, for the first time, sure felt
CRAPS you have serious damage that way.
to risk,’ I could have faked “I’ve been watching Wim-
ONLY CASINO IN ARUBA TO OFFER 3, 4 & 5 TIME ODDS it, stayed there for two less bledon (on TV) for 42 years,
games, and still picked up and it’s been on my buck-
the paycheck,” said Tip- et list to come here,” Sher-
SPORTSBOOK sarevic, who stopped while ratt said. “I was absolutely
trailing 5-0 after only 12 thrilled that (I) was going to
LIVE SIMULCAST OF ALL MAJOR TRACKS minutes against Jared Don- be on Centre Court, and
then for that to happen, it
THROUGHOBRED AND HARNESS aldson of the U.S. loser at was like, ‘I might never get
first-round
A
Wimbledon earns 35,000 to come here again.’”q