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A22 SPORTS
Wednesday 18 OctOber 2017

Russia’s Maria Sharapova plays a return during the first round
match against Slovakia’s Magdalena Rybarikova at the Kremlin
Cup tennis tournament in Moscow, Russia, Tuesday, Oct. 17,
2017.
Associated Press
Sharapova loses to

Rybarikova at Kremlin Cup

Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn, right, and US Ryder Cup captain, Jim Furyk take part in
a 2018 Ryder Cup media conference in Paris, France, Tuesday Oct. 17, 2017. By JAMES ELLINGWORTH momentum to close out
Associated Press AP Sports Writer the set.
Furyk to invite Americans to MOSCOW (AP) — Maria Rybarikova, seeded eighth,

Sharapova was beaten by sealed the match after
see Ryder Cup course in France Magdalena Rybarikova 7-6 saving two break points
(3), 6-4 in the first round of to lead 5-4, then break-
the Kremlin Cup on Tues- ing Sharapova in the next
By DOUG FERGUSON ble, it might not be a bad In some respects, Ridley day, ending her bid for a game.
AP Golf Writer idea. Asked if it would be and Nicklaus shared the second title in two weeks. Rybarikova will play Alize
Le Golf National outside a strong recommendation same golf coach — Jack Sharapova, who won the Cornet in the second
Paris, the host course of the to see the course, Furyk re- Grout. Tianjin Open two days ago, round.
Ryder Cup next year, has plied, “I think it’s going to Ridley learned the game brought her usual power Six months after she re-
been part of the European be an ask and an invite, from Jamie Jackson, the but lacked accuracy with turned from a 15-month
Tour schedule since 1991 and I would hope to see head pro at Lone Palm in some wild swings on key doping ban, Sharapova
and last year was the 25th some of those players.” Lakeland, Florida, and lat- points. is still trying to move back
time it has held the French This is the second time in er worked with Mike Killian “I felt fine physically, to be up the rankings from her
Open. the last six years the Ameri- and his mentor, Irv Schloss. honest, especially after current position of 57th.
So along with the Europe- cans go overseas for the But it was his teammate at having played five match- Her first tour appearance
an crowd, that’s one big Ryder Cup in possession Florida his senior year, Brad es in five days (in Tianjin). in Moscow in a decade
advantage for the home of the trophy. They have Baldwin, that led him to That was a big surprise,” drew a large and enthusi-
team next year. not won on European soil Grout. Sharapova said. “May- astic crowd despite taking
U.S. captain Jim Furyk since 1993, the year Jor- “He had taken lessons from
hopes his American team dan Spieth, Justin Thomas, Jack Grout,” Ridley said.
can find time to see the Daniel Berger and Xander “Brad and I were going to
course ahead of the Sep- Schauffele were born. the North and South Ama-
tember matches, even if “We have 25 years of scars teur in 1974 and he said, al-
they don’t play the tour- to overcome,” Furyk said. most flippantly, ‘I’m going
nament. The French Open “That being said, I will have to call Jack Grout and see
is three weeks before the a lot of young talent on my if he’ll give us a lesson and
British Open, held the same team. I’m anxious to see tune us up for the North
week as The National on how they handle that chal- and South.’”
the PGA Tour schedule. lenge. Europe has handled Ridley was stunned that his
“We seem to have a bunch those away matches far teammate could just ring
of players that hang out to- better in the last 25 years up such a famous teach-
gether,” Furyk said Tuesday than we have.” er, but they headed to La
in France. “I would love to Europe is 3-3 on the road Gorce Country Club in Mi-
see them make a trip here since 1993. The Americans ami Beach, Florida.
before The Open Champi- are 0-5. “I took two days of lessons
onship or after The Open THE NICKLAUS CONNEC- and thought, ‘Golly, I’ve be I wasn’t as prepared place on a Tuesday after-
Championship and see the TION: One of the more never hit it this good,’” Rid- as I should have been ... noon.
golf course.” popular photos when Fred ley said. Maybe if this tournament Also Tuesday, seventh-
He said he would extend Ridley was appointed “I won two or three match- hadn’t been in Moscow, I seeded Julia Goerges beat
the invitation to the top chairman of Augusta Na- es at the North and South, wouldn’t have played it.” Russian qualifier Polina
15 or 20 players in the U.S. tional is Ridley and Jack beat Jay Sigel, and then Sharapova was under pres- Monova 6-0, 6-3 to set up
standings. Furyk under- Nicklaus playing together that summer I qualified for sure on serve from the start a second-round meeting
stands each player sets his in the 1976 Masters, the the U.S. Amateur.” and saved six break points with Yulia Putintseva of Ka-
own schedule, which in- traditional pairing of the Ridley started law school before finally being broken zakhstan.
cludes obligations and rest, defending Masters cham- and said his father allowed to 6-5. She responded by In the men’s Kremlin Cup
and he said it’s not going pion and the U.S. Amateur him to take the following breaking Rybarikova, but tournament, sixth-seeded
to be a requirement. champion. summer off to play golf. Sharapova’s double fault Damir Dzumhur defeated
For American players, es- The connection runs deep- “That was going to be my at 4-3 in the tiebreaker Thomas Fabbiano 6-3, 0-6,
pecially those on the bub- er than that. last fling,” Ridley said.q handed the Slovakian the 6-2.q