Page 20 - atoday

20
SPORTSWednesday 27 January 2016
Williams beats Sharapova; Djokovic, Federer to meet in semis
Continued from Page 17
Williams is 8-0 against Rad-
wanska, including their
meeting in the 2012 Wim-
bledon final.
Williams said she couldn’t
explain her 11-year domi-
nation of Sharapova —
she has won 19 of their 21
meetings overall — except
to say she rises to the big
challenges.
“When I play her, I know
automatically I have to
step up my game,” said
Williams, a 21-time major
winner. “I think that makes
me play better.
“When I’m forced to play
better, I do well.”
Williams attacked Sharapo-
va’s strength, targeting the
five-time Grand Slam win-
ner’s improving serve.
Sharapova had a career-
high 21 aces in her previous
win against No. 12 Belinda
Bencic. Against Williams,
she had three, and seven
double-faults. Williams had
13 aces, hit 31 winners to
11, and broke Sharapova’s
serve four times.
“She played quite explo-
AP Source:
Review coming of tennis’ anti-corruption group
HOWARD FENDRICH
AP Tennis Writer
Responding to reports
that possible evidence of
match fixing was not prop-
erly investigated, tennis’
governing bodies are set-
ting up an independent
review of the sport’s anti- members of the Tennis In-
corruption group, a person
familiar with the plans tells chairman, a rotating posi-
The Associated Press.
The person spoke on condi-
tion of anonymity because
the review of the Tennis
Integrity Unit had not yet
been announced.
The official word is sup-
posed to come at a news
conference on the grounds
of the Australian Open on
Novak Djokovic of Serbia plays a backhand return return to Kei Nishikori of Japan during their Sharapova said. “She
quarterfinal match at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, makes you go back to the
Jan. 26, 2016. Djokovic beat Nishikori 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. drawing board, not just for
me, but for many other
(AP Photo/Aaron Favila) players. She makes you
work. That’s inspiring.”
sive,” Sharapova said. “She Sharapova hasn’t given up back to 2004. Federer also has some in-
spiration in his next match
was really explosive off the hope of breaking a drought “It’s motivating because against Djokovic, namely
the recent losses.
return. Yeah.” against Williams that goes she’s at a different level,” The 34-year-old Federer
used a full array of shots,
including some vintage
backhands, in his 48 win-
ners to avenge losses to
Berdych at Wimbledon
in 2010 and the 2012 U.S.
Open. “Tomas has caused
me a lot of problems over
the years,” said Federer,
who improved to 16-6
against Berdych. “He’s one
of those guys who make
you a better player, he’s
beaten me on the biggest
courts around the world.”
Djokovic has caused his
share of pain for Federer
since overtaking him in the
rankings.
After his long five-setter
against Gilles Simon, when
he made a startling 100 un-
forced errors, Djokovic cut
that down 27 in a faster-
paced, shorter-rally en-
counter against Nishikori, a
U.S. Open finalist in 2014.
He came up with the big
plays while facing break
Wednesday. ATP Execu- thorities failed to thor- The Tennis Integrity Unit points in the first two sets,
tive Chairman and Presi- oughly pursue evidence of began work in 2008, when and only dropped serve in
dent Chris Kermode, Inter- match fixing involving more the sport’s four main over- two exchanges of breaks
national Tennis Federation than a dozen players who sight groups — the ATP and in the third.
President David Haggerty have ranked in the top 50 WTA tours, the International “That was a goal, to de-
and Wimbledon Chairman over the past decade. No Tennis Federation and the crease the unforced errors
Philip Brook are scheduled players were named. Grand Slam Committee — ratio,” Djokovic said, smil-
to attend. Those three are At a news conference in adopted an anti-corrup- ing. “In important moments
Melbourne, Australia, when tion code to make sure the I stayed composed. Over-
tegrity Board, with Brook as the reports first emerged, same rules and penalties all it was a very solid perfor-
Kermode rejected the no- are applied across tennis. mance.
tion. tion that there was un- The year before, three “I have to be satisfied, I
The review will be run out checked match fixing in players were suspended reached (the) semifinals. I
of London, according to tennis or that any evidence for betting on matches and won against a top-10 play-
the person familiar with the might have been sup- an online site voided wa- er in straight sets. Com-
plans. pressed. He added that gers on a match involving paring to the fourth-round
As the year’s first Grand the Tennis Integrity Unit re- then-fourth-ranked Niko- match, this was much bet-
Slam tournament began mained “constantly vigi- lay Davydenko and Martin ter. That makes me confi-
last week, the BBC and lant and not complacent” Vassallo Arguello because dent and encourages me
BuzzFeed News published when it comes to tackling of irregular betting pat- for the next one.”q
reports saying tennis au- corruption. terns. q