Page 19 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Monday 26 March 2018
Vettel holds off Hamilton to win Australian GP

By JUSTIN BERGMAN pole and had made sev-
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) eral late attempts to catch
— Believing his Ferrari still the Ferrari but couldn't
lacks the race pace to fully manage to pass on the
challenge Mercedes in For- narrow Albert Park circuit.
mula One, Sebastian Vettel Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen fin-
will take a little luck when ished third, denying Red
he can get it. Bull's Daniel Ricciardo a
On Sunday at the season- chance to become the first
opening Australian Grand Australian driver to secure
Prix, his Ferrari team ben- a podium place at the Aus-
efitted not only from a tralian GP.
smart pit-stop strategy, but A resurgent Fernando
also the fortuitous emer- Alonso of McLaren made
gence of a safety car mid- a bold run to finish in fifth
way through the race that place, holding off a spir-
helped Vettel take the ited challenge by Red Bull's
lead from rival Lewis Hamil- Max Verstappen, who re-
ton and hold on for victory. covered after losing con- Ferrari driver Sebastian Vettel of Germany races along during the first race of the season at the
"We got a bit lucky, but trol of his car and doing a Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Melbourne, Sunday, March 25, 2018.
we'll take it," Vettel said. 360-degree spin early in the (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake)
"We're not yet there where race to take sixth.
we want to be. . But I think Hamilton looked comfort- The virtual safety car Vettel took advantage of of a confused Hamilton,
it gives us a good start, a able up front for the first 20 emerged as race mar- the slowdown to pit and who got on the radio to
good wind and fresh mo- laps before deciding to pit, shals removed Grosjean's change tires. He came out ask his team what had just
tivation for the coming giving up the lead to Vettel. car from the circuit and of the pit lane just ahead happened.q
weeks." The race then took a dra-
It was the 48th race win of matic turn when Haas driv-
Vettel's career and his 100th ers Kevin Magnussen and
podium finish, coming in Romain Grosjean suffered
his 200th F1 race. The Ger- calamitous back-to-back
man becomes the fourth pit stops midway through
driver to claim 100 podium the race. Both drivers had
finishes, joining Hamilton, been running strongly in
Michael Schumacher and fourth and fifth places, re-
Alain Prost. spectively, but were forced
Vettel finished the race a to stop immediately after
full five seconds ahead of coming out of pit lane with
Hamilton, who started from loose wheels.
Venus Williams rallies past

Kiki Bertens at Miami Open

By STEVEN WINE the victory.
AP Sports Writer "It didn't look good some-
KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. (AP) times," Williams told the
— When Venus Williams supportive crowd. "But
slammed a forehand win- that's why you keep play-
ner on the final point to ing until the last point. And
win a seesaw marathon that's why I love this game."
Sunday, she had enough The match took nearly
energy left to spin in delight three hours on the hottest
at the net, a triumphant fist day of the tournament so
leading the way. far, and the 37-year-old
Some 21 years after her Key Williams now must recover
Biscayne debut, wins at the quickly to next play de-
Miami Open remain some- fending champion Johan-
thing to celebrate. na Konta. The No. 11-seed-
Williams squandered an ed Konta advanced with
early lead, fell behind late much less drama, beating
and then overcame three No. 22 Elise Mertens 6-2, 6-1.
match points to rally past In men's play, No. 5 Juan
Kiki Bertens in the third Martin del Potro extended
round, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5. his winning streak to 13
Williams blew a 5-0 lead in matches by eliminating No.
the first set and was down 26 Kei Nishikori 6-2, 6-2. Del
5-3 in the third set. But she Potro won his first Masters
swept the final four games, 1000 title last week at Indi-
holding serve at love for an Wells.q