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SPORTSTuesday 23 February 2016
Djokovic beats Robredo 6-1,
6-2 in 1st match in 3 weeks
SANDRA HARWITT Novak Djokovic from Serbia serves the ball to Tommy Robredo New York Yankees pitcher Masahiro Tanaka throws in the bull-
Associated Press from Spain during a first day match of the Dubai Tennis Cham- pen during a spring training baseball workout Monday, Feb. 22,
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- pionships in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Monday, Feb. 22, 2016 2016, in Tampa, Fla.
ates (AP) — Playing his first Associated Press
match since winning the Associated Press
Australian Open, top-seed- game plan as I prepared,” oldest player in the draw,
ed Novak Djokovic beat Djokovic said. But every- is playing in Dubai for the Yankees’ Tanaka
Tommy Robredo of Spain thing went well.” 10th time. He reached the
6-1, 6-2 on Monday in the Djokovic’s next opponent final in 2004 and 2008. making progress after
first round of the Dubai Ten- will be Tunisian wild-card “I’m very happy, first of all,
nis Championships. Djokov- entry Malek Jaziri, who won because I think is a good elbow surgery
ic’s victory brought him his first match of the year, number, 400 wins,” Lopez
one match away from his beating Russian qualifier said. “It’s been long time MARK DIDTLER
700th career singles match Mikhail Youzhny 6-4, 6-1. since I start playing tennis, Associated Press
win. Sixth-seeded Feliciano Lo- and I’m very happy I have TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Masahiro Tanaka is making progress
“Every milestone is very pez of Spain won his 400th been able to achieve this after arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone spur from his
special, of course,” Djokov- career match, beating number. It means that I was pitching elbow last October.
ic said. “I wish that I make Guillermo Garcia-Lopez also very lucky in terms of I The New York Yankees right-hander threw 31 pitches
the 700th win in this tourna- 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. didn’t have injuries during Monday during his third mound session.
ment, obviously.” The 34-year-old Lopez, the my career.”q New York hopes he will be ready for his first regular-season
Djokovic, a previous four- turn in the rotation. Pitching coach Larry Rothschild says
time champion in Dubai, Tanaka is “where we want him to be” and “so far there
took three weeks off after have been no hitches or anything.”
beating Andy Murray in the “Right now I just don’t think it’s the right time or appropri-
Australian Open final for his ate time to answer that,” Tanaka said through a transla-
11th Grand Slam title. He tor. “I just want to go ahead to take it day to day, and see
never faced a break point where that takes me.”
against the 39th-ranked Tanaka said his elbow “is clearly better” than before sur-
Robredo. gery.
“Obviously playing first “Actually, my body is feeling really good right now,”
match in three weeks, dif- Tanaka said. “I think I’m on schedule.”
ferent conditions, I didn’t Tanaka was 12-7 with a 3.51 ERA in 24 starts last year and
know how I’m going to lost the AL wild-card game to Houston He was on the dis-
start, whether or not I’m abled list last season with right wrist tendinitis and a fore-
going to execute the arm strain and missed a September start because of a
strained right hamstring.
Sam Querrey beats Rajeev Ram “He didn’t look behind to me,” manager Joe Girardi said.
“Threw all his pitches. I felt good about it. He felt good
in Delray Beach Open final about it, which is probably more important.”
Tanaka was diagnosed with a partially torn elbow liga-
CINDY SHMERLER “It was kind of nervous, Sam Querrey holds up his tro- ment in 2014, when he went 13-5 in 20 starts. He had no
Associated Press ugly tennis all week,” said phy after defeating Rajeev issues with the ligament last season.
DELRAY BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Querrey, who also reached Ram 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) in the final “I’m not concerned about that anymore,” Tanaka said.
Sam Querrey beat Rajeev the semifinals in Memphis of the Delray Beach Open ten- ABSENT AROLDIS
Ram 6-4, 7-6 (8-6) on Sun- last week. “But sometimes nis tournament, Sunday, Feb. Closer Aroldis Chapman missed Monday’s workout to
day in an all-American final it feels better to win when 21, 2016, in Delray Beach, Fla. tend to a personal matter and was expected back Tues-
in the Delray Beach Open you don’t play your best.” day. General manager Brian Cashman said Chapman
for his eighth ATP World Tour Querrey earned $86,950. Associated Press asked for the day off about a week ago.
title and first since 2012. He will also move back A decision by baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred could
Querrey rebounded from into the world’s top 45 from gave away the set with be coming soon regarding Chapman and the sport’s
a break down in each set a current No. 61.“People a stab forehand long off new domestic violence policy.
and 0-3, 2-5 and 5-6 in the don’t give him credit for Querrey’s inside-out fore- Chapman is under investigation for an incident at his
tiebreaker before closing how well he moves,” said hand return that landed on house in Florida in October involving his girlfriend. Chap-
out Ram with a running Ram, who has played the sideline.q man is alleged to have fired a gun during the incident.
forehand down-the-line Querrey seven times dat- “It’s on a timeframe that only he and his office would
pass that clipped the base- ing to a Challenger event know,” Cashman said. “Trying to speculate about when
line. Ram challenged the in California in 2005 — los- or what would be a waste of my time and inappropriate.”
call, but the replay showed ing to him now four times Prosecutors declined to file charges. Chapman has
it caught the outside of the in a row. “He makes you said he would appeal any suspension to baseball’s
line. feel like you have to play arbitrator.q
Querrey, who was down a a better shot.” Ram broke
break in six of the 10 sets he serve in the first game of
won throughout the week, both sets and also led 40-
knocked out former U.S. 15 while serving at 4-5 in
Open champ Juan Martin the first. But the 31-year-old
del Potro of Argentina in Carmel, Indiana, resident
the semifinals. lost four straight points and
