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A22 SPORTS
Thursday 21 sepTember 2017

Federer, Nadal happy to play doubles, Borg to decide

By KAREL JANICEK play in some tournament
Associated Press together. It didn’t happen
PRAGUE (AP) — With Rog- yet. We’re looking forward
er Federer and Rafael to playing here, hopefully.
Nadal at the Laver Cup Let’s see if the captain al-
team tennis tournament, lows us to play.”
expectations are running Borg has yet to decide how
high about the chance of to form pairs for doubles,
seeing the two as doubles but suggested “there’s a
partners. very good chance” for Fe-
The three-day competition derer and Nadal.
at the O2 Arena in Prague “He’s the captain, he’s
starts Friday, pitting a team the boss here now,” Nad-
of the best six European al said. “I am just here to
players against the top six try my best, every time
from the rest of the world. the captain wants me on
No ATP rankings points will court, I am just here to try
be awarded. to help the team to win the
Alexander Zverev, Marin Laver Cup.”
Cilic, Dominic Thiem and Federer warned a vic-
Tomas Berdych are also tory was not a given even
on the European team to though the two are cur-
face Sam Querrey, John rently ranked No. 1 (Nadal)
Isner, Nick Kyrgios, Jack and No. 2 (Federer).
Sock, Denis Shapovalov Spain’s tennis player Rafael Nadal, center, throws a ball to fans during a welcome ceremony of “There’s a lot of expec-
and Frances Tiafoe. the Laver Cup at the Old Town square in Prague, Czech Republic, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017. tations and everybody
The tournament is to honor Associated Press thinks we’re going to win
Rod Laver, an 11-time ma- and play together then
jor champion who won Federer and Nadal were finals. Finally, to have and then at the end Bjorn we bomb out,” Federer
two calendar-year Grand clear about their choice of him on my side it’s a joy. will take the ultimate deci- said. “So, we better make
Slams. It will include three a possible partner. We talked about playing sion.” sure we focus on just play-
singles and one doubles “I’ve played a lot against doubles a long, long time Nadal concurred. ing good doubles and if it
match every day. Bjorn Rafa on so many occa- ago. It never happened. “Of course, I would love (to works together at the same
Bjorg captains Europe sions, in big matches,” Fe- Of course, I would love to play with Federer),” Nadal time, that’d be great.
while John McEnroe does derer said at Prague’s pic- share the side of the net said. “It will be amazing if “I’m sure that the crowd
the same for the oppo- turesque Old Town Square. this time around. We have that happens. We’ve talk- would go absolutely
nents. “I think in nine Grand Slam to see how practice goes ed about that years ago to crazy.”q

Muguruza beats Puig to
reach Pan Pacific quarterfinals

be tougher now.” takes part in the quar-
Puig beat Muguruza terfinals for the fourth
6-1, 6-1 at the Rio de straight year.
Janeiro Olympics and Muguruza took over
maintained that mo- at No. 1 from Karolina
mentum early on but Pliskova, who also ad-
Muguruza found her vanced with a 6-2, 6-1
pace by breaking in the win over Magda Linette.
opening game of the After coasting through
second set. the first set, the Czech
A stretch of 12 points player broke her oppo-
won in succession nent with a backhand
formed part of another to the corner in the sixth
break as the Spaniard game before serving out
raced out to a 4-0 lead. to win.
“The last time I played The second-seeded Plis-
her it didn’t go my way kova, who had eight
Garbine Muguruza of Spain returns a shot to Monica Puig of Puerto Rico during their second round
match of the Pan Pacific Open tennis tournament in Tokyo, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2017. at all,” Muguruza said. aces against Linette, will
Associated Press “This time, I found a bet- next face seventh-seed-
ter way to play and got ed Angelique Kerber.
TOKYO (AP) — Pan Pacific Open. then won with her third the victory. Kerber beat Daria Kasat-
Garbine Muguruza be- Playing in her first tourna- ace of the match. In the second set, I kind kina 7-6 (5), 6-3.
gan her reign as No. 1 ment since earning the “I’m happy to win my first of learned what I did Also, Anastasia Pavly-
with a 6-4, 6-0 win over WTA’s top ranking, the match as No. 1,” Mugu- well in the first set.” uchenkova of Russia
Monica Puig on Wednes- Wimbledon champion ruza said. Muguruza will next face advanced with a 6-4,
day, earning a spot in broke Puig to go up 5-0 “I have to be ready and either Kurumi Nara or 4-6, 6-2 win over Wang
the quarterfinals of the in the second set and every match is going to Caroline Garcia as she Qiang.q