Page 22 - aruba-today-20170520

A22 SPORTS
Saturday 20 May 2017

Nadal’s winning streak on clay ends, Venus loses in Rome

ROME (AP) — Rafael Nad- was better than me this af-
al’s winning streak ended ternoon,” Nadal said. “He
at 17 matches as he lost played great in all aspects.
in straight sets to Dominic Just well done for him.
Thiem in the quarterfinals of “It’s obvious that I did not
the Italian Open on Friday. play my best match. I have
Venus Williams is also out been playing a lot ... so is
of the tournament after not easy after playing al-
the American was de- most every day for the last
feated 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 by third four weeks,” he said.
seed Garbine Muguruza of Thiem, the No.8 seed, will
Spain. face four-time champion
The result bodes well for Novak Djokovic or Juan
Muguruza’s defense of her Martin del Potro in the
French Open title. semifinals.
Thiem’s 6-4, 6-3 victory Their quarterfinal was post-
came after he was beaten poned by rain, with Djokov-
by the Spaniard in the Ma- ic leading 6-1, 1-2, and will
drid Open final last week. resume Saturday.
“Of course I came in with The 23-year-old Austrian
a very aggressive game dominated from the start,
style, because I knew that racing into a 5-1 lead. Nad-
if I want to have a chance, al recovered and broke
then I have to do some- back to cut the gap to 5-4
thing different and be more but Thiem needed just one
aggressive,” Thiem said. “I of his two set points when Dominic Thiem of Austria returns the ball to Rafael Nadal of Spain during his match at the Italian
knew that if it goes in, ev- Nadal’s backhand down Open tennis tournament, in Rome, Friday, May 19, 2017. Thiem beat Nadal 6-4, 6-3.
erything, maybe I have the line landed just wide. Associated Press
a chance. If not, maybe I Thiem almost broke again
also lose easy. early in the second set but John Isner against No. 16 lead against Williams, who the final game, sealing it
“But today was one of Nadal managed to save seed Alexander Zverev. was seeded ninth, and when a Williams forehand
these days where I really two break points and go The unseeded Isner, who hit comfortably closed out the down the line landed wide.
felt the ball great on the on to hold his serve. 21 aces, beat sixth-seeded set. Anett Kontaveit’s dream
racquet, and a lot of risky However, Thiem took ad- Marin Cilic 7-6 (3), 2-6, 7-6 The 36-year-old Williams debut ended as the Esto-
shots went in. It was a very, vantage on his opponent’s (2) in a serve-dominated used her experience to nian qualifier lost 6-2, 6-4 to
very good performance next service game, putting quarterfinal to become the bounce back in the sec- Madrid Open champion Si-
and I think probably one of in several delightful returns first American to reach the ond, although she had to mona Halep.
my best matches.” which had the audience last four at the Italian Open save three break points im- The 21-year-old Kontaveit,
The 30-year-old Nadal, on their feet before closing since Andy Roddick in 2008. mediately after earning her who beat top-ranked An-
who was seeded fourth, the game with a crosscourt Zverev beat fifth seed and first break of the match. gelique Kerber in the sec-
had won consecutive forehand. 2014 semi-finalist Milos Ra- It seemed as if the match ond round, saved two
clay-court tournaments in Thiem almost allowed Nad- onic 7-6 (1), 6-1. was going Williams’ way break points before suc-
Monte Carlo, Barcelona al back into the match In the women’s draw, Mu- when she broke in the first cumbing to Halep’s clay-
and Madrid and was aim- but managed to cancel guruza will face No.8 seed game of the deciding court prowess.
ing for an eighth title at the out three break points to Elina Svitolina after the set but Muguruza broke The Romanian, who is
Foro Italico as he prepares go into a 5-3 lead and he Ukrainian beat second- straight back and earned seeded sixth, next faces Kiki
for the French Open in less broke again to take the seeded Karolina Pliskova of the double break when the Bertens of the Netherlands
than two weeks. match when Nadal sent a the Czech Republic 6-3, 7-6 American double-faulted after the 15th seed beat
“I just have to congratu- forehand long. (9). twice. Australian qualifier Daria
late (Thiem), because he The other semifinal pits Muguruza raced into a 4-0 Muguruza broke again in Gavrilova 6-3, 6-3.q
Gaviria wins his 4th stage of this year’s Giro d’Italia

TORTONA, Italy (AP) — team I managed to go sometimes,” Dumoulin
Colombian rider Fernando back up and win one more said. “For most of the day it
Gaviria sprinted to his stage,” said the 22-year- was side wind. In the finale
fourth stage victory at the old Gaviria, who rides for it was more side head
Giro d’Italia on Friday in his Quick-Step Floors. “I’m now wind. But I was very well
Grand Tour debut. the Colombian with most protected by the team so it
Gaviria came from the stage victories at the Giro was another good day for
back and around the but it doesn’t mean much. us.” Team Sky rider Geraint
right side of the sprinters To me it means that I came Thomas abandoned the
to edge Sam Bennett and to the Giro well prepared.” race before the stage.
win the 13th stage. Jasper Tom Dumoulin, who rides The Welshman, who spent
Stuyven was third at the for Team Sunweb, retained the last year preparing for
end of the completely flat the pink jersey. The Dutch the Giro, was still suffering
167-kilometer (104-mile) rider’s lead remained 2 from the effects of a crash
route from Reggio Emilia to minutes, 23 seconds ahead in the ninth stage and had
Tortona. Colombia’s Fernando Gaviria, left, sprints on his way to win the of 2014 winner Nairo lost time in the last two
“It’s been a different sprint 13th stage of Giro d’Italia, Tour of Italy cycling race, from Reggio Quintana and 2:38 ahead days.
today and a difficult sprint Emilia to Tortona, Friday, May 19, 2017. of Bauke Mollema. “The Friday’s stage was the last
indeed but thanks to my Associated Press wind made me nervous one for the sprinters. q