Page 22 - ARUBA TODAY

A22 SPORTS
Thursday 2 March 2017
Federer upset by qualifier Donskoy in Dubai, Murray wins

SANDRA HARWITT pillow now thinking about
Associated Press Pouille,” Federer said. “But
DUBAI, United Arab Emir- now here I’m explaining
ates (AP) — Roger Federer what didn’t go well.”
squandered three match The day went a lot better
points in a shock 3-6, 7-6 for top-seeded Andy Mur-
(7), 7-6 (5) second round ray, who earned a place in
loss to Russian qualifier Evg- the last eight with a 6-2, 6-0
eny Donskoy at the Dubai win over Guillermo Garcia-
Tennis Championships on Lopez.
Wednesday. Murray, playing in his first
Federer, who has just won tournament since a fourth
his 18th Grand Slam title at round defeat at the Aus-
the Australian Open, failed tralian Open last month, is
to take advantage of three showing no signs of being
match points in the second match rusty despite hav-
set tiebreaker, losing two of ing to deal with a case of
the three opportunities on shingles.
unforced errors. The top-ranked Briton
“(I) surprised everyone I needed only 72-minutes
think today,” the 116th- to bypass the 97th-ranked
ranked Donskoy said. Garcia-Lopez, saving the
“Whoever win against Rog- one break point he faced
er surprises himself, I think.” Evgeny Donskoy of Russia reacts after beating Roger Federer of Switzerland during the second on serve at 30-40 in the first
Adding to the challenge round match of the Dubai Tennis Championships, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Wednesday, game of the match.
for the Russian was playing March 1, 2017. He broke Garcia-Lopez’s
against Federer for the first Associated Press serve for the first of five
time. times in the fourth game of
“It was really tough in the wasn’t able to close out cause of arthroscopic knee er full lighting was restored. the first set.
beginning, because it was the match when serving surgery, was in the hunt for “I felt, if he wants to keep “When I got the early
too much pressure,” Don- for it at 5-3 in the third, and an eighth Dubai title. playing, I’m happy to keep break, pretty much was
skoy said. “Because it’s then watched the Russian The initial excitement in playing,” Federer said. almost 30 minutes in and
Roger, and I never even work his way to victory. the match occurred with “I didn’t want to wait. It we’d only played four
practice with him.” Federer led 5-1 in the third Federer leading 6-3, 3-4 - wasn’t just, like, dark. It was games,” Murray said.
Federer netted a forehand set tiebreaker, but Donskoy when one set of the court just darker.” “Mentally, that was impor-
on Donskoy’s one set point refused to fold. floodlights went dark. Fans Donskoy will play seventh- tant for me, you know, to
in the second set tiebreak- “I had my chances,” Feder- in the crowd turned on seeded Lucas Pouille in the be up at that stage.
er to extend the match to er said. “I should somehow their cellphone flashlights quarterfinals. Pouille de- “I loosened up a bit af-
a third set. close it out. Don’t know and start waving them in feated qualifier Marius Co- ter that and played re-
Donskoy’s dream of a how it got away, but he did the air as if they were at a pil 6-1, 6-4. ally well.”Murray, who only
quarterfinal berth seemed very well, and yeah, it’s a rock concert. “It’s tough to judge this dropped one point on
over when he forfeited his rough one, for sure.” Both players then agreed one, because I could have serve in the second set,
serve in the sixth game of Federer, who skipped last to play on despite the prob- won in two and I’d be al- will play Philipp Kohlsch-
the third set. But Federer year’s tournament be- lem and by two games lat- ready almost hitting the reiber in the quarterfinals.
Yankees’ Tanaka goes 2 hitless innings in spring debut Kohlschreiber posted a 6-4,
6-4 second round win over
Daniil Medvedev.
two hitless innings during his ond. He reached 92 mph “Every time we have
initial exhibition start Tues- in a 25-pitch outing that in- played, we have had a lot
day in the Yankees’ split- cluded 16 strikes. of close matches,” Murray
squad 9-5 win over the De- “Overall I thought every- said of Kohlschreiber. “He’s
troit Tigers. thing was good,” Yankees a talented guy. He uses the
The right-hander’s opening pitching coach Larry Roth- angles of the court well. He
pitch soared over the head schild said. “It was good to plays with a lot of spin.”
of Tigers leadoff hitter Ian see him stay within his deliv- Fourth-seeded Gael Mon-
Kinsler.“I liked everything ex- ery and execute the pitch- fils struggled with Dan Ev-
cept the first pitch,” Tanaka es he needed to execute, ans before securing a 6-4,
said through a translator. and come out of it and feel 3-6, 6-1 win to reach the
“I’m not really sure (what good.” quarterfinals, where he
happened).”Tanaka did Both strikeouts came on faces left-hander Fernan-
say that the angles of the split-finger pitches. do Verdasco.
bullpen mound and the “The split was really good, In an all-Spanish second-
slope of the main hill were and the slider (too)” Yan- round outing, Verdasco
New York Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka pitches upset sixth-seeded Roberto
during the second inning of a spring training baseball game different. kees catcher Gary San- Bautista Agut 6-4, 3-6, 7-5.
against the Detroit Tigers Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017, in Tampa, Fla. Kinsler reached on an in- chez said through a trans-
Associated Press field error but was erased lator. “The location of the Robin Haase upset fifth-
when Omar Infante hit fastball was a little off. But seeded Tomas Berdych 3-6,
MARK DIDTLER one, sailing all the way to into a double play. Tanaka it’s the first start, so I know 6-3, 6-4 to set up a quar-
Associated Press the backstop. ended the first by striking he can locate better.” terfinal meeting against
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Masa- Then, the New York Yan- out Nicholas Castellanos. Four of the six batters Tana- Damir Dzhumur, who de-
hiro Tanaka’s first pitch of kees ace quickly settled in. Tanaka struck out Steven ka faced hit the ball on the feated Marcel Granollers
spring training was a wild Tanaka struck out two over Moya during a perfect sec- ground.q 6-3, 6-4.q