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SPORTS Monday 14 January 2019
Djokovic's start may follow Murray's finale at Aussie Open

By JOHN PYE his long-time friend. It's not
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) the way they operate.
— Novak Djokovic knows "I wasn't, no. To be honest, I
there's a chance he may wasn't," top-ranked Djokov-
not have played his open- ic said. "But I did see, it was
ing match at the Australian very obvious for everyone,
Open before Andy Murray you didn't need to be on
is out of the tournament. court to notice that he's
Perhaps even finished on struggling.
the tour. "We've seen so many years
Their careers have long of Andy Murray being one
been intertwined. They're of the fittest guys on the
both 31 and have birthdays tour, running around the
a week apart in May, and court, getting always an
they've played each other extra ball back. I think to
36 times at the elite level. that extent, we are kind of
Djokovic leads those 25-11, similar."
including a 4-0 record in fi- Djokovic has six Australian
nals at the Australian Open, Open titles, a record he
where Murray has been a shared with two-time de-
five-time finalist but never fending champion Roger
won the title. Federer and Roy Emerson.
They had a practice match Djokovic and Federer are
together in Melbourne on opposite sides of the Serbia's Novak Djokovic rests on the net during a practice session at the Australian Open tennis
Park on the eve of Murray's draw, and can only meet championships in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019.
teary news conference Fri- in the final. Murray is in Fe- Associated Press
day, where he revealed derer's half, but even he
the pain from his surgically- concedes he's unlikely to three streaks of three or as many titles as the other lar," Djokovic said. "We've
repaired right hip was so get past No. 22-seeded more consecutive Grand members of the Big Four, grown together playing ju-
bad that he'd decided to Roberto Bautista Agut on Slam championships. but he broke decades-long nior events. We played lots
retire after attempting one Monday night. His 14 majors so far place droughts for British men of epic matches in the pro-
more run at Wimbledon — Djokovic isn't in action un- him third behind 37-year- in majors and at Wimble- fessional circuit (and) our
if he can make it that far. til Day 2, when he opens old Federer (20) and don, and became the first games are quite alike.
Murray was noticeably against U.S. qualifier Mitch- 32-year-old Rafael Nadal player to win consecutive "Obviously to see him
limping between points ell Krueger. As winner of (17), but he's likely got more singles gold medals at the struggle so much and go
and only won two games the last two majors, he's a years to play on the circuit. Olympics. through so much pain, it's
in almost two full sets, but strong contender to win in Murray's career is expected "Our trajectory to the very sad and it hurts me
Djokovic on Sunday denied Melbourne Park again and to be finished in a matter professional tennis world as his longtime friend, col-
he'd taken it any easier on become the first man with of months. He didn't tally was pretty much simi- league, rival."q

Loeb wins another Dakar stage but Al-Attiyah still leads

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Sebas- the leader with a nearly ter too many mistakes," Pe-
tien Loeb capitalized on an 38-minute margin. terhansel said.
error by Dakar Rally leader "It's not really that comfort- Roma, the 2014 champi-
Nasser Al-Attiyah to win a able, but it's good to have on, was 45 minutes down
second straight stage and this very difficult stage be- in fourth. Change was ex-
rise to second overall on hind us," Al-Attiyah said. pected in the motorbike
Sunday. Loeb, the nine-time world race, where the top seven
Al-Attiyah led the sixth rally champion trying to riders were within nine min-
stage from Arequipa to win the Dakar at his fourth utes of each other.
San Juan de Marcona un- attempt, leapt over record Race leader Ricky Brabec
til about 15 kilometers from seven-time champion Ste- and Sam Sunderland were
the finish when he drove phane Peterhansel. separated by only a min-
into the wrong valley look- Peterhansel, who started ute but weren't contenders
ing for a waypoint. Loeb, the second half of the on the sandy stage.
two minutes behind the rally second overall at 24 Sunderland, as the stage Driver Sebastien Loeb, of France, and co-driver Daniel Elena,
of Monaco, race their Peugeot during the stage six of the Da-
Qatari, moved two min- minutes behind Al-Attiyah, five winner, opened the kar Rally between Arequipa and San Juan de Marcona, Peru,
utes ahead and held on went to help Nani Roma way and struggled. He was Sunday, Jan. 13, 2019.
to win his third stage of this early but got stuck in a nine minutes off the pace Associated Press
Dakar. sand basin and lost 20 min- after the first section, and
He passed the spot where utes. With brilliant driving 23 minutes by the end. leader Pablo Quintanilla. in third, and Benavides
he crashed out of the race he limited the damage to From a minute behind at Quintanilla dueled with was eight minutes back in
last year, when he was ly- 12 minutes until he ran in to the start of the day, he was Kevin Benavides over the fourth. Only Price among
ing second overall. trouble near the finish, and 21 back at the end. second half of the stage, the top four has won the
"It was a tricky stage," Loeb ended up nearly 19 min- Brabec was up front for the and edged it by less than Dakar, in 2016.
said. "We dodged the bul- utes behind the stage win- first half of the stage but two minutes. Defending champion Mat-
let." ner. He's 41 minutes behind dropped to sixth. He fell to After Quintanilla and Bra- thias Walkner fell nearly 11
Al-Attiyah was second, overall. second overall, 4:38 be- bec, Toby Price was five minutes back.
2:17 behind, but remained "Victory's slipping away af- hind stage winner and new minutes behind overall The race ends on Thursday.