Page 22 - aruba-today-20170422

A22 SPORTS
Saturday 22 april 2017
Goffin beats Djokovic to reach Monte Carlo semifinals

JEROME PUGMIRE too long to serve. The momentum was with
AP Sports Writer “That’s fair from the chair Djokovic, but the resilient
MONACO (AP) — David umpire to tell me that I’m Goffin had other ideas.
Goffin beat Novak Djokov- taking a little bit too much Earlier, Albert Ramos-Vino-
ic for the first time in his time. It was just in a very las won the last four games
career on his fifth match awkward moment to give to beat fifth-seeded Marin
point, winning 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 me a warning,” Djokovic Cilic of Croatia 6-2, 6-7 (5),
to reach the Monte Carlo said. “It’s just that some- 6-2.
Masters semifinals on Fri- times there should be Cilic, the 2014 U.S. Open
day. maybe a little bit more tol- champion, seemed to be in
Goffin denied Djokovic a erance and understand- command when he broke
possible 50th career match ing for certain situations at the start of the third set.
against defending champi- like that one, where it was But the Spaniard rallied to
on Rafael Nadal, who was very long point, at 6-5 in the set up a semi against Lu-
playing the last remaining third.” cas Pouille of France, who
quarterfinal against un- The early evening light on Serbia’s Novak Djokovic falls, during their quarterfinal match of beat Pablo Cuevas of Uru-
seeded Diego Schwartz- the court was still bright the Monte Carlo Tennis Masters tournament against Belgium’s guay 6-0, 3-6, 7-5.
man. enough to affect both David Goffin, in Monaco, Friday, April, 21, 2017. Pouille reached the quar-
“It’s the best win of my players, with Goffin saying Associated Press terfinals at the U.S. Open
career,” the 10th-seeded it was “a nuisance” when hand right on the line that Goffin took the first set in and Wimbledon last year
Goffin said. he was serving at 5-5 and Djokovic swiped back off little more than 30 minutes. in his breakthrough season.
Goffin had lost all previous Djokovic complaining that balance into the net. “I started slowly probably Cuevas was poor in the
five matches to Djokovic it was “almost unplay- Goffin, who had taken just because I played two long first set against Pouille, win-
and looked to heading for able” in the nail-biting 12th one set off Djokovic before matches. But I thought as ning no points on his sec-
another when the 12-time game. Friday, grabbed his head the match progressed I was ond serve and failing to
Grand Slam winner led 4-2 “(Like) someone putting with both hands. feeling OK,” said Djokov- save any break points. He
in the decider. a flashlight directly in your Djokovic, the champion ic who recently returned started to find range with
But Goffin broke him in the eyes,” he said. here in 2013 and 2015, from an elbow injury. “I was his one-handed backhand
eighth game and held firm Djokovic saved the first hugged him at the net. physically fine. We had a in the second set and lev-
on his own serve when tak- match point with an ace; He had scraped this far, lot of exchanges, a lot of eled the set score when
en to deuce in a tight 11th the second one on his sec- anyway. This match took rallies. David was playing Pouille netted a return.
game. ond serve; the third with a 2 hours, 38 minutes, taking very quick.” Pouille offered an expla-
The pressure was back stinging forehand winner the Serbian’s total time on Djokovic found his range nation as to why he lost his
on the second-ranked and a fourth when Goffin court to 7h35 over his three in the second, pushing the way after a one-sided first
Djokovic to hold and force chopped a backhand into matches. Djokovic was tak- Belgian further back. Gof- set.
a tiebreak, but Goffin kept the net. en to three sets by 32nd- fin saved two sets points on “I should have gone off
coming at him and Djokov- But a sloppy unforced error ranked Gilles Simon and his serve at 5-3 down, but the court as well when he
ic also had to cope with a on forehand gave Goffin 19th-ranked Pablo Carreno Djokovic held easily on his went off for a toilet break,”
time violation during that another chance, and he Busta and could well have next service game to level Pouille said. “I lost my mo-
tense 12th game for taking took it with a deep fore- lost both. the match. mentum a bit.”q

Sharapova told week of May 15

if she can play at French Open

two years to 15 months last a wild card into the Italian stopped taking meldoni-
October by the Court of Open in Rome next month. um before it was banned,
Arbitration for Sport. Mel- Now the French Open and though Sharapova was sus-
donium, which was previ- possibly Wimbledon must pended because she took
ously legal, was banned decide whether to give it after the cutoff date.
by the World Anti-Doping an entry to Sharapova, a Numerous claims have
Agency earlier that year, former champion of both been made over recent
but Sharapova claims she Grand Slams. decades about meldo-
missed the memo instruct- The FFT said in an email re- nium, which is marketed
ing her to stop using it. sponse to The Associated for sufferers from heart and
Her suspension ends on the Press that “the decision circulatory conditions, in-
third day of the Stuttgart will be taken the week of cluding that it can increase
In this Monday March 7, 2016 file photo, tennis star Maria tournament, meaning she (Monday) May 15,” without physical and mental en-
Sharapova speaks about her failed drug test at the Australia won’t be allowed even to giving further details. durance. However, Russian
Open during a news conference in Los Angeles. play before Wednesday. Sharapova, who has titles officials have said it is not
Associated Press Top-ranked players An- at all four majors, won at performance-enhancing
PARIS (AP) — Maria No. 1 returns to competi- gelique Kerber and Andy Roland Garros in 2012 and for sports, arguing it pre-
Sharapova will find out tion next week as a wild Murray are among those 2014. vents heart attacks under
the week starting May 15 card in Stuttgart’s Porsche who have questioned The 30-year-old Sharapova extreme stress.
if she can compete at the Tennis Grand Prix. whether Sharapova should was among more than 100 Sharapova said last year
French Open, which starts The Russian was suspended be allowed to resume her athletes who tested posi- she used it for 10 years for
two weeks later, the French after testing positive for career in main draws with- tive after meldonium was reasons including a mag-
Tennis Federation said. heart drug meldonium at out playing her way back banned in sport last year. nesium deficiency, irregu-
The five-time Grand Slam the 2016 Australian Open. through qualifiers. Sharapo- Most of those were cleared lar heart test results, and a
winner and former world The ban was reduced from va has also been handed because of evidence they family history of diabetes.q