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Tuesday October 17, 2017

MARIA SHARAPOVA won her fi rst WTA title in more than two years at the Tianjin Open on Sunday, showing plenty of grit and determination as she came from behind in each set to beat Belarusian teenager Aryna Sabalenka 7-5, 7-6(8).

The former world number one, who returned to the tour in April following a 15-month doping ban, started the stronger, breaking Sabalenka in her open-ing service game, but struggled on serve and soon found herself trailing 4-1 in the fi rst set.

The Russian managed to hold serve for the fi rst time in the match at 4-2 and clung on grimly in the face of some hard hitting by her 19-year-old opponent before converting her fourth break point of the next game to get back on serve at 4-3.

Her nerves settled, Sharapova began to hit her stride, breaking Sabalenka again to go 6-5 up before closing out the set.

The Belarusian, playing her fi rst WTA fi nal, came back in the second set, opening up a 5-1 lead before serving to send the match into a decider, but Sharapova once again fought back to erase the defi cit.

The 30-year-old broke Sabalenka twice in succession and held her nerve when facing a set point on serve at 5-4 to level things up, and broke the Belaru-sian to give herself the chance to serve out the match at 6-5.

(SD-Agencies)

Maria Sharapova of Russia celebrates after winning the match against Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus at the Tianjin Open on Sunday. SD-Agencies

Sharapova wins fi rst WTA title since return from ban

COLIN KAEPERNICK, who has not been able to fi nd another job in the U.S. National Foot-ball League (NFL) since opting out of his 49ers contract earlier this year, has reportedly fi led a collusion grievance against NFL owners.

The 29-year-old quarterback has hired attorney Mark Geragos to assist him.

According to ProFootballTalk, citing “source with knowledge of the situation,” Kaepernick wants to blow up the league’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA). If Kaepernick can prove collusion through the grievance, the CBA will be terminated.

Kaepernick’s collusion griev-

ance in part, alleges league owners black-balled him and were further coerced by President Donald Trump.

The NFL players’ union (NFLPA) said Sunday it will support Kaepernick but will have no role in the grievance. The union didn’t learn of it until it was reported in the media Sunday.

“Our union has a duty to assist Mr. Kaepernick as we do all play-ers and we will support him,” the statement said.

Kaepernick became a contro-versial fi gure last year when he

became the fi rst player to refuse to stand for the national anthem as a sign of protest against what he called racial injustice in the U.S. Many other players have since fol-lowed his lead, leading to fan protests and concern among owners and NFL

Commissioner Roger Goodell that the players’ actions are hurt-ing TV ratings and attendance.

Several team owners have expressed concerns that signing Kaepernick would create dis-tractions and upset fans. Earlier this year, Giants owner John Mara told The MMQB that he’d received letters from fans saying

they’d never attend another game if the team signed Kaepernick, or if other players refused to stand for the anthem.

But ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported in late July that some owners had taken an active role in preventing their team from even considering the controver-sial quarterback.

“Do I think that certain owners have blocked teams from visits or interest? I do, I do believe that,” Schefter said on ESPN Radio’s “Mike and Mike” show. “And I think that there has been more interest in him from the coaching and front offi ce level than there has been at the ownership level.

(SD-Agencies)

Kaepernick files collusion grievance against NFL owners

WAYNE ROONEY’S last-minute penalty salvaged a 1-1 draw for Everton against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

Anthony Knockaert looked to have secured a third consecutive home English Premier League victory for Brighton when the winger struck 10 minutes from time, but a moment of madness from Seagulls captain Bruno gave Rooney the opportunity to level from the spot.

Rooney’s goal may have at least temporarily kept Everton manager Ronald Koeman in his job. Everton invested heavily on its squad over the summer but

is struggling on eight points in as many games.

Brighton’s home form will be crucial to the newly promoted side’s chances of avoiding relega-tion and it came within moments of another three points at the AMEX stadium.

Everton had more possession and came close through two long-range Idrissa Gueye efforts, but it was the hosts who came closest before the break when Lewis Dunk’s goalbound effort was cleared by Michael Keane.

The Everton defender looked to have made another crucial block in the 82nd when he kept

out substitute Jose Izquierdo’s goalbound effort, but Morgan Schniederlin failed to clear giving Knockaert the chance to fi nd the net from close range.

With Everton and its manager appearing down and out, Brigh-ton captain Bruno mindlessly elbowed Dominic Calvert-Lewin in his own penalty area giving referee Michael Oliver no choice but to point to the spot.

Rooney sent Brighton goal-keeper Mathew Ryan the wrong way to secure a point that lifts Everton to 16th. Brighton is 14th with the same eight points.

(SD-Agencies)

Rooney rides to Everton’s rescue with late penalty

Everton’s Wayne Rooney (R) scores their fi rst goal from a penalty against Brighton & Hove Albion during their match Sunday. SD-Agencies

ROGER FEDERER extended his winning streak over Rafael Nadal this year to four matches after beating the top-ranked Spaniard 6-4, 6-3 to win the Shanghai Masters on Sunday.

The Swiss 19-time Grand Slam winner, who still trails Nadal 23-15 in their overall head-to-head record, didn’t face a break point and started and ended the match with service breaks.

“I don’t know what my expec-tations were going in,” Federer said. “I thought I might struggle early on because it was a late fi nish last night.

“I had no nerves before the match, surprisingly. I think I was pretty clear about how I wanted to play the match. I started off very well and relaxed from then on.”

Federer took advantage of three of seven break point opportunities in the match to snap Nadal’s 16-game winning streak, which included his China Open victory last week.

Federer, who has won the last fi ve encounters between the pair dating back to the 2015 Basel fi nal, also beat Nadal in the Australian Open fi nal, a round of 16 match at Indian Wells and the Miami fi nal this year.

“Have been a very diffi cult match for me,” Nadal said. “He played very fast and he played well.

“Of course it was not the best match for me of the week. When

Federer beats Nadal to win Shanghai title

somebody plays better than you, sport is not very diffi cult. That’s the real thing, no? When you play against somebody that is better than you in most of the things that really matters in this sport, in this kind of surface, then it’s tougher.”

The Shanghai Masters is Federer’s 94th career title, moving him into a tie with Ivan Lendl in second place on the Open era list.

Nadal arrived on court with a bandage under his right knee, the

same leg he twice smacked with his racket after losing his serve for the fi rst time this week in the semifi nal.

Federer said he was surprised to see the wrap and didn’t feel Nadal was struggling with his movement.

In his post-match press con-ference, Nadal elected not to discuss the knee injury, saying, “I don’t want to talk about that now, sorry, but after losing fi nal is not the moment.”

When asked if he would

play upcoming tournaments in Basel, Switzerland and Paris, Nadal refused to confi rm his participation.

Federer took advantage of a third break point in the fi rst game of the match with a winning backhand passing shot. He broke Nadal’s serve again on a second break point in the fi fth game of the second set when Nadal sailed a backhand crosscourt wide. In the fi nal game, Nadal netted a forehand at 15-40 to end the match. (SD-Agencies)

Winner Roger Federer (L) of Switzerland and runner-up Rafael Nadal of Spain share a smile after their Shanghai Masters fi nal Sunday. SD-Agencies

Colin Kaepernick