LONDON: Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal battle for a place in the Wimbledon final on Friday, 11 years after they mesmerized Center Court in a Grand Slam championship match widely regarded as the greatest ever played.
Nadal emerged triumphant that day, winning in five sets in a four-hour 48-minute epic of fluctuating fortunes that stretched out over seven hours because of constant, momentum-shifting rain interruptions.
The Spaniard won 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (8/10), 9-7 as the clock ticked past 9pm and with the famous stadium in near-darkness.
Over a decade later, the sport’s two most successful players now have 38 Grand Slam titles between them and more than $100 million in prize money each.
Nadal, the 2008 and 2010 champion at Wimbledon, has the edge overall, leading his great rival and friend 24-15 and 10-3 at the Slams.
However, it is eight-time champion Federer who just edges their Wimbledon head-to-head 2-1 after winning the 2006 and 2007 finals before Nadal famously broke the spell in 2008.
Nadal, who demolished Federer in straight sets in the semifinals at Roland Garros last month on his way to a 12th title in Paris, admits his game has developed since 2008.
Mostly, that’s due to his age as well as the desperate need to protect his creaking knees which so often conspired against him on the low-bouncing lawns of the All England Club.
“I am running less so I need to serve better. I probably cannot play 20 weeks a year any more,’ said 33-year-old Nadal.
“I am serving better. I am hitting the backhand better. Maybe volleying better, slicing better.”
In terms of the bare statistics, there is little to choose between them.
Nadal has served up 47 aces so far and been broken just four times; Federer has 42 aces, dropping serve on only three occasions.
The Spanish third seed has yet to face a seeded player and has only been truly tested once, in his four-set second round victory over Nick Kyrgios in what was comfortably the tournament’s most bad-tempered match.
Federer, 37, is the oldest man in the semifinals of a Slam since 39-year-old Jimmy Connors at the 1991 US Open.
He is in his 13th semifinal at the tournament and 45th at the majors.
In a career illuminated by landmarks, he became the first man to register 100 match wins at a single Slam when he came back from a set down to beat Kei Nishikori in the quarter-finals.
Federer is wary of the dangers presented by Nadal.
His loss in Paris, which took place in what he described as “insane” windy conditions, was his heaviest at the Slams in 11 years.
“Rafa really can hurt anybody on any surface,” said Federer.
“He’s serving way different. I remember back in the day how he used to serve, and now how much bigger he’s serving, how much faster he finishes points.”
The eager anticipation of their 40th clash has relegated defending champion Novak Djokovic’s push for a fifth title to second billing.
The top seed and world number one reached the semifinals for the ninth time, racking up his 70th career win at the All England Club by sweeping past David Goffin in straight sets, reeling off 15 of the last 17 games.
In his 36th Grand Slam semifinal, the 15-time major winner faces Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut who is in his maiden last-four at the majors at the 27th attempt.
Djokovic leads the 31-year-old 7-3 in career meetings, including 3-0 at the majors.
However, the unheralded Spaniard, who had to cancel plans for his stag party in Ibiza as a consequence of his run to the semifinals, has defeated Djokovic twice in 2019, in Doha and Miami.
“He’s got amazing consistency,” said Djokovic.
“Very flat from both forehand and backhand. He has improved his backhand. I think he’s got more depth on his backhand.
“The ball bounces lower on the grass, which is I think more suitable to his style of game.”
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal braced for epic Wimbledon semifinals showdown
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal braced for epic Wimbledon semifinals showdown
- Roger Federer is in his 13th semifinal at the tournament and 45th at the majors
- Third seed Rafael Nadal has yet to face a seeded player and has only been truly tested once
Last-gasp goal stretches Leverkusen unbeaten streak
- The strike keeps Leverkusen’s remarkable streak of late goals alive
- Alonso’s side have now won or equalized in stoppage time 10 times this season in all competitions
LEVERKUSEN, Germany: Robert Andrich scored with the last kick of the match to extend Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten run to 46 games this season with a 2-2 home draw against Stuttgart on Saturday.
With Bundesliga champions Leverkusen facing their first loss of the season in any competition trailing 2-1 late in stoppage time, Andrich hammered in a loose ball to equalize in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
The strike keeps Leverkusen’s remarkable streak of late goals alive, with Xabi Alonso’s side doing the same at Borussia Dortmund in the seventh minute of injury time for a 1-1 draw last week.
Two goals in the space of nine minutes to start the second half from Chris Fuehrich and Deniz Undav put Stuttgart on course, with Amine Adli pulling one back after 61 minutes.
Leverkusen built pressure but could not break through, putting their hopes of becoming the first team to go a full Bundesliga season without defeat in doubt.
However, with time running out, they won a free kick and Florian Wirtz curled the ball into the box, Andrich snapping up a rebound to score.
Alonso’s side have now won or equalized in stoppage time 10 times this season in all competitions.
Fraser-McGurk shines as Delhi down Mumbai in IPL, Rajasthan near play-offs
- Top four teams in the IPL table will qualify for the play-offs
NEW DELHI: Australia’s Jake Fraser-McGurk smashed 84 off 27 deliveries to fire Delhi Capitals to 257-4 and a 10-run win over Mumbai Indians in another IPL high-scorer on Saturday.
In the second match of the day, skipper Sanju Samson hit an unbeaten 71 as Rajasthan Royals all but confirmed their play-off spot with a seven-wicket hammering of Lucknow Super Giants.
Delhi, at their home Arun Jaitley Stadium, posted their best-ever total in the T20 tournament, a day after Punjab Kings chased down a record target of 262.
Delhi’s previous best was 231-4 in 2011 against Punjab Kings. This edition Sunrisers Hyderabad have twice smashed IPL records with totals of 277 and 287.
Bowlers kept five-time champions Mumbai down to 247-9 despite a valiant 32-ball 63 by Tilak Varma as Delhi boosted their play-off hopes with five wins in 10 matches.
Fraser-McGurk, a 22-year-old Australian batsman who has taken his IPL debut season by storm with three half-centuries in five matches, started with two fours and a six off England pace bowler Luke Wood in a 19-run first over.
“That’s my role, go out there and score as many as I can and get the team off to a nice start,” Fraser-McGurk, who has a strike-rate of 237.50, said after his blitz.
The Australian kept up the charge to reach his fifty in 15 balls with a hit over the fence and put on 114 runs with opening partner Abishek Porel, who hit 36.
Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla finally denied Fraser-McGurk, who went unsold in the auction before Delhi signed him as injury replacement, his century.
There was no stopping Delhi as Shai Hope hit a 17-ball 41, skipper Rishabh Pant made 29 off 19 deliveries and Tristan Stubbs smashed an unbeaten 48 to pummel the opposition attack.
Mumbai, who have endured a tough season after Hardik Pandya replaced veteran Rohit Sharma as captain and has been booed across a number of venues, lost regular wickets.
Pandya hit 46 off 16 balls but it was a 70-run partnership between Varma and Tim David, who hit 37 off 17 balls that raised Mumbai’s hopes, but Delhi kept calm.
David fell lbw to Mukesh Kumar after a four and a six and Varma was run out at the start of the final over as Mumbai remained ninth.
Kumar and fellow medium-pace bowler and impact substitute Rasikh Salam took three wickets each.
In the evening match in Lucknow, the hosts posted 196-5 courtesy a 76 by skipper KL Rahul and his 115 run stand with Deepak Hooda, who made 50.
Lucknow lost two early wickets after New Zealand’s left-arm quick Trent Boult bowled Quinton de Kock for eight and Sandeep Sharma bowled Marcus Stoinis for a duck.
Rahul and Hooda steadied the innings and then hit back but the effort was not enough as Dhruv Jurel, who hit 52, and Samson steered table-toppers Rajasthan home with one over to spare for their eighth win in nine matches.
Top four teams will qualify for the play-offs.
Kane hits double in Bayern win as Leipzig tighten grip on fourth
- Kane scored in each half, finishing off a tearing Konrad Laimer run and converting a penalty, to raise his league tally to 35 goals in 31 games
- Kane is now six goals shy of Robert Lewandowski’s all-time single-season Bundesliga goals record
LEVERKUSEN, Germany: Harry Kane scored twice in Bayern Munich’s 2-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday to set a new personal record for goals in a season as RB Leipzig tightened their grip on fourth spot with a home victory over Borussia Dortmund.
Kane scored in each half, finishing off a tearing Konrad Laimer run and converting a penalty, to raise his league tally to 35 goals in 31 games.
Kane is now six goals shy of Robert Lewandowski’s all-time single-season Bundesliga goals record and has hit a personal best of 42 goals in all competitions this campaign.
The England captain’s goals came either side of a Hugo Ekitike stunner, a day after the Frenchman became a permanent Frankfurt player.
Bayern veteran Thomas Mueller said his side was “in a good flow,” saying since getting past Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals “we’ve been getting better, we’ve got a grip on things.”
Before the match, Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel hit back at claims from the club’s honorary president Uli Hoeness that the manager wanted to buy rather than develop players, saying the “absolutely baseless” allegation “could not be further from reality.”
Despite the victory, which solidified Bayern’s chances of a second-placed finish, both Laimer and defender Matthijs de Ligt were subbed off with injury just days before Tuesday’s home Champions League semifinal against Real Madrid.
Dortmund, Germany’s other Champions League semifinalist, had a setback ahead of hosting Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, being thoroughly outclassed in a 4-1 defeat at Leipzig.
The undermanned visitors, missing captain Emre Can, Donyell Malen, Ian Maatsen and Sebastien Haller, dominated early, hitting the lead after 20 minutes through Jadon Sancho.
The England winger curled an excellent shot from the edge of the box into the top right corner to give Dortmund the lead.
Jolted to life, Leipzig equalized almost immediately, Lois Openda turning in a superb Xavi Simons cross for his 24th goal of the season.
Originally called offside, the goal was awarded after a VAR review and the video referee intervened again shortly after, overturning a penalty for Leipzig.
Leipzig then scored two quick-fire goals either side of half-time. Benjamin Sesko pounced on a rebound just before the break and Openda found Mohamed Simakan early in the second.
Christoph Baumgartner added a fourth with 10 minutes remaining to send Leipzig five points clear of Dortmund in fourth, the final guaranteed Champions League spot.
Dortmund goalie Gregor Kobel said “like so often this season, we gifted the opponent too many goals.”
With three teams in the semifinals of the top two European competitions, Germany may however snare a fifth Champions League spot.
Werder Bremen guaranteed first division football next season, winning 3-0 away at Augsburg to go 10 points clear of the drop with three games to play.
Goals from Romano Schmid and Olivier Deman and a Marvin Ducksch penalty took Bremen to a second-straight win for the first time since February.
Wolfsburg also took a major step toward securing top-flight football, scoring two goals in the final minutes to come from behind and beat a 10-man Freiburg 2-1.
In Saturday’s late game, Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen will try and keep their unbeaten record alive this season when they host third-placed Stuttgart.
No team in Bundesliga history has ever gone through a season unbeaten.
Sheffield United become first team relegated from EPL after heavy loss at Newcastle
- The Blades were 10 points from safety with three games remaining, ensuring an immediate return to the Championship
- Alexander Isak scored two of Newcastle’s goals, taking his season tally to 23 in all competitions
NEWCASTLE, England: Sheffield United became the first team to be relegated from the English Premier League after losing at Newcastle 5-1 on Saturday.
The Blades were 10 points from safety with three games remaining, ensuring an immediate return to the Championship.
They took the lead in the fifth minute at St. James’ Park through Anel Ahmedhodzic, only to be overwhelmed by a home team on the charge for European qualification.
Alexander Isak scored two of Newcastle’s goals, taking his season tally to 23 in all competitions — 19 in the league. That’s one behind joint leaders Cole Palmer of Chelsea and Erling Haaland of Manchester City.
Bruno Guimaraes and Callum Wilson also netted for Newcastle, while Ben Osborn scored an own-goal. That meant Sheffield United conceded 13 goals to Newcastle this season, following September’s 8-0 loss at Bramall Lane.
The visitors took the lead when they worked a short corner move for Ahmedhodzic to head Gustavo Hamer’s cross past Martin Dubravka.
Isak’s first goal came in the 26th after Jacob Murphy played the perfect ball into the Sweden striker, Isak, who ran in behind Auston Trusty and finished with aplomb.
Mason Holgate headed against the crossbar and Andre Brooks blazed wide from the resulting corner as Sheffield United threatened.
The second half was all Newcastle, which netted four goals in 18 minutes — starting in the 54th when Anthony Gordon curled a free kick to the far post where the unmarked Guimaraes dived to head home.
Isak coolly converted a 61st-minute penalty after Holgate bundled Gordon to the ground, and it was 4-1 within four minutes when Osborn back-heeled the ball into his own net as he tried to clear.
Foderingham denied Wilson within five minutes of his arrival but could not prevent him from making it 5-1 with a powerful finish after fellow substitute Harvey Barnes played him in.
Newcastle were in seventh place, one point Manchester United in sixth.
New Zealand win toss, opt to bowl in 5th and final T20 against Pakistan
- Pakistan, looking to build-up for June’s T20 World Cup, are trailing 2-1 in the series
- Pakistan have brought in their ace fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in place of Zaman Khan
LAHORE: New Zealand captain Michael Bracewell won the toss and elected to field in the fifth and final Twenty20 against Pakistan on Saturday.
Pakistan, looking to build-up for June’s T20 World Cup, are trailing 2-1 in the series as they tested their bench strength against the understrength Black Caps.
Pakistan made just one change from the team that lost the fourth match by four runs, bringing in their ace fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi in place of Zaman Khan.
New Zealand, touring Pakistan without their nine frontline T20 players who are in the Indian Premier League, made three changes.
Tim Seifert recovered from sore back and returns in place of Tim Robinson, who scored a half-century in the last game but was ruled out with a groin injury.
Cole McConchie and Zak Foulkes also made it to the playing XI replacing Dean Foxcroft and Jacob Duffy. Foxcroft was ruled out with a back injury.
The first game was abandoned because of rain before Pakistan bowled out New Zealand for 90 runs in the second game to win by seven wickets.
New Zealand made a comeback, winning the third match by seven wickets before edging out the home team in the last game at Qaddafi Stadium on Thursday.
