Venus Williams said on Friday that she and sister Serena were the world’s best players on a women’s tour rocked by the long-term absence of injury-hit Maria Sharapova and last year’s retirement of Justine Henin.
The two Americans hold three of the four Grand Slams while Serena has the world’s top ranking and Venus is No. 6.
On Friday, Wimbledon champion Venus edged ahead 10-9 in the family tussle when she beat Serena, the Australian and US Open winner, 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (7/3) to reach the final of the Dubai tournament.
PHOTO: EPA
The 28-year-old is hot favorite to beat Virginie Razzano, the surprise finalist from France, and claim a 40th career crown.
“Obviously she [Serena] is No. 1 but I think we are the best in the world,” Venus said. “There are other great players but it would have been better if the two best are in the final. I would definitely be more pleased if it were a final. But I guess I will have to keep working on my ranking.”
Since Henin’s retirement on the eve of the French Open in May last year, Sharapova, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic have all occupied the world No. 1 ranking before Serena returned to the top after her fourth career Australian Open win.
PHOTO: EPA
Sharapova hasn’t played since injuring her shoulder in August last year.
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AFP, MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE
Top-seeded Andy Roddick held on for a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 victory over big-serving Sam Querrey to reach the semi-finals of the US$1.22 million ATP and WTA hardcourt tournament on Friday.
Roddick fired 11 aces, four fewer than his opponent, but took advantage of Querrey’s four double-faults as he booked a semi-final meeting with former world No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia.
Fifth-seeded Czech Radek Stepanek also reached the semi-finals, ousting second-seeded Juan Martin del Potro of Argentina, and will face Israeli qualifier Dudi Sela.
The women’s final was also set as top-seeded Dane Caroline Wozniacki and second-seeded Belarusian Victoria Azarenka advanced.
In the semis Roddick will face Hewitt, who downed Belgium’s Christophe Rochus 6-2, 6-3.
On the other side of the draw, Stepanek sent Argentina’s del Potro packing 7-6 (9/7), 6-4.
Stepanek next faces Sela, who defeated unseeded Russian Igor Kunitsyn 4-6, 6-4, 6-2.
In the women’s final yesterday, Wozniacki was set to vie for the fourth title of her young career after a quick 6-1, 6-0 semi-final victory over fourth-seeded Briton Anne Keothavong.
Awaiting Wozniacki in the final is Azarenka, who outlasted sixth-seeded Sabine Lisicki of Germany, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7/1), in the other semi-final.
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AP, MARSEILLE, FRANCE
Novak Djokovic beat Mischa Zverev of Germany 6-3, 6-3 on Friday to land a semi-final with fourth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who won the Johannesburg title two weeks ago.
The other semi features Gilles Simon, the 2007 champion, against unseeded Michael Llodra.
Tsonga defeated eighth-seeded Feliciano Lopez of Spain 6-2, 6-7 (1), 6-4, hitting 18 aces to 11 and breaking Lopez three times while not giving away a break chance.
Simon beat Julien Benneteau 6-2, 6-4 in an all-French quarter-final, nailing three of 10 break points without losing his own serve.
An “outstanding” 17-year-old Chinese badminton player died of cardiac arrest after collapsing on court during a tournament in Indonesia, officials said yesterday. Zhang Zhijie was playing a match late Sunday against Japan’s Kazuma Kawano at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The score was 11-11 in the first game when Zhang fell to the floor between points. The teenager received treatment at the venue and was rushed to hospital in an ambulance, but passed away later that night after repeated efforts to resuscitate him failed. “Medical conclusions ... indicated that the victim experienced sudden cardiac arrest,” Broto Happy, spokesman for
A buzz of excitement crackled through the hushed arena as the rider gripped the reins of her stuffed steed. Welcome to the strangely exacting world of hobby-horsing, the Finnish sport guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Immaculately coiffed equestrians leap athletically over fences just like in horse jumping, going as fast as they can against the clock straddling their stick steeds. Things are more stately in the dressage, with riders trotting their stick horses with intricately decorated stuffed heads before the discerning eyes of the judges. About 260 riders from 22 countries — most women and girls aged 10 to 20 —
Taiwan’s men’s national basketball team is set to upgrade its depth in the paint after signing Brandon Gilbeck of the P.League+’s Formosa Dreamers to a naturalized player’s contract. The 27-year-old big man from the US landed in Taoyuan early on Monday, where he was welcomed by Chinese Taipei Basketball Association deputy secretary-general Chang Cheng-chung. The two signed the deal, which still has to be approved by the Sports Administration and the Ministry of the Interior. Chang said he is confident that “the proceedings would go smoothly.” If approved, Gilbeck would become the third naturalized basketball player in Taiwan, following the New Taipei Kings’ Quincy
‘TOUGH TO TAKE’: Verstappen was adjudged to have caused the crash with Norris, but blamed him, leading Norris to say he has lost respect for the three-time champ George Russell on Sunday beamed with delight after taking full advantage of a sensational late crash between series leader Max Verstappen and his title rival, Lando Norris, to win an action-packed Austrian Grand Prix. It was the British driver’s second career victory and Mercedes’ first success in 33 outings, endorsing their improved form in recent races, but his triumph was overshadowed by the 64th lap collision that wrecked Verstappen’s and Norris’s races — and left the Dutchman defending his reputation. Red Bull’s three-time champion was adjudged to have caused the accident by swerving to his left to hit Norris’s McLaren causing