MLB RESULTS: Nationals 15, Padres 5; Braves 14, Pirates 3; Mets 4, Brewers 3; Marlins 9, Dodgers 6; Yankees 5, Mariners 4; Giants 5, Cardinals 2

FRIDAY 9 JULY 2021

Barty to face Pliskova in Wimbledon finalThis is incredible, this is close to as good a tennis match as I will ever play. Angie brought the best out of me today and it was a hell of a match right from the first ball and I knew I would have to play that well just to compete. Very proud of myself and my team and now we get a chance to win the childhood dream.

Sport |15Ash Barty

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Gold Cup: Qatar give final touches to preparationsTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

Asian champions Qatar yesterday started their final phase of preparations in Houston ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which will begin on Sunday.

The Felix Sanchez-coached side reached Houston on Wednesday to take part in the tournament following a three-week training camp in Croatia.

The team underwent a training session yesterday under Sanchez's supervision. Qatar will be based out of Houston for all three of its Group D encounters.

Al Annabi will kick off their campaign against Panama on July 13, face Grenada on July 17 and will close group play against Honduras on July 20 in hopes of continuing their winning ways.

Participating for the first time in the Gold Cup as an invited guest, the reigning AFC Asian Cup champions will look to test themselves against the

best competition from North America, Central American and the Caribbean in their prepa-ration to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Head coach Sanchez has been at the helm of the Qatar men’s national team since 2017 and has been working with the country’s younger players

since 2013 as the coach of the U19, U20 and U23 national teams.

Among the players that have been part of the Spanish coach’s process is 24-year-old forward Almoez Ali, who was the 2019 AFC Asian Cup top scorer with nine goals.

Ali was also part of

Sanchez’s squad that won the 2 0 1 4 A F C U - 1 9 Championship.

Qatar have another 24-year-old forward to watch out for in Akram Afif.

The Doha native scored in both the U19 and Asian Cup finals and has finished as the top scorer and top assist man

in the Qatar Stars League. Qatar are yet to taste defeat so far in 2021.

They picked up close wins over Luxembourg, Azerbaijan and the Republic of Ireland earlier in the year before defeating regional foes India and Oman in 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Prior to their arrival in the United States for the Gold Cup, Qatar based their camp in Pula, Croatia where they picked up a 3-1 win over the hosts in a June 30 exhibition, before playing to a 1-0 result against fellow Gold Cup par-ticipants El Salvador on July 4.

Qatar captain Hassan Al Haydos (left) and striker Almoez Ali during a training session in Houston yesterday. RIGHT: Qatar players pose for a group photo.

Al Sadd’s Xavi, Cazorla and Bounedjah clinch top QFA awards for the seasonTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

Xavi Hernandez was named the best coach as reigning QNB Stars League champions Al Sadd bagged top honours in the Best Awards for the 2020-21 season, announced by the Board of Trustees of Qatar Football Association (QFA) Award yesterday.

Apart from Xavi, Spaniard Santi Cazorla won the best player award of the season while feared striker Baghdad Bounedjah claimed the Mansour Muftah Award for Top Scorer for his tally of 21 goals in the season.

Al Gharafa’s Homam Al Ameen was named the Best Under-23 Player Award after receiving the highest number

of votes in the final voting process.

Abdulrahman Al Jassim was declared the Best Referee of the season. The Board of Trustees

of QFA Award congratulated all awardees this season, and thanked and appreciated all nominees, wishing everyone continued success.

Top ScorerBaghdad Bounedjah, Al

Sadd striker, with 21 goals.

Homam Al Ameen (Al Gharafa)

Xavi Hernandez (Al Sadd)

Santi Cazorla (Al Sadd)

1. Best Referee: Abdulrahman Al Jassim2. Best First Assistant

Referee Khaled Ayed Khalaf3. Best Second Assistant

Referee: Majed Al Shammari4. Best Video Assistant Referee: Meshari Ali Al

Shammari

QFA AWARDS (2020-21)

Beating England at Wembley would be a dream, says Verratti

REUTERS — ROME

Italy midfielder Marco Verratti said beating England at Wembley in the Euro 2020 final on Sunday would be a dream, insisting his side go into the match against an in-form side with no fear.

England booked their first European Championship final spot with a 2-1 extra-time victory over Denmark at Wembley on Wednesday and now face the Azzurri who beat Spain on penalties at the same stadium on Tuesday.

Gareth Southgate ’s England side have won 15 of their last 17 matches at Wembley in all competitions, scoring 46 goals and con-ceding five, but that record does not faze Verratti.

“We saw the match (against Denmark) together,” he told a news conference yesterday.

“England are strong and they have players who are also technically good.

“They deserve to be in this final in a stadium they know well. It would be a dream to be able to win it like this in their stadium.

“We are used to playing in stadiums like this, it will give us strength too. We are not afraid. We are happy that they won, now we are both playing

in a historic final,” the Italian star added.

Italy are familiar with Wembley having also beaten Austria after extra time in their last 16 match at the stadium before ousting top-ranked Belgium in Munich and then the Spaniards.

England reached the final courtesy of an extra-time penalty, converted on the rebound by captain Harry Kane, following a foul on Raheem Sterling - a decision t h a t h a s c a u s e d controversy.

“It was a generous penalty, I wouldn’t have given it,” Ver-ratti added.

“It was an important goal, they won the game, but let’s say it’s a generous penalty.”

Paris St Germain midfielder Verratti missed the start of the Euros with a knee problem after a domestic season plagued by injuries and is grateful to be part of Italy’s run to the final.

“Three or four days after the injury I thought I would not be fit for the tournament,” he added.

“The nightmare of missing Euro 2016 (also through injury) came back but thanks to the national team medical staff I was able to play this time, and do so in excellent condition,” he said.

Weetamoo wins Derby de l’Ouest in NantesTHE PENINSULA — DOHA

Taking her tally to three wins from only six starts, Weetamoo (IRE) (Le Harve x Wild Silva) won the Derby de l’Ouest in Nantes in the colours of H H Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani yesterday.

Trained by Philippe Sogorb and ridden by Olivier Peslier, the bay filly showed plenty of resil-ience the Class 1 race for three-year-olds and scored for a second consecutive time in Nantes.

Having broken on terms with the field, Weetamoo was taken back by Peslier through the early stages. At the halfway point, she was well settled against the rail as the leaders set a very steady pace for the 2,400m contest.

Although, briefly shuffled to

the rear of the field as the sprint for home started at the 600m point, Weetamoo quickly plunged for a gap on the inside as they turned for home, making up three

places. She stayed on stoutly and managed to catch the long-time leader Abraaj (FR) (Shalaa x Won-derous Light) in the dying stages, winning by a length at the line.

The runner-up Abraaj is trained by F. Rohaut and was ridden by Valentin Seguy. The E. Libaud-trained and Mickael Berto-ridden Equinoxe Prince Gibraltar x Top Wave) battled on to take third, but could not trouble the first two as he was further three quarters of a length behind.

Bred by H H Sheikh Mohammed bin Khalifa Al Thani’s Al Shahania Stud, Weetamoo is a daughter of Monfort and Preaux’s stallion Le Harve (Noverre) and out of Wild Silva (Silvano) who was placed fourth in a Group Three at Hambourg. The second dam Wild Side was a multiple group winner in Germany and bred Wild Coco (Sirocco), winner of three group races and Welmacht (Mount Nelson) dual Listed winner.

Weetamoo in action yesterday.

FINA says podium protests

banned for Tokyo Games

REUTERS — HONG KONG

Swimming’s world governing body FINA said athletes will be allowed to express their opinions at news confer-ences and via media channels at the Tokyo Olympics but protests during medal ceremonies are prohibited.

Podium protests have emerged as a controversial issue ahead of the Games with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) deciding to retain a regu-lation forbidding any kind of “demonstration or political, religious or racial propaganda” in venues and other Olympic areas.

That has prompted criticism from some athletes, including Britain’s Olympic swimming champion Adam Peaty, who said they have a right to express their opinions without being punished.

FINA’s latest guidelines were issued just two weeks ahead of the start of the Games following discussions with the IOC, the swimming federation said in a news release yesterday.

AP — WIMBLEDON

It might have been difficult for Ash Barty to imagine that a trip to her first Wimbledon final was just around the corner when she stopped playing at last month’s French Open with a hip injury.

Or even when she was two points from being pushed to a third set by Angelique Kerber in their semifinal at the All England Club.

Barty does not let obstacles trouble her for too long. She figures out a way. That’s why she’s ranked No. 1 and now stands one win from a second Grand Slam title after beating 2018 champion Kerber 6-3, 7-6 (3) yesterday.

“I’ve had ups and downs and everything in between and I wouldn’t change one day or

one moment or one, kind of, road that we’ve taken in my path and my journey,” said Barty, who was the 2011 junior champion at the All England Club and stepped away from tennis for almost two years starting in 2014 because of burnout.

“It’s been unique. It’s been incredible. It’s been tough. There have been so many things that led to this point.”

Her opponent in tomorrow’s final will be No. 8 seed Karolina Pliskova, who emerged from a power-hitting and serving display to come back to defeat No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

Pliskova produced 14 aces, Sabalenka 18. The difference: Pliskova was broken just once, Sabalenka twice.

After going 0 for 8 on break points in the first set, the first set she’s dropped in six matches,

Pliskova “got a bit frustrated,” she acknowledged afterward.

But she went 1 for 1 in that category in each of the last two sets.

“It was just super important to stay in the game, stay focused,” said Pliskova, whose coach, Sascha Bajin, used to work with Naomi Osaka and was Serena Williams’ hitting partner. “That’s what I did.”

Neither she nor Barty had

ever been past the fourth round at the grass-court Grand Slam tournament.

Pliskova, a 29-year-old from the Czech Republic, was the runner-up at the 2016 US Open to three-time major champion Kerber and used to be ranked No. 1.

The 25-year-old Barty won the 2019 French Open and is currently ranked No. 1. She is the first woman from Australia to reach the title match at Wim-bledon since Evonne Goolagong won the trophy 1980; Barty has been wearing an outfit intended as a tribute to Goolagong this fortnight.

“Now to kind of give myself a chance to create some history, almost in a way that’s a tribute to her, is really exciting,” Barty said.

She arrived in England not having competed since June 3, when she withdrew during her second-round match in Paris, in too much pain to continue.

“To be honest, it was going to be touch-and-go. Everything had to be spot on to give myself a chance to play pain-free and to play knowing that I could

trust my body,” Barty said. “If you told me a month ago we’d be sitting in this position, I really wouldn’t have thought that we would even get close.”

On Thursday, she faced a big test in the second set, which Kerber was two points from owning when Barty served at deuce while trailing 5-2. The full-capacity crowd was backing the comeback effort for the 33-year-old German, too, with shouts of “Come on, Angie!” and “Go on, Kerber!”

But Barty steeled herself to hold there, then broke to get within 5-4 with a cross-court forehand passing winner.

That was part of a 38-16 advantage in total winners for Barty, responsible more than anything else for her triumph. And this was remarkable: She compiled that many point-ending shots while making only 16 unforced errors.

“A great level, the best level I’ve played in quite some time,” Barty said. “Angie is an incredible competitor. She brought out the best in me today.”

15FRIDAY 9 JULY 2021 SPORT

Women Semi-finalsAshleigh Barty (AUS x1) bt Angelique Kerber

(GER x25) 6-3, 7-6 (7/3)Karolina Pliskova (CZE x8) bt Aryna

Sabalenka (BLR x2) 5-7, 6-4, 6-4

WIMBLEDON RESULTS

Kieron Pollard (captain), Shai Hope, Fabian Allen, Darren Bravo, Roston Chase, Sheldon Cottrell, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jas-on Mohammed, Anderson Philip, Nicholas Pooran, Romario Shepherd

WEST INDIES ODI SQUAD

Wimbledon: Barty to face Pliskova in finalAshleigh

Barty in action against

Angelique Kerber

yesterday.

Karolina Pliskova celebrates winning

her semi-final.

THE PENINSULA — DOHA

Notching up a third win, and second straight victory, from only four career starts and In the colours of Al Shaqab Racing, ultra-game colt Lusail (IRE) (Mehmas x Diaminda) stuck his neck out to claim the Group Two Tattersalls July Stakes at Newmarket yesterday.

Trained by Richard Hannon and ridden to perfection by Pat Dobbs, Lusail broke quickly out of the stalls for the six-furlong contest for two-year-olds and was aimed up the centre of the course.

With a brisk pace being set, Dobbs chose to steady the colt after two furlongs and Lusail travelled strongly in third position, leading the group in the centre of the track.

Two furlongs from home both groups began to merge and it was apparent that Lusail

was travelling better than most. He was sent for home inside the final furlong and held off big challenges from the eventual second and third-placed colts to land a head victory.

The Alan King-trained and Martin Harley-ridden Asym-metric (IRE) (Showcasing x Swirral Edge), who took second while his half-brother the Tom Dascombe-trained and P J McDonald-ridden San Maximus (Showcasing x Daring Day), was a further head behind in third.

Bred by Tally Ho Stud, Lusail is a son of Memhas (Acclamation), who was also owned by Al Shaqab Racing and was Champion First-Season Sire in Europe in 2020.

His dam, Diaminda (Diamond Green) won her maiden at Ascot and is a daughter of Lominda (Lomond), who produced Group One Golden Jubilee Stakes winner Jag (Fayruz).

Lusail wins Group Two Tattersalls July Stakes

Lusail in action yesterday.

Politt takes solo win on the Tour as Pogacar keeps overall lead

REUTERS — NIMES

German Nils Politt (pictured) won the 12th stage of the Tour de France, a 159.4-km ride from Saint-Paul-Trois-Chateaux, yesterday to claim the biggest win of his career.

The 27-year-old rider pre-vailed from the day’s breakaway, making his decisive attack 11.8 km from the line.

Spain’s Imanol Erviti was second, with Australian Harry Sweeny third, both 31 seconds behind, according to provi-sional timings.

Overall leader Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia crossed the line safely in the bunch, almost 16 minutes behind but the top positions in the general classi-fication remained unchanged.

Politt’s victory gives his Bora-Hansgrohe team something to cheer about after triple world champion Peter Sagan pulled out with a knee injury before the start of the day’s racing.

Crosswinds created splits in the peloton in a fast and furious start before a 13-man

breakaway took shape while the pace was controlled by Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates.

The presence of world champion Julian Alaphilippe in the breakaway led his Deceu-ninck-Quick Step team not to chase, meaning that Mark Cav-endish would not contest the final sprint and missed out on an opportunity to equal Eddy Merckx’s all-time record of 34 Tour stage wins.

In the front group, Politt attacked first with 40 km remaining and there were four left to contest the stage win - Politt, Swiss Stefan Kung, Erviti and Sweeny.

Mahmood shines as new-look England thrash Pakistan in opening one-dayerREUTERS — CARDIFF

England’s makeshift one-day international team put the COVID-19 issues that hit the previous squad behind them to bowl out Pakistan for 141 runs before cruising to a clinical nine-wicket win in the series opener in Cardiff yesterday.

Stand-in skipper Ben Stokes led an entirely fresh England XI, including five debutants, after a COVID-19 outbreak in the squad during the recent series win over Sri Lanka meant all 16 players initially selected had to self-isolate.

But the revamped hosts were on the front foot from the start, with paceman Saqib Mahmood marking his return to the side with four wickets for 42 to help bowl out Pakistan with just under 15 overs to spare.

Chasing 142 for a 1-0 lead in the three-match series,

England lost Phil Salt in the fifth over before fellow opener Dawid Malan and Zak Crawley steadied the ship.

Malan (68 not out) brought up his second fifty in his fourth ODI appearance and Crawley (58 not out) also scored a half-century on his ODI debut as England cruised home in 21.5 overs.

“It was a very clinical per-formance,” said Stokes after leading the team to victory despite them having spent only one training session together on the eve of the match.

“Any time you get the oppo-sition four down early on then you’re massively ahead in the game so that helps -- especially when you’re captain for the first time.

“Not every game of cricket goes that smoothly for us.”

England made a rousing start with the ball in hand on a sunny afternoon as Mahmood

trapped Pakistan opener Imam-ul-Haq leg-before with the first delivery of the match.

Two balls later, Mahmood picked up his second wicket when Pakistan skipper Babar Azam -- the top-ranked ODI batsman -- departed for a duck after edging to Crawley at second slip. Mohammad Rizwan was next to be dismissed for 13 before Mahmood trapped Saud Shakeel in front of the stumps to leave Pakistan teetering at 26-4.

Opener Fakhar Zaman, who was making a return to the ground where he made a fifty in Pakistan’s 2017 Champions Trophy semi-final win over England, offered stiff resistance with Sohaib Maqsood as they added 53 runs for the fifth wicket.

The partnership, however, ended with a farcical run out when Fakhar called Maqsood for a single and then left him stranded as James Vince flicked the bails.

Pakistan’s hopes of posting a competitive total ended with Zaman (47) miscuing a square-cut straight to point off leg-spinner Matt Parkinson.

“To be honest we were a bit loose with the bat, and that’s why we didn’t get a big total,” Azam said.

“I don’t think we misread the conditions, but credit to their bowlers. The momentum they got, and the fact we couldn’t get a big partnership, is why we didn’t get a big total.” The teams now head to the Lord’s for the second ODI tomorrow.

England’s Saqib Mahmood celebrates after taking the wicket of Pakistan’s Saud Shakeel.

PakistanImam-ul-Haq lbw b Mahmood ........................0

Fakhar Zaman c Crawley b Parkinson ..........47

Babar Azam c Crawley b Mahmood ...............0

Mohammad Rizwan c Simpson b Gregory ... 13

Saud Shakeel lbw b Mahmood ........................ 5

Sohaib Maqsood run out (Vince) ................... 19

Shadab Khan c Malan b Overton ...................30

Faheem Ashraf c Simpson b Mahmood ......... 5

Hasan Ali c Malan b Parkinson ........................6

Shaheen Shah Afridi c Stokes b Overton ..... 12

Haris Rauf not out .............................................0

Extras (nb1, w3) ...............................................4

Total (all out, 35.2 overs) ..................... 141Fall of wickets: 1-0 (Imam), 2-0 (Babar), 3-17

(Rizwan), 4-26 (Shakeel), 5-79 (Maqsood), 6-90

(Zaman), 7-101 (Ashraf), 8-123 (Ali), 9-134 (Shadab),

10-141 (Afridi)

Bowling: Mahmood 10-1-42-4; Gregory 4-1-11-1;

Overton 6.2-0-23-2 (1w); Carse 7-0-31-0 (1w); Par-

kinson 7-0-28-2 (1w); Stokes 1-0-6-0 (1nb)

EnglandP. Salt c Maqsood b Afridi ................................ 7

D. Malan not out ..............................................68

Z. Crawley not out ...........................................58

Extras (lb1, nb1, w7) .......................................9

Total (1 wkt, 21.5 overs) ...............................142

Did not bat: J Vince, B Stokes, J Simpson, L Gregory,

C Overton, B Carse, S Mahmood, M Parkinson

Fall of wickets: 1-22 (Salt)

Bowling: Afridi 5-0-22-1 (2w); Ali 4-0-33-0 (1nb,

2w); Rauf 4-0-28-0 (2w), Ashraf 5-0-33-0 (1w);

Shadab 3-0-22-0; Shakeel 0.5-0-3-0

Result: England won by nine wicketsPlayer of the match: Saqib Mahmood (ENG)

Series: England lead three-match series 1-0

Toss: England

Umpires: Alex Wharf (ENG), Richard Kettleborough (ENG)

SCOREBOARD

Bangladesh score 468 in first innings after massive ninth-wicket stand

REUTERS — HARARE

Mahmudullah scored a career-best unbeaten 150 in a massive ninth wicket stand of 191 as Bangladesh moved into a strong position at the close of day two of the first Test against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club yesterday.

Bangladesh started the day on 294 for eight, and were eventually bowled out for 468, before Zimbabwe went to the close on 114 for one, still 354 runs adrift on the first innings.

Takudzwanashe Kaitano, who was playing with a score of 33 and experienced right-handed batsman Brendan Taylor (37 not out) will resume on the third morning for the home side.

Mahmudullah and Taskin Ahmed had earlier put on the second-highest ninth wicket stand in Test history.

When the latter missed a slog off Milton Shumba on 75,

their stand ended on 191, four runs short of the 195 put on by South Africans Mark Boucher and Pat Symcox against Pakistan in 1995.

But it did break the Bang-ladesh record of 184 runs for the ninth wicket between Abul Hasan and Mahmudullah in 2012.

The latter reached his career-best score in Harare, finishing with an unbeaten score of 150 off 278 with 17 fours and a six.

He took a bit of time trusting his partner at the other end early in the stand, but soon allowed the partnership to flourish.

Bangladesh first inningsSaif Hassan b Muzarabani ................................0

Shadman Ismal c Taylor b Ngarava ...............23

Najmul Hossein c Myers b Muzarabani ........... 2

Mominul Haque c Myers b Nyauchi ..............70

Mushfiqur Rahim lbw b Muzarabani ............. 11

Shakib al Hasan c Chakabva b Nyauchi .......... 3

Liton Das c Nyauchi b Tiripano ......................95

Mahmudullah Riyad not out ........................150

Mahedi Hasan lbw b Tiripano ..........................0

Taskin Ahmed b Shumba ................................75

Ebadot Hossain c Chakabva b Muzarabani ...0

Extras (b10, lb11, nb16, w2) ........................39

Total (126 overs) .....................................468Fall of wickets: 1-4 (Saif), 2-8 (Najmul), 3-68

(Shadman), 4-106 (Mushfiqur), 5-109 (Shakib),

6-132 (Mominul), 7-270 (Das), 8-270 (Mehidy),

9-461 (Taskin), 10-468 (Ebadot)

Bowling: Muzarabani 29-4-94-4, Ngarava 23-5-

83-1 (7nb), Tiripano 23-5-58-2 (7nb), Nyauchi 17-1-

92-2 (2nb), Myers 3-1-13-0, Shumba 21-4-64-1,

Kaia 10-0-43-0

Zimbabwe first inningsMilton Shumba lbw b Shakib ......................... 41

Takudzwwanashe Kaitano not out ............... 33

Brendan Taylor not out .................................. 37

Extras (lb3) ....................................................... 3

Total (1 wkt, 41 overs) ........................... 114To bat: Dion Myers, Timycen Maruma, Roy Kaia, Regis

Chakabva (wkt), Donald Tiripano, Victor Nyauchi,

Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava

Fall of wicket: 1-61 (Shumba)

Bowling: Taskin 10-6-16-0, Ebadot 9-2-28-0,

Shakib 13-2-43-1, Mehidy 9-1-24-0

Toss: Bangladesh

Match position: Zimbabwe trail by 354 runs with

nine first-innings wickets standing

Umpires: Marais Erasmus (RSA), Langton Rusere

(ZIM)

TV umpire: Iknow Chabi (ZIM)

SCOREBOARD

WI recall Cottrell,

Hetmyer and

Chase for

Australia ODIs

REUTERS — LONDON

Top-order batsman Shimron Hetmyer, fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell and all-rounder Roston Chase returned to the West Indies one-day squad for their three-match series against Australia later this month.

The trio were left out of the team’s 3-0 ODI series sweep against Sri Lanka in March for failing to meet the Kieron Pollard-led side’s fitness standards.

The matches will be played at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on July 20, 22 and 24.

14FRIDAY 9 JULY 2021SportArgentine F1 great Carlos Reutemann dies aged 79

REUTERS — BUENOS AIRES

Former Formula One driver and Argentine politician Carlos Reutemann, who competed for more than a decade at the top of world motorsports, died on Wednesday aged 79.

Reutemann had undergone surgery in New York for a hepatic tumor in 2017 and struggled to regain full health.

“Dad left in peace and dignity after fighting like a champion with a strong and noble heart that accom-panied him to the end,” his daughter Cora tweeted.

In a career marked by brilliance behind the wheel and stubborn single-mind-edness but also a lack of consistency, Reutemann was considered the greatest Argentine driver after five-time world champion Juan Manuel Fangio whose heyday was in the 1950s.

The son of a cattle rancher from Santa Fe province, Reutemann fin-ished runner-up in the Formula One championship to Brazilian Nelson Piquet in 1981 after coming third in 1975, 1978 and 1980.

“He was a big part of our sport for many years and was a fighter to the end. He will be greatly missed,” Formula 1 said in a statement.

The Argentine broke into Formula One in 1972 and joined Bernie Eccle-stone’s Brabham team alongside then twice world champion Graham Hill. He made a sensational debut, putting his car in pole position for his home grand prix in Buenos Aires before finishing seventh.

MOURNINGHe also raced for

Ferrari, leading the Italian team’s challenge in 1978 after being overshadowed by Niki Lauda in 1977, and then joined Lotus in 1979. That proved a poor decision, with Ferrari fin-ishing first and second in that year’s championship and Reutemann a distant sixth.

He then moved to Wil-liams in 1980.

“We are saddened to learn of the passing of our former driver Carlos Reu-temann, winner of three Grands Prix for Williams during his career. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends at this difficult time,” Williams Racing tweeted.

In 1981, he famously ignored team instructions in Brazil, refusing to let Alan Jones pass for the win, but led the championship ahead of the finale in Las Vegas where he qualified on pole.

Reutemann then faded in the race, won by Jones, and Piquet became champion by a single point.

Nicknamed “Lole” in a mangled reference to his love for pigs - “los lechones” in Spanish - he left the sport abruptly after the Brazilian Grand Prix in 1982 having raced in 146 Grands Prix, with 12 wins and 46 podium finishes.

After trying his hand in the World Rally Champi-onship in 1985, Reutemann turned to politics and was elected governor for Santa Fe province, serving 1991-1995 and 1999-2003.

In 2003, he was elected senator for Santa Fe and re-elected in 2009 and 2015. He declined to run for pres-ident in 2002, even though polls showed he would have been a leading can-didate. Known for his indif-ference to fame, he failed to show at his own book launch in 1998, after working for years with a ghost writer. “That’s Reu-temann,” the writer Alfredo Parga said at the time.

Olympics: Host city Tokyo bans Games spectators amid COVID-19 emergencyREUTERS - TOKYO

The Olympics will take place without spectators in host city Tokyo, organisers said yesterday, as a resurgent coro-navirus forced Japan to declare a state of emergency in the capital that will run throughout the event.

Although widely expected, the move marked a sharp turn-about from just weeks ago, when organisers said they aimed to hold the global sporting showpiece with some spectators, and all but robs the July 23 to Aug 8 Games of their last vestige of pomp and public spectacle.

Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said it was essential to prevent Tokyo, where the highly infectious Delta COVID-19 variant was spreading, from becoming the source of another wave of infections.

Venues outside the greater Tokyo metropolitan area would allow small numbers of spec-tators, and the policy for the Paralympics will be decided next month, the government said.

“It is regrettable that we are delivering the Games in a very limited format, facing the spread of coronavirus infec-tions,” Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto said following talks between government offi-cials, Tokyo organisers and Olympic and Paralympic representatives.

“I am sorry for those who purchased tickets.”

MEDICAL WARNINGOnce seen as a chance for

Japan to stand large on the

global stage after a devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster a decade ago, the Games were delayed by the pandemic last year and have been hit by massive budget overruns.

Medical experts have said for weeks that having no spec-tators would be the least risky option, amid a sluggish pro-gramme and widespread public fears that an influx of thousands of athletes and officials will fuel a fresh wave of infections.

Torch relays have been scaled back or taken off of public roads, and promotional events dropped. Tokyo - which had been counting on a record boom in tourism - has experi-enced none of the buzz and excitement that normally char-acterise host cities.

Tokyo’s neighbouring pre-fectures of Kanagawa, Saitama and Chiba will also not allow spectators at their Olympic events, the government said.

The government’s drive to hold the Olympics even as the epidemic worsens has alienated much of the Japanese public and sparked concern among sponsors about a consumer backlash.

Suga said COVID-19 infec-tions were on the rise in Tokyo, due in part to the Delta variant, warning that it could hit the rest of the country.

“We absolutely must avoid Tokyo being the starting point again of another spread of the infection,” he told a news con-ference, adding that Japan’s vaccination programme was making “good progress”.

New daily cases in Tokyo could increase to 1,000 in July and 2,000 in August, raising the risk of hospitals in the capital region running out of beds, according to recent projections from Yuki Furuse, a Kyoto Uni-versity professor working with the government’s coronavirus experts group.

SLOW VACCINE ROLLOUTJapan has not suffered the

kind of explosive COVID-19 outbreaks seen in many other countries but has had more than 810,000 cases and 14,900 deaths. A slow vaccine rollout has meant only a quarter of the population has had at least one shot. The new state of emer-gency in Tokyo, under which restaurants will be asked to stop serving alcohol, will begin on Monday and run through to Aug

22. It was announced as the capital reported 896 new daily infections yesterday, near highs last seen in mid-May.

International Olympic Com-mittee (IOC) president Thomas Bach, who chaired yesterday’s talks after arriving in Tokyo earlier in the day, told reporters that strict measures were in place and those were successful.

Underscoring the last-minute nature of Olympic prep-arations, which had left sponsors frustrated, organisers presented various spectator scenarios to sponsors as late as Wednesday, according to sources.

Sponsors were told that in the case of no spectators, all sports and opening and closing ceremonies would likely be held without fans, meaning tickets allocated to sponsors could not be used.

The absence of crowds will likely further strain the Games’ budget, which has already blown out to an estimated $15.4bn, with ticket revenues of about $815m expected to dwindle to close to zero.

Until this week, officials have insisted they could organise the Games safely with some spectators, but a ruling party setback in a Tokyo assembly election on Sunday, which some allies of Suga attributed to public anger over the Olympics, had forced the change of tack, sources said.

Japan will hold a parlia-mentary election this year and the government’s insistence that the Games should go ahead this year could cost it at the ballot box, they said.

The Olympic Rings monument is seen outside the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) headquarters near the National Stadium, the main stadium for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games that have been postponed to 2021 due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Tokyo, Japan.

Whatever, whenever Federer decides, it’s up to himAP - WIMBLEDON

If this really was it for Roger Federer at Wimbledon - and no one knows for sure either way right now, not even the man himself - then both he and his fans should take solace from this:

He will be heading out on his own terms and still at an elite level.

Just maybe not the exact terms and level he would prefer, given that he lost in the quar-terfinals at the All England Club to someone new to Grand Slam success.

And if this wasn’t it, if Federer does return to the site of eight of his 20 Grand Slam triumphs, then all the better for the sport.

His 40th birthday is a month from yesterday, and what matters the most at the moment is that he make his own choices, for his own reasons, on his own timeline.

Well, with input from his coaches, his trainer, his agent, his family and whatever other opinions Federer values.

“Obviously, we’re going to speak a little bit tonight, depending on how I feel, then the next couple of days, as well. Then we go from there. Just see: OK, what do I need to do to get in better shape so I can be more competitive?” Federer said on Wednesday night after exiting with a 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-0 defeat against Hubert Hurkacz of Poland.

Today, Hurkacz faces Matteo Berrettini, and Novak Djokovic meets Denis Shapo-valov. Only Djokovic has appeared in the Wimbledon semi-finals previously.

“I’m actually very happy I made it as far as I did here - and I actually was able to play Wim-bledon at the level that I did, after everything I went through,” Federer said.

“Of course, I would like to play it again, but at my age, you’re just never sure what’s around the corner.”

He doesn’t know if he’ll enter Wimbledon again. He also doesn’t think retirement is imminent.

Two years ago, Federer came as close as possible to his ninth trophy at the All England

Club and 21st at any major, holding two championship points against Djokovic.

But Federer didn’t convert either and ended up on the wrong end of a fifth-set tiebreaker.

When he needed two oper-ations on his right knee in 2020, what pushed him through the recovery was a desire to get back to his favourite tourna-ment’s grass courts.

“You need a goal when you’re going through rehab with what I did. You can’t think of the entire mountain to climb as once. You’ve got to go in steps. Wimbledon was the initial, first ‘super step,’ if you like,” Federer said.

“For me, now that that’s over, you’ve just got to reassess everything.”

Federer chats regularly with his team to figure out next steps. Where he should play. Whether his body needs rest. How he can improve. And so on.

There’s a lot to discuss, including if he’ll go to the Tokyo Olympics.

What’s not up for debate, and Federer doesn’t hide it, is

that he is not who he used to be. Of course not.

Still, he was good enough to be one of the last eight men standing of the 128 in the Wim-bledon bracket.

“Clearly, there’s still a lot of things missing in my game that maybe 10, 15, 20 years ago were very simple and very normal for me to do. Nowadays, they don’t happen naturally anymore. I’ve got to always put in the extra effort, mentally, to remind myself: Remember to do this or do that,” he said. “I have a lot of ideas on the court, but some-times I can’t do what I want to do. I think it’s a bit of a tricky situation, sometimes.”

What’s not tricky: We shouldn’t judge Federer’s choices about whether to walk away.

Andy Murray’s situation is somewhat similar: He’s 34 and trying to compete after two hip operations.

His first singles appearance at Wimbledon since 2017 ended with a third-round loss. Afterward, he sounded glum.

Before Wimbledon, Murray was asked about Federer’s

contributions to tennis. The answer veered to Federer’s future.

Murray, a three-time major champion, noted people have speculated for years about when Federer might be done.

“I don’t quite understand - because I’ve experienced it myself - just sort of why people want to always ask those question about when someone is going to finish. He’ll do it when he’s ready,” Murray said.

“I wish everyone would start, like, encouraging him to keep going and keep playing as long as he can, as long as his body can do it, because we’ll miss him when it’s over.”

Rafael Nadal to

make return to

competition

with debut in DC AP - WASHINGTON

Rafael Nadal will return to competition by making his debut at the hard-court tour-

nament in Washington. The Citi Open announced today that the 20-time Grand Slam champion is in the field for the July 31 to Aug 8 event that serves as a US Open tune-up.

Nadal has not played since his loss to Novak Djokovic in the semi-finals of the French Open last month.

The 35-year-old Spaniard decided to sit out Wimbledon, which ends on Sunday, and the Tokyo Olympics, which open July 23, saying his body needed time to rest and recover after the clay-court season.

Others on the list of players entered in the Citi Open include Wimbledon semi-finalists Denis Shapovalov and Hubert Hurkacz, who beat Roger Federer on Wednesday.

Wimbledon quarter-finalists Felix Auger-Aliassime and Karen Khachanov also are entered.

The tournament says Rock Creek Park Tennis Center will be allowed to have spectators at 50% of capacity.

Last year’s Citi Open was cancelled because of the pandemic.

Switzerland’s Roger Federer waves after

losing his quarter-final match against Poland’s

Hubert Hurkacz at Wimbledon on

Wednesday.