03/09/2024

TUESDAY | SEP 3, 2024

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SPORTS

New York exodus continues Gauff joins exit of US Open superstars after Flushing horror show

TRAMLINES

Fritz outguns Ruud TAYLOR FRITZ overcame a sluggish start to ultimately dominate eighth seed Casper Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 yesterday to advance to the US Open quarterfinals for the second straight year. “I just had to stay in it. He definitely outplayed me in the first set,” Fritz said in an on-court interview. “I did a really good job to fight in the beginning of the second and apply some scoreboard pressure. And then I felt his level dropped a little bit and it became a bit more playable for me. I was getting more looks at second serves and I was able to just get through it from there.” The victory is the first for Fritz in three meetings against Ruud, who came out on the winning side of a tight three setter at the ATP Finals in 2022 and at the French Open this year. “I didn’t think too much about the head-to-head before the match,” Fritz said. “One meeting was 7-6 in the third, the next was this year at the French and he’s pretty good on clay, so I didn’t think too much about that. I just did a really good job to stay with it.” ‘Thought I was going to die’ PAULA BADOSA reached the US Open quarterfinals for the first time yesterday by conquering Wang Yafan as well as New York’s suffocating humidity before hailing her battling return from a potentially career-ending injury. The 26th-seeded Spaniard came through 6-1, 6-2 for her best Grand Slam result since she considered quitting the sport earlier this year. Despite the one-sided scoreline, the first two games on Sunday took 17 minutes to complete while Badosa saved all eight break points she faced. “It was so humid I thought I was going to die,” said the 26-year-old New York-born player of the humidity which hit 85% at noon. “I knew she was tough but I’m tougher.” Badosa will take on Emma Navarro for a place in the semifinals. Mertens no match for Sabalenka ARYNA SABALENKA eased into the US Open quarterfinals for a fourth successive season yesterday with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over Elise Mertens of Belgium. World No. 2 and Australian Open champion Sabalenka was runner-up to Coco Gauff in last year’s final in New York after also making the semifinals in 2021 and 2022. Sabalenka hit an impressive 41 winners and saved all eight break points she faced. “The crowds are amazing,” Sabalenka said, reflecting on her run of success in Flushing Meadows. “I really enjoy playing on these big stadiums, feel all the support. I just don’t want to leave early here, you know. I just want to stay as long as I can and enjoy this beautiful court, beautiful atmosphere. It was a really tough match, especially in the second set. She stepped in, and she started to play a little bit better than the first set. I’m really glad that I was able to finish this match in straight sets.” they might have a contender to do the same at the Australian Open. With Nick Kyrgios showing no signs of an imminent return to the court, Australia is desperate for credible candidates to end a 48-year drought since Mark Edmondson triumphed in 1976. “I haven’t even thought about that yet,” Popyrin said with a laugh. “We’ve got Davis Cup, Asian swing, indoor swing. We still have a lot of tennis left to play this year. I’m going to take some time off I think now. I’m quite knackered.” – Reuters

C OCO GAUFF (pix) joined Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz on the US Open scrap heap yesterday as the defending champion crashed out to Emma Navarro in a blizzard of mistakes. Third-ranked Gauff slumped to a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 fourth round defeat to her American teammate on the back of 19 double faults and 60 unforced errors. The 20-year-old’s exit means Serena Williams remains the last woman to successfully defend the US Open title back in 2014. “I lost in the first round the last two years and now to be making the quarterfinals is pretty

was knocked out in the third round to suffer his earliest exit in 18 years. Fellow crowd-pleaser Alcaraz, the 2022 winner in New York and reigning French Open and Wimbledon champion, was stunned in the second round. “I gave it my all,” said Gauff. “Obviously there were things execution-wise, where I was like, I wish I could serve better. I think if I did that, it would have been a different story.” Navarro had defeated Gauff at Wimbledon in July and was dominant again yesterday from the outset. The 23-year-old broke for 4-2 in the first set and sealed the opener in the ninth game where

crucial break down again. Gauff said she had regrets over her poor service game even though she was mentally prepared to face her American compatriot . “Overall I think I played well for the most part. I just didn’t take care of my serve, so that was the biggest difference. Too many free points on my serve,” Gauff told reporters. “But Emma played really well… She was really aggressive on my second serve, putting more pressure on my serve and being solid from the baseline.” While Djokovic and Alcaraz admitted they had run out of steam after the Paris Olympics, leading to early exits at Flushing Meadows, Gauff said that was not the case as she was excited to compete in New York. “I felt like physically and mentally ready, but for sure I think in Toronto and Cincy (Cincinnati) it was a little bit mentally draining, those tournaments having to switch surfaces (from claycourt to hard),” Gauff said. “But coming into this, I didn’t feel any exhaustion. I was actually really excited to play… Even today I felt ready to go on court.” – AFP/Reuters

insane,” said Navarro, who will face Spain’s Paula Badosa for a place in the semifinals. Gauff’s loss was another body blow to the season’s final Grand Slam. Djokovic, the defending men’s champion,

one rally stretched to 27 shots. Gauff recovered from a break down in the second set to level the tie, but it was a brief respite as she served up three more double faults in the third game of the decider to slip a

Tiafoe downs Popyrin to reach quarters

Notices

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AMERICAN Frances Tiafoe fed off the energy of a buzzing home crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium to reach the quarterfinals of the US Open for a third successive year yesterday after beating Novak Djokovic’s conqueror Alexei Popyrin 6-4, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3. Aiming to become the first American man to win a Grand Slam in more than 20 years, Tiafoe said he was living out his dream by following in the footsteps of former greats at the iconic venue. “Seeing the Williams sisters win titles here, seeing Roger (Federer) win here a million times, I was like, I want to play on this court and it’s so iconic – obviously named after Arthur Ashe,” said Tiafoe, who next plays ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov. “I wanted to be part of that and it brings out the best in me.” The men’s draw has already lost some of its biggest names with Djokovic and third seed Carlos Alcaraz out early and only one former champion remaining in the men’s draw, but Tiafoe is not getting ahead of himself. “I’m just day by day, literally,” said Tiafoe, who stunned Rafa Nadal two years ago en route

to his first major semifinal. “Grand Slams, two weeks, a lot going on. You can’t get ahead of yourself and look at what could happen and things shaking out. Everyone is good, so it doesn’t really matter who’s in or who’s not.” Tiafoe needed no motivation before taking the court but the American said an unexpected pep talk from Williams inspired him like never before. “Telling me she’s always following no matter what, telling me it’s so good to see now that I’m done, you’re the guy of colour playing and doing well,” he said. “I’m, like, damn. That’s really, really cool that she sees me as that. “It was really

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MALAYA AT ALOR SETAR IN THE STATE OF KEDAH, MALAYSIA

(COMMERCIAL DIVISION) COMPANIES WINDING-UP NO.: KA-28NCC-29-07/2024

In the matter of Sections 465 (1)(e) and 465 (1) (h) and 466(1)(a) of the Companies Act 2016; And In the matter of FREZAWAVENTURES SDN. BHD (Company No. 710164-X); And In the matter of the Companies (Winding-Up) Rules 1972. BETWEEN SHANDONG HUAKUN FOOD COMPANY LTD …PETITIONER

AND FREZAWAVENTURES SDN. BHD. [Company No. 710164-X]

… RESPONDENT

ADVERTISEMENT OF PETITION

NOTICE is hereby given that a Petition for the Winding-Up of the abovenamed Company by the High Court was,on the 26th day of July 2024 presented by SHANDONG HUAKUN FOOD COMPANY LTD AND that the said Petition is directed to be heard before the Court sitting at High Court of Alor Setar at 9:00 a.m. on the 28th day of October 2024; AND any creditor or contributory of the said Company desiring to support or oppose the making of an order on the said Petition may appear at the time of hearing by himself or his Counsel for that purpose AND a copy of the Petition will be furnished to any creditor or contributory of the said Company requiring the same by the undersigned on payment to the regulated charge for the same. The Petitioner’s address is at No. 3, Dadian Industrial Park,Junan County, Linyi City, Shandong Province, 277612 China. The Petitioner’s solicitor is Messrs YY Chin & Co whose address for service is at VO3-05-03, Designer Office VO3, Lingkaran SV, Sunway Velocity, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. NOTE :- Any person who intends to appear on the hearing of the said Petition must serve on or send by post to the abovenamed Solicitors for the Petitioner, notice in writing or his intention to do so. The notice must state the name and address of the person,or, if a firm,the name and address of the firm and must be signed by the person or firm,or his or their Solicitors (if any) and must be served, or, if posted, must be sent by post in sufficient time to reach the above named not later than twelve o’clock noon of the 25th day of October 2024 (three days before the day appointed for the hearing of the Petition). This Advertisement of Petition is filed by MESSRS YY CHIN & CO, the solicitors for the Petitioner abovenamed having an address for service at VO3-05-03, Designer Office VO3, Lingkaran SV, Sunway Velocity, 55100 Kuala Lumpur. T: +603 2715 8678 | F: +603 2715 8679 | Ref: 24.329/B/L/AN | E: general@yychinco.com.my Dated this 26th day of August 2024 Signed ……………………… Messrs YY Chin & Co Solicitors for the Petitioner

cool to have her want to talk to me before a match and really say she wants me to do this thing and that I’m capable of doing it,” said Tiafoe. “I don’t think it will hit me like that if anybody else said it to me.” – Reuters

Frances Tiafoe returns the ball to Alexei Popyrin (not pictured) during their men’s singles round of 16 match. – AFPPIX

Giant-killer Alexei rues opportunity lost ALEXEI POPYRIN was left ruing a missed opportunity after being knocked out of the US Open in the fourth round yesterday, a couple of days after ousting 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic. The big-serving Australian has been in career-best form over the last few weeks but was unable to contain an inspired Frances Tiafoe and earn a place in his first Grand Slam quarterfinal. think one, two, or three points. I think he won three more points than I did all match, and he won three sets. That just shows you how close it was.” Popyrin landed his first Masters title on the back of a string of upsets at the Canadian Open in Montreal last month to reach a career high ranking of world No. 23. Given that and his stunning defeat of Djokovic, Popyrin was not about to get too upset by exiting the US Open in a hard fought contest in the last 16. “It definitely does feel like a little opportunity lost,” the 25-year-old told reporters after his 6-4, 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-3 loss. “I think this match it was changed by I “I’m telling everybody now, if you would have told me at the start of the

summer I would have been 23 in the world with a Masters title and second week of a slam for the first time, I probably would have taken it considering the position I was in,” he added. “If I hadn’t won a match in Montreal or (Cincinnati), I probably would have dropped to outside 90 in the world. So considering all that, I think it was a very successful summer.” While Tiafoe will move on to try to end his country’s long wait for a homegrown US Open men’s singles champion, Popyrin’s success will have his compatriots thinking