23/06/2025

SPORTS MONDAY | JUNE 23, 2025

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Alcaraz storms into final Spaniard downs Bautista Agut to book final date with Lehecka at Queen’s

RUSSIAN Daniil Medvedev dispatched home favourite Alexander Zverev in three sets to reach his first final in 15 months at the ATP tournament in Halle yesterday. The world No. 11 came through 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (1-7), 6-4 after an exceptional baseline battle lasting just under three hours. Medvedev will play in his first final on the tour since March 2024, against Kazakhstan’s Alexander Bublik who rallied past Russian Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4. “It’s been a really long time since I’ve been to the final. I’m happy to be there, I beat an incredibly good player,” said Medvedev courtside, still out of breath a few minutes after the match. “I am happy with my level, I played great,” Medvedev said. “I could have done much better when I had the break in the second but it is normal. “The same happened Medvedev dispatches Zverev in Halle in the third set that when I had the break, he started playing better, returning better. “I am happy that in the third set I managed to stay more composed and managed to save those break points.” It was the 20th clash between the two players of the same generation with Medvedev, 29, now leading 28 year-old Zverev 13-7. A finalist in Stuttgart last week, Zverev had been hoping to go one better on the grass of Halle after being a losing finalist at the tournament in 2016 and 2017. But former world No. 1 Medvedev once against proved a tough opponent for the second seed, having won 12 of their last 14 duels, the last in the semifinals of the Australian Open at the end of January 2024. “I would have much preferred to finish when I had match points in the second set, but I’m happy to have won. I hope in the other semi-final they’ll run a little, because I’m tired,”joked the Russian. For his 21st tour title, his first since his triumph on the clay courts of Rome in May 2023, Medvedev will challenge 2023 Halle winner Bublik, ranked 45, who claimed the scalp of world number one Jannik Sinner in the second round. Big-serving Bublik took just over two hours to get past 22nd ranked Khachanov, firing 19 aces, and taking the tie on his fourth match point. The 28-year-old Kazakh is bidding for his fifth title after Montpellier in 2022 and 2024 and Antwerp and Halle in 2023. – AFP

C ARLOS ALCARAZ swept past fellow Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut yesterday to stretch his winning streak and set up a Queen’s Club final against Czech Jiri Lehecka. Top seed Alcaraz, 22, had too much firepower for his 37-year-old opponent during a 6-4, 6-4 victory, his 17th successive win and the 250th of his career. British fans had hoped to witness a final showdown between Alcaraz and home favourite Jack Draper but Lehecka ripped up that script with superb 6-4, 4-6, 7-5 defeat of the sec ond seed. Lehecka, 23, is the first Czech man to reach a top level grass court final for 15 years.

a forehand and then a backhand, to leave Draper smashing his racket in rage against a court-side electronic advertising board and receiving a code violation. Lehecka still needed to hold his serve to reach the final and he did so in style, roaring his delight after clinching his first victory against a top-10 player since beating Alcaraz in Doha in February. The last Czech man to reach a top level grasscourt final was Tomas Berdych at Wimbledon in 2010 and the last to do so at Queen’s was Ivan Lendl in 1990. Draper said he would take a few days off to recover from tonsillitis. “I’m proud of the way I went about things, considering, but it’s tough,” Draper said. “My main goal is to go into Wimbledon as prepared as pos sible and as fresh as possible.” – Reuters

ing Draper, whose run to the semifi nals means he will be seeded fourth at Wimbledon which starts on June 30. Second seed Draper, bidding to follow in the footsteps of five-times Queen’s champion Andy Murray, dropped his opening service game and Lehecka barely a put a foot wrong as he took the first set in clinical fash ion. Left-hander Draper saved a break point early in the second set and broke fellow 23-year-old Lehecka’s serve for the first time in the 10th game to level the match. Both players were rock solid on serve in the decider with Lehecka having the first chance of a break at 4 4 but Draper survived to pile the pres sure on his opponent. Lehecka did not flinch, though, and broke serve at 5-5 with two stunning passing shots, one

Alcaraz, Queen’s champion in 2023, was stretched to the absolute limit against compatriot Jaume Munar earlier in the week during a tussle lasting more than three hours. But he was more comfortable against Bautista Agut, who provided stubborn resistance but never really looked like springing an upset on a sultry afternoon in west London. An early break of serve in each set proved sufficient for Alcaraz, who reached his fifth final in a row. “I’m feeling I’m playing great ten nis and feeling more comfortable,” said Alcaraz, who won his fifth Grand Slam title this month at the French Open. “I love stepping on court and love playing with a smile on my face. That’s why I’m making good results.” Earlier, world No. 30 Lehecka silenced the crowd by beat

“It means a lot. You don’t meet a player like Jack every day, he’s an amazing com petitor,” Lehecka said.

World No. 1 Sabalenka suffers shock defeat MARKETA VONDROUSOVA brushed aside world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka in Berlin on Saturday to reach her first final since lifting the Wimbledon title two years ago. The 25-year-old Czech, ranked 164 in the world rankings, dominated Sabalenka 6-2, 6-4, to set up a title clash with Wang Xinyu after the Chinese qualifier downed Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 6-1. Vondrousova plummeted down the rankings from sixth after missing several months with a left shoulder injury for which she underwent surgery last year. “I didn’t play for a long time,” said Vondrousova, who was appearing in her first WTA semi-final since April last year. “I’m just happy to be back healthy, and so grateful to play these matches. “When I saw the field here, I was like, ‘OK, let’s just try to win the first round,‘ and then, you know, now this is happening.” Sabalenka’s first serve let her down in the opening set, but the Belarusian fought back to start the second with a break. Two games down Vondrousova levelled at 2-2, then broke to lead 5-4, wrapping up the win – her first ever over a world No. 1 – but not before saving three consecutive break points, with an ace after one hour five minutes of play. Sabalenka, 27, was losing only her first semifinal in eight last four appearances in 2025. Wang, Vondrousova’s rival on the grass in Berlin, continued her “dream” run, adding the scalp of Russian Samsonova to those already collected this week including French Open champion Coco Gauff. For the 23-year-old, the final is a landmark moment – her first singles final on the WTA circuit. “This week has been a dream for me,”Wang said. “I’ve been playing unbelievable tennis here. I don’t know, it’s something with Berlin, I guess! “Coming into this match here, coming into every match, I wasn’t expecting anything, you know. For me, it was really just to enjoy the stage.” – AFP

Aryna Sabalenka (left) in action during her semifinal match against Marketa Vondrousova (above) yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

Monterrey keeper Andrada denies River Plate MONTERREY held on to claim a 0-0 draw with River Plate in a prickly Group E clash at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena in the Club World Cup yes terday as both clubs maintained their hopes of advancing to the knockout rounds. Wednesday. River Plate’s Kevin Castano was sent off in injury time for a second bookable offence as his side moved level on four points with the Italians at the top of standings. Monterrey sit two points behind the Argentinian side.

“But I see the glass as half full because, if you look at the scores, every club, every team has had it’s problems. “It was hard for Inter to win, it was hard for Monterrey too, so for our third game we’re going to go with the best we have and we’re going to be optimistic. “Today we deserved to win. Our level was better, and for the next game we will do the same.” – AFP/Reuters

ing several players due to suspen sion. Yellow cards for Enzo Perez and Giuliano Galoppo yesterday mean the pair will join Castano and miss the meeting with the Italians in Seattle. “We have some players that we’re going to be missing. We, of course, had some yellow cards and there are several players who won’t be able to play in the next game, so we will have to see how we organise that,” Gallardo said.

Goalkeeper Esteban Andrada made vital second-half saves from Franco Mastantuono and Miguel Borja to secure a point for the Mexican side, who had drawn their opening game against Inter Milan on

River Plate will next face Inter Milan in Seattle on Thursday and coach Marcelo Gallardo is confident he can still field a team capable of defeating the Nerazzurri despite los