Nadal defeats Monfils for Qatar Open title

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — World number one Rafael Nadal defeated France’s Gael Monfils 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2 yesterday to win the Qatar Open.

It was Nadal’s 61st career title and took him to eighth on the all-time list, passing Andre Agassi.

“I never had the chance to win here before. I had match points against Davydenko in the final a few years back,” said Nadal, who was runner-up to Russia’s Nikolay Davydenko in 2010.

Nadal, who hit 13 aces and 36 winners, took his record over Monfils to 9-2.

The Frenchman had achieved both his wins over the Spaniard in Doha, in 2009 and 2012.

Wawrinka sails into Chennai Open final

CHENNAI, India (AFP) — Top seed Stanislas Wawrinka sailed into the ATP Chennai Open final yesterday after Vasek Pospisil of Canada retired with a back injury, setting up a a title clash with Frenchman Edouard Roger-Vasselin.

The Swiss world number eight, who won the title in 2011, was leading 6-4, 5-5 when a hobbling Pospisil conceded the semi-final at the Nungambakkam Tennis Stadium.

The 23-year-old Canadian was the sixth player to be sidelined with injury during the $450,000 season opener in the past week, a list that included second seed Mikhail Youzhny of Russia and third seeded Fabio Fognini of Italy.

A seventh player, defending champion Janko Tipsarevic, had withdrawn before the tournament began due to a heel injury.

Pospisil, who made it to the semi-finals without dropping his serve, was broken by Wawrinka in the fifth game of the first set and again in the seventh game of the second set.

He broke back in the eighth but was clearly in discomfort, having already called for the trainer towards the end of the first set and then again midway through the second.

France claim first Hopman Cup

PERTH, Australia (AFP) — France won their first Hopman Cup title last night, taking a thrilling decider against Poland.

The two countries split the singles rubbers at the mixed teams tournament, with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beating Grzegorz Panfil and Agnieszka Radwanska then edging past Alize Cornet in an epic battle.

The French then claimed the tie with a 6-0, 6-2 win in the mixed doubles rubber.

France had previously been beaten in the 1998 and 2012 finals.

No player during the tournament showed more determination to win than Cornet and she was understandably thrilled to notch her country’s first win in the tournament.

“We made history today and France finally won the Hopman Cup,” she said.

Tsonga, the world number 10, said Cornet had a future in Hollywood after her theatrics on court, including jumping into his arms after the winning point.

He was pleased with his form heading towards the Australian Open, finishing unbeaten in singles this week and said winning the event was the icing on the cake

Although Panfil was on the wrong side of the ledger in the final, the tournament was still the highlight of his career.

Ranked 288th in the world, he beat two top 30 players in Milos Raonic and Andreas Seppi, and pocketed easily the biggest pay cheque of his career.

The 26-year-old was a late replacement for countryman Jerzy Janowicz in the tournament.

He had career prizemoney of US$137,936, and collected AUS$90,000 ($81,000)for losing the final.

After Tsonga won his singles match in three sets, 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, Radwanska levelled the final with a gruelling win over Cornet in a high-intensity match with many long rallies.

Koke strike puts Atletico on top

MADRID, Spain (AFP) — Spanish international Koke rolled home the winner as Atletico Madrid moved three points ahead of Barcelona at the top of La Liga with a 1-0 victory at Malaga yesterday.

In a game short on clear-cut opportunities, Koke was in the right place to slot home his fourth goal of the season 20 minutes from time after Willy Caballero had denied Adrian Lopez from close range.

Barcelona can move back to the top with a win over Elche today before travelling to face Atletico at the Vicente Calderon next weekend.

Real Madrid are now eight points adrift of the leaders, but can also cut the gap when they host Celta Vigo tomorrow.

Atletico’s Juanfran had the first big chance of the match when he broke into the Malaga box on 21 minutes, but Caballero parried his low drive and the ball rebounded fortunately off Marcos Angeleri away for a corner.

Eliseu was first to threaten for Malaga as he was played in on the right side of the box only for his low effort to be easily held by Thibaut Courtois.

After struggling to break down a well-organised Malaga in the first period, Atletico boss Diego Simeone withdrew teenager Oliver Torres for Adrian at the break in an attempt to find the breakthrough.

However, Atletico suffered a setback ahead of Barca’s visit just 10 minutes into the second half when Juanfran was booked for obstructing Vitorino Antunes and will now be suspended for the Catalans’ visit.

Finnish ski jumper wins first World Cup round

INNSBRUCK, Austria (AFP) — Finnish ski jumper Anssi Koivuranta won his first World Cup round yesterday at the Four Hills tournament in Innsbruck, as the event had to be cut short due to strong winds.

With nine jumpers still due to compete — including tournament favourites — the jury decided to stop proceedings, cancelling the second and final round.

This left Koivuranta, 25, an Olympic bronze medallist in nordic combined, to grab his first World Cup podium and win in ski jumping thanks to his first-round victory.

With a jump of 132.5 metres, he grabbed 127.5 points, ahead of Swiss four-time Olympic champion Simon Ammann with 126.3 points and current World Cup leader Kamil Stoch of Poland with 126.2 points.

But this makes little difference to the Four Hills standings, with new Austrian wonder Thomas Diethart, 21, still in the lead.

The youngster, who was fifth yesterday, remains a firm favourite to win the tournament after shooting to the top of the rankings in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in only his sixth World Cup outing.

Ammann moves up one rank into second place, ahead of 2011 Four Hills winner Thomas Morgenstern of Austria, who finished eighth in Innsbruck.

The Austrians are defending a five-year winning streak at the Four Hills but face a strong challenge from Ammann, who has made it clear he wants to win the four-leg tournament at last, having accumulated almost every other trophy and medal.

On Saturday, only the knock-out round was counted.

First, second, third!