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Gauff returns as Konta plays Kvitova - 'Manic Monday' preview

Published in Tennis

Saturday, 06 July 2019 15:27

Coco Gauff will face the toughest challenge of her Wimbledon campaign when she takes on Simona Halep on 'Manic Monday', with British number one Johanna Konta also in action.

After a day off on Sunday, play will resume as Konta plays Petra Kvitova.

Elsewhere in the women's singles, world number one Ashleigh Barty - who is yet to drop a set - plays Alison Riske.

Defending champion Novak Djokovic and former winners Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal also return in the fourth round.

Djokovic will take on Frenchman Ugo Humbert on Court One, while on Centre Court, eight-time champion Federer faces Italian Matteo Berrettini and Nadal plays Portugal's Joao Sousa.

Seven-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams plays Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro and Karolina Pliskova faces fellow Czech Karolina Muchova.

'It's cool that Michelle Obama knows I exist'

Week one of the Championships was a whirlwind for 15-year-old American qualifier Gauff, beating one of her "idols" Venus Williams before victories over Magdalena Rybarikova and Polona Hercog followed.

Twelve months ago, she was knocked out in the quarter-finals of the juniors competition at SW19 but has now become a household name around the globe, the world mesmerised by her journey.

Yet for this teenager, who can only enter 10 professional tournaments between her 15th and 16th birthdays, it's the social media messages from Michelle Obama and Jaden Smith that have given her the biggest smile.

On the tweet by Obama, Gauff - who describes herself as "weird" and "goofy" - said: "I was super excited. She's one of my role models, so it was just cool to see that she knows I exist.

"We don't talk personally. I don't have her number or anything. I would like that."

In former world number one Halep, Gauff faces a player who, like herself, has dropped just one set in the tournament so far. Halep, though, has experience of the latter stages at Wimbledon, reaching the semi-finals in 2014 and two quarter-finals since then.

'Kvitova will be very inspired' - Konta ready for battle

British number one Konta, who reached the Wimbledon semi-finals in 2017, faces Czech two-time Wimbledon champion Kvitova in the fourth round. It is their fifth meeting, but only their second at a Grand Slam.

They have twice met on grass, the latter occasion coming in Birmingham last year, with Kvitova winning in straight sets.

Kvitova, who won Wimbledon in 2011 and 2014, has yet to drop a set this campaign and Konta said she was looking forward to playing a "great champion".

"I'm going to be coming up against a very, very inspired and very, very tough Petra," said Konta.

"She's also been playing incredibly well in the past couple of years."

Kvitova acknowledged the British support for Konta, adding it would be a "difficult match".

"Jo, I think for her, the grass is really going in the good way when she's playing flat shots from both sides, especially from the backhand," she said.

"I think she likes to play on the grass. Of course, the crowd will be on her side. I know what she's able to do."

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'Facing Konta, advice for Coco & smiling on match point'

Published in Tennis

Sunday, 07 July 2019 09:13

Two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, who has won 27 singles titles on the WTA Tour, is writing a column for the BBC Sport website during the championships at the All England Club.

The 29-year-old Czech, who before this week had not played since pulling out of the French Open in May with an arm injury, beat Poland's Magda Linette 6-3 6-2 in the third round on Saturday to set up a last-16 match against Britain's Johanna Konta.

It is a great feeling to have not dropped a set after three difficult rounds.

I think I played my best tennis of the tournament against Magda Linette in the third round, serving well, moving well and playing aggressively.

I even managed to smile on the first match point, which I didn't convert, because she struck the ball with the frame of her racquet and still managed to hit a winner on the line.

I didn't move at all as I thought it was going two metres out but suddenly it was on the line! This made me smile. Sometimes you have these things that you can be more relaxed about - this was a nice one so we smiled at each other.

Being back in the fourth round at Wimbledon for the first time since 2014 is amazing. I won the title that year but winning it again is just not something I am even thinking about at the moment - I'm worrying about my forearm injury, which could still flare up any time.

It will be great if I can continue the stats, though, of never having lost in the fourth round in the five times I have been there!

'Special to play Britain's Konta at Wimbledon'

Facing Johanna Konta in the fourth round will be special. I played her at Birmingham last year and also Heather Watson one year at Eastbourne, so I know what it is like to play a Briton at home.

It is always special because the crowd is cheering for the British player. British people are very polite and they are great at supporting other players, so I don't think it will be that crazy on Monday.

Jo likes to play on grass and she is having a good grass season. It goes well for her when she plays kind of flat shots from both sides, especially from the backhand.

It is great that we are playing on Centre Court. Being there will bring back some nice memories of winning my two titles and I am glad to get that experience again.

I don't think anything changes in the second week of a Grand Slam. You're just deeper in the tournament, which means you are playing really good tennis - and that is always good for your confidence. It does mean, though, that every opponent will be very, very difficult.

Advice for Coco & dealing with distractions

It is great to see 15-year-old Coco Gauff doing so well. She has a big future in front of her.

When I was 15, I didn't even know I was going to play professional tennis.

I was in my home town of Fulnek in the Czech Republic and practising with my dad and I was just enjoying time on the court. I never thought that I would play at Wimbledon at that time.

If I was to give her any advice, it would be to be patient.

Everybody has ups and downs and that will come to her for sure. She just needs those experiences where she has to handle pressure and to keep up the hard work.

One of the other things you sometimes have to deal with is distractions in the crowd, like the sprinkler spraying or the corks popping that we have had this week. For me, it's been screaming from the crowd - it is not a positive distraction but you just have to keep focused.

Petra Kvitova was speaking to BBC Sport's Sonia Oxley at Wimbledon.

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Final Day: Seamaster 2019 ITTF World Tour SHINHAN Korea Open

Published in Table Tennis

Saturday, 06 July 2019 17:55

World (#1) domination

Three time World Champion, Chen Meng had no more than a small hiccup in claiming yet another Gold in the women’s singles final against Chinese compatriot Ding Ning (11-5, 11-6, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9).

In her 4:1 victory, the World #1 was rarely pushed by the otherwise impressive “Queen of hearts”. Chen’s signature backhand to forehand corner shot was on display repeatedly until the fourth game, when Ding dialed things up. Chen, who lost the final here in Korea last year however, was not to be denied as she kept her cool and claimed her first title in Shinhan with aplomb.

Slaying the Dragon

Ma Long is probably the finest Chinese player of his era, and it takes another fine player to make him look even slightly off his game. Xu Xin was that player today, as he took the Gold in the men’s singles’ 2019 Shinhan Korea Open.

Xu-perman was at his commanding best, taking no prisoners versus Ma ‘The Dragon’ Long. After dropping the first game, Xu maintained the pressure on Ma with his snake-shots and big wellie, assuring himself a much more defensive opponent. The World #1 was still pushed into difficult backhand returns in almost every game, meaning the final 4:1 score did not tell the full story. Having lost repeatedly to ‘The Dictator’, Xu ‘Cloudwalker’ Xin will have certainly enjoyed this championship win and maintaining his status at the top (7-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8).

The final before the final

The Chinese elite clashed in what turned out to be a game worthy of the final, just before the final. Wang Manyu faced off against Chen Meng as the top 2 in the world gave the fans a treat in an epic battle.

Taking the first game with utter ease (11-3), Chen seemed to be in control until the next game was snatched away by Wang 11-8. This pendulum continued with neither athlete giving up the con, as they were both too strong on their serves. Then Chen found a chink in Wang’s armor and never let go, winning two games on the bounce and seeing off her doubles partner in a seven game thriller (11-3, 8-11, 11-3, 12-14, 10-12, 11-9, 11-6). Ding Ning, who has yet to win on the World Tour since last year’s Bulgarian Open, lies in wait.

Ding takes control

The Queen of hearts, Ding Ning was put through her paces by her fellow Chinese Sun Yingsha as the veteran booked a place in the finals after an incredible comeback 4:3 win in 2019 Shinhan Korea Open (8-11, 11-5, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8).

Starting strong, the 18-year-old Sun kept up her end of the bargain by keeping her shot play short and challenging Ding’s backhand. This meant that World #3 Ding had to dig deep and use her timeouts to perfection, taking the match to the deciding seventh game. After that it was all about the composure in Ding’s play and how well she handled the pressure that has been on her since the start of the tour.

Cloud walking into the final

Once Xu Xin gets a sniff of the gold, there is very little that can stand in his way. After winning the Gold yesterday in the men’s doubles, the World #1 saw off Chinese compatriot Wang Chuqin 4:2 (8-11, 20-18, 11-7, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5), setting up an all-Chinese final versus Ma Long.

The match was dominated by the speed of shots from either end, as neither Xu nor Wang let up. The veteran Xu held his own for longer, but only just. After coming as close as 3:2 in the match, Wang was all about pushing his way for a comeback with his flicks and close-to-the-table-play. Xu did what he does best, riding out the youthful exuberance of Wang and slowly etching the sixth game to a close. Now his date with the Dragon awaits.

Ma Long books final place

China’s Ma Long, the no.4 seed, ended the hopes of the host nation; in the penultimate round of the men’s singles event he beat Jeoung Youngsik in five games (11-7, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9).

Success for Ma Long but it was not a vintage performance. Was there a slight sense of anxiety? One month earlier in the second round in Sapporo he had stood on the brink of defeat in the fifth game against the 27 year old Korean (11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-5). However in Busan, to his great credit when potential crisis loomed, Ma Long retained his focus, there was no hint of panic; simply he went back to basics, put the ball on the table, by performing that skill you make your opponent play, you force errors from your adversary; such was the scenario. Trying to force the play, Jeoung Youngsik made mistakes.

A thoroughly professional performance secure a semi-final place for Ma Long.

“All matches are equally hard and it’s about how you come through the tough moments that keeps you in the game. No matter who I meet in the final, I believe it’s always going to be as hard as any other match.”

Day Four commences

The final day has arrived and there’s plenty to look forward to – here’s what’s on the schedule for today:

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Mixed fortunes for top Chinese players in Busan

Published in Table Tennis

Saturday, 06 July 2019 20:00

Ma going long

He may be taking the circuitous route to victory, but Ma Long is getting his wins in all the same.

After a blazing start to the year with wins at the Qatar and China Opens, ‘The Dragon’ and reigning world champion has quelled dry spell rumours by defeating his opponents so far in Busan, albeit while making his fans sweat.

After an easy 4-0 opening round rout of Japan’s Takuya Jin in Busan, Ma struggled to close the door on hometown hero Lim Jonghoon. Despite his initial 2-0 lead, Ma faltered, allowing Lim to even the score at 3-3 before prevailing 14-12 in the final game to eke out a 3-2 victory, hardly a firebreathing performance on the part of the Dragon.

It didn’t get any easier against Sweden’s surging Kristian Karlsson, who took the first two games, forcing Ma to dig deep into his reservoir of mental and physical endurance for the 4-2 victory:

“It just goes to show that more of our opponents are starting to analyse the players from the Chinese team. So for us to be behind – we are used to being in front for most matches – it is good that we are put through different situations. It is a learning experience.” Ma Long

Ma may be 30 years old and considered almost a veteran in the sport, but he – more than anyone – is still prepared to keep learning and keep growing. That, after all, is what is aiding his longevity.

Next up in the semi-final, he faced the Korean fans’ favourite Jeoung Youngsik, a player who eliminated no less than Fan Zhendong in Saturday’s quarter-final. It was not Ma at his best, it was Ma at his most professional; he prevailed in five games.

“All matches are equally hard and it’s about how you come through the tough moments that keeps you in the game.” Ma Long

Find out if Ma can finish the job in today’s final against compatriot and current world #1 Xu Xin. The match will be live from 17.00 GMT+9 on itTV.

Wan days for Fan

What’s going on with Fan Zhendong?

The Chinese maestro’s 15-month stint as the #1 player in the world came to an end this week when he was overtaken by surging teammate Xu Xin, which dropped the 22-year-old affectionately nicknamed “Little Fatty” to #3 in the rankings.

Faced with Korea’s Jeoung Youngsik in the men’s quarter-finals in Busan this weekend, Fan dropped the first game but looked on track to secure the victory with solid second and third games. That first round would come back to haunt China’s top player, though, as Jeoung rallied to a 13-11 win in the fourth and never looked back, taking the next two in quick succession to secure a 4-2 victory despite tough resistance from Fan.

“Actually I did have some chances in the match. I was leading 9-4 in the 4th game, but eventually lost, even though I was battling so hard to win it. Today the biggest problem came from my backhand, which is an obvious weakness, especially when we both played on our backhand.” Fan Zhendong

For his part, Jeoung was quick to acknowledge that the raucous home crowd in Busan may have played a role in the contest.

“I have never seen any other match where the crowd had such enormous reactions. The cheers definitely gave me a lot of energy and it was an important contribution to the victory, so I want to thank them a lot for that.” Jeoung Youngsik

But the question remains: What’s going on with Fan? After a superb 2018, where he was victorious at the Hungarian, Qatar and Swedish Opens, Fan has yet to appear in a final, let alone vanquish his rivals in one, on the World Tour this season. Rather, his best results have been semis appearances in Sapporo and Budapest.

Follow live updates from Busan and watch the action on itTV!

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Busan highlights: titles for Xu Xin and Chen Meng

Published in Table Tennis

Sunday, 07 July 2019 04:52

Excellence was the order of the day.

Men’s Singles

…………Xu Xin, the no.2 seed, beat compatriot and qualifier Wang Chuqin (8-11, 20-18, 11-7, 11-7, 5-11, 11-5), followed by success against Ma Long, the no.4 seed (7-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8) to claim the top prize.

…………In the counterpart semi-final, Ma Long had ousted the host nation’s Jeoung Youngsik, the no.13 seed (11-7, 5-11, 11-7, 11-6, 11-9) and winner in 2015 when the tournament was staged in Incheon.

…………Xu Xin extended his status as the most successful player in the history of the tournament since first organised in 2001 in Seoul. He has now won four times; no other player has won more than once. Always in Incheon, previously he won in 2013, 2014 and 2016; as today in 2013 and 2016 he beat Ma Long in the final.

…………A second consecutive success for Xu Xin, having prevailed last month in Japan; overall has won 16 ITTF World Tour men’s singles titles in 27 final appearances.

Women’s Singles

…………After accounting for Wang Manyu, the no.7 seed (11-3, 8-11, 11-3, 12-14, 10-12, 11-9, 11-6), Chen Meng, the no.2 seed, accounted for Ding Ning, the top seed (11-5, 11-6, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9) to secure the title.

…………In the adjacent semi-final, Ding Ning overcame Sun Yingsha, the no.16 seed (8-11, 11-5, 8-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-6, 11-8).

…………It was one step higher for Chen Meng and her first such success in Korea Republic; last year she had been beaten in the final by colleague Zhu Yuling.

…………Notably it was for Chen Meng her third ITTF World Tour women’s singles title of the year, previously she had won in Hungary and China. Overall it was her 12th such title in 15 final appearances.

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Best in Busan: Xu Xin and Chen Meng, golden again!

Published in Table Tennis

Sunday, 07 July 2019 05:07

Xuperman slays a dragon

Ma Long’s preferred weapon has always been a confounding forehand rhythm, but the kryptonite wasn’t strong enough for Xu Xin on this day in Busan. The Cloudwalker succumbed only during the first game, then unleashed his own winning formula, raining a barrage of attacking strokes to overcome the “Dragon” Ma with aplomb. Result: the title in five games (7-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8) for Xuperman, whose golden summer continues.

To tackle the best of your generation and emerge victorious is what every champion strives for, and Xu sees it no differently. Having come out on the losing side of many battles with the revered Ma Long over the years, for Xu honour is in the name, not necessarily the game.

“Winning the title is not the reason I am feeling happy. I am happy because I beat Ma Long.” Xu Xin

Chen Meng, with a bang

“In my mind I want to go all the way now,” Ding Ning said after defeating Sun Yingsha for the right to face against Chen Meng in the women’s singles final. In her first World Tour final since the 2018 Australian, the Queen of Hearts came in on a high, having staged a brilliant comeback from a 3-1 deficit to eliminate Sun Yingsha in the women’s semis, and had every reason to believe the momentum would carry over.

But given a second chance to win the title she lost here last year, Chen was not in the mood to be messed with. Having cut her teeth in a seven game thriller against Wang Manyu to earn the right to play in her third World Tour final of the year, Chen seized the opportunity and ran with it.

The 25-year-old World no.1 ruthlessly contained Ding with her signature backhand to forehand corner slice to jump out to a 3-0 lead, but the Queen was determined to have her say too, and in the fourth game she finally got a word in edgewise. Though eventually overcome 4-1 (11-5, 11-6, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9), Ding’s resurgence remains one of the main storylines of this competition.

Chen, who began 2019 by winning the Hungarian Open, has now added a second victory, further gilding her World no.1 status.

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Xu-perman slays The Dragon in Busan

Published in Table Tennis

Sunday, 07 July 2019 08:08

They are ranked first in the world for a reason. Chinese stars Xu Xin and Chen Meng entered the Seamaster 2019 ITTF World Tour SHINHAN Korea Open as the most in-form players in international table tennis. They now leave Busan with their positions at the top of the tree in the men’s and women’s game firmly consolidated after picking up gold in their respective singles and doubles events.

XU-PERMAN SLAYS DRAGON

Xu defeated Ma Long (CHN) over five games (7-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-7, 11-8) in a match that showcased some of the most spectacular shots and rallies across the six-day event. This was champagne table tennis at its finest, the range of strokes and lightning-speed reactions underlining just why the iconic duo has been the bedrock of Team China over the years.

For Xu, his impressive comeback victory ended a run of four consecutive defeats to ‘The Dragon.’ He had lost a total of 20 matches and won just eight against the reigning world champion heading into this contest, his excitement at full-time understandably high:

“Winning the title is not the reason I am feeling so happy. It’s because I beat Ma Long,” was all he needed to say to convey his raw emotions during his on-court interview.

Xu, who rose to the world no.1 position last week, holds the record for Korea Open titles (four) and has now won at back-to-back events, having scooped gold at the Japan Open in June. He is very much the man to beat at next week’s Australian Open in Geelong.

CHEN THE CHAMPION

There can be no doubt that Chen Meng is a natural-born winner. The women’s world no.1 overpowered no.3 Ding Ning (CHN) from the outset of Sunday’s final, charging to a 3-0 lead in no time at all.

Reigning Olympic champion Ding pulled back a game and put up a serious fight in the fifth. However, she was unable to complete what would have been an incredible comeback, as Chen saw out the 4-1 victory (11-5, 11-6, 11-5, 7-11, 11-9) to celebrate her third ITTF World Tour women’s singles title of 2019 following wins in Hungary and China.

In terms of mental strength, the 25-year-old is up there with the greats. Her record in women’s singles finals on the ITTF World Tour now sits at 12 wins from 15 appearances: a simply outstanding feat.

Despite a disappointing end to her campaign in Busan, the Korea Open marked something of a revival for 29-year-old Ding, who reached her first women’s singles title on the ITTF World Tour since last August’s Bulgarian Open.

TWO CAN PLAY THAT GAME

Not for the first time, Xu Xin and Chen Meng were also dominant across the doubles competitions, which reached their climax on Saturday.

Xu sealed gold in the men’s doubles alongside Fan Zhendong after an emphatic 3-0 victory (11-9, 11-7, 11-6) over Jeoung Youngsik and Lee Sangsu (KOR).

The 29-year-old also partnered Liu Shiwen to silver in the mixed doubles, their incredible unbeaten record finally coming to an end in their 23rd match since linking up last November. Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem (HKG) celebrated gold instead after their 3-1 triumph (11-9, 11-8, 6-11, 13-11).

Meanwhile, Chen tasted success in the women’s doubles alongside Wang Manyu, who defeated Choi Hyojoo and Yang Haeun (KOR) in consecutive, but hard-fought games (12-10, 15-13, 11-6).

JEOUNG YOUNGSIK INSPIRES HOSTS

It was always going to be difficult for the hosts to replicate the ecstatic scenes of last year’s Korea Open, when Jang Woojin (KOR) celebrated an historic triple crown.

This year, Jang was forced to withdraw from the tournament on Friday due to a toe injury sustained against compatriot Jeoung Youngsik. As chance would have it, this symbolised something of a passing of the baton to Jeoung, now entrusted with the hopes of his nation. He shouldered the responsibility brilliantly.

The 27-year-old caused arguably the biggest upset of the tournament in Saturday’s quarter-final, defeating world no.3 Fan Zhendong in six scintillating games (11-5, 9-11, 8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 12-10).

He also ruffled the feathers of the legendary Ma Long in Sunday’s semi-final, drawing the scores level at 1-1 before going on to lose the next three games, not without a fight (7-11, 11-5, 7-11, 6-11, 9-11).

Jeoung’s brave performances never failed to convert the Sajik Indoor Gymnasium into a cauldron of noise. The electric atmosphere conjured up by Korea’s passionate fans bodes very well for when Busan hosts next year’s World Table Tennis Championships at the BEXCO.

THE SUPPORTING CAST

The other beaten semi-finalist in the men’s singles was Wang Chuqin (CHN). The 19-year-old, ranked 71^stin the world, impressed throughout the event, defeating the far higher positioned Lin Yun-Ju (TPE), Marcos Freitas (POR) and Tomokazu Harimoto (JPN) before eventually losing to Xu Xin over six hard-fought games (11-8, 18-20, 7-11, 7-11, 11-5, 5-11).

The eventual champion was quick to praise the teenage talent, who surely has a bright future in the sport:

“Wang Chuqin is very young and has been playing very well. I believe that he will continue to grow and leave a positive mark in the Chinese team.”

As is fast becoming the custom, Sun Yingsha (CHN) reached the latter stages of a major event again after staging a most eye-catching comeback victory over Kasumi Ishikawa (JPN) in the quarter-finals (10-12, 8-11, 11-8, 9-11, 11-3, 11-6, 13-11).

As chance had it, the 19-year-old was on the receiving end of Ding Ning’s fightback in Sunday’s semi-final, leading 3-1 before losing 4-3 (11-8, 5-11, 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 6-11, 8-11).

HEADING DOWN UNDER!

Now at the halfway stage of the 2019 ITTF World Tour, the next stop will take the globe’s best players to Geelong for the Seamaster 2019 ITTF World Tour Platinum Australian Open. Do not miss the action!

Stay up to date on ITTF.com, watch live matches on itTV and be entertained on ITTF social:
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube and Weibo.

KOREA OPEN: QUICK LINKS:

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Women's Rugby Super Series: England beat Canada 19-17

Published in Rugby

Sunday, 07 July 2019 00:15

England secured a narrow win over Canada for their second successive victory at the Women's Rugby Super Series in San Diego.

Canada had led 5-0 at half-time after Tyson Beaukeboom's try and extended their advantage further when Paige Farries raced in from her own half.

England hit back with two tries in two minutes, before Farries' second try put Canada back in front.

But with five minutes remaining captain Sarah Hunter scored the winning try.

Two-time runners-up England next face France on Wednesday in the tournament that features the best five teams in the world, before their final match against the world's number one ranked side New Zealand on 14 July.

England, who beat the USA 38-5 in their first match, found themselves 12-0 down to Canada after 44 minutes.

But a superb scrum from five metres out saw them awarded a penalty try and a minute later, Kelly Smith rode two tackles from inside her own half to sprint away for her second try of the tournament with Emily Scarratt adding the extras.

Farries' try put Canada into a 17-14 lead, before Hunter struck from the back of a five-metre scrum and they held on for the win.

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PHOTOS: Circle K Firecracker 250

Published in Racing

Sunday, 07 July 2019 07:00

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Rea Makes It Three Wins At Donington Park

Published in Racing

Sunday, 07 July 2019 07:45

LEICESTERSHIRE, England – Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea completed a World Superbike weekend sweep for the first time this season with a dominant Sunday rout at Donington Park.

With wins in both the Superpole and full-distance events, Rea’s World Superbike total stands at 78 leaving the British round of the championship.

There was action right from the start, with Rea coming out on top after another tough scrap with Toprak Razgatlioglu.

Rea grabbed the holeshot from the pole, but was challenged on lap three when Razgatlioglu took the lead at the circuit where he took his first WorldSBK career podium.

With a strong out-braking maneuver at the Melbourne Loop, Razgatlioglu was able to steal the advantage. However, two laps later, Rea took the lead back and one lap further on, Haslam momentarily got ahead of the Turk at the Foggy Esses.

Back at the Melbourne Loop, Razgatlioglu recovered and the 22-year-old retook second.

Razgatlioglu was able to retake the lead from Rea, with the two riders dancing side-by-side around the Donington Park circuit. Another late-braking move at the Melbourne Loop saw him retake the lead and then put the hammer down.

Razgatlioglu and Rea broke clear of the fading Haslam in third place, while Alvaro Bautista was all over the rear-end of Haslam for the position after a crash on Saturday.

With 12 to go, a rare error at the Foggy Esses from Razgatlioglu allowed Rea to cut through and take the lead back, a lead he wouldn’t relinquish again.

In the closing stages, there were two battles, one for first and second between Rea and Razgatlioglu, and one for third place between Bautista, Alex Lowes, Haslam and Loris Baz. Lowes eventually got ahead of Haslam with just three laps to go.

Going into the final lap, half-a-second split the leading two, while Bautista had a small buffer for a safe third place.

At the finish, it was Rea completing a hat trick over Razgatlioglu, with Bautista completing the podium. Lowes and Haslam finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

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