Roger Federer survived a major scare in the first round at Wimbledon on Tuesday after Adrian Manarrino retired at the start of the fifth set.
Federer, the record eight time champion, looked to be in cruise control after easing into a one-set lead but world No 41 Mannarino fought back to claim the next two sets as the Swiss struggled with his opponent's awkward style and flat ball striking. As great champions so often do, though, Federer regrouped and found his way back into the match to race through the fourth set.
However, Federer was assisted at the end of the fourth set when Mannarino twisted and landed awkwardly. The Frenchman received medical attention and continued until the end of the set but the knee injury sustained in the fall proved the end of his challenge. Mannarino retired with the score 6-4, 6-7, 3-6, 6-2.
“It is awful and shows one shot can change the outcome of a match, season, career and I wish him all the best and hope we see him back quickly — he was the better player, he could have won, I got a bit lucky,” Federer said.
Federer reached the final the last time Wimbledon was held in 2019 — going down in a five-set epic to Novak Djokovic — but plenty has changed for the former world No 1 since then. He has undergone two knee surgeries and has had limited time on court prior to his return to the All England Club.
Back on Centre Court, that rustiness was evident for large parts of his match against Mannarino as Federer battled for rhythm and consistency. The Swiss produced an uncharacteristically high number of unforced errors (45), although the shot-making ability was still on show with 53 winners.
“It was a very up and down match and overall we were both wrestling to see who could enjoy the baseline, I felt I had to adjust my game more than he did his and that's credit to him,” Federer said. “It is such a privilege to play here.”
In the previous match to open Centre Court on Tuesday, women's world No 1 Ashleigh Barty booked her place in the second round after an emotionally-charged contest against Spain's Carla Suarez Navarro.
Suarez Navarro will retire at the end of the season having only recently recovered from Hodgkin lymphoma and while she impressive fought back from a break down to level in the second set, Barty proved too strong to claim a 6-1, 6-7, 6-1 victory.
The Spaniard departed the court to raucous cheers and a standing ovation, with Barty joining in the applause.
“It was a privilege to share the court with her today because I hadn’t had that opportunity to play Carla and it was really special to experience what she can bring from the other side of the court,” Barty, 25, said.
“All credit goes to her for her resilience to come back from the adversity she has faced and to be able to have that moment with her was nothing short of remarkable.”
The final match on Centre Court was also packed with drama and emotion as a tearful Serena Williams was forced to retire with an ankle injury.
Williams, bidding for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title at a tournament she has won seven times, slipped and rolled her ankle while leading Aliaksandra Sasnovich 3-1 in the first set. She battled on but in clear pain as Sasnovich broke back and held to level at 3-3.
The American left the court to receive treatment and soon returned to huge cheers from the crowd. Taking her place to serve on the baseline, Williams was overcome with emotion and the tears flowed as the Centre Court fans loudly clapped and shouted their support.
Williams proceeded to unleash a vicious winner from a standing position, but the next point saw her crumple to the ground and she called time on her Wimbledon campaign.
A visibly upset Williams limped off the court and waved her appreciation to the crowd as Sasnovich took her place in the second round.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BULKWHIZ PROFILE
Date started: February 2017
Founders: Amira Rashad (CEO), Yusuf Saber (CTO), Mahmoud Sayedahmed (adviser), Reda Bouraoui (adviser)
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce
Size: 50 employees
Funding: approximately $6m
Investors: Beco Capital, Enabling Future and Wain in the UAE; China's MSA Capital; 500 Startups; Faith Capital and Savour Ventures in Kuwait
It’ll be summer in the city as car show tries to move with the times
If 2008 was the year that rocked Detroit, 2019 will be when Motor City gives its annual car extravaganza a revamp that aims to move with the times.
A major change is that this week's North American International Auto Show will be the last to be held in January, after which the event will switch to June.
The new date, organisers said, will allow exhibitors to move vehicles and activities outside the Cobo Center's halls and into other city venues, unencumbered by cold January weather, exemplified this week by snow and ice.
In a market in which trends can easily be outpaced beyond one event, the need to do so was probably exacerbated by the decision of Germany's big three carmakers – BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi – to skip the auto show this year.
The show has long allowed car enthusiasts to sit behind the wheel of the latest models at the start of the calendar year but a more fluid car market in an online world has made sales less seasonal.
Similarly, everyday technology seems to be catching up on those whose job it is to get behind microphones and try and tempt the visiting public into making a purchase.
Although sparkly announcers clasp iPads and outline the technical gadgetry hidden beneath bonnets, people's obsession with their own smartphones often appeared to offer a more tempting distraction.
“It's maddening,” said one such worker at Nissan's stand.
The absence of some pizzazz, as well as top marques, was also noted by patrons.
“It looks like there are a few less cars this year,” one annual attendee said of this year's exhibitors.
“I can't help but think it's easier to stay at home than to brave the snow and come here.”
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
