Isner serves up his fifth Atlanta title

LOS ANGELES - John Isner won his fifth Atlanta Open title on Sunday, with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 win over Ryan Harrison to beat the fellow American in the final for the second straight year. Isner, 33, earned his second win of 2018 and a record fifth in Atlanta to go with previous wins in 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2017. The top seed served out the match to love in the 10th game of the third set, clinching victory with a powerful serve down the line that handcuffed Harrison. Isner is having one of the best seasons of his career. Earlier this month, he reached his maiden Grand Slam semifinal with a run to the final four of Wimbledon. He will be ranked No 9 in the world when the new rankings come out on Monday. Isner blasted 21 aces and won 75 percent of his first-serve points in the two-hour match.–AFP

Danilovic jumps 75 spots in WTA rankings

PARIS - Serbian teenager Olga Danilovic jumped 75 places to 112 in the latest WTA rankings released Monday on the strength of her win Sunday in Moscow. The 17-year-old saw off Russian home hope Anastasia Potapova 7-5, 6-7 (1/7), 6-4 for her maiden title to jump from 187th to 112th behind an unchanged top 10 led by Simona Halep with 7571 points. Denmark’s Caroline Wozniacki is at No 2 with 6660 points, while at No 3 is USA’s Sloane Stephens with 5463 points followed by Germany’s Angelique Kerber (5305) No 4, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina (5020) No 5, French Caroline Garcia (4680) No 6, Spanish Garbine Muguruza (4620) No 7, Czech Petra Kvitova (4550) No 8, Czech Karolina Pliskova (4485) No 9 and German Julia Goerges (3980) No 10. In selected category, besides Danilovic, Russian Anastasia Potapova jumped to 135.–AFP

Skofterud dies in jet-ski accident at 38

OSLO - Norwegian cross-country skier Vibeke Skofterud, an Olympic gold medallist and double world champion in relay, has died in a jet-ski accident at 38, Norwegian authorities said. Skofterud was reported missing on Saturday. Her body was found on Sunday morning on a small island near the town of Arendal. "All the indications are that it was a jet-ski accident," Sveinung Alsaker of the local police said in a press release. Skofterud won gold in the 4 x 5km relay at the Vancouver Winter Games in 2010. She was also part of the team that won the same event at the 2005 and 2011 World Championships. She retired from skiing in January 2014. "I have lost one of my best friends," said Therese Johaug, a team-mate in the 2010 and 2011 medal-winning teams, via the Norwegian Ski Federation.–AFP

National U-19 Women’s Football

LAHORE – The Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) National Under-19 Women’s Football Championship 2018 will commence tomorrow (August 1) here at City School Football Ground. Provincial teams Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh and KP, Regional sides Islamabad, Fata, Gilgit-Baltistan and Football Clubs Model Town WFC, Karachi Kickers, Young Rising Stars Rawalpindi, Abbottabad Warriors, Karachi FC, Star FC Mirpur Khas and Young Rising Star Layyah will feature in the event. The managers meeting/draws ceremony will be held today (Tuesday) while the opening ceremony will be held tomorrow (Wednesday). The league matches phase will conclude on August 6, quarterfinals to be held on 7th and 8th, semifinals on 9th and 10th, third position match on 11th and the final on 12th. Pakistan junior women teams will participate in SAFF U-18 Football Championship in October and AFC U19 event in November. PFF selectors will pick 40 women for national camp with the aim to form better teams for the said events.–Staff Reporter

SN Independence-Day Tennis from Aug 3

ISLAMABAD - Subh-e-Nau Twin-cities Independence-Day Tennis Tournament 2018 will commence from August 3 here at Pakistan Sports Complex hard courts. Talking to The Nation, tournament director Mahvish Chishtie said: “Players residing in Rawalpindi/Islamabad are eligible to take part in the seven-day event in categories including men’s singles and doubles, ladies singles, juniors U-18, U-14 and U-10. The interested players can send their entries to Rashid Ali at Pakistan Sports Complex or Subh-e-Nau till August 2. The draws will be taken out on same day at the venue while finals will be held on August 9.” She said Subh-e-Nau had started tennis events way back in 1990s. “I was a national champion and my mother is also a devoted tennis lover and player, who wants to promote female tennis.”–Staff Reporter