Vettel has ‘enormous respect’ for Webber

Vettel said Webber will leave the sport with his respect having worked so closely for the past five seasons. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

Red Bull driver Sebastian Vettel says he has ‘enormous respect’ for teammate Mark Webber, according to ESPNF1.

Webber will retire from Formula One at the end of the season, having been Vettel’s teammate for all four of his drivers’ championships, but that time has been punctuated by numerous on-track incidents between the pair. However, Vettel said Webber will leave the sport with his respect having worked so closely for the past five seasons.

“To be honest I think we always shared respect, especially on the track,” said Vettel.

“When we’ve been fighting each other, I don’t think it was lacking respect.

“As teammates for the last five years we’ve got to know each other very well, meaning that I know his strengths and – not his weaknesses – but maybe the corners where I have a little bit of an advantage and vice-versa.”

Blatter insistent on winter World Cup

The prospect of moving the event from its traditional June and July slot has angered winter sports federations because of a possible clash with that year’s Winter Olympics. PHOTO: AFP

ABU DHABI: Fifa president Sepp Blatter confirmed that he would favour playing the controversial 2022 Qatar World Cup in November and December.

“We are starting the consultations to bring it to the winter time,” Blatter told reporters in Abu Dhabi, where he will attend the under-17 World Cup final. “It can only be done in November-December, not January-February.”

The prospect of moving the event from its traditional June and July slot has angered winter sports federations because of a possible clash with that year’s Winter Olympics.

Winter sports federations and broadcasters argue that a high-profile football event clashing with their own seasons would dent television audiences and revenues.

But putting the staging of the World Cup back to the end of the year would appease them, while also meaning that the tournament would interfere with the 2022-23 football season rather than 2021-22.

Arsenal vie for upper hand in United rivalry

HOPEFUL: Arsenal will be looking to turn around the club’s fortunes as they go to Old Trafford without a win there in seven years. PHOTO: AFP

LONDON: Manchester United and Arsenal will resume their historic rivalry at Old Trafford on Sunday with the London club holding the whip hand for the first time in several years.

The two teams have enjoyed many memorable tussles during the Premier League era, but it is usually United who have come out on top, and particularly when playing on home turf.

Arsenal have not won at United in seven years and manager Arsene Wenger has enjoyed victory on only four of the 22 occasions that his side have visited the home of the 20-time English champions.

After beating Liverpool 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium last weekend, Arsenal became the first English team to win at Borussia Dortmund in mid-week and they approach Sunday’s game with an eight-point lead over United.

Wenger has characteristically attempted to downplay the expectations surrounding his team, but he says that the trip to Manchester is an opportunity for his players to demonstrate their appetite for a title tilt.

“What is the most important is that we trust our quality and show the resilience and the hunger to achieve what we can achieve,” said Wenger.

“We have made a lot of improvements at the back in our defensive game and we have done well in the last two games, but there is a lot to do.

“We have won nothing at all, we have just won two games, and what is important is what we achieve in the future.”

Meanwhile, Manchester City will look to boost up their away form when they head to Sunderland today. They head to a ground today where they have not won since 2008.

But Pellegrini has urged his side to improve their away form and capitalise on a possible chance to close the gap on Arsenal with the Gunners.

“I know all the players know it already about not being complacent,” he said. “We cannot continue losing points away — that is very important for us.

“We are six points from Arsenal. They play Manchester United, it’s a difficult game for both of them. It is the moment for us to recover points, two or three points. We will see what happens.”

Sunday’s Fixtures

Tottenham v Newcastle
Sunderland v Man City
Man United v Arsenal 
Swansea v Stoke

Stenson shares new record at Turkish Open

Stenson arrived in Turkey leading nearest Race to Dubai rival Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, who has elected not to contest this week’s lucrative event. PHOTO: AFP/FILE

BELEK: Current European number one Henrik Stenson helped himself to a share of a new course record with a 64 as the storm-affected first round of the Turkish Open was completed on Friday.

Stenson, along with playing partners Tiger Woods and Justin Rose, was among 63 players in the elite 78-player event who returned to the Maxx Royal course to recommence their round after Thursday was hit by a three-hour delay.

The Swede was staring at a 3-wood second shot into the par five 11th green before minutes later walking off with a birdie en route to an eight-under-par 64 which saw him join South African Darren Fichardt and Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn in a share of the course record.

“After some good playing yesterday [Thursday] I was in a good position and I just carried on today making a couple of nice birdies coming in,” said Stenson. “So I am very happy with my score, but then I am taking it one shot at a time as my right wrist is still not in great shape.”

Stenson arrived in Turkey leading nearest Race to Dubai rival Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland, who has elected not to contest this week’s lucrative event.

Reigning US Open champion Justin Rose is lying third on the money list, with Ian Poulter fourth, and a win for Stenson will leave him well placed to end the season as European Tour number one.

Woods restarted his round 15 hours after he left the course staring at a 20-yard chip shot over a bunker, but ran out of luck when he found a water hazard with his second shot at the 18th to eventually take a bogey in a two-under-par 70.

Prediction: Premier League top five

5) Tottenham-

The major reason of Spurs activeness in the transfer window is to secure a top four finish on the log, as they hope to avoid last season’s mishap. However, I don’t see any of that happening; their new players are yet to blend with the old players, and the quality advantage of other teams fighting for the same spot. The sale of influential talisman, Gareth Bale Is also bound to play a minor role in spurs missing out of UEFA Champions League football next season.

4) Liverpool- The Reds have been absentees from the Uefa Champions league for 3 seasons now, but are set to fight for a champion’s league spot this season. The vindications for this
renewed belief are; the holding on to their Uruguayan dictator Luis Suarez, quality signings in the transfer market, and the massive improvement of former Chelsea outcast Daniel Sturridge. A fourth place for the reds is certain this season, even more destined to England losing on penalties.

3) Manchester United- its unusual to find the devils in such a low placed position- finishing 3rd on the log is tagged as ‘’losing’’ to the English giants. And one can’t deny the culprit of this mentality was installed by Alex Ferguson. Unfortunately, his retirement from the club has
seen a new face in the dugout, who is having a torrid times replicating his predecessor.

2) Chelsea- The return of Mourinho to Chelsea was gracefully received. Not just for the London club alone, but for the media, and rivalry he brings to the league. He is the sort of manager that plays to his own game, an illustration of that is the benching of a player who was the best player for the blues last term. His almost positive start to the season would continue in my opinion, and that would yield a higher placed finish for Chelsea unlike last season.

1) Arsenal- The audacious signing of Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid , the improvement of majority of the players has seen that thirst quenched; citing Olivier Giroud as an example. Ramsey is also in a super form . So I think They are a strong contender for this season's title .

PIA losses mount with delay in lease of new aircraft

The global aviation industry might see growth going forward, but PIA may fail to reap any benefits from this situation as the rupee experienced a steep depreciation. PHOTO: FILE

KARACHI: Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) continues to suffer due to delay in lease of new aircraft as it saw a 12.5% decline in revenue and a 42% rise in losses in nine months ended September 2013.

Revenue has come down to Rs71.1 billion from Rs82 billion as PIA continues to face trouble in keeping sufficient number of aircraft on routes. This has adversely affected the airline, which has been forced to cut the number of flights on international routes.

PIA has been asking the government  to release funds for leasing narrow-body fuel-efficient planes, officials say. The national flag carrier has a fleet of 30 aircraft in service, many of which are grounded for want of repair.

The airline posted a loss of Rs31.9 billion despite relative stability in the price of jet fuel. PIA’s Director Report said the global aviation industry might see growth going forward as oil prices have remained stable and tensions in the Middle East have subsided. However, PIA failed to reap any benefits from this situation as the rupee experienced a steep depreciation against the dollar, which added to its expenses.

This can be gauged from the fact that the airline’s finance cost jumped 10.7% to Rs9.3 billion for the nine-month period.

The government has decided to sell off the company after some restructuring, but a detailed plan is yet to be finalised. The company’s management, on its part, has started to take steps to save the cash-strapped organisation. It has constituted a committee comprising former officers and serving employees to propose ways to reduce fiscal leakages and enhance revenues.

Nadal’s win ensures last-4 spot for Wawrinka

Nadal has now won his 16th head-to-head encounter with Berdych, and his previous defeat against the Czech came way back in 2006. Photo: AFP

LONDON: Rafael Nadal helped ‘good friend’ Stanislas Wawrinka into the semi-finals as he secured top spot in Group A at the ATP Tour World Finals with a victory over Tomas Berdych.

Nadal had already qualified for the last four of the season-ending event at London’s O2 Arena and his 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 win against Berdych ensured a first-place finish with a 100% record from his three group matches.

Czech fifth-seed Berdych could have gone through with a win, but instead he was eliminated and Swiss seventh-seed Wawrinka progressed to the last four following his 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 6-1 victory over Spanish third-seed David Ferrer earlier on Friday.

“Stan [Wawrinka] came to the locker room and said good luck. I said I would try my best,” said Nadal. “It’s a good result for Stan. He’s a good friend of mine.

“I wish Tomas a good holiday and good luck for the Davis Cup final [against Serbia]. In the second set he played great and it was very difficult to stop him.”

With the number one spot in the year-end world rankings wrapped up after victories in his first two Group A matches, Nadal was free to focus fully on his bid to win the Tour Finals for the first time.

The 27-year-old has only made the final once, losing to Federer in 2010, but he would love to end that barren run and cap a remarkable return to action this year after seven months out with career-threatening knee tendinitis.