. "The match started pretty well and I had | Forum
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Jan 1 '18
MONACO -- Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso posted the fastest time in the rain-disrupted second practice session at the Monaco Grand Prix on Thursday. Vince Williams Jersey . Formula One leader Lewis Hamilton was second. Alonso, third overall in the championship, clocked 1 minute, 18.482 seconds. Hamilton was .419 seconds behind, and Sebastian Vettel .535 behind for Red Bull. Frenchman Jean-Eric Vergne was fourth best for Toro Rosso. Spectators waited for nearly 40 minutes as drivers stayed in their garages until the track dried after some showers. Hamilton was fastest in the morning session ahead of Mercedes teammate Nico Rosberg, and Red Bull driver Daniel Ricciardo. There is a final practice session on Saturday morning before qualifying in the afternoon. Hamilton, who has won 26 races, has never started from the pole in Monaco despite securing 35 career poles elsewhere. "It felt really good out there today. I had a good first session and was then really pleased to get those last few laps in the dry this afternoon," Hamilton said. "Im feeling pretty set for Saturday. There is still some work to do, but we have tomorrow to look into that." The British driver is confident he can end his barren run in Monaco, where he has not won since 2008, the year he won the F1 title. "This track is one of the coolest ever," Hamilton said. "Its such a classic race, and Ive been trying to win here again since 2008, so Im hoping this is the year as we have such a great car." Hamilton has four poles this season, with Rosberg clinching the other, meaning Mercedes have swept all five races and all five poles. Hamilton has won the previous four and Rosberg took the opening GP in Australia, where Hamilton retired with engine failure. Rosberg, who secured his maiden Monaco GP win last year, trails Hamilton by three points overall. "It seems that we are looking very quick here again, although our main competitors seem to be a little closer to us than in Barcelona," the German said. "The conditions werent great this afternoon so I didnt take any risks as there was nothing to learn on the wet parts of the track." Monacos tight, sinewy circuit makes overtaking almost impossible and puts whoever gets pole into a prime position. But given that engine power is less important than at other races, Red Bull could end Mercedes winning streak if Vettel or Ricciardo can upstage Hamilton and Rosberg in qualifying. "The nature of the circuit doesnt put such a premium on straight-line performance, which has obviously been our weakness this year. Were hoping to give these guys (Mercedes) a run for their money," Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said. "Its been an encouraging start to the weekend. When you consider where we were preseason, weve come a long way in a couple of months." Vettel was fifth fastest in the first practice behind Alonso. The Spaniard is 51 points behind Hamilton but four ahead of Vettel, his main rival from previous seasons, who is fourth. In the mornings run in overcast, chilly conditions, British driver Max Chilton spun off in his Marussia car, while struggling German driver Adrian Sutil stalled his Sauber. Swedish driver Marcus Ericsson slammed his Caterham into the barriers with a minute remaining in the afternoon run. Ernie Stautner Jersey . -- The Detroit Lions made it crystal clear to Golden Tate that he was their top target in free agency. Lynn Swann Jersey . - The Cleveland Indians will place centerfielder Michael Bourn on the disabled list before their opener at Oakland on March 31.DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Roger Federer won a record sixth Dubai Championships -- and 78th career title -- by beating Tomas Berdych 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the final on Saturday. Federer, who maintains a home in Dubai, delighted a packed stadium of fans who seemed biased for the Swiss in back-to-back wins over Novak Djokovic in the semifinals and Berdych. "Things definitely went my way out here tonight," Federer said. "Ive had a lot of tough matches in the last year and a half so it was nice to get a lucky break again." The victory was hard fought as Federer lost the first serve and his serve in the second to trail 3-2. Federers win, his sixth here in the last 12 years, extends his record of winning at least one title a year to 14 consecutive years. This is Federers first tournament victory since winning in Halle, his only title of 2013, last spring. Federer improved his record over Berdych to 12-6 with the win. The last time they played, however, Berdych beat Federer in the Dubai semifinals last year. "Hes the greatest player of all time and hell never give up and give you anything for free," Berdych said. "I knew that and thought I was ready for it, but my execution wasnt good enough to hold it to the end." The loss ended Berdychs longest winning streak of his career at 11 matches. In the firstt set, the fourth-seeded Federers forehand looked shaky and he appeared a step slow. Eli Rogers Jersey. After exchanging early service breaks, the third-seeded Berdych snared the go-ahead break in the sixth game. On a second break point at 30-40, Federer netted a backhand to lose serve. In the second set, there was another early exchange of breaks. From 4-4, Federer won the final eight points of the set to even the set score. "Everything happens very, very quickly and I was looking for better serving because thats what let me down the most in the beginning, getting broken three times in five, six service games," Federer said. Both players had break opportunities in the first two games of the third set -- Berdych three and Federer one -- but each held. Federer secured his way to victory when he broke Berdych on a second break point in the fourth game. The Swiss faced two break points on his serve in the seventh game but held on for 5-2. Berdych was able to save two Federer match points on his own serve in the eighth game. But the Czech couldnt stop Federer from serving out. On Federers third match point at 40-15 in the ninth game, Berdych netted a backhand return. "The match started pretty well and I had many chances," Berdych said. "Its very disappointing for me the way I handled that situation." Cheap NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Cheap NFL Jerseys Authentic Wholesale Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys China NFL Cheap Jerseys ' ' '
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