SUZUKA, Sunday: A rampant Lewis Hamilton led a Mercedes one-two at the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday to move to the brink of a fifth Formula One world title.
The Briton dominated at Suzuka after starting on pole, stretching his lead over Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel to 67 points with just four races left as the German’s hopes were dashed by a collision with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Valtteri Bottas held off Verstappen to take second almost 13 seconds behind Hamilton in a breathless 53-lap race at the fast-flowing Japanese circuit.
“Woo-hoo! I love you guys!” Hamilton screamed over team radio after his sixth win in the last seven races.
“I hope you guys are not getting bored of this -- because I’m definitely not.”
Vettel realistically needed to win to keep alive his fading title hopes but, despite making up four places in a frantic start after starting on the fourth row, spun off on lap eight in a shower of sparks after a risky lunge on Verstappen.
The German, who began from eighth in qualifying, survived the scrape but found himself back in 19th and could only finish sixth, dealing a hammer blow to his slim title hopes.
Hamilton will retain his world title if he wins the next race at Austin and Vettel fails to finish second.
“It’s a great one-two for Mercedes and a true showing of the strength in depth we have,” said the Briton after his fifth Japan victory and ninth of the season.
“I can’t wait to unleash this beast in Austin,” he added, pointing at his car. “We’ve gone from strength to strength this year as a team but I’m taking it one step at a time.”
Daniel Ricciardo finished fourth for Red Bull after starting way back in 15th with Kimi Raikkonen fifth after Ferrari opted not to switch his position with Vettel for the sake of two extra points.
Vettel was left wondering what might have been after a ruining an electric start with an ill-advised attempt to duck inside Verstappen at turn 13.
“In that corner you can’t overtake,” shrugged the Dutchman, who had earlier received a five-second penalty for nudging Raikkonen off the track.
“I even gave him space but he under-steered into my car.”
Red Bull boss Christian Horner put it even more bluntly when asked to assess Vettel’s rush of blood.
“It was a bit late and obviously opportunistic,” he said. “You know with Max, he’s never going to give an inch and it’s cost Sebastian dear today. That’s probably the end of his championship.”
Vettel saw it differently.
“The gap was there, I had the inside,” he fumed.
“I had the speed. I made the corner and then he didn’t give enough room and we touched.”
Further down the order, Sergio Perez took seventh for Force India ahead of Romain Grosjean’s Haas.
The second Force India of Esteban Ocon came in ninth with Renault’s Carlos Sainz Jr 10th. – AFP
Party-pooper Medvedev stuns Nishikori to win Japan Open
TOKYO, Sunday - Kei Nishikori’s hopes of a third Japan Open crown were dashed Sunday by Russian qualifier Daniil Medvedev, who crushed the local hero 6-2, 6-4 to play party-pooper.
Medvedev punched well above his world ranking of 32 and overpowered third seed Nishikori in a one-sided Tokyo final, taking just 63 minutes to scoop his third career title.
Nishikori, who won the tournament in 2012 and 2014, had not dropped a set before running into the beefy Russian and came into the match as the overwhelming favourite.
But Medvedev snaffled an early break thanks to a wild backhand from Nishikori, who gift-wrapped the first set to his opponent with a tame double-fault.
A misfiring Nishikori, who won the last of his 11 career titles in Memphis two years ago, continued to struggle as his towering opponent grew in confidence.
Chasing a first tournament victory after recovering from a lengthy wrist injury, the world number 12 never really threatened Medvedev’s serve and went out in a flurry of unforced errors.
Medvedev completed the upset with a drilled forehand to join a eye-popping list of Japan winners that includes Roger Federer, Pete Sampras, John McEnroe and Ken Rosewall. - AFP
Wozniacki wins 30th title with China Open victory
BEIJING, Sunday - Australian Open champion Caroline Wozniacki won her 30th WTA singles title as she beat Latvia’s Anastasija Sevastova 6-3, 6-3 in the China Open final on Sunday.
The Danish world number two was impressive all week in Beijing, never dropping a set and rarely looking troubled, sealing her spot in the WTA Finals Singapore in the process.
The 28-year-old Wozniacki, who won the China Open in 2010, was once more imperious against the 20th-ranked Sevastova, who briefly retired from tennis in May 2013 with injury.
Wozniacki, whose form has been patchy in the second half of the year, was ruthless on her serve and wrapped up the first set with an overhead smash to underline her superiority.
Top seed Juan Martin del Potro will be strong favourite when he faces unseeded Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili in the men’s final later Sunday. - AFP
Del Potro suffers shock Beijing final defeat
Beijing, Sunday: Juan Martin del Potro suffered a shock defeat in the China Open final on Sunday, losing 6-4, 6-4 to unseeded Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia.
The Argentine top seed has been suffering with a cold in Beijing, but it was not immediately clear how much that had hindered his performance.
It is only the second title of 34th-ranked Basilashvili’s career. The all-action 26-year-old immediately broke Del Potro’s serve in the first game and appeared unfazed by his opponent’s stellar reputation. Del Potro, the world number four who reached the final of the US Open, is enjoying one of the finest seasons of a career once in danger of being destroyed by wrist injuries.
But the 30-year-old never looked close to his best against Basilashvili, who won his maiden ATP title in Hamburg in July. - AFP
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