Tara Moore loses Nottingham Open quarter-final to Saisai Zheng

• 2 hours ago
• From the sectionTennis

Moore was facing an opponent ranked 194 places above her

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British number four Tara Moore was beaten in the Nottingham Open quarter-finals, losing 6-2 6-4 to Saisai Zheng of China.

Hong Kong-born Moore, 23, was the last British player in the event, having overcome world number 67 Christina McHale 6-2 6-2 to reach the last eight.

But the world number 280 could not take any of four break-point chances against Johanna Konta's conqueror Zheng.

She also served five double faults as 22-year-old Zheng won in 83 minutes.

• Robson claims rare top-100 scalp

Moore revealed she had been hampered by injury and told BBC Sport: "It was there, I could feel it, but I can't fault Saisai for the way she played, she didn't give me much of an opportunity.

"Every loss is a disappointment. It's been a great week and I have to take the positives and look forward to Birmingham next week. I do think I've improved a lot of things I needed to and going forward I am really excited about how things can progress."

Top-seeded Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic and unseeded Alison Riske of the United States won two matches each on Saturday to reach Sunday's final, after Friday's quarter-finals were washed out.

Pliskova beat Monica Puig of Puerto Rico 6-2 6-2 in 54 minutes after earlier seeing off Ashleigh Barty of Australia 7-6 (7-2) 7-6 (9-7).

Riske took three match points to beat Zheng 6-1 7-5 in her semi-final, after earlier beating Anett Kontaveit of Estonia 6-3 6-3.

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Raila opens his wallet and starts 2017 spending..........

Cord leader Raila Odinga during a campaign rally in Mathare constituency on July 29, 2014. Raila has put together an efficient campaign team to handle party finances. /HEZRON NJOROGE

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Opposition leader Raila Odinga has prepared a sturdy financial war chest for what may his last attempt at the Presidency next year.

Historically Raila has been considered a stingy politician but he now appears to have started serious personal spending.

He has been facilitating his co-principals Kalonzo Musyoka and Moses Wetang'ula to travel across the country as well as providing the bulk of the money needed to organise Cord activities.

He pays from his pocket for the offices and staff at Capitol Hill, owned by the late Harban Singh, which are now being used as the Cord joint secretariat. Recently, he ordered for a review of the working terms of his secretariat who got salary increments and enhanced allowances. The Staff at Orange House are paid from the ODM coffers

The exact amounts released by Raila remain confidential but sources says the former Prime Minister has been willing to fund budgets with ease unlike before.

"Sometimes he delivers the cash using other people and it could be in millions," said an aide to the Cord leader.

Raila has put together an efficient campaign team to handle party finances as well as his political diary.

The recent appointment of former Special Projects PS Andrew Mondoh as Chief of Staff at the Cord secretariat has streamlined operations and increased impetus.

With 14 months left to the 2017 general election, Raila has been making high profile foreign trips and staging costly political rallies in Western Kenya, Mombasa, Nairobi, Meru, Nyanza and recently Garissa.

In Nairobi alone Raila has bankrolled multiple rallies attended by thousands of supporters in the scramble for the strategic city vote.

"You have seen for yourselves. It will no longer be business as usual in Cord. Kama ni pesa, tutatumia pia, kwani wao ni nani? (if it is money, we will also spend, otherwise who are they (Jubilee)?," a senior official at the Cord secretariat told the Star.

"We will prove wrong our critics who said we had run out of steam," said the official.

"Expect more in the coming days, we have taken time to plan, get resources and now it is spending time," said the official who is acquainted with Cord's internal operations.

During the Madaraka Day rally in Uhuru Park, Raila reportedly spent Sh2 Million on logistics alone.

Cord hired a clear and powerful public address system and provided entertainment unit from musicians Emma Jalamo and Lady Mourine.

Buses were also hired to ferry supporters from as far as Machakos, Ngong, Kajiado and take them back after close of business. Historically Raila and cord have not been known to facilitate crowds.

Last Saturday Raila stormed Garissa Township where there was heavy mobilisation with thousands of Cord supporters