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Sport

Medvedev grinds out win over Dimitrov to reach U.S. Open final

Medvedev

New York, Sept. 7, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Daniil Medvedev will play for a first Grand Slam title after grinding out a 7-6(5) 6-4 6-3 win over Grigor Dimitrov in their U.S. Open semi-final on Friday.

Medvedev has had a complicated relationship with the Flushing Meadows crowds, who cast him as a U.S. Open bad boy following some on-court antics.

But the fifth seeded Russian has been as good as gold where it matters — on the scoreboard.

The win sends Medvedev through to his fourth straight final and stretches his win streak to 12 matches.

He also becomes the first Russian man to reach a Grand Slam final since Marat Safin at the 2005 Australian Open.

Medvedev now awaits the winner of the other semi-final between three-time champion Rafa Nadal and surprise package Matteo Berrettini of Italy. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/MZA

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Sport

Defending champion Osaka falls to Bencic at U.S. Open

Osaka

New York, Sept. 2, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Holder Naomi Osaka of Japan was upset 7-5 6-4 by Belinda Bencic in the fourth round at the U.S. Open on Monday as the Swiss reached the quarter-finals for the second time.

Bencic, seeded 13th, broke the world number one in the first game of the match under the closed roof of Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Her superior serving carried the day as she won 82% of her first serve points on a rainy day in New York.

Momentum swung firmly in the 22-year-old Bencic’s direction in the second set when Osaka double faulted to hand the Swiss a 3-2 lead.

The top-seeded Japanese, who appeared to struggle with a troublesome left knee, was unable to recover.

The win meant Bencic improved to 3-0 this year against the 21-year-old Osaka, who came through an emotional straight sets win over 15-year-old American Coco Gauff in the third round. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/MZA

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Sport

U.S. Open: Svitolina serves her way past Keys into quarter-finals

Svitolina

New York, Sept. 2, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Ukrainian fifth seed Elina Svitolina delivered a solid serving performance to beat American Madison Keys 7-5 6-4 on Sunday and secure a spot in the U.S. Open quarter-finals.

Keys, who finished runnerup in 2017, struggled with her backhand and Svitolina won 92 per cent of her first serve points.

She also did not face a single break point during the 75-minute clash under the Arthur Ashe Stadium lights.

“Very pleased that I could play very consistent tonight and in such a great atmosphere is very special,” said Svitolina, who capped the match in style when she served out to love.

With the win, Svitolina is the first Ukrainian woman to reach the U.S. Open quarter-finals since Kateryna Bondarenko in 2009.

Up next for Svitolina will be Briton Johanna Konta, who upset Czech third seed Karolina Pliskova earlier on Sunday. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/MZA

Edited by Maharazu Ahmed

Sport

U.S. Open: Ex-tennis champion Stephens ousted by Russian qualifier

US Open

New York, Aug. 28, 2019 (Reuters/NAN) Former champion Sloane Stephens was stunned by Russian qualifier Anna Kalinskaya 6-3 6-4 in the first round of the U.S. Open on Tuesday after an inconsistent display during which she was unable to find any sort of rhythm.

The American 11th seed, who triumphed here in 2017, fought off two match points but on the third was caught out of position behind the baseline.

The Russian ripped a backhand that clipped the net chord and landed in.

“I was playing one good point, one bad point, one good point. The inconsistency doesn’t help me at all,” said Stephens.

“She did a good job just staying there, keep fighting. She never really let me in. Kudos to her. She executed her game style really well.”

Kalinskaya, playing her first career Grand Slam night match and first inside Arthur Ashe Stadium, did not appear intimidated facing Stephens.

The 20-year-old Russian, who won three qualifying matches to make the main draw, broke Stephens at her first opportunity to pull ahead 5-3 in the first set.

And she never looked back as she went on to secure the biggest win of her young career.

“It feels amazing to win the first match on this court, a subdued Kalinskaya said in her on-court interview.

“I just tried to focus and don’t think too much about her and think just about my game.”

Kalinskaya was only broken once during the match and managed to convert three of her four break point chances.

Up next for Kalinskaya will be American wildcard Kristie Ahn, who stunned Cincinnati runner-up and 2004 U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova earlier on Tuesday. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/SH

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edited by Sadiya Hamza

Sport

Umpire who gave pep talk to Kyrgios at U.S. Open suspended by ATP

Umpire who gave pep talk to Kyrgios at U.S. Open suspended by ATP

Suspension

London, Sept. 18, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) The Swedish chair umpire who gave a pep talk to Australian Nick Kyrgios during a U.S. Open match this year has been suspended for two weeks, the ATP Tour said on Tuesday.

Mohamed Lahyani got down from his chair to offer some words of encouragement to Kyrgios, who was a set and a break down to Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert during a second-round clash in New York.

The Swede gestured and pleaded with Kyrgios telling him: “I want to help you” and “I’ve seen your matches: you’re great for tennis … I know this is not you.”

Kyrgios has been previously fined by the ATP in the past for lack of best efforts.

Kyrgios’s level of play rose dramatically after the bizarre incident and went on to win the match in four sets.

An internal ATP review decided Lahyani’s actions were deemed to have compromised the impartiality required of an official.

“Mohamed is a world-class and highly-respected official.

“However, his actions during the match crossed a line that compromised his own impartiality as a chair umpire,” Gayle David Bradshaw, the ATP’s Executive Vice President of Rules & Competition, said in a statement.

“Although well-intended, his actions were regrettable and cannot go without disciplinary action on our own Tour.

“We know that he will learn from this experience and we look forward to welcoming him back in October.”

Lahyani, who was next scheduled to work at the China Open and Shanghai Masters, will return to the umpire’s chair during the Oct. 15-21 Stockholm Open.

While the incident took place at a tournament that falls under the jurisdiction of the United States Tennis Association, it was still subject to ATP disciplinary action.

This is because of Lahyani’s position as a full-time ATP employee. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/AFA

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Edited by Felix Ajide

 

Sport

Australian newspaper defends Serena Williams cartoon despite outrage

Serena

Melbourne (Australia), Sept. 11, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) An Australian newspaper defended its cartoonist on Tuesday after publishing a caricature of Serena Williams having a temper tantrum at the U.S. Open tennis tournament.

The cartoon has been condemned as racist by civil rights leaders, celebrities and fans.

Cartoonist Mark Knight’s image, published in Melbourne’s Herald Sun, showed an angry Williams with exaggerated lips and tongue.

She was also depicted as having a wild plume of curly hair rising from the top of her head as she stomped on her tennis racket.

“This despicable cartoon tried and failed to diminish the greatness & grace of @serenawilliams. Racism in any form is unacceptable,” civil rights activist Rev. Jesse Jackson tweeted on Monday.

The cartoon was intended as a lampoon of the tennis star’s angry exchanges with chair umpire Carlos Ramos at the U.S. Women’s Singles final in New York on Saturday.

Williams clashed with Ramos over penalties she thought she did not deserve and ultimately lost to Naomi Osaka, a 20-year-old player born in Japan.

Knight’s portrayal of Osaka as blond and light-skinned also drew criticism for being racist.

The Herald Sun reported on Tuesday that Knight had been mentioned on Twitter nearly 74,000 times following the cartoon’s publication.

“This isn’t satire – it is disgusting racist caricature,” Twitter user Rose Weber wrote on Tuesday.

The Herald Sun, owned by a News Corp subsidiary, published a defence of its cartoonist on the home page of its website, quoting Knight as saying:

“The cartoon about Serena is about her poor behaviour on the day, not about race.”

Williams was fined $17,000 for three code violations during the controversial match, including breaking a racket and verbally abusing the umpire.

She did not stomp on her racket during the match as the cartoon portrayed.

The National Association of Black Journalists said the cartoon was “repugnant on many levels.”

“The Sept 10 cartoon not only exudes racist, sexist caricatures of both women, but Williams’ depiction is unnecessarily sambo-like,” the association said in a statement.

“Sambo,” a derogatory term for a black person, is the name of a folkloric figure usually depicted with an exaggerated mouth and an ape-like stance.

Some Twitter users, however, contested that the image was not racist.

Lynne Adams tweeted on Tuesday, “Serena Williams is a large black woman who had a complete meltdown, what is racist about this cartoon.”

After the match, Twitter users and tennis commentators alike said the penalties assessed to Williams were excessively harsh, and some said they may have reflected sexism and racism in tennis officiating.

Williams said that male players were held to a lower standard for court conduct.

“I’m here fighting for women’s rights and women’s equality,” Williams said at a news conference after the match. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/AFA

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Edited by Felix Ajide

 

Sport

Unseeded Millman sends Federer crashing out, Sharapova also ousted

Federer

New York (U.S.), Sept. 4, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Roger Federer made a shock exit from the U.S. Open on Monday after the five-times champion was beaten 3-6 7-5 7-6(7) 7-6(3) by unseeded Australian John Millman in the round of 16.

Millman advanced to a quarter-final match-up against sixth seed Novak Djokovic.

Earlier, there was also an upset in the women’s game. Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro celebrated her 30th birthday in style at the U.S. Open by beating Russian Maria Sharapova 6-4 6-3 to book her place in the quarter-finals.

Millman, ranked 55th in the world, was dominated by Federer in the first set but turned the tables on the Swiss to take the second then held his nerve through two tiebreaks to secure the win in three hours and 34 minutes.

The Australian said he froze in the first set but was able to take control by relying on his fighting qualities.

“Felt like a deer in the headlights to begin with, to be honest,” he said courtside.

“I’ve got to control the controllable and the one thing I can control is the fight in me. I’ve always brought the fight up.”

Second seed Federer, who had not dropped a set in his first three matches in New York, had 77 unforced errors and 10 double faults and landed just 49 percent of his first serves.

Millman said the victory had yet to sink in.

“I’m probably in a little bit of disbelief. I have so much respect for Roger and everything he’s done for the game,” he added. “He’s a hero of mine. Today he was not at his best but I’ll take it.”

Sharapova, the 2006 champion, had never lost a night session match in New York prior to her first Grand Slam meeting with Suarez Navarro.

“Thank you so much guys,” Suarez Navarro said courtside after being wished happy birthday by the crowd. “It’s the first time I’ve played this year at night.

“I’m very happy because I played a good match.”

Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova paid the price for 38 unforced errors and won less than half of her first serve points while committing eight double faults.

“I didn’t take care of the chances that I had,” the Russian told reporters.

“By chances, I mean the balls that were a little bit shorter.

Suarez will meet last year’s runner up Madison Keys in the quarters and knows she will be the underdog against the 14th seeded American.

“It will be a really tough match. She is from the United States so the crowd will probably help her,” Suarez Navarro added. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA

 

Sport

Osaka reaches first Grand Slam quarter-final

Osaka
New York (U.S.), Sept. 3, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Japan’s Naomi Osaka reached her first Grand Slam quarter-final by beating Aryna Sabalenka 6-3 2-6 6-4 in a pressure-packed clash of two hard-serving 20-year-old prospects.

Osaka, who won the Indian Wells Masters tournament in March, fired nine aces and produced 32 unforced errors, 10 fewer than her Belarussian opponent, in a gusty defensive performance.

Sabalenka, who saved three break points in the final set, flung her racket in dismay after committing a double-fault on match point, handing victory to her 19th-ranked opponent.

An emotional Osaka wiped tears from her eyes in an on-court interview, thanking the crowd and saying she would not have forgiven herself had she lost.

“I was just thinking I have to fight for every point; even if I break a leg I should try to get to every ball,” she said.

Osaka next faces either unseeded Czech Marketa Vondrousova, who upset 13th seed Kiki Bertens in the third round, or Lesia Tsurenko of Ukraine, who were playing later in the Grandstand. (Reuters/NAN)
KIA/NKO
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Edited by Nkechi Okoronkwo

Sport

Djokovic beats heat and Sousa to reach U.S. Open quarters

Djokovic
New York (U.S.), Sept. 3, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Novak Djokovic sweated his way to a 6-3 6-4 6-3 fourth round win over Joao Sousa as the heat returned to the U.S. Open on Monday.

The victory sets up a potentially mouth-watering quarter-final meeting with Roger Federer.

Djokovic did his part improving his perfect record in U.S. Open fourth round contests to 11-0 leaving it to Federer.

The Swiss will take on Australian John Millman in the late contest on Arthur Ashe Stadium court to give the fans what would be a hotly anticipated matchup.

A Federer versus Djokovic clash would provide the perfect contest to propel the U.S. Open into the second week, with the two champions having claimed seven titles at Flushing Meadows between them.

Sousa arrived at the season’s final Grand Slam in dreadful form having lost his last seven matches.

But he suddenly found his game on the Flushing Meadows hard courts knocking off two seeded players, number 12 Pablo Carreno Busta and number 17 Lucas Pouille, on route to the last 16.

The first Portuguese player to reach the fourth round of any Grand Slam, the 68th ranked Sousa never looked a threat to progress any further.

The biggest concern for Djokovic might well have been the conditions as the heat returned to New York after a few days of relief.

Through his opening round matches Djokovic and his play both suffered under a blazing sun and with temperatures once again nudging into the 90s Fahrenheit (32 Celsius).

The sixth seed went off court two sets and 2-1 up for a medical evaluation.

The 13-times Grand Slam winner had made easy work of the opening set, breaking Sousa twice, the second time to close out set.

Things grew tougher in the second as a sluggish Djokovic laboured before again clinching the set with a break.

As the temperatures rose so did the tempers, both players engaging in animated arguments with chair umpire James Keothavong over points.

Djokovic, however, was able to keep is cool just long enough to finish off Sousa with another late break. (Reuters/NAN)
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Edited by Nkechi Okoronkwo

Sport

Keys crushes Cibulkova to reach U.S. Open quarters

Keys crushes Cibulkova to reach U.S. Open quarters

Flushing Meadows

New York (U.S.), Sept. 3, 2018 (Reuters/NAN) Madison Keys eased into the quarter-finals of the U.S. Open with a 6-1 6-3 victory over Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova on Monday.

The 14th-seeded American, looking to go one better than her runner-up finish at Flushing Meadows last year, relied on both her dangerous serve and powerful groundstrokes.

She effectively denied Cibulkova any chance of an upset win.

Cibulkova, who arrived on the Arthur Ashe Stadium court brimming with confidence after toppling Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber in the previous round, countered with a similarly aggressive game to little avail.

With the U.S. Open’s heat advisory put back into effect, the pair traded punishing groundstrokes under the blazing sun.

It was Cibulkova who was often pinned well behind the baseline and at the mercy of her opponent.

Keys has been solid in New York, having dropped a single set through four matches, and turned it up a notch against her 29th-seeded opponent.

She lost only 10 points on serve during a 76-minute match in which she was broken once.

Cibulkova pulled ahead 3-2 in the second set but Keys stormed home from there and clinched the win on her second match point when the Slovak sent a forehand wide.

She had not reached this stage of the final Grand Slam since reaching the last eight in 2010.

With the win, Keys improved to 5-0 lifetime against Cibulkova and becomes only the second woman, after Kerber, to reach the quarter-finals or better at three of the four Grand Slams this year.

Next up for Keys is the winner of the evening clash between five-time Grand Slam champion Maria Sharapova and Spanish 30th seed Carla Suarez Navarro. (Reuters/NAN)

KIA/SA

Edited by Salif Atojoko

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