ARAB TIMES, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2021 16 Cleveland Cavaliers’ Collin Sexton (left), and Denver Nuggets’ Jamal Murray reach for the ball during the fi rst half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Feb 19, 2021, in Cleveland. Nuggets won 120 - 103.(AP) – Page 15 Sports Latest sports scores at — http://sports.arabtimesonline.com Osaka claims 4th Grand Slam title Japanese improves to 4-0 in major finals by beating Brady in Australian Open final MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb 20, (AP): The trouble for Naomi Osaka at Grand Slam tournaments comes in Week 1. Get beyond that stage at the hard-court majors, though, and start preparing to etch her name on the trophy. Osaka won her fourth title in her past eight appearances at a Slam, emerging from what initially was a tight Australian Open fi nal and pulling away by grabbing six con- secutive games to beat Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-3 on Saturday. With strong serving that produced six aces, Osaka improved to 4-0 in major finals, the first woman to start her career that way since Monica Seles did it 30 years ago. For Osaka, that is part of a 12-0 record so far in the quar- terfinals, semifinals and finals at the majors. “She played really well when she had to,” Brady said. “She hit good shots when she needed them.” Osaka, the 2020 AP Female Athlete of the Year, is also on a 21-match win- ning streak that dates to last season. That includes a championship at last year’s U.S. Open. She also won the U.S. Open in 2018, and the Australian Open in 2019. “Tonight it wasn’t meant to be,” Brady said after participating in her first Grand Slam final at age 25. “Hopefully there’s many more.” The 23-year-old Osaka was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and Haitian father, and moved to the United States with her family when she was 3. TENNIS She was seeded No. 3 at Melbourne Park and is now assured of moving up to No. 2. Only two active women own more Slam titles than Osaka: Serena Williams, with 23, and her sister, Venus, with seven. Next task for Osaka is improving on clay and grass: She’s never been past the third round at the French Open or Wimbledon. “She’s such an inspiration to us all, Japan’s Naomi Osaka holds the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup aloft after defeating United States Jennifer Brady in the women’s singles fi nal at the Australian Open tennis championship in and what she’s doing for the game is Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Feb 20. (AP) amazing in getting the sport out there,” said Brady, an American who was chuckle, after asking her whether she seeded 22nd. “I hope young girls at prefers to be called Jenny or Jennifer. 10-man West Brom draw at Burnley home are watching and inspired by “To see your growth over the past few what she’s doing.” months is really cool for me to see.” Brady had to go through a hard quar- During the pre-match coin toss, the antine for 15 days when she arrived in silver women’s trophy stood on a clear, Australia in January because someone plastic pedestal not far from Osaka on on her flight tested positive for COVID- her side of the net. After beating Serena Saints hold Chelsea to end bad run 19 when they arrived. Williams in the semifinals, Osaka had This was a big step up in competition made her intentions clear: “I have this SOUTHAMPTON, England, Feb before pushing a shot past goalkeep- during this tournament for Brady, who mentality that people don’t remember 20, (AP): Mason Mount’s penalty er Edouard Mendy. had not faced anyone ranked in the Top the runners-up. You might, but the win- gave Chelsea a 1-1 draw at South- Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham 25 nor anyone who previously appeared ner’s name is the one that’s engraved.” ampton on Saturday as the hosts was withdrawn at halftime with an- Levante ‘end’ Atlético’s in so much as one Grand Slam semifinal. And she keeps making sure that ended a six-game losing run in the other ankle problem, and Callum Brady’s only previous final four name is hers. Premier League. Hudson-Odoi came on. The winger appearance at a major came at the U.S. The point stopped Thomas had an almost immediate impact, 11-game unbeaten run Open in September, when she lost to It was cooler than it’s been in Melbourne recently, with the tempera- Tuchel’s side recording a sixth with his ball into the box forcing Osaka in three sets. MADRID, Feb 20, (AP): Atlético Atlético had won nine of their She wasn’t able to push the champ as ture down below 70 degrees Fahrenheit straight win in all competitions. Danny Ings to bring down Mount, (20 degrees Celsius) and a breeze that Takumi Minamino’s fi ne fi nish who converted the penalty in the Madrid lost 2-0 at home to Levante last 11 league matches and hadn’t much this time. in the Spanish league on Saturday, lost since a 1-0 defeat at Real “I told everyone that would listen made serve tosses difficult for both put Southampton ahead in the 33rd 54th minute. that you’re going to be a problem - and players, who would catch the ball minute. The Japan forward cut inside Chelsea are fourth in the standings ending their 11-match unbeaten Madrid in December. They had I was right,” Osaka told Brady with a instead of hit it and say, “Sorry!” Cesar Azpilicueta’s despairing lunge and Southampton are 13th. streak . drawn two of their last three West Brom 0, Burnley 0 José Luis Morales scored in the games, with setbacks against West Bromwich Albion over- 30th minute and Jorge de Frutos Levante and Celta Vigo. Atlético Mainz beat Mönchengladbach away came Semi Ajayi’s first-half red added another goal in stoppage were eliminated by third-division card but wasted several scoring time at the Wanda Metropolitano club Cornellà in the second round Stadium, handing Atlético their of the Copa del Rey in January. chances in a 0-0 draw against first league loss since December - Atlético were unbeaten at home in Burnley. and first at home in more than a the league in 22 matches, since a 1-0 Frankfurt upset Bavarians to year. Diego Simeone’s team have loss to Barcelona in December 2019. SOCCER won only one of its last four league They went 23 matches unbeaten at matches. home between 2013 and 2014, when It was the second consecutive they last won the league. Mike Dean, refereeing his fi rst league match between Atlético and Levante, which recently made it reinvigorate Bundesliga race match since asking for a break af- Levante. They drew 1-1 on to the semifinals of the Copa del Rey ter receiving death threats on social Wednesday in a game postponed for the first time in 86 years, hadn’t media, dismissed Ajayi after the de- from the second round because of won in 14 games at Atlético in the BERLIN, Feb 20, (AP): Amin Younes Pavard due to the coronavirus, while fender’s handball denied Matej Vy- the coronavirus pandemic. league, with 13 losses and one draw. reinvigorated the Bundesliga title race Corentin Tolisso is out for around dra from going clean through on goal. by leading Eintracht Frankfurt to a 2-1 three months after tearing a tendon That left the relegation-threatened win over fi rst-place Bayern Munich on his left thigh in training on Thursday. visitors to play with 10 men for the agne and Matheus Pereira all going Pereira’s effort was blocked on the Saturday. Leon Goretzka and Javi Martínez remaining hour but they had the close. line by James Tarkowski, with West Younes was involved in the build- were back among Bayern’s substitutes clearer chances after the break, with Diagne clattered the top of the Brom settling for a draw that leave up for Daichi Kamada’s opener in after recovering from their COVID-19 Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Mbaye Di- crossbar from close range while them 11 points adrift of Premier the 12th minute and he scored what infections. Goretzka came on to help League safety. proved to be the winner in the 31st as Bayern’s improved performance in the Burnley are nine points clear of Frankfurt maintained their outstand- second half. ing start to the year with their eighth Leipzig can cut Bayern’s lead to the drop zone. win from nine games in 2021. two points with a win at Hertha Berlin Wolves 1, Leeds 0 Younes, who tormented Bayern’s on Sunday, while Frankfurt are now Illan Meslier’s own goal gave defense in the fi rst half, marked his Wolverhampton a 1-0 win over goal by holding a shirt commemorat- Leeds . ing the victims of an attack in the near- SOCCER The goalkeeper unknowingly by town of Hanau just over a year ago. turned the ball into his own net after Robert Lewandowski pulled one just seven points off the lead. Adama Traore’s second-half drive back for Bayern to take his season Mainz beat Borussia Mönchenglad- came back off the crossbar. tally to a league-leading 26 goals, but bach 2-1 away, Union Berlin won 1-0 Mateusz Klich hit the post and missed out on scoring a late equalizer in Freiburg and Stuttgart enjoyed a 1-0 Patrick Bamford had a goal ruled when Lucas Hernández’ cross sailed win at Cologne.