22 Sunday, September 24, 2017 SPORTS Wozniacki reaches

PanTokyo Pacific final “It was always going to be a game. Wozniacki, a two-time slamming her racquet efending champion Caroline battle but I felt my energy was a Tokyo winner and finalist in to the ground in disgust. Wozniacki flattened world little bit low,” added Muguruza. 2014, put Muguruza out of her Kerber, who has Dnumber one Garbine Muguruza “I was struggling a bit in the misery by forcing the Spaniard slipped back to 14th in 6-2, 6-0 yesterday to reach her long rallies and didn’t make into another whiffed backhand on the world since winning fourth Pan Pacific Open final. the important shots. I’m very match point after just 59 minutes. last year’s Australian and The Danish former number disappointed, but she just played “Obviously you don’t go on US Open titles, clinched the one will face Anastasia better.” court thinking that’s going to be breaker 7-4 with a fizzing Pavlyuchenkova as she chases a Third seed Wozniacki tore the scoreline,” said Wozniacki. serve down the middle third Tokyo title after the Russian through the first set, sealing it “But I just kept my head down which she celebrated with a toppled 6-0, when Muguruza wafted a routine and stayed aggressive.” little fist pump. 6-7, 6-4 in a see-saw first semi- forehand badly wide. Seventh seed Kerber, another The 29-year-old Kerber, final. Muguruza cut a forlorn figure former world number one, a former Tokyo finalist, Top seed Muguruza, playing as she trudged back to her seat but looked in danger of being fed then quickly raced to a her first tournament since things went from bad to worse for the dreaded “double bagel” after 3-0 lead in the deciding reaching the top of the women’s the Wimbledon champion in the losing the first eight games in the set, only to be pegged world rankings, was blown off second set. Tokyo sunshine. But the German back once more. But court in just under an hour in a A dipping forehand pass recovered from 6-0, 5-2 down Pavlyuchenkova, who beat stunningly lopsided match. gave Wozniacki an early break, to pinch the second-set tiebreak Wozniacki in the final at “I didn’t feel that fresh,” the consolidated after another wild as Pavlyuchenkova suddenly Monterrey earlier this year. Spaniard told reporters. Muguruza backhand in the fourth tightened up, the Russian (AFP) Caroline Wozniacki celebrates thanks lucky Fabio Fognini beats Bautista, enters final stars for fightback Saint Petersburg, Russia a final with Bosnian Damir iery Italian Fabio Fognini Dzumhur. London beat top seed Roberto “It was a very tough oger Federer has admitted FBautista Agut yesterday to match, It’s never easy to his year would have been reach the final at St Petersburg play Roberto,” Fognini, who “veryR different” had he not in his first tournament since is bidding for a sixth career battled back from a 1-3 fifth-set being kicked out of the US ATP Tour title, said. deficit in his Open. “My main goal now is to triumph against Rafael Nadal. The 30-year-old was recover for the final. I’ve Without a title disqualified from the doubles played two times on the clay since 2012, Federer fought tournament at Flushing with Dzumhur and I expect back to beat Nadal in January’s Meadows after launching a difficult match tomorrow.” decider in Melbourne, setting into a sexist tirade against World number 55 himself up for a stunning a female umpire during his Dzumhur had earlier seen off return to form. first-round singles defeat. German Jan-Lennard Struff He followed it up with back- Fognini, who has since 6-3, 7-5 in the first semi-final. to-back Masters victories at said that he would also accept “Today I played well from Indian Wells and Miami before a ban from the Australian the start,” Dzumhur said. “It winning his 19th Grand Slam Open next year for his was one of my best matches title at Wimbledon and has misdemeanour, saved two in the last few months. And risen to number two in the match points to battle past I’m really happy to advance ATP ranking. Spaniard Bautista Agut 2-6, into my second final this “I don’t think I would have 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/5) and set up year.” (AFP) won both Indian Wells and Spanish player Rafael Nadal (L) with Swiss Roger Federer Miami,” said Federer, 36, “By winning all those big happened like this.” strain on the tour. in an interview published three events at the beginning Federer and Nadal’s “I think that all of the guys in Saturday’s edition of The of the year, it allowed me to resurgence coincided in had to take a break because Times newspaper. sit there in the top eight of difficult seasons for Andy either they are carrying an “Maybe I would have won the world already after a few Murray and , injury for a while or they are one. I would have played on the months of the season and not both of whom saw their years really not doing well. Some clay maybe. The season would worry about being ranked curtailed by injury. have had surgery,” Federer have been very different. number 35 if I had lost early in , Kei said. “I think this is just a freak “My plan was to play maybe the Australian Open because of Nishikori and moment in time that it hit a lot the quarters at best at the the points I had to defend. are also currently sidelined, of the guys at the same time. Aussie and then take it from “It changed the entire but Federer does not believe The US Open wasn’t quite the there. mindset. Thank God it players are put under too much same. (AFP) Ostapenko powers into final Seoul The 20-year-old French by winning the opening set Open in June. op seed Jelena Ostapenko Open champion from Latvia 6-3 before Ostapenko won the Ostapenko will face Brazil’s powered her way into the beat Luksika KumKhum, who following two sets to reach her Beatriz Haddad Maia, who KoreaT Open final yesterday had earlier upset the number third final of the 2017 season. sailed into the final after after a tight three-set battle four seed Sorana Cirstea, 3-6, Ostapenko is a favourite to defeating Richel Hogenkamp with Thailand’s Luksika 6-1, 6-3 in 110 minutes. win the title after her surprise of the Netherlands 6-1, Kumkhum, moving closer to The 24-year-old Thai upset win over third-seed 7-6 (9/7) in the semi-final claim the $250,000 title. stunned the world number 10 at the French yesterday. (AFP) Fabio Fognini (file pic)