12 Friday, October 2, 2020 Sports Jelena happy to inspire Osaka and Results new generation Men Singles (2nd rd) Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Ricardas Berankis (LTU) 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 AFP Azarenka dished out another Daniel Elahi Galan (COL) bt Tennys Sandgren (USA) 6-2, 6-2, 6-3 Paris Christian Garín (CHI x20) bt Marc Polmans (AUS) 6-7 (5/7), 6-2, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 opening round loss in 2019. (RUS x15) bt Jiri Vesely (CZE) 6-1, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/2) She made the Wimbledon Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x10) bt Attila Balazs (HUN) 6-3, 6-1, 6-2 Jelena Ostapenko admit- semi-finals in 2018 but has Pablo Carreno-Busta (ESP x17) bt (ARG) 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 ted on Thursday that she was yet to get past the third round Daniel Altmaier (GER) bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER x30) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 Matteo Berrettini (ITA x7) bt Lloyd Harris (RSA) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 delighted her breakthrough at either the Australian or US Marton Fucsovics (HUN) bt Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) 7-6 (7/2), 6-3, 7-5 2017 Roland Garros triumph Open. Thiago Monteiro (BRA) bt Marcos Giron (USA) 7-6 (7/5), 6-4, 6-1 helped inspire Naomi Osaka (RSA) bt (SRB x22) 6-2, 6-4, 4-6, 3-6, 6-3 to three crowns. ‘I was fearless’ (RUS x13) bt Alejandro Davidovich (ESP) 7-5, 6-1, 3-6, 6-1 Roberto Baena (ESP) bt Denis Shapovalov (CAN x9) 7-5, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3, 3-6, 8-6 Ostapenko stunned the “It’s hard to compare to 2017 Grigor Dimitrov (BUL x18) bt Andrej Martin (SVK) 6-4, 7-6 (7/5), 6-1 sport three years ago with her because that was three years Aljaz Bedene (SLO) bt Nikola Milojevic (SRB) 7-5, 2-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4) run to the title in Paris, claim- ago and I was fearless, nobody Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE x5) bt (URU) 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 ing a first career crown by see- really knew me,” added Ostap- Women Singles (2nd rd) (BLR x8) bt Darya Kasatkina (RUS) 7-6 (8/6), 6-0 ing off the likes of Samantha enko, now ranked 43. (TUN x30) bt Nao Hibino (JPN) 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 Stosur, , “But now they know how (USA) bt Clara Tauson (DEN) 6-2, 6-3 and in the final I play and know how to play Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP x11) bt Kristyna Pliskova (CZE) 6-3, 6-2 where she overturned a 6-4, against me.” Fiona Ferro (FRA) bt Elena Rybakina (KAZ x14) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 Patricia Maria Tig (ROU) bt Christina McHale (USA) 6-4, 6-3 3-0 deficit. Ostapenko fired 27 win- Irina Maria Bara (ROU) bt (BEL) 6-1, 4-0 - retired Since then, Japan’s Osa- ners past Pliskova and she Sofia Kenin (USA x4) bt Ana Bogdan (ROU) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 ka, just a year younger at 22, believes the slower conditions Petra Kvitova (CZE x7) bt (ITA) 6-3, 6-3 Leylah Fernandez (CAN) bt (SLO) 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 has become a global super- of a tournament being played (FRA) bt (SLO) 7-6 (8/6), 6-2 star by winning the 2018 and in the autumn, rather than its (CHN) bt Alize Cornet (FRA) 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) 2020 US Opens and 2019 traditional May-June slot, play Petra Martic (CRO x13) bt (RUS) 6-7 (1/7), 7-5, 6-3 . right into her comfort zone. (GER) bt Julia Goerges (GER) 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 (ESP) bt (USA x29) 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 won the Her game now also incor- Jelena Ostapenko (LAT) bt Karolina Pliskova (CZE x2) 6-4, 6-2. 2019 US Open at just 19 while porates more drop shots rath- Sofia Kenin, 21, claimed the er than her once trademark Melbourne title this year as all-or-nothing, not-so-guided the next generation of wom- missiles fired down either en’s threaten to push flank. the old guard to one side. “Girls are expecting me al- “It was tough to deal with ways to hit the ball so strong, all this pressure which was on and especially here on clay, so me because obviously I was the it’s useful because the bounces Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko celebrates after winning against ’s Karolina Pliskova during their women’s singles second round match at French Open in Paris on Thursday. (AFP) first one from the year 1997 to are much lower because it’s win a Grand Slam but I felt the much colder this year. girls started to play better af- “I think the drop shot is ter that,” said Ostapenko who very useful. Even if I can’t hit stunned second seed Karolina winners, sometimes I mix it up Ostapenko stuns Pliskova; Pliskova 6-4, 6-2 to reach the and the girls don’t expect it.” Roland Garros third round on Next up for Ostapenko is Thursday. either Sloane Stephens, the “Especially Naomi, she’s 2017 US Open winner and such a good player. I think runner-up in Paris in 2018, Djokovic targets 70th win maybe 2017 inspired them, or Spain’s Paula Badosa for a and they saw that it’s possi- spot in the last 16. ble. So the young generation For Pliskova, it’s the end AFP semi-finals in 2017 but has now ’s 94th-ranked Jasmine four Grand Slam tournaments However, Tsitsipas has is coming. But also when I saw of another fruitless trip to the Paris failed to get beyond the third Paolini 6-3, 6-3 to register her twice. won all three of their meetings, her winning, of course I also French capital. round in her eight other ap- 25th French Open win. The 30-year-old Berankis two of them on clay including wanted to get back there on top The 28-year-old Czech Former champion Jelena pearances at the French Open. Meanwhile, Djokovic, who lists spear-fishing as one of his on his way to the runners-up and win another Grand Slam. made the semi-finals in 2017 Ostapenko swept second seed “I tried to be aggres- was likened to a snake by his hobbies on the lakes of Lithu- spot in Hamburg last week. So we kind of have all inspired but has now failed to get be- Karolina Pliskova out of Ro- sive but not miss too much vanquished first round oppo- ania. Andrey Rublev, the mop- each other which is also good.” yond the third round in her land Garros on Thursday as as she’s such a great player,” nent, tackles spear-fishing fan He may have more time topped Russian who defeated Ostapenko had only just eight other appearances. Novak Djokovic set his sights said 23-year-old Ostapenko Ricardas Berankis for a place for that hobby after Thursday Tsitsipas in the Hamburg fi- turned 20 and was 47 in the In 2020, she made the on a 70th career win in the who had lost in the first round in the last 32. against Djokovic who is play- nal and now has three titles world when she won in Paris third round at the Australian French capital. in her last two visits to the “It’s like a snake killing its ing in the second round for the in 2020, also needed to come three years ago although Open and only second at the In a women’s tournament French Open. prey. I felt suffocated,” said 16th time. back from two sets down in his it’s been a rollercoaster ride US Open but she arrived in reeling from the injury-en- “I had to bring the best Sweden’s Mikael Ymer who Berankis lost his most re- opener against Sam Querrey ever since. Paris having retired from the forced withdrawal of Serena tennis that I could.” took just six games off Djoko- cent clash with the Serb in of the United States. The Latvian’s title de- final against Ha- Williams, and the absence of The defeat completed a vic on Tuesday. New York at the uprooted The 22-year-old will fence ended in the first round lep with a thigh injury. world number one and de- miserable year at the Slams for Cincinnati event this year Thursday face Spain’s Alejan- in 2018 at the hands of Kat- “I think maybe the year is fending champion Ashleigh Czech star Pliskova who only Snake v spear-fisher and managed only five games dro Davidovich Fokina, the eryna Kozlova while Victoria finished,” said Pliskova. Barty as well as US Open win- made the third round at the Victory for the world number against Djokovic when they 21-year-old world number 70, ner Naomi Osaka, Latvia’s Os- Australian Open and second at one will give him a 70th career met at the 2013 US Open. who enjoyed a run to the last tapenko pressed her case for the US Open. win at the tournament where Greek fifth seed Stefanos 16 at the US Open. a second Paris title after her However, she arrived in he was champion in 2016. Tsitsipas, who made the last In the women’s tourna- shock 2017 breakthrough. Paris having retired from the Djokovic, chasing an 18th 16 in Paris last year but had ment, Australian Open cham- The world number 43 fired Italian Open final against major, has a 32-1 record for to come back from two sets pion and fourth seed Sofia 27 winners to just nine for Plisk- Simona Halep with a thigh the year. His only defeat was down in the first round against Kenin meets Ana Bogdan, one ova in a 6-4, 6-2 victory which injury. his disqualification from the Jaume Munar, faces wily Uru- of five Romanians to make the gave her a third round match Ostapenko was joined in US Open. guayan veteran Pablo Cuevas. second round. against either Sloane Stephens, the last 32 by two-time Wim- Now it’s the turn of Lithu- The 34-year-old world Garbine Muguruza, the Canada’s Leylah Fernandez the 2017 US Open winner and bledon winner Petra Kvitova, ania’s Berankis, ranked 66, to number 60 has made the third 2016 champion in Paris and celebrates winning a point runner-up in Paris in 2018, or whose best Roland Garros run try and reel in the Serb who round on four occasions and 2017 Wimbledon winner, against Slovenia’s Polona Spain’s Paula Badosa. was the semi-finals in 2012. is bidding to become the first all six of his career titles have faces Kristyna Pliskova, the Hercog during their Pliskova, 28, made the The seventh seed defeated man in half a century to win all come on clay. world 69. women’s singles second round match at the French Open on Thursday. (AFP) Lakers power past Heat in NBA Finals opener ‘Coco makes it seem easy’: AFP around. We started getting de- Fernandez out to back up Miami fensive stops. We started shar- ing the ball a lot better offen- The Los Angeles Lakers man- sively and just got into a really juniors success handled the Miami Heat 116- good groove.” AFP youngest player in the tourna- 98 in game one of the NBA Caldwell-Pope drained Paris ment’s history to qualify for Finals on Wednesday in a back-to-back three-pointers the main draw before reaching dominant start to their quest to trim the deficit to 25-18 and Former French Open junior the fourth round. for a 17th championship. Davis knotted the score 28-28 champion Leylah Fernandez The former junior world After a 10-year absence from on a layup off an assist from said breaking through on the number one also featured in a the championship series, the James before finding reserve professional tour was not as high-profile third-round clash Lakers returned with a venge- Alex Caruso for a three-point- easy as fellow teen star Coco against Naomi Osaka at the ance in the NBA’s quarantine er to end the first with the Lak- Gauff made it look after the Ca- 2019 US Open before making bubble in Orlando, Florida. ers up 31-28. nadian reached the third round the last 16 in Melbourne) Anthony Davis, in the best- Los Angeles continued to at Roland Garros on Thursday. Fernandez, who is juggling of-seven title series for the first pour it on in the second quar- Fernandez won the girls’ ti- her fledgling tennis career time after years of frustration ter, out-scoring the Heat 34- tle in Paris last year and is now with schoolwork, said Gauff’s in New Orleans, scored 34 20 to take a 48-65 lead into making waves on her main instant success on the biggest points to lead the Lakers. the break. draw debut after taking down stage was very much the ex- “I felt good,” Davis said. Three-pointers from Kyle 31st seed Magda Linette and ception to the rule. “A little nervous, but when Kuzma and Rajon Rondo 47th-ranked Polona Hercog. “Honestly, it’s really diffi- the ball was tipped up, I just pushed the Lakers’ lead to 37- The 18-year-old Fernan- cult the transition from juniors went out there and played bas- 32 less than two minutes into dez, who captured a first Grand to professional. Coco makes ketball. This is a moment I’ve the second period. Slam win at the US Open, de- it seems like it’s easy but it’s waited for my entire career and LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a three point basket against the Miami Heat during Two three-pointers from feated Hercog 6-4, 3-6, 6-1 to hard,” said Fernandez, who I want to make sure I take the the first quarter in Game One of the 2020 NBA Finals at AdventHealth Arena at the ESPN Wide World Of rookie Tyler Herro briefly saw set up a showdown with Petra made her first WTA final at the opportunity, because it doesn’t Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, on Wenesday. (Getty Images/AFP) the Heat lead 43-41 -- but the Kvitova for a place in the last 16. in February. come around too often.” Lakers responded and pulled “I don’t think I’ve changed “You’ve got to get used to LeBron James, the fourth Lakers, who led by as many as But the Lakers inexorably Lakers need to start stronger away courtesy of a 64.7% suc- much. I’m still as energetic the pace and keep grinding player to make a 10th appear- 32 points. seized control and the Heat’s in game two, after Miami came cess rate from three-point and polite as always,” said from 25ks (lower-tier tourna- ance in the NBA Finals, was The Heat, the Eastern dream start devolved into a out firing. range in the first half, when Fernandez, a year after beat- ments) to WTA Internation- just shy of a triple double with Conference fifth seeds who nightmare with key contribu- “They came out very hot, they made 11 of 17 from be- ing of the US als, finding solutions and keep 25 points, 13 rebounds and swept the Indiana Pacers be- tors Goran Dragic and Bam we came out slow.” yond the arc. in the French Open girls’ final. working hard.” nine assists. fore toppling the top-seeded Adebayo exiting with injuries Added James: “I think they Overall the Lakers shot “I’m still pretty young and Fernandez, born in Montre- “We’ve got a lot more work Milwaukee Bucks and the and star forward Jimmy But- smacked us in the mouth, and 45.2% from the field and made trying to make it as a profes- al to a Filipino mother and Ecua- to do,” James said afterwards. Boston Celtics on the way to ler hobbled by a twisted ankle. we got a sense of that. 15 three-pointers. They out- sional. I’m just happy to be dorian father, credits watching “The job is not done. We’re not the Finals, showed no sign of Butler still scored 23 “And so we knew how hard rebounded the Heat 54-36. back here, playing on these football with her dad in helping satisfied winning one game. nerves in an energetic start points to lead the Heat, who we had to play if we wanted to After Caldwell-Pope came spectacular courts where leg- with her on-court tactics. It’s that simple.” against the Western Confer- will try to bounce back in game try to make it a game. From up with a steal a driving Kuz- ends played.” The world No. 100 hopes Kentavious Caldwell-Pope ence top seeds, racing to a two on Friday. that moment when it was 23- ma found Davis for a dunk Gauff, now 16, created a those lessons learned will come added 13 points and Danny 13-point lead midway through - ‘We came out slow’ -Da- 10, we started to play to our that made it 61-48 with 1:15 sensation at Wimbledon last in handy in a rare clash of left- Green contributed 11 for the the first quarter. vis and James both said the capabilities. We started flying left in the first half. year when she became the handers when she faces Kvitova.