Caroline Wozniacki was upset by eighth seeded Magdalena Rybarikova in the quarter-finals of the Pattaya Open yesterday, falling 6-4, 6-1.
The second-seeded Dane, who had also struggled against Australian Open junior champion Ksenia Pervak the previous evening, made a disappointing start by conceding the opening game when Rybarikova fired a winning forehand down the line.
Twelfth-ranked Wozniacki failed to convert any of four break points in the next game, and then had to fight off two break points at 3-1 and another at 4-2 as the eighth-seeded Slovak continued to place her under pressure.
Serving well with three aces to hold for 5-3, Rybarikova constructed her points well and attacked at the right moments, and after breaking serve again to begin the second set she looked increasingly in command as Wozniacki’s game deteriorated badly.
A netted forehand gave Rybarikova a further break for 4-1, and she tied up the match with yet another break when the frustrated Wozniacki made a backhand error.
Wozniacki admitted that her tough match the previous day might have affected her performance, but she gave credit to her opponent.
“I played last match yesterday and last match today and I was a bit tired,” Wozniacki said. “It could definitely have had an effect on today’s match.”
In yesterday’s other quarter-final matches Sania Mirza of India beat Thailand’s Tamarine Tanasugarn 7-5, 6-4, Shahar Peer of Israel downed Vera Dushevina of Russia 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 and top-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva defeated Peng Shuai of China 6-2, 6-3.
■OPEN GDF SUEZ
AP, PARIS
Top-ranked Serena Williams showed no sign of the illness that kept her bedridden last week as she brushed aside Karolina Sprem 6-1, 6-2 to reach the Open GDF Suez quarter-finals on Thursday.
Williams, after winning the Australian Open, didn’t practice until Monday, and was relieved to get through the first round of the indoor tournament she’s won twice.
Her second-round match was easier, as Williams took less than an hour to beat the Croatian qualifier, converting her first match point with a forehand return winner down the line.
Also joining Williams in the last eight were second-seeded Jelena Jankovic, third-seeded Elena Dementieva, fifth-seeded Alize Cornet, and Amelie Mauresmo, who has the most wins in the tournament’s history.
Greek swimmer Kristian Gkolomeev was the only athlete to “beat” a world record on Sunday at the Enhanced Games, winning the men’s 50m freestyle at the divisive competition where athletes were free to take performance-enhancing substances. His time of 20.81 seconds — which is not considered official — came in the final event of the night in Las Vegas, sparing the blushes of organizers who made claims that multiple world records would be surpassed due to a sophisticated doping regime. Gkolomeev, who was wearing a synthetic “supersuit” long banned at events such as the Olympics, outpaced Australia’s Cameron McEvoy’s 20.88 set in
Fred Kerley is competing unaugmented against drug-fuelled athletes at this weekend’s Enhanced Games and still hopes to race in the 2028 Olympics, the suspended former 100m world champion said on Friday. Arguably the biggest name at the divisive event in Las Vegas, where doping is permitted, the US sprinter said he had chosen not to take any of the banned substances including testosterone and steroids that his competitors have been using. “I don’t need it. God gave me fast feet for a reason. And I’m here to showcase my talent,” Kerley said. Kerley last September became the first US competitor and first track
The manager of the Yomiuri Giants, one of Japan’s most popular baseball teams, resigned yesterday after he was arrested for allegedly physically attacking his teenage daughter. Shinnosuke Abe allegedly grabbed the 18-year-old and forced her to the floor at their home in central Tokyo on Monday evening, reported national broadcaster NHK and Kyodo News, citing unnamed police sources. “Leaving like this really means I’m causing you a lot of trouble, and I feel truly sorry about that,” Abe told a hastily arranged news conference, his eyes red with tears. The former star catcher, who is among baseball-obsessed Japan’s most recognized sports figures,
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