Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus yesterday beat Estonia’s Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 6-3 in the final of the Wuhan Open to claim her second title of the season.
Sabalenka, who won her first title at New Haven last month, served impeccably during her first career meeting with Kontaveit, winning in 1 hour, 12 minutes without facing a break point.
“I want to say first of all, congratulations Anett, you played really well today and I’m sorry,” Sabalenka said. “I think we both showed our best tennis.
Photo: AFP
Sabalenka showed signs of early nerves and the first five points Kontaveit won all resulted from unforced errors by her opponent, but the Belarusian was clinical when it counted, converting her first break point chance to edge ahead.
She won 78 percent of her first serves and scorched the court from behind the baseline while showing a surprisingly deft touch at the net.
Victory means the Belarusian will rise four places to 16th in the world, above Serena Williams, when the new rankings are released tomorrow.
SHENZHEN OPEN
AFP, BEIJING
Former world No. 1 Andy Murray has brought his season to a premature end, pulling out of the China Open in Beijing after reaching the quarter-finals at the Shenzhen Open.
The 31-year-old Briton is battling to regain top form and fitness following hip surgery in January, but British media said that he has suffered a minor ankle problem.
Murray was not included when the China Open draw was made yesterday and also absent was world No. 3 Novak Djokovic, who was offered a wild card.
The China Open — which began yesterday — has been hit by several high-profile pull-outs with Rafael Nadal not involved because of injury, Roger Federer saving himself for Shanghai and Serena Williams also absent.
Murray was beaten 6-4, 6-4 on Friday in Shenzhen by Spanish veteran Fernando Verdasco, although he defeated world No. 11 David Goffin in the last 16 for the best win since his comeback.
Murray is to spend the winter working himself back to the sort of fitness levels that saw him capture nine titles in a stellar 2016 campaign.
“It was another three matches, which is positive,” Murray said after losing to Verdasco. “But obviously I want to play better than that, I have higher ambitions than losing in the quarter-finals. I want to try to be better in these events.”
TASHKENT OPEN
AFP, TASHKENT
Russia’s Margarita Gasparyan yesterday beat 17-year-old Anastasia Potapova in the Tashkent Open final in the latest step toward reigniting a career stalled by injury.
The 24-year-old Gasparyan, ranked No. 299, prevailed 6-2, 6-1 in 62 minutes to claim her second career WTA title.
Potapova, who is 132nd in the world, made a nervy start losing her first two service games in the first set and the unforced errors kept coming as the match progressed.
The teenager was in tears on the sidelines at one point during a contest that many had expected to be less one-sided after she beat Gasparyan in their first-ever meeting earlier this year.
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
RSS