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sports Friday 2 OctOber 2020
Kenin takes a while to win, Djokovic breezes into 3rd round

By JEROME PUGMIRE very aggressive but I think I
AP Sports Writer did a very good match."
PARIS (AP) — Once Austra- Carballes Baena will next
lian Open champion Sofia play 18th-seeded Grigor
Kenin got going, she kept Dimitrov, who has never
going — right into the third reached the fourth round
round of the French Open. at Roland Garros.
The fourth-seeded Ameri- The 21-year-old Kenin,
can started slowly Thurs- meanwhile, will next play
day under a closed roof on qualifier Irina Bara and an-
Court Philippe Chatrier be- other victory will equal her
fore pulling out a 3-6, 6-3, best performance at Ro-
6-2 victory over Ana Bog- land Garros. She reached
dan. "I knew I had to fight. the fourth round last year in
She was playing well," Kenin her second appearance at
said. "First set just didn't go the tournament.
my way. I couldn't find my Earlier, former champion
rhythm. I knew I needed Jelena Ostapenko ad-
to somehow change my vanced to the third round
game or else I'm going to when she beat second-
be out. Did not want that, seeded Karolina Pliskova
definitely." She also nearly 6-4, 6-2.
stumbled at the end, too. Even though there were
Kenin held three match Sofia Kenin of the U.S. plays a shot against Romania's Ana Bogdan in the second round match of late-morning blue skies for
points with Bogdan serv- the French Open tennis tournament at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, France, Thursday, Oct. their match, the roof stayed
1, 2020.
ing at 5-1 but failed to con- Associated Press closed over the main court.
vert them all. In the next Ostapenko won her only
game, Kenin had to save the first match but I served behind Roger Federer's five hours. major title in 2017 at Roland
three break points before very well today," Djokovic men's record. Djokovic has Shapovalov commit- Garros. The unseeded Lat-
finally winning on her fourth said in French moments dropped only 10 games so ted 106 unforced errors in vian will next face either
match point. after his victory. "It's really far and next faces lucky los- the match, compared to 29th-seeded Sloane Ste-
"I was getting a bit down lovely to see fans after two er Daniel Elahi Galan. 42 for Carballes Baena, phens or Paula Badosa.
on myself," Kenin said. "But I or three months without While Djokovic has won and twice served for the Pliskova's twin sister, Kristy-
guess it helped today." fans." 81 career titles, the 153rd- match. The Canadian also na, was also playing a for-
It was far easier for top- The unexpected sunshine ranked Colombian has had more winners than mer French Open cham-
ranked Novak Djokovic seemed to bother him a never won one and this will Carballes Baena, 65-31. pion. She was facing 2016
when he followed Kenin little, so Djokovic's team be his first appearance in Carballes Baena sank to his winner Garbiñe Muguruza.
on Chatrier. With the roof gave him a hat he could the third round of any ma- knees after Shapovalov hit In other women's match-
open and sunshine bathing wear while sitting on the jor tournament. a forehand long and let out es, two-time Wimbledon
the tournament's biggest side of the court. Same goes for Roberto a loud shout of delight. champion Petra Kvitova
stadium after days of mis- Djokovic is going for a sec- Carballes Baena. "It is a dream for me to win beat Jasmine Paolini 6-3,
erable weather, Djokovic ond title at Roland Gar- He advanced by beat- a match like this on this 6-3. The seventh-seeded
routed Ricardas Berankis ros after winning in 2016, ing ninth-seeded Denis court. I tried to be very solid Kvitova reached the semi-
6-1, 6-2, 6-2. and for an 18th Grand Shapovalov 7-5, 6-7 (5), 6-3, and focus on my game," finals at Roland Garros in
"I had less drop shots than Slam overall to move two 3-6, 8-6 in a match lasting the Spaniard said. "He's 2012.q

Houston Astros ace Verlander has Tommy John surgery

HOUSTON (AP) — Astros ace Justin announced on Sept. 19 that he
Verlander had Tommy John sur- would need Tommy John surgery.
gery on Wednesday. Verlander joined the Astros in a
General manager James Click trade on Aug. 31, 2017 and his
announced Thursday that Ver- stellar performance helped them
lander had the procedure a day to their first World Series title that
earlier and estimated recovery season. He is 43-15 with a 2.45 ERA
time at about 12-14 months. That and 640 strikeouts in 74 starts in
means the earliest Verlander Houston.
could pitch for would be in the Verlander went 21-6 with a 2.58
2022 season and it might not be ERA last year, striking out a career-
for the Astros. A right-hander who high 300 and throwing the third
turns 38 in February, Verlander has no-hitter of his career. He pitched
a $33 million salary next year, then 223 innings, most in the majors,
is eligible for free agency. and made six more starts in the
The reigning AL Cy Young Award postseason as the Astros reached
winner made just one start this the World Series.
season, pitching six innings on July Verlander is 226-129 with a 3.33
24 in a win over Seattle on open- ERA in 16 seasons. He has won two
In this March 3, 2020, file photo, Houston Astros pitcher Justin Verlander walks in
the dugout after pitching to the St. Louis Cardinals in the first inning of a spring ing day before being placed on Cy Young Awards, was voted the
training baseball game in Jupiter, Fla. the injured list with strained right 2011 AL MVP and was the 2006 AL
Associated Press forearm. He attempted a come- Rookie of the Year. He has 3,013
back after he was injured, but strikeouts.q