Page 21 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Wednesday 17 January 2018

Australian Open

Continued from Page 18 tennis greats Laver, John
McEnroe and Jim Courier.
She was banned for 15 On Tuesday night, he got
months after testing posi- something different. Co-
tive for meldonium, not median Will Ferrell stepped
long after the medication out of the crowd and, slip-
was added to the list of ping into character as Ron
banned substances, when Burgundy, conducted the
she was in Australia in 2016. post-match interview.
So when Serena Williams As usual, the 36-year-old
won the 2017 Australian Federer stayed classy.
Open, Sharapova was sick Djokovic tweaked his ser-
in bed and watching on TV. vice motion while recov-
She returned in April and, ering from an injured right
because of her slide down elbow, and used it to good
the rankings, needed some effect in a 6-1, 6-2, 6-4 win
wild-card entries to enter over Donald Young.
tournaments. She made Djokovic lost in the second
her return to the majors at round last year, but won
the U.S. Open, and finished five of the previous six Aus-
the year ranked No. 60. tralian Open titles. This time,
“I learned what it feels like he has four-time champion U.S. actor Will Ferrell, left, interviews Switzerland’s Roger Federer on Rod Laver Arena following his
to be on the ground and Andre Agassi in his corner. first round match against Slovenia’s Aljaz Bedene at the Australian Open tennis championships in
seeing life from the ground, “Obviously I wanted to Melbourne, Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018. Associated Press
and I’m not shying away start with the right intensity,
from any part of that,” she which I have,” Djokovic U.S. Open runner-up, ad- ska and No. 28 Mirjana Lu- this season.
said. “I love what I do. I’m a said. “I played perfect ten- vanced with a 6-1, 7-5 win cic-Baroni also advanced. “I felt like I have got a lot
competitor and that’s why nis, like I never stopped.” over Wang Qiang and Two-time Wimbledon of things out of the way
I continue to do it.” Wawrinka, who had six will be one of four Ameri- champion Petra Kvitova physically and emotionally
There were all kinds of months out after surgery on can women who made it lost 6-3, 4-6, 10-8 to An- and mentally last year,”
comebacks on Tuesday. his left knee, beat Ricardas through the opening two drea Petkovic. She missed she said. “There was a lot
Six-time Australian Open Berankis 6-3, 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (2). days. the Australian Open last of firsts again for me, play-
champion Novak Djokov- Fourth-seeded Alexan- Halep ended a run of year while recovering from ing the first tournament, first
ic and 2014 winner Stan der Zverev, No. 5 Dominic back-to-back first-round a knife attack that eas- Grand Slam, and just dif-
Wawrinka returned from Thiem, No. 7 David Gof- exits in Melbourne by beat- ily could have derailed her ferent feelings and what it
injuries that had sidelined fin, No. 12 Juan Martin del ing teenage wild-card en- career. would be routinely. ... But it
them since Wimbledon, Potro and No. 19 Tomas try Destanee Aiava 7-6 (5), Sharapova’s long absence felt pretty routine today.”q
top-ranked Simona Halep Berdych all advanced, but 6-1, setting up a match from the tour means she
recovered from 5-2 down No. 20 Roberto Bautista against 2014 Wimbledon fi- isn’t seeded in Melbourne,
in her first set and a tumble Agut lost to Fernando Ver- nalist Eugenie Bouchard. but that doesn’t bother her.
in the second, and 2016 dasco and former Wimble- Former No. 1-ranked Ker- “It’s been a couple of years
champion Angelique Ker- don finalist Milos Raonic lost ber, the 2016 Australian since I’ve been back here
ber continued her amazing to Lukas Lacko. Open champion, con- — obviously I wanted to en-
return to form. No. 13 Sam Querrey re- tinued her resurgent run joy the moment,” Sharapo-
Defending champion Rog- stored some order for the with a 6-0, 6-4 victory over va said after closing her win
er Federer just picked up U.S. men with a 6-3, 6-4, 6-2 Anna-Lena Friedsam to ex- over Maria with an ace,
where he left off, beating win over Feliciano Lopez. tend her streak to 10 con- then blowing kisses to the
Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 Madison Keys reversed a secutive wins. crowd.
in a night match, his first trend, becoming the only Wimbledon champion Sharapova will next play
on Rod Laver Arena since one of the four American Garbine Mugurza, No. 6 14th-seeded Anastasija
clinching a career-reviving women who contested the Karolina Pliskova, No. 8 Sevastova, who beat her at
title in Melbourne last year. U.S. Open semifinals four Caroline Garcia, No. 9 Jo- last year’s U.S. Open.
The 19-time major cham- months ago to reach the hanna Konta, No. 16 Elena That loss was part of the
pion has been met on second round in Australia. Vesnina, No. 18 Ash Barty, process that Sharapova
court after previous wins by The 17th-seeded Keys, the No. 26 Agnieszka Radwan- believes has set her up for