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SPORTS Friday 24 January 2025
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Australian Open: Madison Keys upsets Iga Swiatek and will face

Aryna Sabalenka in the final

By HOWARD FENDRICH from Belarus, can become
AP Tennis Writer the first woman since 1999
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) to complete a threepeat.
— When Madison Keys fi- “If she plays like this,” the
nally finished off her 5-7, 11th-seeded Badosa said,
6-1, 7-6 (10-8) upset of No. 2 “I mean, we can already
Iga Swiatek in a high-inten- give her the trophy.”
sity, high-quality Australian Keys might have something
Open semifinal on Thursday to say about that.
night, saving a match point Still, Sabalenka won her
along the way, the 29-year- first major championship
old American crouched on at Melbourne Park in 2023,
the court and placed a and she since has added
hand on her white hat. two more in Australia a
She had a hard time believ- year ago and at the U.S.
ing it all. The comeback. Open last September.
What Keys called an “extra The last woman to reach
dramatic finish.” The victory three finals in a row at the
over five-time Grand Slam year’s first Grand Slam tour-
champion Swiatek, who’d nament was Serena Wil-
been on the most domi- liams, who won two from
nant run at Melbourne Park 2015-17. Martina Hingis was
in a dozen years. And now the most recent woman to
a chance for Keys to play in Madison Keys of the U.S. celebrates after defeating Iga Swiatek of Poland in their semifinal match win three titles in a row in
at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, early Friday, Jan. 24, 2025.
her second Grand Slam fi- Associated Press Melbourne, doing it from
nal, a long wait after being 1997-99.
the 2017 U.S. Open runner- so many big points.” faulting, sending the con- previous matches over the “I have goosebumps. I’m so
up. Just to be sure, Keys asked test to a first-to-10, win-by- past two weeks. proud of myself,” said Sa-
“I’m still trying to catch up whether Swiatek was, in- two tiebreaker. “It was a matter of one or balenka, whose 4-1 head-
to everything that’s hap- deed, one point from vic- “I felt like I blacked out two balls,” said Swiatek, to-head record against
pening,” said the 19th- tory, acknowledging she there at some point,” Keys who lost in the Australian Keys includes a win in the
seeded Keys, who will face really had no idea. Yes, said, “and was out there Open semifinals two years 2023 U.S. Open semifinals.
No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Madison, Swiatek was that running around.” ago, too. “Madison was Swiatek had not lost a sin-
the two-time defending close to ending things while Whatever she was doing, kind of brave.” gle service game since the
champion, for the trophy serving at 6-5, 40-30, but it worked. Keys claimed Sabalenka beat good first round, but was broken
Saturday. “I felt like I was missed a backhand into more games in the semi- friend Paula Badosa 6-4, three times by Keys in the
just fighting to stay in it. ... It the net, then eventually final than the 14 total that 6-2 earlier Thursday. Sa- first set alone and eight
was so up and down and getting broken by double- Swiatek dropped in her five balenka, a 26-year-old times in all.q

F1 drivers could be suspended for swearing or political statements

under new rules

By JAMES ELLINGWORTH as including both offensive with a suspended one- cretion to enforce a par- ternational sporting code)
AP Sports Writer language and physical as- month ban. A third offense ticular penalty, especially if articles,” the FIA said. “By
Formula 1 drivers could be sault, or for acts deemed to within a two-year period there are mitigating or ag- establishing a more struc-
suspended from racing or cause “moral injury or loss” carries a proposed fine of gravating circumstances. tured framework, the FIA
lose championship points to the FIA and auto racing 120,000 euros ($125,000) for “The aim of this new ap- seeks to ensure that penal-
for swearing or making in general. an F1 driver, a one-month pendix is to provide clear ties are applied uniformly
political statements under Similar punishments also ban and the loss of an un- guidance to stewards re- and transparently, benefit-
new rules from series gov- apply for “political, religious specified number of cham- garding the penalties for ing both stewards and driv-
erning body the FIA. and personal statements or pionship points. violations of specific (in- ers/competitors.”q
That could deepen a rift comments notably in viola- In cases involving political,
with the drivers, who criti- tion of the general principle religious or personal state-
cized the FIA last year af- of neutrality promoted by ments, the FIA regulations
ter Max Verstappen and the FIA” without written ap- also specify the stewards
Charles Leclerc were pun- proval in advance. should demand a “public
ished for swearing in FIA The new regulations are apology and repudiation
news conferences. labeled as a “guideline to of comments.”
The FIA is seeking “to further assist stewards” on punish- Asked about the changes,
enhance transparency ments and fines starting the FIA said other sports
and consistency in deci- from 40,000 euros ($41,600) bodies including the NFL
sion-making,” the organi- for an F1 driver’s first of- and FIFA “have similar rules/
zation said in an emailed fense. The standard fine is fines to protect the integrity
statement on Thursday. 10,000 euros but punish- of the sport. The FIA is not
These measures published ments for F1 drivers are mul- alone in fining competitors Drivers with their F1 cars start for the Hungarian Formula One
by the FIA on Wednesday tiplied by four. for misconduct.” Grand Prix race at the Hungaroring racetrack in Mogyorod,
apply to “misconduct,” The suggested fine doubles The governing body said Hungary, Sunday, July 21, 2024.
which is defined by the FIA for a second offense, along stewards will still have dis- Associated Press