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sports Diabierna 2 OctOber 2020

17 French Open champ Ostapenko wants more; Shapovalov upset

(AP) — After Jelena Os- predict Grand Slam cham-
tapenko eliminated No. 2 pion.
seed Karolina Pliskova at “I was fearless,” she recalled
the French Open on Thurs- Thursday. “Nobody really
day, the conversation quickly knew me.”
turned to 2017.
Using a grip-it-and-rip-it
Which made sense, of course, style, Ostapenko upset Simo-
because that was when Os- na Halep in the final, making
tapenko surprisingly won the Latvian the first woman
the championship at Roland since 1979 to earn her first
Garros — and the last year tour-level title at a major
she even won so much as one tournament.
match at the clay-court tour- Nowadays, there is more
nament, let alone two, the subtlety to Ostapenko’s style.
way she has this week. “Of Against Pliskova, she built
course it’s in my memory, points. She used drop shots
because it’s the biggest win of effectively. And she handled
my career so far, but I have to Pliskova’s serve, one of the
move forward. And just, like, best on tour: Ostapenko won
the world doesn’t stop with 54% of her return points and
winning only one Grand broke five times.
Slam. Of course I want to Pliskova, who came into the
achieve more and I want to be French Open dealing with a
back in top 5, top 10,” Osta- leg injury, was not the most
penko said after beating Plis- gracious foe after Thursday’s
kova 6-4, 6-2 with the help of loss. “I know that she can be
a 27-9 edge in total winners. tough if she’s playing well,”
Pliskova said, “but I think
“Step by step. That’s what everything started with me.
I’m working on: my consis- Definitely, I was not playing
tency,” Ostapenko said. “Still great.”
being an aggressive player —
I think it can bring me a lot Shapovalov’s disappointment Understandably, Carballes “I mean you’re in a Grand “Before the match, I get quite
of wins — but consistency, From what Denis Shapovalov Baena's spirits were a tad Slam — and I don’t want to emotional. Sometimes cry-
probably, in my game is the called the French Open’s higher. sound spoiled, you know, but ing,” said the No. 4-seeded
key.” Her next opponent is “trash scheduling” and its “For me, it’s amazing," he you expect at least some help Kenin, who reached the third
87th-ranked Paula Badosa, “freezing” weather, to a call said. "It's the first (time) I from the tournament to help round in Paris with a 3-6,
who showed up this week on a shot by his opponent beat a top 10 (player). The you compete. I mean, how 6-3, 6-2 victory against 93rd-
with a 1-5 career record in that looked “one inch out” first time I’m in the third am I supposed to come out ranked Ana Bogdan of Ro-
Grand Slam matches but is to the “annoying” state of the round in a Grand Slam. First and play doubles now after a mania. “Luckily, here, there
into the third round at a ma- clay and tennis balls, it seems time I win a match in the 5th five-hour match?” are no tears, thank God.”
jor for the first time thanks safe to say the No. 9 seed was set. So I couldn’t be more Shapovalov and partner Ro- But while she gets nervous
to a 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 victory not in the best of moods after happy.” Not much rest for han Bopanna wound up los- while waiting to play, once
over 2017 U.S. Open cham- a five-hour loss in the second the weary: Shapovalov also ing 6-2, 6-2 in 51 minutes to she is in the thick of things,
pion and 2018 French Open round. What the 21-year-old needed to play a doubles 2014 Wimbledon champions trying to win, it’s a different
runner-up Sloane Stephens. Canadian did not mention match later Thursday, and Vasek Pospisil and Jack Sock. story. “During the match, I
Ostapenko has been as high were his 106 unforced errors that might have displeased just try to put the emotions
as No. 5 and is currently No. or that he got broken twice him the most. Don’t cry for me aside. I don’t have time to
43. That’s not very different while serving for the victory “Scheduling is absolutely aw- Australian Open champion think about my emotions.
from where she was three in the fifth set along the way ful. I mean, after a five-hour Sofia Kenin takes the highs I have to play one point at a
years ago in Paris, ranked to getting beaten 7-5, 6-7 (5), match I have to play doubles and lows of being a profes- time,” Kenin said. “After, if I
47th and just two days past 6-3, 3-6, 8-6 by 101st-ranked now. It’s just like, it’s just sional athlete to heart. When win, I’m happy. ... If I lose,
her 20th birthday when she Roberto Carballes Baena. complete trash scheduling. she isn’t on the court, any- I’m crying. So far, so good.”
became an impossible-to- It’s disappointing,” he said. way.

League Cup: Arsenal beats Liverpool on penalties; Fulham out

(AP) — Arsenal goalkeeper and Harry Wilson. “It was a on Monday. League side, Newcastle. travel to Everton in the other
Bernd Leno saved two pen- very tough game,” the Ger- Fulham lost 3-0 again — this Manchester United will quarterfinal.
alties in a 5-4 shootout win man told broadcaster Sky time against second-tier side
over Liverpool to reach the Sports. “It is very good to Brentford.
League Cup quarterfinals on save some penalties and see Scott Parker’s side has also
Thursday, while Aston Villa some laughing faces but I lost all three Premier League
and Fulham were knocked prefer next time to win the games since gaining promo-
out by lower-division clubs. game before penalties. But tion in August, when it beat
the main thing is we won.” west London rival Brentford
Joe Willock scored Arsenal’s A first-half header from Sam in the playoff final.
winning penalty to set up a Vokes gave second-tier side Algerian midfielder Said
home match against defend- Stoke a 1-0 win at Aston Vil- Benrahma scored twice af-
ing champion Manchester la to set up a quarterfinal at ter Finnish forward Marcus
City in the next round. home against Tottenham. Forss’ opener as Brentford
Leno, who also kept a clean reached the League Cup
sheet through 90 minutes as Villa manager Dean Smith quarterfinals for the first
the game ended 0-0, blocked made 11 changes from the time. It will play at home
penalties from Divock Origi team which beat Fulham 3-0 against another Premier