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sports Dialuna 8 augustus 2022

Suddenly consistent Kyrgios moves into Citi Open final

(AP) — Nick Kyrgios found the Kyrgios won at Washington in 2019,
consistency that has long eluded the most recent of his six ATP titles.
him, reaching a second consecu- In the final, Kyrgios will face a sur-
tive tournament final for the first prising opponent in 96th-ranked
time in his career with a 7-6 (4), Yoshihito Nishioka, who ousted top-
6-3 victory over Mikael Ymer at seeded and eighth-ranked Andrey
the Citi Open on Saturday night. Rublev 6-3, 6-4.

Kyrgios, the runner-up at Wimble- Nishioka had not won a tour-level
don to Novak Djokovic, has adjusted match since Miami in March, but
well to the hot, humid conditions at knocked off Jenson Brooksby, Alex de
this hard-court U.S. Open tuneup. Minaur, Karen Khachanov and Dan-
He won an uncharacteristic 24-shot iel Evans in Washington before frus-
rally on Ymer's serve to go ahead 5-4 trating Rublev. He won his lone ATP
in the first-set tiebreak and served it title at Shenzhen, China in 2018.
out from there.
Kyrgios is 3-0 against Nishioka, most
In the second set, Krygios secured recently winning in 2019 in Washing-
the only service break of the match ton.
on a cross-court half-volley from no- "We've played many times, but he
man's land to move ahead 5-3. beat me every time since (we were)
"He's an incredible athlete and I re- 16 years old. It is really tough to play and credits smart scheduling for her Kanepi's match record this year is
ally wasn't expecting him to be that against him," Nishioka said. continued good form. 19-10, her most victories since 2013,
fast," Kyrgios said. "Maybe next time "It was amazing, actually, for me. I and she is ranked No. 37. She plans
I might have a couple different tac- Earlier Saturday in the women's never thought I would make quarters to play two more hard-court tourna-
tics when I play him, maybe not to draw, Kaia Kanepi moved within one in Australia. I thought it's not just my ments before the U.S. Open, which
try and out-rally him, maybe come victory of her first title in nine years, place," said Kanepi, who previously starts Aug. 29.
forward a little bit more. But it was overwhelming Daria Saville 6-3, 6-1. reached the quarterfinals in the other In the final, Kanepi will face 60th-
a tough-fought semifinal and I'm just three Grand Slam tournaments. "But ranked Liudmila Samsonova, who
happy to be in the final once again." Kanepi, a 37-year-old from Estonia, I played really well, and then I con- breezed past Xiyun Wang 6-1, 6-1.
won the last of her four WTA titles in tinued playing well. I actually didn't The 23-year-old Samsonova is seek-
The 27-year-old Australian is No. 63 2013 in Brussels. But she has enjoyed put any pressure on myself to achieve ing her second WTA singles title. She
in the rankings but would move to a resurgence this year, reaching the something special." won a hard-court event at New Ha-
37th if he takes the title on Sunday. quarterfinals of the Australian Open, ven, Connecticut, in 2017.

Jereem Richards follows mourning with Comm Games 200m gold

(AP) — Jereem Richards is in the medal. Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah vided a boost in confidence as she
midst of a difficult year yet the added a Commonwealth Games looks towards the Paris Olympics in
Trinidad and Tobago sprinter It is almost eight months since Rich- sprinting double to her remarkable two years.
continues to be an inspiration on ards' close friend and compatriot deeds in the Olympics with a superb
the athletics track. Deon Lendore, an Olympic medalist effort. "My last year has not been that great.
who had been "an inspiration" since After so much training and doubting
Richards successfully defended his he was a boy, died in a car crash in Thompson-Herah was outsprinted myself, this is very important to me,"
Commonwealth Games 200 meters Texas. by her compatriots Shelly-Ann Fras- she said. "This medal will boost my
crown in Birmingham on Saturday er-Pryce and Shericka Jackson in the confidence for the next two years, for
night in 19.80 seconds. Richards vowed to continue Lend- 100 meters at the world champion- the Paris Olympics. I'm back."
ore's legacy and devote his racing ef- ships in Oregon last month. But the
A finalist at the Tokyo Olympics, he forts this season to his memory. His five-time Olympic gold medalist re- India reached the final of the men's
seized control from the start and set a contribution in Birmingham was one bounded brilliantly in Birmingham field hockey after defeating South
Commonwealth Games record. to remember. and added the 200 crown to her 100 Africa 3-2. Singh Manpreet said they
He defeated England's Zharnel "This has been a long season and I with a comprehensive victory. learned from a loss in the semifinals
Hughes by 0.38 seconds. Ghana's Jo- am just grateful that I have come on the Gold Coast in 2018.
seph Paul Amoah clinched the bronze through," he said. Thompson-Herah, who also com- "We knew they're going to give us a
pleted the sprint double in the Rio de good fight," Manpreet said "We were
Janeiro and Tokyo Olympics, clocked prepared."
22.02 to defeat Favour Ofili by almost
half a second. Namibian Christine In women's cricket, Australia will
Mboma claimed the bronze medal. face India in a highly anticipated final
Fraser-Pryce and Jackson were criti- after a convincing victory over New
cized by Games officials for snubbing Zealand in a semifinal at Edgbaston.
the event in preference to athletics India earlier defeated host England by
events in Europe. Jackson won the four runs in a thriller.
200 at a meeting in Poland earlier on After the overall gold medal race had
Saturday in 21.84. tightened the previous day, Austra-
lia extended its lead at the top of the
Back in Birmingham, Ugandan Jacob standings by winning nine golds on
Kiplimo added the 5,000 meters gold Day 9.
medal to success earlier in the week
in the 10,000 when surging to the Australia has 59 golds and 155 med-
line. als in total, ahead of England in sec-
ond place (50 golds and 148 medals
Vinesh Phogat was among six India overall) with two competition days
wrestlers to claim gold medals in Bir- remaining.
mingham.
Phogat, who won the women's 53-ki- India is fifth with 13 gold and 27 mi-
logram division, said her success pro- nor medals.