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SPORTS Saturday 24 February 2018

Kasatkina edges Muguruza to

line up Svitolina in Dubai final

DUBAI, United Arab Emir- ed her only break point in forget about it. You start to
ates (AP) — Daria Kasat- the first set for 4-2. run, blood starts to run into
kina saved three match In the second, Muguruza your body, that's it. You're
points before knocking out went up twice with breaks just focused on every ball."
second-seeded Garbine only to be immediately bro- Muguruza said: "She likes to
Muguruza 3-6, 7-6 (11), 6-1 ken back by the relentless play when she's under pres-
to reach the Dubai Cham- Russian. In the tiebreak, Ka- sure. Her best tennis comes
pionships final on Friday. satkina finally clinched on when she's about to lose.
The unseeded Kasatkina her fourth set point. "She has a good fitness
beat the world No. 3 from Kasatkina also saved two level to be able to run a Daria Kasatkina of Russia reacts against Garbine Muguruza of
Spain for the first time in a 2 match points in her open- lot. That's what helped her Spain during a semi final match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis
1/2-hour thriller. ing win over Johanna today." Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Feb. 23,
She will meet top seed and Konta. She has spent a With 15 singles wins this 2018.
defending champion Elina tournament-high 9 hours, 5 year, Kerber is enjoying a threatening to overhaul Svi- final.
Svitolina in the final, after minutes on court so far. good start to the season. tolina. Svitolina has won both pre-
the Ukrainian beat An- "When you're winning from But she still can't solve world "I'm happy that it was in vious matchups with Kasat-
gelique Kerber 6-3, 6-3. match points (down), you No. 4 Svitolina, who im- two sets because before kina. She will be going for
Muguruza dominated the don't know why," she said. proved her record against we had such tough bat- her 11th career singles title
opening set, though Ka- "Before the match, I was Kerber to 5-0. tles. Physically it was very and second of the year,
satkina squandered four really, really tired. When Kerber went up a break tough," Svitolina said. "I'm while Kasatkina will be aim-
chances to break in the first you're on the court, adren- early in the second set, very happy that I saved ing for her career second.
game. Muguruza convert- aline is coming, and you just but she never looked like little bit more energy for the q

Cora 'not concerned' Red Sox deal with Martinez not yet done

By DAVE CAMPBELL contract is subject to a suc- Martinez’s primary posi-
AP Sports Writer cessful physical exam and tion, the 30-year-old will
FORT MYERS, Fla. (AP) — has not been announced likely become the primary
The Boston Red Sox have by the club. designated hitter. Han-
still yet to finalize their con- Nine-figure deals like this ley Ramirez, then, would
tract with prized free agent one need due diligence, platoon at first base with
J.D. Martinez. and teams usually take out Mitch Moreland. The Red
Manager Alex Cora said insurance policies on fully Sox were more than ea-
after Boston’s Grapefruit guaranteed big-money ger to welcome an ac-
League exhibition opener contracts in case a player complished, potent bat
against Minnesota on Fri- is injured and unable to like Martinez’s to the lineup
day that he’s not bothered play out the balance of after an offseason when
by the delay and is simply the deal. Once spring train- the rival New York Yankees
focused on preparing the ing starts and a club’s op- flexed their muscle by add-
players he already has in erations have relocated ing slugger Giancarlo Stan-
camp. to Florida, there can be In this Sept. 27, 2017, file photo, Arizona Diamondbacks' J.D. ton.
“We’re still working and logistical complications Martinez watches the flight of his home run against the San “To be able to combat
Francisco Giants during the ninth inning of a baseball game in
getting ready, you know? that wouldn’t be the case Phoenix. those moves with a guy
That’s all we can do,” Cora at home during the regular Associated Press like J.D., that was a good
said after the Red Sox beat season. move,” Red Sox pitcher Da-
the Twins 4-3 at JetBlue Just another reminder of not concerned,” the first- to the Diamondbacks on vid Price said.q
Park. how the business side of the year manager Cora said, July 18. He was long linked
Martinez agreed to terms sport can often supersede repeating for emphasis. to the Red Sox, who have
on Monday to a deal that’s the actual baseball part. “The only thing I can do is a lineup full of young, pro-
as long as five years and The Minnesota Twins, for ex- do my thing, and my job is ductive players but lacked
worth as much as $110 mil- ample, agreed to terms on to show up every day and power last season while
lion, according to a person a contract with pitcher Ani- get them ready.” finishing with the fewest
familiar with the negotia- bal Sanchez last week and Martinez hit 45 homers in home runs in the American
tions who spoke to The As- announced the deal four 119 combined games in League.
sociated Press on condition days later. 2017 with Detroit and Ari- With All-Star Mookie Betts
of anonymity because the “I’m not concerned. I’m zona. The Tigers traded him entrenched in right field,