Page 15 - aruba-today-20230126

A15
sports Thursday 26 January 2023
Paul tops Shelton at Australian Open, faces Djokovic next

By HOWARD FENDRICH He’s been around for a few
AP Tennis Writer years. I watched him play
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) quite a bit, especially dur-
— Tommy Paul received a ing this tournament. He’s
lot less attention than his been playing probably
younger, less-experienced, tennis of his life,” Djokovic
opponent, Ben Shelton, said. “Very explosive, very
heading into their all-Amer- dynamic player.”
ican quarterfinal at the Paul initially broke through
Australian Open. as a teenager, taking
Perhaps that was a prod- the 2015 junior title at the
uct of the fascination with French Open (beating Fritz)
the out-of-nowhere Shel- and getting to the final at
ton: Just 20, and less than Flushing Meadows that
a year after winning an year, too (losing to Fritz).
NCAA title for the University Since turning professional,
of Florida, he was traveling he has claimed one tour-
outside of the United States level trophy, at Stockholm
for the first time and partici- in 2021, and, until this week,
pating in his second Grand had made it as far as the
Slam tournament. fourth round at just one
So the loud shouts heard Grand Slam tournament —
most often emanating at Wimbledon a year ago.
from the Rod Laver Arena Tommy Paul of the U.S. serves to compatriot Ben Shelton during their quarterfinal match at the Now Paul is the first man
stands on Wednesday, un- Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 25, 2023. from his country to make
Associated Press
der the sun that carried the it to the final four at Mel-
temperature to 87 degrees a different path. ... Mine to the airport to make the of 27 games in that span bourne Park since Andy
Fahrenheit (30 degrees has been, like, the slow- long journey from the U.S. as he chases a 10th cham- Roddick in 2009. Roddick
Celsius), were for one of est,” the 35th-ranked Paul “She’s done a lot for me, pionship in Melbourne — was also the last man from
the pair: “Let’s go, Benny! said, mentioning a group from when I was really “something that sends a the U.S. to win a Grand
Let’s go!” or “Benny, Benny, of Americans he grew up young until now. She’s message,” he said, “to all Slam singles championship,
Benny! Oi, Oi, Oi!” or “Go, with: Taylor Fritz, Frances sacrificed a ton to get me my opponents remaining in at the U.S. Open 20 years
Gators!” “He had a pretty Tiafoe, Reilly Opelka. “I like here,” Paul said. “She de- the draw.” ago.
good trip,” Paul noted. to think the last four years serves to be here and de- The other men’s semifinal And while Shelton was sort
Paul’s story is a pretty good of my career has just been serves to see me win big Friday is Stefanos Tsitsipas of adopted by the locals
one, too, and it is the one like steady steps moving matches.” against Karen Khachanov. — “The crowds have been
that will keep going at Mel- up. I mean, that’s what it’s Paul’s next opponent will be After dropping Rublev’s pretty unbelievable. ... They
bourne Park: The 25-year- felt like. I feel like hopefully 21-time Grand Slam singles record in major quarter- kind of treated me like one
old was a star in the juniors 2023 is the year where I re- champion Novak Djokovic, finals to 0-7 and extend- of their own,” he observed
and now is making good ally make a big jump.” who overwhelmed No. 5 ing his own winning streak — Paul was not drawing
on that promise in the pros, As a bonus, Paul’s mother seed Andrey Rublev 6-1, at the Australian Open to the same amount adora-
using a 7-6 (6), 6-3, 5-7, was in the crowd for the 6-2, 6-4. After dealing with 26 matches, equaling An- tion.
6-4 victory over Shelton to biggest victory of his ca- a worrisome left hamstring dre Agassi for the longest “I’ve been on the outside
reach his first Grand Slam reer. He said Mom booked in his first two matches, run there in the Open era, courts, grinding, until the
semifinal in his 14th appear- a flight after he won his Djokovic has been on quite Djokovic looked ahead to round of 16,” Paul said.
ance at a major. fourth-round match, then a roll: He’s won his past 11 facing Paul for the first time. “I’ve been flying under the
“Every junior to pro has went straight from work sets and dropped a total “I know how he plays. ... radar a little bit.”q

World track body proposal: No ban on

transgender athletes

By GERALD IMRAY Olympic champion Caster to compete, according to
AP Sports Writer Semenya — to national World Athletics’ proposal.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa track federations for their Transgender athletes are
(AP) — Track and field’s feedback. currently clear to enter elite
governing body is facing The governing body’s “pre- female events if they have
renewed criticism for a pro- ferred option,” it said in a kept their testosterone lev-
posal to allow transgen- statement this week, is for els below 5 nanomoles for
der athletes to continue transgender and DSD ath- at least a year. DSD ath-
competing in top female letes to still be allowed to letes, who also have testos-
events, although with strict- compete in female events terone levels higher than
er rules. if they reduce their testos- the typical female range,
World Athletics has sent a terone levels further, to be- have to be below 5 nano- World Athletics President Sebastian Coe holds a press
proposal for new regula- low 2.5 nanomoles per liter moles for six months before conference at the conclusion of the World Athletics meeting
at the Italian National Olympic Committee, headquarters, in
tions governing transgen- of blood. competing. Rome, Nov. 30, 2022.
der athletes — and the They would have to keep Although WA is proposing Associated Press
separate issue of athletes their testosterone below to tighten its regulations,
with Differences in Sex De- that level for at least two it had been expected to for transgender athletes swimming’s decision to do
velopment like two-time years before being allowed consider a complete ban in female events following that last year. q