Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

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SPORTS Friday 23 February 2018

Muguruza beats Garcia again to advance to Dubai semifinals

DUBAI, United Arab Emir- Waiting for Svitolina in the her tendency to go for the
ates (AP) — Second-seed- semifinals is the resurgent lines. Muguruza was solid
ed Garbine Muguruza Angelique Kerber. The sixth- throughout, and broke her
overcame Caroline Garcia seeded German defeated opponent twice early in the
7-5, 6-2 Thursday to seal her third-seeded Karolina Plis- second to go 4-1 up.
place in the semifinals of kova 6-4, 6-3 in a 74-minute "I felt much better in this
the Dubai Championships. encounter. match than the one we
Muguruza defeated the Third-ranked Muguruza played in Doha. It's al-
fifth-seeded Frenchwoman had finished her round of ways difficult because we
in their second quarterfi- 16 match at 1:50 a.m. local played almost in the same
nal in two weeks, with the time but, if she was tired, week twice," Muguruza
Spaniard also winning after she did not show any ef- said. "But when you play
being a set down in Doha. fects. a top-10 player, and you
On Thursday, she need- The first set was evenly con- beat her second time in a
ed just two sets but they tested, with games going row, it gives me a good sign
stretched over 108 minutes. with serve. Muguruza then that what I'm doing is right.
Muguruza next plays Rus- applied immense pressure "I was a little bit upset be- Garbine Muguruza of Spain returns the ball to Caroline Garcia
sian Daria Kasatkina, who and had three break points cause it was very late (last of France returns the ball to during a quarter final match of the
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship in Dubai, United Arab
defeated compatriot Ele- in the ninth game. That night). I ended up sleeping Emirates, Thursday, Feb. 22, 2018.
na Vesnina 7-6 (5), 6-1. lasted just shy of 10 minutes at 4 a.m. But there's noth- Associated Press
Top-seeded Elina Svito- before Garcia held on but ing I can do, I have to ac-
lina moved to within two she was broken in the 11th cept it." Kerber secured her lost just eight points on her dropped to No. 21 in the
matches of retaining her game. 15th win of the season and first serve. rankings. "I don't know ex-
title with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Garcia was making more reached her third semifinal Winner of two Grand Slams actly what happened last
wildcard Naomi Osaka of mistakes because of her in four tournaments. She in 2016, Kerber did not win year," said Kerber. "I was still
Japan. aggressive mindset and broke early in both sets and a single title in 2017 and trying my best."q

U. S.Tennis Association deemed mostly liable for player's fall

NEW YORK (AP) — The Unit- TA's negligence that led to
ed States Tennis Associa- her slip and fall and the re-
tion on Thursday was found sulting injuries. She said she
mostly liable for when Ca- was forced to withdraw
nadian player Eugenie from the U.S. Open, where
Bouchard slipped on a wet she was still in contention
locker room floor at the in singles and doubles, and
2015 U.S. Open and hit her from subsequent tourna-
head, suffering what she ments in China and Japan.
said was a "serious head Bouchard, now ranked
injury" that changed the No. 116, said she hasn't
course of her career. been the same player
A jury found Bouchard was since she fell in the locker
partially at fault for what room. She left the court-
happened. It determined house on Thursday without
the USTA was 75 percent to commenting. USTA lawyers
blame and Bouchard was countered that Bouchard
25 percent to blame. What should have known not to
that means will be decided Tennis star Eugenie Bouchard leaves Brooklyn Federal court, Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2018, in New enter the area without be-
in another phase of the trial York. ing accompanied by a
to determine damages, Associated Press trainer or other tournament
starting Friday. personnel and that the
Bouchard, 23, had just of a physiotherapy room in- route to take an ice bath burning sensation on her cleaning crew believed all
played in a mixed doubles side the locker room. when she lost her footing skin from what her lawyers the players had left for the
match when she returned She sued the USTA for un- "and hit the back of my say was a powerful clean- night. Lawyers for the USTA,
to the locker room at the specified damages. head on the floor." She re- ing solution left on the floor. the sport's national govern-
Billie Jean King National Bouchard told a jury in fed- called being in "shock" as Bouchard, once ranked ing body, didn't immedi-
Tennis Center in Queens eral court in Brooklyn that she found herself "staring at No. 5 in the world and a ately respond to requests
shortly after 10 p.m. Minutes she had taken two steps the ceiling." Wimbledon finalist in 2014, for comment after Thurs-
later, she fell on the tile floor into the training area en She testified she also felt a testified that it was the US- day's verdict.q