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A32 sports
Diamars 14 september 2021

Raducanu’s US Open title moves her up 127 spots to No. 23

in the final Saturday, 19-year- Federer and Rafael Nadal.
old Leylah Fernandez of Asked whether he might ad-
Canada, also made a big jump just his schedule to try to
in the rankings, going from overtake Djokovic by the end
73rd to a career-best 28th. of the season, Medvedev re-
plied, “I think, honestly, it’s
Ash Barty and Aryna Sa- almost impossible.”
balenka stayed at Nos. 1 and
2, while 2018 and 2020 U.S. “That’s not my first goal in
Open champion Naomi my mind — to try to achieve
Osaka slid from No. 3 to it this year,” said Medvedev,
No. 5 after losing in the third a 25-year-old from Russia
round to Fernandez. who was the runner-up to
Djokovic at this year’s Aus-
Karolina Pliskova is now No. tralian Open and to Nadal
3, and Elina Svitolina is No. 4 at the 2019 U.S. Open. “If I
after each moved up a spot by manage to do it one day, it’s
getting to the quarterfinals in great.”
New York.
Two players who made their
No. 1 Novak Djokovic is still major quarterfinal debuts at
comfortably ahead of No. the U.S. Open made sub-
2 Daniil Medvedev in the stantial jumps: South Africa’s
ATP rankings after Medve- Lloyd Harris rose 15 spots to
dev beat Djokovic 6-4, 6-4, No. 31, and Spain’s 18-year-
(AP) — Emma Raduca- began the year ranked 345th, in the main draw — to be- 6-4 in the U.S. Open men’s old Carlos Alcaraz went up
nu’s qualifier-to-champi- rose to 179th in July by come the youngest woman final Sunday. That prevented 17 spots to No. 38.
on run at the U.S. Open reaching Wimbledon’s fourth to win a major championship Djokovic from becoming the
vaulted her 127 spots in round in her Grand Slam since Maria Sharapova was 17 first man since Rod Laver in Two Americans moved into
the WTA rankings to a ca- debut and arrived at Flush- at Wimbledon in 2004. 1969 to complete a calendar- the Top 20 for the first time
reer-high No. 23 on Mon- ing Meadows at 150th. Then Raducanu is the first qualifier year Grand Slam — and from Monday: Coco Gauff, 17, is
day. Raducanu won all 20 sets she to win a Grand Slam title. breaking the men’s career No. 19 in the WTA rankings;
played across 10 victories — record of 20 major titles he Reilly Opelka, 24, is No. 19
The 18-year-old from Britain three in qualifying and seven The player she beat 6-4, 6-3 currently shares with Roger in the ATP rankings.

Some debuts rocky, others uplifting in NFL Week 1

(AP) - How difficult is This season’s seven new head son, might have with his 291
achieving a successful de- As for the kiddie QBs, it was coaches combined to go 3-4 yards and two touchdowns. Jacksonville’s Meyer had the
but in the NFL? Ask Ur- a down day: Trevor Lawrence in Week 1. The Jets’ Robert Darnold threw for a score biggest descent, given his
ban Meyer and Arthur and Zach Wilson, the top two Saleh saw his club victimized and ran for one in beating the credentials. He lost the first
Smith, new head coaches overall selections in the draft, by its former QB, Darnold, Jets. Bridgewater completed season opener of his head
whose teams looked as if plus first-rounder Mac Jones, and by Christian McCaffrey, 28 of 36 passes for 264 yards coaching career after enter-
they were still in spring all lost. who was brilliant after a 2020 and two scores, sharing the ing the game having won 17
workouts. basically lost to injury. De- ball with nine receivers, in a straight openers as a college
New England’s Jones per- troit’s Dan Campbell saw the victory at the Giants. coach.
Compounding that, Meyer’s formed the best in a 17-16 Lions fall into a deep hole be-
Jaguars and Smith’s Falcons defeat to Miami. He also had fore a stunning comeback but “I saw a guy in total control “There’s only one answer,”
were routed by Houston a lot more help than the Jets’ a fruitless outcome as they and when he had to impro- Meyer said. “That’s the great
and Philadelphia, generally Wilson, who struggled badly lost 41-33 to the 49ers. vise, he did,” Broncos coach thing about this sport. It’s not
projected to be among the in the first half and then came Vic Fangio said of Bridge- like we have to make a secret
league’s worst outfits — and on in a 19-14 loss at Carolina. Staley’s Chargers won at water. “Some of those were pass call or protection call, it’s
also led by new head coaches. Lawrence, whose assessment Washington, 20-16. on big, big plays. He’s been just work. That’s the great-
of his performance made doing that his entire career est thing about the game of
“I did a really poor job get- him sound like an actor in a Opening weekend of the when he’s been a player. He football, go out and work and
ting us ready to go,” Smith Broadway play about to close NFL season always is chal- showed it today.” that’s what we shall do.”
said after a 32-6 home loss to after one night, was part of lenging for favorites. That
the Eagles. “That game is not that ignominious 37-21 Jags seemed extrapolated this year
going to define us. It’s a long flop in Houston. by the lack of appearances in
season to go, but I certainly preseason games for so many
didn’t do a good enough job “Losing is always hard, espe- regulars. Such projected
getting us ready to go today.” cially when you feel like you powers or contenders as Buf-
are prepared and had a great falo, Tennessee, Indianapolis
The first time around was week,” Lawrence said. “I re- and Green Bay were either
kinder to the Texans’ Da- ally think we were ready and mediocre or worse.
vid Culley, the Eagles’ Nick obviously didn’t play well. It
Sirianni and the Chargers’ starts with me. I didn’t play Belying that, though, were
Brandon Staley, as well as for well, for sure. the showings by Winston,
some not-quite newcomers Taylor, Bridgewater and Dar-
to the league but now in dif- “I played really bad.” nold.
ferent environs: quarterbacks
in their first starts for current The other two first-rounders, Winston was a wizard in re-
teams, such as Jameis Win- San Francisco’s Trey Lance placing Drew Brees, throw-
ston for New Orleans, Tyrod and Chicago’s Justin Fields, ing for a career-high five
Taylor of Houston, Teddy each contributed touch- touchdowns. Taylor did per-
Bridgewater of Denver, and downs for their clubs. haps as much as the man he
Sam Darnold of Carolina. is replacing, Deshaun Wat-