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sports Diamars 24 mei 2022

Osaka loses in 1st round of French Open, may skip Wimbledon

AP Tennis Writer mindset might have changed cord in Grand Slam matches. always more to do. You can’t made the tennis balls heavier
PARIS (AP) — A year since her previous appear- Krejcikova said she “hit the progress and then just stop. and restricted what Anisi-
ago, Naomi Osaka left the ance at the clay-court major wall” early in the second set You know what I’m saying? mova felt she could do to de-
French Open of her own tournament, when she decid- and never recovered, becom- There always has to be evolu- liver shots where she wanted
volition, never beaten on ed not to speak to the media ing just the third woman tion,” Osaka said. “But I feel them, she was good enough
the court but determining at all (drawing a $15,000 fine in French Open history to like, as of right now, they are to advance in straight sets
that she needed to pull out and threat of further pun- be defeated in her opening trying their best, and I think against a top-flight opponent.
before the second round ishment, which prompted match a year after winning it’s really nice to see.” “A lot of anticipation over
to stand up for herself and her withdrawal), saying that the title. While Osaka’s best perfor- the last couple of days. I was
protect her mind. stance was because of anxi- There weren’t any other mances have come on hard trying not to think about it
ety and depression she hadn’t such significant results on courts, Anisimova’s best too much, but going into
On Monday, Osaka departed previously revealed. Her Day 2, when the women’s showing at a Slam came on the match, I did feel like the
Roland Garros against her openness back then helped winners included No. 1 Iga the red clay of Roland Garros, stress and the nerves a bit,
will — via a 7-5, 6-4 loss in spark a wider awareness of, Swiatek, the 2020 champion; where she reached the 2019 because it is a very tough first
the first round to 20-year- and conversation about, the and other past major champs semifinals at 17. And even if round,” Anisimova said. “Just
old American Amanda Ani- importance of mental health. Petra Kvitova, Victoria Aza- the occasional rain that de- happy with how I was able to
simova, who is seeded 27th “I’m really happy with my- renka and Bianca Andrescu. layed play for hours Monday manage it and get through it.”
and also won their contest at self,” Osaka said Monday, In men’s matches, 13-time
the Australian Open in Janu- “because I know the emo- champion Rafael Nadal won
ary — after taking a painkiller tions that I left France (with) in three sets and No. 13 seed
to try to deal with a trouble- last year.” Taylor Fritz won in five.
some left Achilles tendon. Barbora Krejcikova also Defending champion Novak
She tried to stretch the ten- was aware of the wide spec- Djokovic was scheduled to
don by tugging on her neon trum of emotions she went play at night.
yellow shoes at changeovers through herself at the French Merely conducting news
or by squatting to flex her Open from 2021 — when conferences, before the tour-
lower leg between points. she was a Grand Slam sin- nament on Friday and after
Osaka was unable to summon gles champion for the first this loss, were a step forward
the serving or court coverage time — to 2022 — when she for Osaka. She was comfort-
on which her game is based, joined Osaka in departing in able addressing all sorts of
in part because her practice the first round. topics, including her difficul-
time and recent match play Krejcikova was seeded No. ties on clay and grass courts,
have been limited. The four- 2, but she was coming off an the fact that she is leaning
time Grand Slam champion injured right elbow that kept toward skipping Wimble-
and former No. 1-ranked her off the tour since Febru- don because there won’t be
player, who is now ranked ary, and her first match back ranking points offered there
No. 38 and was unseeded in began with a 4-0 lead before and the increased attention
Paris, double-faulted twice to unraveling into a 1-6, 6-2, to protecting athletes’ well-
end games and called the out- 6-3 exit against Diane Parry, a being — even if the strides
come “disappointing.” 19-year-old from France who made over the past 12 months
Yet she also provided a mea- is ranked 97th and entered are not necessarily enough.
sure of the way in which her the day with a 1-5 career re- “I mean, I feel like there is

David Ortiz says life has changed since Hall of Fame vote

NEWTON, Mass. (AP) golf tournament. bushed by a man who got off he said the affection that the “Without a doubt,” he said.
— Newly elected Hall of “Life continued. You never a motorcycle and shot him in fans have for him is some- “I’ve got so much love and
Famer David Ortiz knows know what’s next,” he said, the back at close range. Doc- thing that he’ll never take for respect for them. They give
he’s got to enjoy life every walking the grounds toward a tors in the Dominican Re- granted. that love back as well. We al-
day after his shooting in golf cart before he headed out public removed Ortiz’s gall- “Oh man, it’s something that ways stay in touch and try to
the Dominican Republic to take pictures with players. bladder and part of his intes- never gets old,” he said in the take care of them and guide
nearly three years ago. “You’ve just got to focus on tine after the shooting and he interview with the AP. “It’s them. That’s important in
doing well and making sure underwent further surgery in something that’s great — everyone’s career.”
“Without a doubt,” he told everyone around you is taken the U.S. getting love and giving love On Monday morning, he
The Associated Press Mon- care of.” The longtime Red Sox slug- back.” took to the microphone to
day morning at his charity In June 2019, Ortiz was am- ger was elected to the Hall on But, he joked: “I’m out of get everyone fired up for the
his first ballot by the Baseball shape signing.” event.
Writers’ Association of Amer- On Monday, he also recalled “Where’s the energy?” Big
ica in January, making 77.9% how emotional he was near- Papi yelled to the golfers,
of the ballots — just over the ly seven years ago when his which included Hall of Fam-
75% threshold needed for longtime friend and team- er Jim Rice, former MLB
election. mate Pedro Martinez went player Adam Jones and re-
He said it’s changed his life a into the Hall. On that day, cently retired Bruins goalten-
lot. Ortiz hit two homers and der Tuukka Rask. “Let’s go!
“Well, I was a busy man. drove in seven RBIs in a Red You don’t get a Hall of Famer
Now, I’m extremely busy,” he Sox victory. He was emotion- talking every day. Let’s go!”
joked after signing about four al after the game speaking to The 46-year-old Ortiz is the
dozen baseballs, a few golf the media. fourth Hall of Famer born
bags and a bunch of smaller “Yeah, my man,” he said, his in the Dominican Republic,
“stress ball” baseballs. voice becoming softer, recall- joining Juan Marichal, Mar-
Wearing a Hall of Fame base- ing that day. tinez and Vladimir Guerrero.
ball cap with the logo on the Now, he’ll probably have Ortiz’s tournament — called
front and Cooperstown on the same impact on younger the Boston Heart Classic —
the back, Ortiz estimated that Dominican players, when he raises money for children in
he has signed about 3 million gives his induction speech need of life-saving medical
baseballs in his career. But later this summer. treatment.