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sports Diasabra 22 Januari 2022

Anisimova upsets defending champion Osaka at Australian Open

(AP) — Within an hour draw, praised Anisimova’s
of her third-round loss at service returns and described
the Australian Open, de- how the ball kept coming
fending champion Naomi back at her so low and fast
Osaka had consigned it to that she couldn’t adjust her
the past. footwork to counter it.

It’s part of her new resolu- “I just want to soak in this
tion for 2022. No dwelling moment,” said Anisimo-
on what’s already happened. va, who took out Olympic
champion Belinda Bencic in
Osaka had two match points the second round. “It was an
against 60th-ranked Amanda amazing match. It was very
Anisimova in the third set close. You know, there were
Friday, and she missed two a bit of nerves, and to play
backhands. Naomi for the first time ...
it’s unreal, honestly.”
Anisimova held serve to
force a tiebreaker, which she Anisimova won her first WTA
dominated, and finished with hardcourt title at a tuneup
an ace for a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (5) tournament in Melbourne
comeback victory over the this month and is now on an
four-time major champion. eight-match winning streak
— the longest of her career in
In doing so, the 20-year-old main draw matches. and more time hanging out title at the 2019 French Open Jessica Pegula and No. 8
American ensured that the with family and friends. — beating Anisimova in the Paula Badosa against Madi-
so-called final-before-the- It’s the fourth time Osaka has “I can’t win every match. So semifinals — and won Wim- son Keys, who held off Wang
final — a much-anticipated been unable to defend a major I just have to, like, take that bledon last year. Qiang 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (2) on
fourth-round showdown be- title, and the 11th time in her into account,” Osaka said. “I Friday.
tween Osaka and top-ranked 21 trips to Grand Slam events feel like I grew a lot in this The hype surrounding the
Ash Barty — won’t happen. she has been knocked out in match. The last match that I fourth round didn’t impact Rafael Nadal wrapped up the
the third round, including played in New York I think her planning. Day 5 program on Rod La-
“I’m not sure if I’m going to last year’s U.S. Open. I had a completely different ver Arena by beating Olym-
have regrets about those two attitude, so I’m really happy “Each match is uncertain. pic silver medalist Karen
match points,” Osaka said. After winning the title last with — you know, of course I You just have to navigate your Khachanov 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1
“Like, I thought she played year — her second at Mel- lost, but I’m happy with how way through as best you can and continuing his bid for
really well. But I can’t really bourne Park in three years it went.” that given moment,” Barty a men’s record 21st Grand
look in the past anymore, you — Osaka withdrew from the said. “I’ve done a good job of Slam title.
know? French Open in the second Barty is hoping to become that this week. Now it’s ex-
round and skipped Wimble- the first Australian woman to citing to get to play Amanda Olympic gold medalist Alex-
“Like I just have to focus on don to take a break for her win the championship here again.” ander Zverev had a 6-3, 6-4,
what I can do in the future to mental health. After her tear- since 1978. 6-4 win earlier over Radu Al-
hopefully evade those situa- ful exit at the U.S. Open, she Osaka’s loss means Victoria bot, a 124th-ranked qualifier
tions.” took an extended layoff to She advanced to the fourth Azarenka remains the last from Moldova. The third-
reset and arrived at the year’s round with a 6-2, 6-3 win woman to successfully de- seeded Zverev will next play
Anisimova, who had lost first major with a seeding of over 30th-seeded Camila fend an Australian Open sin- No. 14 Denis Shapovalov,
her previous nine matches No. 13. Giorgi and has only conced- gles title. She overpowered who beat Reilly Opelka 7-6
against top 20 players and ed eight games and spent less 15th-seeded Elina Svitolina (4), 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
had to rebound from a set She also brought a new ap- than three hours on court. 6-0, 6-2 to reach the fourth
and a break down to survive proach, vowing to enjoy the round at Melbourne Park for Wimbledon runner-up Mat-
her first-round match, hit 46 game more and never again A career break a few years the first time since 2016. teo Berrettini fended off
winners to Osaka’s 21. cry in a news conference. back, to play professional 18-year-old Spaniard Carlos
She’s spent time meditating, cricket, did Barty a world of She had her son with her at Alcaraz 6-2, 7-6 (3), 4-6, 2-6,
Osaka, one of the most pow- keeping a journal of things good. Since her return, she a news conference and five- 7-6 (5).
erful hitters in the women’s she needs to be grateful for, won her first Grand Slam year-old Leo, wearing his
sunglasses and sitting on his Miomir Kecmanovic con-
mother’s knee, described the tinued to make the most of
two-time champion’s form the absence of fellow Serbian
as: “Awesome!” Novak Djokovic, reaching
the fourth round at a major
The 2012 and 2013 titlist for the first time with a 6-4,
will next play French Open 6-7 (8), 6-2, 7-5 win over
champion Barbora Krejciko- 25th-seeded Lorenzo Sone-
va, who rallied from a set and go.
a break down to beat 26th-
seeded Jelena Ostapenko 2-6, He will next play 17th-seed-
6-4, 6-4. ed Gael Monfils, who beat
No. 16 Cristian Garin 7-6
Since a quarterfinal run in (4), 6-1, 6-3.
Australia in 2016, Azarenka
lost first-round matches last Kecmanovic had been drawn
year and in 2019, and missed to play the top-ranked
the hard-court tournament Djokovic, a nine-time Aus-
in 2017, 2018 and 2020. tralian Open champion, in
the first round. But Djokovic
Other fourth-round pair- was deported on the eve of
ings that were set up Friday the tournament for failing to
include fifth-seeded Maria meet Australia’s strict CO-
Sakkari against 21st-seeded VID-19 regulations.