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sports Tuesday 18 January 2022
South Carolina still No. 1 in women's Top 25; Oklahoma jumps

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Bas- the play of junior guard Ki-
ketball Writer erstan Bell. She is averag-
South Carolina remained ing 24.6 points and 7.9 re-
the No. 1 team in The As- bounds for the team that
sociated Press women's beat ASUN Conference ri-
college basketball poll re- val Liberty on Saturday. Bell
leased Monday. had 25 points in that win.
The Gamecocks received NO. 1 STATS
28 of the 30 first-place Since moving to No. 1 for
votes from a national me- the first time in school his-
dia panel after beating tory in 2014, South Carolina
Texas A&M and Arkansas has spent 36 weeks as the
last week. South Carolina is top team, including the
off until hosting Vanderbilt last 11. Only UConn has
next Monday. more appearances at No.
There was no movement 1 in that timeframe, with 71
near the top of the poll as weeks. Notre Dame is third
Stanford, Louisville, North with 11.
Carolina State, Tennessee GAME OF THE WEEK
and Indiana followed the Louisville at N.C. State,
Gamecocks again. Louis- Thursday. The two top
ville received the other two teams in the ACC meet for
first-place votes. 69-49. Florida Gulf Coast and Florida Gulf Coast fell out of the only time this season
Iowa State moved up two Oklahoma made the big- Iowa returned to the poll at the poll in early December with the No. 1 spot in the
spots to No. 7 with Michi- gest jump, climbing nine Nos. 24 and 25 while Kan- after suffering its only loss of conference at stake. Lou-
gan, UConn and Arizona spots to 14th. The Soon- sas State and South Florida the season, to Princeton. isville coach Jeff Walz got
rounding out the top 10. ers beat then-No. 14 Bay- dropped out. The Eagles were ranked for his 400th career win on Sun-
The Wolverines won at lor and TCU last week and Here are a few other tidbits two weeks in late Novem- day in a victory over Boston
Maryland for the first time. now have their best rank- from the women's AP Top ber. A huge reason for the College. N.C. State is com-
The Terrapins fell from No. 8 ing since they were 12th in 25: team's success this year ing off a 24-point victory
to 12th after being routed 2016. WELCOME BACK and last season has been over Duke.q

Osaka, Nadal advance in Australia after Djokovic flies home

By JOHN PYE AP Sports Writ- ic's attempt to participate as, I guess, an audience, champion Victoria Azaren- eron Norrie lost in straight
er in the year's first Grand Slam focus on whatever is in the ka all advanced. sets to Sebastian Korda.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) tournament, the returns of news, no?" Two young American con- Nadal won the Australian
— The first test of Naomi Osaka and Rafael Nadal A potential fourth-round tenders went out in the first Open in 2009 and is the
Osaka's new approach to have been overshadowed. meeting with top-ranked round, with 2020 Austra- only past champion in the
tennis might have been Osaka wasn't bothered by Ash Barty could be waiting. lian Open champion So- men's bracket after Djokov-
when she completely that. Nadal didn't seem to Barty, aiming to be the first fia Kenin losing 7-6 (2), 7-5 ic's late withdrawal Sun-
whiffed an overhead to be put off by it, either, re- Australian woman to win to Madison Keys and No. day. On Monday, the top-
give her opponent a break newing his bid for a record the title in Melbourne since 18 Coco Gauff saving five ranked Serbian landed in
point on Day 1 of the no- 21st Grand Slam singles title 1978, beat Lesia Tsurenko match points before losing Dubai, then caught a flight
Novak Djokovic Australian with a 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 win over 6-0, 6-1. 6-4, 6-2 to Wang Qiang. to Belgrade.
Open. Marcos Giron. Osaka, after winning the Olympic champion Belinda Monday was Nadal's first
Osaka didn't throw her Nadal is tied with Djokovic title last year, pulled out of Bencic advanced to a sec- appearance at a major
racket. She didn't roll her and Roger Federer with 20 the French Open before ond-round match against since he lost to Djokovic in
eyes. She smiled. major singles titles each, the second round, then sat Amanda Anisimova. the semifinals of the French
"There are situations where the most in the history of out Wimbledon. She played Men's Olympic champion Open. He missed Wimble-
I previously would get up- men's tennis. With Djokovic at the Tokyo Olympics, Alexander Zverev wrapped don because of fatigue,
set. But at this point in my unable to defend his crown where she lit the cauldron, up the Day 1 program on skipped the U.S. Open with
life, like, I'm here because in Melbourne because he but ended her 2021 season Rod Laver Arena with a a painful left foot and, after
I want to be here and be- didn't meet Australia's strict early after a third-round loss 7-6 (3), 6-1, 7-6 (1) win over recovering from COVID-19,
cause I find that it's fun for COVID-19 vaccination cri- and a teary news confer- Daniel Altmaier and will started 2022 with a title in a
me," Osaka said. "Might as teria, the door is slightly ence at the U.S. Open. next play John Millman, tuneup tournament in Mel-
well enjoy it while I still can." more ajar to Nadal. Two of her goals for 2022 who ended 40-year-old bourne.
In Osaka's mind, the drama Osaka's main concern, are to stay completely Feliciano Lopez's 79th con- "Honestly, it's been very
involving nine-time cham- meanwhile, is winning a composed on the court secutive Grand Slam event tough moments and there
pion Djokovic's deportation third Australian title in four and off, and to enjoy the in the first round. are still doubts," Nadal said.
on the eve of the Austra- years. game. No. 14 Denis Shapovalov "But here I am and I can't
lian Open was something "To be completely honest, And, yes, finally, the focus followed up his win with be happier to be back in
for the players in the men's it didn't really affect me," was on tennis in Australia. Canada in the ATP Cup this amazing stadium. It's
draw to worry about. Her ti- Osaka said of the Djokovic It got started in a big way, with a 7-6 (3), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 fantastic."
tle defense began smooth- drama. "My goal, like even with a combined 64 singles (3) win over Laslo Djere. The 35-year-old Spaniard
ly enough: She won the first before this whole situation, matches on opening day. Also advancing were No. said Djokovic's absence
five games on the way to a is to just focus on myself French Open champion 7 Matteo Berrettini, No. would have an impact on
6-3, 6-3 victory over Camila more, what I need to do to Barbora Krejcikova, fifth- 10 Hubert Hurkacz, No. 16 the tournament.
Osorio. become better. seeded Maria Sakkari, Cristian Garin, No. 17 Gael "In a personal level, yes, I
With so much attention on "Me, I'm a tennis player. I'll No. 15 Elina Svitolina and Monfils and No. 23 Reilly would like to see him play-
the 11-day saga of Djokov- focus on my matches. You two-time Australian Open Opelka, while No. 12 Cam- ing here," Nadal said. q