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SPORTS Friday 19 January 2024
A15

Blinkova upsets 2023 finalist Rybakina in a wild, record-long

tiebreaker at the Australian Open

By JOHN PYE Collins announced soon af-
AP Sports Writer ter that 2024 would be her
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) last season on tour.
— Her hand and her legs “Yeah, I lost 6-4 in the third
were shaking, she’d missed to one of the best players
nine match points but also in the world,” Collins said.
saved six, and Anna Blinko- “And she played some
va was 41 points into a wild great tennis. (I) left it all on
tiebreaker that was the the court.”
longest ever in a women’s Swiatek, a four-time ma-
Grand Slam event. jor winner, next faces No.
Elena Rybakina, last year’s 50-ranked Linda Noskova,
Australian Open runner-up, who beat U.S. qualifier Mc-
was just as anxious on the Cartney Kessler 6-3, 1-6, 6-4.
other side of the net. Fifth-ranked Jessica Pegu-
When Blinkova lunged to la’s run of three consecu-
retrieve a backhand, aim- tive quarterfinals in Australia
ing just to keep the rally was ended in a 6-4, 6-2 loss
alive, and Rybakina’s next to Clara Burel. Her fellow
backhand sailed wide, it American, 2017 U.S. Open
finished off a 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 winner Sloane Stephens,
(20) second-round victory took out No. 14 seed Daria
Thursday that she’ll never, Kasatkina 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 and
ever forget. Anna Blinkova of Russia reacts after defeating Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan in their second advanced along with No.
“It took me courage,” she round match at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, 11 Jelena Ostapenko, No.
Australia, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2024.
said. “It took me some cer- Associated Press 12 Zheng Qinwen, No. 19
tain calmness to stay in the Elina Svitolina and No. 27
present moment and to scribed it as the “endless could fight till the end,” Ry- 3-6, 6-4. Emma Navarro.
play point by point no mat- tiebreaker.” It went on for bakina said. “I mean, you Swiatek was down two ser- The 2021 U.S. Open cham-
ter what happens.” 32 minutes until Rybakina’s can’t always play perfect. vice breaks in the deciding pion Emma Raducanu’s
Rybakina, the 2022 Wimble- backhand error ended it. And of course I could have set before she went on a comeback major ended
don champion who was In terms of points 42 it was lost it even earlier.” five-game winning roll to in a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 loss to
runner-up here last year to the longest tiebreaker ever It was a long, tough night finish off a match that fea- Wang Yafan. Wimbledon
Aryna Sabalenka, saved in a women’s major. for the tournament’s No. 3 tured wild momentum shifts champion Carlos Alcaraz
two match points in a third “It was super tough. I had seeds on Melbourne Park’s and a 25-minute rain delay dropped a set for the first
set that contained six ser- so many match points,” main court. Daniil Medve- in 3 hours, 14 minutes. time in the tournament
vice breaks. said Blinkova, who is ranked dev had to rally from two “You can actually relax a before recovering to beat
Blinkova twice served for 57th and had 13 first-round sets down to beat Emil Ruu- little bit more because you Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 6-7 (3),
the match but couldn’t fin- exits in her previous 20 ma- suvuori 3-6, 6-7 (1), 6-4, 7-6 know that, ‘OK, probably 6-3, 7-6 (3). With a strong
ish off, and a double-fault jors. “I tried to be aggres- (1), 6-0 in a 4-hour, 23-min- I’m going to lose, so I don’t breeze to contend with, Al-
in the 12th game sent it to a sive but my hand was shak- ute match that ended at care anymore,’” Swiatek caraz was tested by Loren-
10-point tiebreaker. Once ing. And my legs, too! 3:39 a.m. local time. said. “Then it’s easier.” zo Sonego before coming
there, 13 minutes after her “I tried to be calm, as much Day 5 started with top- In her on-court interview, through in four sets and will
first match points, Blinkova as I could.” ranked Iga Swiatek had a she joked: “Honestly, I was next face 18-year-old Chi-
had two more points at 9-7 It was one that Rybakina narrow escape when she on the airport already.” nese wildcard entry Shang
but again Rybakina saved will dwell on, too. She knew rallied from 4-1 down in the “But I wanted to fight to the Juncheng, who ousted In-
them, and so it went on. she wasted chances. third set to beat 2022 run- end, she said. “I’m really dia’s Sumit Nagal 2-6, 6-3,
Blinkova, smiling, later de- But “I’m really proud that I ner-up Danielle Collins 6-4, proud of myself.” 7-5, 6-4.q

Warriors vs. Mavericks game

postponed following death of assistant

coach Dejan Milojević

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) nounced later. He was 46.
— The Dallas Mavericks’ Milojević, a mentor to two- Milojević died in Salt Lake
game at the Golden State time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic City, where he was hospi-
Warriors scheduled for Fri- and a former star player talized Tuesday night after
day night has been post- in his native Serbia, died the medical emergency
poned following the death Wednesday in Utah after happened during a private
of Warriors assistant coach suffering a heart attack. team dinner.
Golden State Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic watches Dejan Milojević, the NBA Milojević was part of the The Warriors’ game against
players warm up before an NBA preseason basketball game announced Thursday. staff that helped the War- the Utah Jazz scheduled
against the Denver Nuggets in San Francisco, Friday, Oct. 14, The date for the resched- riors win the 2022 NBA for Wednesday also was
2022.
Associated Press uled game will be an- championship. postponed.q