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sports Thursday 16 January 2025
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Australian Open: Naomi Osaka is back in a

Slam’s 3rd round for the 1st time in 3 years

game here or there,” Osaka
explained. “So I kept trying
to tell myself that.”
This was, in some ways, a sig-
nificant moment for Osaka,
who once reigned atop
women’s tennis, winning four
Grand Slam titles two at the
Australian Open, two at the
U.S. Open and ascending to
No. 1 in the WTA rankings. The
victory allowed her to reach
the third round at a major
tournament for the first time
Naomi Osaka of Japan reacts after defeating Karolina Muchova since the 2022 season.
of the Czech Republic in their second round match at the Getting to that stage was
Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, not considered a big deal
Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. at one point for her. But time
Associated Press off because of mental health
By HOWARD FENDRICH some unknown opponent, breaks and then a pregnancy
AP Tennis Writer someone Osaka knew for Osaka’s daughter, Shai, was
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) sure she could beat. It was born in July 2023 changed
— Naomi Osaka’s second- against 20th-seeded Karolina things.
round match at the Australian Muchova, the runner-up at Since returning to action a
Open could not possibly have the 2023 French Open and year ago, Osaka has shown
started in a worse way. All a three-time semifinalist at signs of getting her game
of 21 minutes in, she sailed other majors, including at back together, including
a forehand service return Melbourne Park in 2021. a memorable and narrow
well long and, just like that, Muchova also had defeated loss to then-No. 1 Iga Swi-
trailed 5-0. Osaka in their two most re- atek at the French Open.
Osaka strode to the sideline cent matchups. None of that This, though, followed a
for the changeover, plopped mattered on this afternoon, win against 2022 U.S. Open
herself down and draped a though: Osaka forgot about semifinalist Caroline Garcia
white towel over her head, that disappointing start and in Melbourne and meant the
blocking out all sights and came all the way back to win progress is real.
leaving her with just her 1-6, 6-1, 6-3 on Wednesday. “It definitely was something
thoughts. She stayed like What was her mindset? “Just that is a goal of mine, espe-
that throughout the break be aware and try not to get cially after last year; I wasn’t
between games, even ma- so negative on yourself. I able to beat a seed in a
noeuvering a water bottle think, for me, the score in the Grand Slam,” Osaka said.
under that towel to take a first set was very dramatic, “I’m obviously very thankful
drink. but there was key points that that happened so early this
This was not a match against I could have maybe won a year.”q

Bill to award 1980 ‘Miracle On Ice’ U.S. hockey team
with Congressional Gold Medals is reintroduced

WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill
to award Congressional Gold
Medals to the 1980 “Miracle
on Ice” Olympic hockey
team was reintroduced in
the U.S. House of Represen-
tatives and the Senate on
Wednesday.
The ongoing effort, which
included the bill being first
introduced in October, In this Feb. 22, 1980, file photo, the U.S. hockey team pounces
needed to be submitted for on goalie Jim Craig after a 4-3 victory against the Soviets in
consideration again in the the 1980 Olympics, as a flag waves from the Lake Placid, N.Y.
119th Congress. crowd. Associated Press
Rep. Pete Stauber, R-Minn.,
reintroduced the Miracle on reintroduced it in the Senate. said the league enthusiasti-
Ice Congressional Gold Med- USA Hockey executive di- cally supports the legislation.
al Act in the House along with rector Pat Kelleher said he February marks the 45th an-
co-sponsors Reps. Lisa Mc- encourages fans to contact niversary of the Americans
Clain, R-Mich., Mike Quigley, their congressional represen- beating the heavily favored
D-Ill., and Bill Keating, D-Mass. tatives to express their sup- Soviet Union on the way to
Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., port for the bill’s passage. NHL the gold medal on home ice
and Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Commissioner Gary Bettman in Lake Placid, New York.q