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SPORTS Friday 20 January 2023
A15

Brooksby tops No. 2 Ruud; Jabeur out, too; Djokovic wins

By HOWARD FENDRICH last June and at the U.S. against COVID-19. you think everything is look- topping Shelby Rogers 6-3,
AP Tennis Writer Open to Carlos Alcaraz last Also a big deal: The prog- ing dim, everything is look- 6-1 after trailing 3-1 early,
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) September. ress of U.S. men through the ing dark, there’s light at and No. 19 Ekaterina Alex-
— Oh-so-close to complet- Like Ruud, Ons Jabeur year’s first major champi- the end of the tunnel,” the androva defeated Taylor
ing a straight-set upset of Townsend 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.
No. 2 seed Casper Ruud “I literally have the chills,
at the Australian Open, because the fans here are
Jenson Brooksby frittered just incredible,” said Voly-
away three match points, nets, who reached the third
sat down at a changeover round of a Grand Slam
and began yelling at him- tournament for the first
self. time. “I’ve never played
“How?! How?! God!!” in a stadium this packed
His face was flush, his emo- and with that many people
tions unhidden, his game keeping the energy up for
unraveling. Soon enough, me. It was awesome.”
that set slipped away, as Brooksby was supposed to
Ruud’s confidence seemed enter the Australian Open
to surge and Brooksby’s a year ago but came down
collapse momentarily with COVID-19 the day be-
continued. And then, in a fore he was supposed to fly
blink, Brooksby was back in overseas.
charge, taking command “Hopefully this is the first of
immediately in the fourth many many good years
set along the way to a 6-3, here to come,” Brooksby
7-5, 6-7 (4), 6-2 victory over said.
Ruud and a spot in a surpris- His unusual playing style,
ingly American-filled third including his two-handed
round at Melbourne Park. backhand volleys, and
“I was getting a little more ability to track down oppo-
frustrated out there that nent’s shots, were trouble
I didn’t close it out, and Jenson Brooksby of the U.S. reacts after winning the first set against Casper Ruud of Norway in for Ruud, who took a medi-
my mentality was chang- their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, cal timeout after the sec-
ing a little bit,” said the Thursday, Jan. 19, 2023. ond set because of a both-
39th-ranked Brooksby, who Associated Press ersome abdominal muscle.
sipped from little jars of “He was annoyingly good
pickle juice in the fourth set reached the finals of two onship. None has won a 107th-ranked Mmoh said. today,” said Ruud, a
at Rod Laver Arena. “Those Grand Slam tournaments in Grand Slam title since Andy “My week is proof of that.” 24-year-old Norwegian
are the situations you have 2002. Like Ruud, she came Roddick at the 2003 U.S. Shelton, the NCAA cham- coached by his father, a
to handle sometimes in to Australia as the No. 2 Open. pion from the University former pro player.
matches, and you’re going seed. And like Ruud, she By reaching the third round, of Florida participating in The biggest problem for
to face. I think the biggest was bounced in the sec- Brooksby joined country- just his second Slam, beat Brooksby was closing this
question is: How do you re- ond round, beaten 6-1, 5-7, men Michael Mmoh, Ben qualifier Nicolas Jarry of one out. He held a trio of
spond? I just told myself to 6-1 by 2019 French Open Shelton, Tommy Paul and Chile 7-6 (3), 7-6 (3), 7-5; match points while trying to
reset.” runner-up Marketa Von- J.J. Wolf, who also won Paul came back to edge serve for the victory at 5-3
So leave it to a pair of drousova in a match that Thursday, along with Mc- No. 30 Alejandro Davidov- in the third set but could
20-something Californians ended at about 1 a.m. on Donald, No. 16 Frances ich Fokina of Spain 6-2, 2-6, not cash any of them in.
to rid the men’s bracket of Friday. Tiafoe and No. 29 Sebas- 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-4; and Wolf Ruud raced through the
its two highest seeded play- That was actually rather tian Korda, who all won breezed past No. 23 Diego end of that set, but Brooks-
ers: Brooksby, 22, delivered mundane compared to Wednesday. The highest- Schwartzman of Argentina by righted himself in the
his unexpected triumph at what Andy Murray and seeded American man, 6-1, 6-4, 6-4. fourth, jumping out to a
the same stage and in the Thanasi Kokkinakis went though, could not make Brooksby now plays Paul; 3-0 lead. Brooksby finished
same stadium that Mack- through, starting the fifth it that far: No. 8 Taylor Fritz Mmoh takes on Wolf. things off 1 hour, 15 minutes
enzie McDonald, 27, de- set of their match at about bowed out with a 6-7 (4), “Frances is probably my after his first chance.
feated No. 1 seed and de- 3 a.m. Murray ended up 7-6 (2), 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-2 loss best friend. I grew up with When the match ended,
fending champion Rafael with a 4-6, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (5), to 113th-ranked Austra- Tommy,” Mmoh said. “I’ve Brooksby said, “The first
Nadal a day earlier. That 6-3, 7-5 victory that ended lian wild-card entry Alexei known these guys for so thing that popped to my
makes this the first Grand just past 4 a.m. Popyrin. long. I’ve competed with mind was I was just proud
Slam tournament since The exits of Nadal and Ruud Still, the eight men from the them.” of my mental resolve just to
the 2002 Australian Open make nine-time champion United States remaining There was also a big win for stay focused out there.”q
that the Nos. 1-2 seeds lost Novak Djokovic who dealt are the most into the third an American woman Thurs-
before the end of the sec- with a persistent heckler round in Australia since the day: 21-year-old qualifier
ond round and the first and a left hamstring that same number did it in 1996. Katie Volynets defeated
time since the 1994 French he says worries him dur- Mmoh, who lost in qualify- No. 9-seeded Veronika Ku-
Open that a pair of Ameri- ing a four-set victory over ing but got into the main dermetova of Russia 6-4,
cans took out the top two 191st-ranked qualifier Enzo draw when another player 2-6, 6-2.
men’s seeds at any Grand Couacaud on Thursday withdrew, made it this far at Elsewhere, No. 4 Caro-
Slam tournament. night even more of a title a major tournament for the line Garcia beat 2021 U.S.
Nadal owns a men’s-re- favorite in his return to Aus- first time by defeating No. Open finalist Leylah Fer-
cord 22 Grand Slam titles. tralia after being deport- 12 Alexander Zverev 6-7 (1), nandez 7-6 (5), 7-5, No. 5
Ruud was the runner-up at ed a year ago because 6-4, 6-3, 6-2. Aryna Sabalenka improved
the French Open to Nadal he was not vaccinated “Life is crazy. Right when her 2023 record to 6-0 by facebook.com/arubatoday/