Page 14 - aruba-today-20230710

A14 SPORTS
Monday 10 July 2023
No. 1 Iga Swiatek comes back to beat Belinda Bencic

By HOWARD FENDRICH 6-4, 7-6 (11-9). Swiatek then walked be-
AP Tennis Writer “After giving birth to our hind the baseline with her
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) daughter, this is the sec- back to the net and stared
— Twice, Iga Swiatek was ond-happiest moment in straight ahead at the green
a single point from exiting my life,” Svitolina said. wall behind the Royal Box.
Wimbledon on Sunday, a The other quarterfinal on During a changeover, she
single point from the sort the top half of the women’s blocked everything out
of confounding defeat at bracket will be No. 4 Jessi- by draping a purple-and-
the place that gives her so ca Pegula vs. 2019 French green tournament towel
much more trouble than Open runner-up Marketa over her head.
any of the other Grand Vondrousova. Swiatek certainly had her
Slam tournaments. The men’s quarterfinals es- chances to move in front
Down a set and 6-5 in the tablished Sunday were No. far earlier than she did.
second against Belinda 7 Andrey Rublev against Six times in the first set, she
Bencic, the No. 1-ranked Novak Djokovic or No. 17 held a break point. Six
Swiatek steeled herself and Poland’s Iga Swiatek sits in her chair during a change of Hubert Hurkacz, and No. 8 times, she failed to cash in.
dispensed with the pair of ends break as she plays Switzerland’s Belinda Bencic in a Jannik Sinner against Ro- Two came when she held
match points. She erased women’s singles match on day seven of the Wimbledon tennis man Safiullin. set points while ahead 5-4
the first with a booming championships in London, Sunday, July 9, 2023. The big-hitting Bencic un- in the opener, but after Swi-
forehand, the second with Associated Press furled a right upper arm atek did not convert either,
a forceful backhand, and which includes claiming ment. heavily wrapped in beige Bencic raced to a 6-1 lead
soon enough, Swiatek was her fourth major title at the So how does she feel about and white tape from her in the ensuing tiebreaker
not just back in the contest, French Open last month. the green surface nowa- shoulder to above her el- before sealing it.
she was controlling it. Swiatek has won three days? bow to deliver powerful Swiatek headed to the
Frustrated in the late after- championships at Roland “Every day, my love is shot after powerful shot. It locker room after that set
noon sunshine at Centre Garros, and one at the U.S. getting bigger, so hope- was the kind of display that and seemed to be back
Court, so close to defeat in Open, but she never before fully I’m going to have as carried her to two medals to her best immediately,
the early evening shadows, had been past the fourth many days as possible to for Switzerland — a gold in finally breaking and even-
Swiatek managed to reach round at the All England stay here and play on this singles, a silver in doubles tually going up 3-1. But
the Wimbledon quarter- Club. Last year, she had a court,” Swiatek said. “For — at the Tokyo Olympics in she let that advantage slip
finals for the first time by 37-match winning streak sure, this is my best year on 2021, and a semifinal ap- away by dropping the next
coming back for a 6-7 (4), snapped during a third- grass, so I feel really kind of pearance at the 2019 U.S. three games and suddenly
7-6 (2), 6-3 victory over the round Wimbledon loss. motivated, because I know Open. needed to erase the match
14th-seeded Bencic. So comfortable on the red that even when you’re not And Swiatek frequently dis- points while behind 6-5.
“I threw everything I could clay of Paris, so capable playing 100%, the hard played signs of dismay. Once past that key stretch,
at her,” Bencic said, “and I on the hard courts in New work is paying off.” She slapped her right thigh Swiatek straightened things
pushed her to the limit.” York — and at the Austra- Svitolina, a 2019 semifinalist after ceding one point. out in the next tiebreaker.
Swiatek, a 22-year-old from lian Open, where she has at Wimbledon who had a After another, she looked From 2-all, she reeled off
Poland who will face wild- made it to the semifinals baby last October and re- up at her coach and her five consecutive points, the
card entry Elina Svitolina — Swiatek is just not quite turned to the tour this April, sports psychologist in the last of which was a double-
of Ukraine for a semifinal the same player yet on the advanced Sunday by edg- guest box with arms spread fault by Bencic, to send the
berth, extended her un- grass used at the year’s ing two-time major cham- and palms up, as if to say, encounter to a third set.q
beaten run to 14 matches, third Grand Slam tourna- pion Victoria Azarenka 2-6, “What is happening?”

Blue Jays’ Romano replaces Astros’ Valdez on AL All-Star roster

SEATTLE (AP) — Toronto to maybe start, but if he’s Perdomo.
closer Jordan Romano is pitching on the route he’s New York Yankees right
replacing Houston starter in, he’ll have three or four fielder Aaron Judge, Los
Framber Valdez on the opportunities to start in the Angeles Angels center
American League roster for future. So right now we got fielder Mike Trout, Houston
Tuesday’s All-Star Game. to take care of Framber.” outfielder Yordan Alvarez,
AL manager Dusty Baker of Baker talked with Valdez Tampa Bay left-hander
the Houston Astros said the about the decision. Shane McClanahan, Los
New York Yankees’ Ger- “He’s probably not happy Angeles Dodgers left-
rit Cole won’t pitch in the with it,” Baker said. “But hander Clayton Kershaw
All-Star Game because he sometimes you’ve got to and Chicago Cubs short-
would be on two days’ rest make tough decisions for stop Dansby Swanson were
following a start Saturday. the player and the team. dropped earlier in the week
Valdez pitched six innings He’s just coming off of an because of injuries, and
for Houston on Saturday af- injury. If something hap- Cleveland closer Emman-
ter skipping a turn because pened to him again, I uel Clase decided to skip
of a sprained right ankle. couldn’t live with myself.” Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Jordan Romano looks over to first base the game because of the
“We can’t risk Framber on Romano joined AL replace- before throwing during the ninth inning of a baseball game imminent birth of a child.
two or three days’ rest for ments that include Seattle against the San Francisco Giants in Toronto, Thursday, June 29 Among other All-Stars who
an exhibition game,” Baker center fielder Julio Rodrí- 2023. won’t pitch in the game
said in Houston before the guez and right-hander Associated Press are Atlanta’s Bruce El-
Astros played Seattle on George Kirby, Tampa Bay Minnesota pitcher Pablo Francisco, Craig Kimbrel of der and Spencer Strider,
Sunday. “I know it’s impor- shortstop Wander Franco, López.Earlier NL replace- Philadelphia, David Bednar the Chicago Cubs’ Mar-
tant, but our season is far Houston outfielder Kyle ments include pitchers Ko- of Pittsburgh, Corbin Burnes cus Stroman, Milwaukee’s
more important than the Tucker, Los Angeles Angels dai Senga of the New York of Milwaukee along with Devin Williams and Toron-
All-Star Game. It’s an honor closer Carlos Estévez and Mets, Alex Cobb of San Arizona infielder Geraldo to’s Kevin Gausman.q