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SPORTS Wednesday 14 March 2018

Poland’s Michal Kwiatkowski wears the overall leader’s jersey Venus Williams stretches to return a shot to opponent and sister Serena Williams during the third
as he attends the podium ceremony after completing the 6th round of the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian
stage of the Tirreno-Adriatico cycling race, from Numana to Wells, Calif., Monday, March 12, 2018.
Fano, Italy, Monday, March 12, 2018. Associated Press
Associated Press Indian Wells
Kwiatkowski wins

Tirreno-Adriatico, Continued from Page 18 sistently. She just did every- Serena said last weekend.
“It’s just afterwards I don’t
thing great.”
“Hopefully, she decides to Venus raced out to leads like it as much.”
Rohan Dennis takes play a lot and enjoy herself of 3-0 and 5-2 in the sec- It was obvious at the net
in the process and get back ond set. Serena’s shot went when they greeted each
to who knows how high? It wide to set up her sister’s other with a one-arm hug
final stage almost doesn’t matter, but first match point. But Ser- and neither smiled. Venus
it would just be amazing to ena cracked a backhand did her usual victory pirou-
see her do it now.” winner down the line for ette, but still didn’t smile.
SAN BENEDETTO DEL TRON- thing might go wrong. But this night belonged to deuce. Venus’ forehand A stone-faced Serena ex-
TO, Italy (AP) — Michal “I had to go with lower tire Aunt Venus. was long and she double- ited the court to cheers,
Kwiatkowski won the Tirre- pressure. It was tricky ... I She closed out the 1 ½-hour faulted away the game to pointing her right index fin-
no-Adriatico cycling race had to be careful but I had match on her second make it 5-3. ger in the air.
Tuesday after an impres- good feelings today and match point when Ser- Serena held to trail 5-4 with Serena was back on the
sive time trial on the final that’s why I could finish so ena’s forehand service re- an ace and a clean win- WTA Tour for the first time
stage, which was won by well.” turn sailed long. It was one ner. since ending a 14-month
Rohan Dennis. Thomas lost 36 seconds to of Serena’s 41 unforced Venus faced two break absence during which she
Kwiatkowski started the in- the leaders following a me- errors, including 17 on the points in the next game, gave birth to daughter
dividual time trial with an chanical failure during the forehand side. but got bailed out on Sere- Alexis Jr. and married Red-
advantage of three sec- fourth stage of the seven- “I’m just lucky that I’ve na’s consecutive forehand dit co-founder Alexis Oha-
onds over Damiano Caruso stage race. played more matches than errors to get to deuce. Ve- nian, who sat courtside.
and he was quicker than Dennis was quickest on her right now,” Venus said nus hung on from there to “It’s good that I don’t have
the Italian rider at every the 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) on court afterward. “She end their 29th meeting. to say that this is the best
time check. individual time trial in San just came roaring back. I “Missing shots that I never tennis I have ever played
The Polish cyclist eventually Benedetto del Tronto. had chances for the match miss, and so close,” Serena and I lost,” Serena said.
finished 24 seconds ahead The Australian, who also to be over, but it wasn’t.” said. “At least they’re in the “My room for improvement
of Caruso in the overall won the closing time trial Venus broke Serena at love margin. I’m getting there. is incredible.”
standings, with Geraint last year, was four seconds in the sixth game for a 4-2 It’s not exactly where I Typically, the sisters
Thomas third, 32 seconds faster than Jos van Emden lead in the first set. She em- want to be, but I’ll get there wouldn’t meet until the lat-
behind his Team Sky team- and eight ahead of Jona- phatically closed out the eventually.” er rounds of a tournament.
mate. than Castroviejo. 36-minute set with back- Serena still owns a 17-12 ad- But 36-year-old Serena was
“I don’t actually know the “To be honest I was ner- to-back aces that clocked vantage overall, although unseeded in this event. Ve-
final result, just that I won, vous about it,” Dennis said. 108 mph and 120 mph. Venus evened their WTA nus is seeded eighth.
and that’s all that matters,” “I was looking at the best “I definitely know her well, Tour head-to-head meet- Serena won her first two
Kwiatkowski said. “It was times on the course and but she definitely played ings at 7-7. matches, while Venus re-
very nervous. When I was was thinking, a little bit better than she “I really abhor every time ceived a first-round bye
warming up it started rain- ‘What do I need to aim normally does,” Serena we play, but I do enjoy the and won her opening
ing so I was scared some- for?’”q said. “She served very con- battle when I’m out there,” match.q