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SPORTS Friday 27 January 2023

Rybakina, Sabalenka to meet in Australian Open women’s final

By HOWARD FENDRICH Rybakina’s win over Aza-
AP Tennis Writer renka, the champion at
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Melbourne Park in 2012
— What all seemed so dif- and 2013, added to what
ferent, so daunting, even, already was an impressive
about trying to win a Grand run through a string of top
Slam title to Elena Rybakina opponents.
a little more than six months She also beat No. 1 Iga
ago is now coming rather Swiatek and No. 17 Jelena
naturally. Ostapenko both owners
And if she can win one of major titles and 2022
more match, she will add a Australian Open runner-up
championship at the Aus- Danielle Collins.
tralian Open to the one she “For sure, they’re very ex-
collected at Wimbledon. perienced players,” said
Rybakina, a 23-year-old Rybakina, whose parents
who represents Kazakh- and sister have been in
stan, reached her second town throughout the Aus-
final in a span of three ma- tralian Open. “I knew that
jor tournaments by beating I have to focus on every
Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (4), point.”
6-3 at Melbourne Park on She delivered serves at up
Thursday, signaling a rapid to 117 mph (189 kph) and
rise toward the top of ten- Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan waves after defeating Victoria Azarenka of Belarus in their stinging groundstrokes that
nis. semifinal match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, she used to close points
“Everything was new at Jan. 26, 2023. seemingly at will on Thurs-
Wimbledon,” Rybakina said Associated Press day. Her performance was
after hitting nine aces in the 10-0 in 2023, winning all 20 is far less cautious, though, tiebreaker. Azarenka lost particularly noteworthy
semifinals to raise her tour- sets she has contested this and her penchant for high- the mark on her strokes, against a returner and de-
nament-leading total to 44. season. risk, high-reward play was for the most part, making fender as established on
“Now I more or less under- More importantly, the vic- evident against Linette, things smoother for Rybaki- hard courts as Azarenka, a
stand what to expect.” tory over Linette gave Sa- who had never before na, while Sabalenka raced former No. 1 and a three-
That could come in handy balenka her first taste of been past the third round in to a 6-0 lead in hers. It time runner-up at the U.S.
Saturday, when she will success in a Slam semi after 29 appearances at majors. wasn’t the case that each Open.
face No. 5 seed Aryna going 0-3 at that stage until Sabalenka finished with and every shot Sabalenka “Kind of hard to digest,”
Sabalenka of Belarus. Sa- now, losing each previous a whopping 33-9 edge in hit landed right on a line, Azarenka said.
balenka reached her first attempt by a 6-4 score in winners, but also compiled but it must have seemed “Obviously, I had quite a
Grand Slam title match at the third set. more unforced errors in- that way to Linette. few chances that I gave
age 24 by beating unseed- Rybakina and Sabalenka cluding a trio that led to a “In the tiebreaker, I re- myself.”
ed Magda Linette 7-6 (1), employ a somewhat similar break at love by Linette in ally found my rhythm,” Sa- Rybakina is just 23, 10 years
6-2 in Thursday’s second brand of tennis, relying on the opening game. balenka said. “Started trust- younger than Azarenka,
semifinal. big serves and big hitting The key to both semifinals ing myself. Started going and the future sure looks
Sabalenka improved to at the baseline. Sabalenka turned out to be a first-set for my shots.” bright at the moment.q

Cuba picks 5 MLB affiliated players for

World Classic

HAVANA (AP) — Cubans players for Cuba’s national Also on the team will be
signed with Major League team that will play in the former New York Mets out-
Baseball organizations and international tournament fielder Yoenis Céspedes, a
other foreign clubs will for that begins March 8 in Tai- 37-year-old two-time All-
the first time join domestic wan. Star who last played in the
stars on the national team The team will include third major leagues in 2018.
that will play in the World baseman Yoán Moncada Two Cubans who play in
Baseball Classic, officials and center fielder Luis Rob- Japan were picked, out-
announced Wednesday ert of the Chicago White fielder Yurisbel Gracial of
evening. Sox plus three players from the Pacific League’s Fu- Cuban national baseball team hopefuls begin training at
Latinoamericano stadium as they prepare for the 2023 World
The Cuban Baseball Fed- Triple-A rosters: infielder kuoka SoftBank Hawks and Baseball Classic, in Havana, Cuba, Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.
eration long defended the Andy Ibáñez of the Detroit catcher Ariel Martínez of Associated Press
idea of amateurism and Tigers’ Toldeo Mud Hens, the Central League’s Chu- tains sanctions on Cuba. ic difficulties, the philoso-
punished those who left the right-hander Miguel Rome- nichi Dragons. Under the agreement, phy of restricting the move-
island to seek their fortunes ro of the Oakland Athlet- To arrange participation of those players are barred ment of athletes and the
in professional baseball. ics’ Las Vegas Aviators and the MLB players, Cuba had from coming to Cuba to temptations of professional
But that changed when a right-hander Ronald Bola- to get special permission work with the team. contracts abroad has deci-
program on state television ños of the Kansas City Roy- from the United States be- Baseball is the national mated the game on the
announced the roster of 30 als’ Omaha Storm Chasers. cause Washington main- sport in Cuba but econom- island.q