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SPORTS Thursday 18 January 2024

Say that to my face: Djokovic challenges a heckler in testy 2nd-

round win at Australian Open

By JOHN PYE Tsitsipas wasted match
AP Sports Writer points in the 10th game of
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) the fourth set and then had
— Already sick and tired in to save four set points to
another early round slog, force a tiebreaker, which
Novak Djokovic unloaded he clinched for a 4-6, 7-6
on a heckler who crossed (6), 6-2, 7-6 (4) win over Jor-
the line at the Australian dan Thompson.
Open. Women’s champion Aryna
Defending champion Sabalenka and U.S. Open
Djokovic angrily chal- winner Coco Gauff avoid-
lenged the spectator to ed the early Day 4 upsets
“say that to my face” and in their draw to advance to
gestured to the man to the third round, along with
come down onto the Rod 16-year-old Mirra Andre-
Laver Arena court, the ven- eva.
ue for 10 of his record 24 Three-time major finalist
Grand Slam titles. Ons Jabeur lost 6-0, 6-2 in
He then went on a roll, win- 54 minutes to Andreeva on
ning three straight games Rod Laver, and then 2018
from 2-2 in the fourth set champion Caroline Woz-
before finishing off Alexei niacki also lost to a young
Popyrin 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (4) 6-3. Russian on the No. 3 show
The 36-year-old Serb then Novak Djokovic of Serbia points to a spectator during his second round match against Alexei court.
turned to the crowd again Popyrin of Australia at the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Two other 16-year-old play-
and yelled, pumping his fist Australia, Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. ers lost on center court to
to celebrate the victory. Associated Press highly-ranked players: No.
Asked later what triggered Djokovic didn’t ask for the “Sometimes I don’t tolerate in those types of situations. 10 Beatriz Haddad Maia
his rage, Djokovic respond- man to be removed. Sta- when somebody crosses Yeah, I was flat I guess accounted for Alina Korne-
ed: “I mean, you don’t dium security didn’t inter- the line. That’s it.” emotionally. Game-wise eva 6-1, 6-2 and Sabalenka
want to know.” vene. Djokovic has been dealing I was quite flat,” he said. overpowered Brenda Fruh-
“I was tolerating it for most Djokovic moved on to the with a sore wrist and said “Maybe that was needed virtova 6-3, 6-2.

of the match. At one point I third round, still simmering a after his opening match for me to be shaken up a Gauff, still a teenager her-
had enough,” he said. “He little bit about the episode. a four-hour, four-set win bit and start to find the kind self, extended her winning
didn’t have the courage to “I’m not going to sit and over 18-year-old qualifier of intensity that I needed to streak to nine matches at
come down. That’s what say ‘it’s all good.’ It’s not Dino Prizmic that he hasn’t have all match.” Grand Slams with a 7-6 (2),
I was asking him: ‘If you good,” he said. been well. He was strug- Last year’s losing finalist, 6-2 win over fellow Ameri-
have courage, if you’re “Of course, it upsets me. gling against Popyrin, who Stefanos Tsitsipas, also had can Caroline Dolehide.
such a tough man, tough I’m frustrated. I don’t want is ranked 43rd. a tough time against an She’ll next play Alycia
guy, come down and tell it to be experiencing that, So, was it the kind of spark Aussie with the crowd be- Parks, who beat 2021 U.S.
to my face.’” but I have to accept it as that he needed? hind him on an adjacent Open runner-up Leylah Fer-
That didn’t happen. it is. “Look, I don’t want to be court. nandez 7-5, 6-4.q

Pascal Siakam getting traded to Pacers from Raptors, AP source

says

By TIM REYNOLDS Jordan Nwora said the per- Wednesday at No. 6 in the
AP Basketball Writer son who spoke to The As- Eastern Conference and
Pascal Siakam is being sociated Press on condition now get to pair Siakam
traded to the Indiana Pac- of anonymity because the alongside All-Star guard Ty-
ers, a person with knowl- trade was still pending NBA rese Haliburton.
edge of the agreement approval. Siakam is in the final year
said Wednesday, ending ESPN, which first reported of his contract, one that
a run of nearly eight years the full terms of the trade, pays him nearly $38 million
with the Toronto Raptors also said the New Orleans this season, and becomes
during which he was a two- Pelicans were involved and eligible this summer to sign
time All-NBA selection, two- would send Kira Lewis to a five-year deal that could
time All-Star and part of the Toronto as part of the deal. be worth as much as $247
team that won the 2019 That move would put the million.
NBA title. Pelicans in position to get Siakam is averaging 22.2
Siakam is going to Indiana below the luxury tax thresh- points this season, and in
in exchange for three future old. parts of his eight years with Toronto Raptors forward Pascal Siakam (43) goes to the basket
first-round draft picks and It is a huge move for Indi- the Raptors he averaged as Utah Jazz’s Kelly Olynyk, left, and Walker Kessler (24) watch
a pair of players with NBA ana, the NBA’s highest- 17.4 points and 6.5 re- during the second half of an NBA basketball game Friday, Jan.
championship rings guard scoring team this sea- bounds. He was an All-Star 12, 2024, in Salt Lake City.
Bruce Brown and forward son. The Pacers entered in 2020 and 2023.q Associated Press