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A18 SPORTS
Thursday 17 augusT 2017

Qualifier Barty knocks out Venus Williams in Cincinnati

By JOE KAY The men’s bracket is with- an amazing champion
AP Sports Writer out Roger Federer, Andy and how she’s still playing
MASON, Ohio (AP) — Venus Murray, Novak Djokovic so well, still making Slam fi-
Williams’ resurgent summer and defending champion nals — it’s amazing. To be
hit a bump Wednesday Marin Cilic because of in- able to share the court with
when he was knocked out juries. her and play well today, it
of the Western & Southern The women’s bracket is was really exciting.”
Open by a qualifier in the missing Serena Williams, Madison Keys reached
second round. Victoria Azarenka and Ma- the round of 16 for the first
Ashleigh Barty rallied for a ria Sharapova. time, needing just 50 min-
6-3, 2-6, 6-2 upset on a hu- Venus Williams is enjoying a utes to beat past Daria Ka-
mid afternoon that played comeback season, reach- satkina 6-2, 6-1. Keys, who
to her advantage. Barty, ing the finals at the Aus- withdrew from last week’s
ranked No. 48 on the ATP tralian Open and Wimble- Rogers Cup in Toronto with
tour, had never beaten a don at age 37. She faded a forearm injury, next will
Top 10 player — going 0-6 Venus Williams returns to Ashleigh Barty, of Australia, during the in the heat and humidity meet fourth-seeded Garb-
— before knocking off the middle rounds at the Western & Southern Open tennis tourna- on Wednesday against a ine Muguruza, the Wimble-
ninth-ranked Williams. ment, Wednesday, Aug. 16, 2017, in Mason, Ohio. player who is 3-13 career don champion.
Several more upsets fur- against Top 20 players. The men’s bracket lost
ther depleted the brack- Makarova also upset Ker- card Frances Tiafoe broke “I’m going to take a one of its hottest player of
ets Wednesday. Numerous ber at Roland Garros this through against No. 4 Al- break,” Williams said. “Just late. Zverev won back-to-
top players have pulled season. exander Zverev, who was have a rest and just go big. back titles in Washington
out because of injury, leav- Kerber fell behind 5-2 in coming off his second ATP That’s my plan.” and Montreal, leaving him
ing the tournament wide the third set, rallied to a Masters title in Montreal. After knocking off Williams, little time to rest. It showed
open. tiebreaker, then got up The 19-year-old Ameri- Barty had to head for her against Tiafoe, who was
No. 3 Angelique Kerber 8-7. She wasted her only can hadn’t taken a set in doubles match, still buoyed more aggressive as the
lost to Ekaterina Makarova chance to finish it off. his two career matches by the biggest win of her match went along.
6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (11), with the “The third set was a com- against Zverev, but rallied singles career. “I’m completely dead right
Russian converting on her pletely up-and-down set,” for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory “It really is a privilege to be now,” Zverev said. “I have
eighth match point to end Kerber said. that ended Zverev’s streak able to share the court with been dead for the past
a 2-hour, 39-minute match. On the men’s side, wild of 10 straight match wins. Venus,” Barty said. “She’s two days.q