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A22 SPORTS
Saturday 17 February 2018
Aly Raisman feels

empowered by posing

for SI swimsuit issue

In this file photo dated Sunday, Jan. 28, 2018, Switzerland's Roger Federer raises his arms after de-
feating Croatia's Marin Cilic in the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championships
in Melbourne, Australia.
Associated Press
Continued from Page 17 his record of 302 weeks at the most to me throughout
"I can't believe it." No. 1 since the rankings be- my career."
Federer will leapfrog gan in 1973. Pete Sampras Federer, the 2005 and 2012
31-year-old Rafael Nadal is a distant second with 286 ABN AMRO champion,
to No. 1 when the rankings weeks at the top. Novak plays lucky loser Andreas
are updated on Monday. Djokovic is the closest ac- Seppi of Italy in the semi-
Also a record will be the tive player, with 223 weeks finals on Saturday. Seppi
five-years-plus which have at No. 1. beat qualifier Daniil Med-
elapsed since Federer was "Reaching No. 1 is one of, vedev of Russia 7-6 (4), 4-6,
last No. 1, and the 14 years if not the ultimate achieve- 6-3. Federer won the Austra-
since he first reached the ment in our sport," Federer lian Open in January for his
top spot. said. "Sometimes at the be- 20th Grand Slam title and
"This one, because I'm a ginning you get there just edged closer to the top of
little bit older, is a little bit because you play so well. the rankings. He had not
more special maybe, be- Later, you sometimes try to originally planned to play in
cause there's just so much fight it back and you wrest Rotterdam but accepted a
that has to go into it, so it back from somebody else wild card when it became
much has to be right for it who deserved to be there, clear he might be able to
to work out, and it did so. and when you're older you take back the top spot.
Aly Raisman attends the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue launch It's a very deep satisfac- feel like you have to put Nadal hasn't played since
party at Magic Hour at Moxy NYC Times Square on Wednesday, tion," Federer said. maybe double the work in. retiring hurt in the Australian
Feb. 14, 2018, in New York. On Monday, he will extend So this one maybe means Open quarterfinals.q
Associated Press

By JOHN CARUCCI to a point where everyone
NEW YORK (AP) — Olympic understands women do Wozniacki stays No 1 after
gold-medal gymnast Aly not need to be modest to
she's got the word on her The 23-year-old says she edging Kerber in Qatar quarters
Raisman is a survivor, and be respected."

body to prove it. The six- feels empowered these
time medalist poses with days. She was one of the DOHA, Qatar (AP) — Caro- in the third. But Wozniacki champion, said. "I felt pain
nothing more than that, gymnasts who spoke up line Wozniacki outlasted broke straight back and every day, so it was not
and some other powerful about the sexual abuse of former No. 1 Angelique her superior fitness shone in easy to manage it.
words, in the 2018 Sports Il- gymnastics team doctor Kerber 7-6 (4), 1-6, 6-3 in the some long rallies. "I didn't have much time to
lustrated swimsuit issue. Larry Nassar and faced him Qatar Open quarterfinals The Dane will meet Petra recover before this tourna-
Raisman poses nude for in court last month when and ensured she retained Kvitova in the semifinals ment, but today was too
the "In Her Own Words" por- he was sentenced to de- the top ranking from Simo- after her match against much, and I decided to
tion of the swimsuit issue, cades in prison. Nassar was na Halep on Friday. Julia Goerges ended early stop.
except for a few phrases convicted after abusing No. 2-ranked Halep when the German retired "The MRI shows I have fluid
on her body, among them hundreds of girls during his reached the semifinals with with a hip injury while trail- and also tendinitis at the
"Fierce," ''Trust Yourself," career as a doctor for USA a dominating win, though ing 6-4, 2-1. fourth toe, so I have to take
and "Every Voice Matters." Gymnastics and also at she promptly withdrew with After beating American care of it and think about
"From the moment that I Michigan State University. a right foot injury. qualifier Catherine Bellis my health first."
saw the 'In Her Own Words' He pleaded guilty to sexual Wozniacki had to at least 6-0, 6-4, Halep announced Halep also withdrew from
project, I knew I wanted to abuse and child pornogra- match her to stay No. her withdrawal from the next week's Dubai Open,
be a part of it. I was instantly phy charges. 1, and the new Austra- semis on Saturday, when another tournament she
thinking what words I could Though her sentencing lian Open champion was she was scheduled to play has won, and the Roma-
put on my body," said Rais- speech went viral and she pushed for almost 2 1/2 Garbine Muguruza. nian said she did not ex-
man on Wednesday night was hailed for her strength, hours before prevailing. Muguruza beat Caroline pect to be back in action
at Sports Illustrated's party Raisman said it wasn't easy Kerber led 5-3 but Wozni- Garcia of France 3-6, 6-1, for more than two weeks,
to celebrate the issue. to face him. acki had a set point before 6-4 in the quarterfinals. until Indian Wells.
"I think it's extremely impor- "I know I looked strong in taking it in a tiebreaker. "I am surprised that I could Halep relinquished No. 1
tant. I think it's extremely the moment, but after I Kerber rushed her in the play three matches and after losing to Wozniacki in
powerful. We have to get was a mess. I was sick.q second set and broke early win them," Halep, the 2014 the Australian Open final.q