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A22 sports
Monday 13 august 2018

Reunion time: ‘Big 4’ back together at Cincinnati

By JOE KAY champion lost 6-1, 6-0 to
AP Sports Writer Johanna Konta in San
MASON, Ohio (AP) — For Jose, then withdrew from
the first time in more than a the Rogers Cup in Mon-
year, the “Big Four” is back treal.
together at the Western & Williams had a baby in Sep-
Southern Open. tember and developed
Rafael Nadal, Roger Fe- blood clots. She was the
derer, Novak Djokovic and runner-up at Wimbledon
Andy Murray highlight the last month, her fourth tour-
men’s bracket that begins nament since she returned
Monday in a tournament to the tour.
that will help gauge how When she withdrew from
several prominent players the Rogers Cup, the
are recovering from set- 36-year-old Williams said
backs as the U.S. Open ap- she’s been struggling with
proaches. postpartum emotions.
Murray missed 11 months “Not only was I accepting
following hip surgery and some tough personal stuff,
tried to return for Wimble- but I just was in a funk,” Wil-
don, but withdrew when liams said in an Instagram
he wasn’t satisfied with his post .
workouts. Cincinnati will be “Mostly, I felt like I was not
his fourth tournament in his a good mom.”
comeback. Top-ranked Simona Halep
He reached the quarter- Rafael Nadal, of Spain, celebrates after defeating Stefanos Tsitsipas, of Greece, in the final of the is fresh off another title. She
finals at Washington two Rogers Cup men’s tennis tournament in Toronto, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018. beat Sloane Stephens 7-6
weeks ago, his best re- Associated Press (6), 3-6, 6-4 for her third title
sult. Murray will play Lucas titles in Cincinnati, which is the year on Sunday in To- acknowledging that the this year — she also beat
Pouille in the opening round one of his favorite tourna- ronto, beating Stefanos Ts- pressure has played a part. Stephens for the French
on Monday afternoon. ments with its low-key set- itsipas 6-2, 7-6 (4). Djokovic is trying once Open title.
One of the “Big Four” won ting. He and No. 1-ranked While Federer has had again to become the first Stephens is preparing to
the title at Cincinnati in 10 Nadal have been locked in great success in Cincinnati to win all nine ATP Masters defend her surprising U.S.
of the last 13 years, with Bul- a season-long, back-and- — winning 41 of his last 45 events. Open title last year. She
garia’s Grigor Dimitrov tak- forth atop the rankings, ex- matches — Djokovic has In the women’s bracket, was the runner-up in the
ing it in 2017. Dimitrov didn’t changing the top spot six never won a Western & Serena Williams faces Dar- French Open, but lost in the
drop a set and lost his serve times in the last six months. Southern title — the only ia Gavrilova on Monday opening round at Wimble-
only once while getting his Nadal is guaranteed to ATP Masters 1000 champi- night, her first match since don for the second straight
first Masters title. take the top ranking into onship to elude him. He’s she suffered the most lop- year. The loss to Halep on
The second-ranked Fe- the U.S. Open. reached the finals five sided defeat of her career. Sunday left her 0-8 against
derer has a record seven Nadal won his fifth title of times and lost every time, The 23-time Grand Slam No. 1-ranked players.q

Montreal

Continued from Page 18 power with their serve but
hammer groundstrokes
“Both matches were down the lines. “I thought
crazy good,” Halep said I played well, I thought she
about the French and played well,” Stephens
Rogers finals. “She makes said. “Obviously, in a final,
me play better and bet- you hope for matches like
ter every time we meet that — super competi-
each other. That’s a great tive, high energy. There’s
thing for me. I feel like she nothing more than you
improved in her mental could hope for in a final.
(side) also. She doesn’t It’s obviously upsetting
give up that much now. that I didn’t win, but I think
Of course, she’s a strong I got better than the last
player. I think she’s a final we played. Yeah, it’s Winner Simona Halep, right, of Romania poses with second place Sloane Stephens of the
complex player. She has disappointing, but I think United States following the final at the Rogers Cup tennis tournament Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018 in
Montreal.
everything.” A large Ro- this will help me moving Associated Press
manian contingent wav- forward, getting ready to
ing their red and yellow go into (Cincinnati) and three times to take a 6-5 back to take the set. It was then suffered a letdown as
flags chanted Halep’s the U.S. Open.” A back- lead. The American then the first set Stephens lost all Halep broke service twice
name between points. and-forth opening set saw wasted two set points as week. Stephens added more to take the lead.
However, there were just Halep jump to a 4-1 lead Halep forced a tiebreaker. three more breaks to take Stephens fought off three
as many pulling for Ste- before Stephens found Stephens went up on two the second set, but lost her match points for one last
phens in a match of two the range with her fore- Halep double faults, but serve to open the third. service break before Ha-
players who don’t over- hand and broke service the Romanian stormed She broke back for 2-2, but lep closed it out.q