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A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 29 January 2019

Japan's Naomi Osaka poses with her trophy the Daphne Akhurst
Memorial Cup at Melbourne's Brighton Beach following her win
over Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in the women's singles
final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne,
Australia, Sunday, Jan. 27, 2019.
Associated Press

Australian Open Serbia's Novak Djokovic poses with his trophy, the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, at Mel-

champ Osaka is Asia's bourne's Royal Botanic Gardens following his win over Rafael Nadal of Spain in the men's singles
final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Jan. 28, 2019.
Associated Press
1st No. 1 in tennis 'Why not?' Djokovic, coach

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) since 2010, when Caroline
— Australian Open cham- Wozniacki did it at 20. eye Nadal, Federer totals
pion Naomi Osaka is the "People were talking about
first player from Asia to (me) being No. 1 if I win this
top the men's or women's tournament. I was able to
tennis rankings — and the accomplish that," Osaka By HOWARD FENDRICH over Nadal in the final — matches — a combined 58
youngest woman to make said. "But the ranking was AP Tennis Writer and its larger significance. winners and 14 unforced er-
her debut at No. 1 in nine never my real goal. It was MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) Yes, Vajda said, a record rors in his semifinal and final
years. just to win this tournament." — Novak Djokovic sounds seventh championship in — was something Djokovic
"I feel like I'm literally just still The runner-up at Mel- like a man ready to em- Australia means a lot. But termed "pleasantly surpris-
learning," the 21-year-old bourne Park, Petra Kvitova, brace the chase. he was interested in dis- ing" and Nadal considered
Osaka said. "Everyone kind jumped from No. 6 to No. 2. Already at 15 Grand Slam cussing a different tally. "the highest level possible."
of adjusts to being No. 1 in Sloane Stephens is No. 4, titles, Djokovic is now only "More important is the oth- Against Nadal, who hadn't
a different way." and Karolina Pliskova went two majors behind Rafael er number that he's getting dropped a set in the tour-
Simona Halep's 48-week from No. 8 to No. 5. Nadal's total of 17, and up to, 15. It's an incredible, nament or a service game
stay atop the WTA rankings Williams missed the 2018 five shy of Roger Federer's incredible number. I don't since the first round, Djokov-
ended Monday as she slid tournament after having a men's record of 20. want to go too far, but ic managed five breaks.
to No. 3 after a fourth-round baby; her quarterfinal run So a day after winning he's in a very good position He also won 25 of the first
loss to Serena Williams, one this time pushed her up five the Australian Open for his now for going for a little 26 points he served.
year after getting to the fi- places to No. 11. third Slam trophy in a row, bit more," Vajda said. "But "During the whole match,
nal at Melbourne Park. Surprise semifinalist Danielle Djokovic was asked about 20 is still far away. A lot of Novak was very disci-
"The main goal is just to Collins, a 25-year-old from whether he is pursuing things can happen. At the plined," was Vajda's assess-
play as good as I can ev- Florida, climbed from No. them. moment, Novak feels re- ment. "He had so many ups.
ery match, to win every 35 to No. 23. The woman It's the sort of thing some ally good about reaching, He didn't have any downs."
match I play, so the rank- she upset in the fourthv athletes — including Nadal, maybe, another Grand And so it is that everything
ing doesn't really matter," round, three-time major repeatedly, over the years Slam victory." seems in play at the mo-
Halep said. champion Angelique Ker- — downplay or try to de- Just one more? ment for Djokovic.
Halep said the year-end ber, dropped from No. 2 to flect entirely. Not Djokovic. "Yes, one more," Vajda said Four major titles in a row,
ranking is what is "more im- No. 6. He's owning this. with a hearty laugh, his something he already ac-
portant" than where things Novak Djokovic's record "Well, if I'm still playing and voice rising as he fiddled complished from 2015-16:
stand now, "so I will not seventh Australian Open winning Slams, I think it's with his tournament ac- Why not?
stress myself about this." title allowed him to stay at logical to conclude that creditation pass. "And then A calendar-year Grand
Osaka's second consecu- No. 1 in the ATP rankings, I am," he said at a photo one more. And then one Slam, something no man
tive major title, following and Rafael Nadal's runner- shoot Monday. "I'm blessed more. And then one more! has done since Rod Laver
her success at the U.S. up showing kept him at No. to be able to win 15. I know One by one. in 1969: Why not?
Open last year, helped her 2. there are two guys ahead Absolutely, his long-term Catching up to, and even-
rise three spots. But 2017-18 champion Rog- of me now, in the history of goal is to reach Rafa's tually surpassing, Nadal
She was born in Japan — er Federer's fourth-round the most Slams won, but I number and, if it's possible and Federer: Why not?
her mother is Japanese, exit took him from No. 3 still have time. I'm not rush- — and his age allows it — When Djokovic's childhood
her father is Haitian — and down to No. 6. ing." Roger's. Why not?" idol, Pete Sampras, won the
moved to the United States The player who beat Fe- That's his team's theme. A year removed from sur- 2002 U.S. Open by beating
when she was 3. She has derer, 20-year-old Stefanos Late Sunday night at Mel- gery to his right elbow, his greatest rival, Andre
dual citizenship and now is Tsitsipas of Greece, turned bourne Park, Djokovic's Djokovic is pain-free, Agassi, in the final, it raised
based in Florida. his first run to a Grand Slam coach, Marian Vajda, ranked No. 1 and, perhaps, his Grand Slam count to 14.
Osaka is the youngest semifinal into a career-best couldn't stop smiling as he better than ever. At that point, no other man
woman to reach the top ranking of No. 12.q dissected the unbelievably The near-perfection with in the sport's history had
lopsided 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 victory which he won his last two more than 12.q