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SPORTS Tuesday 23 OcTOber 2018
Stephens beats Osaka in 3 sets at WTA Finals

SINGAPORE (AP) — In a hold serve. Osaka was bro- knowing she'll play at least
match between the last ken on seven of 19 break- two more matches in the
two U.S. Open champions, point opportunities, while round-robin format.
Sloane Stephens came out Stephens was broken on "I took my five-minutes of
on top. four of 12. being really sad," Osaka
The 2017 champion beat Stephens entered the tour- said. "I just tried to think that
Naomi Osaka 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 nament with 33 wins this you learn more when you
Monday at the WTA Finals, season, the least of any lose, so what can I learn
the season-ending tourna- of the eight qualifiers. She from this match and try to
ment for the top eight play- reached her second ca- apply it to the next match?
ers in the world. reer Grand Slam final at this "I think, in a way, that you
Both players are making year's French Open, and can only get better every
their debut appearances won the Miami title. match you play."
at the tournament, but Osaka continually showed Kiki Bertens, who qualified
Stephens appeared to her frustration during the for the draw when No. 1
be more composed while match. When she failed Simona Halep withdrew
Osaka, who became the to capitalize on four break with a herniated disk in her
first Japanese citizen to points in the fourth game of back, fought back to beat
win a Grand Slam title last the second set, she made top seed Angelique Kerber Sloane Stephens of the United States reacts during a women's
month in New York, never a visible shrugging gesture 1-6, 6-3, 6-4. singles match against Naomi Osaka of Japan at the WTA tennis
seemed comfortable. with both hands. "I was really happy to turn tournament in Singapore on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018.
"I'm just really happy to get Stephens gifted the second this match around," Bertens Associated Press
through and play a good set to Osaka when she dou- said. "I had a little (on-court)
competitive match," Ste- ble-faulted on a second chat with my coach when for a 5-3 lead. Kerber, a fi- a little bit with my intensity,"
phens said on court after set point in the 10th game. it wasn't going so well. We nalist here in 2016, finally Kerber said. "In the third set
the match. "I never gave But Osaka appeared to decided I should go a little held in the ninth game, but I had so many chances
up. I knew she's been play- be mentally fatigued and bit more for my shots and couldn't prevent Bertens and I couldn't take it."
ing well and I'd have to only managed to hold be more aggressive." from serving out the match. Kerber plays Osaka and
play really good tennis to serve in the third game of The first seven games of "I started really well and she Stephens takes on Bertens
beat her." the final set. Nevertheless, the third set were service started playing better and in the second group
Both players struggled to Osaka was encouraged in breaks before Bertens held better and then I dropped matches on Wednesday.q