Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Tuesday 25 april 2017
Serena Williams at No. 1, despite not playing since January

HOWARD FENDRICH with you.... once again to- able to supplant Kerber So Kerber, a two-time de- by winning two matches
AP Tennis Writer day,” the post reads. for at least a week — and fending champion at that in Stuttgart. Williams hasn’t
Serena Williams is briefly Williams closed it with: possibly more — is that event, lost the rankings competed since winning
back at No. 1 in the WTA “from the world’s oldest the women’s clay-court points she earned there her Open era-record 23rd
rankings, despite not play- number one to the world’s tournament that is being and can’t replace them Grand Slam singles title at
ing a match since Janu- youngest number one. played this week in Stutt- until the end of this year’s the Australian Open at the
ary — and with plans to
take the rest of 2017 off
because she is expecting
a baby. Thanks to a calen-
dar quirk, Williams moved
up one spot Monday from
No. 2, swapping places
with Angelique Kerber.
The return to No. 1 , which
gives the 35-year-old
American her 317th week
there, comes less than a
week after Williams let the
world know via Snapchat
that she is pregnant. The
baby is due in the fall, and
spokeswoman Kelly Bush
Novak said Williams will
take off the rest of this sea-
son and intends to return
to the tour next year.
Williams confirmed that
timetable on Instagram on
Monday, when she posted
a photo of herself and a
note addressed to “My
Dearest Baby.”
“You gave me the strength
I didn’t know I had. You
taught me the true mean-
ing of serenity and peace.
I can’t wait to meet you.
I can’t wait for you to join In this Jan. 28, 2017, file photo, Serena Williams holds up a finger and her trophy after defeating her sister, Venus, in the women’s
the players box next year. singles final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia.
But most importantly, I am Associated Press
so happy to share being -Your Mommy” gart, Germany, was played tournament. Kerber can end of January. She was
number one in the world The reason Williams was a week earlier a year ago. reclaim the top ranking pregnant at the time.q

Bristol He had been hoping to win
his sixth career Cup race at
Bristol, and had the speed
all weekend to do so.
Continued from Page 17 “I was the fastest one out
there those last two runs
picking cars off and driv-
NASCAR’s most popular ing from the back to the
driver was second in this front after we lost our track
race a year ago, but this position the first time,” he
year he’s still trying to find said. “I don’t know if it’s
his way back into conten- fundamentally wrong what
tion. NASCAR’s last race, at we’re doing, but it seems
Texas, was his first top-five like all the rest of our five
finish of the season. JGR cars are fine.”
As he headed to the UP NEXT
care center for a medical NASCAR travels to Rich-
checkup, a fan tried to mond, Virginia, for anoth-
take selfie with Earnhardt er short-track showdown.
. Initially denied, Earnhardt The three-day show will
was accommodating after lack defending race win-
he was cleared medically. ner Carl Edwards, who
BUSCH STUCK AT NO. 5 bumped teammate Joe
Kyle Busch is still seeking his Gibbs Racing for the vic-
first win of the season after Driver Jimmie Johnson (48) celebrates after winning a NASCAR Monster Energy NASCAR Cup tory in 2016. Edwards is not
an accident led to a 35th- Series auto race, Monday, April 24, 2017 in Bristol, Tenn. racing this year.q
place finish. Associated Press