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SPORTS Thursday 16 augusT 2018
Djokovic, U.S. Open champ

Stephens win in Cincinnati

By JOE KAY to hard courts. Haase beat third-seeded
AP Sports Writer "I know from experience it Alexander Zverev 5-7,
MASON, Ohio (AP) — No- might come very quickly," 6-4, 7-5 for his first victory
vak Djokovic completed he said. "So I'm hoping for against a Top 10 opponent
his comeback from elbow that." since he beat Zverev last
surgery by winning Wimble- First, he'd love to win a Cin- November. He's 7-26 over-
don for the fourth time. He's cinnati title and complete all against Top 10 players.
inching closer to one of a personal quest. Djokovic "Nowadays against Top Sloane Stephens returns to Tatjana Maria, of Germany, in the
the few titles to elude him is trying to become the first 10, 20, maybe Top 50, you second round at the Western & Southern Open tennis tournament,
throughout his career. to win all nine ATP Masters have to be a little bit lucky," Wednesday, Aug. 15, 2018, in Mason, Ohio.
Djokovic overcame an up- 1000 trophies. Haase said. Associated Press
set stomach and a sluggish Djokovic has reached the In the women's bracket, de-
first set Wednesday, beat- finals at Cincinnati five fending U.S. Open cham- nati — her best finish — be- long. Given the reprieve,
ing Adrian Mannarino 4-6, times and dropped all five pion Sloane Stephens over- fore heading to the U.S. Tsurenko closed it out.
6-2, 6-1 before heavy rain matches — three to Roger came a thumb injury during Open and getting the title. Both players were coming
halted afternoon matches Federer, two to Andy Mur- a 6-3, 6-2 victory over quali- Defending tournament off injuries. Tsurenko retired
at the Western & Southern ray. fier Tatjana Maria. champion Garbine Mugu- in the second round at
Open. "I think it adds more to the A trainer applied a ban- ruza had a third-set melt- Montreal with a sore lower
The 10th-seeded Djokovic motivation rather than dage to the third-seeded down and lost to Lesia Tsu- back. Muguruza suffered a
demonstrated he's back in pressure," Djokovic said. "I Stephens' right thumb be- renko 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 after a second-round loss at Wim-
form by winning Wimble- really want to win this tour- tween the third and fourth critical double fault. bledon and withdrew from
don title last month. Now nament. I definitely need games of the second set. The seventh-seeded Span- San Jose and Montreal with
he's trying to get his hard- to play better than I have The match was Stephens' iard was up 4-2 and serv- a sore right arm.
court game ready for the in the first couple of match- first since losing on Sunday ing in the third set when Muguruza said her arm
U.S. Open, the latest step es." to Simona Halep in the fi- she double faulted to drop wasn't an issue as much as
in his long comeback. He's There was one notable up- nals at Montreal. the game, a look of disbe- her lack of practice in the
been very inconsistent set in the men's bracket be- Sloane reached the semi- lief coming across her face last couple of weeks be-
while changing from grass fore the rain arrived. Robin finals last season in Cincin- after her final serve went cause of the injury.q