Qualifier Wang Yafan made a triumphant return to the Grand Slam stage at the US Open, knocking out No.7 seed and last year’s semifinalist Caroline Garcia in the first round 6-4, 6-1 in just 70 minutes.
However, Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova booked her place in the second round in exactly an hour, defeating qualifier Han Na-Lae 6-3, 6-0.
Former World No.47 Wang last played a major main draw at Wimbledon 2021, and last won a Grand Slam match at Wimbledon 2019. But after missing seven months of the 2022 season, she has been on a roll this year. Her 2023 record so far stands at 57-10 at all levels, including titles in five ITF events and the Stanford WTA 125 tournament two weeks ago, and she has rocketed from No.696 to No.114 in just six months.
Dating from the latter championship, Wang is now on an 11-match winning streak. She has not dropped a set, or even lost more than four games in a set, in four matches at Flushing Meadows so far. And though she has played exclusively below tour level so far this year, she adapted to the step up in opponent with ease to notch her second career Top 10 win (following her defeat of Elina Svitolina at Miami 2019). It was also Wang’s second victory in three meetings with Garcia, having also beaten the Frenchwoman 6-4, 6-2 in the second round of Tianjin 2019.
Wang will next face Nottingham champion Katie Boulter, who raced past Diane Parry 6-4, 6-0 in 1 hour and 22 minutes.
How the match was won: Five of the first six games featured break point opportunities, but Wang was the only player to take one as Garcia double-faulted twice to fall behind 3-2.
The WTA Finals champion had lost five of her last seven matches ahead of the US Open, and her mounting error count illustrated why. Standing inside the court, Garcia repeatedly failed to make returns, and Wang did not face a break point across her last five service games.
Wang had needed to hit just two winners to take the first set, but pressed home her advantage at the start of the second, breaking Garcia immediately with a superb inside-in forehand. From there, the 29-year-old rolled as Garcia tallied 34 unforced errors, including six double faults — the last of which came down match point.
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Vondrousova wins eighth straight Grand Slam match: Playing her first Grand Slam match as the Wimbledon champion and a Top 10 player, the No.9 seed patiently worked out a tricky opponent before stamping her authority on the match.
Han was making her tournament debut at the age of 31, the first South Korean woman in the US Open main draw since Cho Yoon-Jeong in 2007. The disguise on the left-hander’s two-fisted strokes on both sides and her superb touch at net made for numerous crafty exchanges, and the match opened with five straight service breaks.
Vondrousova had her share of highlight reel moments, too, such as her slide into a sharply angled pass that kissed the sideline in the first set. Her two key shots were her signature drop shot, with which she repeatedly out-manoeuvred Han, and her return, which punished the World No.241’s softer serve relentlessly.
Han managed to hold serve just once in the match, and once Vondrousova had the first set under her belt the Czech accelerated towards the finishing line. She will next face Martina Trevisan, who defeated Yulia Putintseva in a wild 0-6, 7-6(0), 7-6[8] barnburner. The Italian won just six points in the first set, but came from 4-2 down in the third to triumph in 3 hours and 19 minutes — the longest WTA match of the US Open so far.
TORONTO – Reigning PWHL MVP and scoring champ Natalie Spooner will miss the start of the regular season for the Toronto Sceptres, general manager Gina Kingsbury announced Tuesday on the first day of training camp.
The 33-year-old Spooner had knee surgery on her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) after she was checked into the boards by Minnesota’s Grace Zumwinkle in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal series on May 13.
She had a goal and an assist in three playoff games but did not finish the series. Toronto was up 2-1 in the semifinal at that time and eventually fell 3-2 in the series.
Spooner led the PWHL with 27 points in 24 games. Her 20 goals, including five game-winners, were nine more than the closest skater.
Kingsbury said there is no timeline, as the team wants the Toronto native at 100 per cent, but added that “she is doing really well” in her recovery.
The Sceptres open the PWHL season on Nov. 30 when they host the Boston Fleet.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 12, 2024.
LAHORE, Pakistan (AP) — A top official of the Pakistan Cricket Board declined Friday to confirm media reports that India has decided against playing any games in host Pakistan during next year’s Champions Trophy.
“My view is if there’s any problems, they (India) should tell us in writing,” PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi told reporters in Lahore. “I’ll share that with the media as well as with the government as soon as I get such a letter.”
Indian media reported Friday that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has communicated its concerns to all the Champions Trophy stakeholders, including the PCB, over the Feb. 19-March 9 tournament and would not play in arch-rival Pakistan.
The Times of India said that “Dubai is a strong candidate to host the fixtures involving the Men in Blue” for the 50-over tournament.
Such a solution would see Pakistan having to travel to a neutral venue to play India in a group match, with another potential meeting later in the tournament if both teams advanced from their group. The final is scheduled for March 9 in Pakistan with the specific venue not yet decided.
“Our stance is clear,” Naqvi said. “They need to give us in writing any objections they may have. Until now, no discussion of the hybrid model has happened, nor are we prepared to accept one.”
Political tensions have stopped bilateral cricket between the two nations since 2008 and they have competed in only multi-nation tournaments, including ICC World Cups.
“Cricket should be free of politics,” Naqvi said. “Any sport should not be entangled with politics. Our preparations for the Champions Trophy will continue unabated, and this will be a successful event.”
The PCB has already spent millions of dollars on the upgrade of stadiums in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi which are due to host 15 Champions Trophy games. Naqvi hoped all the three stadiums will be ready over the next two months.
“Almost every country wants the Champions Trophy to be played here (in Pakistan),” Naqvi said. “I don’t think anyone should make this a political matter, and I don’t expect they will. I expect the tournament will be held at the home of the official hosts.”
Eight countries – Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, England, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand and Afghanistan – are due to compete in the tournament, the schedule of which is yet to be announced by the International Cricket Council.
“Normally the ICC announces the schedule of any major tournament 100 days before the event, and I hope they will announce it very soon,” Naqvi said.
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Ottawa‘s Gabriela Dabrowski and Erin Routliffe of New Zealand are through to the doubles final at the WTA Finals after a 7-6 (7), 6-1 victory over Nicole Melichar-Martinez of the United States and Australia’s Ellen Perez in semifinal action Friday.
Dabrowski and Routliffe won a hard-fought first set against serve when Routliffe’s quick reaction at the net to defend a Perez shot gave the duo set point, causing Perez to throw down her racket in frustration.
The second seeds then cruised through the second set, winning match point on serve when Melichar-Martinez couldn’t handle Routliffe’s shot.
The showdown was a rematch of last year’s semifinal, which Melichar-Martinez and Perez won in a super tiebreak.
Dabrowski and Routliffe will face the winner of a match between Katerina Siniakova and Taylor Townsend, and Hao-Ching Chan and Veronika Kudermetova in the final on Saturday.
Dabrowski is aiming to become the first Canadian to win a WTA Finals title.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 8, 2024.
