Daughter of Bills, Sabres owners into all-US QF in Australia
United States' Jessica Pegula celebrates after defeating Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in their fourth round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Feb. 15, 2021. “I’m just happy I’m here; she's been playing some good tennis, solidifying herself as a top player.”AdThe 61st-ranked Pegula beat No. “A lot of people were complaining, and I told myself I wasn’t going to complain,” Brady said. Also on that half of the draw, Rafael Nadal moved closer to a men's-record 21st Grand Slam trophy by overwhelming No. “I’m super excited for her making her first Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Venus finishes Australian Open loss on injured ankle, knee
United States' Venus Williams reacts as she injures her leg during her second round match against Italy's Sara Errani at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. (AP Photo/Hamish Blair)MELBOURNE – This was, in some ways, rather difficult to watch: 40-year-old Venus Williams gasped and groaned as she limped around the court at the Australian Open on an injured right ankle and left knee. The oldest woman in the field, she was playing in her 21st Australian Open and 88th Grand Slam tournament overall, a record for the professional era. Errani was in control of the match when Williams twisted her right ankle and landed awkwardly on her left leg, which already was bandaged with athletic tape and buckled. Action was halted, and a trainer treated Williams on the sideline, first taping the troubled ankle, then the knee.
Djokovic holds off Tiafoe; Venus hobbles out in Australia
Serbia's Novak Djokovic makes a forehand return to United States' Frances Tiafoe during their second round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. 1, had never beaten anyone in the Top 5, and now he'd just won a tiebreaker against Novak Djokovic to level their second-round match at the Australian Open. But it wasn't quite enough to beat the eight-time Australian Open champion, who won the 3 1/2-hour afternoon match 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (2), 6-3. AdAnother U.S. Open champion, Naomi Osaka, needed only an hour to sweep Caroline Garcia 6-2, 6-3. 29 Ugo Humbert 5-7, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4 in a rollicking night cap full of turns and twists.
Djokovic: "makes my heart full" to see Aussie Open crowd
Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after defeating France's Jeremy Chardy during their first round match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Monday, Feb. 8, 2021. I really, really appreciate your support in coming out tonight." 7 Aryna Sabalenka, two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, French Open winner Iga Swiatek and 2019 U.S. Open champion Bianca Andreescu, returning from 15 months on the sidelines. Playing in her 21st Australian Open, the elder Williams beat Kirsten Flipkens 7-5, 6-2. Two weeks in hard lockdown didn't help 2016 Australian Open winner Angelique Kerber, who lost to Bernarda Pera.
The Latest: Shapovalov edges teenage Sinner in 1st round
The 10th-seeded Frenchman is a two-time Grand Slam semifinalist, but he can't seem to win anywhere at the moment. ___4:55 p.m.U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem has moved into the second round at the Australian Open, where he was the runner-up to Novak Djokovic a year ago. Thiem had been 0-3 in Grand Slam finals until emerging for the championship at Flushing Meadows in September. The first tournament of this year’s Grand Slam season began after a three-week delay because of the coronavirus pandemic. Serena Williams begins her latest bid for a 24th Grand Slam singles title in the following match against Laura Siegemund.
Serena Williams, Osaka drawn in same half at Australian Open
United States' Serena Williams makes a forehand return to compatriot Danielle Collins during a tuneup event ahead of the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, Friday, Feb. 5, 2021. 3 Naomi Osaka, the U.S. Open champion. Two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, Johanna Konta and Elina Svitolina are also in Kenin's quarter. Williams already has won seven Australian Open titles and her 23 major titles is a record in the Open era. In the top half, Djokovic’s bid for a third consecutive Australian title — and ninth overall — could get tricky.
From Kobe to Maradona, a year of staggering losses in sports
Not long after came a seismic jolt, the helicopter crash of Kobe Bryant in the fog-shrouded California hills that reverberated across sports and across continents. Deep into the year, a bookend to Bryant, Diego Maradona died from a heart attack in Argentina weeks after brain surgery, the waves of grief rippling across soccer. The losses, of course, came against a backdrop of a pandemic, its number of fatalities rolled out daily on TV screens. Niekro won 318 games and pitched until he was 48, his knuckleball dancing and mystifying batters across the decades. Kurt Thomas in 1978 became the first U.S. male gymnast to win a world title but lost an Olympic shot in 1980 because of the boycott.
Wawrinka routs Murray in Slam champ matchup at French Open
Murray and Wawrinka met in the 2017 semifinals in Paris and neither has been quite the same since. “To me, also.”But 2015 French Open champion Wawrinka’s road back from two procedures on his knee has been less arduous than Murray’s journey. VENUS DONE FOR 2020Venus Williams finished 2020 with an 0-3 record in Grand Slam matches, adding a first-round exit at the French Open to those she had at the Australian Open and U.S. Open. So I’m looking forward to that.”She is a seven-time major champion and was the 2002 runner-up at the French Open to her younger sister, Serena. The 20-year-old American’s father, Petr, won the 1998 Australian Open and was the runner-up at the 1992 French Open; his mother, Regina, reached the top 30 in the WTA rankings.
The Latest: US Open runner-up Zverev wins 1st match in Paris
The French Open is the only Grand Slam tournament that does not use tiebreakers in the final set. 9 seed Johanna Konta 6-3, 6-3 at Court Suzanne Lenglen on Sunday. ___7:30 p.m.Stan Wawrinka made quick work of Andy Murray in their reunion of sorts at the French Open. One of his coaches is Wolfgang Thiem, the father of fellow Austrian Dominic Thiem — the U.S. Open champion, and French Open runner-up the past two years. The 20-year-old Korda beat Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-2, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
No chill for Coco: Gauff ousts 9th seed in French Open debut
(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)PARIS – Prepping in the relative warmth of a gym before heading out with leggings and long sleeves to make her French Open debut against the tournament’s No. I realized it’s just a tennis match. Such a far cry from last year’s French Open: Gauff failed to make it out of qualifying, while Konta was making her way to her third Grand Slam semifinal. She also made it to the fourth round at this year’s Australian Open, beating 2019 champion Naomi Osaka en route. The lack of match play coming in.
Coco Gauff, 15, beats Venus Williams at Australian Open, just as she did at Wimbledon
Melbourne, Australia Everyone had the same question when the Australian Open draw was revealed: What were the odds that Coco Gauff and Venus Williams would face each other again in the first round at a Grand Slam tournament? Williams is a seven-time Grand Slam winner in the twilight of her career, the Reuters news agency points out. Gauff was born the year after Williams lost the 2003 Australian Open final to younger sister Serena, Reuters notes. American Cori "Coco" Gauff reacts during her first round singles match against compatriot Venus Williams at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, on January 20, 2020. Venus Williams, right, congratulates Cori "Coco" Gauff on winning their first round singles match at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, on January 20, 2020.
cbsnews.com15-year-old Cori "Coco" Gauff beats Venus Williams in the first round of Wimbledon tennis tournament
In a major upset that could signal the dawn of a new star in women's tennis, 15-year-old Cori "Coco" Gauff beat Venus Williams in straight sets during first round play at the 2019 Wimbledon Tournament on Monday. Gauff's victory over Williams makes her the youngest player to win a match at Wimbledon since Jennifer Capriati in 1991. It came at the expense of Williams, 39, who is the oldest player in the women's bracket this year. Gauff previously won the 2018 Junior French Open at Roland Garros. In another first round upset on Monday, Naomi Osaka of Japan, the number two ranked player in the world, lost her first round match against Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan.
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