Sports

OSAKA OVERCOMES STEPHENS; KOSTYUK, SASNOVICH ADVANCE INTO SECOND ROUND

Japanese tennis player Naomi Osaka defeated 2017 U.S. Open winner Sloane Stephens in one of the most-anticipated clashes on Friday here at the Indian Wells.

Osaka made a winning comeback to the tournament, beating Stephens 3-6, 6-1, 6-2 in a first-round clash of former major champions. This was Osaka’s first match since the Australian Open. She overcame both Stephens and gusty conditions, winning the match in 1 hour, 53-minute. The former U.S. Open champion, Stephens lost for the first time in three meetings to Osaka.

The four-time Grand Slam champion, Osaka advances to the second round and will be meeting World No. 21 seed Veronika Kudermetova.

In another women’s singles match, Ukrainian tennis player Marta Kostyuk defeated Maryna Zanevska 6-7(5), 7-6(6), 7-5 to advance into the second round at Indian Wells. The Ukrainian will face No.20 seed Elise Mertens. This will be their first career meeting.

Belarus’ Aliaksandra Sasnovich advanced into the second round after her opponent Camila Osorio of Colombia retired from the match while trailing 6-4, 5-0. The 20-year-old Colombian was suffering from a left thigh injury since her last game in the Monterrey final. World No.59 Sasnovich will next face two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova in the second round.

Correspondent

Recent Posts

Kenya Boosts Haiti Mission With 200 More Officers Amid Rising Gang Violence

Kenya sends more officers to Haiti, reinforcing efforts to curb gang violence that has displaced…

1 hour ago

Impeached South Korean Leader Yoon Faces Extended Detention Amid Rebellion Probe

Yoon Suk Yeol's detention was extended due to fears of evidence destruction in a martial…

2 hours ago

Iran Unveils Secret Underground Missile Base As Tensions Rise With US And Israel

The new underground missile base, capable of launching cruise missiles from advanced speedboats, underscores Iran's…

2 hours ago

Iran: Two Judges Killed In Shooting At Tehran’s Supreme Court

Iranian state media reports the judges were shot by an assailant who later took his…

2 hours ago

Migrants Set Fire During Mexican Police Raid Ahead Of Trump Inauguration

In Chihuahua, migrants set mattresses ablaze in response to a raid aimed at clearing the…

3 hours ago

Reports: RFK Jr Tried To Block COVID-19 Vaccines In 2021 During The Peak Pandemic

Kennedy's petition to halt vaccine approval in 2021 sparked controversy, advocating against mRNA vaccines and…

3 hours ago