01/09/2025

SPORTS MONDAY | SEP 1, 2025

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Osaka set up last-16 clash with Gauff

TRAMLINES Ostapenko apologises

FOUR-TIMES major champion Naomi Osaka powered into the US Open fourth round yesterday with a 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 win over 15th seed Daria Kasatkina, while Coco Gauff struggled with errors and double faults to subdue Polish 28th seed Magdalena Frech 6-3, 6-1. “It’s been an emotional week,” said Gauff, who showed solid improvement in her serve with four double faults compared with 18 across her first two matches. “Today showed I was really having fun out there.” Osaka lit up Louis Armstrong Stadium in broad daylight, turning her third-round clash into a showcase of power and composure. The Japanese player dominated early, absorbed a brief second-set wobble, and closed

first time since her 2021 Australian Open title, Osaka reflected on the patience it has taken to rebuild. “After Wimbledon I just tried not to think about results anymore and focus on each match,” she said. “I’m pleased. It’s not a journey I pictured, but I’m glad to be living it.” Looking ahead to a her clash with 2023 champion Gauff, Osaka could not help but remember their first meeting at Flushing Meadows six years ago. “I knew she was going to be a great player, which I was right,” she said. “She was 15 at the time and handled herself so well. To be playing her again now feels really special.” – Reuters

out the win to set up a fourth-round showdown with American third seed Coco Gauff tonight (11pm Malaysian time). “Honestly, I was trying to tell myself to stay calm. I was so shaky today but I’m glad that it was an entertaining match,” Osaka said. “Whenever I come here it feels like home and you guys are very involved and I feel grateful, thank you.” The 23rd seed admitted the win had felt more like a battle than a display of perfect tennis. “I don’t think I played that well, but I think mentally I was just trying to fight for everything,” she told reporters. “I know that it was a little bit of an emotional roller coaster.” Reaching the fourth round of a major for the

JELENA OSTAPENKO apologised for some of the words she used in a tense altercation with American Taylor Townsend at the US Open that led to a backlash, with the Latvian stating on Saturday that English was not her native language. The controversy ignited after Townsend, who is Black, beat Ostapenko 7-5 6-1 on Wednesday before being dragged into a verbal duel by her opponent following their handshake. “I wanted to apologise for some of the things I said during my second-round singles match,” Ostapenko said yesterday. “English is not my native language, so when I said education, I was speaking only about what I believe as tennis etiquette, but I understand how the words I used could have offended many people beyond the tennis court. I appreciate the support as I continue to learn and grow as a person and a player.”Townsend said later it was nice that Ostapenko apologised. “That’s fine. That’s cool,” she added. “At the end of the day, I think that it’s a lesson for her … you can’t push your expectations on other people. That’s what happened.” Auger-Aliassime stuns Zverev FELIX AUGER-ALIASSIME rallied from a set down to stun world No. 3 Alexander Zverev 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-4, 6-4 and reach the last 16 at the US Open yesterday. Auger-Aliassime battled to pull off one of the biggest wins of his career, returning to the fourth round at Flushing Meadows for the first time since his 2021 semifinal run. “I’m still young but it’s been a few years and I’m working my way … Some of you might be the first time you’re watching me tonight, but this feels really good,” said the 25-year-old. “The job’s not done. Tournament is still going. But this means a lot to me. A lot of hard work. Many years of it.”The Canadian will face Russian Andrey Rublev in the next round. SAIM AYUB and Hasan Nawaz struck half-centuries as Pakistan thumped the United Arab Emirates by 31 runs in Sharjah on Saturday, making it two wins from two in their T20 tri-series also featuring Afghanistan. Opener Ayub smashed a 38-ball 69, with four sixes and seven fours, while Nawaz’s 26-ball 56 included six maximums, lifting Pakistan to 207 all out in exactly 20 overs. Asif Khan threatened to snatch an unlikely win for UAE with a brilliant 35-ball 77 before falling in the last over. The UAE managed 176-8 from their 20 overs. Taksin stars for Bangladesh TASKIN AHMED starred as Bangladesh hammered the Netherlands by eight wickets in the first of the three T20 internationals in Sylhet on Saturday. Fast bowler Taskin returned figures of 4 28 as Bangladesh kept the Netherlands to 136-8, a total their batters overhauled in just 13.3 overs. Skipper Litton Das, 54 not out, and Saif Hassan, unbeaten on 36, helped the hosts race to victory. Bangladesh, who recently won a home T20 series against Pakistan, maintained their momentum ahead of the T20 Asia Cup starting Sept 9 in UAE. INSIDE EGDE Pakistan beat UAE in T20 tri-series

‘I’m not a machine’ Sinner, Swiatek survive US Open scares as Osaka-Gauff showdown looms J ANNIK SINNER and Iga Swiatek

times to find the solutions and to find the exact thing that will help you,” she added. “You need to have your mind open enough to think about what you can do. Today was a pretty good day, I’d say, in terms of that, because, you know, at 5-1 or something, it’s easy to panic, and I didn’t.” Her reward is a last-16 meeting with 13th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova. World No. 1 Sinner showed similar resolve, surrendering the opening set to 27th seed Denis Shapovalov before rallying to prevail 5-7, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. The victory extended the 24-year old Italian’s unbeaten run at hard court Grand Slams to 24 matches, a streak built not just on talent but on his ability to problem-solve when his best tennis abandons him. “I’m not a machine, you know. I also struggle sometimes,” said Sinner, who was beaten by the Canadian in the opening round of the 2021 Australian Open in their only previ ous meeting. “Every match is so difficult. Every challenge is so difficult. There are players who have more qualities or potential, and he’s one of them. I just tried to stay there mentally.” Earlier, American 14th seed Tommy Paul crashed out after a 7 6(5), 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-7(5), 6-1 defeat by Alexander Bublik in the final match of the day at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Bublik, the 23rd seed, will next face Sinner. Brazilian 18th seed Beatriz Haddad Maia, last year’s quarterfinal ist, hammered former world No. 3 Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-2 to set up a clash with Wimbledon runner-up Amanda Anisimova. In the doubles courts, 45-year-old Venus Williams and Canada’s Leylah Fernandez earned a 7-6(1), 6-1 win over Ulrikke Eikeri and Eri Hozumi in their first tournament together. – Reuters

proved they are only human at the US Open yesterday, showing that even the world’s best players sometimes have to work things out on the fly when pure talent is not enough. Wimbledon cham

pion Swiatek embodied the day’s theme of tri umph through adver sity, clawing her way back from 5-1 down in the opening set against Anna Kalinskaya before grinding out a 7 6(2), 6-4 victory. “I’m happy that I came back and kept … figuring out and problem-solving,” Swiatek said. “For sure, it wasn’t an easy match.” The Pole was far from her sharpest in a scrappy, error-strewn contest. Nine breaks and 67 unforced errors by both players combined painted the pic ture of a match won through sheer bloody mindedness, rather than sublime shot-making.

Yet Swiatek stead ied herself at the key moments, saving four set points in the first set and breaking late in the second to notch

her 20th major match win of the season and draw level with defending champion and world number one Aryna Sabalenka. “It’s not easy some

Jannik Sinner hits to Denis Shapovalov (not pictured) during the U.S. Open. – REUTERSPIC

Philipsen claims Vuelta stage eight JASPER PHILIPSEN sprinted to victory at the Vuelta a Espana yesterday to secure a second triumph in this year’s race after he claimed an opening day win.

incredible lead-out again but he was not there, and I tried to communicate, but it’s difficult in the last kilometre,” said Philipsen. “I had to find my way, take a bit of extra wind, and really come late because my legs were concrete. “But I just managed to win, so I’m really happy, and the effort of the team has not been for nothing.” – AFP

moments of his battle with Philipsen. Torstein Traen held on to the overall leader’s red jersey for a third stage, two-and-a-half minutes ahead of race favourite Jonas Vingegaard. The flat 163km run from Monzon Templario to Zaragoza was ideal for the sprinters after two days in the mountains. “We lost my teammate, I think he did an

The Belgian Alpecin-Deceuninck rider edged Elia Viviani on the line on this eighth stage, with Ethan Vernon coming in third. Viviani was later stripped of second for deviating from his sprinting line in the final