Naomi Osaka claims US Open title after Serena Williams meltdown

Agencies
September 9, 2018

New York, Sept 9: Naomi Osaka became Japan's first Grand Slam singles champion after she thumped Serena Williams 6-2 6-4 in a controversial US Open final on Saturday, with the American suffering a mesmerizing meltdown after being handed a code violation.

It was drama-filled conclusion to a final that was rich with storylines but will now go down as one of the most controversial Grand Slam finals of all time.

There was much riding on the match for both women, with Osaka bidding to become the first man or woman from Japan to lift a Grand Slam singles title and Williams poised to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 major titles.

In the end it was Osaka making history but on a day of bizarre events her victory will only be a footnote to what is sure to go down as one of the most infamous matches ever played at Flushing Meadows.

The chaotic finish filled with screaming, tears and jeers cast a cloud over what should have been Osaka's shining moment.

Standing on the podium waiting to be handed her trophy and a winner's cheque for $3.8 million, Osaka heard only boos as an angry crowd took out their frustration on Portuguese chair umpire Carlos Ramos, who stood to the side. "I know everyone was cheering for her and I'm sorry it had to end like this," said Osaka. "It was always my dream to play Serena in the U.S. Open finals ... I'm really grateful I was able to play with you."

With Osaka in control of the match after taking the first set, Ramos sent Williams into a rage when he handed the 23-time Grand Slam champion a code violation in the second game of the second set after he spotted the American's coach Patrick Mouratoglou making some hand signals from the player's box.

A string of bad behaviour followed from Williams and she went on to incur a point penalty for smashing her racket before being slapped with a game penalty at 4-3 down after she launched into a verbal attack against Ramos, accusing him of being "a liar" and "a thief for stealing a point from me".

The game penalty put Osaka 5-3 up and the 20-year-old Japanese kept her cool to pull off the win.

Mouratoglou later admitted he had been coaching but in another strange twist an unrepentant Williams continued to deny she had received any advice and was instead a victim of sexism.

"He (Ramos) alleged that I was cheating, and I wasn't cheating," said Williams. "I've seen other men call other umpires several things.

"I'm here fighting for women's rights and for women's equality and for all kinds of stuff.

"For me to say 'thief' and for him to take a game, it made me feel like it was a sexist remark."

Almost lost in the chaos was a fearless and cool display from Osaka.

Before Williams's meltdown Osaka had already put the 36-year-old under rarely seen pressure.

Osaka had given Williams plenty of respect but no other concessions as she grabbed the early break on a double fault by her idol for a 2-1 first set lead she would not let go.

Playing on tennis's biggest stage in her first Grand Slam final the enormity of the moment did not phase Osaka while Williams, contesting her 31st major final, looked unsteady.

Williams's implosion was not a totally unfamiliar sight for tennis fans, who watched a similar meltdown nine years earlier on Arthur Ashe.

Playing the semi-finals against Kim Clijsters, Williams flew into a rage after a line judge called her for a foot-fault leaving a match point down to the Belgian.

Williams launched into an expletive-laced rant at the official. She waved her racket in the lineswoman's direction and then shook a ball in her clenched fist as she threatened to "shove it down" her throat.

Organisers fined her $10,500 at the end of the tournament for her unsportsmanlike behaviour and was later fined an additional $175,000 and put on probation for two years by the Grand Slam Committee.

Williams could face further sanctions for her actions on Saturday against Osaka, the WTA issuing a statement that they will be looking into the incident.

"There are matters that need to be looked into that took place during the match," said the WTA. "For tonight, it is time to celebrate these two amazing players, both of whom have great integrity."

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Agencies
August 3,2020

Silverstone, Aug 2: Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton on Sunday won his seventh British Grand Prix title after a dramatic last-lap at the Silverstone Circuit.

Hamilton and teammate Valtteri Bottas were at the first and second spot respectively until tyre drama struck.

Second-placed man Bottas was the first to suffer as his tyre deflated on lap 50, resulting in 11th place finish. Hamilton also suffered a similar issue before the final few seconds of the race.

However, with Max Verstappen having opted to pit a few laps from the end to try and claim the fastest lap, Hamilton had enough time in hand to just cross the line first, five seconds ahead of Verstappen and the third-placed Ferrari of Charles Leclerc.

McLaren's Carlos Sainz had been set to finish fourth, but his own last lap tyre issue saw him eventually come home P13, allowing Renault's Daniel Ricciardo to claim fourth, following a late pass on the sister McLaren of Lando Norris.

Renault's Esteban Ocon finished sixth, having enjoyed a race-long battle with Lance Stroll's Racing Point, with Pierre Gasly having enjoyed a fine race to finish seventh for AlphaTauri.

Alex Albon finished eighth for Red Bull, having recovered from a lap 1 tussle with the Haas of Kevin Magnussen that saw him fall to last, while Lance Stroll and Sebastian Vettel rounded out the top 10, Vettel holding off a late charge form the recovering Mercedes of Bottas.

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News Network
June 3,2020

Colorado, Jun 3: Formula One boss Chase Carey has said that races will go ahead even if a driver tests positive for coronavirus.

His remarks come as organisers revealed a revised 2020 calendar and the schedule for the first eight races was put in the public domain.

"An individual having been found with a positive infection will not lead to a cancellation of a race. We encourage teams to have procedures in place so if an individual has to be put in quarantine, we have the ability to quarantine them at a hotel and to replace that individual," the official website of Formula One quoted Carey as saying.

"Some things we'd have to talk through and work through. The array of 'what ifs' are too wide to play out every one of them, but a team not being able to race would not cancel the race. I do not think I could sit here and lay out the consequences," he said.

Carey added the organisers will be having the necessary procedures in place so that the race does not get cancelled if a driver ends up testing positive for coronavirus.

"But we will have a procedure in place that finding infection will not lead to a cancellation. If a driver has an infection, teams have reserve drivers available," Carey said.

"We would not be going forward if we were not highly confident we have necessary procedures and expertise and capabilities to provide a safe environment and manage whatever issues arrive," he added.

The Formula One 2020 season will be beginning with the Austrian Grand Prix in July.

F1 currently expects the opening races to be closed events but hopes that fans will be able to attend again when it is safe to do so.

The season will kick off with the Austrian Grand Prix at the Red Bull Ring on July 5, followed a week later by a second race on the same track.

The Hungarian Grand Prix will follow a week after that, before a break. There will be then two back to back races at Silverstone, followed by the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona.

The Belgian Grand Prix will follow that, with the Italian Grand Prix at Monza a week later on September 6.

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News Network
May 27,2020

Bengaluru, May 27: Pakistan pacer Shoaib Akhtar has revealed that he was never able to dismiss Inzamam-ul-Haq in the nets.

The Rawalpindi Express praised the former Pakistan skipper and said Inzamam could see the ball one second earlier than the rest of the batsmen could.

"Honestly, I don't think I could ever get him (Inzamam) out, he had the time and I always felt he saw the ball a second earlier than the rest of the batsmen because I had a complicated action unlike Brett Lee, I felt I could never dismiss Inzamam-ul-Haq," Akhtar told Sanjay Manjrekar in a videocast hosted by ESPNCricinfo.

"I couldn't get him out in the nets, I think he could see the ball a second before anyone else," he added.

Inzamam played 120 Tests and 378 ODIs for Pakistan.

He finished his career with 20,569 runs across all formats.

The right-handed batsman called time on his career in 2007 and he played his last Test against South Africa in Lahore.

On the other hand, Akhtar played 224 matches for Pakistan in international cricket and took 444 wickets across all formats.

The Rawalpindi Express last played an ODI in 2011 as he played against New Zealand in the 50-over World Cup.

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