Update on the latest sports
APTENNIS-AUSTRALIAN OPEN
Osaka beats Brady to claim 4th Slam trophy
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Naomi Osaka has won her fourth Grand Slam trophy by pulling away to beat Jennifer Brady 6-4, 6-3 in the Australian Open final.
Osaka improved to 4-0 in title matches at major tournaments. She is the first woman to start her career that way since Monica Seles did it 30 years ago. Only two active women own more Slam titles than Osaka: Serena Williams, with 23, and her sister, Venus, with seven.
Osaka has won her past 21 matches dating to last season. That includes a championship at last year’s U.S. Open. She was seeded No. 3 at Melbourne Park and is now assured of moving up to No. 2.
The 23-year-old Osaka was born in Japan and moved to the United States with her family when she was 3.
Brady was playing in her first Grand Slam final. The 25-year-old from Pennsylvania played college tennis at UCLA. She was one of 72 players who needed to go into hard lockdown for at least two weeks upon arriving in Australia after they were on a chartered flight with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus. Brady was the only singles player in that group who made it to Week 2.
Novak Djokovic (NOH’-vak JOH’-kuh-vich) will play Daniil Medvedev (DAN’-ihl MEHD’-veh-dehv) in the men’s final Sunday. No. 1-ranked Djokovic is aiming to win his ninth Australian Open championship and 18th Grand Slam title overall. He is 8-0 in finals at Melbourne Park and is trying to close the gap with rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal for most Slam trophies won by a man. They each have 20. Medvedev is in his second major final. He lost to Nadal at the 2019 U.S. Open. Medvedev is on a 20-match winning streak that includes 12 wins against Top 10 opponents.
VIRUS OUTBREAK-SPORTS
Indians ace Bieber reports to camp after COVID-19 bout
UNDATED (AP) — American League Cy Young winner Shane Bieber has reported to training camp in Arizona with the Cleveland Indians after recovering from COVID-19.
The Cleveland ace recently tested positive with the virus. Bieber experienced only mild symptoms but had to be isolated per MLB protocols before being medically cleared to join his teammates. The right-hander took part in drills Saturday. The Indians will hold their first full-squad workout in Goodyear, Arizona, on Sunday.
The 25-year-old Bieber was baseball’s best pitcher during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. Bieber led the majors in wins, ERA and strikeouts, a rare Triple Crown for pitchers.
In other developments related to the pandemic:
— The Columbus Blue Jackets have received permission from state authorities to allow a limited number of fans at games starting next week. Nearly 2,000 fans — 10% of Nationwide Arena’s capacity — may attend the last 16 home games, beginning March 2 against Detroit. Fans must complete an online check-in questionnaire and wear masks. They will be grouped in pods to maintain distancing. Tickets will be digital and concession stands cashless. The last time the venue welcomed spectators was last March, about a week before the pandemic began and shut down sports nationwide.
— Saturday night’s men’s basketball game between Texas A&M and Arkansas has been postponed because of an array of coronavirus issues. The Aggies will remain on pause until further notice. The Aggies said yesterday they were prepared to play the home game with a limited roster, but a new positive COVID-19 test along with subsequent contact tracing forced the postponement. Arkansas coach Eric Musselman said his team found out about the postponement while boarding the bus to travel to College Station. A makeup date has not been set. Musselman says his team is working with the Southeastern Conference to see if it can add a nonconference game.
SKI-WORLD CHAMPIONSHPS
Shiffrin dethroned in slalom but takes home four medals
CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — Mikaela Shiffrin has been dethroned as the four-time defending champion in slalom but won bronze Saturday after also medaling in her previous three events at the world championships.
The American says “it’s incredible” to win four medals at the world championships.
Austrian skier Katharina Liensberger won the women’s slalom, ending Shiffrin’s streak of four straight world titles in the discipline. Liensberger posted the fastest time in both runs to beat Petra Vlhova of Slovakia by one second. Shiffrin was 1.98 behind.
Shiffrin won gold in the combined event and took silver in giant slalom after opening the worlds with bronze in super-G.
Shiffrin has been coming back this season after a 10-month break from racing last year.
