
Vondrousova stuns Sabalenka 6-2, 6-4 for Berlin Open final against Wang
BERLIN (AP) — Marketa Vondrousova upset top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka 6-2, 6-4 in their semifinal Saturday to set up a showdown with Chinese qualifier Wang Xinyu in the final of the Berlin Open.
Vondrousova, the 2023 Wimbledon champion, needed 1 hour and 21 minutes for her first win over a reigning No. 1.
Sabalenka staged a comeback Friday by saving four match points against Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals. She had won all seven semifinals she played in this year but couldn't find a response against the 164th-ranked Vondrousova, who missed three months of the season with a shoulder injury.
Sunday's final will be Vondrousova's first since she won at Wimbledon. Wang beat Liudmila Samsonova 6-4, 6-1 in their semifinal earlier Saturday to move into her first final.
Thursdays
Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.
___
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Winnipeg Free Press
26 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Lexi Thompson has a top and a shank to start windy third round at Women's PGA with triple bogey
FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Lexi Thompson nearly got blown over to start the third round of the KMPG Women's PGA Championship, with a top and a shank on the way to a triple bogey on the opening hole in windy conditions Saturday. After hitting her tee shot into the fairway on the 517-yard par-5 first hole, a 207-yard drive into wind gusting to around 30 mph, Thompson topped her second shot that went only 117 yards. She indicated to her caddie that the wind knocked her out of balance. Things didn't get any better from there. Thompson shanked her third shot to the right into a thick native area and had to take a penalty shot that went over the green. She eventually two-putted from 20 feet, then followed with a bogey on the second hole. The semi-retired Thompson, playing for only the seventh time in 16 tournaments this season, won her only major in the 2014 Kraft Nabisco Championship. After a 2-under 70 on Friday, she went into the third round of the Women's PGA in fourth place and was four strokes behind Jeeno Thitikul, the No. 2-ranked player in the world, and was in the second-to-last group Saturday. Thompson's 13 top-five finishes in majors since 2013 are the most by any player and among her 20 top-10 finishes in those events. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. ___ AP golf:


Winnipeg Free Press
41 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Braves place reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Sale on injured list with fractured rib cage
MIAMI (AP) — The Atlanta Braves placed reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale on the 15-day injured list Saturday because of a fractured left rib cage. 'He was doing his exercises (Friday) and felt like something wasn't right,' manager Brian Snitker said before the Braves' game Saturday against the Miami Marlins. 'So they had him looked at and it showed what it showed.' In his previous start, against the New York Mets on Wednesday, Sale sprinted off the mound and made a diving stop of a grounder hit by Juan Soto and threw him out for the first out in the ninth. He then struck out Pete Alonso and was lifted after allowing a single to Brandon Nimmo. 'It's just a freak thing. An unfortunate thing,' Snitker said. 'I saw him after the game that night and he was doing his postgame workout. And then I saw him the next day and I think he maybe felt a little uncomfortable the next day. But then (Friday) is when he wanted to get it checked out.' Sale is 5-4 and has a 2.52 ERA through 15 starts this season. The 36-year-old left-hander threw a season-high 116 pitches and 8 2/3 innings against the Mets. 'It's a tough blow for us and him,' Snitker said. 'It was going so good. That's a rough one.' After six seasons with the Boston Red Sox, Sale was traded to the Braves in December 2023. Sale won the pitching Triple Crown in his first season in Atlanta, finishing with an NL high in wins (18) and strikeouts (225) and a league-low ERA of 2.38. Snitker doesn't have a timeline when his star pitcher will return. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'With bones like that, they've got to heal before you can start the process, but I have no idea how long it will be,' he said. The Braves began Saturday at 34-40 and 11 games behind NL East-leading Philadelphia. They had won six of seven, including a three-game series sweep against the Mets, before losing the series opener at Miami on Friday. In the corresponding move retroactive to Thursday, the Braves recalled left-handed pitcher Austin Cox from Triple-A Gwinnett. ___ More AP baseball:


Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Giants pitcher Sean Hjelle accused of abuse by wife, MLB investigating
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The San Francisco Giants said Major League Baseball is looking into allegations of abuse made by the wife of reliever Sean Hjelle. Caroline Hjelle made a post on TikTok on Friday of her with the couple's two children with a caption that said: 'When my MLB husband abandons us on Mothers Day a week after this (video was taken) once I finally found about his affairs and stopped putting up with his abuse, so I've been raising two boys alone.' The Giants said in a statement Saturday that they are 'aware of these serious allegations' and that MLB is handling it. Manager Bob Melvin said before Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox that Hjelle would be available to pitch. 'Obviously we're aware of it,' Melvin said. 'He told me about it last night. We talked to MLB. At this point, it's in their jurisdiction right now so I really can't comment on it further.' Hjelle took the loss in Friday night's game against the Red Sox, allowing a tiebreaking homer to Ceddanne Rafaela in the sixth inning. Hjelle is 1-1 with a 4.66 ERA in six appearances this season. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. ___ AP MLB: