MIAMI (AFP) – World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty defeated hometown favorite Shelby Rogers, 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4, in the third round of the WTA clay court tournament in Charleston, South Carolina on Thursday.
Barty moves on to the quarterfinals where she will face Spain’s Paula Badosa, a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Caty McNally of the US.
Unseeded Danka Kovinic of Montenegro, ranked 91st in the world, toppled two-time Wimbledon champion Petra Kvitova, the third seed, 6-4, 6-1 to reach the quarters.
Kovinic will battle for a place in the semi-finals against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva, who advanced when sixth-seeded Garbine Muguruza retired while leading their match 6-0, 2-2 with a left leg injury.
Muguruza fired 10 winners to Putintseva’s one in the first set. She mustered a break of serve after a medical time out early in the second before opting to call it a day.
US teen Coco Gauff booked a quarter-final meeting with Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur. Gauff beat compatriot Lauren Davis 6-2, 7-6 (7/2) while Jabeur rallied for a 5-7, 6-3, 6-3 victory over France’s Alize Cornet.
Tokyo tightening virus measures
TOKYO (AFP) ‒ Japan’s government will approve tighter coronavirus measures for the capital on Friday, weeks after lifting a state of emergency and with just over 100 days until the postponed Tokyo Olympics.
The new restrictions are far less severe than the blanket lockdowns seen in other countries and mainly call for restaurants and bars to close at 8 p.m., with the threat of fines for those that do not.
They are already in force in virus hotspots including Osaka city, where a rebound in cases has forced the Olympic torch relay off public roads.
The pandemic-delayed 2020 Games are due to open on July 23 in Tokyo, but a surge in cases in parts of the country is creating new concern.
Japan’s government imposed a virus state of emergency across several regions starting in January, lifting it gradually, with Tokyo exiting the measure last.
Age-group chess slated
Michael Jan Stephen R. Inigo of Bayawan City, Negros Oriental will showcase his talent in the two-day 2021 Congressman Greg Gasataya National Age Group Online Chess Championships Visayas Leg starting Saturday.
The 13-year-old Inigo, a grade seven student of Science and Technology Education Center in Bayawan City, hopes to include the event to his resume having won the gold in the 2019 Davao City Palarong Pambansa Elementary Boys Team Blitz competition and bronze in the
Inigo is coming off a runner-up finish in the National Age Group Under-16 Boys division Northern Luzon Leg and 7th in the Southern Luzon Leg Under-15 Boys division recently held via the Tornelo Online Chess Platform.
