Russian Qualifier Upsets Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in Miami

Ons Jabeur of Tunisia fields questions from the media during the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 21, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)
Ons Jabeur of Tunisia fields questions from the media during the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 21, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Russian Qualifier Upsets Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur in Miami

Ons Jabeur of Tunisia fields questions from the media during the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 21, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)
Ons Jabeur of Tunisia fields questions from the media during the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium on March 21, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Getty Images/AFP)

Russian qualifier Varvara Gracheva overpowered fourth-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 6-2, 6-2 on Friday in the second round of the Miami Open.

Jabeur, who is ranked fifth in the WTA, twice sought assistance from the training staff. She has been slowed by a knee injury this year, perhaps playing a role as Gracheva beat a player ranked in the world top five for the first time.

Gracheva said: "The plan was, of course like all matches, to be as stable as possible, to try to make her work as much points as possible, and of course wait for comfortable ones to attack."

Gracheva wound up saving three of the four break points she faced while converting five of her six break opportunities.

"I just probably caught this wave where I'm stable, where I always have a chance to play my game, be aggressive, cause troubles for the others by the game style," Gracheva said. "Just try to keep rolling on this way."

Two other highly seeded player joined Jabeur on the way out of Miami, as No. 5 Caroline Garcia of France and No. 7 Maria Sakkari of Greece both lost their second-round matches.

Romania's Sorana Cirstea cruised past Garcia 6-2, 6-3, while Canada's Bianca Andreescu overtook Sakkari 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.

Andreescu said of her victory, "I think the match was really good from both of our parts. Maria played amazing. She was playing very aggressive.

"I felt like I was on my heels a lot of the time during the match, but I made every ball. I fought to the end, and I think I played the important points just a little bit better today. But, yeah, it could have gone either way today."

Second-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus produced a 6-4, 6-3 win over the United States' Shelby Rogers. Ninth-seeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland demolished Canada's Leylah Fernandez 6-1, 6-1, but 11th-seeded Veronika Kudermetova of Russia fell 6-4, 6-2 to Czech Republic's Marketa Vondrousova.

Other second-round winners were 15th-seeded Petra Kvitova, 16th-seeded Barbora Krejcikova, 17th-seeded Karolina Pliskova, 31st-seeded Marie Bouzkova and Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic; 18th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia; 19th-seeded Madison Keys and Sofia Kenin of the United States; 22nd-seeded Donna Vekic of Croatia; and Magdalena Frech of Poland.



Soccer-Liverpool's Portuguese Forward Diogo Jota Dies in Car Crash in Spain

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Everton - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 2, 2025 Liverpool's Diogo Jota reacts after being substituted  REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Everton - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 2, 2025 Liverpool's Diogo Jota reacts after being substituted REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
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Soccer-Liverpool's Portuguese Forward Diogo Jota Dies in Car Crash in Spain

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Everton - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 2, 2025 Liverpool's Diogo Jota reacts after being substituted  REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Everton - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 2, 2025 Liverpool's Diogo Jota reacts after being substituted REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

Liverpool's Portuguese forward Diogo Jota and his brother died in a car crash in northwestern Spain early on Thursday, when their Lamborghini veered off the road and burst into flames, authorities said.

Evidence at the scene of the crash near the city of Zamora suggests Jota's car suffered a burst tyre while overtaking, Spanish police said in a statement.

Jota, 28, had in late June just married his partner of ten years with whom he had three children, according to Reuters.

"We have lost two champions. Their deaths represent irreparable losses for Portuguese football, and we will do everything we can to honor their legacy every day," the Portuguese Football Federation said of Jota and his brother Andre Silva, a footballer who played for Penafiel in the Portuguese second division.

Police said their bodies have been taken to a forensics unit in Zamora where autopsies will be performed.

"The news of the death of Diogo Jota, an athlete who greatly honored the name of Portugal, and his brother, is unexpected and tragic," Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro said on X. "I offer my most sincere condolences to his family."

Jota helped Liverpool win the Premier League last season and also won the FA Cup and League Cup with the Merseyside outfit.

Born in Porto, he began his career with local team Pacos de Ferreira before switching to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2017. Jota arrived at Anfield in 2020 and scored 65 goals in 182 appearances for the club in all competitions.

"Liverpool Football Club are devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota," the club said on X.

He also made 49 appearances for Portugal, twice winning the UEFA Nations League.

"It is a remarkable achievement for a small guy that came from Gondomar, where I had this dream," Jota said on Liverpool’s website of winning the Premier League. "It's a moment I will cherish forever."