Badosa Ends Zhang's Resurgence at China Open

Paula Badosa of Spain celebrates after winning the China Open tennis tournament women's singles match against Zhang Shuai of China at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Paula Badosa of Spain celebrates after winning the China Open tennis tournament women's singles match against Zhang Shuai of China at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
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Badosa Ends Zhang's Resurgence at China Open

Paula Badosa of Spain celebrates after winning the China Open tennis tournament women's singles match against Zhang Shuai of China at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Paula Badosa of Spain celebrates after winning the China Open tennis tournament women's singles match against Zhang Shuai of China at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)

Zhang Shuai’s drought-busting week came to a shuddering halt as Paula Badosa continued her own resurgence in a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory to make the China Open semifinals on Thursday.
The 19th-ranked Spaniard has won 28 of her last 35 matches dating to May and made the semifinals of three of her past five tournaments. There was also a run to the US Open quarterfinals last month.
But the story of the week has been the 35-year-old Zhang, who entered the China Open on a 24-match losing streak — the second longest in the Open era — and ranked No. 595. She didn't drop a set in four matches this week.
The Chinese wild card had no answer, though, to Badosa's fast start as the Spaniard made three service breaks to comfortably claim the opening set.
It was much closer in the second set as Badosa found herself down 3-1. She rallied and edged Zhang in the tiebreak.
The former No. 2-ranked Badosa will play No. 6 Coco Gauff or No. 115 Yuliia Starodubtseva, who play later Thursday.
Gauff advanced to the quarterfinals after four-time major winner Naomi Osaka was forced to retire because of a lower back injury. The American helped carry Osaka’s bags off the court.
Shanghai Masters Italy's Matteo Berrettini bounced back from the disappointment of an injury ending his Japan Open last week by squeezing past Christopher O'Connell 7-6, (9) 7-6 (6) in the Shanghai first round.
The Italian, who retired with an abdominal injury in the second round in Tokyo last Friday, had his fitness given a stern examination by the Australian in a lung-busting match lasting two hours, 13 minutes.
Next up for the former Wimbledon finalist is No. 14-ranked Holger Rune.
Other first-round winners included Marcos Giron, David Goffin, Jaume Munar, Zhou Yi, Jakub Mensik and Miomir Kecmanovic.
The 32 seeded players received a first-round bye, including top-ranked Jannik Sinner and second-ranked Carlos Alcaraz, who won the China Open against the Italian on Wednesday. Sinner starts against Taro Daniel of Japan, and Alcaraz faces Shang Juncheng of China.



Pro-Palestinian Supporters Stage Protest at French Football Federation over Israel Game

This photograph taken on June 3, 2024, shows logos of the French Football Federation (FFF) during a press conference to announce the pre-selection of the players who will take part in the upcoming training camp of France's men's Olympic football team, at the FFF headquarters in Paris. (AFP)
This photograph taken on June 3, 2024, shows logos of the French Football Federation (FFF) during a press conference to announce the pre-selection of the players who will take part in the upcoming training camp of France's men's Olympic football team, at the FFF headquarters in Paris. (AFP)
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Pro-Palestinian Supporters Stage Protest at French Football Federation over Israel Game

This photograph taken on June 3, 2024, shows logos of the French Football Federation (FFF) during a press conference to announce the pre-selection of the players who will take part in the upcoming training camp of France's men's Olympic football team, at the FFF headquarters in Paris. (AFP)
This photograph taken on June 3, 2024, shows logos of the French Football Federation (FFF) during a press conference to announce the pre-selection of the players who will take part in the upcoming training camp of France's men's Olympic football team, at the FFF headquarters in Paris. (AFP)

Pro-Palestinian supporters staged a protest Monday at the French football federation to call for the cancellation of a Nations League game between France and Israel this month.

Video footage of their action posted on social media and circulating in French media showed protesters inside the federation's headquarters in Paris lying on the floor or holding placards with political slogans and Palestinian flags.

Some protesters also chanted: “No, no, no to the France-Israel game at the Stade de France.”

The French soccer federation did not immediately respond to a request for comments from The Associated Press.

According to local media, the demonstrators were calmly evacuated by police.

French authorities confirmed last month that the match would go ahead with fans allowed in the stadium after Italy hosted Israel in the same competition without incident despite security concerns.

The Nov. 14 match at the Stade de France will be played against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East which has spread to Lebanon after more than a year-long war in Gaza.

Israel's match against Italy was the first match the country has played outside neutral Hungary this year. After the Israel-Hamas war started on Oct. 7 last year, the national soccer team played in Kosovo and Andorra last November.

All Israel matches since then have been in Hungary, including a game against Belgium in the Nations League after the Belgian Football Association refused to host the game for security reasons.