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Wozniacki Downs Prozorova to Make Winning Return at US Open 

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark reacts during her first round match against Tatiana Prozorova of Russia at the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, US, 28 August 2023. (EPA)
Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark reacts during her first round match against Tatiana Prozorova of Russia at the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, US, 28 August 2023. (EPA)
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Wozniacki Downs Prozorova to Make Winning Return at US Open 

Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark reacts during her first round match against Tatiana Prozorova of Russia at the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, US, 28 August 2023. (EPA)
Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark reacts during her first round match against Tatiana Prozorova of Russia at the US Open Tennis Championships at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, US, 28 August 2023. (EPA)

Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki marked her return to Grand Slam action for the first time in more than three years with a 6-3 6-2 win over Russian qualifier Tatiana Prozorova on Monday to reach the second round at the US Open.

Wozniacki is competing in her third tournament since returning to the tour in Montreal and playing in Cincinnati this month after retiring in 2020 to start a family, but the Dane's vast experience shone through against 19-year-old Prozorova.

"It feels amazing to be back," said Wozniacki, who booked a place in the next round against Czech 11th seed Petra Kvitova.

"Obviously I was very nervous coming out here, I haven't been here since 2019 and a lot has happened since then.

"It just feels amazing to have the chance out here on this big court, playing a night session and getting a win under my belt. It feels so special."

Both players surrendered serve early in the match before the 33-year-old Wozniacki stepped up the pressure from 3-3, breaking her opponent twice more on the back of some relentless returns to win the opening set.

Wozniacki shifted up another gear following a delayed start to the next set due to Prozorova's medical timeout, as the Dane sealed a crucial point after a 30-shot rally en route to grabbing a 3-1 lead.

The former Australian Open champion wobbled on serve at 5-1 but broke Prozorova immediately afterwards to close out the win.

"Obviously it only gets tougher from here. I'm playing Petra next, someone I know very well and have played many, many times. I kind of know what to expect," Wozniacki said.

"I've got to play better next match to beat her, but so does she. I think it's going to be an exciting one. It's going to be a good match out there."

Kvitova has won eight of their 14 previous meetings.

"Could I have had maybe a little bit of an easier draw? Probably. But at the same time, I'm also a wildcard. We could have met in the first round," Wozniacki said.

"At the same time, I'm just out there to compete. I know myself, my competitiveness. I know if I'm playing my best tennis, I believe that I can beat anyone in the draw.

"It could be anything out there in the next match, but I hope it's going to be a great match. That's why I'm here. I want to compete. I want to play against the best players."

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Algeria’s Khelif Calls for End to Bullying

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif poses for a photo after an interview with SNTV at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif poses for a photo after an interview with SNTV at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
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Algeria’s Khelif Calls for End to Bullying

Algerian boxer Imane Khelif poses for a photo after an interview with SNTV at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
Algerian boxer Imane Khelif poses for a photo after an interview with SNTV at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Sunday, Aug. 4, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)

Olympic boxer Imane Khelif said the wave of hateful scrutiny she has faced over misconceptions about her gender “harms human dignity,” and she called for an end to bullying athletes after being greatly affected by the international backlash against her.
The Algerian athlete spoke about her tumultuous Olympic experience on Sunday night in an interview with SNTV, a sports video partner of The Associated Press.
“I send a message to all the people of the world to uphold the Olympic principles and the Olympic Charter, to refrain from bullying all athletes, because this has effects, massive effects,” Khelif said in Arabic. "It can destroy people, it can kill people’s thoughts, spirit and mind. It can divide people. And because of that, I ask them to refrain from bullying.”
The victories of Khelif and fellow boxer Lin Yu-ting of Taiwan in the ring in Paris have become one of the biggest stories of the Paris Games. Both women have clinched their first Olympic medals even as they have faced online abuse based on unsubstantiated claims about their gender, drawing them into a wider divide over changing attitudes toward gender identity and regulations in sports.
The 25-year-old Khelif acknowledged the pressure and pain of enduring this ordeal while competing far from home in the most important event of her athletic career.
“I am in contact with my family two days a week. I hope that they weren’t affected deeply,” she said. “They are worried about me. God willing, this crisis will culminate in a gold medal, and that would be the best response.”
The vitriol stems from claims by the International Boxing Association, which has been permanently banned from the Olympics, that both Khelif and Lin failed unspecified eligibility tests for the women’s competition at last year’s world championships.
Khelif declined to answer when asked whether she had undergone tests other than doping tests, saying she didn’t want to talk about it.
She expressed gratitude to the International Olympic Committee and its president, Thomas Bach, for standing resolutely behind her while the banned former governing body of Olympic boxing stoked a furor around her participation in Paris.
“I know that the Olympic Committee has done me justice, and I am happy with this remedy because it shows the truth,” she said.
She also has seen massive support at her bouts, drawing cheers when she enters the arena and crowds waving Algerian flags chanting her first name. She will fight again Tuesday in the women's 66-kilogram semifinals at Roland Garros.
Khelif repeatedly made clear she won't allow chatter or accusations to deter her from attempting to claim Algeria's first Olympic gold medal in women's boxing.
“I don’t care about anyone’s opinion,” Khelif said a day after beating Anna Luca Hamori of Hungary. “I came here for a medal, and to compete for a medal. I will certainly be competing to improve (and) be better, and God willing, I will improve, like every other athlete.”
Although she is aware of the worldwide discussion about her, Khelif said she has been somewhat removed.
“Honestly, I don’t follow social media," she said. “There is a mental health team that doesn’t let us follow social media, especially in the Olympic Games, whether me or other athletes. I’m here to compete and get a good result.”
Khelif started her Olympic run last Thursday with a victory over Angela Carini of Italy, who abandoned the bout after just 46 seconds. Carini later said she regretted her decision and wished to apologize to Khelif.
That unusual ending raised the chatter around Khelif into a roar, drawing comments from the likes of former US President Donald Trump, “Harry Potter” writer J.K. Rowling and others falsely claiming Khelif was a man or transgender.
The IOC repeatedly declared her and Lin qualified to participate in the Olympics, and it has decried the murky testing standards and untransparent governance of the IBA, which was banished entirely from the Olympics last year in an unprecedented punishment for a governing body.
Khelif clearly felt the weight of the worldwide scrutiny upon her, and her victory over Hamori on Saturday appeared to be cathartic. After the referee raised Khelif's hand with the win, she went to the center of the ring, waved to her fans, knelt and slammed her palm on the canvas, her smile turning to tears.
“I couldn’t control my nerves," Khelif said in the interview. "Because after the media frenzy and after the victory, there was a mix of joy and at the same time, I was greatly affected, because honestly, it wasn’t an easy thing to go through at all. It was something that harms human dignity.”
She had competed in IBA events for several years without problems until she was abruptly suspended from last year's world championships. The Russian-dominated body — which has faced years of clashes with the IOC — has refused to provide any information about the tests.
Algeria’s national boxing federation is still an IBA member.
Khelif is from rural northwestern Algeria, and she grew up playing soccer until she fell in love with boxing. Overcoming her father’s initial objections, she traveled 10 kilometers (about 6 miles) by bus to train for fights in a neighboring town.
After reaching the sport’s top level in her late teens, she struggled early in her career before reaching an elite level. Khelif has been a solid, if unspectacular, international competitor for six years, and she lost to eventual gold medalist Kellie Harrington of Ireland at the Tokyo Olympics.
Khelif’s next bout in Paris is against Janjaem Suwannapheng of Thailand. If Khelif wins again, she will fight for a gold medal Friday.
“Yes, this issue involves the dignity and honor of every woman and female,” she told an Algerian broadcaster in brief remarks Sunday after beating Hamori. “The Arab population has known me for years and has seen me box in the IBA that wronged me (and) treated me unfairly, but I have God on my side.”