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Osaka Beats Tunisia’s Jabeur in Return from Maternity Leave

Aug 7, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Ons Jabeur (TUN) serves against Naomi Osaka (JPN, not shown) in second round play at Sobeys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 7, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Ons Jabeur (TUN) serves against Naomi Osaka (JPN, not shown) in second round play at Sobeys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
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Osaka Beats Tunisia’s Jabeur in Return from Maternity Leave

Aug 7, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Ons Jabeur (TUN) serves against Naomi Osaka (JPN, not shown) in second round play at Sobeys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 7, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Ons Jabeur (TUN) serves against Naomi Osaka (JPN, not shown) in second round play at Sobeys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Naomi Osaka of Japan beat another top player in her return from maternity leave, routing ninth-seeded Ons Jabeur of Tunisia 6-3, 6-1 on Wednesday in the National Bank Open.
Osaka, a former No. 1 player, beat a top-20 player player for the fifth time in her return.
“Everyone knows I really love hard courts. I wasn’t thinking too much. It was very instinctual,” said Osaka, a four-time Grand Slam winner. “Honestly, when I play the best players, like Ons, I tend to play better."
Osaka will face Elise Mertens of Belgium in the second round. Mertens beat American Katie Volynets 6-3, 6-1.
Paul Badosa, a former second-ranked player making a comeback from a back injury, followed her Washington title Sunday with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Denmark’s Clara Tauson. The Spanish star will face fourth-seeded Jelena Ostapenko in the second round.
In the late match, third-seeded defending champion Jessica Pegula of the United States topped Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 7-5, 6-4 in the second round.
In another night match, 15th-seeded Leylah Fernandez of Canada beat Nao Hibino of Japan 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.
Marina Stakusic, a 19-year-old from nearby Mississauga, beat Russia’s Erika Andreeva 6-7 (5), 6-1, 6-4 in her first main-draw appearance in the event.

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Olympics-Boxing-Algerian Khelif Wins Women's Semi-final

Imane Khelif beat Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng by unanimous decision - The AP
Imane Khelif beat Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng by unanimous decision - The AP
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Olympics-Boxing-Algerian Khelif Wins Women's Semi-final

Imane Khelif beat Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng by unanimous decision - The AP
Imane Khelif beat Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng by unanimous decision - The AP

Imane Khelif, the boxer at the center of a gender dispute, beat Thailand's Janjaem Suwannapheng by unanimous decision in a welterweight semi-final fight at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday to progress to the women's final at Roland Garros.

Khelif, a silver medallist at the 2022 worlds, and Taiwanese boxer Lin Yu-ting have been in the spotlight at the Olympics as part of a storm that has dominated headlines and been the subject of much discussion on social media platforms.

"I don’t want anything to be said about the controversy," Khelif said after her win, The AP reported.

Khelif and Lin were disqualified by the International Boxing Association from the 2023 World Championships in New Delhi, with the body saying in a shambolic press conference on Monday that a sex chromosome test had ruled both of them ineligible.

At those World Championships, Khelif beat Suwannapheng by unanimous decision in the semi-finals before being disqualified. Suwannapheng competed in the final after Khelif's disqualification and won silver.

Khelif and Lin are competing in the Olympics after the International Olympic Committee stripped the IBA of its status as the sport's governing body in 2023 and took control of organising the boxing in Paris.

The IOC has rejected the results of the IBA-ordered tests as arbitrary and illegitimate, saying there was no reason to conduct them.

At these Games, the IOC is using boxing eligibility rules that were applied at the 2016 and 2021 Olympics which do not include gender testing.

- FAN SUPPORT

Algerian fans flocked into a repurposed Court Philippe Chatrier, devoid of its iconic red clay, looking to support Khelif and screamed "Imane, Imane, Imane" ahead of the bout, while also booing Suwannapheng on entry.

In a cautious first round, both boxers attempted to keep their distance and engaged sparingly, but Khelif used her jab to better effect than her Thai opponent.

Suwannapheng connected with a big right hand in the second, but the rangy Algerian's excellent technique allowed her to keep landing shots and sweep the judge's scorecards.

Khelif threw caution to the wind and went after Suwannapheng in the final round, peppering her with jarring shots to claim the win by unanimous decision.

Both boxers touched gloves in a sign of respect after the fight, and when Khelif was announced as winner a deafening roar erupted from the fans in attendance.

"I just had the performance I was looking to deliver today to make the fans happy," Khelif said.

Khelif waited until her opponent left the ring before celebrating, jogging on the spot with an enormous grin on her face before leaving and shadow-boxing her way to the doctor's station for a quick medical check.

"I have not followed the controversy closely but all I know is that she is a woman and she is a strong fighter," Suwannapheng said.

Khelif will face Yang Liu of China in the final on Friday.

Lin also reached the semi-finals in the featherweight category, where she will take on Turkey's Esra Yildiz on Wednesday.

The storm surrounding Khelif and Lin erupted when the Algerian's opponent Angela Carini pulled out of their round-of-16 bout last week after just 46 seconds, saying she felt intense pain and feared for her safety after being hit with a barrage of punches.