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Sabalenka Extends Winning Streak, Osaka to Play Gauff at China Open

Tennis - China Open - China National Tennis Center, Beijing, China - September 30, 2024 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka celebrates winning her round of 32 match against Ashlyn Krueger of the US. (Reuters)
Tennis - China Open - China National Tennis Center, Beijing, China - September 30, 2024 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka celebrates winning her round of 32 match against Ashlyn Krueger of the US. (Reuters)
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Sabalenka Extends Winning Streak, Osaka to Play Gauff at China Open

Tennis - China Open - China National Tennis Center, Beijing, China - September 30, 2024 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka celebrates winning her round of 32 match against Ashlyn Krueger of the US. (Reuters)
Tennis - China Open - China National Tennis Center, Beijing, China - September 30, 2024 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka celebrates winning her round of 32 match against Ashlyn Krueger of the US. (Reuters)

Aryna Sabalenka's dominant hard-court season showed no signs of slowing down as she cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win over Ashlyn Krueger at the China Open on Monday for her 14th consecutive victory.

The three-time Grand Slam winner started her streak with a title at Cincinnati in August and continued with a run to the championship at the US Open earlier this month. She also won the Australian Open earlier in the year.

The second-ranked Sabalenka converted five of her seven breakpoint opportunities in a lopsided contest against Krueger and will next face Madison Keys, hoping to equal her career-best 15 consecutive victories set in 2020-21.

Keys had a 6-3, 6-3 win over Beatrice Haddad Maia of Brazil. Haddad Maia won the Korea Open last week but struggled to combat the baseline power of Keys.

Former No. 1 Naomi Osaka continued her positive start with new coach Patrick Mouratoglou with a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Katie Volynets, advancing to a round of 16 match against sixth-ranked Coco Gauff.

It will be the first meeting between the two Grand Slam champions in more than two years, with the head-to-head series tied at 2-2.

“It’s going to be a really cool test for me,” Osaka said. “She’s played really well this year. I’m excited to play the match, and I know people are excited to watch the match.”

Osaka, who returned from maternity leave at the start of this season and is No. 73 in the current rankings, fired five aces and produced three service breaks.

The four-time major winner joined Mouratoglou shortly before the China Open after splitting with Wim Fisette. Her run here so far is the first time since May that Osaka has had three consecutive wins.

Also, No. 14-ranked Anna Kalinskaya was leading 3-6, 6-3, 3-1 when Peyton Sterns retired from their match. She will next play Yuliia Starodubtseva of Ukraine.

Karolina Muchova beat Jaqueline Cristian 6-1, 6-3 and will play the winner of the match between Cristina Bucsa and 24th-seeded Elise Mertens in the fourth round.

In the men's draw, Andrey Rublev beat Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-4, 7-5 in a match that was carried over from Sunday because of a rain delay.

No. 6-ranked Rublev had six aces and 21 winners to extend his career record against Davidovich Fokina to 5-0.

The fifth-seeded Russian will play local favorite No. 96-ranked Bu Yunchaokete in the quarterfinals.

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Simeone Says Players Who Provoke Fans Should Be Punished

Atleticos's head coach Diego Simeone gestures during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at Civitas Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, 29 September 2024. (EPA)
Atleticos's head coach Diego Simeone gestures during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at Civitas Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, 29 September 2024. (EPA)
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Simeone Says Players Who Provoke Fans Should Be Punished

Atleticos's head coach Diego Simeone gestures during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at Civitas Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, 29 September 2024. (EPA)
Atleticos's head coach Diego Simeone gestures during the Spanish LaLiga soccer match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid at Civitas Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain, 29 September 2024. (EPA)

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone said on Sunday fans that hurled objects onto the pitch causing their derby against Real Madrid to be suspended for over 20 minutes should be punished, as well as players who he suggested encourage such action.

While Real players celebrated Eder Militao's opener in the 64th minute, Atletico ultras Fondo Sur, who are located in the south lower stands, threw objects towards visiting keeper Thibaut Courtois, who alerted the referee and he decided to temporarily halt the match.

After the delay, Angel Correa equalized deep in added time as the game ended with a 1-1 draw.

"My opinion is that people who have committed incidents should be sanctioned by the club. We don't need these people. We need the people who accompany and support us. They harm the club, but be careful: that does not justify generating situations that we, the protagonists, generate," Simeone told DAZN.

"We all have to help. The people who have thrown those lighters, it's not right. But maybe it doesn't help when us, the protagonists, undermine people, charge against people, provoke people and then people get angry.

"People have no other way of doing it, in a bad way, which is not right, but we also have to try to be calm, to understand the situations, that you can celebrate a goal by celebrating it, but not by celebrating it by staring at the stands, charging against the stands, making gestures... because then people get angry.

"Of course it's not justified, but neither is the initial thing justified because otherwise we'll always be victims. The one who throws the cigarette lighter should be sanctioned and the one who provokes should also be sanctioned. This way there is no more laughter and things like that, as you are not sanctioned, you are allowed to do things."

Atletico Madrid released an official statement in the early hours of Monday saying they have already identified one of the fans who hurled objects onto the pitch and are working with police to identify others, who will be disciplined.

"Atletico de Madrid wishes to express their rejection of the throwing of objects from a section of the south stand in the 68th minute of the match against Real Madrid. The club's security department has been working together with the police to locate those involved, one of whom has already been identified," the club said in a statement.

"The club will apply the internal regime foreseen for very serious cases to the people involved in this incident. These attitudes have no place in football and tarnish the image of a stadium that has experienced a spectacular atmosphere with more than 70,000 spectators in the stands, the vast majority of whom have shown exemplary behavior."