Thursday, March 28, 2024 | Ramadan 17, 1445 H
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EDITOR IN CHIEF- ABDULLAH BIN SALIM AL SHUEILI

CoCo in hot water after going bananas

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Fruitless quest


Ailing American 10th seed CoCo Vandeweghe lost the plot over a lack of bananas as she was dumped out in straight sets in the first round on Monday.


“I’m waiting for the bananas,” she told chair umpire Fergus Murphy after the first set when asked why she wasn’t ready to play.


“Why should I feel uncomfortable because the court is ill-prepared?”


After around another minute some fruit was brought and Vandeweghe, who said she hadn’t practised for four days because of a flu bug, ate it — and was then hit with a code violation for delaying the match.


It couldn’t give her an energy boost as she slumped to a 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 defeat to Hungary’s Time Babos.


Sweet 15


Marta Kostyuk (pictured) became the first player born in 2002 to win in the main draw of a Grand Slam when she shocked China’s 25th seed Peng Shuai in straight sets.


The 15-year-old qualifier from Ukraine beat the 2014 US open semifinalist who, at 32, is more than twice her age, 6-2, 6-2.


Peng first played the Australian Open in 2005, when Kostyuk was just two years old. But the youngster showed no sign of nerves on her Grand Slam debut as she closed out the match on her first match point with a searing ace.


Come on The Reds


British hope and Liverpool fan Kyle Edmund channelled some of the energy from his team’s 4-3 win over Manchester City at the weekend into his unexpected ousting of 11th seed Kevin Anderson.


He revealed it gave him a boost as he ground out a five set win.


“Yeah, good result, wasn’t it. Beating City,” he said. “I spoke to a couple of friends, they sent me a text, saying they were at the game.


“They said it was the best atmosphere it’s been at Anfield for a long time, so it was pleasing.”


Getting back onto tennis, he added: “What did you say about my chances?” — AFP


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