AUCKLAND: Four-time Grand Slam singles winner Naomi Osaka has started 2025 in style, beating Julia Grabher 7-5, 6-3 Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Auckland tennis classic.
Osaka overcame a swirling breeze and a lengthy rain break to progress comfortably beyond the second round. Although the wind often affected her ball toss, Osaka didn’t drop her serve at any stage and broke Grabher once in each set to win her way to the Auckland quarterfinals for the second time. Osaka also reached the last eight on her only previous visit to New Zealand in 2017.
“She was a really tough opponent for me to play against and I felt I just had to concentrate on myself a lot and try not to be as nervous as I felt,” Osaka said.
“I got some great advice from a great coach over there,” Osaka added, referring to Patrick Mouratoglou who recently joined her team and previously had a long association with Serena Williams. “I just tried to focus on my bullet points and go out swinging if I had to go out. But fortunately I’m here to play another round.”
Osaka again showed no sign of the back injury which ended her 2024 season at the China Open in October. She moved freely, went to the net rarely but effectively and hit hard, especially from the forehand side.
Osaka’s first serve was a powerful weapon and she won 80 percent of points when she put the serve in play.
The first set was tight, without a break of serve until the 12th game. Osaka came back from the rain delay which came when she was leading 40-15 in the previous game and seemed to step up, holding serve and breaking the Austrian player immediately to take the first set.
She held serve to love in two of her first three service games in the second set, then broke Grabher in the sixth game to go ahead 4-2. Osaka continued to hold serve comfortably, closing out the match on her first match point.
The Auckland tournament is a tune-up for the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 12, and lost some of its star power on Tuesday when former US Open champion Emma Raducanu withdrew with a back injury. Elize Mertens also pulled out of Auckland with injury, leaving Osaka to face a more open draw
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Naomi Osaka wins again to reach the quarterfinals at the Auckland WTA tournament
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Naomi Osaka wins again to reach the quarterfinals at the Auckland WTA tournament
- Osaka overcame a swirling breeze and a lengthy rain break to progress comfortably
Flick demands more Barca ‘fight’ amid injury crisis
“It’s not an excuse, it’s a fact — we have a lot of injured players. They are huge players, some of our key players,” Flick said
“I know, we all know, the players know we have to play much better”
BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Hansi Flick called on his players on Saturday to show more fight while the club battles an injury crisis and struggles to reach their top level.
The Catalan giants drew 3-3 at Club Brugge on Wednesday in the Champions League and are five points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid before facing Celta Vigo on Sunday.
After winning a domestic treble last season Barca have struggled for consistency in Flick’s second term as they try to cope with several absences.
They will be without Raphinha, Pedri, Joan Garcia and Gavi among others at Balaidos, while Flick said Jules Kounde was also a doubt for the game.
“It’s not an excuse, it’s a fact — we have a lot of injured players. They are huge players, some of our key players,” Flick told a news conference.
“I know, we all know, the players know we have to play much better. The important thing is that everyone (gets) back, after two or three matches, they are on a good level and can help us a lot. This is maybe a starting point again.
“Until then, and the match tomorrow is like that, we have to fight. On Wednesday we couldn’t see this fight, that we need. Hopefully tomorrow we will see it.”
Celta Vigo have won their last five games across all competitions and are in a “good mood,” according to Flick.
Barcelona star Lamine Yamal was back to his best against Brugge and the coach said he had stepped up his work to recover from a niggling groin issue.
“He changed his discipline, it’s much better now, he’s really training good,” said Flick.
The 18-year-old has been called up by Spain for upcoming World Cup qualifiers and the coach asked his national team counterpart Luis de la Fuente to take care of Yamal.
In September Yamal aggravated his groin problem while with Spain and he was released from the squad for matches in October because of the same problem.
“He comes back to the best level but it’s not over, we have to take care about this injury, not only us but also the national team,” added Flick.
“I know, we all know, the players know we have to play much better”
BARCELONA: Barcelona coach Hansi Flick called on his players on Saturday to show more fight while the club battles an injury crisis and struggles to reach their top level.
The Catalan giants drew 3-3 at Club Brugge on Wednesday in the Champions League and are five points behind La Liga leaders Real Madrid before facing Celta Vigo on Sunday.
After winning a domestic treble last season Barca have struggled for consistency in Flick’s second term as they try to cope with several absences.
They will be without Raphinha, Pedri, Joan Garcia and Gavi among others at Balaidos, while Flick said Jules Kounde was also a doubt for the game.
“It’s not an excuse, it’s a fact — we have a lot of injured players. They are huge players, some of our key players,” Flick told a news conference.
“I know, we all know, the players know we have to play much better. The important thing is that everyone (gets) back, after two or three matches, they are on a good level and can help us a lot. This is maybe a starting point again.
“Until then, and the match tomorrow is like that, we have to fight. On Wednesday we couldn’t see this fight, that we need. Hopefully tomorrow we will see it.”
Celta Vigo have won their last five games across all competitions and are in a “good mood,” according to Flick.
Barcelona star Lamine Yamal was back to his best against Brugge and the coach said he had stepped up his work to recover from a niggling groin issue.
“He changed his discipline, it’s much better now, he’s really training good,” said Flick.
The 18-year-old has been called up by Spain for upcoming World Cup qualifiers and the coach asked his national team counterpart Luis de la Fuente to take care of Yamal.
In September Yamal aggravated his groin problem while with Spain and he was released from the squad for matches in October because of the same problem.
“He comes back to the best level but it’s not over, we have to take care about this injury, not only us but also the national team,” added Flick.
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