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Osaka wins in Rome after 3-year absence

MANILA, Philippines – She may have been the birthday girl, but it was Sheena Toring who wrapped up a gift for the National University Lady Bulldogs by pulling off a clutch performance in their finals-berth clinching victory over the F EU Lady Tamaraws on Wednesday.

Toring, who was celebrating her 23rd birthday during their do-or-die UAAP Season 86 semis match against FEU, ended up with a season-best performance for the Lady Bulldogs with 13 points built off of a whopping six blocks on the upset-seeking Lady Tams.

After the game, the third-year player was delighted for her bounce-back performance.

“I’m happy naman kasi gusto ko talaga bumawi. Since nung last game, pangit ng performance namin. Last game, ginawa ko talagang motivation yun. Tsaka hindi ak o papayag na basta-basta lang kaming matatalo,” said Toring.

She also looks to continue her stable play wh en they get into their best-of-three championship series against the UST Golden Tigresses.

It can be recalled that Toring was out of commission for Game 2 of the finals against La Salle last year, where the Lady Bulldogs failed to defend their title. Now with a fresh slate against the España-based squad, she plans to make the most of her latest finals run.

“For sure, next championship series, magpe-prepare talaga kami nang maayos. At sana sa iba sa team namin, mag-improve pa kami at prepared dapat kami sa championship,” Toring said.

With redemption so close at hand for Toring and the rest of the Lady Bulldogs, she doesn’t plan on holding back any longer.

Finishing the eliminations with a 1-1 slate against UST, NU will need all they can use against the spirited Golden Tigresses.

“Actually before, nung elimination [against UST], nakikita ko na wala yung laro ko, wala yung performance ko, parang hindi ako. Ginawa ko talagang motivation na kailangan kong bumalik kasi kailangan ako ng team. I’m thankful na andoon yung mga teammates ko at coaches na nag-support talaga sakin.” she said. 

“Finally, umabot naman ng championship. Eto na gawin na namin lahat,” she added.

Toring and NU plunge back into action on the weekend for Game One of the finals on Saturday, May 11, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

ROME – Naomi Osaka marked her return to the Rome Open for the first time since 2021 with a straight-sets victory over Clara Burel in the first round on Wednesday (Thursday Manila time).

Former World No. 1 Osaka came through against her 45th-ranked French opponent 7-6 (7/2), 6-1.

It was the 26-year-old’s first win against a top-50 opponent on clay since beating Victoria Azarenka at the French Open in 2019.

Osaka, now ranked at 173 in the world after taking a break from the tour to have her first child, will face 19th seed Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine for a place in the third round.

Kostyuk, the runner-up on clay in Stuttgart last month, lost to Osaka in their only other previous meeting, in three sets at the 2020 US Open.

On Wednesday, the Japanese star sealed victory in 84 minutes, finishing with 27 winners, including eight aces, and broke serve four times.

“I thought the first set was really tough. I’m really glad I was able to close it in two,” said Osaka after just her second win on European clay this spring.

“Overall I think mentally I tried to stay as strong as I can, so I’m really happy about that.”

She added: “I was up 5-3, serving for the set and I lost (the game). But just being able to hang in there and eventually close it on my terms is something that I’m very proud of myself for.

“I obviously played a lot better in the second set. I’m hoping that when I play my match tomorrow, I want to learn from the mistakes I did today.”

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