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☆ Pliskova rues misfiring serve after Australian Open exit
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The former world number one slipped into the second week of the tournament with little fanfare and reached her second straight Grand Slam quarter-final after her run at last year's U.S. Open. "Super disappointed about today, because I just thought this was a match which I should win and I could win," Pliskova, who missed last year's tournament due to an arm fracture, told reporters. "Obviously the serve was not great today at all. I have been serving really well for like all my matches, and pretty much like for the last two, three weeks." "I think she really made it like difficult for me, not missing many balls, not giving anything for free, any mistakes.

☆ Linette stuns Pliskova to reach first Grand Slam semi
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 25, 2023 Poland's Magda Linette celebrates after winning her quarter final match against Czech Republic's Karolina Pliskova REUTERS/Carl RecineMELBOURNE, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Unheralded Pole Magda Linette continued her dream run into the semi-finals of the Australian Open on Wednesday, stunning former world number one Karolina Pliskova in a deserved 6-3 7-5 victory on Rod Laver Arena. The world number 45 played wonderfully controlled tennis in the opening set as twice Grand Slam finalist Pliskova racked up 14 unforced errors under the blazing sun on the main showcourt. Pliskova had to raise her game in the second set but Linette had the answer to everything the Czech threw at her and broke for 6-5 before serving out nervelessly for the win. Linette will battle for a place in the final against fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka or Donna Vekic, who face off in Wednesday's second women's quarter-final. Reporting by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney; Editing byOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Anyone but Djokovic: Rublev targets first Grand Slam semi-final
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Hritika Sharma | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

In a moment of disarming honesty after his five-set win over Holger Rune, Rublev conceded he was not relishing the opportunity to face 21-times Grand Slam champion Djokovic on his favourite court. "No one wants to face Novak," Rublev blurted out with a laugh on Rod Laver Arena, albeit prematurely as Djokovic had yet to play his own fourth-round match. "He's an established top-five, top-10 player already for a few years," Djokovic said of Rublev, who has now reached a Grand Slam quarter-final seven times but never cracked the final four. The other men's match on Wednesday features unseeded Americans Ben Shelton and Tommy Paul, with both reaching their first Grand Slam quarter-final to continue the success of the U.S. men this year. Fifth seed Aryna Sabalenka has yet to drop a set in 2023 and will aim to reach her first Australian Open semi-final when she faces unseeded Croatian Donna Vekic.

☆ Pliskova back in the Melbourne quarter-finals and feeling good
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

"I've been feeling quite good since I came to Australia," she told reporters. Only two top 10 seeds, Jessica Pegula and Aryna Sabalenka, remain in the quarter-finals, leaving Pliskova as one of the more experienced Grand Slam campaigners. "I feel like these days there is not just top 20 tough opponents, there is like 150 tough opponents," the world number 31 added. "Then the rest, Pegula, I think she's playing great tennis. "If I play like I played today, I think it's tough for anybody to compete with that.

[1/3] Signage is seen outside the European Central Bank (ECB) building, in Frankfurt, Germany, July 21, 2022. The Dutch and Slovak central bank governors gave explicit support for a bigger move in March while ECB President Christine Lagarde also appeared to back such an increase. But it is not a reason to slow the tempo of raising interest rates," Kazimir said in a statement on Monday. "I am convinced that we need to deliver two more hikes by 50 basis points." Economists polled by Reuters expect the ECB to deliver 50 basis point interest rate rises at each of its next two meetings.

☆ Zhang wishes WTA could return to China
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MELBOURNE, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Chinese number one Zhang Shuai hopes the WTA tour can return to her country this season as it opens up after abandoning the "zero-COVID" policy but said the Peng Shuai issue was out of her control. Former WTA player Peng accused a senior Chinese government official of sexual assault in 2021 in a post on social media that was soon removed from the country's internet. Peng's post caused an international outcry over her safety and led the WTA to suspend tournaments in China - a decision expected to cost the women's tour hundreds of millions of dollars in broadcasting and sponsorship. The WTA has said a return to China would require a resolution to the Peng situation and its 2023 tour calendar lists events only up to the U.S. Open, with no clarity on tournaments to be held in China. read moreAsked whether Peng should meet with the WTA as a step to resolving the impasse, Zhang declined to offer a view.

☆ Rublev rolls on, Pliskova through to last 16 at Australian Open
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Ian Ransom | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 21, 2023 Britain's Dan Evans reacts during his third round match against Russia's Andrey Rublev REUTERS/Hannah MckayMELBOURNE, Jan 21 (Reuters) - Fifth seed Andrey Rublev avoided a third round banana skin in the form of Briton Dan Evans at the Australian Open on Saturday after former world number one Karolina Pliskova sailed into the last 16 of the women's tournament. Red-headed Russian Rublev has found Evans a handful in the past but swept aside the 25th seed 6-4 6-2 6-3 with 60 winners on a glorious afternoon at Melbourne Park. A quarter-finalist two years ago, Rublev had unleashed on the chair umpire in his previous match after being warned for an audible obscenity. Unseeded Croatian Donna Vekic joined Bencic in the last 16 with a 6-2 6-2 win over Spain's Nuria Parrizas Diaz. After a lengthy medical time-out, the 19-year-old returned to complete an impressive 6-4 6-2 7-6(5) win over the Frenchman.

☆ Rublev tames Thiem, Sabalenka and Garcia stroll as Melbourne sizzles
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Thiem, a finalist at Melbourne Park and U.S. Open champion in 2020, is on the comeback trail after a wrist injury and was able to compete only to a certain extent against the power of the rangy Russian. Thiem was simply unable to get a foothold in the contest and the 25-year-old Rublev, a quarter-finalist at the Australian Open in 2021, served out for the match after little more than two hours on court. Tennis Australia on Tuesday morning banned fans from bringing flags of either nation into the Melbourne Park precinct after a Russian tricolour was hung on a bush next to a court where Ukrainian Kateryna Baindl was playing on Monday. "It wasn't that easy a match and I'm super happy to start with a win," said the Belarusian. Novak Djokovic will begin his bid for a record-extending 10th title at Melbourne Park against Spaniard Roberto Carballes Baena in the final match of the day on Rod Laver Arena.

☆ WTA roundup: Belinda Bencic, Danielle Collins cruise in Adelaide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

January 9 - Belinda Bencic of Switzerland and Danielle Collins were among those to win their first-round matches at the Adelaide International on Monday in Australia. 8 seed, beat Garbine Muguruza of Spain 6-3, 6-4 in 79 minutes. Collins, the American 10th seed, handled Karolina Pliskova of Czech Republic in 76 minutes. Hobart InternationalFourth seed Sloane Stephens lost her first-round match to fellow American Lauren Davis 6-2, 6-2 in Hobart, Australia. 1 seed Marie Bouzkova of Czech Republic beat Jaqueline Cristian of Romania 7-6 (2), 6-3.

☆ Noskova stuns Azarenka in Adelaide as Jabeur, Sabalenka reach semis
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 6 (Reuters) - Teenaged qualifier Linda Noskova saved a match point before completing a stunning 6-4 6-7(3) 7-6(6) victory over double Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka on Friday to reach the semi-finals of the Adelaide International 1. Noskova, who also upset third seed Daria Kasatkina earlier in the WTA 500 event, next meets favourite and world number two Ons Jabeur who battled past Marta Kostyuk 7-6(5) 7-5. Second seed Aryna Sabalenka staved off a late fightback from former French Open runner-up Marketa Vondrousova to win 6-3 7-5 in hot conditions. She fought until the end and I was really happy I was able to win," WTA Finals runner-up Sabalenka said after another battling display in her preparation for the Jan. 16-29 Australian Open. "I think because I'm staying really calm and I feel like I'm at home here that's why I play really well.

☆ Azarenka digs deep to beat Kalinina in Adelaide
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Jan 3 (Reuters) - Former world number one Victoria Azarenka overcame a shaky start to beat Anhelina Kalinina 7-6(9) 7-6(5) in a gruelling match at the Adelaide International 1 on Tuesday and reach the second round of the WTA 500 tournament. Twice Australian Open champion Azarenka found herself in trouble trailing 5-1 but she summoned up her fighting spirit to save five set points before edging a tense tiebreaker. "When you talk about first matches that are never easy this one was definitely at the top of the list," Azarenka said. Former French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko plays Czech Karolina Pliskova later on Tuesday. Top-seeded American Coco Gauff made short work of Tatjana Maria, beating the Wimbledon semi-finalist 6-4 6-1 to snap a five-match losing streak.

☆ Coal, No Longer Shunned, Keeps Europe’s Lights on Through Frigid Weather
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Joe Wallace | Karolina Jeznach | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Coal use in Europe rose this month when icy, calm weather quieted wind farms and strained electricity systems. Europe passed its first winter test without Russian energy, keeping the lights on through this month’s cold blast. The secret to its success: burning more coal than it has in years. Consuming large amounts of coal represents a difficult choice for European nations that had promised to ditch the carbon-intensive fuel to contain climate change. Russia’s cut to natural-gas supplies after invading Ukraine and outages at French nuclear plants have spurred the revival.

☆ JP Morgan signs deal for stake in fintech Viva Wallet for over $800 million
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ATHENS, Dec 17 (Reuters) - JP Morgan (JPM.N) has signed a deal to buy a 48.5% stake in Athens-based payments fintech Viva Wallet for more than $800 million, a person with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Saturday. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the deal was expected to be announced early next week. Both JP Morgan and Viva Wallet declined to comment. JP Morgan announced in January that it had agreed to acquire a stake in Viva Wallet. Cloud-based Viva Wallet, which operates in 23 countries across Europe, provides card acceptance services through its POS application, add-on Google play devices and advanced payment systems in online stores.

☆ Greece's Mitsotakis says EU leaders close to gas price cap deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ATHENS, Dec 15 (Reuters) - European Union leaders are "close to" imposing a natural gas price cap, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on ahead of talks on tackling high energy prices in Brussels on Thursday. "We are close to being able to impose a ceiling on the price of natural gas... I believe that, one way or another, we will find the necessary majorities in order to move in this direction," he said. Mitsotakis added it was "absolutely necessary" that Europe "sends clear signal to the markets that it is not going to allow the instrumentalization of natural gas by Russia." Reporting by Karolina Tagaris; Editing by Frank Jack DanielOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

'REFUGE FOR WINTER' AND BEYONDVisitors and more permanent residents are also arriving from Germany, which was highly dependent on Russian gas before the Ukraine war and is anxious about possible winter energy shortages. Airlines will increase by 31% the number of seats available to the Canary Islands, the regional tourism office said. Airbnb, the short-term rentals firm, said searches for winter stays in southern Europe tripled between April and June. "Even before the energy crisis, we would have liked to be in Portugal because of the weather," the 28-year-old said. "But with the energy crisis, (being in Portugal) gives us more security because of the climate."

☆ Greece rescues hundreds of migrants adrift on fishing boat
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ATHENS, Nov 22 (Reuters) - Greece rescued hundreds of migrants on Tuesday after the fishing boat they were travelling on issued a distress signal off the island of Crete, the coast guard said. A spokesperson for the coast guard cited survivors as saying about 400 to 500 people were on board. [1/5] Migrants stand onboard a fishing boat at the port of Paleochora, following a rescue operation off the island of Crete, Greece, November 22, 2022. REUTERS/Stringer 1 2 3 4 5The migrants were taken to the southern seaside town of Paleochora. Most asylum-seekers cross to Greece from neighbouring Turkey, though Greek news websites suggested those rescued on Tuesday had sailed from Libya.

☆ Poland’s Exposure to Ukraine War in Spotlight After Missile Blast
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Drew Hinshaw | Karolina Jeznach | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

PRZEWODÓW, Poland—Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Poland has been at the leading edge of NATO’s efforts to arm its neighbor against Russian forces—without letting the war spill onto the alliance’s own territory. Now, the stray missile that killed two Polish nationals and prompted high-level discussions within the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, puts the spotlight back on a country that has been Ukraine’s biggest champion in Europe and is at the greatest risk should the conflict spill over into a wider war.

☆ Oil flowing normally to Poland via Druzhba pipeline, says operator
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

WARSAW, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Oil is flowing normally via the Polish section of the Druzhba Pipeline, pipeline operator PERN said late on Tuesday after media reported that oil supply to Hungary via the pipeline was temporarily suspended due to a fall in pressure. "I have no information about disruptions, shipments are carried out normally," Karolina Krasinska, PERN's spokeswoman, told Reuters. Reporting by Marek Strzelecki; writing by Anna Koper; Editing by Chizu NomiyamaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

For more than 70 days this summer, a marine heatwave cooked the waters of the western Mediterranean. "We've been witnessing marine heatwaves during the last 20 years," said Garrabou, who's also coordinator of the T-MEDNet marine monitoring network. A 2016 marine heatwave along Chile's southern coast caused huge algae blooms that wiped out fish farms and cost the aquaculture industry some $800 million, said scientist Kathryn Smith with the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. As the world warms, marine heatwaves are expected to become more frequent, according to the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Though economists have yet to account fully for the impacts of marine heatwaves, recent experience has many concerned.

UFC 281 will stream live on November 12, with the main card starting at 10 p.m. Adesanya is undefeated at middleweight in 12 UFC fights; Pereira has quickly risen to the top of the weight class, winning three fights since his UFC debut in November 2021. How to watch UFC 281You can watch the main event of UFC 281 on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. Ways to save on the UFC 281 pay-per-view priceIf you plan on signing up for ESPN+ to watch UFC 281, you can take advantage of a special discounted package. Here's the fight card for UFC 281: Adesanya vs. PereiraESPNEarly Prelims — 6 p.m.

ATHENS, Nov 9 (Reuters) - Greek workers went on a day-long strike on Wednesday, demanding higher wages to cope with surging inflation, as Europe's soaring energy prices and living costs trigger industrial action and protests across the continent. In Athens, thousands of people marched in the second 24-hour walkout this year over rising inflation, some holding up banners that read, "No to layoffs, no to pay cuts." The General Confederation of Greek Workers union (GSEE), which represents private sector workers, said unions had called the strike in protest "against the inflation suffocating Greek households, the jungle-like conditions in the labour market," referring to labour laws. [1/5] Members of the communist-affiliated trade union PAME shout slogans as they demonstrate during a 24-hour general strike, in Athens, Greece, November 9, 2022. "Making it to the end of the month means your wages will last you until the last day of the month.

☆ Bencic leads Switzerland past Italy, Slovakia beat Belgium
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 9 (Reuters) - Belinda Bencic led Switzerland to victory over Italy in their opening Billie Jean King Cup tie on Wednesday while Slovakia bounced back from a tough loss to Australia to defeat Belgium and get their campaign back on track. Earlier, Viktoria Kuzmova and Anna Karolina Schmiedlova won their singles ties to help secure a 2-1 victory over Belgium in their final Group B tie. Schmiedlova sealed the tie for Slovakia in a tenacious 5-7 6-2 6-3 win over Maryna Zanevska before the doubles pairing of Elise Mertens and Kirsten Flipkens got Belgium on the board with a crushing 6-0 6-3 win over Kuzmova and Mihalikova. The United States will take on Poland in Group D while Spain face Kazakhstan in Group C later on Wednesday. Reporting by Hritika Sharma in Bengaluru Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Poland Begins Building Wall to Prevent Russia From Pushing Migrants Into Europe
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Karolina Jeznach | Drew Hinshaw | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

WARSAW—Polish army engineers began building a razor-wire fence across the country’s 130-mile border with Russia, the latest country in Europe’s east to construct such a barrier, in what Poland’s government described as a bid to prevent Moscow from encouraging asylum seekers to cross overland into the European Union. The fence will span the entire length of Poland’s border with the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak told reporters Wednesday. The construction began, he said, in response to concerns that Moscow would seek to encourage asylum seekers to fly into the exclave and enter the EU via the Polish border.

☆ Ancient Greek artifacts go on display for first time, amid protests
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] A visitor takes a picture of a marble Cycladic female figurine, during the opening of the exhibition ''Homecoming. Cycladic treasures on their return journey'' at the Museum of Cycladic Art, in Athens Greece, November 2, 2022. REUTERS/Costas BaltasATHENS, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Fifteen ancient Greek artifacts from the private Cycladic art collection of a U.S. billionaire went on display for the first time on Wednesday in Athens, under an agreement which has stirred controversy in Greece. A small group of protesters held a white banner outside the museum during the event on Wednesday reading, "They're stolen." Reporting by Karolina Tagaris; Additional reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Rosalba O'BrienOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ At least 20 migrants drown off Greek island, dozens more feared dead
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ATHENS, Nov 2 (Reuters) - Greek rescuers on Wednesday recovered 20 bodies of migrants who drowned after their small boat capsized while trying to cross from Turkey to Greece, the coast guard said, and dozens more were feared dead. The boat sank on Tuesday in rough seas and gale force winds and a search-and-rescue operation was still under way off the Greek island of Evia on Wednesday, the coast guard said. Twelve people have been rescued but survivors told authorities said as many as 68 people had been on board. But Greek authorities say they have seen an increase in attempted entries through its land and sea borders with Turkey. On Monday, four migrants were rescued near the eastern Aegean island of Samos, close to Turkey, after their inflatable dinghy capsized.

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