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BERLIN: Marketa Vondrousova brushed aside world number one Aryna Sabalenka in Berlin on Saturday to reach her first final since lifting the Wimbledon title two years ago.

The 25-year-old Czech, ranked 164 in the world rankings, dominated Sabalenka 6-2. 6-4, to set up a Sunday title clash with the winner of the other semifinal on the grass in Berlin between Wang Xinyu and Liudmila Samsonova.

Vondrousova plummeted down the rankings from sixth after missing several months with a left shoulder injury for which she underwent surgery last year.

“I didn’t play for a long time,” said Vondrousova, who was appearing in her first WTA semifinal since April last year.

“I’m just happy to be back healthy, and so grateful to play these matches.

“When I saw the field here, I was like, ‘OK, let’s just try to win the first round,’ and then, you
know, now this is happening.”

Sabalenka’s first serve let her down in the opening set, but the Belarusian fought back to start the second with a break.

Two games down Vondrousova levelled at 2-2, then broke to lead 5-4, wrapping up the win — her first ever over a world number one — but not before saving three consecutive break points, with an ace after one hour five minutes of play.

Sabalenka, 27, was losing only her first semifinal in eight last four appearances in 2025.

China’s Wang beat French Open champion Coco Gauff on Thursday then reached the semis after Spanish opponent Paula Badosa retired having lost 6-1 in the first set.

Her opponent, Samsonova, continued her excellent form on the grass after seeing off defending champion Jessica Pegula, Naomi Osaka, and last weekend’s Queen’s finalist Amanda Anisimova this week.

NAIROBI: Kenya’s football association confirmed Saturday it had suspended one of its referees over social media clips appearing to show the official harassing protesters in the capital.

Tensions have risen in the east African country ahead of the anniversary of last year’s massive Gen Z-led demonstrations, with small rallies breaking out in Nairobi this week.

Demonstrators were attacked by armed thugs known as “goons” during anti-police brutality protests in the city on Tuesday. The scenes, widely recorded and shared on social media, have provoked fury in Kenya.

Football Kenya Federation’s (FKF) county sub-branch chairman Bernard Omondi confirmed to AFP they had “launched an investigation” against one of their Nairobi-based referees.

The individual, who AFP is not naming but who adjudicates lower league matches, was investigated “after video footage, which was widely circulated on social media, identified his participation in the aggression against the protesting youth and the police on Tuesday,” Omondi said.

“He will not be allowed to referee any matches,” Omondi said, adding that he would appear before the body’s disciplinary committee.

“Further action will be taken against him after a hearing,” he added.

Kenyan football has long been mired in corruption and match-fixing scandals, with players and officials suspended over the years.

In 2021, the government disbanded the national football federation over corruption allegations and sought to prosecute its officials.