Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1068299
31 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 6 JANUARY 2019 SPORTS TENNIS Sydney International Brisbane International BRITAIN'S Johanna Konta is one win away from the Syd- ney International main draw after easing through her first-round qualifying match. Sydney-born Konta, ranked 37th in the world, beat 277th- ranked Miriam Kolodziejova 6-3 6-2 in 71 minutes. The 27-year-old won 81% of first-serve points to set up a meeting with Russian 12th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova. Elsewhere, Heather Wat- son advanced in the Hobart qualifiers, but Katie Boulter suffered a three-set defeat. British number two Wat- son, who won the event in 2015, overcame Australia's Naiktha Bains 7-5 6-3. However, number three Boulter was beaten 6-3 3-6 6-1 by Belgium's Greetje Minnen. The tournaments in Sydney and Hobart are among the final WTA events before the Australian Open begins on 14 January. US Open champion Naomi Osaka said she had "the worst attitude" in her loss to Le- sia Tsurenko in the Brisbane International semi-finals. The Japanese second seed was visibly frus- trated as she was beaten 6-2 6-4 by Ukraine's Tsurenko in just 66 minutes. Osaka, who won her maiden Grand Slam title in September, said the defeat had taught her "a valuable lesson". "I was sulking a little bit, and there are moments that I tried not to do that," the 21-year-old explained. "I feel like I didn't really know how to cope with not playing well." The world number five made 26 unforced errors against Tsurenko, and did not create a break opportunity until late in the second set. Osaka told her coach Sascha Bajin during the match that she did not know why she was "flat", adding: "I'm putting myself in the situation that either I win the match or I die." Speaking after the match, Osaka said: "I feel like, in a way, that this experience for me is better than winning the tournament. "This helpless feeling I have, I learned sort of what I can do to improve the situation so there aren't many moments that I feel like that." Osaka, who later withdrew from next week's Sydney International, will move to fourth in the world rankings on Monday. Konta wins opening qualifyer Naomi Osaka says she had 'worst attitude' in loss British number one Johanna Konta reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open in 2016 Naomi Osaka won her first Grand Slam title at the US Open in 2018