Naomi Osaka came out tops in Australia. It was also a record breaking night for Everton and Jamal Murray. These are the top stories from the world of sports.
Tennis
Naomi Osaka wins Fourth Grand slam
Japan’s Naomi Osaka cemented her place as the outstanding star of the women’s game by beating American Jennifer Brady in the Australian Open final to win her fourth Grand Slam title.
Osaka, 23, is unbeaten in major finals after a 6-4 6-3 win in Melbourne. Osaka edged the first set when Brady, in her first Grand Slam final, paid for some glaring errors in the final game.
The third seed seized control from that point, racing 4-0 ahead in the second set before sealing a deserved victory. Osaka has now won two Australian Open titles after also triumphing at Melbourne Park in 2019, with her other Grand Slam successes coming at the US Open in 2018 and 2020.
She has not suffered a defeat since February 2020 after extending her winning run to 21 matches. Osaka’s face lit up with a wide grin, raising her racquet above her head, when she clinched the title on her first match point after Brady looped a return long.
Around 7,500 fans were allowed to watch the final on Rod Laver Arena and Osaka lapped up the acclaim after her US Open victory came behind closed doors.
Football
Everton breaks 22 years Anfield jinx
Everton produced an outstanding Merseyside derby performance to beat Liverpool at Anfield for the first time since 1999.
In a landmark result for both sides, Everton earned their first derby win anywhere since 2010, while Liverpool have now lost four successive home matches for the first time since 1923. Everton finally rid themselves of their Anfield bogey with a brilliantly drilled performance in which goalkeeper Jordan Pickford and Michael Keane were excellent, while Richarlison led the line tirelessly.
Richarlison put Everton in front after three minutes when he latched on to a superb pass from James Rodriguez to beat Allison. Liverpool responded and Pickford saved well from Jordan Henderson, who went off injured in the first half, while Everton captain Seamus Coleman should have added to Richarlison’s strike only to head straight at Alisson from six yards.
Sadio Mane wasted two headed chances for Liverpool in the second half while Pickford saved superbly from Salah, leaving Everton to wrap up their first derby win in 24 attempts when substitute Gylfi Sigurdsson scored from the spot with seven minutes left after Dominic Calvert-Lewin tangled with Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Basketball
Murray and Embid break NBA record
Jamal Murray became the first NBA player to score 50 points in a game without attempting a free throw as the Denver Nuggets got the better of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Murray sank 21 of his 25 shots – including eight out of 10 from three-point range – in the 120-103 win. There was also a 50-point career-high haul for Philadelphia 76ers centre Joel Embiid against the Chicago Bulls. He also had 17 rebounds, five assists and four blocks in the 112-105 win.
Murray, who scored 50 points in two playoff games last season, surpassed his previous regular-season high of 48 points from November 2018.
“Once I saw a few go down it just took off from there…. It’s kind of cool to make history. It’s a cool stat.” – Murray
All Star Embiid made 17 from 26 from the field and 15 out of 17 free throws as he surpassed the 49 points he scored against the Atlanta Hawks last February.
“My team-mates found me. I am pretty happy about what we did,” said the Cameroonian.
“I have got to get the job done. That’s my job, that’s why they pay me.”