2020 is up and running in Moto2™ and Moto3™ and it was Remy Gardner (Onexox TKKR SAG Team) who ended Day 1 at the Official Jerez Test as the man to beat in the intermediate class, with Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0) taking the honour in the lightweight class. There were pleasant conditions for the riders at the Circuito de Jerez-Angel Nieto as the first of three days testing began on Wednesday, with each class able to maximise their track time.

In Moto2™, Gardner set his scorching 1:40.848 in the final session of the day to top the timesheets, with an impressive Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) slotting into second but 0.269 down. Perennial title challenger Tom Lüthi (Liqui Moly Intact GP) was the only other rider to get within half a second of Gardner, taking P3.

Behind the quickest trio came reigning FIM CEV Moto2™ European Champion Edgar Pons (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) to make it a Kalex top four lockout, the Spaniard sitting 0.587 off Gardner. After an impressive private test, rookie Aron Canet (Aspar Team) began the Official Test in fine form too as the Spaniard finished P5 on Day 1 with a 1:41.439 – the top Speed Up and rookie.

Red Bull KTM Ajo’s Tetsuta Nagashima, who gets on the team’s new Kalex chassis with previous experience, was fifth, ahead of an impressive first run out for MV Agusta Forward Racing’s Simone Corsi, with the Italian veteran less than half a tenth off Nagashima, in P7. The second-fastest Speed Up on Day 1 was 2019 Jerez podium finisher Jorge Navarro (Speed Up Racing) in P8, with Xavi Vierge (Petronas Sprinta Racing) splitting Navarro from his teammate Fabio Di Giannantonio, who was tenth.

Navarro is also the man whose pole lap from 2019 is the lap record time Gardner beat on Day 1, so there’s likely plenty to come from the field yet. But it was nevertheless a competitive start to the season for the intermediate class, with under two seconds splitting the top 25 riders.

In Moto3™, it was Sergio Garcia who picked up where he left off in 2019. The Valencia GP winner topped the timesheets on Wednesday, although it wasn’t by much – with Petronas Sprinta Racing’s John McPhee just 0.060 in arrears. Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) impressed to complete the top three, another tenth and a half back.

2019 Jerez winner Niccolo Antonelli (SIC58 Squadra Corse) was fourth fastest overall, although he was just 0.011 ahead of Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3), the man who broke the lap record in private testing last week. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) took P6, ahead of Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) in seventh as the Spaniard seems to have quickly settled into life on the Honda.

The top KTM rider on Day 1 was Albert Arenas (Aspar Team) just behind Masia, with Filip Salač (Rivacold Snipers Team) in P9 after a noteworthy day on the timesheets for the Czech rider.

Noteworthy was also apt for the man in tenth: Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team). The veteran Italian was fastest Husqvarna on Wednesday as the marque return to Moto3™ competition, making it all three manufacturers in the top ten as 2020 begins.

Head to motogp.com for more reactions and follow the action on Live Timing as the test continues on Thursday and Friday!

FULL Moto2™ RESULTSFULL Moto3™ RESULTS

Top picture: Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) was under the official lap record at Jerez

Canet was the fastest rookie and Speed Up Lüthi began the season in P3

Garcia, the most recent race winner, was out the blocks on top in 2020

Arenas was top KTM Fenati on the new Husqvarna

In 2019, the top two points earners over a two-week series earned spots in Symetra Tour events. For the 2020 season, each WAPT tournament winner receives an exemption into a corresponding Symetra Tour tournament. As the official qualifying tour of the Symetra Tour, the WAPT will host 10 tournaments from March through July and each is set to be contested in a 72-hole, stroke play format.

“Last year’s alignment produced a number of WAPT winners who performed very well once they arrived on the Symetra Tour,” said Mike Nichols, the Chief Business Officer for the Symetra Tour. “Opportunities were aplenty for some of our members on the alternate list early in the season, as they used the WAPT to prepare themselves for once they finally gained entry. The overall success of these players challenged us to look at how to reward top WAPT performers with more access.”

Eight events on the 2020 Symetra Tour calendar will welcome a WAPT winner including IOA Invitational, Symetra Classic, The CDPHP Open, Four Winds Invitational, Donald Ross Classic, Danielle Downey Credit Union Classic, PHC Classic and Garden City Charity Classic. Meanwhile, the Windsor Golf Classic in early April will feature both of the first two WAPT tournament champions as exemptions.

“I am so appreciative of the WAPT and all they have done for me, as well as numerous women pursuing a professional golf career,” said Karah Sanford, a 2019 WAPT champ and two-time runner-up who went on to make 14 Symetra Tour starts last year. “The WAPT has made such a positive impact on my career and launched me into amazing opportunities. Through the exemptions, I worked my way up the Symetra Tour money list and advanced directly to Stage II of Q-School where I secured status for 2020. Playing in WAPT events is something I’ll always be thankful for because I am now pursuing my passion on the Symetra Tour, one of the highest levels in women’s professional golf.”

Also new for 2020, the top three individuals on the WAPT season-long points list bypass Stage I of Q-School and secure a trip to Stage II at Plantation Golf & Country Club in Venice, Fla., from October 12-15.

“Our schedule is set up where all events are in back-to-back weeks, strategically placed to emulate the LPGA Q-Series and best prepare the ladies for that next step,” said Gary DeSerrano, the President for the Women’s All Pro Tour. “The whole philosophy behind the changes is to attract the best players and have them competing consistently. We have long-term plans for growth with the LPGA Tour family and really look forward to expanded opportunities.”

The 2020 WAPT season begins March 11-14 in Alexandria, La., with the Coke Dr. Pepper Open and then followed by the Taco Bell Natchez Golf Classic in Natchez, Miss., from March 17-20. For the full schedule, go to https://wapt.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/wapt20/schedule/index.htm.

Peterson signed a two-year, $5.03 million contract in March that was filled with incentives. The deal calls for Peterson to make $3 million in salary and bonuses this coming season.

Though Peterson is 34, an age when most running backs are in decline, he has been one of Washington’s most-dependable offensive players the past two seasons, rushing for 1,940 yards and 12 touchdowns. At the start of last season, former Redskins coach Jay Gruden tried to move away from Peterson, believing second-year back Derrius Guice’s versatility was a better fit for the team’s offense than the more straightforward Peterson. But Guice wound up missing much of last season because of knee injuries and has played just five games in two years. Third-down back Chris Thompson is a free agent, and Bryce Love, a third-round pick in April’s NFL draft, missed all of last season recovering from a torn ACL.

“Adrian Peterson is the epitome of what it means to be a pro in this league,” Redskins Coach Ron Rivera said in a statement. “Adrian’s leadership and passion towards the game of football will set an example of what is expected of the players in this program moving forward.”

Peterson has talked a lot about wanting to break Emmitt Smith’s career rushing yards record, a considerable challenge considering that he needs 4,139 more yards. Peterson is fifth on the career rushing list, with 14,216 yards.

Last month, the NFL named Peterson the 2019 winner of the Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award.

By picking up Peterson’s option, Rivera continues to shape the Redskins’ roster ahead of next month’s free agency. On Friday, he released cornerback Josh Norman and receiver Paul Richardson. Rivera still has to decide whether he is going to keep pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan, who is set to make $11.7 million next year, whether to use the franchise tag on guard Brandon Scherff and see whether star left tackle Trent Williams will return after missing last season in a dispute with former team president Bruce Allen.

Even though No. 7 Maryland could never quite run away from the Wildcats, the Terps played well when they needed to respond to Northwestern’s second-half push and secured their ninth consecutive win. Instead of letting the game unravel into a disappointment, Maryland’s stars turned the 76-67 victory at Xfinity Center into a night of milestones that will help push that once-close margin farther out of mind.

Sophomore forward Jalen Smith led the Terps with 22 points and a career-high 19 rebounds, finishing with his ninth consecutive double-double and within one rebound of becoming the first Maryland player to notch 20 boards in a game since Joe Smith in 1995. Anthony Cowan Jr., the Terps’ senior point guard who led his team to the win over the Spartans, scored 19 points and added five assists, passing Tom McMillen for eighth place on the program’s career scoring list in the process.

Maryland (22-4, 12-3 Big Ten) led 37-25 at halftime, but Northwestern (6-19, 1-14) charged closer after the break and pulled to within 48-44 with 12:22 to go. The Terps didn’t panic, and they maintained a six-point lead when Cowan found Smith for an emphatic alley-oop dunk with 4:13 left. The play started a run of six straight points that extinguished the Wildcats’ chances for an upset.

Smith, who recorded his double-double by halftime, and Cowan each scored 10 points in the second half to help secure the win. But the two Maryland stars had help from their teammates, with junior guard Darryl Morsell (13 points) and freshman forward Donta Scott (12 points) each reaching double figures. Morsell notched a career-high seven assists and added seven rebounds on his 21st birthday.

Scott has played well in Maryland’s past four games after working through what Coach Mark Turgeon said might have been his freshman wall. He ran into foul trouble early and only played 20 minutes, but he still had a significant presence on both ends of the floor against the Wildcats.

Northwestern has just one league win this season and entered Tuesday on a nine-game losing streak, but Maryland was prepared after narrowly avoiding a letdown in similar circumstances a week earlier against Nebraska, the team just ahead of Northwestern in the conference standings. The Terps entered that game coming off a road win at Illinois and played poorly, barely escaping with a two-point win. Tuesday’s game, following the emotional win at Michigan State, started to feel familiar when the Wildcats made their push in the second half, but the result this time was no longer in doubt well before the final possession.

Maryland’s top six players – starters Cowan, Smith, Morsell, Scott and sophomore guard Eric Ayala, along with sixth man Aaron Wiggins – played 188 minutes Tuesday and have now accounted for at least 185 of the 200 available minutes in each of the past six games. Turgeon said he doesn’t mind the distribution of minutes being weighted heavily toward those players as long as they finish the game with around 30 minutes each. But Smith (38 minutes), Cowan (37) and Morsell (35) all exceeded that mark, and Turgeon’s team, once believed to be his deepest in his nine seasons at Maryland, still needs more help from its bench.

Three of Maryland’s reserves – sophomore forward Ricky Lindo Jr., sophomore guard Serrel Smith Jr. and freshman center Chol Marial – played early and finished with 13 minutes among the three of them. But when Northwestern started to threaten, Turgeon had to turn back toward his trusted players to see the game to its end.

When Maryland played at Northwestern last month, the Terps fell into a 14-point hole by halftime. But fueled by Jalen Smith’s dominant second half, they managed to surge back and earn their first true road win of the season. Since then, Maryland has won three more road games, each in difficult environments – at Indiana, Illinois and Michigan State.

After the poor first half against the Wildcats in January, Turgeon told his players, “We’re going to change our season at halftime, guys.” The Terps haven’t lost since – building a two-game lead atop the Big Ten standings in the process – and their winning ways continued in the rematch.

Following a successful 2019 highlighted by four victories in Asia and breaking into the top-50 of the Official World Golf Ranking, the 24-year-old Thai is keeping his feet on the ground as he charts his rise under the guidance of renowned swing coach Pete Cowen.

The baby-faced Thai believes he has plenty to do when it comes to competing against the world’s best golfers, which he discovered the hard way during the PGA TOUR’s Asian swing last October.

“I’m very excited to play in these big tournaments. I’ve always watched them on TV and playing against these players, I just love it. You’re playing the best in the world and you put yourself in there. I just want to see how much different I am to the best and knowing how much more I need to improve,” said Jazz, who is presently ranked 39^th in the world.

After finishing at the opposite end of the leaderboards at THE CJ CUP @ NINE BRIDGES in Korea and ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP in Japan, Jazz was reminded of the playing gap between him and the PGA TOUR’s best. He then sought the advice from Cowen who gave him a rap on the knuckles.

“These guys are so good. The course set up is hard but they handled it. I was almost last at THE CJ CUP and I talked to Pete. He’s very direct … and in not the exact words, he said I needed to get my head out of my backside. He said you’re here to compete and don’t look at this and that, and work on your game. You’ve come here to play … don’t get star-struck,” recalled Jazz of his conversation with his swing coach.

“I also told him the guys were hitting certain kind of shots and he said I wasn’t ready to hit those shots as my technique is not there yet. So he gave me some more techniques to work on and I’ve worked hard at it ever since.”

From a T65 in Korea, Jazz improved to T57 in Japan before going on to post a commendable T14 at the WGC-HSBC Champions in China which was his first WGC appearance. Upon his return to the Asian Tour, the Thai ran away with the last two tournaments of the season by five-shot margins following matching 23-under-par winning totals. He closed both tournaments with weekend rounds of 62-65 and 60-65.

“Pete has been the main reason for my success. He has given me a lot of direction, tells me what I need to do and what I need to work on. There’s a direction now and we’re committed to working on it. There is a plan to improve,” said Jazz, the reigning Asian Tour No. 1.

“I know I’m not there yet. People say ‘Jazz you’re so good now, you’re No. 1 on the Asian Tour’ but to compete week in week out with the best in the world, I know I need to step up in every part of my game. I’m learning to be mentally strong but I’m not there yet. When I play with the guys on a different Tour, it’s a different level. I think it’s the fear of not knowing, which I have. Not knowing what’s going to happen, not knowing what I’m going to shoot today or even what the first shot will be like. Some guys don’t have that. If you don’t have that fear, everything will be easier. You just hit it here, another shot there and make the putt. If you don’t make that putt, you’ll make par. It’s something I’m working on. I’m not close to being there yet and when I see the major winners and the top players, they don’t worry when they step onto the tee. There’s no fear in them.”

Jazz has started 2020 with solid top-five finishes at the Hong Kong Open and SMBC Singapore Open where he finished behind winner Matt Kuchar and Justin Rose. His appearance at the US$10.5 million WGC-Mexico Championship, which starts at Club de Golf Chapultepec on Thursday, will be the first of several PGA TOUR starts in the next few weeks. He will also tee up in the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, THE PLAYERS Championship and WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.

With other opportunities lined up including the majors, he hopes to take the same route as close friend Kiradech Aphibarnrat, who earned his PGA TOUR card through the non-member category in 2018. “I have a chance to be there this year. I have some points on the FedExCup (list) now. If it happens, it happens. If it doesn’t, it’s not meant to be yet. My time will come.”

While he is keen to take his career up a notch, Jazz knows he must remain patient – something he hopes his experience in a Buddhist monastery will help him. “In the monastery, you take a step back from life, from golf, from everything and you put things in a wider perspective,” said Jazz.

“You see a bigger picture. Sometimes when you play in a golf tournament, when there’s no way out, you need to see a different angle and that’s taught me a lot. Being in the monastery prepared me for some things in my life,” he said.

As part of the competition online and offline tournaments will take place in multiple countries as they aim to identify the top players from Asia and the Americas.

The finalists will win a unique trip to Germany for a once in a lifetime experience to compete in the VBL International Final. They will be given the opportunity to meet professional Bundesliga and professional VBL players, visit some Bundesliga clubs and experience the most exciting football league in the world, live.

The VBL International Series will kick-off with Regional Qualifiers hosted in several countries including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, India, Brunei, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore, East Timor and Vietnam in Asia, as well as Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, Mexico, the USA and Canada in the Americas region.

In the second stage of the competition, the top performers from each Regional Online Qualifier will then represent their region at the VBL Continental Qualifiers in April 2020. These will be run as offline events – with one tournament taking place in Asia and one for the Americas respectively.

Those playing in the VBL Continental Qualifiers will be kitted out in official Bundesliga club jerseys. In line with the spirit of the competition, they will represent the respective club throughout the remaining period of the competition into the VBL International Final, which will take place in Germany in May 2020.

To organise all VBL International Series Regional Qualifiers, the Bundesliga is partnering with Battlefy. Battlefy is a well-known platform in the global FIFA eSports scene, ideal for coordinating the high number of participants and creating a spectacular experience across 21 countries.

The VBL International Series is a separate competition to Germany’s Virtual Bundesliga. As the first football league in the world to launch an eFootball tournament back in 2012, the VBL now incorporates the German VBL Open, VBL Club Championship and the VBL Grand Final, which is an Official Licensed Qualifier and awards points as part of the FIFA 20 Global Series ecosystem. The VBL has an impressive track record of over 100,000 participating online gamers every season.

Robert Klein, Bundesliga International CEO, said: “Nobody does eFootball like the Bundesliga. Whilst the last seven years have already been amazing, the last three years have really seen the VBL grow internationally with big tournaments in Chile, Malaysia or India. In season 2018/19 the VBL International Series Qualifier included participants from 12 countries, over 10 hours of Virtual Bundesliga action broadcasted across Asia and over 150.000 viewers. The VBL International Final was covered live by 6 Bundesliga broadcasting partners in over 10 countries. Together with professional teams and fan driven competitions, alongside our gaming partner EA Sports, we have brought something new and fun to the table, something bigger and better than before – ‘eFootball As It’s Meant To Be’!”

Andreas Heyden, Executive Vice President, Digital Innovations at DFL Group, added: “Combining the online and offline world of football, the VBL International Series merges the passions of a new generation of gamers and Bundesliga fans around the world. This competition is yet another milestone in the Bundesliga’s success story of establishing a leading global eSports competition, an asset that further confirms the Bundesliga’s reputation as football’s innovation leader.”

Sponsors of the event include Toyota Motor Thailand, PTT, PTT Global Chemical, PTT Exploration and Production, Thai Oil, Bangchak Corp, Bridgestone Sales (Thailand) , IRPC, GPP International, Thainamthip, Otsuka Nutraceutical, Bangkok Life Assurance, Tourism Authority of Thailand and other private and public corporations

The event consists of two races: a 5-kilometre Fun Run and a 10-kilometre Mini Marathon and is being organised by BEC-Tero Entertainment. Registration for each race costs Bt370 per runner and the 8,000 places have already sold out.

​The 5-kilometre Fun Run will feature 3,000 runners (without timing chip) and the 10-kilometre Mini Marathon (with timing chip) will include 5,000 runners. Both distances have no age restrictions and the event is sanctioned by the Athletics Association of Thailand and Asian Athletics Association. The 10-kilometre race starts at 5 am while the 5-kilometre race starts at 5.30 am, with runners in both events setting off from Suphachalasai National Stadium. The route takes in Bantadthong Road, Rama 4 Road, Witthayu Road, Rama 1 Road before heading back to the National Stadium. The first three male and female finishers in each race will receive a commemorative plate while the first 100 male and female finishers will also receive a finisher’s T-shirt. The event will be broadcast live on Channel 3 from 5 am to 6 am.

​All participants will receive a T-shirt to run in, a memorial Olympic medal, a certificate from the IOC and the chance to win various awards such as tyres from Bridgestone.

Pichai, in his capacity as the Olympic Day 2020 committee chairman said, “Olympic Day 2020 is a way to promote awareness of the importance of exercising and a healthy lifestyle for people of all genders and ages. I must thank all the sponsors from both the private and public sectors as well as the people involved , making this event possible. More importantly, I thank all the eager participants who took up the challenge quickly as we can see that all places have already been sold out. We only accepted 8,000 runners this year to avoid overcrowding.

​“Last year’s event was a tremendous success. It was high-quality in an accessible location with plenty of parking and facilities. The application fee was not expensive, only Bt370, and the designs for the T-shirts and medals were beautiful. This year’s design has Thai and Japanese landmarks on it to represent the 2020 Olympic Games which will be held in Tokyo.

​“Preparations are 100 per cent on track. There will be many staff along the route to attend to the runners’ needs. After the races, entertainment will be provided by artists from The Voice TV show. Moreover, there will be food, both main courses and dessert, for all participants. This year, we are mindful of the problem of waste that the world is facing and will provide a space for waste management to facilitate recycling. We hope that everyone will have a good time on Sunday, March 1”.

While Kanchanaburi is steeped in World War II history, the Royal’s Cup 2020, which offers a total prize purse of US$400,000, is ready to chart its first chapter at the western province of Thailand, located approximately three hours’ drive by car from Bangkok.

Situated near the River Kwai in Kanchanaburi and approximately 30 minutes away from Kanchanaburi town, the Grand Prix Golf Club will host the Royal’s Cup 2020 which will be one of the first outings for many players who will graduate from the Tour’s Qualifying School, also held in Thailand over the next two weeks.

As a full-field Asian Tour event, a host of promising players from Thailand and across Asia are expected to battle for top honours at the Grand Prix Golf Club, a world-class championship golf course which offers panoramic views of Burmese mountain ranges in the distance.

The Royal’s Cup 2020 is promoted by Grand Prix International, the company behind the Bangkok International Motor Show (BIMS) which has been a major event on Thailand’s automotive scene for over 40 years.

Dr Prachin Eamlumnow, Director, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Grand Prix International Public Ltd Company said: “The Grand Prix International Public Company Limited is a company that organises the Bangkok International Motor Show; an event with an international standard guaranteed by OICA.

“The golf tournament that we will be held to honor His Majesty King Rama X and to celebrate the 50 years of the Grand Prix in business. It is also to promote professional Thai golf sport to be recognized internationally. We would like to provide it at an international standard. Therefore, we have chosen to work with the Asian Tour, a reputable organization that is the official regional sanctioning body for professional golf in Asia.”

Asian Tour Commissioner and CEO, Cho Minn Thant said: “The Asian Tour is delighted to align with powerhouse organiser Grand Prix International for their inaugural professional golf event.

“We are honoured that Dr. Prachin has chosen the Asian Tour as the platform to showcase another side of the company whose main business is already a household name in the automotive industry.

“We are excited to visit Kanchanaburi for the first time in the Asian Tour’s history and looking forward to experiencing the hospitality of the highly rated Grand Prix Golf Club.

“Our members will have another opportunity to compete and earn their passage to the upper echelons of the professional game in a country that has produced many worthy champions. We are confident that the event will allow the local galleries to catch their heroes in action at the Grand Prix Golf Club.”

Lionie Kung, Magda Linette and Organising Committee Chairman Suwat Liptapanlop 

The world No 42, with her powerful serves and consistent baseline game, outplayed the 19-year-old qualifier in just 76 minutes in her fourth WTA final. Her previous victory was in the Bronx Open in August 2019.

“I didn’t expect this at all coming here. I was even wondering how it was going to be because I was coming from the indoor Fed Cup. I had a little time to adjust. I started the match really well and managed to continue throughout the match,” said Linette, who took the winner’s cheque of US$43,000.

The first set proceeded with both players holding serves until in the sixth game. Kung double-faulted and sent a forehand long to drop the first service game of the match as Linette built a 4-2 lead. The Pole, a semi-finalist last year, arrived at her first set point at 40-15 after Kung sprayed a backhand wide. Linette closed out the 42-minute opening set with a big serve that Kung returned into the net.

Linette carried her momentum into the second set, breaking right from start with her attacking return and powerful groundstrokes to lead 1-0. She saved a breakpoint in the fourth game and went on to convert another break opportunity to widen the gap to 4-1.

At 5-2, the seeded Pole comfortably held on to win the title, blasting a fierce serve to force an error from Kung to end the battle. She will break into the top 40 for the first time on Monday while Kung will jump from No 283 to within the top 180.

“I’m happy to play my first WTA final. It’s an incredible week. I’m also excited that I will be able to play my first Grand Slam qualifying competition in the French Open,” said Kung.

In the doubles final, Arina Rodionova and Storms Sanders of Australia beat Barbara Haas of Austria and Ellen Perez of Australia 6-3 6-3

 Magda Linette of Poland

The world No 42 Linette relied on her more consistent play to move past Romanian Patricia Maria Tig 7-5 6-4 while qualifier Kung continued her impressive run with a stunning win over world No 84 Nao Hibino of Japan 7-5 4-6 6-3.

Linette was two points from losing the first set at 4-5  0-30 before she whipped two backhand cross-court winners to break the Polish for five all. She went on to win the next two games, closing out he set with a dive backhand volley.

The Polish jumped to a  lead 4-2 in the second set before Tig made a brief fightback to break for 4-5. However, the Romanian was too erratic in her next game as she surrendered by burying a shot to the net.

“I started too slow and gave her too much initiative to allow her the lead (at the beginning),” said Linette who has one WTA title under her belt from Bronx last August. “Then my coach told me to hit harder. I started dictating play from then,” the Polish said.

The 28-year-old Lenette moved a match ahead in Hua Hin where she lost the semi-final to the eventual  champion Dayana Yastremska of Ukraine.

She will play qualifier Kung of Switzerland who upset Hibino of Japan in the match that was halted for 20 minutes in the first set due to blackout. Kung, 19, is in her first WTA final.

“I started well like always again before I tried to go for the winners so much and made so many mistakes. My coach told me to make her play more. After the light went out, out  of drama, I was happy to win the first set,” said Kung ranked only 283^rd in the world.

“In the second set I lost energy and felt tired on court. In the last set I tried to push myself through it. I’m glad it worked out in the end,” added the teenager in her first WTA event.

“This is like a dream come true. I never thought I would make it here through qualies. I will take a good sleep and do my best in the final,” Kung said.