AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Four-time Grand Slam singles winner Naomi Osaka has started 2025 in style, beating Julia Grabher 7-5, 6-3 Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Auckland tennis classic.
Osaka overcame a swirling breeze and a lengthy rain break to progress comfortably beyond the second round. Although the wind often affected her ball toss, Osaka didn't drop her serve at any stage and broke Grabher once in each set to win her way to the Auckland quarterfinals for the second time. Osaka also reached the last eight on her only previous visit to New Zealand in 2017.
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Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot against Julia Grabher of Austria in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot against Julia Grabher of Austria in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot against Julia Grabher of Austria in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot against Julia Grabher of Austria in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot against Julia Grabher of Austria in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
Julia Grabher of Austria serves to Naomi Osaka of Japan in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot against Julia Grabher of Austria in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
“She was a really tough opponent for me to play against and I felt I just had to concentrate on myself a lot and try not to be as nervous as I felt,” Osaka said.
“I got some great advice from a great coach over there,” Osaka added, referring to Patrick Mouratoglou who recently joined her team and previously had a long association with Serena Williams. “I just tried to focus on my bullet points and go out swinging if I had to go out. But fortunately I'm here to play another round.”
Osaka again showed no sign of the back injury which ended her 2024 season at the China Open in October. She moved freely, went to the net rarely but effectively and hit hard, especially from the forehand side.
Osaka's first serve was a powerful weapon and she won 80% of points when she put the serve in play.
The first set was tight, without a break of serve until the 12th game. Osaka came back from the rain delay which came when she was leading 40-15 in the previous game and seemed to step up, holding serve and breaking the Austrian player immediately to take the first set.
She held serve to love in two of her first three service games in the second set, then broke Grabher in the sixth game to go ahead 4-2. Osaka continued to hold serve comfortably, closing out the match on her first match point.
The Auckland tournament is a tune-up for the Australian Open, which begins Jan. 12, and lost some of its star power on Tuesday when former U.S. Open champion Emma Raducanu withdrew with a back injury. Elise Mertens also pulled out of Auckland with injury, leaving Osaka to face a more open draw
AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot against Julia Grabher of Austria in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot against Julia Grabher of Austria in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot against Julia Grabher of Austria in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot against Julia Grabher of Austria in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot against Julia Grabher of Austria in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
Julia Grabher of Austria serves to Naomi Osaka of Japan in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
Naomi Osaka of Japan plays a shot against Julia Grabher of Austria in their women's singles match of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (Alan Lee/Photosport via AP)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The man who rammed a pickup truck into a crowd of New Year's revelers in New Orleans had suspected bomb-making materials at his home and reserved the vehicle used in the deadly attack more than six weeks earlier, law enforcement officials told The Associated Press on Friday.
Federal authorities searching the home of Shamsud-Din Jabbar in Houston found a workbench in the garage and hazardous materials believed to have been used to make explosive devices, according to law enforcement officials familiar with the search. The officials were not authorized to speak about the ongoing inquiry and spoke to the AP on the condition of anonymity.
The FBI investigation also revealed that Jabbar purchased a cooler in Vidor, Texas, hours before the attack and gun oil from a store in Sulphur, Louisiana, the officials said. Authorities also determined Jabbar booked his rental of the pickup truck on Nov. 14, suggesting he may have been plotting the attack for more than six weeks.
Authorities say 14 people were killed and about 30 were injured in the attack early Wednesday by Jabbar, a former Army soldier who posted several videos on his Facebook hours before the attack previewing the violence he would unleash and proclaiming his support for the Islamic State militant group. The coroner’s office listed the cause of death for all 14 victims as “blunt force injuries.”
Jabbar, 42, was fatally shot in a firefight with police at the scene of the deadly crash on Bourbon Street, famous worldwide for its festive vibes in New Orleans' historic French Quarter.
Authorities found crude bombs that had been planted in the neighborhood in an apparent attempt to cause more carnage. Two improvised explosive devices left in coolers several blocks apart were rendered safe at the scene, officials said. Other devices were determined to be nonfunctional.
Investigators recovered from Jabbar's rental truck a transmitter intended to trigger the two bombs, the FBI said in a statement Friday. It also said authorities found bomb-making materials at the New Orleans home Jabbar rented prior to the attack. Jabbar tried to burn the house down by setting a small fire in a hallway and placing accelerants to help spread it, the FBI said. The flames burned out before firefighters arrived.
Authorities on Friday were still investigating Jabbar's motives and how he carried out the attack. They say he exited the crashed truck wearing a ballistic vest and helmet and fired at police, wounding at least two officers before he was fatally shot by officers returning fire.
New Orleans police declined to say Friday how many shots were fired by Jabbar and police, and whether any bystanders may have been hit, citing the active investigation.
Stella Cziment, who heads the city's civilian-run Office of the Independent Police Monitor, said investigators are working to account for “every single bullet that was fired” and whether any of them struck bystanders.
Bourbon Street was solemn Friday. A day after the crime scene reopened to the public, locals and tourists stopped to pay respects to victims of the attack as the sound of bucket drums echoed. People shed tears while gathering at a growing memorial. Some left flowers and candles while others dropped to their knees to say a quick prayer.
“New Orleans is about having a good time, you know, just trying to live your best life," said Tony Lightfoot, who works in Baton Rouge and was visiting New Orleans with his son. He said the attacker “just decided to disrupt all of that.”
Thirteen people remained hospitalized. Eight people were in intensive care at University Medical Center New Orleans, spokesperson Carolina Giepert said.
The White House said President Joe Biden would travel to New Orleans next week. The president and first lady planned to visit Monday to “grieve with the families and community members impacted by the tragic attack.”
Police used multiple vehicles and barricades on Friday to block traffic at Bourbon and Canal streets as crowds of pedestrians swelled. Other law enforcement agencies helped city officers provide extra security, said Reese Harper, a spokesperson for the New Orleans Police Department.
The first parade of the Carnival season leading up to Mardi Gras was scheduled to take place Monday. New Orleans will also host the Super Bowl on Feb. 9.
“This enhanced safety effort will continue daily, not just during large events,” Harper said in a statement.
In a previous effort to protect the French Quarter, the city had installed steel columns known as bollards to restrict vehicle access to Bourbon Street. The posts retracted to allow for deliveries to bars and restaurants, until — gummed up by Mardi Gras beads, beer and other detritus — they stopped working reliably.
So when New Year’s Eve arrived, the bollards were gone. They were being replaced ahead of the Super Bowl.
Meanwhile, New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno took steps toward launching an investigation of the attack. In a memo to another council member obtained by AP, Moreno said she was initiating the creation of a local and state legislative committee “dedicated to reviewing the incident and its implications.”
“This committee will play a crucial role in assessing our current policies, enhancing security measures, and ensuring that we are adequately prepared to respond to any future threats,” Moreno wrote.
The FBI concluded Jabbar was not aided by anyone else in the attack, which killed an 18-year-old aspiring nurse, a single mother, a father of two and a former Princeton University football star, among others.
Thirteen of the 14 victims have been identified by the New Orleans coroner’s office, with the youngest listed as 18 and the oldest 63. Most of the victims were in their 20s. One victim, whose identity was withheld by the coroner’s office at the request of family, was a British citizen.
It was the deadliest IS-inspired assault on U.S. soil in years, laying bare what federal officials have warned is a resurgent international terrorism threat.
Mustian reported from Black Mountain, North Carolina. Cline reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana. AP reporters Eric Tucker and Tara Copp in Washington; Sharon Lurye in New Orleans; Jeff Martin in Atlanta; Martha Bellisle in Seattle; Darlene Superville in New Castle, Delaware; and Russ Bynum in Savannah, Georgia, contributed to this report.
FILE - A black flag with white lettering lies on the ground rolled up behind a pickup truck that a man drove into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing and injuring a number of people, early Wednesday morning, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
Shawn Westbrook prays at a memorial to the victims of a deadly truck attack on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Kelli Galle, right, hugs her son Parker, left, as they visit a memorial to the victims of a deadly truck attack on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Eddie Williams lights candles for his uncle, who was killed in a deadly truck attack, at a memorial to the victims on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Allyson Tomkins, right, prays with Emily Lara, 5, center, and her grandmother Charity Lara, right, at a memorial to the victims of a deadly truck attack on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A memorial for the victims of a deadly truck attack on New Year's Day stands on the sidewalk in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A memorial to the victims of a deadly truck attack is seen on Canal Street in the French Quarter, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A memorial to the victims of a deadly truck attack is seen on Canal Street in the French Quarter, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A memorial to the victims of a deadly truck attack is seen on Canal Street in the French Quarter, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
People view a memorial to the victims of a deadly truck attack on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A woman walks past a memorial to the victims of a deadly truck attack on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A makeshift memorial on the corner of Bourbon street, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, lists the names of some of the victims of the deadly attack, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Jack Brook)
Jovon Bell from New York, who said he was injured in the New Year's attack, reacts near a temporary barriers set up in the French Quarter, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A street performer flips over a line of people on Bourbon street, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, after the area reopened to the public following a deadly attack in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Jack Brook)
A Georgia football fan takes a photo of a memorial to victims of the deadly truck attack on Bourbon street after the area reopened, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Jack Brook)
Spc. Nelson Harrison, of the Louisiana National Guard, keeps a watchful eye on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A memorial sits outside a restaurant along Bourbon Street in the French Quarter, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Sav Bennly sits in front of a memorial at Bourbon and Canal Street in the French Quarter, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation released this photo on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2024, in relation to the investigation into a car driving into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. (Federal Bureau of Investigation via AP)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation released this photo on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2024, in relation to the investigation into a car driving into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. (Federal Bureau of Investigation via AP)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation released photos of surveillance footage that shows Shamsud-Din Jabbar an hour before he drove a truck down Bourbon Street, New Orleans, early Jan. 1, 2025. (Federal Bureau of Investigation via AP)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation released photos of surveillance footage that shows Shamsud-Din Jabbar an hour before he drove a truck down Bourbon Street, New Orleans, early Jan. 1, 2025.(Federal Bureau of Investigation via AP)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation released photos of surveillance footage that shows Shamsud-Din Jabbar an hour before he drove a truck down Bourbon Street, New Orleans, early Jan. 1, 2025. Federal Bureau of Investigation via AP)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation released photos of surveillance footage that shows Shamsud-Din Jabbar an hour before he drove a truck down Bourbon Street, New Orleans, early Jan. 1, 2025. (Federal Bureau of Investigation via AP)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation released this photo of Shamsud-Din Jabbar on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2024. (Federal Bureau of Investigation via AP)
The Federal Bureau of Investigation released this photo of Shamsud-Din Jabbar on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2024. (Federal Bureau of Investigation via AP)
Police watch as fans walk through security checkpoints outside Caesars Superdome ahead of the Sugar Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff game, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Fans walk through security checkpoints as they enter Caesars Superdome ahead of the Sugar Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff game, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Fans walk towards the Caesars Superdome ahead of the Sugar Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff game, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
The FBI investigates the area on Orleans St and Bourbon Street by St. Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter where a suspicious package was detonated after a person drove a truck into a crowd earlier on Bourbon Street on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Investigators work the scene after a person drove a vehicle into a crowd killing several, earlier on Canal and Bourbon Street in New Orleans, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
A black flag with white lettering lies on the ground rolled up behind a pickup truck that a man drove into a crowd on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, killing and injuring a number of people, early Wednesday morning, Jan. 1, 2025. The FBI said they recovered an Islamic State group flag, which is black with white lettering, from the vehicle. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
EDS NOTE: GRAPHIC CONTENT - Security personnel investigate the scene on Bourbon Street after a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orleans' Canal and Bourbon Street, Wednesday Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
FBI members examine the scene on Bourbon Street during the investigation of a truck fatally crashing into pedestrians on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthew Hinton)
Police officers stand near the scene where a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orleans' Canal and Bourbon streets, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Fans pass through security check points as they enter the Caesars Superdome fan zone ahead of the Sugar Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff game, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Local SWAT teams patrol outside the Caesars Superdome ahead of the Sugar Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff game, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Local SWAT teams patrol outside the Caesars Superdome ahead of the Sugar Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff game, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Matthias Hauswirth of New Orleans prays on the street near the scene where a vehicle drove into a crowd on New Orleans' Canal and Bourbon streets, Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A man uses a power washer on Toulouse street a day after a vehicle was driven into a crowd on New Orleans' Canal and Bourbon streets, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Security with bomb sniffing dogs patrol the area around the Superdome ahead of the Sugar Bowl NCAA College Football Playoff game, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)
Military personnel walk down Bourbon street, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
A memorial of flowers is set up on Canal and Bourbon Street, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Samantha Petry places flowera at a memorial on Canal and Bourbon Street, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Samantha Petry, who works in the area, visits a flower memorial set up on Canal and Bourbon Street, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in New Orleans. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
