China's Zheng Saisai captures 1st singles title at San Jose

Zheng Saisai of China used steady, looping groundstrokes and patience to capture her first career singles title, beating Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus 6-3, 7-6 (3) in the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic on Sunday.

Saisai, who is ranked 55th and played one more match than Sabalenka to reach Sunday's championship, topped three seeded players on the way to her second career final and first victory at age 25. She was runner-up at Nanchang last year.

With her big topspin shots landing deep and the defensive ability to chase down balls all over the court, Zheng flustered opponents all week with her consistency and level-headed play — and the emotional Sabalenka was no different. She threw her racket after double-faulting on the first match point, slammed her racket to the court at one point and also hit it on the net in frustration in an afternoon of unforced errors after the 21-year-old missed on a fourth career title. The second-seeded Sabalenka, who lost in the first round of qualifying here in 2018, rode her powerful first serve to reach to her seventh final and is projected to match her career-high ranking of ninth.

Zheng Saisai, of China, hits a backhand to Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, during the finals of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic tennis tournament in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Avelar)

Her power was neutralized by Zheng's regular topspin shots and digs to keep long rallies alive.

"I couldn't control my emotions. I was throwing my rackets," she said. "... Her game destroyed me because I couldn't use my power. I wasn't ready for that."

Zheng's victory could propel her to No. 38 — matching her career best — when Monday's new singles rankings are released.

Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, uses a bag of ice on her head to cool off as she talks to her coach during a break in the match against Zheng Saisai, of China, during the finals of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic tennis tournament in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Avelar)

The two met once previously, with Zheng winning in straight sets on the ITF circuit in 2017. Each woman had played one three-set match this week.

Venus Williams lost her opening match Tuesday night after reaching last year's quarterfinals here. The 39-year-old, seven-time Grand Slam champion was in the field for the 15th time, this year as a wild-card entry.

In the doubles final, Kveta Peschke of the Czech Republic and American Nicole Melichar defeated Japanese tandem Shuko Aoyama and Ena Shibahara 6-4, 6-4 earlier Sunday.

Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, reacts after winning a point against Zheng Saisai, of China, during the finals of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic tennis tournament in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Avelar)

This marked the second year the event has been played at San Jose State University after moving from Stanford.

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Zheng Saisai, of China, serves the ball to Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, during the finals of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic tennis tournament in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Avelar)

Zheng Saisai, of China, returns the ball to Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, during the finals of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic tennis tournament in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Avelar)

Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, hits a backhand to Zheng Saisai, of China, during the finals of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic tennis tournament in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Avelar)

Zheng Saisai, of China, serves the ball to Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, during the finals of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic tennis tournament in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Avelar)

Aryna Sabalenka, of Belarus, reacts after losing the first set against Zheng Saisai, of China, during the finals of the Mubadala Silicon Valley Classic tennis tournament in San Jose, Calif., Sunday, Aug. 4, 2019. (AP PhotoTony Avelar)

NEW YORK (AP) — Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine is joining Venezuela's president and the man charged with gunning down United Healthcare’s CEO in a notorious federal lockup in New York City.

The embattled 29-year-old artist, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, reported to the Metropolitan Detention Center in his native Brooklyn on Tuesday to serve out his latest stint behind bars.

He drove up to the gates of the jail in a luxury van with internet personality Adin Ross and a camera crew streaming live as he turned himself in.

The facility is the only federal jail in New York City but is so troubled that some judges have refused to send people there and others have described it as “ hell on earth ” for its poor conditions and constant violence.

It currently houses Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, as well as Luigi Mangione, who is accused of killing Brian Thompson, the leader of the country's biggest health insurer.

Over the years, MDC Brooklyn has housed a constellation of other infamous inmates, including music stars R. Kelly and Sean “Diddy” Combs and longtime Jeffrey Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

Hernandez’s lawyers didn’t immediately respond to emails seeking comment Tuesday, but have said previously that the rapper looked forward to serving out his sentence so he could resume his music career.

Hernandez admitted last year to assaulting a man and possessing drugs, in violation of the terms of his supervised release in a gang-related case.

He was sentenced in December to serve three more months in federal custody. He was previously slapped with a 45-day sentence in 2024 for breaking the terms of his supervised release.

Hernandez shot to fame with the 2017 release of his song “Gummo,” but the following year he pleaded guilty to his involvement with a violent New York-based gang, the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods.

He was sentenced to two years in prison in 2019, followed by five years of supervised release for his cooperation in the racketeering case against other gang members.

He was released from federal prison several months early during the height of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.

Hernandez's latest sentence is related to small amounts of cocaine and ecstasy found at his Miami home during a police raid. Prosecutors say he also punched a man who taunted him at a Florida mall over his cooperation against gang members.

FILE - Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine watches a baseball game between the Miami Marlins and New York Mets, Aug. 3, 2021, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)