On a day where two of the world’s top male players both crashed out in the first-round of their respective tournaments, Emma Raducanu acquitted herself well but costly errors late in both sets saw her ultimately lose a competitive clash to Daria Kasatkina. Daniil Medvedev dropped just four games, while Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios excelled on his return to action too. Continue reading
Djokovic downs Cilic to clinch Tel Aviv title, Astana Open with Alcaraz and Medvedev awaits
21-time Major champion Novak Djokovic shrugged off a wrist injury to seize the 89th title of his career with a straight-sets victory against Marin Cilic in Tel Aviv last night, and now the 35-year-old ventures to Astana with US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev among the top seeds this week. How will the Serb fare in a draw featuring the new world no. 1 and more?
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Guardiola confirms red-hot Haaland will be rested when time is right, after Manchester derby treble
Having broken another league record with his third hat-trick of the campaign against Manchester United, Erling Haaland’s formidable form has not gone unnoticed – 14 goals and three assists in his first eight Premier League games. It’s important not to be transfixed by the moment, and is why head coach Pep Guardiola has tonight reaffirmed the fact the Norwegian will be rested when the time is right, with a heavy year-long fixture schedule to consider.
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Juggernaut rolls on: Joyce’s R11 KO weekend win over Parker sets up intriguing 2023 title shot
Joe Joyce remains unbeaten at 15-0 with 14 KOs, the latest a thunderous one after softening up a gamely Joseph Parker effort in Manchester last weekend with overwhelming pressure and body shots. Now the WBO interim champion, again calling for Oleksandr Usyk or Tyson Fury, the 37-year-old is finally starting to gain the respect his heavyweight work has long warranted. Continue reading
Wimbledon ban a blessing in disguise for in-form Samsonova, who’s firing on all cylinders
Currently at a career-high ranking at world no. 22, the 23-year-old Russian has won 18 of her last 19 matches on tour – seizing titles in Washington, Cleveland and most recently Tokyo just last week. She attributed the divisive Wimbledon ban of Russian and Belarusian players as a key training block helping her form drastically improve of late. Can she sustain it long-term? Continue reading
Adjustments, maintaining belief and new additions: Lillard-Simons duo headline newlook Portland
Armed with a new starting backcourt duo, offseason trade acquisition Jerami Grant, a promising first-round draft selection in Shaedon Sharpe among others from an eventful summer, the Portland Trail Blazers will be quietly hopeful they can settle quickly and vastly improve upon a dismal 27-55 record last season – their worst finish since 2005-06. Will they?
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U21s: Chelsea’s Gallagher produces integral display against Germany, before October’s big month
Conor Gallagher’s start to the Premier League season has been a forgettable one for the Chelsea midfielder, yet the 22-year-old talent – already capped by England’s senior side – certainly picked the right moment to produce his best performance of 2022 thus far in Sheffield overnight against Germany under-21s ahead of a big month under new boss Graham Potter. Continue reading
Rewind: Cory Sandhagen’s R4 TKO – doctor stoppage – vs. Song Yadong at UFC Vegas 60 on Sept. 17
With no UFC event taking place last weekend, and Saturday’s UFC Vegas 61 card not attracting much buzz, I take a look back at the promotion’s most recent headliner: Cory Sandhagen’s return to the win column at bantamweight against rising young contender Song Yadong. Continue reading
No excuses, Miami Heat looking to pick up where they left off as preseason inbound
After finishing the top seed in last season’s Eastern Conference and finding themselves a missed three-pointer away from a second NBA Finals trip in three years – losing a seven-game series against the Boston Celtics – Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and co are raring to go ahead of the new campaign, one which poses many questions as far as their long-term future is concerned. Continue reading
Leading 6-4, 2-1 against Ostapenko in Saturday’s semi-final, what happened to Raducanu in Seoul?
As Jelena Ostapenko prepares to play her third WTA singles final of the season against Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova in South Korea this morning (start time from 7am BST), there will be an overwhelming sense of what could’ve been for another Grand Slam champion whose injury struggles cruelly returned at precisely the worst moment in Saturday’s semi-final encounter. Continue reading
UEFA Nations League – Scotland 2-1 Ireland: Hendry, Christie goals secure comeback victory
Second-half goals from Jack Hendry and a Ryan Christie penalty saw Scotland recover from behind to overwhelm Ireland at Hampden Park, returning top of Nations League Group B1 ahead of their final group game against Ukraine in Poland on Tuesday evening. As for the Irish, they’ll be hoping for more incisiveness when playing host to Armenia in a must-win clash. Continue reading
Stevenson secures comfy UD12 win over Conceicao, calls for Haney and Lomachenko at 135lbs
Shakur Stevenson flashed brilliance and petulance before getting the job done, but pressingly posed more questions about how he’ll fare at lightweight after easing to a unanimous decision win over Olympic gold medallist Robson Conceicao as a record-breaking 10,107 watched at the Prudential Center in the two-division champion’s homecoming from Newark, New Jersey. Continue reading
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