Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
On a day where defending champion Carlos Alcaraz fended off another tricky challenge in France’s Ugo Humbert to secure his seventh consecutive Major quarter-final berth, five maiden Wimbledon quarterfinalists were confirmed – headlined by New Zealand-Swiss qualifier Lulu Sun after an aggressive approach paid dividends to stun Emma Raducanu in their round four matchup.
Continue reading “Wimbledon 2024: Sun slices and sinks Raducanu in three, Sinner-Medvedev set”
Having activated his €60m (£50.7m) release clause, Bayern beat competition from big Premier League clubs to prise Michael Olise away from England, and after this month’s Olympics on home soil in Paris, the 22-year-old playmaker will ply his trade alongside familar faces like Jamal Musiala and Harry Kane under Vincent Kompany’s stewardship after the deal was made official today. Continue reading “Michael Olise completes £45m move to Bayern, in Palace’s best possible scenario”
Carlos Alcaraz had a serious scare in a five-set duel but emerged with his confidence renewed after some inspired play to overwhelm Frances Tiafoe in their thrilling third-round contest, before home hopeful Emma Raducanu notched another top-10 win as she outplayed Maria Sakkari on Centre Court. Continue reading “Wimbledon 2024: Alcaraz survives Tiafoe scare as Raducanu sweeps Sakkari aside”
Claressa Shields is a three-weight boxing world champion, two-time Olympic gold medallist and juggling two combat sports as she hopes to conquer MMA as she has done boxing over the past decade. Yet the 29-year-old knows lapping the field isn’t an exciting prospect for fans to watch, so new and unknown challenges like Canada’s Vanessa Lepage-Joanisse are her next port of call. Continue reading “Claressa Shields accepts she must find new challenges, with fresh heavyweight move”
Jacob Fearnley’s main experience at SW19 came six years ago, as a practice partner for then-defending champion Roger Federer. Ranked outside the world’s top 500 in early June, the 22-year-old – fresh out of US college like many other rising Brits – seized this wildcard with both hands, pushing seven-time champion Novak Djokovic during what proved a competitive R2 four-set defeat. Continue reading “Wimbledon 2024: Fearnley’s firepower a welcome sign despite Djokovic loss in four”
Granit Xhaka repaired his reputation in north London before departing for £21.6m last summer, joining Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen project – quickly establishing himself as an indispensable player spreading his wings further since returning to Bundesliga play. He’s carried that form on the international stage at the Euros, where the 31-year-old faces some familiar faces Saturday. Continue reading “Granit Xhaka’s metronomic momentum – club and country – hasn’t gone unnoticed”
27 days after surgery on a torn meniscus, seven-time Wimbledon champion Novak Djokovic returned to competitive action with a straight-sets win over Czech qualifier Vit Kopriva – kicking off another title charge at SW19, having come agonisingly close to making more history last season. Given the tournament’s flurry of injury withdrawals, he’ll be glad not to be among them. Continue reading “Wimbledon 2024: Djokovic pleased after Kopriva win on return from knee surgery”
Emma Raducanu endured an unpredictable start en route to a 7-6, 6-3 win over Mexican lucky loser Renata Zarazúa, as the 2021 US Open champion made a successful Centre Court return on a busy opening day packed with high-profile injury-enforced withdrawals – a trio of seeded women, including Australian Open titleholder Aryna Sabalenka. Plus, it’s likely there are more to come… Continue reading “Wimbledon 2024: Sabalenka, Azarenka among withdrawals as Raducanu prevails”
Alex Pereira sent Jiri Prochazka into another pressing phase of self-reflection after a definitive head kick knockout finish in their rematch, as the light-heavyweight champion made defence #2 of his 205lb title to headline a second UFC PPV in 11 weeks – after Las Vegas resident Dan Ige stepped up on four hours’ notice and produced a spirited effort vs. Diego Lopes in the co-main. Continue reading “UFC 303: Pereira’s switch kick sends Prochazka packing, Lopes-Ige saves card”
Jamal Musiala scored his third goal of this summer’s European Championships, of course he did, as hosts Germany punched their ticket into next week’s quarter-finals with a 2-0 win over a stubborn Denmark in Saturday’s evening kick-off. Hours earlier, defending champs Italy went out with a whimper as they were outplayed by Switzerland – England could await them next week…. Continue reading “Euro 2024: Musiala sends Danes packing after defending champs Italy limp out, as tournament proper has finally begun”
Andy Murray’s final hurrah – injury permitting – Novak Djokovic testing his limits again less than a month after knee surgery, new world no. 1 Jannik Sinner looking to unseat defending champion Carlos Alcaraz while Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter fly the Brits’ flag in an intriguing women’s draw. Will any Americans make some noise? How about youngsters with little to lose? Continue reading “Wimbledon 2024: Draw analysis as SW19 beckons again with storylines brewing”
It’s remarkable in isolation the Washington Wizards received more for small forward Deni Avdija than either newly-crowned NBA champion Kristaps Porzingis or longtime star shooting guard Bradley Beal, but the trade market is so unpredictable that quality players on good contracts are worth their weight in gold – something emphasised by their return haul from this latest trade. Continue reading “Deni Avdija is Portland-bound, as the volatile trade market focuses on future”
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