Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
In town for the Ring Magazine awards, WBC light-welterweight world champion Devin Haney made an appearance at the famed Peacock Gym where he met old friends, including Anthony Yarde’s trainer Tunde Ajayi, as news over the 26-year-old’s return continues to rumble on after a mentally draining 2024 campaign. Continue reading “Yarde’s trainer Tunde Ajayi on Haney’s comeback: “Great things are coming!””
American wildcard Nishesh Basavareddy made sure people will remember his name after a courageous four-set defeat by Novak Djokovic during a busy night session as the opening round continued. Nick Kyrgios’ aspirations for a splash at his home tournament were expertly extinguished by another young upstart in Jacob Fearnley on a day where Alex Michelsen and Belinda Bencic thrived. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 25: Basavareddy bold in defeat, Fearnley foils Kyrgios while Tsitsipas out”
Casper Ruud was pushed into a five-set battle on day one, while #29 seed Linda Noskova became the first seed to fall as heavy rain proved an ever-present theme on Day 1 of this year’s Australian Open tournament, headlined by straightforward straight-set victories for defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and men’s dark horse Alexander Zverev in the night session on Rod Laver Arena. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 25: Sabalenka, Zverev smiling into second-round as Major underway”
Three months removed from controversial expansion plans being appoved for Wimbledon, the local residents’ group fighting it – which includes adding one stadium court and 38 further courts to the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) grounds – has this past week begun legal action challenging the validity of Sadiq Khan’s decision granting planning permission for their redevelopment. Continue reading “Wimbledon residents double down on resistance to proposed expansion plans”
BOXXER chief Ben Shalom was optimistic when previewing the 2025 calendar, providing updates across various weight divisions with activity and momentum in mind during the Azim-Lipinets media day before their first show this year in Sheffield, headlined by Callum Simpson on Saturday night. Continue reading “Ben Shalom: Riakporhe, Clarke and Whittaker all set to return in April”
Activity and consistency is the key for Adam Azim in 2025, having promised to produce an emphatic display and announce himself on the world scene at 140-pounds when facing former IBF world light-welterweight titleholder Sergey Lipinets with the IBO world title available in BOXXER’s headliner on Feb. 1.
Continue reading “Azim-Lipinets presser: Slough rising star insists he’ll end Kazakh’s career on Feb. 1”
There’s just something about Thanasi Kokkinakis in Australia, especially his Adelaide home city, that brings out the electricity and justifies why there has always been optimism about his top-30 potential even now at age 28. He acknowledged as much after a thrilling three-hour victory over the tournament’s eight seed in Tomas Martin Etcheverry (7-5, 4-6, 7-6). Continue reading “Thanasi thrills! Kokkinakis keeps producing moments, this time in Adelaide”
Cade Cunningham’s fifth 30-point outing of the season played a pivotal role as the Detroit Pistons reached .500 for the first time after New Year’s Day since 2019 with a nailbiting 118-115 win over the Portland Trail Blazers, whose head coach and former Detroit point guard Chauncey Billups endured mixed emotions on his latest return to The Motor City in their cross-conference clash. Continue reading “Cade leads charge, Detroit reach .500 after New Year’s Day for first time since 2019”
After years flirting with the top table, Alex de Minaur finally established himself as a mainstay in the world’s top 10 during a busy and memorable 2024. Buoyed by that progress, the Australian knows he can still do more – hampered by injury during the year’s middle section – as preparations ramp up before his home Major, seeking to improve upon consecutive fourth-round finishes. Continue reading “Why not? Alex de Minaur backs himself to build on from breakthrough 2024 season”
Reilly Opelka and Naomi Osaka suffered injury scares on the eve of this year’s Australian Open, as their respective final appearances had to be cut short in Brisbane and Auckland respectively – seeing history made for a pair of rising Europeans who haven’t always got the shine their talent deserves at the top. Continue reading “Opelka and Osaka undone by untimely injuries in finals, Sabalenka streaking”
Taylor Fritz had an interesting line post-match after a seemingly straightforward 6-4, 6-4 win over China’s Zhizhen Zheng in the United Cup, saying: “I started to believe my average level would be enough to beat many top guys, feeling back in the flow again from the end of last season,” an ominous sign given how well he was performing in the second-half of 2024. Continue reading “United Cup: Fritz feeling in the groove, Rybakina to watch as AO prep continues”
Three notable names have confirmed they will not feature at this season’s Australian Open, headlined by last year’s quarterfinalist Barbora Krejcikova. A pair of former world no. 1-ranked players in Caroline Woznaicki and Karolina Pliskova also withdrew, a week before the tournament’s main draw begins.
Continue reading “AUS OPEN: Krejcikova’s lingering back issue forces her into unwanted withdrawal”
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