Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Joao Fonseca began 2024 ranked #730 and a year later, the Brazilian teenager finishes it inside the world’s top 150, with a freshly-earned $525k (£422k) in prize money after going unbeaten in the Next Gen Finals before declaring he’s got an ultimate goal to achieve: emulating four-time Major champ Carlos Alcaraz and current no. 1 Jannik Sinner by becoming the world’s best player. Continue reading “Joao Fonseca just getting started, after clinching Next Gen Finals title in Jeddah”
A month out before the year’s first Major begins in Melbourne, the first round of main draw wildcard entries have been announced as the 2025 Australian Open will feature a handful of home hopefuls and notable names – perhaps none bigger than 2014 champion and three-time Major titleholder Stan Wawrinka. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 25: Wildcard entries unveiled as 2014 champion Wawrinka, Tomljanovic in”
Emma Raducanu’s injury and fitness woes have been a recurring theme throughout the 2021 US Open champion’s young pro career to date, though the Brit, who turned 22 last month, spoke encouragingly about hiring a full-time strength-and-conditioning coach in highly-rated Yutaka Nakamura as she looks to become one of the tour’s fittest players and fulfil her potential long-term. Continue reading “Raducanu has renewed goals after hiring renowned fitness coach Yutaka Nakamura”
Eager for a long-awaited change in fortunes among the elite, Australian Open quarterfinalist Hubert Hurkacz announced he’d be adding eight-time Major champion Ivan Lendl and Olympic gold medallist Nicolas Massu to his coaching team for 2025. Following another second-round exit at Flushing Meadows in August, he parted ways with Craig Boynton after their five-year partnership. Continue reading “Hope for Hubi? Hurkacz unveils new coaching team – Lendl and Massu for 2025”
After an underwhelming campaign by his exceedingly high standards, 24-time Major champion Novak Djokovic declared a readiness to challenge the world’s top two players in Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz at Grand Slams again as the scene of his most successful event returns centre-stage in Melbourne next month. At 37 though, is now too late for another late career renaissance? Continue reading “Djokovic defiant once more, but is he biting off more than he can chew?”
The two-time Major champion and former world no. 1 is right to feel aggrieved about the differences in treatment after her anti-doping violations compared to others like Iga Swiatek recently. However while she’s still attempting to build back to levels we’ve become accustomed to seeing from her, now 33 and with more than two years’ inactivity, it’s a more draining task than it once was. Continue reading “Halep’s right about Swiatek’s small ban but that won’t change her own past”
Jannik Sinner’s uneasy wait continues after WADA appealed his exoneration following two positive drug tests and now, five-time Major champion Iga Swiatek has accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) – the ITIA accepting contamination of a non-prescription medication (melatonin) she’d taken for jet lag and sleep issues. Continue reading “Iga Swiatek accepts one-month ban after testing positive for drug trimetazidine”
Jannik Sinner’s superb 2024 concluded with an impressive Davis Cup defence as he again led Italy, this time over an overachieving Netherlands side in Sunday’s final. Yet the 23-year-old admitted the off-court unknown surrounding doping accusations and his future has been heartbreaking as he awaits WADA’s appeal over being exonerated after two positive drugs tests for clostebol in March. Continue reading “Exhausting wait over doping appeal a sour note on Sinner’s sensational 2024 season”
After 36 matches between them at the pro level and a friendly familiarity spanning more than 20 years dating back to their days as aspiring teenagers, 24-time Major champion Novak Djokovic revealed a surprise update before 2025: hiring former rival and recently retired Andy Murray as his new coach – starting at the Australian Open, a Grand Slam he’s won a record 10 times. Continue reading “Murray excited, grateful before unique coaching role with former rival Djokovic”
2022 Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios confirmed he’ll make his long-awaited return to competitive tennis at this year’s Brisbane International tournament starting December 29 on the eve of an intriguing 2025 campaign. The electric Australian talent has suffered through career-threatening wrist and knee injuries, seeing him only play one ATP tour-level match in two years. Continue reading “Kyrgios poised for return, declares he’s feeling amazing after rough two-year spell”
Having split their two previous H2H meetings in Lyon and Paris, it felt fitting that Cameron Norrie would show his steely resolve on the road back from niggling injuries and outlast Corentin Moutet to reach his first ATP tour-level final for almost two years as the arduous 2024 calendar grinds to a close. Continue reading “Metz: Norrie beats Moutet to reach first ATP final for 21 months after injury woes”
Jack Draper clinched his first ATP500 title in Vienna yesterday afternoon, capping a tournament which saw the retiring Dominic Thiem bow out from competition this week while Olympic bronze medallist Lorenzo Musetti and eventual runner-up Karen Khachanov produced runs on the indoor surface giving both renewed confidence they can exceed expectations in bigger events. Continue reading “Vienna: Draper clinches maiden ATP 500 title with straight-sets Khachanov scalp”
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