Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
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”
Then there was one. Roger Federer held on as long as he could, pulling the curtain in 2022. Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray have followed suit within months of each other during a whirlwind 2024 campaign seeing many of the younger generation assert themselves, while Novak Djokovic is the last man standing. His fiercest rival has said farewell and the sport far weaker for it. Continue reading “Adios, Rafa”
The world no. 4, twice a Major finalist over the last twelve months, has slipped to a 5-6 win-loss record on what has quickly proven an arduous start to the season following a rough three-set defeat by Botic van de Zandschulp overnight in Miami – dropping over 500 ranking points as his struggles with form persist. Continue reading “Casper Ruud’s alarming slump continues, after painful Miami defeat overnight”
Having announced her retirement on Dec. 1, Britain’s Johanna Konta – a three-time Major semi-finalist and former world no. 4 – was plagued by troublesome injuries and some streaky form, underselling the country’s greatest hope in the women’s game across the last decade and more. Here, I look back as the 30-year-old waved goodbye quietly before the new year. Continue reading “Johanna Konta’s retirement: Injuries don’t cloud her legacy as Britain’s tireless hope”
After making history at this season’s WTA Finals in Guadalajara, two-time Slam winner Garbine Muguruza wants to build on her success next year and given the way she’s played, why not? The 28-year-old revealed a desire to round out the Career Grand Slam, having lost the 2020 Australian Open Final and achieved a joint-best R4 finish at Flushing Meadows in September.
Continue reading “Closing the Slam circle? Muguruza bullish about 2022 goals, as she should be”
The seven-time Grand Slam champ has delivered his verdict on what Emma Raducanu should look to do in 2022 and beyond, as the British teenager’s world has been transformed this year after a record-breaking run to the US Open title as an 18-year-old qualifier in September. Continue reading “Mats Wilander: Emma Raducanu needs to have fun and develop on her own”
After hearing rumours this year-end event would be moved to Mexico, Garbine Muguruza was giddy with anticipation. Despite losing her first group match and trailing a set down to Barbora Krejcikova in match two, the Venezuelan-born Spaniard won eight consecutive sets – four against the same opponent – making history in Latin America as the first Spanish champion.
Continue reading “WTA Finals 2021: Motivated Muguruza makes history against error-prone Kontaveit”
After being blasted out of Wimbledon by Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz on July 7, Roger Federer underwent another round of knee surgery and stressed he wouldn’t rush a return in 2022 – which was one of the topics his coach Ivan Ljubicic has expanded on, during a recent interview. Continue reading “Roger Federer update: Swiss legend’s coach Ivan Ljubicic talks recovery and retirement”
After her coach Craig Tyzzer’s comments last month, saying she was exhausted and needed a long rest, the world no. 1 has confirmed exactly that: quarantine restrictions mean her 2021 season is over, with an eye on next year’s Australian Open – a Grand Slam she’s itching to win. Continue reading “Barty confirms her 2021 season is over, instead focusing on Australian Open 2022”
A Naomi Osaka vs Serena Williams semi-final is set in stone for Thursday after both were comfortable winners during their respective matchups, Aslan Karatsev’s record-breaking run in Melbourne has continued at an injured Grigor Dimitrov’s expense while defending champion Novak Djokovic recovered from a set down to beat Alexander Zverev in a chaotic four-set clash.
Continue reading “Australian Open 2021: Osaka-Williams semi-final awaits, error-laden Djokovic sinks Zverev”
Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka are just three of the high-profile players who’ve withdrawn from their respective Australian Open warm-up events with niggling injuries as a precaution, just days before the year’s first Grand Slam gets underway in Melbourne. Continue reading “Australian Open 2021: Injuries pile up as warm-up events draw to close”
Serena Williams, a seven-time Australian Open champion, revealed she wouldn’t have featured in this year’s first Grand Slam if not for the COVID-19 enforced delays. Her Achilles injury sustained at the US Open took longer than expected to fully heal, but she’s recovered in time. Continue reading “Australian Open 2021: Serena Williams reveals delay helped Achilles injury recovery”
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