Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
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?”
World number one Novak Djokovic made his return to court with a straight-sets victory in Rome, though headlines afterwards centred around him being accidentally struck in the head by a water bottle from up above as he signed autographs post-match. After medical checks, the Serb is okay and will face Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo on Sunday as his pursuit of perfection resumes.
Continue reading “Djokovic well-rested, plans a successful summer peak as Rome fortnight continues”
A niggling back injury has clearly played its role, but Stefanos Tsitsipas’ rough form across all surfaces over the past six months has seen many critics question what he’s doing, if anything, to keep pace with his younger counterparts at a juncture in the sport where the new generation – led by Carlos Alcaraz and new first-time Major champion Jannik Sinner – are quickly breaking new ground. Continue reading “Keen to steady his form, Tsitsipas knows Alcaraz and Sinner forcing him to evolve”
After a disappointing start to 2024 by his exceedingly high standards, 24-time Major champion Novak Djokovic’s announcement this week that he was ending his highly successful five-year coaching partnership with Goran Ivanisevic was both ruthless and said all it needed to. The world no. 1 is wading through another wave of talent hungry to knock him off his perch permanently. Continue reading “Djokovic’s Ivanisevic decision typifies the cost of being king – for better and worse”
Qinwen Zheng said she had a lot of room to improve after suffering a quarter-final defeat by Aryna Sabalenka in the US Open quarterfinals and, four months later, she gets a golden opportunity to showcase those subtle developments on the biggest stage yet. The first-time finalist will play the world no. 2 on Saturday after the pair won hard-fought battles in straight-sets on Thursday. Continue reading “Zheng zooms past Yastremska to Saturday’s final – serene Sabalenka next”
He was aggressive, served beautifully for large periods and kept the defending champion honest during their longer rallies, but it wasn’t enough as Taylor Fritz suffered yet another defeat to Novak Djokovic as his Australian Open campaign ended in the last-eight. The American no. 1 should take heart from his display nonetheless, as Jannik Sinner prepares to face the Serb in Friday’s semifinals. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 24: Fritz faltered sure, but American can take heart from four-set loss”
Spurred on by boisterous French fans in the crowd, 2020 Australian Open junior runner-up Arthur Cazaux kept his cool under pressure and produced a fantastic display with ball-striking variation and persistence to outsmart eighth seed Holger Rune in four sets during their second-round contest – reiterating how another breakthrough youngster has risen into prominence over recent months. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2024: Arthur Cazaux makes big surprise splash at Holger Rune’s expense”
Andy Murray departed the Australian Open with a painful whimper on Monday, two other former champions have decisions to make after early exits elsewhere but the former world no. 1’s dilemma feels more pressing as retirement lingers. Meanwhile, the media adulation for a returning Emma Raducanu must be tempered if she’s to blossom as many expected would happen much sooner. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2024: Murray must regroup again, Raducanu back refreshed and more”
Novak Djokovic and Aryna Sabalenka experienced contrasting starts to their respective Australian Open title defences on Day 1 this year, where Croatian teenage qualifier Dino Prizmic pushed his idol to unexpected waters in a four-hour battle on Rod Laver to kick off the night session. Sabalenka meanwhile, will hope to produce more of the same devastating hitting given her draw… Continue reading “Australian Open 2024: Djokovic-Prizmic thrilled, Kyrgios’ media musings and more”
Four-time Major champion Naomi Osaka marked her competitive return after a 15-month break with a straight-sets win – 6-3, 7-6 (11-9) over Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch, as the new mother navigated through some nerves closing out her first-round clash. Up next is a sixth H2H meeting with Karolina Pliskova [16] in the early hours on Wednesday, where a tricky section of the draw lingers. Continue reading “WTA Brisbane: Naomi Osaka returns with straight-sets victory vs. Tamara Korpatsch”
A notable change is coming to men’s tennis worldwide starting next week surrounding points won from tournament performances – a slight increase that indirectly makes it harder for lower-ranked players to rise up the rankings. Continue reading “ATP changes their points distribution for 2024 – details, information explained”
Injuries didn’t help, but Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime endured a frustrating campaign packed with uncertainty, inconsistency and early tournament defeats as his ranking dropped, seeing agemates take some of the shine he’s worked hard to earn. So, what does 2024 have in store for the 23-year-old? Continue reading “Felix Auger-Aliassime faces fight to respond well after agemates usurped him”
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