Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
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”
Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka. Now it’s the turn of world number one and reigning French Open champion Iga Swiatek as the latest top player searching for a new coach before the 2025 campaign begins, having announced her split from Tomasz Wiktorowski after three successful seasons together. Continue reading “Coaching carousel continues as Swiatek splits from Wiktorowski after three years”
Ahead of her Beijing exploits, 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff has announced she’s added another component to her coaching team as the 20-year-old eyes an early pre-season of sorts between now and the season’s official end in November after splitting from Brad Gilbert this month — Matt Daly will accompany the American’s longtime coach Jean-Christophe Faurel. Continue reading “WTA Beijing: Gauff refreshed, adds Matt Daly to coaching team after Gilbert split”
Many felt the writing was on the wall after her last-16 collapse against compatriot Emma Navarro and so it proved: 2023 US Open champion Coco Gauff has announced a split from head coach Brad Gilbert after 14 months together, while Elina Svitolina – who she beat a round earlier – has shut down for the 2024 season after undergoing surgery on a longstanding right foot complaint. Continue reading “Gauff-Gilbert end coaching partnership, Svitolina’s 2024 over after foot surgery”
Jessica Pegula banished her Grand Slam quarterfinal hoodoo in the best way – fittingly on home soil – yet one more task awaits her as history beckons tonight: beating Australian Open champion and world no. 2 Aryna Sabalenka, who beat her in Cincinnati three weeks ago and will be fired up to deliver after falling short in the Flushing Meadows finale against another American last season. Continue reading “US Open 2024: Pegula backs up Swiatek scalp with gutsy Muchova recovery win”
The pre-US Open parties and media duties have been completed, top-ranked players spending valuable time on court practising and getting acclimatised to the conditions while the last hopefuls from across the globe battle out for a main draw qualifying berth are now set in stone. Today marks the beginning of the year’s final Major and with that, more questions than answers as usual. Continue reading “US Open 2024: Main draw analysis across both tours, as year’s final Major begins”
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”
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”
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”
Jessica Pegula’s Wimbledon preparations were given a welcome boost as she won the first grass-court title of her career, saving five match points to do so in Berlin, while compatriot Tommy Paul extinguished Jack Draper’s whirlwind fortnight before ousting Lorenzo Musetti to win big in West Kensington.
Continue reading “Pegula clinches Berlin, Paul wins Queens as Americans gear up for SW19 in style”
Iga Swiatek’s title defence hung by a thread last night against Naomi Osaka, who looked back to her ball-striking best at times during a memorable second-round clash between multiple-time Major champions on Philippe Chatrier. Yet the Pole, 23 on Friday, saved a match point and played the long game to perfection as her temperament outlasted the Japanese from 5-2, 30-0 down. Continue reading “Swiatek’s great escape in round two Osaka thriller typifies the top of women’s tennis”
Andy Murray waved goodbye on Sunday and 24 hours later, it was the turn of 14-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal to begrudgingly do the same on Philippe Chatrier after an entertaining three-hour tussle against Olympic champion Alexander Zverev capturing everyone’s attention – family, fellow pros and the world’s media – as the Spanish legend’s uncertain future continues. Continue reading “French Open 2024: Zverev spoils the party for Nadal, who leaves door open to return”
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