Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Third time’s a charm after all. Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner was in scintillating form and dropped just four games en route to his first Miami Open title, and second Masters 1000 silverware, dismissing an error-prone Grigor Dimitrov display during Sunday’s final – a result which sees him rise to world no. 2, a feat no other Italian regardless of gender has achieved in the sport. Continue reading “Miami Open: Sinner sinks Dimitrov easily to clinch second career Masters 1000 title”
Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner will hope it’s third time lucky in Miami come Sunday, when he contests another final after producing a clinical showing to outclass Daniil Medvedev, inflicting his joint-worst career defeat in their semi-final. The Italian will now play an in-form Grigor Dimitrov, who overcame Olympic champion Alexander Zverev in three pulsating sets of tennis overnight.
Continue reading “Miami Open: Sinner sublime to sweep Medvedev, Dimitrov now in Sunday’s final”
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”
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”
World no. 1 Novak Djokovic looks to make more history at the Major where he’s been most successful during his illustrious career, while Aryna Sabalenka returns to the scene of her career-best achievement twelve months ago knowing no woman has successfully defended their title since Serena Williams in 2014. Judging by the draws, completed yesterday, it’s easy to see why. Continue reading “Australian Open 2024: Draw analysis, storylines as year’s first Major beckons”
Highly-rated coach Darren Cahill has done wonders for Jannik Sinner since joining the Italian’s team in the summer of 2022. After a career-best year ended with Davis Cup success last weekend, it’s clear the 22-year-old will have revamped expectations placed upon him for the 2024 season – the Australian namechecking Major success and peaking for the Olympics in Paris as goals. Continue reading “Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill targets Major, Olympic success for surging Italian in 2024”
Novak Djokovic reserved his best for the final weekend of the season – Davis Cup notwithstanding – beating two of the fearless young guns challenging his throne in consecutive days to successfully defend his ATP Finals trophy, making more history doing so. Jannik Sinner made fervent Turin supporters believe anything was possible during a whirlwind week, but couldn’t get over the line. Continue reading “Djokovic spoils Sinner’s superb week to clinch a record seventh ATP Finals title”
Having only featured once – in Davis Cup play for Serbia – since clinching his 24th Major title at Flushing Meadows on September 10, world no. 1 Novak Djokovic began as he means to continue this week with a straight-sets win (6-3, 6-2) against Tomas Martin Etcheverry, after a whirlwind 24-hour period has seen two of the tournament’s top three seeds beaten elsewhere in the draw. Continue reading “Paris Masters: Djokovic wins clean after Alcaraz, Medvedev stunned in round two”
Novak Djokovic started well, recovered from set point down in an exhausting 105-minute second set, and responded as you’d expect after suddenly being broken for the first time midway through the third during a tense final that easily could’ve gone the distance. Exacting revenge over 2021 titlist Daniil Medvedev, who pipped him to the trophy two years ago, the 36-year-old made more history on his New York return and is now a 24-time Major champion. Continue reading “Djokovic shows resiliency to clinch 24th Major title in straight-sets Medvedev win”
Two years after their US Open final, where Daniil Medvedev won his first Major, the pair go at it once more in the tournament’s showpiece event. Follow along for live ball-by-ball commentary as the Serb looks to secure a 24th Grand Slam title while Carlos Alcaraz’s semifinal conqueror hopes he can finish an unforgettable fortnight with another historic triumph too. Continue reading “US Open 2023: Djokovic vs. Medvedev – live commentary of men’s singles final”
If there’s anyone on tour who knows and respects Jack Draper’s game, it’s Andrey Rublev – having played him twice in three months last year – openly expecting the 21-year-old Brit to succeed before another injury-plagued 2023 season. That’s why it felt symbolic the tournament’s eighth seed withstood his best efforts to prevail in a four-set tussle yesterday, setting up another meeting with childhood friend and 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev in the process. Continue reading “US Open 2023: Draper down in four to Rublev, but can be heartened by his run”
Andy Murray clinched his 200th Major victory with a less-than-straightforward win in straight-sets against the unpredictable Frenchman Corentin Moutet, while 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev and America’s top-ranked player Jessica Pegula scored quick opening round victories elsewhere on Day 2 in New York. Continue reading “US Open 2023: Medvedev, Pegula win quick as Murray earns 200th Major victory”
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