Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
In what is widely expected to be the 14-time champion’s final farewell in Paris this coming fortnight as retirement beckons, Rafael Nadal begins his French Open campaign against Rome champion Alexander Zverev after today’s singles draws were unveiled. The pair were engrossed in a thrilling Major semifinal battle here two years ago, before the latter suffered torn ankle ligaments. Continue reading “French Open 2024: Nadal’s nightmare draw starts with Rome champ Zverev in R1”
Last season’s Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios withdrew from this year’s tournament at the eleventh hour before his first-round match against David Goffin, having sustained a torn wrist ligament in Mallorca during the build-up to SW19. On Day 1, the French Open champions won clean before American pair Sofia Kenin and Coco Gauff battled during a pulsating three-set encounter. Continue reading “Wimbledon 2023: Kyrgios again injured before Swiatek, Djokovic earn solid wins”
Grigor Dimitrov and Iga Swiatek were among the day’s winners for their respective nations in contrasting circumstances, before Cameron Norrie ended an eventful 2022 with a long-awaited scalp: recovering from a set down to beat Rafael Nadal for the first time in five attempts, helping Great Britain take an early lead in their United Cup group clash against Spain. Continue reading “United Cup: Dimitrov, Swiatek among winners before Norrie finally overcomes Nadal in three-set battle”
On a day where two of the world’s top male players both crashed out in the first-round of their respective tournaments, Emma Raducanu acquitted herself well but costly errors late in both sets saw her ultimately lose a competitive clash to Daria Kasatkina. Daniil Medvedev dropped just four games, while Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios excelled on his return to action too. Continue reading “Round-up: Alcaraz, Ruud stunned in straight-sets, Kasatkina outwits Raducanu in Ostrava and more”
British no. 1 Cameron Norrie twice recovered from a set down to oust Belgium’s David Goffin, setting up a semi-final showdown with defending champ Novak Djokovic. The tournament’s top seed was in deep trouble against an inspired Jannik Sinner, but rallied from two sets down to keep his title defence alive. Afterwards, an emotional semi-final between close friends Tatjana Maria and Ons Jabeur was set after both came through contrasting three-set encounters. Continue reading “Wimbledon 2022 – Day 9: Djokovic-Norrie, Maria-Jabeur semis set after four deciding set wins”
It wasn’t as straightforward as the scoreline may suggest, but world no. 1 Novak Djokovic marked his highly-anticipated 2022 debut with a straight-sets win over exciting Italian teenager Lorenzo Musetti in the night session at this year’s ATP Dubai – who memorably pushed him to the brink of a surprise Grand Slam defeat on Parisian clay at Roland Garros last summer. Continue reading “ATP Dubai: Djokovic’s long-awaited 2022 debut ends with straight-sets win over Musetti”
There were comfortable straight-set wins for multiple Grand Slam champions, including two title contenders in WTA Finals winner Garbine Muguruza and Iga Swiatek, while more seeds fell on Day 2 of this year’s Australian Open. Andy Murray made history after gritting through another five-set battle, while Nick Kyrgios and Emma Raducanu shone in the night session.
Continue reading “Australian Open 2022: Muguruza and Swiatek through, Ruud injured and more on Day 2”
Olympic champions Alexander Zverev and Belinda Bencic both got off to a winning start in straight-sets against Sam Querrey and Arantxa Rus respectively, while David Goffin (#27) and Karen Khachanov (#25) were among the seeds to fall within the men’s game. Elsewhere, there was a winning start for Emma Raducanu on her US Open main draw debut as Day 2 unfolded. Continue reading “US Open 2021: Olympic champs Zverev, Bencic progress as Raducanu wins on Day 2”
Stefanos Tsitsipas (#4) will play Andrey Rublev (#6) or rising Norwegian Casper Ruud in his third Masters 1000 Final tomorrow and hopes the number three proves lucky, after needing just 68 minutes to end Dan Evans’ red-hot tournament in Monte Carlo – with an impressive 6-2, 6-1 win.
Continue reading “Monte Carlo 2021: Stefanos Tsitsipas tames in-form Dan Evans in straight sets”
Defending champion Sofia Kenin wasn’t satisfied but crucially got the job done, while there were comfortable wins for Cori Gauff, Daniil Medvedev, Rafael Nadal and some surprising results too – David Goffin, Victoria Azarenka and Johanna Konta all crashed out on Day 2. Continue reading “Australian Open 2021: Kenin, Gauff, Medvedev win as Azarenka and Goffin stunned”
Denis Shapovalov recovered from a set down to beat world number ten David Goffin and surpass his career-best Grand Slam finish against the crafty Belgian – earning a US Open quarter-final berth, where he’ll play against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta on Tuesday. Continue reading “US Open 2020: Denis Shapovalov recovers to win in four sets vs. David Goffin”
He didn’t play his best tennis, found himself down and seemingly out deep in the fourth set, but world number 17 Denis Shapovalov showed resilience under pressure to stifle Taylor Fritz before booking his place in this year’s US Open last-16 – he’ll play world no.11 David Goffin on Sunday. Continue reading “US Open 2020: Denis Shapovalov snatches five-set win against Taylor Fritz”
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