Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Jannik Sinner improved to 48-5 in 2024 thus far at Frances Tiafoe’s expense on Monday, racking up his second Masters 1000 title of the calendar year – third in twelve months – before the Italian’s latest achievement was quickly overshadowed some 12 hours later as news broke about him being cleared of wrongdoing over two failed March anti-doping tests not before made public.
Continue reading “12 hours after Cincinnati title, Sinner’s silent drugs ban cleared – questions asked”
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”
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”
World no. 1 Iga Swiatek endured some stressful moments but won in straight-sets over Emma Raducanu, who faded physically despite an encouraging display in places. That came after Jack Draper was forced to retire with an abdominal injury against Carlos Alcaraz, who now plays comeback king Felix Auger-Aliassime in the last-eight – who he has never beaten (0-3 H2H) before… Continue reading “Indian Wells: Swiatek stifles Raducanu, Draper’s injury woes return and Norrie’s double-header”
Having both not featured since Melbourne, there were successful returns to competitive action for Jack Draper and Emma Raducanu, who made it 2-0 for Brits on Thursday at Indian Wells. Keeping in theme with his heroics of late, Andy Murray expertly fended off danger in another three-hour epic, outlasting Masters 1000 debutant Tomas Martin Etcheverry to cap an eventful day session. Continue reading “Indian Wells: Draper, Raducanu win in straight-sets before another masterful Murray display”
It was high-quality tennis but nervy at times, including a 10-minute sequence late on with the match nervously on a knife-edge, but 2021 US Open runner-up Leylah Fernandez did what she set out to do: retain her Monterrey title, recovering from 4-1 down in the deciding set – saving five championship points – to outlast Colombian youngster Maria Camila Osorio Serrano. Continue reading “Having saved five championship points, ferocious Fernandez retains her Monterrey crown”
A pair of 21st seeds surprised plenty en route to becoming first-time Masters 1000 champions and, keeping in theme with symmetry, both produced their best to overcame adversity in their respective Finals: outlasting Victoria Azarenka and Nikoloz Basilashvili in three-set victories.
Continue reading “Indian Wells: Badosa, Norrie make history the hard way as first-time Masters 1000 winners”
Cameron Norrie [21] continues to defy expectations, knocking out Daniil Medvedev’s conqueror Grigor Dimitrov to earn his first Masters-level Final at Indian Wells. Ahead of the showpiece event in the early hours on Monday, the 26-year-old hailed the result as the biggest of his career.
Continue reading “Indian Wells: Cameron Norrie describes Dimitrov victory as the biggest of his career”
Emma Raducanu’s Indian Wells debut lasted just under 90 minutes, losing 6-2, 6-4 against Aliaksandra Sasnovich on her return after winning last month’s US Open. The result snaps the British teenager’s ten-match winning run, with Sasnovich to play Simona Halep in R3 next. Continue reading “Indian Wells 2021: Savvy Sasnovich spoils Raducanu’s return on WTA 1000 debut”
After her split from Andrew Richardson, critics aplenty have expressed their own opinions on who this year’s US Open champion Emma Raducanu should team up with next. Ahead of her Indian Wells debut this week, Tim Henman feels there’s no need to make any hasty decisions.
Continue reading “Emma Raducanu should heed Tim Henman’s warning ahead of coaching decision”
After losing on her return in three sets vs. Su-Wei Hsieh in R1 of the Chicago Fall Tennis Classic to start this week, then suffering a straight-sets loss with doubles partner and compatriot Kirsten Flipkens on Tuesday, the 38-year-old former world no. 1 finds herself in a tough position…
Continue reading “After Chicago defeats on her return, how long can Kim Clijsters’ excitement remain?”
World number two Rafael Nadal has echoed Stan Wawrinka’s belief that the 2020 tennis season could be over, as a result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. He revealed he’s more concerned about preparing for next year’s Australian Open. Continue reading “Rafael Nadal believes 2020 tennis season is ‘practically lost’, preparing for 2021”
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