Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
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”
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”
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”
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”
Yesterday, Jannik Sinner and team Italy were one point from being knocked out in the Davis Cup semifinals. Today, they can celebrate after the world no. 4’s gritty comeback win over Novak Djokovic helped them pip Serbia to Sunday’s showpiece event – where they emerged victorious vs. Australia without needing the decisive doubles rubber, capping a career-best year for the 22-year-old. Continue reading “Sinner stars in singles, doubles to finish career-best year as Italy clinch Davis Cup”
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”
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”
Eight days ago, Carlos Alcaraz completed the one feat many didn’t expect: beat four-time defending champion Novak Djokovic, on Centre Court, at Wimbledon. The size of this achievement is yet to be realised, but how did the charismatic young Spaniard manage to recover from behind, during a five-set epic with momentum swings plenty – where both could’ve played even better? Continue reading “Wimbledon 2023: Alcaraz ascends past Djokovic in five-set epic – how did he do it?”
Elina Svitolina returned to the Wimbledon semifinals, four years after her career-best Major achievements, but had to do it the hard way against world no. 1 Iga Swiatek – eventually ousting her in three sets. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic was down a set before clicking into gear and holding his nerve when it mattered most against Andrey Rublev, as Jannik Sinner awaits him on Friday.
Continue reading “Wimbledon 2023: Svitolina stifles Swiatek, Djokovic punishes Rublev in quarterfinals”
Britain’s no. 1 Cameron Norrie was bested in four sets, Casper Ruud’s conqueror Liam Broady led early but suffered the same fate while Andy Murray was left to rue what might’ve been as Stefanos Tsitsipas recovered from an overnight deficit to beat him in a decider. Katie Boulter is now the country’s last remaining singles hope, Aryna Sabalenka survived a scare and more seeds fell.
Continue reading “Wimbledon 2023: Tsitsipas topples Murray, while Eubanks earns big win over Norrie”
2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev got his Wimbledon campaign up-and-running with a straight-sets win over a spirited effort from British wildcard Arthur Fery, who finds himself with a decision to make over his college status this autumn. Elsewhere, Daria Kasatkina made quick work of Jodie Burrage, while Jannik Sinner is into R3 after overwhelming Diego Schwartzman.
Continue reading “Wimbledon 2023: Kasatkina downs Burrage, Medvedev and Sinner both excel”
Taylor Fritz beat Arthur Rinderknech in four sets before shushing the fervently partisan Suzanne-Lenglen spectators that had been hounding him all evening long, which didn’t go down well. Elsewhere, a compelling battle between two teenagers awaits between Mirra Andreeva and last year’s runner-up Coco Gauff, while Jannik Sinner lost despite having match point… Continue reading “French Open 2023: Fritz becomes the villain, Sinner stunned and more on Day 5”
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