Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Adelaide 1 finalist and 29th seed Sebastian Korda produced some brilliant ball-striking as he stunned two-time finalist Daniil Medvedev in straight-sets to steal the show on an eventful Day 5 at this year’s Australian Open, with Jiri Lehecka a big winner after some tasty fourth-round ties on the women’s side were confirmed, including Swiatek-Rybakina and Pegula-Krejcikova. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Korda outplays Medvedev, Lehecka downs Norrie, Zhu stuns Sakkari and more on Day 5”
2023 brings a new year packed with resolutions, time-specific targets and compelling storylines too. With the year’s first Major tournament set to begin on Monday in Melbourne, here’s a news round-up before the big occasion finally gets underway – from player withdrawals, injury scares, progress reports from recent tournaments and my draw analysis for both tours.
Continue reading “AUS OPEN 2023: Nadal, Swiatek and more in round-up, draw analysis as year’s first Major starts Monday”
Maria Sakkari called this one of the best weeks in her career. Jessica Pegula spoke for team USA, stressing their excitement for what’s to come. Poland are deadly in unison and we’re only halfway through: the United Cup’s final four nations were sealed after a manic day’s action – with a few surprising results as expected across tour-level tournaments elsewhere today. Continue reading “Tennis: United Cup’s final four teams confirmed, Rybakina and Andreescu lose in Adelaide and more”
Novak Djokovic began the defence of his Paris Masters title with a hard-fought round two victory against a stubborn Paris-born American in big-serving Maxime Cressy, 11 hours after Aryna Sabalenka recovered from the brink and battled stomach pains to beat two-time Major finalist Ons Jabeur in a three set rollercoaster on Day 1 at this year’s WTA Finals. Continue reading “Djokovic downs Cressy at Paris Masters; Sabalenka recovers to stifle Jabeur in WTA Finals”
Carlos Alcaraz began with renewed vigour, Casper Ruud pegged him back with some brilliant shot-making as questions over fatigue arose – after setting a record for the longest time played at a Grand Slam on record. The 19-year-old saved two set points in the third, before powering home in four as he earned his first Major title and will be the new world no. 1 come Monday. Continue reading “US Open – Day 14: Alcaraz topples Ruud in four sets, clinches first Major title and is new world no. 1”
Casper Ruud and Carlos Alcaraz will go head-to-head once more with a maiden Grand Slam title up for grabs, as well as the world no. 1 ranking on Sunday evening, after they earned contrasting wins over Karen Khachanov and Frances Tiafoe in Friday’s semi-final double-header. Ruud was largely excellent against the Russian despite a third set blip late, while Alcaraz rallied from a set down and again came out on top during another deciding set battle. Continue reading “US Open – Day 12: Ruud-Alcaraz for #1 spot in Sunday’s final after contrasting wins over Khachanov, Tiafoe”
At least four maiden US Open semi-finalists will feature at Flushing Meadows later this week with new champions to be crowned in both draws, after Casper Ruud raced past an out-of-sorts Matteo Berrettini, Ons Jabeur ended Ajla Tomljanovic’s spirited run, Caroline Garcia’s aggressiveness saw her outgun Coco Gauff and Karen Khachanov withstood a spirited Nick Kyrgios fightback to edge past him in a deciding set beyond midnight New York time overnight.
Continue reading “Day 9 – US Open 2022: Ruud-Khachanov, Jabeur-Garcia semi-finals set after big QF wins for quartet”
Wimbledon quarterfinalist Ajla Tomljanovic held her nerve and a second-set fightback to silence the crowd and outlast 23-time Major champion Serena Williams in a gruelling battle lasting over three hours, ending the legend’s iconic singles career this weekend. Elsewhere, there was contrasting disappointment for Andy Murray and Jack Draper… Read on for more. Continue reading “US Open 2022: Big results unfold on Day 4-5; Tomljanovic ends Serena’s surge in three-set battle”
After beating Danka Kovinic on Monday night, retiring legend Serena Williams showed she’s still got a little left in the tank after overcoming a stunning set two fightback to outlast world no. 2 Anett Kontaveit 7-6, 2-6, 6-2. Hours later, 20-year-old Brit Jack Draper completed an impressive straight-sets win over last year’s semifinalist Felix Auger-Aliassime [6] on a busy third evening. Continue reading “US Open 2022: Serena ousts Kontaveit in three sets, Draper downs Auger-Aliassime and more on Day 3”
Four of the world’s top six, including the defending champion and 13-time tournament winner, are safely into Tuesday’s quarter-finals. Following straight-set victories for Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime pushed Rafael Nadal to the brink during a pulsating five-set encounter, before Carlos Alcaraz outsmarted Karen Khachanov in the night session.
Continue reading “French Open 2022: Djokovic-Nadal, Zverev-Alcaraz QFs set for Tuesday after contrasting wins”
After emerging unscathed through two qualifying rounds to reach the Dubai main draw, then beating both Marin Cilic and Roberto Bautista Agut (#8) in straight-sets, Jiri Vesely’s week went from commendable to masterful after an inspired showing against Novak Djokovic, winning 6-4, 7-6 (7-4) to knock the 20-time Grand Slam champion off his perch as the world’s best player. Continue reading “ATP Dubai: Vesely ousts Djokovic in quarters, Medvedev confirmed as new world no. 1”
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”
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