Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
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”
Novak Djokovic recovered from 5-2 down in set one and emerged without enduring a three-set battle against another determined Frenchman, setting up another intriguing clash with Denis Shapovalov. Coco Gauff avenged a defeat three years in the making, before Emma Raducanu tearfully withdrew after sustaining a freak ankle injury midway through her R2 match… Continue reading “Tennis: Djokovic, Gauff edge their way to tight victories while Raducanu retires with ankle injury”
21-time Major champion Novak Djokovic shrugged off a wrist injury to seize the 89th title of his career with a straight-sets victory against Marin Cilic in Tel Aviv last night, and now the 35-year-old ventures to Astana with US Open champion Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev among the top seeds this week. How will the Serb fare in a draw featuring the new world no. 1 and more?
Continue reading “Djokovic downs Cilic to clinch Tel Aviv title, Astana Open with Alcaraz and Medvedev awaits”
Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios produced some blistering tennis en route to a four-set win over defending champion Daniil Medvedev, before Frances Tiafoe did the same to earn his career-best result – extinguishing Rafael Nadal’s 22-match Slam winning streak to seal a quarter-final berth: the youngest American in the last-eight since Andy Roddick in 2004.
Continue reading “Day 7-8 – US Open 2022: Kyrgios blitzes Medvedev, Tiafoe topples Nadal in whirlwind 24 hours”
Having made the sixth Major semi-final of his career in Paris earlier this month, one of the tournament’s dark horses on the men’s side has quietly departed SW19 without hitting a ball: Marin Cilic [14] revealing he’s still unwell after a positive COVID test, so Portuguese lucky loser Nuno Borges will replace him in tomorrow’s R1 match against America’s Mackenzie McDonald. Continue reading “Wimbledon 2022: COVID-19 illness sees Marin Cilic withdraw, following injuries for Keys and Coric”
Rafael Nadal recovered from a potentially precarious 3-1 second set deficit, winning eleven consecutive games and losing just eight points across the course of a 30-minute set three as the 36-year-old closed out an impressive straight-sets victory (6-3, 6-3, 6-0) over first-time Major finalist Casper Ruud, making more history with a record-extending 14th Roland Garros title.
Continue reading “French Open: Nadal eases past first-time finalist Ruud, wins record-extending 14th RG trophy”
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”
Iga Swiatek, Kaia Kanepi and Stefanos Tsitsipas all had to recover from losing positions before punching their ticket into the Australian Open last-eight, after French veteran Alize Cornet stunned Simona Halep in three sets to reach her first Major quarter-final, on her 63rd attempt.
Continue reading “Australian Open 2022: Swiatek, Kanepi, Tsitsipas win ugly after Cornet makes history on Day 8”
British wildcard Emma Raducanu’s memorable week continued as she beat Romania’s Sorana Cirstea, while fellow teenager Coco Gauff punched her ticket into week two dropping just six games against Kaja Juvan. Nick Kyrgios (abdominal) retired vs. Felix Auger-Aliassime, before bullish title challenger Roger Federer ended Cam Norrie’s hopes in four sets on Super Saturday. Continue reading “Wimbledon 2021: Raducanu roars on, Kyrgios injured and Federer continues”
The pair, who featured in the Adria Tour, revealed they have tested positive for coronavirus. They travelled to Croatia and Serbia for Novak Djokovic’s charity-themed tournament, which was criticised after evidence of no social distancing. Continue reading “Grigor Dimitrov, Borna Coric reveal they’ve contracted COVID-19 after event”
Roger Federer has already revealed he’s keen to return at next year’s Wimbledon Grand Slam to defend his title, after a straight-sets victory over Marin Cilic in today’s final.
Mo and Sports 