Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Casper Ruud was pushed into a five-set battle on day one, while #29 seed Linda Noskova became the first seed to fall as heavy rain proved an ever-present theme on Day 1 of this year’s Australian Open tournament, headlined by straightforward straight-set victories for defending champion Aryna Sabalenka and men’s dark horse Alexander Zverev in the night session on Rod Laver Arena. Continue reading “AUS OPEN 25: Sabalenka, Zverev smiling into second-round as Major underway”
There’s just something about Thanasi Kokkinakis in Australia, especially his Adelaide home city, that brings out the electricity and justifies why there has always been optimism about his top-30 potential even now at age 28. He acknowledged as much after a thrilling three-hour victory over the tournament’s eight seed in Tomas Martin Etcheverry (7-5, 4-6, 7-6). Continue reading “Thanasi thrills! Kokkinakis keeps producing moments, this time in Adelaide”
Taylor Fritz had an interesting line post-match after a seemingly straightforward 6-4, 6-4 win over China’s Zhizhen Zheng in the United Cup, saying: “I started to believe my average level would be enough to beat many top guys, feeling back in the flow again from the end of last season,” an ominous sign given how well he was performing in the second-half of 2024. Continue reading “United Cup: Fritz feeling in the groove, Rybakina to watch as AO prep continues”
Emma Raducanu endured an unpredictable start en route to a 7-6, 6-3 win over Mexican lucky loser Renata Zarazúa, as the 2021 US Open champion made a successful Centre Court return on a busy opening day packed with high-profile injury-enforced withdrawals – a trio of seeded women, including Australian Open titleholder Aryna Sabalenka. Plus, it’s likely there are more to come… Continue reading “Wimbledon 2024: Sabalenka, Azarenka among withdrawals as Raducanu prevails”
Andy Murray’s final hurrah – injury permitting – Novak Djokovic testing his limits again less than a month after knee surgery, new world no. 1 Jannik Sinner looking to unseat defending champion Carlos Alcaraz while Emma Raducanu and Katie Boulter fly the Brits’ flag in an intriguing women’s draw. Will any Americans make some noise? How about youngsters with little to lose? Continue reading “Wimbledon 2024: Draw analysis as SW19 beckons again with storylines brewing”
First-time finalist Jasmine Paolini was aggressive in threatening an early scare, breaking Iga Swiatek to lead 2-1 as the Pole sprayed some uncharacteristic errors. Yet she responded precisely as you’d expect the world no. 1 to on her favourite surface: 10 straight games banked en route to another straight-sets French Open final victory – three straight titles in Paris and fifth Major overall.
Continue reading “Iga imperious to sweep another French Open title vs. first-time finalist Paolini”
Mirra Andreeva celebrated her 17th birthday on Madrid clay by earning a quarter-final berth at a Masters 1000 tournament for the first time, backing up her second career top-10 win – over Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova – with a similarly gritty victory to knock out Jasmine Paolini 24 hours later. Continue reading “Birthday girl Andreeva’s maturity in Madrid a welcome sign for years to come”
Today marks one month since Coco Gauff clinched her first Major title, and it felt fitting that career-best achievement came at her home Grand Slam tournament too – against the new world no. 1 in Aryna Sabalenka, from a set down no less. Having reeled off a series of gritty victories during last month’s event and since reaching the Beijing semifinals this past week, here’s a look at how the teenager reached the mountain top six months before her 20th birthday. Continue reading “One month on: Coco Gauff’s US Open triumph, and how she managed such a feat”
Swiss qualifier Dominic Stricker and Zhizhen Zhang produced some nerveless tennis when it mattered, en route to career-best victories against two-time Major finalist Stefanos Tsitsipas and Casper Ruud – who reached last year’s final – punching their ticket into round three with aplomb. Elsewhere, Novak Djokovic and Caroline Wozniacki won in contrasting conditions on Day 3. Continue reading “US Open 2023: Tsitsipas and 2022 finalist Ruud stunned in five sets on frantic Day 3”
It was a bittersweet day as two players enjoying career-best Wimbledon runs had them cut short via injury against a defending champion and former world no. 1 respectively, while Christopher Eubanks continued his inspiring run with a rousing five-set victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas and the 27-year-old’s compatriot recovered from a set and 4-1 down to end a talented teenager’s run elsewhere.
Continue reading “Wimbledon 2023: Haddad Maia + Lehecka retire injured, Eubanks stuns Tsitsipas”
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”
After consecutive night sessions fell flat, Gael Monfils relished his role as the party starter on home soil and recovered from a seemingly improbable position to beat Sebastian Baez in a near four-hour thriller on Philippe-Chatrier. Casper Ruud and Alexander Zverev both won clean while world no. 2 Daniil Medvedev was stunned by Brazil’s 23-year-old Thiago Seyboth Wild. Read on, for more… Continue reading “French Open 2023: Monfils-Baez exceeds expectations as Day 3 full of surprises”
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