Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Four-time Major champion Naomi Osaka marked her competitive return after a 15-month break with a straight-sets win – 6-3, 7-6 (11-9) over Germany’s Tamara Korpatsch, as the new mother navigated through some nerves closing out her first-round clash. Up next is a sixth H2H meeting with Karolina Pliskova [16] in the early hours on Wednesday, where a tricky section of the draw lingers. Continue reading “WTA Brisbane: Naomi Osaka returns with straight-sets victory vs. Tamara Korpatsch”
Whether 2024 proves the final season in an illustrious career for the Spaniard, only he and his body can decide that. However, 22-time Major champion Rafael Nadal has confirmed he will end a year-long layoff after a troublesome hip injury in Brisbane next month as the field across both tours intensifies at one of four 250 events in the country before the Australian Open begins on January 14. Continue reading “Brisbane International: Nadal marks his injury return to join ever-growing field”
Two champions, with seven Major titles between them at different stages of their respective careers, are poised to return at the United Cup (Dec. 29 – Jan. 7) after a year-long absence as both were pregnant with their first children – Kerber giving birth to daughter Liana in February, while Osaka welcomed baby girl Shai five months later. Now, they’ll ramp up training over the coming weeks before travelling down under in December to kick off an intriguing 2024 season. Continue reading “Osaka and Kerber set to return at United Cup over the new year, entry list reveals”
Ajla Tomljanovic, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist in consecutive seasons, has announced she won’t feature at SW19 this year as the year’s third Major comes too soon to return from a persistent knee injury that has stopped her from competing in any events this term. Elsewhere, the women’s defending champion Elena Rybakina remains a doubt after an Eastbourne withdrawal. Continue reading “Wimbledon 2023: Tomljanovic remains out with knee issue, Rybakina’s virus persists”
Defending champion Emma Raducanu fought hard, but was undone on her Flushing Meadows return by Alize Cornet’s devastating drop shots and masterful defensive skills. Elsewhere, Rafael Nadal recovered to overwhelm 21-year-old Australian wildcard Rinky Hijikata after Iga Swiatek, Carlos Alcaraz, Aryna Sabalenka and Hubert Hurkacz were all comfortable winners on Day 2.
Continue reading “US Open 2022: Swiatek and Nadal progress, Slam champs Raducanu and Rybakina ousted on Day 2”
Emma Raducanu showed great resiliency to prevail after two tight sets against Camila Osorio, advancing into the Washington quarter-finals where she’ll play again tonight, while there were memorable returns to action for Wimbledon runner-up Ons Jabeur and world no. 4 Paula Badosa in San Jose yesterday – the latter faces Naomi Osaka’s conqueror Coco Gauff next. Continue reading “Raducanu shows her mettle, Badosa and Jabeur win on their post-Wimbledon return”
Carlos Alcaraz continues to cruise past ATP records in Hamburg with his inspired play, Dominic Thiem finally has some encouraging form under his belt after lengthy injury woes and Olympic champion Alexander Zverev – who the Austrian beat to the US Open title in 2020 – remains cautious as he recovers from ankle surgery. Read that and more, in this tennis news round-up. Continue reading “Tennis round-up: Alcaraz inspires, Thiem’s timely progress, Zverev injury update & more”
There were routine R1 wins for the sport’s two world no. 1s, sandwiched between a welcome return for the King of Clay. Elsewhere, the women’s defending titlist was stunned by a determined Frenchwoman on home soil, before two Major winners almost 15 years apart in age both showed steely resilience, recovering from precarious situations to seal their R2 berths. Continue reading “French Open 2022: Swiatek, Nadal, Djokovic all progress; Krejcikova, Kontaveit ousted”
Paula Badosa and Barbora Krejcikova’s contrasting three-set wins continued their career-best Australian Open runs, on a day full of surprises. Elsewhere, defending champion Naomi Osaka had two match points on her racquet but tightened up and lost against Amanda Anisimova after Matteo Berrettini [7] was pushed to a deciding set tiebreak by rising star Carlos Alcaraz. Continue reading “Australian Open 2022: Badosa, Krejcikova win three-set battles to kick off action-packed Day 5”
After an easy R1 match, Wimbledon titlist Ashleigh Barty also breezed past Italian qualifier Lucia Bronzetti. Elsewhere in the women’s draw, some intriguing R3 matches are set after comfortable victories for Paula Badosa (#8) and Victoria Azarenka (#24). Meanwhile 20-time Major champion Rafael Nadal had to work hard but still emerged as the challenges intensify.
Continue reading “Australian Open 2022: Barty and Badosa ease into R3, Nadal tested on lowkey Day 3”
On an opening day overshadowed by news confirming defending champion Novak Djokovic had been deported after his visa was once again cancelled, there were big wins for American duo Sebastian Korda and Madison Keys among others — the former edged past 2020 winner Sofia Kenin (#11) in two tight sets, while Korda bested Indian Wells champion Cameron Norrie. Continue reading “Australian Open 2022: Djokovic deported, Jabeur injured, Coco and Cam knocked out on Day 1”
After beating France’s Alize Cornet in her first match of the new year earlier today, Australian Open defending champion Naomi Osaka spoke about her desire to focus on her mental health this upcoming season – while revealing she cared too much about results and rankings. Continue reading “Naomi Osaka focusing on having fun, admits overly caring about results and rankings”
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