Analysis, features, news plus more – on European football and sports galore!
Jannik Sinner’s uneasy wait continues after WADA appealed his exoneration following two positive drug tests and now, five-time Major champion Iga Swiatek has accepted a one-month suspension after testing positive for heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) – the ITIA accepting contamination of a non-prescription medication (melatonin) she’d taken for jet lag and sleep issues. Continue reading “Iga Swiatek accepts one-month ban after testing positive for drug trimetazidine”
Germany survived an inspired Alex de Minaur singles display to punch their ticket into the United Cup finals, where they’ll play last year’s semifinalists Poland overnight. Elsewhere, a rematch of last season’s Australian Open final serves as just one of three intriguing finals across Australia and New Zealand on both tours as the warm-up events before the year’s maiden Major hot up. Continue reading “Poland vs. Germany to decide United Cup as Sabalenka-Rybakina, Gauff-Svitolina and Rune-Dimitrov finals set elsewhere”
USA vs. Italy awaits in the United Cup final after both nations took care of business. Coco Gauff faces Spanish qualifier Rebeka Masarova in tomorrow’s finale, while Tallon Griekspoor became a first-time ATP tour-level titlist with a recovery win over Benjamin Bonzi. Elsewhere, Sebastian Korda’s steady tennis helped him book a final berth, but not before witnessing an emotional outburst – while Novak Djokovic bested Daniil Medvedev despite weathering an injury scare. Continue reading “USA vs. Italy sealed for United Cup final, Gauff-Masarova and Djokovic-Korda finals plus more”
Jessica Pegula ended a four-match losing streak against the world no. 1, while Martina Trevisan played spoiler to sting Greece as the United Cup semi-finals got underway. Elsewhere, there were big wins for Sebastian Korda and Linda Noskova, while two first-time finalists will play each other in Pune. It’s always fun to get a Djokovic-Medvedev matchup too, right? Continue reading “USA and Italy lead in United Cup semis, Noskova-Jabeur and Djokovic-Medvedev confirmed”
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”
Casper Ruud earned a solitary win for Norway while Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz finished with a flourish. Paula Badosa didn’t have it all her own way, spluttering a whopping 12 double-faults before suffering with cramp, yet eventually recovered from the brink to overpower Britain’s Harriet Dart in an exhausting three-hour encounter to keep Spain’s qualification hopes alive. Continue reading “United Cup: Ruud, Otte and Hurkacz win while Badosa outlasts Dart in three-hour tussle”
Olivier Giroud surpassed Thierry Henry to top the all-time goalscoring charts for France, scoring against a former teammate in goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny no less, before Kylian Mbappe’s second-half brace ended Poland’s fading hopes of a late comeback. Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski scored a retaken penalty late, on what could be his last World Cup appearance. Continue reading “France 3-1 Poland: Giroud breaks all-time record, Mbappe’s second-half brace puts Poles to the sword”
Stefanos Tsitsipas (#4) is a doubt to feature in this month’s Australian Open, after a flare up of the elbow injury which needed surgery in November during ATP Cup action to kick off 2022. He withdrew from a scheduled group stage match vs. Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz, watching with a heavily strapped elbow revealing it was a precautionary step to “ensure I make Melbourne.” Continue reading “Australian Open 2022: Stefanos Tsitsipas’ elbow flare-up a concern as Slam nears”
Unsurprisingly, the media have had a field day with suggestions that he’s a perfect player for the Gunners considering he failed to convert under pressure – but the 23-year-old was excellent throughout the tournament and made little fuss in a defensive-minded midfield position.
Mo and Sports 