Aryna Sabalenka relishes ‘much-needed’ tennis rivalry with Iga Swiatek

Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka spent eight weeks at the summit of the rankings last season and says reclaiming the world number one spot is one of her biggest goals. (AFP)

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Updated 09 October 2024

AFP

October 09, 2024 10:13

Aryna Sabalenka relishes ‘much-needed’ tennis rivalry with Iga Swiatek

Top-ranked Iga Swiatek is absent from the field in Wuhan and withdrew from the China swing after splitting with her coach
Sabalenka has a chance to close the gap on the Polish world number one with a strong run in Wuhan

Updated 09 October 2024

AFP

October 09, 2024 10:13

WUHA, China: World number two Aryna Sabalenka said Wednesday that she believes her rivalry with top-ranked Iga Swiatek is “much-needed” in women’s tennis.
The Belarusian advanced to the Wuhan Open third round with her 50th victory of the season, 6-4, 6-4 against Katerina Siniakova.
Swiatek is absent from the field in Wuhan and withdrew from the China swing after splitting with her coach of three years Tomasz Wiktorowski.
Sabalenka has a chance to close the gap on the Polish world number one with a strong run in Wuhan, with the battle for the top spot likely to come down to the wire at the season-ending championships in Riyadh next month.
“Having this rivalry with Iga is something big for tennis and something much-needed, I would say, in women’s tennis.
“To keep this competition going would be really good for tennis,” said Sabalenka, who will next face Yulia Putintseva in the last 16.
Sabalenka, 26, spent eight weeks at the summit of the rankings last season and says reclaiming the world number one spot is one of her biggest goals.
“I hope she’ll figure out the coach situation and she’ll be back in the finals in her best shape.
“Hopefully we can play against each other there in... a fight for world number one.”
Coco Gauff followed up her China Open title in Beijing on Sunday with a smooth 6-1, 6-2 win over Viktoriya Tomova.
Gauff has a seven-match win streak and faces 13th seed Marta Kostyuk in the last 16.
Kostyuk received a walkover after her opponent Amanda Anisimova withdrew with a left hip injury.
“Both mentally and physically I’m a little tired, if I’m being honest,” said Gauff. “But when I got on the court, I felt fine.
“How I approached Beijing, I was like, I want to approach this how I would play tennis as a kid.
“Sometimes I try to go back into that mindset and realize at the end of the day this is my dream now, and it was my dream as a kid.
“If I don’t want to do it for myself now, I can definitely do it for myself then.”
Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova crashed out to American qualifier and world number 102 Hailey Baptiste 6-3, 7-5 in just 94 minutes.
Seventh seed Krejcikova let a 3-1 lead slip in the opening set, as well as a 5-3 advantage in the second.
The 22-year-old Baptiste will next take on Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova for a place in the quarter-finals.

Topics: tennis Aryna Sabalenka Iga Swiatek

Football ‘world order’ is changing, says Brazil coach

Updated 37 sec ago

AFP

November 14, 2024 04:48

Football ‘world order’ is changing, says Brazil coach

Dorival Junior: The top teams haven’t had as much room to grow, while the teams at the bottom are starting to make interesting and big strides
After losing half of their initial eight games in South America, Brazil swung back to beat Chile and Peru and are fourth in the table with 16 points after 10 matches

Updated 37 sec ago

AFP

November 14, 2024 04:48

SAO PAOLO: The “world order” of football is shifting, Brazil’s coach Dorival Junior said ahead of a World Cup qualifier Thursday against Venezuela.

“I don’t think we’ll have an easy game. Forget Venezuela, Bolivia recently. Right now the world order is changing a lot,” Dorival said on Wednesday in the Brazilian city of Belem where the team were training.

While pressure has been alleviated by Brazil beating Chile (2-1) and Peru (4-0) in the October doubleheader, the 62-year-old coach warned they, like Argentina, had to recognize they earlier lost ground to previously easier opponents.

“South American football has grown a lot overall. If you look at the majority of the national lineups, you see players playing in teams all over the world, which wasn’t the case until recently,” he said.

“The top teams haven’t had as much room to grow, while the teams at the bottom are starting to make interesting and big strides. This is levelling things a lot and making the matches tighter contests.”

Brazil are still being forged under his watch, meaning their performance will “fluctuate” while that is being worked out, he said.

But Dorival said they were heading toward becoming a “safe,” “strong” and balanced team.

After a bad start in the qualifiers, losing half of their initial eight games in South America, Brazil swung back to beat Chile and Peru and are fourth in the table with 16 points after 10 matches. The top six South American teams directly qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Brazil sit six points behind current leaders Argentina.

Venezuela rank eighth in the table.

“We’re not in a totally favorable situation, we’re coming from behind... (but) we’re gaining a greater sense of greater structure in the team,” Dorival said.

After Friday’s game against Venezuela, Brazil are to play Uruguay next Tuesday.

Topics: Brazil Dorival Junior

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke earlier this month, is expected to make full recovery

Updated 14 November 2024

November 14, 2024 03:23

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke earlier this month, is expected to make full recovery

Popovich had the stroke on Nov. 2 at the arena where the Spurs play, the team said Wednesday
The team released no other details, including what aftereffects of the stroke — if any — that he is dealing with

Updated 14 November 2024

November 14, 2024 03:23

SAN ANTONIO: Basketball Hall of Famer Gregg Popovich is recovering from what the San Antonio Spurs described as a mild stroke, though there is no timetable for the NBA’s longest-tenured coach to return to the sideline.

Popovich had the stroke on Nov. 2 at the arena where the Spurs play, the team said Wednesday, and has already started a rehabilitation program with belief that he will make a full recovery. The team released no other details, including what aftereffects of the stroke — if any — that he is dealing with.

“It’s a difficult time for everyone,” Spurs general manager Brian Wright said. “Coach Pop has been the leader of this organization for the last three decades. We all have come across or know people that just have a different aura, a difference presence about them. Clearly, he’s one of those people. When we walk into the building each and every day, we feel that leadership, we feel that presence and so not having him there’s clearly a void. And we miss him.”

The 75-year-old Popovich is the NBA’s all-time win leader who has led the Spurs to five championships, plus guided USA Basketball to a gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. He is in his 29th season as coach of the Spurs.

“He’s doing well. He’s doing well. ... He’s tough, he’s a fighter and he’s going to work,” Wright said. “We’re all here for him, but he’s doing OK.”

Assistant coach Mitch Johnson has been the acting head coach in Popovich’s absence. The Spurs play at home Wednesday against Washington, and that will be the seventh straight game in which Johnson will be filling in for Popovich.

“Mitch has been great,” Spurs rookie Stephon Castle said Wednesday, before the team announced the details about Popovich’s health. “Even when Pop was here, he’s always had a voice in our huddles and in our locker room. Our philosophies haven’t been changed.”

A stroke happens when blood flow to part of the brain is blocked or if a blood vessel in the brain bursts. That deprives the brain of oxygen which can cause brain damage that can lead to difficulty thinking, talking and walking, or even death. Strokes may lead to difficulty speaking, paralysis or loss of movement in certain muscles, memory loss and more.

It is unknown if Popovich is dealing with any aftereffects of the stroke.

Stroke was the fourth leading cause of death in the US in 2023, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and more than half a million Americans have a stroke every year.

The Spurs were playing the Minnesota Timberwolves at home on Nov. 2, and Popovich’s medical episode occurred there in the hours before that game. Johnson took over for that night’s contest, which the Spurs won, after the team said Popovich was not feeling well.

Johnson and Popovich spoke on Nov. 3, and on Nov. 4 Johnson said Popovich is “in good spirits ... he’ll be OK. He is OK.” The Spurs had not released much in the way of details since, prior to Wednesday’s announcement about the stroke.

Wright raved about the way Johnson and the Spurs have bonded and dealt with the absence of the team’s leader.

“It’s exactly what Coach Pop would want us to do,” Wright said. “And so, it’s on all of us to play our part, to play our role, to continue to lean on each other, support one another and be there for one another.”

Popovich is one of only three coaches to win the NBA coach of the year award three times, Don Nelson and Pat Riley being the others. He’s one of five coaches with at least five NBA titles; Phil Jackson (11), Red Auerbach (9), John Kundla (5) and Riley (5) are the others.

Popovich has been part of the Spurs for nearly 35 years. He was an assistant coach from 1988 through 1992, then returned to the club on May 31, 1994, as its executive vice president for basketball operations and general manager. He made the decision to fire coach Bob Hill and appoint himself coach on Dec. 10, 1996.

He’s been the Spurs’ sideline boss ever since.

“We look forward to the day that we can welcome him back,” Wright said.

Popovich’s 29-year run with the Spurs is a span the likes of which has been nearly unmatched in US major pro sports history.

Connie Mack managed the Philadelphia Athletics for 50 years, George Halas coached the Chicago Bears for 40 years and John McGraw managed the New York Giants for 31 years. Those three tenures — all wrapping up well over a half-century ago — are the only ones exceeding Popovich’s run with the Spurs; his 29-year era in San Antonio to this point matches the tenures that Dallas Cowboys’ Tom Landry and the Green Bay Packers’ Curly Lambeau had in those jobs.

Topics: Gregg Popovich san antonio spurs basketball

Lyon and Chelsea stay perfect in Women’s Champions League

Updated 14 November 2024

AFP

November 14, 2024 01:33

Lyon and Chelsea stay perfect in Women’s Champions League

Updated 14 November 2024

AFP

November 14, 2024 01:33

PARIS: Lyon beat Roma 3-0 to maintain their 100 percent record in Group A of the Women’s Champions League on Wednesday, while Wolfsburg thrashed Galatasaray to pick up their first points.
In Group B, Chelsea came from behind against Celtic to preserve their perfect record and Real Madrid put seven past Twente.
Record eight-time winners Lyon traveled to the Italian capital with both sides level at the top of the group on two wins apiece.
Melchie Dumornay’s first-half brace put the French side firmly in control, her second coming three minutes before the interval via an audacious chip from inside the center circle.
Vanessa Gilles poked in from close range in the 52nd minute to rubber-stamp an authoritative performance by Joe Montemurro’s side.
Wolfsburg, the 2013 and 2014 Champions League winners, started their latest campaign with back-to-back defeats against Lyon and Roma — leaving them third in Group A with no goals scored and in real danger of elimination.
Their 5-0 win in Istanbul keeps them third place, three points behind Roma in second.
“We want to get out of the group by working hard and doing our best for the (three) remaining matches,” said Wolfsburg forward Rebecka Blomqvist.
“We are in a very tough group. But we also have the power to achieve this.”
Defender Joelle Wedemeyer’s 24th-minute header from a corner gave the Germans the lead. Blomqvist tapped in on 63 minutes to double the advantage.
The Swedish striker stroked home a third for the team with 13 minutes remaining and then rounded off her hat-trick six minutes into added time.
Vivien Endemann smashed home a fifth for Wolfsburg in the 97th minute.
“We are very happy with the result,” added Blomqvist. “I am proud to show my best out on the pitch. It’s great to contribute to the team.”
A third successive defeat in three outings leaves the Turks bottom of the table with just one goal scored and 14 conceded.
At Parkhead, Chelsea moved to nine points with a 2-1 victory over winless Celtic.
The hosts took a surprise lead with just over 20 minutes gone when Murphy Agnew raced through and lifted a finish past goalkeeper Zecira Musovic.
It took the English champions only six minutes to respond, first through Maika Hamano in the 28th minute and then Ashley Lawrence tucked home a rebound four minutes later.
Chelsea were unable to kill off the match in the second half but succeeded nonetheless in holding Celtic at arm’s length to see out a narrow victory, despite Aggie Beever-Jones picking up a second yellow card deep in injury time.
Real Madrid strolled past Dutch side Twente with a 7-0 win in Spain.
Signe Bruun opened the scoring in the third minute, before center-half Maria Mendez nodded in her first goal in European football 13 minutes later.
Naomie Feller guided in a third on 50 minutes and Caroline Weir soon after curled an unstoppable free-kick over the wall and into the top corner.
Mendez then doubled her tally in the competition with a second header from a corner three minutes after the hour, before Oihane Hernandez and Carla Camacho completed the rout.
The Spaniards sit second in the group with six points.

Topics: Lyon Chelsea UEFA Women’s Champions League

Kane disappointed by England Nations League withdrawals

Updated 13 November 2024

AFP

November 13, 2024 22:50

Kane disappointed by England Nations League withdrawals

The Bayern Munich forward said it was a “shame” that so many players had withdrawn
“It’s a tough period of the season and maybe that’s been taken advantage of a little bit”

Updated 13 November 2024

AFP

November 13, 2024 22:50

LONDON: Harry Kane says he is disappointed by the high number of withdrawals from the England squad this week, insisting the national team must come first.
The Euro 2024 runners-up head to Greece for Thursday’s must-win Nations League match before a Wembley meeting with Ireland on Sunday.
But interim boss Lee Carsley’s final camp, before the arrival of Thomas Tuchel as the new manager, has been hit by an eye-watering eight pull-outs.
The situation has frustrated Kane, who will lead the side out at the Olympic Stadium in Athens knowing key players are absent for a match they must win to stand a chance of automatic promotion.
Asked if there was one thing former manager Gareth Southgate put in place that senior players need to ensure is not lost, the striker told ITV: “I think the joy to play for England. I think he brought that back.
“I think every camp people were excited to come, every camp people wanted to play for England and, yeah, that’s the most important thing.
“I think England comes before anything. England comes before club.”
The Bayern Munich forward said it was a “shame” that so many players had withdrawn.
“It’s a tough period of the season and maybe that’s been taken advantage of a little bit,” he said.
“I don’t really like it if I’m totally honest. I think England comes before anything, any club situation.”
Eight players withdrew from Carsley’s initial 26-man squad for the Nations League double-header including Declan Rice, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka and Cole Palmer.
Jarrad Branthwaite was among five players brought into the squad but the Everton center-back is a major doubt, having been unable to train with the group so far.

Topics: UEFA Nations League England Greece Harry Kane

Alcaraz beats Rublev to open ATP Finals account

Updated 13 November 2024

AFP

November 13, 2024 18:40

Alcaraz beats Rublev to open ATP Finals account

World number three Alcaraz comfortably defeated Rublev to lift himself off the bottom of the John Newcombe Group
“I could be better, I’m not going to lie,” said Alcaraz on court after beating Rublev

Updated 13 November 2024

AFP

November 13, 2024 18:40

TURIN: Carlos Alcaraz opened his account at the ATP Finals on Wednesday with an entertaining 6-3, 7-6 (10/8) win over Andrey Rublev which boosted his hopes of reaching the semifinals.
World number three Alcaraz comfortably defeated Rublev to lift himself off the bottom of the John Newcombe Group and looked in much better form despite struggling with fatigue and illness in the lead-up to the match.
There had been some doubt as to whether Alcaraz, who lost his opening match in straight sets to Casper Ruud, would continue in Turin after quickly ending his training session on Tuesday, with his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero saying that he had trouble breathing.
“I could be better, I’m not going to lie,” said Alcaraz on court after beating Rublev.
“I’ve been struggling with my health the last week and today I thought I was going to feel better. I was OK to play, but thinking about the first match I was thinking a lot about that I was sick, that I couldn’t play.
“Today I really wanted to step on the court and just think about tennis, try to play a high level... When I played the first match I felt like I did not entertain the people, I did not play good tennis.”
Alcaraz, who has won the Wimbledon and French Open titles this season, cruised to the first set in 38 minutes, breaking Rublev in game seven and quickly winning the next two to go one set ahead.
And although the Spaniard had a harder time of it in the second set he delighted the spectators with a series of spectacular shots which suggested he might be approaching his best form.
Alcaraz winning in straight sets means that Ruud will reach the semifinals if he beats two-time Finals champion Alexander Zverev in the day’s late match.
Rublev meanwhile drops to last place after losing his sixth straight Finals match, although he put up a battle and had two opportunities to win the second set.
The Russian will be cheering on Zverev later as he will be eliminated should Ruud win and secure passage to the knockout stage.
On Thursday world number one Jannik Sinner will reach the last four if he claims a single set against Daniil Medvedev, and will top the Ilie Nastase Group with a third straight win.

Topics: Carlos Alcaraz Andrey Rublev ATP World Tour

Aryna Sabalenka relishes ‘much-needed’ tennis rivalry with Iga Swiatek

Aryna Sabalenka relishes ‘much-needed’ tennis rivalry with Iga Swiatek

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Football ‘world order’ is changing, says Brazil coach

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Spurs coach Gregg Popovich had a stroke earlier this month, is expected to make full recovery

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Lyon and Chelsea stay perfect in Women’s Champions League

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Kane disappointed by England Nations League withdrawals

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Alcaraz beats Rublev to open ATP Finals account

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Aryna Sabalenka relishes ‘much-needed’ tennis rivalry with Iga Swiatek

Aryna Sabalenka relishes ‘much-needed’ tennis rivalry with Iga Swiatek

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