New York, United States | AFP | A Japanese dream duo of Naomi Osaka and Kei Nishikori could come together for mixed doubles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. World number one Osaka, the reigning US and Australian Open champion, and Nishikori, the 2014 US Open runner-up ranked seventh in the world, could …
Read More »CAF Champions League: KCCA FC eject Namibia’s African Stars FC
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Two second half goals by Mustafa Kizza and Allan Okello were enough to help KCCA FC defeat visiting African Stars FC from Namibia in a CAF Champions League return match played at the StarTimes stadium yesterday. The result means KCCA FC advance to the …
Read More »Serena chases record 24th Slam as Osaka, Halep eye US Open
New York, United States | AFP | Serena Williams has the US Open spotlight as she chases tennis history, but a host of Grand Slam winners and high-ranked rivals are also taking aim at the title. The 37-year-old American will be the focus of attention when the Flushing Meadows fortnight begins …
Read More »Solskjaer to give Pogba another chance from the penalty spot
Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has refused to name a Manchester United penalty taker despite the furore that followed Paul Pogba’s miss from the spot against Wolves on Monday that cost the Red Devils top spot in the Premier League. The United manager was criticised after …
Read More »Wan-Bissaka embodies bright start by youthful Man Utd
Manchester, United Kingdom | AFP | Manchester United’s acquisition of Aaron Wan-Bissaka for £50 million ($61 million) in June raised eyebrows for a right-back with fewer than half a century of senior appearances in a far less pressurised environment at Crystal Palace. But the opening two games of the Premier League …
Read More »Off to a slow start — can Kompany revive Anderlecht’s fortunes?
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | Vincent Kompany might have been seen as the saviour when he returned to Anderlecht as player-manager, but early results suggest it will take time for the 33-year-old to make his mark on Belgium’s most successful club. Anderlecht caused a sensation when they announced in May the …
Read More »Troubled Barcelona look to Messi for inspiration
Madrid, Spain | AFP | Lionel Messi could be ready to play against Real Betis on Sunday and Barcelona could do with him back. In other circumstances, Messi might have left it another week, having missed the whole of pre-season with a calf injury he sustained in his first training session …
Read More »Henry’s desire to succeed as manager undimmed by Monaco misery
London, United Kingdom | AFP | France football legend Thierry Henry is keen for another chance to prove he can be a successful manager despite his unhappy brief tenure at Ligue 1 side Monaco. The 42-year-old — Arsenal’s record goalscorer — told the Daily Telegraph that although his phone did not …
Read More »Finished at 23, eSports players peer nervously into retirement
Shanghai, China | AFP | As the first generation of professional gamers enters retirement, eSports is forced to confront a vexed question: after years spent killing rivals in a virtual world, what next? It is a quandary that comes far earlier than in most sports — in the most frenzied eSports …
Read More »Micho speaks out, laments about ‘terrible week’ in South Africa
Cairo, Egypt | THE INDEPENDENT | Serb coach Milutin “Micho” Sredojevic has spoken out for the first time about ‘a terrible week’ that forced his shock departure from Orland Pirates. He said he ready to bounce back ike a ‘fish in water’, on the football field. The new Zamalek coach …
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