SPORTS
Serena Locks Down to Beat Potapova and Reach Fourth Round
As news broke on Friday that Melbourne would head into a snap lockdown to contain an outbreak of COVID-19, Serena Williams was already on court at the Australian Open playing potentially her last match in front of crowds at the tournament.
It was a distraction neither Williams nor her opponent Anastasia Potapova would have wanted before their third round match at a Grand Slam that has been on high alert since it started on Monday.
Williams completed a 7-6(5) 6-2 win in the sunshine at Rod Laver Arena then gushed about her daughter Olympia learning tennis in the on-court interview, drawing cheers from fans.
“Actually, I didn’t know at all until the match was over.
I think it’s good that I didn’t know,” Williams later told reporters.“It’s rough. It’s going to be a rough few days for I think everyone. But we’ll hopefully get through it.”
The tournament will go on but Williams’s bid for a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam title will proceed without fans in the terraces for at least five days from Saturday.
Barring the home hero and world number one Ash Barty, Williams is arguably the hottest ticket in the women’s draw at Melbourne Park, where she has won seven titles.
“I feel like I’ve always had a great reaction from the Australian crowd, to be honest,” said the American.
“I’ve always felt like Australia has been a place I’ve always loved to play.”
Although it was not her best tennis on Friday, Williams gave the crowd ample suspense as she slumped to a 5-3 deficit in an error-strewn first set.
She survived two set points before getting the match back on serve when Potapova double-faulted.
From there, it was all on Williams’s terms.
If there was any doubt about her motivation to compete at the age of 39, it would have been crushed when, in one thrilling rally, she grinned broadly as she scrambled behind the baseline to retrieve a lob and flicked it over her head.
The shot landed in and bounced up nicely for Potapova but the Russian’s smash thudded into the net.
“I wouldn’t be in Australia if I didn’t love what I do,” said Williams, who will face seventh seed Aryna Sabalenka for a place in the quarter-finals.
“I think that love is one of the single greatest things in the world that you can have.
“It propels you to be your best in your job, whether it’s playing tennis or whether it’s doing something else.” (Reuters/NAN)
By Torough David, Abuja
D’Tigers power forward Chima Moneke has joined Serbian franchise Crvena Zvezda on a two-year deal from Spanish outfit Saskia Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz ahead of the new season.
The 29-year-old Nigerian takes his trade to Serbia following his impressive outing for Baskonia where he became one of Euro League’s most sought-after forwards.
He enjoyed a fruitful 2024/25 season with Baskonia in the Euro League, where he averaged 14. 0 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game, while shooting 64.5 per cent from two-point range and 81.3 per cent from the free-throw line.His average minutes per game stands at 28.2, making an average of 0.
88 steals and 0.27 blocks per game, though his turnover rate was recorded at 1.85 per fixture.Moneke was the subject of interest from other franchises before agreeing to join Zvezda following several rounds of negotiations. He will reportedly earn an annual salary of €1.7m euros per season in the Eastern European country.
Zvezda are currently embarking on an ambitious summer rebuild, with the aim of dominating both in the country and on the continental stage. They recently tied down their Greek head coach Ioannis Sfairopoulos to a new two-year deal, which will run until the end of the 2026/27 season.
Moneke has been on a nomadic journey ever since his arrival on the European basketball scene, though his rise has been swift and impressive. He was named MVP of the Basketball Champions League in the 2021/22 season and had a short spell in the NBA with the Sacramento Kings in the 2022/23 campaign.
He returned to Europe where he had a short stint with AS Monaco in early 2023, before landing at Baskonia, where he built a reputation as one of the league’s elite players.
 | ReplyReply allForwardAdd reaction |
By Torough David, Abuja
Champion jockey Oisin Murphy has been charged with drink driving and failing to co-operate with police after a car crash in April.
The 29-year-old was arrested after a grey Mercedes A Class crashed into a tree in Hermitage, Berkshire.
Thames Valley Police said he has been charged with one count of driving a motor vehicle while over the prescribed limit of alcohol and one count of failing to co-operate with a preliminary test at the roadside.
“The charge is in connection with a single vehicle road traffic collision around 12.05 BST on Sunday 27 April this year when a grey Mercedes A Class left the road and crashed into a tree,” police said in a statement.
Murphy, a four-time champion jockey, is due to appear at Reading Magistrates’ Court on 3 July.
He was charged on 19 June, the day he rode two winners at Royal Ascot.
A British Horseracing Authority statement read: “The BHA is aware of an update issued by Thames Valley Police this afternoon regarding Oisin Murphy.
“We are now seeking to gather as much information as possible in order to consider what, if any, implications there are as a result of this development.”
In October Murphy spoke about how he had been having counselling, saying it had helped him greatly.
He returned from a 14-month suspension in March 2023 having been banned for breaches of Covid-19 rules and twice failing racecourse breath tests for alcohol.
Former Nigerian international Sunday Oliseh has advised Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen to play in the Premier League if he wants to remain in the limelight.
The Galatasaray star has been a major transfer target for clubs in Europe and in the Saudi Football League this summer after his impressive display in the Turkish league.
Speaking with, the former Super Eagles head coach described Osimhen as a huge asset to Nigerian football.
“I think he (Osimhen) is a huge asset to Nigerian football. But like every top asset, we all have our shortcomings. We have to be able to find solutions and work around it,” Oliseh told Lagos Talks.
“This is a player that if he wants to continue to be in the limelight, he has to go to the Premier League.
“Nigerians want to see him there. He has been linked with Arsenal and Chelsea for a long time.
“But for him to play that way, for him to become that big, there are many things he has to change.”
SDP State Chairmen Back Gabam’s Suspension
ShareBy Mike Odiakose, Abuja State Chairmen of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) have declared full support for the suspension of...
Benue is Bleeding: The Demand for Justice by Benue Peoples in Diaspora Must be Heard
ShareBy Benue Diaspora Groups Deep in the heart of Nigeria’s North Central geo-political zone, precisely in Benue state, a humanitarian...
Anambra Guber: APC ’ll Deploy Grassroots-based Campaign to Sweep Poll – Ukachukwu
ShareTorough David, Abuja The Anambra All Progressive Congress (APC) said it will deploy a grassroots-based campaign strategy to sweep the...
INEC Resumes CVR in Anambra July 17, Nationwide Aug. 18
Share Torough David, Abuja The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said its Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) will resume in Anambra...
Diri Campaigns Against Drug Abuse, Trafficking
ShareFrom Mike Tayese, Yenagoa Bayelsa State Governor, Sen. Douye Diri yesterday, led a campaign against drug abuse and illicit trafficking...
Nigeria Can Lead Africa’s Economic Growth – CIoD
ShareThe outgoing President, Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria (CIoD), Alhaji Tijjani Borodo has expressed optimism that Nigeria will likely lead...
WTO DG Commends Nigeria Customs for Strides in Trade Modernization
ShareThe Director-General (D-G), World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for its remarkable...
Ally of Cameroon President, 92, Quits ‘Broken’ Government to Challenge Him
ShareIssa Tchiroma Bakary – a prominent minister and long-time ally of President Paul Biya – has quit Cameroon’s government, in...
Crash Kills 29 Pupils Taking Exams after Blast in Central Africa
ShareTorough David, Abuja Twenty-nine children who were taking their school exams in the Central African Republic have been killed in...
Zambia Raises Concern over Declining Donor Funding for Refugee Programme
ShareBy Torough David, Abuja The Zambian government has expressed concern over the continued decline in donor funding for the refugee...
Arabic
Chinese (Simplified)
Dutch
English
French
German
Italian
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish