SPORTS
Medvedev Stuns Alcaraz to Set up Sinner Final
Daniil Medvedev brought an end to world number one Carlos Alcaraz’s perfect start to 2026 to reach the final at Indian Wells.
Alcaraz began the year by winning the Australian Open and was on a 16-match winning streak until running into Medvedev.
The Russian made a quick start, taking the opening set in 35 minutes, en route to a 6-3 7-6 (7-3) victory in California.
The 30-year-old, who has finished runner-up at the California event on two occasions, will face Jannik Sinner after the world number two caught the eye with a 6-2 6-4 win over Alexander Zverev earlier in the day.
“It’s an amazing feeling to beat someone like Carlos – the number one in the world,” said Medvedev.
“In a way, when you play him or Jannik [Sinner] or Novak [Djokovic] it doesn’t matter the ranking.
“It’s just a great feeling to play them, and to beat them, of course, is even better.”
Medvedev took both break-point opportunities in the first set, before battling to victory via a tie-break in the second.
The 2021 US Open champion, who beat defending champion Jack Draper in the quarter-finals, extended his own winning streak to nine matches after taking last month’s Dubai Tennis Championship title.
“I just have to give credit to Daniil,” said Alcaraz.
“I think he just played an amazing match. Since the start of the match until the end of the match, he was playing unreal, I got to say. I have never seen, to be honest, playing Daniil like this.”
Sinner has won 21 of his 24 titles on hard courts and looked on top form as he raced to victory against Zverev in one hour and 23 minutes.
The 24-year-old is aiming to become just the third man – after Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic – to capture all six ATP Masters 1,000 hard-court titles.
“It was a great performance – very solid from the back of the court. I tried to go for shots and that felt like one of the keys,” Sinner said.
“He has a huge serve so I tried to mix it up. From my side I was very precise and it was a solid performance.
“I thought the match would be more physical but when both serve well it’s difficult to get into a rhythm with short points.”
Sinner has endured a frustrating start to 2026, failing to reach a final prior to this event, but was inspired as he attempts to land what by his standards is perhaps an overdue title.
It was in the first set where the mental damage was done as the Italian, who has now won seven of his 11 meetings with Zverev, dropped just four points on serve and broke twice.
Zverev struggled to find rhythm on serve in the opening set and Sinner made him pay – winning six of the eight second-serve return points.
The German, 28, stood firm to save three break points in the opening service game of the second set, but he was ultimately broken to trail 4-3 with the remainder of the match staying on serve.
Nigeria’s Super Falcons will find out their opponents for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games women’s football qualifiers this week.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Tuesday that the draw for the African qualifying series will take place on Wednesday at its headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 12 noon and will be streamed live on CAF TV.
A total of 35 national teams, including Super Falcons will participate in the qualifiers, which will be played over five rounds.
The other countries are; Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Comoros, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guinea.
Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Seychelles, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe are the other countries that will take part in the qualifiers.
Two teams will earn Africa’s slots at the women’s football tournament of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
The Super Falcons and Copper Queens of Zambia represented the continent at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.
The Lagos Boxing Hall of Fame (LBHF) monthly tournament returns on Saturday, celebrating founder Wale Edun’s 70th birthday marked on Monday, April 20.
“This special edition honours our founder’s enduring legacy,” said Mr David Mohamed, LBHF Director, in a statement issued on Thursday.
The tournament will be held at Agege Stadium in Lagos State.
Founded in 2010 by Edun, LBHF is widely regarded as Nigeria’s and Africa’s longest-running amateur boxing tournament.
Until Tuesday, Edun was the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, before resigning his post on health grounds.
“The initiative provides a platform for young boxers to train and gain exposure,” Mohamed said, noting its role in grassroots boxing development.
As a non-profit organisation, LBHF has nurtured talents who have achieved national and international success.
“This edition doubles as a tribute to Edun, whose vision has shaped many boxing careers,” Mohamed added.
Action begins with Fatade Juwon facing Abiodun Yusuf in the men’s 50kg category.
Tajudeen Yekini will then confront Adele Faruq in the 55kg division.
In the men’s 60kg category, Tajudeen Rasheed meets Ogunleye Aliazeem, while Mosuru Adedeji battles Innocent Prosper.
Exhibition bouts will feature Princess Adeola against Zainab Ibrahim in the women’s 28kg category, and Adeseye Kalid versus Saliu Razak in the men’s 34kg division.
The sole women’s main-card clash will see Oluwatoyin Amirat face Aminashaun Raheemo in the 48kg division.
Wahab Ramadan will meet Lawal Opeyemi in the men’s 70kg bout, before Makinde Mohamed faces Ibadiaro Idris in the 75kg category.
The event concludes with Lawal Mohammed against Oluwapo Oluwaseun in the men’s 80kg title bout.
Over the years, LBHF has developed talents like Taiwo “Esepo” Agbaje, producing fighters who have represented Nigeria with distinction.
“This celebration reinforces our mission to sustain boxing as a pathway for young Nigerians,” Mohamed said.
English and Italian football giants Manchester City, Chelsea, Inter Milan and Juventus will square up for pre-season friendlies in Hong Kong in August, the clubs announced yesterday.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, currently arm-wrestling Arsenal for the Premier League title, will take on Inter Milan on Saturday, August 1, spearheaded by their Norwegian goal machine Erling Haaland.
The match will kick off the “Hong Kong Football Festival” at the city’s futuristic 50,000-seat Kai Tak stadium.
The gleaming arena opened a year ago, featuring a roof that can be closed and air-conditioning to combat the fierce summer heat and humidity in Hong Kong.
Chelsea will play Juventus on Wednesday August 5 to round off the mini-tournament.
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