SPORTS
Ousts Halep to Reach US Open Quarterfinals
Ukraine’s fifth-seeded Elina Svitolina defeated two-time major winner Simona Halep at the US Open on Sunday, advancing to her eighth Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Svitolina, coming off a WTA title in Chicago, stretched her win streak to nine matches by dispatching the Romanian 12th seed 6-3, 6-3 at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“Definitely was a great match,” Svitolina said.
“I was really excited. I know how big a fighter is Simona. I had to bring my best game. For sure I’m happy with the win.”Svitolina, who hasn’t dropped a set this week, made her deepest Slam runs to the 2019 US Open and Wimbledon semifinals.
Svitolina will next play either German 16th seed Angelique Kerber, whose three Grand Slam titles include the 2016 US Open, or 18-year-old Canadian Leylah Fernandez, who ousted 2020 champion Naomi Osaka.
Seven of the top nine women’s seeds reached the last 16 with Osaka and top-ranked Wimbledon champion Ashleigh Barty exiting early.
After an exchange of early breaks, Svitolina broke on an errant backhand in the eighth game and held to claim the opening set after 34 minutes.
Former world number one Halep, the 2018 French Open and 2019 Wimbledon champion, netted a backhand to give Svitolina a break for a 2-1 edge but broke back in the next game with a backhand cross-court winner.
Svitolina, a week shy of her 27th birthday, broke to lead 4-3 when Halep netted a backhand, held to 5-3 and broke again for the victory after 76 minutes when Halep netted a backhand.
“Definitely I have goosebumps right now,” Svitolina said.
Russian second seed Daniil Medvedev will face British 24th seed Daniel Evans for a quarter-final berth.
Medvedev, the 2021 Australian Open and 2019 US Open runner-up, has not dropped a set in New York while Evans has matched his best Grand Slam run from the 2017 Australian Open.
With only nine seeds among the men’s last 16, it’s the fewest seeds to advance so far at a Slam since nine at Wimbledon in 2013 and at a US Open since eight in 2005.
Argentine 11th seed Diego Schwartzman faced 117th-ranked Dutch qualifier Botic Van de Zandschulp, a US Open debutante in his deepest Grand Slam run, for a quarter-final berth.
Van de Zandschulp would be the first Dutchman in a Slam quarter-final since 2004 at Wimbledon and at the US Open since 2003.
He would also match the best showing by any US Open qualifier, last-eight runs by Frenchman Nicolas Escude in 1999 and Gilles Muller of Luxembourg in 2008.
Spanish 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz, who upset Greek third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas, will face 141st-ranked German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk in a later match.
Alcaraz or Gojowczyk will have a quarterfinal against either Canadian 12th seed Felix Auger-Aliassime or American Frances Tiafoe, with one of the four assured of playing his first Grand Slam semi-final.
Alcaraz would be the youngest US Open men’s quarterfinalist since Brazilian Thomaz Koch in 1963.
Second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus, who made a Slam-best run to July’s Wimbledon semifinals, will meet Belgian 15th seed Elise Mertens in a later match. Mertens seeks a third straight US Open quarterfinal.
Czech eighth seed Barbora Krejcikova, the reigning French Open champion, will play Spanish ninth seed Garbine Muguruza, a two-time Grand Slam champion, in the first Grand Slam meeting of top-10 WTA players since last year’s Australian Open.
The US Open is the only Slam where Muguruza has failed to reach
Nasarawa United Football Club of Lafia on Saturday defeated Lobi Stars of Makurdi 1-0 in a pulsating North Central derby.
The matchday 16 fixture of the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premiere Football League (NPFL) was played at the Lafia Township Stadium, Nasarawa State capital.
The Makurdi side had adopted the Lafia Township Stadium as their home ground for the 2024/2025 NPFL season.
The only goal of the match was scored by Qamar Adegoke in the 12th minute of the match to give all three points to the Lafia side.
Adegoke’s goal, who joined the Lafia team recently, was his second in four matches.
The Nasarawa attacker capitalised on a defensive error by the opponent’s backline and hit the back of the net to give Nasarawa United the advantage.
In a post-match interview, Kabir Dogo, Technical Adviser of Nasarawa United, hailed his players for taking all three points.
He explained that his team had improved by scoring five goals in their last three matches and expressed optimism that they would do better in subsequent games.
“We had a problem in the area of goal scoring in the past, but this has changed in our last three games,” he said.
With the win, Nasarawa United climbed to 14th on the NPFL table, while Lobi Stars remain on 17th position. (NAN)
The Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) is organising a two-day National Coaching Seminar, with the theme: “Leadership and Management Skills”.
The event will take place from Dec. 17 to Dec. 18, at the Additional Sports and Entertainment (ASEP) Pro Limited, in Mowe, Ogun State.
The seminar will enhance the capabilities of Nigerian table tennis coaches, with a particular emphasis on female coaches, aligning with the International Table Tennis Federation’s (ITTF) Gender Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (GEDI) Initiative.
A statement issued by the Nigeria Table Tennis Federation, on Tuesday, said that the seminar was part of the one-week sports and leadership boot camp titled “Awaken the Giant, She Can 4.
0,” proudly supported by NTTF.“This seminar will also represent the third stage of the 2024 “My Gender, My Strength” programme, which has table tennis star Abosede Akinsete, as a beneficiary.
“NTTF President,Tikon Ishaku, Vice President, Adesoji Tayo, and other board members are dedicated to initiatives that support the development of coaches.
“Wahid Enitan-Oshodi, ITTF Executive Vice President, and President of ITTF-Africa, reaffirms his commitment to empowering women in sports, in line with the GEDI Initiative.
He explained that the seminar would feature people, who would speak on leadership and management skills, to enhance the abilities of coaches to identify and develop talents, as well as encourage the development of high-performance table tennis players capable of competing globally. (NAN)
Rivers United Football Club of Port Harcourt on Sunday returned to the 2024/2025 Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) summit as strong rivals Remo Stars FC faltered on Match Day 13.
Report says that Rivers United beat visiting Abia Warriors of Umuahia 1-0 after an Ndifreke Effiong 58th minute goal from the penalty kick spot.
Effiong’s goal in the match at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium helped them to move to 25 points from 13 matches, after seven wins, four draws and two losses.
Former leaders Remo Stars dropped to second with 23 points from 13 matches after seven wins, two draws and four losses, following a 0-2 loss to hosts Katsina United.
Plateau United of Jos beat visiting Nasarawa United of Lafia 2-0 to bolster their position.
Shooting Stars Sports Club also struggled to a 1-0 win over visiting Bayelsa United of Yenago.
A 15th minute goal by Anthony Okachi at the Lekan Salami Stadium in Ibadan gave them the win.
El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri had on Saturday beaten Akwa United of Uyo 1-0 to move into third place on the table with 22 points from 13 games.
Enyimba International of Aba remained in fourth place with 20 points from 12 matches, with their week 13 game against Sunshine Stars of Akure on hold.
Rangers International of Enugu are in fifth place with 20 points also, after a goalless draw with hosts Heartland FC ain Owerri on Saturday.
Bendel Insurance of Benin had also beaten Kwara United of Ilorin 3-1, while Lobi Stars of Makurdi drew 2-2 with visiting Kano Pillars in Lafia.
NAN reports that the league will enter Match Day 14 on Wednesday.(NAN)
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