'Ultimate showdown' as Djokovic, Alcaraz clash for Wimbledon title
Novak Djokovic says the sporting world will be watching his "ultimate showdown" against Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday's Wimbledon final where history and a...
2023-07-16 16:15
Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz meet in the Wimbledon final
Novak Djokovic is bidding for his record-tying eighth Wimbledon singles championship and fifth in a row
2023-07-16 14:22
Republic of Ireland defender Louise Quinn confident they can shut down Sam Kerr
Republic of Ireland defender Louise Quinn is confident the Girls in Green have a plan in place to shut down prolific Australia striker Sam Kerr when they face the hosts in their World Cup opener. Quinn’s side, after all, have done it before, spoiling the Chelsea forward’s 100th appearance for the Matildas with a 3-2 victory when they met for the first time in history at Tallaght Stadium in September 2021. Dublin native Quinn powered in a second-half header to break the deadlock and memorably hand the Republic their biggest win over a higher-ranked opponent in over two decades. “It’s rare but I felt like I got one up on her with the Irish team in Tallaght and that is something that I will carry forward with me,” said Quinn, speaking during a team training session at Brisbane’s Meakin Park. “But she’s very impressive, she’s very strong, easily one of the best strikers in the world now. For me, you concentrate on the whole thing but I definitely have an individual battle on my hands that is essentially what I want. “What I want to so is to not let her score essentially. Keep her out of the game. She really creates moments out of nothing but it has to be 100 per cent for the 90 minutes. “Yeah, she runs off the back shoulders a lot. She is so nippy that she can come around the front and come off your blindside and make runs in behind. I can’t wait for the challenge to be honest, this is what you play for, to play against the very best in the world. And she is one of the best. “We’ve proved before against Australia that we can put something up against her and she was on the pitch that day and had her chances.” Matildas captain Kerr, Australia’s top goal-scorer of either gender with 63 from 121 caps, was named the Football Writers’ Association (FWA) Women’s Footballer of the Year for a second straight season after a 2022/23 campaign that saw her score 17 goals and pick up six assists across the Women’s Super League and Champions League. She was largely shut down at Tallaght, where Mary Fowler netted two to keep Australia in a game Matildas head coach Tony Gustavsson would later tell media he felt was “some kind of record” for the number of technical mistakes he observed in his side. They will have to do better to impress the 80,000-plus crowd who have sold out Sydney’s Stadium Australia on Thursday night, the second contest on a two-match opening day beginning with co-hosts New Zealand’s meeting with Norway in Auckland. Sunday was a recovery day for the Republic, who are hoping midfielder Denise O’Sullivan will be fit in time for the biggest day in team history after she was injured in their aborted friendly with Colombia. An initial X-ray and CT scan encouragingly showed no fracture to O’Sullivan’s shin, and she will be assessed again on Monday afternoon. Quinn’s name will forever go down in history as one of 23 selected to represent her country in their first World Cup. It is an astonishing accomplishment that has struck her sharply and sporadically, often when she has least expected it. She said: “I had a really random one after the Zambia game and we had a weekend off. “I was just chatting to my girlfriend about something, and I was saying ‘I’ll do that after I get back from the World Cup.’ And I actually stopped for a second and realised that yes, I am going to a World Cup. “And I had to stop for a moment. I got emotional. Because we’ve been talking about this all along but now it’s really confirmed. It hit me. We were just getting the dinner ready and chatting, ‘We’ll do this after the World Cup. It was really bizarre, a really emotional moment and I didn’t think that was going to happen.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live On this day in 2016: N’Golo Kante swaps Leicester for Chelsea Carlos Alcaraz out to end Novak Djokovic’s reign in Wimbledon final for the ages Somerset’s Lewis Gregory relieved to shed ‘nearly men’ tag after Blast title win
2023-07-16 13:52
Brittney Griner makes a triumphant return in her first WNBA All-Star Game since her Russian detention
Phoenix Mercury superstar Brittney Griner marked a successful return to the WNBA All-Star Game on Saturday, her first since being released from a Russian penal colony last December.
2023-07-16 13:50
On this day in 2016: N’Golo Kante swaps Leicester for Chelsea
France midfielder N’Golo Kante joined Chelsea from Premier League champions Leicester for a reported £32million, on this day in 2016. Kante’s only season with the Foxes, following his arrival from Caen the previous summer, saw him play a pivotal role in their title-winning campaign. He was offered a bumper new contract at the King Power Stadium but opted to leave for Chelsea. “Despite the offer of a substantially-improved, long-term contract, it became apparent that N’Golo’s wish was to join Chelsea,” said a Leicester statement. Kante cited the opportunity to work under then-Blues boss Antonio Conte as a major reason for moving to Stamford Bridge. “I am so happy to have signed for one of the biggest clubs in Europe. It’s adream come true for me,” he said. “The opportunity to work with a brilliant coach and some of the best players in the world was simply too good to turn down.” Chelsea won the Premier League during Kante’s first season in London as the now 32-year-old became the first player since Eric Cantona in 1993 to win back-to-back top-flight titles in England with two clubs. Kante also won the FA Cup, Europa League and Champions League before leaving Stamford Bridge this summer for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live
2023-07-16 13:24
Inter Miami sink to rock bottom ahead of Messi unveiling
Inter Miami will celebrate the signing of Lionel Messi on Sunday but will do so after their winless run extended to 11 games with a 3-0 defeat at St. Louis City on Saturday, leaving...
2023-07-16 12:59
Yankees' Josh Donaldson hurts calf and could be headed back to injured list
Josh Donaldson could be heading back to the New York Yankees’ injured list after injuring his right calf while running out a ground ball in the seventh inning of a 6-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies
2023-07-16 12:57
Sri Lanka wins the toss and will bat 1st against Pakistan in the 1st cricket test
Sri Lanka has won the toss and decided to bat in the first cricket test against Pakistan
2023-07-16 12:56
LeBron James is switching back to jersey number 23 'out of respect' for the late Bill Russell
NBA superstar LeBron James will switch back to jersey number 23 for the Los Angeles Lakers' upcoming season, the team announced on Saturday.
2023-07-16 12:50
Carpenter homers twice to help Lorenzen and the Tigers beat the Mariners 6-0
Kerry Carpenter homered twice, Michael Lorenzen allowed two hits in 6 2/3 innings and the Detroit Tigers beat the Seattle Mariners 6-0
2023-07-16 12:48
Former golfer Paige Spiranac reveals details about her bobble-head figure: ‘It was stressful and tough’
Spiranac said, 'They made a bobblehead for me, people were very disappointed, though, they wanted, uh, the wrong thing that was bobbling'
2023-07-16 12:23
Gorman, Burleson lead Cardinals over Nationals 9-6 for doubleheader split
Nolan Gorman hit a two-run double to break a fifth-inning tie, Alec Burleson homered and robbed Joey Meneses of a three-run drive and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Washington Nationals 9-6 for a doubleheader split
2023-07-16 12:15