TENNIS
Djokovic defends crowds
There was no social distancing and few among the thousands of fans wore masks at Novak Djokovic’s Belgrade tennis club on the banks of the Danube River for the opening day of his Adria Tour organized by him and his family. The Serbian government recently lifted lockdown restrictions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, only recommending that people stay 1m apart. “We have different circumstances and measures, so it’s very difficult to think of international standards,” Djokovic said before the ceremonial opening of the charity tour. He said Serbia has “better numbers” compared with other countries regarding infections. “You can also criticize us and say this is maybe dangerous, but it’s not up to me to make the calls about what is right or wrong for health,” Djokovic said. “We are doing what the Serbian government is telling us and hopefully we soon will get back on tour collectively. Of course, lives have been lost and that’s horrible to see, in the region and worldwide, but life goes on, and we as athletes are looking forward to competing.”
SOCCER
Leipzig defeat Hoffenheim
Dani Olmo struck twice for RB Leipzig to beat TSG 1899 Hoffenheim 2-0 and consolidate third place in the Bundesliga on Friday. The Spaniard, who joined Leipzig from Dinamo Zagreb in January, opened the scoring on a counterattack in the ninth minute and effectively sealed the win with a low shot two minutes later. The win lifted Leipzig to six points above fourth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach, who occupy the last place for Champions League qualification. It was Hoffenheim’s first game since the club fired coach Alfred Schreuder on Tuesday due to disagreements over development plans. Former assistant coach Marcel Rapp has taken charge on an interim basis. Hoffenheim remained seventh in the last qualification place for the Europa League, but could be overtaken as the rest of round 31 is played. Only three rounds remain after this weekend.
HORSE RACING
Heralded stallion butchered
In his prime, the coffee-hued Venezuelan racehorse Ocean Bay thundered down tracks and snatched up the nation’s most prestigious titles. His end this week has outraged many: The stallion was stolen and butchered in what horse owners say is becoming an increasingly common crime in a nation where many are going hungry amid a severe economic contraction. On Monday, an employee at the Haras farm in Tocoron, an area about 130km southwest of Caracas, noticed Ocean Bay was missing. Hours later, part of Ocean Bay’s skeleton was found near the town’s jail. “What a disgrace,” Ramon Garcia, Ocean Bay’s trainer, wrote on Twitter. “This isn’t the Venezuela that I grew up in.” In recent years, farmers, veterinarians and others have reported dozens of similar crimes, but the slaughter of Ocean Bay struck a nerve because the horse was so well known. One illustrator shared portraits of the horse online, while others decried Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government as being responsible for letting the nation slip into an economic crisis so deep that horses are killed for food. Ocean Bay jumped into the spotlight by winning two of Venezuela’s three Triple Crown races in 2016. He sustained an injury, but returned the next year to win five more races. The stallion had an elegant white streak of hair shaped like a diamond that ran down its face. “He had a lot of heart,” Garcia said. “He always wanted to be ahead of the others.”
BIG NAMES GONE: Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title, reaching semi-finals for the fifth time in six years and finishing second on three occasions Alexander Zverev on Tuesday breezed past Rafael Jodar to stay on course for an elusive Grand Slam title at the French Open, while Jakub Mensik halted Joao Fonseca’s scintillating run in the quarter-finals. Zverev, the highest-ranked player left in the men’s draw, put an end to Spanish teenager Jodar’s impressive Roland Garros debut, easing into the semi-finals with a 7-6, (7/3), 6-1, 6-3 win. The 29-year-old Zverev is the clear favorite for a maiden Grand Slam title. He has finished runner-up on three occasions, including at the 2024 French Open. “I want to win the matches that are ahead of
For some, Cristiano Ronaldo remains the essential spearhead for Portugal’s FIFA World Cup bid, while others believe his presence would prevent Roberto Martinez’s strong side from flourishing. The debate around the five-time Ballon d’Or winner rages on, as it did at UEFA Euro 2024 and four years ago in Qatar — yet Ronaldo endures, ready to play in a record sixth World Cup. The 41-year-old remains a global superstar despite swapping the European elite for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, and is the leading men’s international goalscorer with 143 strikes. With 25 of those coming in 30 games under Martinez, the coach
Taiwanese sprinter Chen Yi-cen on Friday won the silver medal in the women’s 400m final at the Asian U20 Athletics Championships in Hong Kong, with a time of 53.16 seconds. Chen, 15, was the youngest among the eight finalists, and her performance also met the qualifying standard of 53.50 seconds for the Nagoya Asian Games in Japan in September and October. Chen first made her mark at the National Games in Tainan in 2023, at the age of 13, winning the women’s 400m final in 55.55 seconds to become the youngest gold medalist in the history of the event. Meanwhile,
Liverpool are in advanced talks with former AFC Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola as they seek a replacement for Arne Slot, reports said on Tuesday. Iraola has emerged as Liverpool’s top target to replace Slot, who was sacked on Saturday last week after a turbulent second season in charge. Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal in principle to bring the Spaniard, who left Bournemouth at the end of this season, to Anfield. Sporting director Richard Hughes was heavily involved in hiring Iraola during his time at Bournemouth and is again spearheading the recruitment of the highly rated coach. The Reds are
RSS