Tennis
SERENA WILLIAMS RETIRES AT INDIAN WELLS
Serena Williams retired from her third-round match at Indian Wells while trailing Garbine Muguruza 6-3 1-0.
The 37-year-old won the first three games of the match but called for the trainer after losing six in succession to the Spaniard.
She took to the court for the second set, but retired after world number 20 Muguruza held in the opening game.
Williams was seeded 10th in her first tournament since a quarter-final exit at the Australian Open.
“Before the match I did not feel great and then it just got worse with every second – extreme dizziness and extreme fatigue,” the American said.
“By the score it might have looked like I started well, but I was not feeling at all well physically. I will focus on getting better and start preparing for Miami.”
Muguruza, who beat Williams in the 2016 French Open final, next faces seventh seed Kiki Bertens, who beat Britain’s Johanna Konta.
“We’ve played many times and it’s always super-tough, super-exciting,” said Muguruza, who is a former world number one like Williams.
“I wish I’m going to see her soon and
[she’s]
feeling better.”
World number two Simona Halep survived a strong challenge from qualifier Kateryna Kozlova to reach the fourth round.
The Romanian, who won the title in 2015, struggled to hit her stride but emerged with a 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 victory in her first meeting with the 114th-ranked Ukrainian.
Sixth seed Elina Svitolina of Ukraine beat Australian Daria Gavrilova 7-5 6-4 to advance, while there were also wins for China’s Qiang Wang and Ashleigh Barty of Australia.
In the men’s competition, Roger Federer began his bid for a record sixth Indian Wells title with a 6-1 7-5 victory over German world number 85 Peter Gojowczyk to reach the third round.
Federer, who won the tournament in 2017 but lost to Juan Martin del Potro in last year’s final, was a break down at 3-1 in the second set.
However, the Swiss world number four broke straight back, then benefited from a Gojowczyk double-fault for another break, before serving out for victory.
“I struggled a little bit with my serving in that second set and that gave him chances. Because he was serving better, he started to swing more freely and then it was tough,” said Federer.
“I’m really happy I found a way in that second set.”
He will face compatriot Stan Wawrinka next, with the three-time Grand Slam champion unseeded as he continues his return from injury.
The 33-year-old Swiss beat Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 7-5, finally sealing match point on his fifth attempt after three hours and 24 minutes.
World number two Rafael Nadal, a three-time Indian Wells winner, needed just 72 minutes to get past American Jared Donaldson with a 6-1 6-1 victory to set up a meeting with Diego Schwartzman, who beat Spain’s Roberto Carballes 6-3 6-1.
Naomi Osaka has parted ways with coach Wim Fissette after four years together across two stints, the 26-year-old announced late on Friday.
The former world number one won two of her four Grand Slam titles under the guidance of the Belgian, but is currently 75th in the rankings having returned to the tour nine months ago after a lengthy maternity break.
“Four years, two slams and a whole lot of memories,” Osaka wrote in an Instagram post.
“Thanks Wim for being a great coach and an even greater person. Wishing you all the best.”
Of the 16 tournaments Osaka has played this season, she has made the quarter-finals in only two – Doha and ‘s-Hertogenbosch – and the Japanese player has also failed to go past the second round in each of the four Grand Slams
-Reuters
Five players from the United States are ranked in the Women’s Tennis Association’s top 15 for the first time in two decades, the USTA said on Monday.
World number two Coco Gauff led the American charge followed by sixth-ranked Jessica Pegula and Danielle Collins, who climbed two spots to ninth on the list amid a remarkable farewell season.
Madison Keys was ranked 14th while Emma Navarro hopped two spots to a career-high 15th after reaching her first major quarter-final at Wimbledon.
The last time five American women featured in the top 15 was May 24, 2004, when Lindsay Davenport was fourth in the world
-Reuters
Seven-times Grand Slam champion Venus Williams and Australian soccer player Mary Fowler are among nine athletes to get a Barbie doll in their likeness as toy maker Mattel seeks to shine a light on women sports role models ahead of the Paris Olympics.
Mattel unveiled the dolls on Wednesday, each with their bespoke accessories. Fowler’s wears gloves and holds a football while Williams’ doll, dressed in an all white tennis dress and visor as well as wearing earrings, comes with a miniature racket.
The former world number one said she hoped to motivate young girls into sports with the doll.
“I literally can’t imagine my life without sports and without the game,” Williams said in a video, in which she held the doll.
“I want other young girls to have that invaluable experience of playing a sport and what it teaches you and what you learn and what you take from it, not just that moment (but) for the rest of your life… I think it’s so important for girls to be in sports.”
Other sports figures to have a doll in their likeness include French boxer Estelle Mossely, Polish sprinter Ewa Swoboda, Spanish doctor and paratriathlon athlete Susana Rodriguez, Italian former swimmer Federica Pellegrini, Canadian soccer player Christine Sinclair as well as Mexican and Brazilian gymnasts, Alexa Moreno and Rebeca Andrade.
The dolls, unveiled as Barbie turns 65 this year, “(recognise) the impact of sport in fostering self-confidence and ambition among the next generation”, Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie and Mattel’s Global Head of Dolls, said.
“By shining a light on these inspirational athletes and their stories, we hope to champion the belief that every young girl deserves the opportunity to pursue her passions and turn her dreams into reality,” she said in a statement.
-Reuters
NFF Communication director unfolds 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Players boycott Libyan national team
-
AFCON4 days ago
Billiat’s penalty seals Zimbabwe’s 1-0 win over Namibia
-
AFCON1 week ago
Eguavoen unfolds Super Eagles’ squad for back-to-back duel with Libya
-
AFCON6 days ago
Facts & Figures as AFCON 2025 qualifiers enter Matchday 3
-
AFCON6 days ago
AFCON 2025 in Morocco: Everything you need to know
-
AFCON5 days ago
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri alleges poor treatment in Nigeria
-
Uncategorized7 days ago
CAF compels Kwasi Appiah to step down from Ghana FA
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Fastest World Cup final scorer is dead!