CELEBRITY
REVEALED! LOCKDOWN FAVOURS SERENA WILLIAMS
US superstar Serena Williams says she is ready to play “real tennis” after the enforced rest of coronavirus quarantine,
“I really look forward to getting back on the court,” the 23-time Grand Slam champion said in a chat with elder sister Venus during an Instagram live workout on Tuesday (May 12).
“It’s what I do best. I absolutely love playing.”
Tennis is on hiatus until at least mid-July thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic, with the French Open postponed until autumn and Wimbledon cancelled for the first time since World War II.
Serena said she would come to see the break as “a necessary evil.
“I felt like my body needed it, even though I didn’t want it,” said the 38-year-old, who last won a Grand Slam title at the 2017 Australian Open.
“And now I’m feeling better than ever. I’m feeling more relaxed, more fit. Now I can go out and play real tennis.”
Elder sister Venus, a seven-time Grand Slam winner, began posting workouts on Instagram eight weeks ago and this week she invited Serena, “the greatest tennis player to ever exist – my little sister” to share a yoga-inspired stretching session.
Serena said the exercises, which took about half an hour, served as a warm-up for her, even though they were “a little intense.”
“Do not injure yourself doing this,” she admonished during one lunge, while advising at another point: “If you have bad knees, like me, use a pad.”
–AFP
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo crossed one billion followers across his social media accounts, aided by his newly-launched YouTube channel that has attracted more than 60 million subscribers in just over three weeks.
Ronaldo, who scored his 900th career goal last week to help Portugal beat Croatia 2-1 in the Nations League, is the first human being to reach a billion followers on social media, global media reports said.
“We’ve made history, one billion followers! This is more than just a number, it’s a testament to our shared passion, drive, and love for the game and beyond,” Ronaldo posted on X.
“You’ve been with me every step of the way, through all the highs and the lows. This journey is our journey… thank you for believing in me, for your support, and for being part of my life.”
The former Manchester United and Real Madrid player reached the milestone with over 639 million followers on Instagram, 170 million on Facebook and 113 million on X.
The 39-year-old topped Forbes’ list of highest-paid athletes this year, with off-field earnings of $60 million, boosted by his large social media following.
Ronaldo’s club Al-Nassr will host Al-Ahli in the Saudi Pro League on Friday.
-Reuters
Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo launched his YouTube channel on Wednesday and hundreds of thousands of subscribers signed up within a couple of hours.
The 39-year-old five-times Ballon D’Or winner plays for Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
“The wait is over. My @YouTube channel is finally here! SIUUUbscribe and join me on this new journey,” Ronaldo posted on his social media accounts.
A couple of hours after posting his first video, 1.69M subscribers had joined he channel.
Ronaldo has 112.5 million followers on the X platform, 170 million on Facebook and 636 million on Instagram.
The former Real Madrid and Manchester United player is preparing for his team’s Saudi Pro League opener against Al-Raed on Thursday.
-Reuters
Inter Miami will be the last club Argentina captain Lionel Messi plays for, the 36-year-old forward said on Wednesday, adding he feels “a little bit scared” at the thought of the day he decides to retire.
Messi, a World Cup winner with Argentina in 2022, has a contract with the Major League Soccer side until 2025 following his arrival last summer after a spell with French champions Paris St Germain.
“Inter Miami will be my last club. I love playing football. I enjoy everything even more because I am aware that there is less and less left,” Messi told ESPN.
“I’m not ready to leave football. I’ve done this all my life, I love playing football, I enjoy training, the day-to-day, the matches… And yes, there’s always a little bit of fear that it’s all over.”
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi is preparing with his national team to defend their Copa America title, with the tournament kicking off on June 20 in the United States.
Argentina will take on Canada in the opening match before facing Group A rivals Chile on June 25 and Peru four days later.
-Reuters
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