With the victory of the Australian Open, Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova and American partner Taylor Townsend claimed the title for the Czech Republic on Sunday.
The top seeds and reigning Wimbledon champions downed Taiwan’s Hsieh Su-wei and Latvian Jelena Ostapenko 6-2, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3 on Rod Laver Arena.
While a 10th major title for Siniakova, it was only the second for Townsend, both of them since she teamed up with the Czech, the world’s top-rated doubles player.
“Big thank you to Taylor”, said Siniakova. The most crucial thing is that we have fun.
Manchester City rallied from 1-0 down to defeat Chelsea 3-1 to move into the top four of the Premier League on Saturday.
Abdukodir Khusanov’s debut came off a nightmare start, with City scoring Noni Madueke’s goal.
Before Haaland showed his combination of strength and skill in the 22nd minute, Josko Gvardiol levelled for Pep Guardiola’s men.
After only one of their previous nine games, the Norwegian then turned to Philadelphia’s in-demand Phil Foden for City’s fourth league win.
Chelsea will once more consider the necessity of upgrading goalkeeper Robert Sanchez after his positioning caused Haaland to score the crucial goal, which they have won just once in their previous seven Premier League games, falling to sixth.
City’s victory puts them back in pole position to qualify for next season’s Champions League, just days before they try to save themselves in this season’s competition.
On January 25, 2025, Manchester City’s English midfielder #47 Phil Foden celebrates scoring the team’s third goal at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north-west England, under the guidance of Chelsea’s Argentinian midfielder #08. Enzo Fernandez reacts as Chelsea’s #08 Enzo Fernandez reacts. Manchester City won 3-1. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) /
After going from 2-0 up to lose 4-2 at Paris Saint-Germain in midweek, the English champions must defeat Club Brugge on Wednesday to advance to the playoffs.
Guardiola responded by making their debuts with Khusanov and Marmoush.
However, within three minutes, that choice dramatically reversed in Khusanov’s situation.
Nicolas Jackson pounced on Madueke for a tap in after the first Uzbek player to play in the Premier League did not properly connect with a header he had pushed backwards.
Khusanov was fortunate to escape the penalty for shoving down Cole Palmer moments later.
By contrast, Marmoush was showing why only Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane had scored more Bundesliga goals than him this season prior to a £59 million ($72.6 million) move from Eintracht Frankfurt.
After Sanchez parried Ilkay Gundogan’s effort, the Egyptian thought he had equalized when he pounced home the rebound. Sanchez flagged offside.
Gvardiol’s marauding runs from left-back were causing City’s biggest threat.
After breaking into the box, Chelsea did not pay attention as he prodded inches wide with his left foot.
Gvardiol had a straightforward task for his fifth Premier League goal of the season just before half-time.
The ball fell for Gvardiol to roll into an empty net after Matheus Nunes made the change from full-back.
At the start of the second period, Guardiola and Khusanov had a one-on-one advantage. John Stones replaced him, and City were unfavorably criticized at the back.
After being picked out by an experienced player from the Norwegian, Marmoush blasted wide from Haaland’s pass to make it a perfect start to his City career.
Chelsea, once more, failed to take their lesson. Sanchez was forced out of his goal and ended up in no man’s land moments later when another Ederson clearance outmuscled him.
Haaland increased his season-high to 24 goals, six of which came in the last six games, despite City’s struggles, to maintain his reliability.
After a terrible year at Old Trafford, Real Betis signed Manchester United winger Antony on loan until the end of the season.
The Brazil international, 24, became Man United’s second most expensive player ever when he joined from Ajax in 2022 for £81.3 million ($101.5).
Real Betis and Manchester United have reached a loan agreement for Antony for the current campaign, according to Betis.
Antony has scored 12 goals in 92 games for United, currently 13th in the Premier League, and has a contract at Old Trafford until 2027.
The winger, who made his first three starts for former United coach Erik ten Hag, had a positive first impression upon his arrival from Ajax, but quickly lost interest and favor.
After making allegations of domestic abuse, which he denied, the Brazilian police launched an investigation into Antony, who was later cleared of charges in August 2024.
Ten Hag claimed that the winger’s poor form was a result of the allegations.
Antony has not started a top-flight match for Manchester United this season, making eight appearances as a substitute.
Ten Hag’s successor Ruben Amorim has often opted for emerging talent Amad Diallo on the right flank,  , with Antony’s chances extremely limited.
Bayern Munich defeated Bayer Leverkusen, who had a two-goal lead at RB Leipzig, to win 2-1 at Freiburg on Saturday.
In the fifteenth minute, Kane and his English partner Eric Dier scored the opener.
Kane was found by Dier, who drilled a low shot past Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.
The goal was Kane’s first from open play since mid-November and his 17th in 17 league games this season.
After 54 minutes, Bayern doubled their lead when Kim Min-jae headed in a Joshua Kimmich corner past Atubolu.
With 22 minutes left, Freiburg made Bayern sweat when Matthias Ginter headed home from a surprise 3-0 Champions League defeat at Feyenoord. However, the German giants persevered.
On January 25, 2025, Bayern Munich’s English forward #9 Harry Kane celebrates scoring the opening goal in the German first division Bundesliga match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, southern Germany. (Photo by THOMAS KIENZLE / AFP) / DFL REGULATIONS PROHIBIT ANY USE OF PHOTOGRAPHS AS IMAGE SEQUENCES AND/OR QUASI-VIDEO
Leverkusen, the defending champions, are now six points clear of the league leaders after recording their first league point drop since early November at Leipzig with a win.
Florian Wirtz impressed throughout and was instrumental in Leverkusen’s opener.
After 18 minutes, the German midfielder fought back and fired a jink into the post before Patrik Schick was well placed to tap in to give Leverkusen the lead.
Leverkusen’s controversial second, scored on the 36-minute mark, was also created by Wirtz.
Near the sideline, the 21-year-old won the ball from Leipzig’s David Raum, while appearing to sink his studs into the defender’s leg.
With Raum laying on the ground, Wirtz dribbled goalwards and cut the ball back to Aleix Garcia, who snatched a consolation pass.
Raum had his revenge just five minutes later, thumping in a deflected free kick off the crossbar to cut Leverkusen’s advantage.
With five minutes left, Leipzig scored from a different set piece. Leverkusen defender Edmond Tapsoba converted a spiraling free kick that Xavi Simons had already sent into his own net.
10-man Borussia Dortmund let a two-goal lead fall to draw 2-2 at home against Werder Bremen in their first game since firing coach Nuri Sahin.
Dortmund’s chances took an early hit when centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck was red carded for a last-man foul after 21 minutes.
Despite their disadvantage, the hosts were dangerous and, with Julian Brandt scoring his eighth league goal of the year, took the lead seven minutes later.
When Bremen defender Marco Friedl turned Guirassy’ 51st-minute cross into his own net, Dortmund initially looked in charge, but Bremen equalized with two goals in eight minutes.
Before Marvin Ducksch caught the hosts napping, running in behind, and scoring from the outside the box, former Dortmund midfielder Leonardo , Bittencourt unleashed a rocket from outside the box.
Elsewhere, Mainz continued their impressive run this season, beating Stuttgart 2-0 at home thanks to goals from Nelson Weiper and Anthony Caci.
Mainz’s victory, which they had last campaign, placed them sixth, one point behind Stuttgart and Leipzig, and in the race for a Champions League spot.
Keven Schlotterbeck scored a stoppage time goal to give Augsburg a 2-1 win at home over Heidenheim.
In an epic late-night men’s doubles final, Finnish champion Harri Heliovaara and British duo Henry Patten claimed the Australian Open title on Saturday.
The sixth seeds lost a mammoth first set lasting 87 minutes before pulling through 6-7 (16/18), 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 against Italian third seeds Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori.
The first-set tiebreak alone went on for 24 minutes, with the match lasting more than three hours and concluding at nearly 2: 00 am.
Harri Heliovaara (R) of Finland celebrates as Henry Patten (L) shakes hands with the umpire following their victory over Simone Bolelli and Andrea Vavassori in the men’s doubles final match on day fourteen of the Australian Open tennis competition in Melbourne on January 26, 2025. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP)On day fourteen of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 26, 2025, Italy’s Andrea Vavassori and Italy’s Simone Bolelli battle it out against Finland’s Harri Heliovaara and Britain’s Henry Patten. IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE (Photo by DAVID GRAY/AFP) —
The Italian duo, who have now lost two Melbourne finals in a row and were also eliminated in last year’s French Open title decider, suffered another agonizing near miss.
The men’s singles and women’s doubles titles will be decided on Sunday, the 15th and final day of the tournament.
Harri Heliovaara (L) and Henry Patten (L) of Finland celebrate with the trophy after falling to Andrea Vavassori and Simone Bolelli from Italy in the men’s doubles final in Melbourne on January 26, 2025. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST / AFP)
After losing to Madison Keys in the final match on Saturday, Arianna Sabalenka admitted that she was proud to have won three Australian Open titles in a row. ”
The American 19th seed won 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 to claim her first Grand Slam title, but the two-time defending champion and world number one was favourite to defeat Keys.
It tore Sabalenka’s hopes of becoming the first woman to win a third consecutive Melbourne Park singles title to date into 26 years torpedoed.
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus reacts to her defeat to Madison Keys of the United States on January 25, 2025, in the Australian Open tennis final match. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP) Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus watches in a ceremony following her 2-1 defeat to the USA on January 25, 2025, in the Australian Open tennis tournament’s final day fourteen. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP)
“I think when you get to the point of finals, it’s trophy or nothing. Nobody remembers the (losing) finalist,” said the 26-year-old Belarusian, who is the reigning US Open champion.
“I mean, at this point, I go for titles.
However, having won three finals in a row makes me feel proud of myself. That’s something crazy.
I hope to win the trophy again next year and improve as a player. ”
Keys was “super aggressive” in winning the first set and played with “nothing to lose,” according to Sabalenka, who was gracious in his defeat.
However, she acknowledged right away that it had been difficult to control her feelings.
Madison Keys (R) of the USA and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus (L) take photos after their women’s singles final game on day fourteen of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2025. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP) Madison Keys (R) of the USA hugs Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus after winning the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne on January 25, 2025. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP)
When it was most important, she broke her racquet and buried her head in a towel at Melbourne Park.
I was so close to accomplishing something incredible, she said, and there was definitely some gratification.
“When you’re out there, you’re fighting, but it seems like everything is going not the way you really want to go.
