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Shelton & Fritz bid to end 22-year wait for home men’s singles champion

By in News, Sports News
Images courtesy of Getty
Alex Fletcher
journalist for BBC Sport

US Open 2025

Dates: August 24 through September 7 in Flushing Meadows, New York

As they began their most recent bids to end America’s 22-year search for a men’s Grand Slam singles champion, Ben Shelton and Taylor Fritz cruised into the second round.

With his US Open triumph in 2003, Andy Roddick became the last American player to capture a major singles title.

Fritz, who reached the championship match last year in Flushing Meadows, is the first American man to do so in 15 years. He has also been at the forefront of the drought.

Emilio Nava, who is seeded fourth in New York this year, defeated Fritz 7-5, 6-2, 6-3, while Shelton, who is sixth seeded, defeated Grand Slam debutant Ignacio Buse, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.

Two American men have been seeded in the top eight for the first time since the 2007 US Open.

In terms of American tennis, Fritz said, “We’re in a great position.”

We’re here for the long haul, we say.

Ben Shelton clenches his fist in celebrationImages courtesy of Getty

Shelton won the tournament’s inaugural game against the renowned Arthur Ashe show court, taking just over two hours to complete the victory.

The former semi-finalist is in strong form, having earlier this month won the Canadian Open’s first ATP Masters 1000 title.

Shelton remarked, “The US Open is the pinnacle of tennis for me and what I dreamed about as a child.”

For me, it is starting to feel like home.

Shelton and Fritz could potentially face off in the final four of New York after Shelton defeated Fritz in the semi-finals in Toronto.

Shelton, 22, remained cautious when questioned about his potential success at this year’s tournament.

He said, “For me, it is one day at a time, because once you start looking ahead of yourself you stumble over your own feet.”

“I’m looking forward to it because we’re here for the long haul.”

Fritz has also performed well in recent months, surpassing Jannik Sinner, who was competing for the title last year.

He won grass-court titles at Eastbourne and Stuttgart, which indicate that he can advance to the year’s final Grand Slam, where he reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon and won them both.

Mensik makes an advance on the day of the opening.

Jakub Mensik celebrates victory at the US OpenImages courtesy of Getty

As play began on Sunday, teen sensation Jakub Mensik put forth a 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 6-4 victory over Nicolas Jarry from Chile.

Novak Djokovic defeated Mensik in the Miami Open final to claim his first ATP Tour title in March, and he has twice advanced to New York’s third round.

After beating Fabian Marozsan 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (9-7) 6-2, qualifier Ugo Blanchet will take him on the next match.

related subjects

  • Tennis

Government pledges £1.5m for two new cricket domes

By in News, Sports News
DCMS
Timothy Abraham
journalist for BBC Sport

Although the government has pledged £1.5 million for two brand-new indoor sports domes in Luton and Lancashire, it is still uncertain whether grassroots cricket will receive the anticipated large funding.

Rishi Sunak, the then prime minister, promised to give cricket a $ 35 million gift last year in what was referred to as a “seminal moment” that might cause “generational change” in the sport.

The funding package “turbocharging” would improve the facilities for state school children, according to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

Before 2029, the construction of 16 domes across England would make it possible to play local cricket all year long and in any kind of weather.

One million students from state schools were to be able to get cricket playing for a portion of the original pledge, which was allocated to three charities, ACE, Chance to Shine, and Lord’s Taverners.

These plans were put in serious danger as a result of the spending review’s government cuts, as BBC Sport reported in October.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the BBC that former tory leader Sunak’s original plan to revive cricket in state schools was unworkable at the announcement of the two new domes at a ceremony held at Leyland Cricket Club in Lancashire.

She described the decision to provide cash for the two domes as a “significant step” in a time when “public finances are very very tight.”

“Unfortunately, the last government’s announcement was a fantasy,” she said. No penny of money was actually put into it, said Labour MP Nandy.

“So the announcement itself sounded like nothing at all.

Because we are aware of how important sport is, we are backing it. It alters people’s lives. There are opportunities that people would not otherwise have had.

It was “vital” to increase cricket participation in schools, according to Shadow Culture Secretary Nigel Huddleston, and to provide local communities with world-class, all-year-round facilities.

They will have a transformative impact on the communities, according to the ECB.

A batter prepares to receive a ball in the indoor cricket dome in Bradford
The government promised to spend $ 400 million on grassroots sports earlier this year in addition to the $ 100 million that is currently being spent on grassroots facilities.

Instead of being a part of this pledge, BBC Sport is aware that the 1.5 million pounds that will be used to build the two new domes are actually part of it.

The ECB and other sports governing bodies are currently discussing how the remaining £400 million will be spent, according to the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport.

Lewsey Park will house the dome, which is expected to open in early 2026, in Luton, where 37% of the population is South Asian.

It will have seven lane facilities that will also house badminton, tennis, and hockey.

Farington, close to Preston, is scheduled to open its fifth-lane dome in Lancashire next summer.

The Lancashire County Cricket Club’s second ground, which will also serve as a hub for their age-group, women’s, and disability teams, is being built on the same site.

These state-of-the-art all-weather cricket domes will transform the communities they serve, opening up cricket to more people year round and providing elite players with top-notch facilities.

They play a significant role in our efforts to eliminate barriers and make cricket the most inclusive team sport.

With ECB funding, Bradford Park Avenue’s pilot dome project opened in the fall of 2023.

The facilities have been used by Yorkshire and Northern Superchargers teams in addition to community use.

related subjects

  • Cricket

Israel has destroyed more than 1,000 buildings in Gaza City: Civil Defence

By in News, World News

Since beginning its occupation of Gaza City on August 6 and burying hundreds of people under the rubble, Israel has completely destroyed more than 1, 000 structures in the Zeitoun and Sabra neighbourhoods, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense.

The organization claimed in a statement on Sunday that numerous rescue and aid operations are being hampered by persistent shelling and restricted access.

Hospitals are overburdened by the number of missing people, the report continued, adding that emergency personnel are unable to respond to numerous reports of missing people.

The Civil Defense expressed grave concerns about Israeli forces continuing to enter Gaza City at a time when field workers are unable to deal with the intensity of Israeli attacks.

“In the Gaza Strip, whether in the north or the south, there is no safe area where shelling continues to target civilians at their homes, shelters, and even in their displacement camps,” he said.

As Israel occupies Gaza City to the fullest, forcing close to 1 million Palestinians there southward, Israeli tanks have been egressing into the Sabra neighborhood.

The claim of the Civil Defense confirms rumors that Israel plans to completely destroy Gaza City, as it did with Rafah, a campaign that rights activists claim could endanger all Palestinians in the area.

According to a source in the emergency and ambulance department of the enclave, at least three people, including a child, were among the latest victims of an attack on a residential apartment in Gaza City.

Over the past few weeks, Israeli bombardment has been relentless in the area where famine has been declared. Residents of the ravaged Jabalia refugee camp reported constant explosions echoing through the neighborhoods, and several buildings were also blown up further north.

According to medical sources, 24 aid seekers and 27 people were killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza on Sunday, according to medical sources.

Eight more people have died from Israeli-induced hunger in Gaza, according to the ministry of health in the region, as hunger spreads, killing 289 people, including 115 children, since the war started.

As they try to secure the meager aid packages at the contentious, Israeli-backed GHF sites, Israeli forces have been regularly opening fire on hungry Palestinians.

It’s “impossible” to remain alive.

The UNRWA director, Philippe Lazzarini, said that famine is the “last calamity” hitting Gaza, where people are experiencing “hell in all shapes.” In response, Lazzarini criticized the humanitarian situation’s worsening.

“Never Again” has purposefully gone back to being “once more.” We will be haunted by this. The most obscene sign of dehumanization is denial, Lazzarini wrote on X.

He added that foreign journalists should be permitted into the enclave and that aid organizations should be permitted by the Israeli government.

Despite heavy bombardment, Gaza’s Ministry of Interior rebuffed Israeli plans to forcibly relocate residents from Gaza City and the northern governorates.

The ministry advised residents to remain in their neighborhoods or relocate to nearby communities only if threatened.

We urge residents of Gaza City to stay in the area’s central and Khan Younis governorates and refrain from responding to the occupation’s threats and terrorism.

The occupation, which falsely claims there is no safe place in any of the governorates of the Gaza Strip, commits the most heinous crimes every day, bombing the tents of displaced people’s camps in areas it falsely claims are safe or humane.

According to Al Jazeera’s reporter from Deir el-Balah, Palestinians are still escaping Gaza City because of frequent Israeli airstrikes and quadcopter attacks.

According to Khoudary, “we met a few of these families, and they said it was [nearly] impossible for them to stay alive because quadcopters were opening fire on whatever was moving in that area.”

Some Palestinians escaped with their lives and were able to flee, but others were confined to those same areas and are now unable to leave, she continued.

Israel is accused of carrying out a genocide in Gaza, according to leading human rights organizations and UN experts.

Spain’s August heatwave was ‘most intense on record’, weather agency says

By in News, World News

As firefighters battled wildfires in the north and west of Spain, according to the State Meteorological Agency (AEMET) reported having “the most intense” heatwave on record this month.

The organization stated in a statement on Sunday that the agency’s provisional readings for the heatwave from August 3 to August 4 exceeded the previous record, which was set in July 2022, and showed an average temperature of 4. 6 degrees Celsius (40. higher than the anticipated threshold (2 Fahrenheit).

According to AEMET, the most recent heatwave, which saw temperatures reach 43C (109F), is a result of an escalating trend of warmer summers brought on by the climate crisis.

It claimed that it is a coincidence that four of the five heat waves have occurred since 2019. The trend toward more extreme summers is obvious, even though not every summer will be the same as the previous one. The two main objectives are climate change adaptation and mitigation. ”

77 heatwaves have been recorded in Spain since AEMET began keeping track of its records in 1975, with six of them reaching 4C (39). above the recommended level (2F).

According to an estimate released on Tuesday by the Carlos III Health Institute, more than 1,100 deaths in Spain have been linked to the heatwave in August this year. The heatwave has also made Spain’s tinderbox conditions worse, causing wildfires that are still ravaging some areas of the nation.

The Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Slovakia, and the Spanish army all sent 3,400 troops and 50 aircraft to aid firefighters last week, in addition to the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Slovakia.

According to the European Union’s European Forest Fire Information System, the fires have consumed more than 382,000 hectares (945,00 acres), or about 3,820 square kilometers (1,475 square miles).

One of Southern Europe’s worst wildfire seasons in 20 years is occurring in the majority of the country.

According to the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, Europe has been warming twice as quickly as the world average since the 1980s.

Scientists associate heatwaves and dry weather with ; In recent years, climate change has become more prevalent all over the world.

The fire season is beginning earlier and ending later, according to the World Health Organization.

Real Madrid overpower Oviedo 3-0 in La Liga as Mbappe scores twice

By in News, World News

Real Madrid defeated newly-promoted Real Oviedo 3-3 to claim the win in the La Liga title game. Kylian Mbappe scored twice in each half before Vinicius added a late third to tie the game.

The arrival of the 15-time European champions on Sunday marked a grand occasion for Oviedo, who has been unable to do so for almost a quarter of a century.

In place of Rodrygo Goes and club captain Dani Carvajal, who both returned from injury, in Madrid’s opening 1-0 victory over Osasuna, coach Xabi Alonso made a few notable changes to his starting lineup.

However, in his half-hour cameo, Vinicius responded with an assist and a goal.

Franco Mastantuono, an Argentine teenager sensation, made his Los Blancos debut in a different way.

The 18-year-old showed off his explosive dribbling ability early on when he burst past two defenders inside the Oviedo box before going down and appealingly gazing at the uninterested referee.

Leander Dendoncker attempted to stop Thibaut Courtois with a chipped effort in the 23rd minute after making a surprisingly unusual foray forward on a through ball. The Belgian shot-stopper quickly recovered the ball from the sky after a hasty retreat.

When Madrid almost won, goalkeeper Aaron Escandell superbly saved an Arda Guler drive from inside the box.

On 37 minutes, the Turkish international turned provider when he drilled a pass into Mbappe’s feet, which the Frenchman welcomed on the turn before slamming Escandell.

After Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni appeared to follow through on Dendoncker when he returned possession for his side in the build-up, the goal was met by irate protests from the home side.

Five minutes into the second period, Madrid almost doubled their lead when a defensive error saw a clearance slit straight into the hands of a grateful Escandell.

Vinicius and Brahim Diaz made way for Rodrygo and the lively Mastantuono shortly after the hour.

When Diaz’s cushioned pass found the Uruguayan inside the box, he immediately had a gilt-edged chance, but Escandell saved the ball with a fingertip save to keep the score at 1-0.

On 81 minutes, Kwasi Sibo struck the post for Oviedo just outside the bounds of wildening the home support, with Courtois rooted to the spot.

That chance brought Madrid to life. After two minutes, Vinicius Jr. won the ball and headed in the direction of the box before slipping a covert pass to Mbappe, who slotted home first.

Diaz found the Brazilian in space in the 93rd minute, and he slipped his composed finish home in the final seconds.

Alonso, the manager of Real Madrid, expressed his gratitude for the team’s impressive talent.

The squad includes more than 20 players, according to the statement. They must feel significant to everyone. When asked why Vinicious Jr. had started on the bench, he responded, “I make decisions that are good for the team”.

We are seeing what we’re doing well and what we need to improve, the author says. Good feelings are expressed.

Escandell, the goalkeeper for Real Oviedo, lamented the “mistakes” his team committed in an interview with DAZN following the game.

“We didn’t compete as we believed we could in the first half.” He claimed that mistakes cost a lot in comparison to these teams. I want to thank the fans who, in my opinion, set a record for the number of fans.

After scoring his team’s second goal, Mbappe, center, is congratulated by teammates Vinicius Jr., right, and Aurelien Tchouameni.

Villarreal also defeated Girona 5-0 at home thanks to Tajon Buchanan’s hat-trick to open his La Liga account.

Girona, who played Champions League football last season, is bottom of the table with seven goals conceded and none scored as a result of a second consecutive defeat to start the season.

Real Sociedad rallied to earn a point against Espanyol after half-time with a 2-0 lead.

In eight second-half minutes, Sociedad were led by Pere Milla and Javi Puado before Ander Barrenetxea and Orri Oskarsson responded.