Category sport-news

‘Young Federer’ Wins Australian Open Boys’ Title

Roger Federer’s success at the Australian Open boys’ title on Saturday did nothing, for the young Swiss was inspired by comparisons to his illustrious compatriot.

Bernet won the Melbourne trophy alongside Alexander Zverev, Nick Kyrgios, and Gael Monfils when he defeated American Benjamin Willwerth 6-3, 6-4 on his 18th birthday.

Federer never won the junior title, despite winning six of his 20 Grand Slam titles.

Henry Bernet, of Switzerland, poses with the trophy in the Australian Open tennis championship match against Benjamin Willwerth, of the United States, on day fourteen. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP)
After winning their junior boys’ singles match on day fourteen of the Australian Open tennis competition in Melbourne on January 25, 2025, Switzerland’s Henry Bernet (R) shakes hands with American Benjamin Willwerth. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP)

Both Bernet and Federer both graduated from the same tennis club, TC Old Boys Basel, in Basel.

In other ways, Bernet uses the same classic one-handed backhand that Federer and Severin Luthi, both of whom were close friends with the Swiss legend, have in common.

Bernet responded, “I’m just trying to develop myself and sort of make my own journey,” responding to questions about how he would deal with the unavoidable comparisons he faces as he enters the main ATP Tour.

Henry Bernet, a Swiss player, poses with the trophy following his victory against Benjamin Willwerth of the Australian Open tennis team on day fourteen in Melbourne on January 25, 2025. IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE

” But obviously there’s always going to be some comparisons. That’s not a problem for me. It’s a motivation. “

He has only met Federer once, at last year’s US Open.

Keys Wins First Set Of Australian Open Women’s Final

Madison Keys, the 19th seed, defeated Aryna Sabalenka, the defending champion of the Australian Open women’s final on Saturday, winning 6-3.

Sabalenka, the world’s number one, entered the Melbourne final as favorite, but Keys, who was aiming to win her first Grand Slam title, took the opening set 35 minutes.

Madison Keys of the USA and Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus make their way backstage on day fourteen of the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne on January 25, 2025. (Photo by Adrian Dennis / AFP) &nbsp,
Aryna Sabalenka’s arm, which is seen serving the ball to USA’s Madison Keys on day fourteen of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 25, 2025, is pictured serving the ball to the Belarusian’s Aryna Sabalenka. (Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP) &nbsp,
Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus serves to Madison Keys of the United States in their women’s singles final match on January 25, 2025, in Melbourne. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP) &nbsp,

Amorim In The Dark Over Rashford’s Man Utd Future

Marcus Rashford, an unpopular Manchester United player, will leave before the transfer window closes, according to Ruben Amorim.

After Amorim made the shock substitution for him for United’s derby victory at Manchester City in December, Rushford hasn’t played for ten games.

The 27-year-old responded to his omission by saying he was ready for a “new challenge,” which sparked speculation that United would sell him before the current transfer window closed on February 3.

Linked with AC Milan, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and Chelsea, Rashford remains in exile, with United boss Amorim unclear when the situation will be resolved.

Although Amorim named only nine of the 12 substitutes for the 2-1 Europa League win over Rangers, the England international watched from a private box on Wednesday while the England international trained.

Asked if Rashford could stay at United for the rest of the season, Amorim told reporters: “I don’t know. I really don’t know.

We’ll observe what transpired at the other end of the window. Then, at that moment, we’ll talk about it. ”

Amorim also had reservations about the future of Chelsea and Napoli’s interest in Argentina’s winger Alejandro Garnacho.

The 20-year-old started the Rangers win but Amorim would not offer any guarantees, saying: “Let’s see in the next few days”.

Only three victories out of 11 Premier League games were lost to Amorim at home last weekend, 3-1, by Brighton.

After that defeat, United were “perhaps the worst team in the history of the club,” he claimed.

After Erik ten Hag was fired in November, the former Sporting Lisbon boss said he wants to strengthen his relationship with his players.

“I think we need that to get that feeling of belonging,” Amorim said. “For that, we also need time to train, to stay together and that is really important. We don’t have that.

“Pre-season, creating, spending three weeks together, creating something, and then you want to create something new with the players.

We don’t have the time to prepare for the matches because we don’t want them to know me in a different way. It’s really important, in my opinion, and the key to teamwork. ”

Andre Onana, who was subsequently substituted for the Rangers game due to a costly error against Brighton, was given hope by Amorim that he would play in goal against Fulham on Sunday.

Altay Bayindir deputised in midweek, but Amorim said that was a pre-planned rotation.

“We have two really good goalkeepers, they need time to play, they need the space in the team, so this rotation was prepared,” he said.

Arteta Consulting Arsenal Players During Striker Search

As the club scrambles to add a striker before the January transfer window closes, Mikel Arteta stated on Friday that he is consulting with his Arsenal players regarding new signings.

As they attempt to catch Premier League leaders Liverpool, the Gunners’ lack of goalscoring threat has raised concerns. Forwards Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka are both suffering serious injuries.

The only team in the top six of the Premier League’s top six, Kai Havertz, has eight goals in the top flight this year.

Gunners boss Arteta was questioned about the need for reinforcements ahead of his side’s Saturday game against struggling Wolves.

“We lost two very, very important players, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus so we lack goals, we lack people, we lack options in the front line. It’s clear”, he said.

“If we can get the right player, that’s what we are actively looking at. Any player? No, someone who improves and strengthens our team.

Arteta added that the transfer window needs to close at 23:00 GMT on February 3 because the country is already very short and that it needs even shorter.

The team still manages that, though. What is best for the club must we do.

The Spaniard claimed that he consults with his players about potential signings because they frequently provide him with valuable information that builds on computer data.

How has this player responded if he hasn’t scored in six or seven games? This is what I’m interested in, “he said.

Watch a player who hasn’t scored in six games get an interview. Then, what kinds of goals has he scored, against which teams, in what contexts?

“Is it the first half, the second half? Is it only right foot, is it headers? Always only in open spaces? Does he enjoy this league’s physical contact?

When a player spends a lot of days with him, that’s really helpful information to have because there are many things. I always do it. “

Arteta believes Arsenal, who have finished as runners-up to Manchester City for the past two seasons, are realistic title challengers to Liverpool, who are six points clear at the top with a game in hand.

Last weekend, Arne Slot’s side scored two goals in stoppage time to beat Brentford, while Arsenal blew a 2-0 lead in their draw against Aston Villa.

” The margins are really, really small, “said Arteta”. You might s.

The gap looks very different and there were few turning points last weekend, which is how things could have gone.

Madison Keys: From Teenage Prodigy To Melbourne Finalist At 29

Madison Keys, a former adolescent, arrived in Australia to assess her ability to perform as her 30th birthday approaches.

The resilient American now has the answer — right up with the best — after reaching Saturday’s final, where she will face two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka.

Eight years after her first Grand Slam final in New York, Keys is on a renaissance.

She will now be 14 when she makes her first appearance in the top 10 since 2019.

She made her first semi-final at Melbourne Park in 2015 as a 19-year-old.

A decade later, she finds herself in the final, tasked with preventing Sabalenka from becoming the first woman to win three Melbourne titles in a row since Martina Hingis from 1997 to 1999.

Keys ended her season early in October last year and married her coach, Bjorn Fratangelo, a month later.

Since Fratangelo became her coach in 2023, the two players have been dating since 2017.

If the couple earns their maiden major after Saturday, it will be a match made in heaven.

Zverev enters the Australian Open Final after Djokovic retires with injuries.

‘ Sharpening the axe’&nbsp,

Madison Keys of the USA celebrates match point with Iga Swiatek of Poland on day twelve of the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne on January 24, 2025. (Photo by Yuichi YAMAZAKI / AFP)

“It was just kind of like: how much do you want to get out of this”? Fratangelo told reporters on Friday about their on-court relationship, before warning that Keys’s best was yet to come.

“I think she’s nowhere near her full potential”, added Fratangelo, a fellow American who won the boys ‘ singles at the 2011 French Open.

“You can get the axe far, but occasionally you just need new tools. I think that’s what I’ve tried to bring to the table.

” I just thought: OK, if we make a few changes and some subtle tweaks here and there… then all of a sudden you’re in the mix, and you’re being talked about again, like she is now. “

Keys has a real chance of creating another upset in the final with a power game that resembles Sabalenka’s.

” Maybe Aryna is a little more of the polished version of Madison, “said Fratangelo.

But what I’ve learned from her is exactly what greats do: they can raise the bar when it matters most.

Before coming out of a set down and saving a match point against world number two Iga Swiatek in her semi-final, Keys had already defeated former Melbourne finalists Danielle Collins and Elena Rybakina.

” That was as gutsy as I’ve ever seen her compete, “said Fratangelo after Keys came through a nerve-curdling third-set tiebreak.

To do it in that situation against someone who, according to Iga, is already an all-time great.

“Wow, how she managed to survive the third set really, really awesome.”

Misfiring Kane Needs To Shake Off Slump As Bayern Visit Freiburg

When his side travel to Freiburg on Saturday, Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane will attempt to recover from a goal-loss.

Kane still leads the Bundesliga in terms of goals scored in 16 games this year, but the numbers may concern the league leaders.

Kane hasn’t scored from open play since November, which is a run of seven games, despite the England captain’s remarkable dependability from the spot glossing over the decline in form.

Since his 2022 World Cup quarter-final defeat against France, he has scored two penalties, extending his streak to 27 consecutive spot kicks converted for club and nation.

In Wednesday’s 3-0 Champions League loss at Feyenoord, Kane and Bayern were dominant with the ball but were unable to convert a number of chances.

The 31-year-old hamstring strain forced him to play four games in December, but he is not yet 100% recovered.

“Of course we need his goals”, Bayern’s sporting director Max Eberl said of Kane.

He hasn’t scored, but he is probably more critical of himself than anyone else.

” He’s experienced many highs and a few lows. If there’s anyone who can handle a dip, it’s Harry Kane. “

Freiburg will face a Bayern team that has been severely hurt, according to Freiburg coach Julian Schuster on Thursday.

” When a team loses, there’s automatically a bit of extra spice next time around. And we are all aware of what a loss to Bayern means.

In his first season in charge, Schuster has his side sitting eighth. In their home town of Black Forest, where they have only lost once in nine games, Freiburg is particularly strong.

Schuster said Bayern’s midweek loss shows it is possible” to find gaps and to hurt them”.

On Saturday, Leverkusen travels to RB Leipzig knowing that if Bayern lose, they could close the gap at the top by winning.

Xabi Alonso’s defending champions had their own midweek setback, losing 2-1 at Atletico Madrid despite taking the lead in Spain.

Leipzig, who won 3-2 away in August, is 10 points behind Leverkusen, making them the only league opponent to defeat them.

Leverkusen are “a different calibre of team but promised” to make it as difficult for them as possible, according to Leipzig defender David Raum.

Nuri Sahin’s dismissal came a day after Dortmund’s 2-1 Champions League defeat at Bologna on Tuesday.

Mike Tullberg, Sahin’s interim replacement, will be on the sidelines in Saturday’s home clash with Werder Bremen tasked with getting Dortmund back to winning ways.

The Champions League finalists from the previous season sit 10th overall and have lost just one of their past nine games.

One to watch: Patrik Schick

Kane may be working hard to reach his best level, but Patrik Schick, the frontman of Bayer Leverkusen, cannot be denied.

In his last eight games, the Czech striker has scored 12 goals, none of which have come from the penalty spot.

Schick’s form means Leverkusen have not missed the injured Victor Boniface, who looks set to return to the squad this weekend.

The 28-year-old Schick spent the 2019-20 season on loan at Leipzig, netting 10 goals in 28 games, but he has never scored against his former employers.

Key stats
In his previous five league games, Benjamin Sesko has scored.

The last eight league games won by Bayer Leverkusen are 8.

16th – Borussia Dortmund have won just one and lost six of their nine away games this season, the third-worst away record in the Bundesliga

Fixtures (1430 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Wolfsburg v Holstein Kiel (1930)

Saturday

Mainz v Stuttgart, RB Leipzig v Bayer Leverkusen, Augsburg v Heidenheim, Freiburg v Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund v Werder Bremen, Borussia Moenchengladbach v Bochum (1730)

Sunday

Hoffenheim v Eintracht Frankfurt, St Pauli v Union Berlin (1630)