Category sport-news

Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka, both former world no. 1, advanced to the second round of the Monday, Bad Homburg, Wimbledon warm-up match.

Osaka from Belarus defeated Germany’s Laura Siegemund 6-2, 6-2, to defeat Serbian qualifier Olga Danilovic 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/4).

In the second round, Azarenka, 35, will face Polish Iga Swiatek.

In a big-serving match that lasted for more than two hours, Osaka scored 16 aces and Danilovic scored 10.

Also read: Tom Aspinall New Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones Retires From UFC,

Osaka, a wildcard in the main draw, “It’s my first grass-court win of the year,” he said.

“Everyone else is really good, but I think I have potential (on grass),” he said.

The wins, I can never take for granted, “I can never take it for granted.” I’m just so happy I won today.

As she recovers from her maternity leave from last year, Osaka ends her three-game losing streak with victories in Rome, the French Open, and Berlin.

Fifth seed Emma Navarro of the United States will face the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Danilovic, a Japanese player who managed two close tie-breaks, saved four break points while Danilovic fought off six.

In the first-set breaker, Osaka resurrected after going 4-2 up and forcing an error on the next set point.

Danilovic added three more aces to the second set to set things up.

Osaka challenged a Danilovic called an ace in the tiebreak, but the review revealed the ball was just out. Danilovic double-faulted before Osaka took a 3-1 lead.

Osaka seized the advantage and double match point with a forehand winner on the next point after a smash.

Azarenka, the two-time Australian Open champion, was forced to advance to this week’s main draw, but Siegemund prevailed over the wild card.

Donna Vekic, a Croatian, lost to Diana Shnaider in the previous year’s Bad Homburg final, but she won on Monday.

Vekic defeated the Russian with 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, to win all four of her break points.

Dries Mertens, a former Belgium international, announced that he would retire from football at the end of this month. His contract with Galatasaray is scheduled to expire at the end of this month.

The 38-year-old said he was hanging up his boots in a video that was posted on social media on Sunday but that Marek Hamsik, his former Napoli teammate, would play in an exhibition game in July.

Mertens has the all-time best goalscorer record at 148 against Napoli.

Before moving to Galatasaray, where he won three consecutive Turkish Super Lig titles in 2022, he won two Italian Cups while there.

READ MORE: Tom Aspinall New Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones Retires From UFC

After his passing on Monday at the age of 84, Cleveland paid tribute to former club defender John Clark, who won the 1967 European Cup.

Clark spent more than 40 years playing for the Glasgow giants as a player, coach, assistant manager, and kit man. He made over 300 appearances for Celtic after making his debut in 1959.

His best moment was in Lisbon when Celtic won the first European Cup title following their victory over Inter Milan.

Also read: Tom Aspinall New Heavyweight Champion, Jon Jones Retires From UFC,

The legendary Lisbon Lion, John Clark, passed away at the age of 84, according to a statement from Celtic Football Club that “everyone is deeply saddened.”

In his 13 years playing for Celtic, Clark also won four Scottish league titles, four League Cups, and three Scottish Cups.

“Greatness is a word that people throw around, but for John Clark, it is a very fitting tribute,” said Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers.

The reports that Olympic sprinter Favour Ofili has allegedly reverted to Turkey are disheartening, according to the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN).

However, it made it clear that she would continue to be a beacon of hope in the nation’s athletics.

According to a statement signed by the AFN’s President, Chief Tonobok Okowa, on Sunday, “he and his newly elected board read and heard her desire to change nationality, just like every other sports-loving person in Nigeria, on the continent, and beyond that”

“If this is accurate, it is depressing, painful, and disheartening,” but World Athletics (WA) has not yet provided her with any correspondence. She has a lot of potential, it continued.

Less than three months before the Tokyo World Athletics Championships in 2025, Ofili reportedly reaffirmed his allegiance to Turkiye.

Jamaica-based journalist Kayon Raynor made the report public on his X handle late on Saturday.

Ofili was denied 100m Spot at the Paris 2016 Games because of a string of enraged tweets that referenced the AFN’s administrative mistakes and both organizations’ reliability.

“I have worked this opportunity for four years. What is it for? Don’t believe this is over because you guys are doing it because this isn’t your style, Ofili wrote on X, a former Twitter account.

However, Okowa claims that since the mistake at the Tokyo Olympics, she has made it difficult to reach any kind of truce.

Okowa stated that Favor Ofili already received her training grant for this year.

The AFN President added that they have worked to address the issue that his first administration raised during his administration’s work.

The former board and the sports ministry, in collaboration with the Nigerian Olympic Committee (NOC), had planned and carried out the preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. We continued to grow the entire situation and the Games. Look at the tests that the AFN carried out while I was in charge.

There were no doping violations or similar things, he said, “We funded 60% of the tests conducted before the Paris Games.”

It’s also obvious that she has been working and preparing for her newfound Turkish love, the statement continued. Although it’s painful and difficult for us to accept her, she is still our daughter, sister, and child, despite the fact that she is old enough to make the decision.

“We regret this depressing development to Nigerians, the National Sports Commission, and the millions of people who hold the sport and nation in high regard.”

She “shunned the national trials” on numerous occasions, and even when she came, she chose the events she would like to take part in.

She ran in the heats at the 2024 African Championships in Cameroon, claiming that the organisers had not set the ideal environment for competition. Additionally, she did not attend Accra, Ghana’s final African Games.

Ofili is undoubtedly one of our athletes’ best performers in recent memory, but she has a lot of issues.

The AFN has its problems, but we are still flourishing within the system and getting along with other elite athletes. We wish her every success, no matter where she is going or what she does.

Jon Jones, arguably the world’s greatest heavyweight MMA fighter, retired from the UFC, Tom Aspinall taking home the title.

The commission president, Dana White, made this announcement at a surprise press conference on Saturday in Baku, Azerbaijan.

White claims that Jones called on Friday night to inform him and UFC officials that he would be leaving the sport after two years of being the champion.

The 37-year-old had earlier stated that he had no desire to fight Aspinall to defend his title.

The official heavyweight champion team, TanaWhite, has announced that Jon Jones has RETIRED, making Tom Aspinall the heavyweight champion. twitter.com/oJ8a9nl8KT

Then, Jones then lengthyly stated on his official X page that he would officially announce his retirement from the UFC. I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for the journey I’ve had over the years.

My goal from the moment I entered the Octagon was to exceed what was possible in this sport. I’ll cherish these memories forever, including winning my title against some of the best fighters in history, defending my title against other people’s, and sharing unforgettable experiences with fans all over the world.

I’m formally announcing my UFC retirement today. I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for the journey I’ve had over the years.

My goal was to enter the Octagon the first time, and I did so…

I’ve had some incredible highs and lows, but each one of them has taught me something that is valuable and has strengthened me both mentally and physically.

I want to thank Dana, Hunter, Lorenzo, God, my family, coaches, teammates, and all the fans who have supported me throughout each chapter. My foundation has been your unwavering trust and faith in me. Thank you, fellow fighters, for treating me with respect both inside and out of the cage, and for bringing out the best in me.

I look forward to new challenges and opportunities as I wrap up this chapter of my life. I’m excited to see how I can continue to contribute to the sport and inspire others in new ways because MMA will always be a part of who I am. I appreciate everyone who took me on this incredible journey. The future holds out for the best.

Jones won the vacant heavyweight title in March 2023, ending his career with a 28-point record.

Since defending it against Stipe Miocic in November, he hasn’t fought.

Although Aspinall has held the interim belt for 18 months, many sports enthusiasts anticipated a fight between the two to unite.