Van der Poel edges out Pogacar to claim yellow jersey on Tour
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Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Sabalenka irked by two moments in her semi-final defeat
PA Media/DPA London Aryna Sabalenka made a conscious effort to be a gracious loser at Wimbledon, but still took a swipe at new finalist Amanda Anisimova. World number one and title favourite Sabalenka was beaten 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 by the 23-year-old American Anisimova in a dramatic Centre Court semi-final. The top seed from Belarus came in for a lot of criticism for her sour grapes reaction following her defeat by Coco Gauff at last month's French Open final. So she breezed into Wimbledon's media theatre giggling and said: 'You're not going to see a Roland Garros press conference, so anyone who was waiting for that, you can leave right now!' She added: 'I just don't want to face that hate again. I mean, we're all people. We all can lose control over our emotions. It's absolutely normal. 'Even right now I took a bit more time before doing my media just so I can be Aryna, not that crazy person that was on that media day at Roland Garros.' Nevertheless, a couple of incidents did irk the 27-year-old. The first was a point at 2-3 in the second set when Anisimova seemed to loudly celebrate a winner before the ball was past Sabalenka, which could have been called hindrance by the umpire. 'I was just trying to chase the ball. Yeah, she was already celebrating it. I was, like, I mean, that's a bit too early,' she said. 'Then she kind of p****d me off saying that, 'oh, that's what she does all the time'.' Anisimova, who will face Iga Swiatek in Saturday's final, responded: 'I don't really know what was the deal there, to be honest, because I didn't feel like it was that interfering. But yeah, I tried to not do it again.' Then, with Sabalenka 2-4 down in the third, the 13th seed did not apologise after a groundstroke, which may have been floating wide, clipped the net cord and landed in. Sabalenka added: 'I just looked at her and, I mean, for sure she didn't hear me. I was like, 'you don't want to say sorry?' She just wanted, I guess, badly to win this match.' 'It's on her. If she doesn't feel like saying sorry, like she barely got that point and she didn't feel like saying sorry for that tricky situation, that's on her.' But it is hard to paint Anisimova, who is a keen artist, as the villain of the piece. Anisimova, who reached her only other grand slam semi-final six years ago in Paris as a 17-year-old, took an eight-month break from the sport in 2023 to prioritise her mental health. She said: 'I think that's a really special message that I think I've been able to show because when I took my break, a lot of people told me that you would never make it to the top again.'
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Messi makes MLS history in Miami win over New England
PA Media/dpa London Lionel Messi became the first MLS player in league history to score multiple goals in four consecutive matches as Inter Miami beat New England Revolution 2-1. The Argentine international opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a left-footed shot to the bottom left corner of the box at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. He followed up just before half-time, converting a through ball from Sergio Busquets. Messi had two more shots on target blocked in the second half, but Miami would not find the net for the remainder of the game. Carles Gil got New England on the board in the 80th minute, firing a right-footer from outside the box. The win leaves Inter Miami fifth in the Eastern Conference, with games in hand on the sides above them following their Club World Cup exploits. Messi also scored twice against Montreal last week in his club's first outing after their exit from the Club World Cup. Miami host Nashville SC in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on Sunday.
Qatar Tribune
2 days ago
- Qatar Tribune
Anisimova sinks Sabalenka to make final; Swiatek breezes past Bencic
PA Media/DPA London Amanda Anisimova stunned world number one and title favourite Aryna Sabalenka to reach the Wimbledon final just two years after walking away from the sport. The 23-year-old American kept her cool on a baking Centre Court to win a dramatic contest 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 in two hours and 37 minutes and give her nephew a fourth birthday to remember. Anisimova's sister Maria and nephew Jaxon had flown over from the United States earlier in the week to watch her quarter-final win over Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. It was the first tennis match Jaxon had been to, and the youngster might be invited to a few more after his auntie's amazing win. 'This doesn't feel real right now,' said Anisimova. 'Aryna is such a tough competitor and I was absolutely dying out there. She's an inspiration to me and so many other people' 'To come out on top and be in the final at Wimbledon is incredibly special. 'I have my beautiful family over there, my sister, nephew and brother-in-law. What a journey the last two weeks have been.' Her win is all the more remarkable because Anisimova had to take an extended break from tennis in 2023 to prioritize her mental health. 'To be honest if you told me then I'd be in the final at Wimbledon I would not believe you,' she added. 'To be in this spot is not easy. To be in the final is indescribable.' Anisimova took a cagey first set during which actor and cricket fan Stephen Fry dropped a regulation catch in the Royal Box from a Sabalenka top-edge. It also featured two delays while spectators were taken ill in the heat on a sweltering Centre Court. Sabalenka, who dutifully took over water and ice packs each time, had to serve to stay in the set after the second, and gave it away with a double-fault. But the tension was palpable on both sides of the net and midway through the second set it was Anisimova who blinked, a double-fault handing over the break. Sabalenka - playing in her 12th grand slam semi-final compared to Anisimova's second, six years after her first - forced four set points on the American's serve. They were all repelled but the 27-year-old sprang back out of her chair with a confident hold, levelling the match with an ace. Things looked ominous for Anisimova when Sabalenka, by now steering clear of her opponent's lethal backhand, broke to love at the start of the decider. But the 13th seed was not cowed and hit straight back in the next before a dreadful miss from Sabalenka left Anisimova in sight of the finish line. But on match point the backhand for once let her down, before Sabalenka dragged the set back on serve. However, when Sabalenka overcooked a backhand Anisimova had three more match points and on the third, it was a forehand winner which sent her through to a first grand slam final and left young Jaxon beaming. Later, Iga Swiatek swept aside Belinda Bencic to set up a Wimbledon final clash with Anisimova. The Pole has been growing in confidence on grass all fortnight and was calmness personified in a 6-2 6-0 victory over Bencic that lasted just 72 minutes on Thursday. That was the first final Swiatek had reached at any level since winning her fifth grand slam title at the French Open last spring, and now she is only one match away from matching Carlos Alcaraz by winning major trophies on each surface. She said on court: 'Honestly I never even dreamt it was going to be possible for me to play in the final. 'I'm just super excited. I thought I experienced everything on the court but I didn't experience playing well on grass. 'I feel confident and I'm just going for it. For sure it's working.' Given her extra experience at the latter stages of slams, and the fact she is yet to lose a final, she will go in as the favourite against Anisimova, who nevertheless will bring a lot more firepower than Bencic. The Swiss has had a superb fortnight and will return to the top 20 on Monday less than nine months after returning to the tour following the birth of daughter Bella last April. She was on the back foot from the start here, though, as Swiatek began with purpose and seized on the underpowered serve of her opponent. The hot weather has resulted in hard, bouncy courts, and they have certainly been to the Pole's liking, with Swiatek converting a 3-0 lead into a straightforward first set. She wobbled slightly at the start of the second, serving two double faults, but Bencic could not take advantage and Swiatek swiftly set about turning a first Wimbledon semi-final into a maiden final.
