Latest news with #MatchoftheYear
Daily Tribune
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Sabalenka expecting ‘big chance' to win on Madrid clay
World number one Aryna Sabalenka believes she will have 'big chances' to perform well on clay this season, should she recapture the level she showed during last year's Madrid Open final against Iga Swiatek. The Belarusian squandered three match points in a heartbreaking defeat by Swiatek in the Spanish capital 12 months ago, in what was a high-quality clash that earned WTA Match of the Year honours at the end of the season. Targeting a third Madrid Open crown this fortnight at the Caja Magica, Sabalenka reflects fondly on her final against Swiatek, despite coming agonisingly close to victory before falling just short. 'That match was a blockbuster, and I really enjoyed playing, it was very intense, very long. If I can play like that in every match on clay, I think I have big chances to perform well on the clay court season this year,' Sabalenka said o n Wednesday. 'That was amazing match, even though I lost it. 'Nothing I can be upset with, to be honest. I did my best there, and she just outplayed me.' Sabalenka arrives in Madrid on the back of a runner-up showing in Stuttgart, where she fell in the final to Jelena Ostapenko. The 26 - year- old, who won the 2024 US and Australian Opens, is still waiting for her first title on clay since her 2023 Madrid triumph. The top seed will open her campaign against Anna Blinkova or Panna Udvardy in round two. This season is featuring live electronic line calling on clay for the first time on the WTA and ATP tours –- a decision that has been met with mixed reaction.
Straits Times
24-04-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Aryna Sabalenka expecting ‘big chance' to win on Madrid clay
Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka is still waiting for her first title on clay since her 2023 Madrid triumph. AFP MADRID – World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka believes that she will have 'big chances' to perform well on clay this season, should she recapture the level she showed during the 2024 Madrid Open final against Iga Swiatek. The Belarusian squandered three match points in a heartbreaking defeat by Swiatek in the Spanish capital 12 months ago, in what was a high-quality clash that earned WTA Match of the Year honours at the end of the season. Targeting a third Madrid Open crown this fortnight at the Caja Magica, Sabalenka reflects fondly on her final against her Polish rival, despite coming agonisingly close to victory before falling just short. 'That match was a blockbuster, and I really enjoyed playing, it was very intense, very long,' she said on April 23. 'If I can play like that in every match on clay, I think I have big chances to perform well on the clay-court season this year. That was amazing match, even though I lost it. 'Nothing I can be upset with, to be honest. I did my best there, and she just outplayed me.' Sabalenka arrives in Madrid on the back of a runner-up showing in Stuttgart, where she fell in the final to Jelena Ostapenko of Latvia. The 26-year-old, who won the 2024 US and Australian Opens, is still waiting for her first title on clay since her 2023 Madrid triumph. The top seed will open her campaign against Russian Anna Blinkova in the second round on April 25. This season is featuring live electronic line calling on clay for the first time on the WTA and ATP tours – a decision that has been met with mixed reaction. While some players are happy to avoid arguments with umpires by solely relying on technology, others have questioned the accuracy of the technology, given the replay does not always match the mark visible on the clay court. 'I prefer to have the Hawk-Eye system than the referee, because sometimes referees can be very weak to go there (to check the mark) and confirm that they made mistake, so yeah, I prefer to have the Hawk-Eye system,' said Sabalenka. First-round action in Madrid on April 23 saw a returning Petra Kvitova squander a 4-1 double-break lead en route to a 6-4, 6-0 defeat by American Katie Volynets. The Czech came back from a 17-month maternity leave two months ago and was contesting her first clay-court match in two years. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Business Recorder
23-04-2025
- Sport
- Business Recorder
Sabalenka expecting ‘big chance' to win on Madrid clay
MADRID: World number one Aryna Sabalenka believes she will have 'big chances' to perform well on clay this season, should she recapture the level she showed during last year's Madrid Open final against Iga Swiatek. The Belarusian squandered three match points in a heartbreaking defeat by Swiatek in the Spanish capital 12 months ago, in what was a high-quality clash that earned WTA Match of the Year honours at the end of the season. Targeting a third Madrid Open crown this fortnight at the Caja Magica, Sabalenka reflects fondly on her final against Swiatek, despite coming agonisingly close to victory before falling just short. 'That match was a blockbuster, and I really enjoyed playing, it was very intense, very long. If I can play like that in every match on clay, I think I have big chances to perform well on the clay court season this year,' Sabalenka said on Wednesday. Less is more for Raducanu ahead of return in Madrid 'That was amazing match, even though I lost it. 'Nothing I can be upset with, to be honest. I did my best there, and she just outplayed me.' Sabalenka arrives in Madrid on the back of a runner-up showing in Stuttgart, where she fell in the final to Jelena Ostapenko. The 26-year-old, who won the 2024 US and Australian Opens, is still waiting for her first title on clay since her 2023 Madrid triumph. The top seed will open her campaign against Anna Blinkova or Panna Udvardy in round two. This season is featuring live electronic line calling on clay for the first time on the WTA and ATP tours – a decision that has been met with mixed reaction. While some players are happy to avoid arguments with umpires by solely relying on technology, others have questioned the accuracy of the technology, given the replay doesn't always match the mark visible on the clay court. 'I prefer to have the Hawk-Eye system than the referee, because sometimes referees can be very weak to go there (to check the mark) and confirm that they made mistake, so yeah, I prefer to have the Hawk-Eye system,' said Sabalenka. First-round action in Madrid on Wednesday saw a returning Petra Kvitova squander a 4-1 double-break lead en route to a 6-4, 6-0 defeat by American Katie Volynets. Kvitova came back from a 17-month maternity leave two months ago and was contesting her first clay-court match in two years.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WWE WrestleMania 41 Night 1 results, grades, analysis: Seth Rollins stuns CM Punk, Roman Reigns with Paul Heyman betrayals
WrestleMania 41 Night 1 is in the books! The first night of WWE's annual extravaganza set the bar remarkably high, with three championships changing hands and a main event that delivered fireworks from both an in-ring and storytelling standpoint. The action at Allegiant Stadium kicked off in a big way, with 2025 Royal Rumble winner Jey Uso taking on World Heavyweight Champion Gunther to begin the show. In what was an instant WrestleMania moment, Uso overcame the odds and walked out of Las Vegas a winner. Gunther, who had only been pinned twice since joining the main roster, submitted to Uso, giving him immediate credibility as the top champion on "WWE Raw." Advertisement Two other titles changed hands as The New Day had their biggest moment since turning heel, cheating to defeat the War Raiders and claim their 12th tag team championship. Two matches later, Jacob Fatu and LA Knight ignited the crowd with a fast-paced, violent United States Championship match. Fatu, in his first WrestleMania, left a victor and a singles champion for the first time ever. Speaking of WrestleMania debuts, Tiffany Stratton had arguably the toughest task of the night, defending her WWE Women's Championship against Charlotte Flair — the 2025 women's Royal Rumble winner. While the match may not have met lofty expectations, the right decision was made in keeping Stratton as champion moving forward. In the main event, Seth Rollins, CM Punk and Roman Reigns put on an instant classic that should find its way onto many Match of the Year ballots when we get to the end of 2025. Despite not having a championship at stake, Paul Heyman's betrayal of both Punk and Reigns and his new alliance with Rollins is likely to be the focal point of at least one of WWE's brands, either "SmackDown" or "Raw." In the two other matches on the card, Jade Cargill got her revenge on Naomi in a star-making singles debut at WrestleMania and El Grande Americano used underhanded tactics to defeat late-replacement Rey Fenix. Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns and CM Punk collided in the main event of WrestleMania 41 Night 1. (Photos: WWE/Getty Images. Design: Taylor Wilhelm, Yahoo Sports) Here are the full results, grades and analysis from WrestleMania 41 Night 1: Seth Rollins defeats Roman Reigns and CM Punk in 32:38. Grade: A+ Best spot: Rollins' Pedigree counter to Reigns spear Analysis: Even if Paul Heyman didn't turn (twice), this match would have still gotten an A+ and been in heavy consideration for Match of the Year. Rollins, Reigns and Punk combined for a masterpiece and showed why they are all worthy of a WrestleMania main-event slot, even without a championship up for grabs. As great as the in-ring action was, the storytelling was even better, with Heyman betraying his former allies in Punk and Reigns and aligning himself with Rollins — who should immediately challenge for one of WWE's top championships. The betrayals protect both Reigns and Punk in defeat and beyond obvious grudges with Heyman/Rollins, they could find themselves mired in a feud against one another dating back to the shaky War Games alliance that planted the seeds for Heyman to be a major player here. Advertisement Tiffany Stratton defeats Charlotte Flair in 19:10 to retain the WWE Women's Championship. Grade: B Best spot: Flair's Stephanie Vaquer impersonation Analysis: Expectations were incredibly high for this match based on the talent of both Flair and Stratton, and the spotlight couldn't have been brighter after their explosive "WWE SmackDown" promo from a few weeks ago. There were moments that everything clicked and you saw the potential of how good this match could have been, but otherwise things didn't feel as fluid as they should have, especially for a WrestleMania match. Despite Stratton's moonsault always being a highlight, I picked Flair's adopting of Vaquer's signature move as the best spot in this match because it hammers home the work Flair does to get better at her craft. It was the right call for Stratton to retain and is a reset button for both her title reign and Flair moving forward. El Grande Americano defeats Rey Fenix in 7:56. Grade: B Best spot: El Grande Americano's reverse 540 splash Analysis: Phenomenal in-ring action. Both El Grande Americano and Fenix are stunning performers, so hopefully we see this again sometime soon and it gets a little bit more time than it did on Saturday night. The grade here is simply a reflection of the fact that it was short and the finish relatively uninventive. Jacob Fatu defeats LA Knight in 10:38 to win the United States Championship. Grade: A Best spot: Knight's BFT counter to Fatu's moonsault Analysis: A match like this was exactly what the United States Championship needed to be elevated as WWE moves into its next 'season.' The chemistry between these two was on full display, particularly on Knight's BFT on Fatu in midair, which could wind up being this decade's WrestleMania 31 RKO — it was that good. Knight needed to drop the United States title in order to credibly free himself up for a Money in the Bank win or a chase for the Undisputed WWE Championship later this year. Fatu winning his first singles gold should also further drive a wedge with Solo Sikoa and the New Bloodline. Jade Cargill defeats Naomi in 9:18. Grade: B+ Best spot: Cargill catching Naomi into suplex Analysis: As I mentioned above, this was a major moment for Cargill, who not only looks the part, but also backs it up with in-ring ability that is unparalleled in the women's division. Even though there were bigger matches on the card in terms of championships on the line, I do believe Cargill's performance is something we'll be talking about over the next few days. Naomi got a brand-new presentation, which works really well for her new heel persona. If I had to offer one critique, it would be that there was a moment when Cargill was supposed to sell a kayfabe leg injury but it never took form. The New Day defeats The War Raiders in 9:12 to win the World Tag Team Championships. Grade: B- Best spot: Ivar's moonsault Analysis: The New Day needed this win to put some weight behind a heel turn that had grown stagnant over the past few months. No disrespect to The War Raiders, but Kingston and Woods can elevate the tag-team division as a much-needed breath of fresh air (even if this is their 12th reign). The match was fine, but really felt more like a "WWE Raw" main event than one that needed to be on the WrestleMania 41 card. Jey Uso defeats Gunther by submission in 16:23 to win the World Heavyweight Championship. Grade: A Best spot: Uso utilizing Gunther's moves against him Analysis: Not only did Uso win this match, he made Gunther tap out, which gives him a bullet point on his WWE résumé that no one else can match. A year after Uso faced his brother Jimmy in a mostly forgettable WrestleMania XL match, he opened the show as one of the biggest babyfaces in the entire industry and put on a very entertaining match where he showcased offense and storytelling we hadn't seen from him in the past. There should be no doubts moving forward about Uso's ability to be a top guy after the biggest performance of his career. As far as where we go from here, Seth Rollins feels like the next natural challenge for Uso, and Gunther's submission opens the door for a potential hiatus before a rematch later in 2025. Relive all of the action from WrestleMania Night 1 with Uncrowned's live blog below:
