Latest news with #Moscow-born
France 24
3 days ago
- Sport
- France 24
Ex-French Open runner-up Kenin on the move after years in the doldrums
In Paris, Kenin ousted fellow former Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 in the second round. The 26-year-old next meets reigning Australian Open champion and fellow American Madison Keys for a place in the last 16. "I knew I had it in me no matter what," former world number four Kenin told AFP of her battle back from outside the top 400 to her current ranking of 30th. "I'm really happy that it's clicking. I'm playing really good tennis. "Obviously it's tough when it's like that, you kind of lose motivation but you have to do everything you can to get yourself through it and I have." The Moscow-born player was ranked fourth in March 2020, after her Australian Open triumph, reaching the French Open final that year where she lost in straight sets to Poland's Iga Swiatek. Just after she struggled with ankle and quad muscle problems among other injuries and Covid, which forced her to miss the US Open in 2021. She also missed the French Open and Wimbledon the following year, causing her ranking to plummet. Kenin has won five WTA titles but none since Lyon in 2020. But she said she was boosted by her run on clay in Charleston in April where she reached her second career final on the surface before losing to American Jessica Pegula. "That was a very good tournament (for me), that's why I felt super comfortable (coming to Paris)," she said. "I'm happy the way things are going." 'Weight lifted' On Thursday, the 31st seed came from 5-2 down in the first set against unseeded Belarusian Azarenka. She saved a set point and then edged the tie-break, snatching victory in the second set with a break in the final game. "I'm very happy with the way I played and fought. I've been playing some really good tennis already the whole year... so I felt super comfortable with the level I produced." Seventh seed Keys eased past Britain's Katie Boulter 6-1, 6-3. Keys leads 3-1 in previous meetings but Kenin won their only previous clash on clay in three sets in the last 32 in Rome in 2019. "Obviously she's playing some great tennis so I'm just looking forward to the matchup," said Kenin. Both are hungry for a second Grand Slam success. "I think there is just a little bit of a weight that's lifted just because it was obviously a goal for a really long time to win a Slam," said 30-year-old Keys. "Now that I was able to do that, I think it kind of shifts to I'd really like to do that again." For Kenin, the dream remains the US Open.
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Delicious Orie RETIRES from boxing aged 27 after just ONE pro fight as he shares shock emotional 212-word statement
BOXER Delicious Orie has announced his shock retirement from the sport. The 27-year-old won gold medals at the 2022 Commonwealth and 2023 European Games. Advertisement 1 Delicious Orie has retired from boxing Credit: Getty His success in the amateurs saw him earn a spot for Team GB in the Pairs Olympics last year and he then signed for Frank Warren's Queensberry Promotions. But after just one pro fight, which he won in February, the Moscow-born Brit has decided to end his career and focus on a new job. Orie explained his decision in a lengthy statement, which read: "After much reflection, I have decided to hang up my gloves and retire from boxing to follow up on my degree and enter the corporate world. "This sport has given me so much — incredible memories, unforgettable experiences travelling the world and many opportunities to represent my country at the biggest stages in the world. Forever grateful for the journey. Advertisement "Over time, I've come to recognise that the same fire and love I once had for boxing has gradually faded. "As I've grown, I've come to value clarity and honesty with myself above all. "I hoped that turning professional would reignite the passion, but the truth has become clear: it hasn't. "Every fighter knows you need a deep love for the craft to reach the top - and without it, there's no path forward. Advertisement Most read in Boxing "Out of respect for the sport and for myself, it's time to step away with honesty. "To everyone who supported me along the way — thank you. To my coaches, teammates, staff at GB Boxing and to those who stood by me through my (albeit brief) professional journey." He thanked STN Sports chiefs Sean O'Toole and Paul Ready, promoters Frank and George Warren, as well as Grant Smith and his team at Sheffield base Steel City Gym. Orie added: "Your belief, support and guidance meant the world." Advertisement THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY.. The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video . Like us on Facebook at
Reuters
04-04-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Russian hockey fans cheer as NHL's Ovechkin nears goals record
MOSCOW, April 4 (Reuters) - The young hockey players gliding down the rink at Moscow's Dynamo sports club know that they train in the shadow of greatness. Portraits of alumni Alexander Ovechkin, now the captain of the National Hockey League's Washington Capitals, dot the walls of the school's museum. All the youngsters at the hockey academy know his name. The Moscow-born Ovechkin is now just three goals away from beating Wayne Gretzky's NHL record after Wednesday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes. His fans back home in Russia couldn't be prouder. "For me, Ovechkin is a role model," said 15-year-old Fyodor Nikitin, who plays hockey at Dynamo. "I would like to wish him luck so that he beats Gretzky's record sooner." Dynamo coach Denis Kokarev said no one thought it possible to eclipse Gretzky's feat, who scored his 894th goal in 1994 while playing for the Los Angeles Kings. "Not if, but when, (Ovechkin) beats this record, nobody will be able to do the same in the near future", Kokarev said. Athleticism runs deep in Ovechkin's family. Born and raised in Moscow to Soviet athletes - his mother is a two-time Olympic gold medallist in basketball - the 39-year-old fell in love with hockey before he entered grade school. He broke Dynamo's goals record at the age of 11, and began playing professionally while still a teenager. Ovechkin, who is a left winger, signed with the Capitals in 2005 and has broken several NHL records since. Fans gathered outside the Dynamo stadium before a game late last month described Ovechkin as the pride of Russian sport and said they were watching eagerly for him to clinch the record. "I think there is one such person born in a million," said 26-year-old Ilya. "He's just a huge sportsman."
CNN
02-04-2025
- Sport
- CNN
A leap year ploy could have altered hockey history as Alex Ovechkin closes in on Wayne Gretzky's ‘unreachable' goal record
As Alex Ovechkin closes in on what some considered one of the most unassailable records in NHL history – Wayne Gretzky's 894 goals – let's look back at how the wondrous winger ended up in the National Hockey League. First, we have to look at his birthday. Ovechkin was born on September 17, 1985, two days past the deadline to be eligible for the 2003 draft. How coveted was the then 17-year-old Moscow Dynamo forward? Coveted enough that the Florida Panthers tried picking him several times in the latter rounds of that draft, a year before he was eligible, claiming that – when Leap Years were factored in – Ovechkin was old enough to be drafted in '03. Yeah, it didn't work. But it made for some great stories among team executives and scouts lined up at the Nashville Airport at the end of that year's draft. You can't blame then-GM Rick Dudley and the Florida Panthers for trying, and you certainly can't question their assessment of the young Russian's talent. So, with NHL draft rules intact, it would be 2004 that Ovechkin would be drafted as the first overall pick by the Washington Capitals. And it all started with a phone call. The NHL draft hadn't yet become a nationally televised event, so that's how then Capitals general manager (and now Vegas Golden Knights president of hockey operations) George McPhee learned Washington won the 2004 NHL draft lottery, despite having only the 3rd-best odds. In the next few weeks, conversations in the Caps' offices centered around a pair of Russian-born players who would become two of the most talented forwards ever to skate in the NHL: winger Alex Ovechkin and center Evgeny Malkin. The choice, of course, was Ovechkin, whose blend of goalscoring skill, skating ability, physicality, unyielding compete level, and exuberance revitalized the franchise and interest among fans in DC. But it wasn't all smooth skating for the Capitals-Ovechkin era – at least not at the beginning. Actually, there was no beginning, at least not in the year the Moscow-born winger was drafted. The NHL went dark for the entire 2004-05 season because of a labor dispute, so the then-19-year-old stayed in Russia and played a fourth season with Moscow Dynamo. Caps fans would have to be patient. And management would have to be fast. I've known George McPhee for more than 20 years, and he once told me the story of how little time the Capitals had to secure Ovechkin when the NHL lockout ended in 2005: three days. And not only was time a factor for McPhee and his staff, but they also had to deal with the reluctance of Ovechkin's parents, who preferred that their young son stay in Russia. But it was Ovechkin's desire to ply his craft in the NHL that won out, and in August 2005, he arrived in DC, first checking into a hotel, but then moving in with McPhee and his family for the first few weeks of his Capitals career. The Ovechkin era, finally, had begun. He was worth the wait. Then 20, he scored 52 goals in his first season and won the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year. Who finished second in the Calder voting that year? A kid from Nova Scotia by the name of Sidney Crosby, ironically the longtime teammate of one Evgeny Malkin. Fast forward 20 seasons, and the kid who once told his GM McPhee, 'The Russian machine never breaks,' is on the verge of breaking surely one of the most iconic marks in NHL history. The 'Gr8' is on the cusp of surpassing the Great One. Along the way, he has amassed nine seasons of 50+ goals, including a career-high 65 in 2007-08, been named an All-Star 12 times, league MVP three times, and in 2017 was honored as one of the best 100 NHL players of all time. A year later, he joyously lifted the Stanley Cup for the first time as his Capitals dispatched the incredibly successful expansion Golden Knights in five games. Vegas' general manager in that memorable inaugural season was none other than McPhee. Ovi sat down with @Tarik_ElBashir to talk about the Gr8 Chase and his partnership with the V Foundation to make contributions for each goal he scores in the final countdown to Gretzky's record When it's all said and done – however many more goals from now – and they inevitably erect a statue in his honor in DC, surely the depiction of Ovechkin will be in the famed pose when he camps at the top of the left circle on a Caps power play, figuratively calling for the pass and primed for a one-time blast past an imaginary and helpless keeper. McPhee happily witnessed an abundance of those goals for real and in real time, and years into Ovechkin's Capitals career, I asked McPhee what stood out most for him in watching his Russian superstar on such a regular basis. He said Ovechkin 'makes scoring look easy' and quickly added: 'It's not.' He also said Ovi was 'one of the greatest things to ever happen to the NHL.' And when Ovechkin finally skates away, what would McPhee say to the dynamic Russian about that fateful draft day in June 2004? He deadpanned: 'It was a very good pick.'
CNN
02-04-2025
- Sport
- CNN
A leap year ploy could have altered hockey history as Alex Ovechkin closes in on Wayne Gretzky's ‘unreachable' goal record
As Alex Ovechkin closes in on what some considered one of the most unassailable records in NHL history – Wayne Gretzky's 894 goals – let's look back at how the wondrous winger ended up in the National Hockey League. First, we have to look at his birthday. Ovechkin was born on September 17, 1985, two days past the deadline to be eligible for the 2003 draft. How coveted was the then 17-year-old Moscow Dynamo forward? Coveted enough that the Florida Panthers tried picking him several times in the latter rounds of that draft, a year before he was eligible, claiming that – when Leap Years were factored in – Ovechkin was old enough to be drafted in '03. Yeah, it didn't work. But it made for some great stories among team executives and scouts lined up at the Nashville Airport at the end of that year's draft. You can't blame then-GM Rick Dudley and the Florida Panthers for trying, and you certainly can't question their assessment of the young Russian's talent. So, with NHL draft rules intact, it would be 2004 that Ovechkin would be drafted as the first overall pick by the Washington Capitals. And it all started with a phone call. The NHL draft hadn't yet become a nationally televised event, so that's how then Capitals general manager (and now Vegas Golden Knights president of hockey operations) George McPhee learned Washington won the 2004 NHL draft lottery, despite having only the 3rd-best odds. In the next few weeks, conversations in the Caps' offices centered around a pair of Russian-born players who would become two of the most talented forwards ever to skate in the NHL: winger Alex Ovechkin and center Evgeny Malkin. The choice, of course, was Ovechkin, whose blend of goalscoring skill, skating ability, physicality, unyielding compete level, and exuberance revitalized the franchise and interest among fans in DC. But it wasn't all smooth skating for the Capitals-Ovechkin era – at least not at the beginning. Actually, there was no beginning, at least not in the year the Moscow-born winger was drafted. The NHL went dark for the entire 2004-05 season because of a labor dispute, so the then-19-year-old stayed in Russia and played a fourth season with Moscow Dynamo. Caps fans would have to be patient. And management would have to be fast. I've known George McPhee for more than 20 years, and he once told me the story of how little time the Capitals had to secure Ovechkin when the NHL lockout ended in 2005: three days. And not only was time a factor for McPhee and his staff, but they also had to deal with the reluctance of Ovechkin's parents, who preferred that their young son stay in Russia. But it was Ovechkin's desire to ply his craft in the NHL that won out, and in August 2005, he arrived in DC, first checking into a hotel, but then moving in with McPhee and his family for the first few weeks of his Capitals career. The Ovechkin era, finally, had begun. He was worth the wait. Then 20, he scored 52 goals in his first season and won the Calder Trophy as NHL Rookie of the Year. Who finished second in the Calder voting that year? A kid from Nova Scotia by the name of Sidney Crosby, ironically the longtime teammate of one Evgeny Malkin. Fast forward 20 seasons, and the kid who once told his GM McPhee, 'The Russian machine never breaks,' is on the verge of breaking surely one of the most iconic marks in NHL history. The 'Gr8' is on the cusp of surpassing the Great One. Along the way, he has amassed nine seasons of 50+ goals, including a career-high 65 in 2007-08, been named an All-Star 12 times, league MVP three times, and in 2017 was honored as one of the best 100 NHL players of all time. A year later, he joyously lifted the Stanley Cup for the first time as his Capitals dispatched the incredibly successful expansion Golden Knights in five games. Vegas' general manager in that memorable inaugural season was none other than McPhee. Ovi sat down with @Tarik_ElBashir to talk about the Gr8 Chase and his partnership with the V Foundation to make contributions for each goal he scores in the final countdown to Gretzky's record When it's all said and done – however many more goals from now – and they inevitably erect a statue in his honor in DC, surely the depiction of Ovechkin will be in the famed pose when he camps at the top of the left circle on a Caps power play, figuratively calling for the pass and primed for a one-time blast past an imaginary and helpless keeper. McPhee happily witnessed an abundance of those goals for real and in real time, and years into Ovechkin's Capitals career, I asked McPhee what stood out most for him in watching his Russian superstar on such a regular basis. He said Ovechkin 'makes scoring look easy' and quickly added: 'It's not.' He also said Ovi was 'one of the greatest things to ever happen to the NHL.' And when Ovechkin finally skates away, what would McPhee say to the dynamic Russian about that fateful draft day in June 2004? He deadpanned: 'It was a very good pick.'
