Liverpool will not win title

Petra Kvitova warmed up for Wimbledon by winning the Eastbourne singles title for the first time with a 6-3, 6-2 rout of Jelena Ostapenko on Saturday. Kvitova needed just 77 minutes to finish off former French Open champion Ostapenko as the Czech veteran produced the kind of dominant grass-court tennis that earned her two Wimbledon titles. The 32-year-old, who lost the 2011 Eastbourne final to Marion Bartoli, ended Ostapenko’s reign as the women’s champion at Devonshire Park in emphatic fashion, demolishing the Latvian with her booming serve and fierce forehands. ALSO READ | Wimbledon Favourite Iga Swiatek Says Still Figuring Out Grass “I had already experienced losing in a final, so I guess I am lucky. Playing on the grass is very special for me, especially when you step onto a beautiful court such as here,” Kvitova said. “It’s really nice to play in front of the people again; in the pandemic it was a really tough time, it’s such a better feeling.” Kvitova’s 29th … [Read more...] about Petra Kvitova Wins Eastbourne to Bolster Wimbledon Prospects

close Video Fox News Flash top headlines for June 25 Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky continued her domination at the FINA World Championships on Friday, sweeping all four of her events and extending her streak to eight consecutive wins in the women’s 800-meter freestyle. Ledecky, 25, outswam her opponents for a first-place finish with a time of 8 minutes, 8.04 seconds, beating out second-place finishers Kiah Melverton of Australia by more than 10 seconds. She won the 800-meter free for her fifth consecutive title at worlds and eighth consecutive including Olympics finishes. Katie Ledecky of Team United States competes in the Women's 800m Freestyle Final on day seven of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships at Duna Arena on June 24, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Tom … [Read more...] about Katie Ledecky wins 800 free for fifth consecutive title at world swimming championships, sweeps four events

Indian javelin ace Neeraj Chopra added another feather in his cap as he took home the gold at the Kuortane Games in Finland. Chopra registered a best throw of 86.69m in the Finnish event as he beat Keshorn Walcott Trinidad and Tobago and world champion Anderson Peters of Grenada to the title. Chopra uploaded a post on Instagram that read “Tough conditions with the weather, but happy to get my first win of the season here at Kuortane. I’m feeling good and looking forward to starting my Diamond League season at @bauhausgalan on the 30th. Thank you for all the messages and support.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Neeraj Chopra (@neeraj____chopra) He achieved the mark on his very first throw before following it up with two could and opting to sit out his remaining three attempts as his first throw was good enough to seal the top spot in the contest. Earlier in the week, Chopra registered a throw of 89.30m at the Paavo Nurmi Games in … [Read more...] about WATCH: Neeraj Chopra’s Title Clinching Throw in Kuortane

Basel: Roger Federer reached the Basel quarter-finals for the 15th time on Thursday when he steamrolled Frenchman Benoit Paire 6-1, 6-3 as the top seed stepped up his campaign for an eighth Swiss Indoors title. Federer defeated Paire for the fifth time without a loss, mowing down the challenger in just 57 minutes in front of a sympathetic audience at the St Jakobshalle. The 36-year-old Federer, winner of his last event in Shanghai this month, is seeking an ATP-leading seventh trophy this season as he aims for the weekend final in his hometown. "I'm happy with how it went, I'm always ready for a tougher one," Federer said. "I got a good start, got rolling. "I was able to put more presure on him than him on me. I've had a good two first rounds. I thought the draw looked tough with (Francis) Tiafoe and Paire in my section. I'm a little surprised, to be honest. "It's not easy to win 1 and 3 indoors, this was a great start." Federer ripped through the opening set and piled on … [Read more...] about Basel Open: ‘Surprised’ Federer Reaches 15th Quarter-final

Basel: Two-time champion Juan Martin del Potro and top-seeded Stan Wawrinka advanced to the Swiss Indoors quarterfinals. Del Potro beat fifth-seeded David Goffin of Belgium 7-5, 6-3, while Wawrinka had 16 aces as he beat American player Donald Young 7-6 (4), 6-7 (3), 6-4. Both players held their serve in the first set and dropped it once in the second. Wawrinka, the US Open champion, took the only chance he got on Young's serve in the deciding set. Del Potro, who won the Stockholm indoor title Sunday, extended his winning streak to seven matches six against players higher in the standings than the 42nd-ranked Argentine player. Goffin, who beat Del Potro at the Shanghai Masters two weeks ago, struggled with his second serves and was broken once in each set. Del Potro won back-to-back titles at Basel in 2012 and 2013 but missed the last two editions due to left wrist injuries that dropped his ranking sharply. The 28-year-old will play No. 5 Kei Nishikori of Japan. Wawrinka, … [Read more...] about Basel Open: Del Potro, Wawrinka Advance Into Quarter Finals

Roger Federer thrashed American teenager Frances Tiafoe 6-1, 6-3 on Tuesday as the top seed began his week at the Swiss Indoors with a resounding first-round victory. Federer, who won in a stroll over Rafael Nadal just over a week ago in the Shanghai final, continued his top form in front of the local crowd at an event he has won seven times. The 36-year-old Swiss, who has competed in a dozen Basel finals, made quick work of his 19-year-old opponent, who had taken him to five sets in this year's US Open first round. Federer will next face France's Benoit Paire, a 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) winner over American Steve Johnson. "I felt good throughout. The short match didn't matter too much because I have a day off tomorrow. Even if it had been three sets, it would have been OK," Federer said. "As long as I'm winning, it's all good. I'm just happy to win the first match. Frances was tough in the US Open. "The next round with Paire will be tough, he's a dangerous player indoors. I'm happy … [Read more...] about Roger Federer Routs American Teenager Tiafoe in Basel Opener

Rafa Nadal returns to Wimbledon for the first time in three years but it will feel a little odd for the Spaniard who, for the first time at the All England Club, will not have sparring partner Roger Federer for company. Their epic rivalry includes three successive Wimbledon finals from 2006 — the first two won by Federer and the last by Nadal in unforgettable fashion in 2008. Federer played in the juniors at Wimbledon in 1998 and has been back every year since, winning a record eight titles and establishing himself as the king of the lawns. But the 40-year-old will be absent this year as the 36-year-old Nadal seeks to continue his quest for the calendar year Grand Slam, having won the Australian Open and French Open to take his haul of majors to a record 22. Federer’s absence because of a knee injury that has sidelined him for a year will leave Wimbledon a little empty. Nadal acknowledges that without the Swiss raising the bar, his own achievements might not have been … [Read more...] about Rafael Nadal Missing Old Sparring Partner Roger Federer on Wimbledon Return

World Cup winner Mario Goetze has been tipped for a Germany recall by former national team coach Joachim Loew after returning to the Bundesliga by signing for Champions League side Eintracht Frankfurt. Goetze completed his transfer from Dutch Eredivisie runners-up PSV Eindhoven by signing a three-year contract. “I’m really looking forward to playing for Eintracht Frankfurt,” said Goetze, who scored an extra-time winner in Germany’s victory over Argentina in the 2014 World Cup final. “The club has developed incredibly and embarked on an exciting, ambitious path which I am glad to be a part of.” Frankfurt have qualified for the Champions League for the first time since losing the 1960 European Cup final to Real Madrid after winning the Europa League last season. Sporting director Markus Kroesche said Goetze turned down “numerous offers” in order to join Frankfurt. “We have lacked a type of player like him so far,” said Kroesche. Loew, who brought Goetze on as a substitute … [Read more...] about Joachim Loew Tips Mario Goetze For Germany Recall After Frankfurt Move

Basel: Top seed Roger Federer was finally forced to work hard for a win at the Swiss Indoors tournament as he fought back to beat Adrian Mannarino 4-6 6-1 6-3 in his quarter-final on Friday. The world number two, chasing an eighth title at his hometown tournament, had dropped only eight games as he breezed through the first two rounds but found his 28th-ranked opponent a much tougher nut to crack. Mannarino took the first set and, although Federer cruised through the second, the Frenchman made him work hard again in the third before the Swiss completed the win. Federer's semi-final opponent on Saturday will be Belgian third seed David Goffin who beat American Jack Sock 7-6(6) 6-3 in the last of the night's quarter-finals. World number four Marin Cilic had an even harder time than Federer, needing two tiebreaks to beat 100th-ranked Hungarian Marton Fucsovics 7-6(3) 5-7 7-6(4) in just over three hours. The Croat now faces Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, a late contender to … [Read more...] about Basel Open: Federer Works Hard to Seal Semi-final Spot

World No. 32 Victoria Azarenka of Belarus got the better of world No. 11 Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic in a tight, 7-5, 6-4, match to reach the fourth round at the BNP Paribas Open on Monday (IST). In the latest chapter of a rivalry that dates back more than a decade, the two major champions traded breaks three times in the opening set, and Azarenka won the last three games to take it — saving three break points to stave off a first-set tiebreak. The second set proved much the same, as Kvitova won four straight games from 3-1 down to take the lead before Azarenka again won a trio of games to seal victory. “It was really exhausting year. Since COVID started, it’s pretty exhausting I think for everybody. My body is just not really handling perfectly. That’s why I’m ending right now, to take some extra weeks to recover my body, to heal everything what is there,” said Kvitova, following her last match of the season. “Overall the season, well, I definitely had better seasons than … [Read more...] about Indian Wells: Victoria Azarenka Edges Past Petra Kvitova, Simona Halep Knocked Out