Defending champion Novak Djokovic set up an Australian Open semi-final against Roger Federer after producing another clinical performance to beat Canadian 32nd seed Milos Raonic. Djokovic dismantled Raonic’s potent serve to win 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-1) despite an eye problem late in the third set. The Serb second seed, who is aiming for a record-extending eighth title, has lost just one set in Melbourne so far. Djokovic, 32, will meet Swiss third seed Federer in Thursday’s semi-final.
Inter Milan have completed the signing of Christian Eriksen from Tottenham for a fee of around £16.9m. The 27-year-old Denmark midfielder has signed a contract until 30 June 2024. Eriksen told Spurs in the summer he wanted a fresh challenge with his contract set to expire at the end of the season. After a hoped-for move to Spain failed to materialise, Eriksen began the season with Spurs and played 28 times in all competitions this season.
Legendary NBA player Kobe Bryant has died in a California helicopter crash, reports said Sunday. He was 41. Bryant was among at least four people traveling in his private helicopter over Calabasas when a fire broke out, sending the chopper spiraling from the sky, according to TMZ Sports. The crash occurred around 10 a.m. local time amid foggy conditions in the hills overlooking Calabasas, with the chopper sparking a brush fire on impact that hampered initial rescue efforts, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Danny Garcia claims Ivan Redkach said “Mike Tyson” to him when the Ukrainian bit him during the American’s win by unanimous decision on Saturday. Garcia says Redkach bit his left shoulder during the eighth round of their welterweight fight in Brooklyn. Evander Holyfield had part of his ear bitten off by Tyson in their 1997 bout.
Second seed Karolina Pliskova has been knocked out of the Australian Open in a 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-3) third-round loss to Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. Pliskova struggled with her returning game against the 30th seed who had lost their previous six matches. The 75-minute first set saw only two of the 16 break points converted before Pavlyuchenkova won the tie-break. Pliskova could not convert two set points in the second set and then lost a second tie-break to go out.
Defending champion Novak Djokovic eased into round four of the Australian Open by beating Yoshihito Nishioka. Djokovic breezed through 6-3 6-2 6-2 in only 85 minutes. Djokovic, this year’s second seed, was ruthless and efficient with his serving, breaking Nishioka five times from six opportunities.
Roger Federer edged John Millman in an epic Australian Open clash which went down to a fifth set and a match-deciding tie-break. Millman went into the third-round meeting knowing exactly what it feels like to beat Federer, after prevailing over him in four sets at the 2018 US Open. He pushed the world No 3 all the way and capitalised on the erratic nature of Federer’s output. An unforced error count of 82 plagued the six-time Australian Open champion, but he showed his true quality when it mattered.
Odion Ighalo and Islam Slimani are two of a number of players Manchester United have looked at as they try to bring in a striker on loan following the long-term injury to Marcus Rashford. Former Watford forward Ighalo is with Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua and has two years left on his contract while Slimani is on loan at Monaco from Leicester.
Dutch motorcyclist Edwin Straver has died after a crash at the Dakar Rally. Straver, 48, crashed 124 kilometres into stage 11 on 16 January and suffered a cardiac arrest before being to airlifted to hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “The entire Dakar caravan would like to extend its sincere condolences to Edwin’s family and friends,” said organisers in a statement.
American teenager Coco Gauff stunned defending champion Naomi Osaka in straight sets to reach the fourth round of the Australian Open. The 15-year-old excelled at the Rod Laver Arena and eased to a 6-3 6-4 victory in 67 minutes. Osaka, the world number four, struggled with unforced errors throughout – making 30 compared to Gauff’s 17. “I don’t know where that came from,” the American said after the match. “Honestly, like, what is my life?” “Two years ago I lost in the first round in juniors and now I’m here,” Gauff added.
Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki saw her hugely impressive career come to a close as she went out in the Australian Open third round. Wozniacki, 29, revealed her intention to retire in November, fittingly calling time at the venue where she won her only Grand Slam title. Now ranked 36th, Wozniacki’s 15-year career ended with a 7-5 3-6 7-5 defeat by Tunisia’s Ons Jabeur.
Seven-time champion Serena Williams has been knocked out of the Australian Open, losing 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-5 to China’s Wang Qiang in the third round. The defeat means the 38-year-old American’s quest for a 24th Grand Slam singles title goes on. Wang served for the match at 5-4 in the second set but Williams broke her for the first time and then won a tie-break to level at one set all. The 27th seed recovered and sealed victory on her third match point.
Nigeria’s Women World Cup goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has joined French club Paris FC Feminines but must return home to complete the necessary paperwork. The 19-year-old has sealed a one-and-a-half-year deal with the club from Nigerian giants Rivers Angels after impressing during last year’s World Cup. Nnadozie has had to return to Nigeria in order to finalise her residency and work permits, so will not be available to make her debut until the six-time French champions face Dijon on 8 February.
Victor Moses has signed for Inter Milan on a loan deal with an option to buy from Chelsea. Moses is reunited with former Chelsea boss Antonio Conte, who he played a starring role for in the 2016-17 Premier League winning season.
Lower-league Spanish club Lorca FC have raised eyebrows by launching a mobile app that will allow fans to have their say on team selection. The club, who play in Tercera División, the regionalised fourth tier of Spanish football, tweeted on Thursday: “We bring you the app that will give you the chance to test out your abilities as the coach of a REAL team, welcome to REAL FOOTBALL MANAGER.” ”
Debutants Nigeria are set to face England at the Under-19 cricket World Cup, but cricket is still very much a minority sport in the West African country. The players knelt down, praised God and some even cried after the winning runs were struck that saw Nigeria through to their first-ever cricket World Cup. Bowler Peter Aho, who had only just turned 16, scored the crucial runs in a closely fought victory over Sierra Leone at last year’s qualifying tournament in Namibia.
Either Cameroon or Ivory Coast will miss out on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after the teams were drawn against each other in the second round of African qualifying. Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions have represented Africa at a record seven World Cups, while Ivory Coast have made three appearances. Two other groups feature two teams that have both played at football’s greatest global event in the past.
Egyptian Football Association (EFA) has announced the registration of what it believes is the oldest professional player in the world. Third-tier club 6th October have signed 75-year-old Eez Eldin Bahder.
Maria Sharapova is not sure if she will be at the Australian Open next year, with a first-round exit meaning she is set to drop out of the world’s top 350. The five-time Grand Slam champion, who won at Melbourne Park in 2008, lost 6-3 6-4 to Croatian 19th seed Donna Vekic. It was only the Russian’s second competitive outing since September’s US Open because of a shoulder injury.
Conor McGregor returned to the octagon in style at UFC 246 as he beat American fan favourite Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone in just 40 seconds in Las Vegas. Irishman McGregor, 31, came out on top after one of the most spectacular performances of his career. Two of UFC’s most popular fighters went toe to toe in the main event at the T-Mobile Arena.
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