Musetti sets up Djokovic semifinal clash as Rybakina cruises

Musetti sets up Djokovic semifinal clash as Rybakina cruises

Novak Djokovic progressed to a record-equalling 13th Wimbledon semifinal without hitting a ball on Wednesday after Alex de Minaur pulled out injured as former champion Elena Rybakina eased through. Australian ninth seed De Minaur, 25, announced shortly after midday at the All England Club that he was "devastated to pull out due to a hip injury". It means Djokovic has now equalled Roger Federer's men's record of 13 semifinal […]

July 11, 2024 8

Sport

Southgate vindicated as super subs send England into Euros final

England took a long time to get going in Germany but march on to Berlin to face Spain in Sunday's Euro 2024 final buoyed by more late drama and their best performance of the tournament to beat the Netherlands 2-1. Ollie Watkins was the unlikely hero for the Three Lions as the Aston Villa striker smashed in a stoppage-time winner in Dortmund, having only played 20 minutes in […]

July 11, 2024 9

Sport

Alcaraz fears Medvedev ‘wall’ as he targets Wimbledon final

Carlos Alcaraz described his Wimbledon semi-final opponent Daniil Medvedev as "a wall" on Tuesday as the two players talked up each others' strengths ahead of their blockbuster clash. Friday's semi-final will be a repeat show of last year, where Alcaraz beat Russia's Medvedev in straight sets on the way to his first Wimbledon crown. The Spanish world number three came through 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 against America's Tommy […]

July 10, 2024 25

Sport

Djokovic faces De Minaur test as Rybakina eyes Wimbledon repeat

Alex de Minaur is the latest man standing in the way of the Novak Djokovic juggernaut on Wednesday as the Serbian superstar eyes a 13th Wimbledon semi-final. Former champion and fourth seed Elena Rybakina, the top woman left in the draw, faces Elina Svitolina. AFP Sport looks at Wednesday's four Wimbledon quarter-finals: A historic 25th Grand Slam triumph is coming into sharp focus for Novak Djokovic, who demolished […]

July 10, 2024 8

Sport

Bare-bones gym breeds Olympians in Philippines boxing capital Bago

At a bare-bones gym in the central Philippines, children from poor families in torn shoes put on frayed head guards and get to work in pursuit of their Olympic boxing dream -- and a way out of poverty. Aged 10-18, the young boxers spar in the Bago city gymnasium after school before sleeping under the ring's canvas at night. Located on the island of Negros, in the sugar-growing region […]

July 10, 2024 5

Sport

Marsch wants broader player pool after Copa test

Canada coach Jesse Marsch saw his team's Copa America dream end with a 2-0 loss to world champions Argentina on Tuesday and said that the unexpected run to the last four had taken a toll on his side. American Marsch, the former RB Leipzig and Leeds United manager has quickly installed his high-energy, hard-pressing style on the Canada team since taking over in May. But he conceded that […]

July 10, 2024 7

Sport

Yamal makes history as Spain sink France to reach Euro 2024 final

Lamine Yamal, 16, became the tournament's youngest ever goalscorer as Spain came back to beat France 2-1 in Munich on Tuesday and reach the Euro 2024 final. Trailing after Randal Kolo Muani headed in a Kylian Mbappe cross in the ninth minute, Spain turned the match around in a four-minute period, scoring twice against a side who had only conceded once in five previous games in this tournament. Yamal, […]

July 10, 2024 10

Sport

Two France rugby players detained over alleged Argentine sex assault

Two members of the French national rugby team touring South America were arrested in Argentina on Monday following an allegation of sexual assault, a justice official in Mendoza province told AFP. Hugo Auradou, 20, and Oscar Jegou, 21, who featured in France's 28-13 Test victory over Argentina on Saturday, were detained in Buenos Aires and will be taken to Mendoza where the crime allegedly took place. "Today […]

July 9, 2024 13

World

UN says Kyiv children’s hospital probably suffered Russian direct hit

The United Nations on Tuesday said there was a "high likelihood" that the children's hospital in Kyiv suffered "a direct hit" from a Russian missile. Danielle Bell, head of the UN Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine, called Monday's strike "one of the most egregious attacks that we've seen since the onset of the full-scale invasion" in February 2022. She was speaking after Russia attacked cities […]

July 9, 2024 19