Saturday, 11 April 2026
Friday, 10 April 2026
CARLOS ALCARAZ REACTS AS HE ECLIPSES DJOKOVIC, NADAL, FEDERER WITH MILESTONE AT MINTE CARLO MASTERS
 |
| Carlos Alcaraz hits a backhand |
Carlos Alcaraz became the third-fastest player to reach a significant ATP Tour milestone as he advanced to the semi-finals at the 2026 Monte Carlo Masters.
The Spanish superstar crushed world No 11 Alexander Bublik 6-3, 6-0 in just over an hour in the quarter-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 event.
Alcaraz won the first two games before Bublik fought back to take a 3-2 lead after saving four break points to avoid going down a double break
From 2-3 behind, Alcaraz reeled off the next 10 games in a devastating sequence as he surged to the finish line in his first-ever meeting with Bublik
The world No 1 is vying to win his second successive Monte Carlo Masters crown after his maiden triumph in the Principality last year.
In his on-court interview with Tennis TV, Alcaraz shared his thoughts on the match.
“Well, first of all, I think I did start pretty well, I just had points to be two breaks up in the first set, I didn’t make it. And then all of a sudden I lost a little bit the feeling of the ball,” said Alcaraz.
ATP Tour News
“But yeah, after that, I think he just pulled off great shots, great games, I had to run side to side a lot, try to defend my best and I think I just saved a few games that gave me a lot of confidence coming into the match again.
“And then playing aggressive… I would say I played a great and a solid match against him — that is probably a player that you don’t know what’s gonna be next. Just happy to get through and playing another semi-final here.”
The seven-time Grand Slam champion also reacted to being told he had achieved his 300th victory on the ATP Tour.
“Obviously I’m really happy about my 300th win in the ATP Tour, and hopefully many more to come,” Alcaraz said.
Alcaraz lost only 67 matches en route to amassing 300 victories, which is fewer than the Big Three (Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer) lost before reaching this milestone.
Tennis icons Rod Laver and Jimmy Connors are the only players to reach 300 victories in fewer matches than Alcaraz in the Open Era of men’s tennis.
The 22-year-old arrived at the 300-win landmark in the same number of matches as American legend John McEnroe (367).
- Ewan West
PEP GUARDIOLA ADDRESSES BERNARDO SILVA EXIT WITH MAN CITY STAR'S FUTURE UNCERTAIN
Bernardo Silva is widely expected to leave Manchester City in the summer and Pep Guardiola has now given the latest on what he knows about the midfielder's situation
 |
| Pep Guardiola spoke about Bernardo Silva's potential departure(Image: Aitor Alcalde/UEFA via Getty Images) |
Pep Guardiola jokingly claimed he was livid with Bernardo Silva for failing to inform him about his departure from Manchester City, while insisting that no decision had yet been reached. City's assistant Pep Lijnders hinted last week that Silva's exit this summer was a foregone conclusion, yet Guardiola suggested that any announcement would come directly from the player himself.
Silva has considered moves away from the club at various stages throughout his nine years there, but committed last season to honouring the final year of his deal, with Guardiola having handed him the captaincy. He told journalists in September that he had reached a decision regarding next season - with most expecting him to depart - but has remained tight-lipped ever since.
Speaking following the Liverpool match, Lijnders seemingly confirmed his exit by wishing him a fond farewell over the remaining six weeks. Nevertheless, there has still been no official word from either the club or the player, and Guardiola jokingly admitted he was fuming with his skipper for leaving him completely in the dark.
"I'm so grumpy with Bernardo because a month ago I said 'if you take a decision I have to be the first to [know]' and he didn't say anything to me yet," he said, reports the Manchester Evening News.
"I think the proper one must be Bernardo, I don't know if he has already decided. I said, jokingly, 'tell me I deserve it' but he didn't tell me so I don't know what's going on.
"It looks like a farewell press conference for Bernardo - he didn't tell me! I'm pretty sure all the managers he has had would say how much they love him because he is always thinking, he is incredibly competitive, has a fire inside and always in the toughest moments on the biggest stages he is always there.
"Big, big games, it's not about playing good or playing bad, it is being yourself and not being afraid. Bernie has had all of these attributes since the first day he arrived from Monaco.
 |
| Bernardo Silva is expected to leave this summer(Image: Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images) |
"He has been an incredible signing for us and because I love this club amazingly I would love him to stay and finish his career here but he's going to decide his decision when he is going to decide and announce to the club, to the media, and everyone.
"But he has been an incredible signing for numbers and minutes and titles and especially in bad moments. I define players in bad moments when everything is difficult, how he always made a step up and said I'm here to help."
- Simon Bajkowski
MOBUTU’S GIFT TO HEROES: THE 1974 STORY OF ZAIRE’S WORLD CUP TEAM
In 1974, Zaire’s national football team—today known as the Democratic Republic of Congo—made history as the first sub-Saharan African nation to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, held that year in West Germany. Their stunning qualification sent waves of pride across the country and caught the attention of President Mobutu Sese Seko, whose government was keen to use sports as a symbol of national strength and identity.
To celebrate the team’s achievement, President Mobutu organized a lavish ceremony in Kinshasa, where each player received a brand-new Volkswagen car, a house, and cash rewards. These gestures served both as a personal thank-you to the players and as part of Mobutu’s broader political theater—a show of prosperity and success under his rule.
 |
| Dusan Bajevic inscrit l’un de ses trois buts de la rencontre, face au malheureux gardien Dimbi Tubilandu, entré en jeu en cours de match. STAFF / AFP |
At the time, Zaire was deep into Mobutu’s “Authenticité” campaign, a program urging citizens to embrace African cultural identity and reject foreign influence. The players, hailed as national heroes, became the face of this movement, embodying the pride and power of a new Zaire on the global stage.
Yet behind the triumphant display lay pressure and fear. Reports that surfaced later suggested that the government expected nothing short of victory in the World Cup, and when results did not meet expectations, tension and intimidation followed. Some players spoke of unfulfilled promises and threats from political officials—signs of how tightly politics was intertwined with sport during the Mobutu era.
Even so, the 1974 World Cup remains a defining chapter in African football history. It was a moment when the dreams of a nation converged with the ambitions of its leader, leaving behind a legacy that continues to be remembered today—not only for the reward of cars and glory but also for what it revealed about power, pride, and the politics of sport in Africa.
- Muhidin Issa Michuxi
