Tuesday, 30 July 2024
WHY ISRAIL MADRIVOV -- AND UZBEKISTAN -- HAVE A CHANCE TO SHINE
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| Israil Madrimov beat Magomed Kurbanov in March to claim the WBA junior middleweight title. Photo by Richard Pelham/Getty Images |
Israil Madrimov is laser-focused on the biggest fight of his life against Terence Crawford in Los Angeles on Saturday, but he will also be following developments thousands of miles away in Paris.
Boxing in Uzbekistan has never known a more exciting week. Eleven boxers from that country will have competed at the Summer Olympics in Paris by the time Madrimov steps through the ropes at BMO Stadium to face one of boxing's best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
Madrimov (10-0-1, 7 KOs) makes his first defense of the WBA junior middleweight title against Crawford (40-0, 31 KOs), the slick southpaw from Omaha, Nebraska, who has won world titles in three weight classes. The vacant WBO interim belt will also be on the line for the winner.
It is a huge opportunity for Madrimov, from Khiva, Uzbekistan, who is a superstar in his homeland but is unheralded in the United States, where he spends most of his time.
Madrimov defends his title against Crawford, a former pound-for-pound No. 1 who produced his best win yet in stopping Errol Spence Jr. to become undisputed welterweight champion a year ago. Not only is it the biggest moment of Madrimov's career, this week will also be a defining moment for some of those he trains alongside in California who will potentially be going for medals next week in Paris.
"The Olympics and my fight are probably equally big in Uzbekistan," Madrimov told ESPN. "The Olympics is something the whole country waits four years for. But my fight is the biggest fight any Uzbekistan fighter has been in, against a pound-for-pound No. 1, and on a big stage."
Uzbekistan has one of the strongest boxing teams in Paris and some of the boxers train alongside Madrimov in Indio, California -- a home-away-from-home two hours from Los Angeles for fighters-- such as Bakhodir Jalolov, Abdumalik Khalokov and Hasanboy Dusmatov. Jalolov is a leading contender in Paris at super heavyweight, after winning gold at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. He has also compiled a 14-0 (14 KOs) record as a professional at heavyweight.
"Of course I'm going to be watching some of the Olympics if I can get the time because they are my close friends," Madrimov said. "I know everyone in the Uzbek boxing team. I expect them all to get medals. I train with Jalalov, Dusmatov and others."
WBA light heavyweight champion Dmitry Bivol is another who uses the Indio gym and is currently preparing for an undisputed world title clash with fellow Russian Artur Beterbiev. Two years ago, Bivol upset the odds to defeat boxing's biggest star, Canelo Alvarez, and he is an inspiring figure for Madrimov, who is plotting his own big upset against Crawford.
"I have also trained with Dmitry Bivol and there are about 10 or 12 Uzbek fighters who I also train with in Indio," Madrimov said. "Bivol is training in Kyrgyzstan at the moment but we are on the phone a lot supporting each other. He had a very good win against Canelo and of course I pick up things from being around Bivol. He has such a calculating style, he's like a machine in the ring, and everything is like a science with him. We are good friends and it's a privilege being in the same camp as him."
Madrimov, ESPN's No. 3 junior middleweight, won the WBA title with a fifth-round TKO victory over Magomed Kurbanov in March, on the Anthony Joshua vs. Francis Ngannou undercard in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He's used to being in big events.
Crawford, 36, is stepping up a weight class to face Madrimov, who dismisses theories he is facing a fighter of Crawford's quality too soon in his career. Madrimov has only had 11 fights since turning professional in 2018, but the 29-year-old had nearly 100 fights as an amateur.
"This is my weight and I was fighting at an even higher weight class than 154 pounds as an amateur, so I feel comfortable and strong at this weight," Madrimov said. "People can say whatever they want [about experience], but I'm not paying too much attention to it. I've had good fights against the right opponents to prepare me for this fight versus Crawford. Also, with all the international experience as an amateur, along with the professional fights, I'm well prepared for this moment. I'm at my peak."
Madrimov also understands this fight is "a once in a lifetime opportunity." A win, and everything will change.
"In one moment I can change my life and my family's life, and my friends' lives," Madrimov said. "I will be ready because it is an opportunity for me, my family and my country."
Madrimov's promoter, Eddie Hearn of Matchroom Boxing, is bullish about the fighter known as "The Dream" proving to be a nightmare for Crawford.
"He had such a stellar amateur career and he is also in his absolute prime," Hearn told ESPN. "I think this is the toughest fight of Terence Crawford's career; he has not been up at 154 pounds before and Madrimov is a huge puncher with a very high boxing IQ."
As an underdog (+500 per ESPN BET), Hearn knows that even boxing fans are overlooking him. Still, Madrimov has an opportunity to show his talent to a wider audience, and according to Hearn, this is his moment to show everyone what he can do.
"Terence Crawford is one of the top three pound for pound fights," Hearn said. "He probably edges it on ability, so we have to rely on Madrimov being very good but also his size and power hurting Crawford who is a generational great."
For Hearn, Madrimov is reminiscent of Gennadiy Golovkin, from Kazakhstan, who was also based in California for the last part of his professional career, one that saw him dominate the middleweight division with a 23-fight knockout streak. Hearn sees similarities in Madrimov's style with "GGG", the former unified middleweight champion.
"His movement is different to GGG, but he punches very hard and he has that teak-tough eastern European toughness that Golovkin had," Hearn said. "He's going to get hit, but if he has the toughness to come through that and take Crawford into the trenches, it will be a long night for Terence Crawford.
"There's no pressure and he's already a huge star in Uzbekistan. If he beats Terence Crawford he will probably run for president in Uzbekistan. We did a show in Uzbekistan a few years ago and he always gets mobbed when he's at the airport and in public."
Golovkin is another figure who Madrimov admires, and earlier in his career he appeared on one of Golovkin's undercards in New York City.
"I'm a big fan of Golovkin, I have always admired him for many years, he's one of the best ever," Madrimov said. "It was a pleasure to meet him and then I fought on the undercard of one of his big fights at Madison Square Garden. He's a great human being also, he does a lot of work helping the youth and young boxers. If Eddie thinks I am like Gennadiy, then I'm pleased to hear it."
Polite, respectful, and like Golovkin you won't hear Madrimov bad-mouthing his opponents. Will he be the biggest puncher Crawford has faced, and can he deliver a KO blow?
"We've got a plan and a strategy and the ring will show if I have the power and if I will be the hardest puncher he has faced," Madrimov said. "The ring will show if I'm good enough to be champion."
- Nick Parkinson
DANA WHITE SLAMS MGM FOR 'DISRESPECT' TO UFC AMID SEPT. 14 CONFLICT
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| Getty Images |
Two titans of the fight game, Canelo Alvarez and Dana White, will go head-to-head Sept. 14 in Las Vegas in a rare scheduling conflict between marquee boxing and MMA events.
Mexico's Alvarez, boxing's top star, defends his unified super middleweight championship vs. Edgar Berlanga at MGM property T-Mobile Arena. Two miles away, UFC will stage the first live sporting event at the revolutionary Sphere venue with UFC 306.
Sean O'Malley defends his UFC bantamweight championship vs. Merab Dvalishvili in the main event of Riyadh Season Noche UFC as the MMA promotion plants its flag on Mexican Independence Day weekend, a traditional date for boxing's biggest star.
"Canelo's one of those guys that I respect and hey, good on [PBC's Al] Haymon," UFC president White told ESPN on Friday. "Haymon snatched that date right away from me. The guys at MGM have done nothing but f---ing disrespect me and the UFC for 20 years. It is what it is. Here we go."
UFC has staged four pay-per-view events at T-Mobile Arena each of the past two years. And MGM controlled all the viable live sporting event venues on the Strip until the Madison Square Garden company opened the Sphere in September.
That paved the way for White and UFC to still hold a major event on Sept. 14 even after PBC and Canelo reserved the date with MGM Resorts International. White beat Canelo to the punch last year and staged the first iteration of Noche UFC (a Fight Night event at T-Mobile Arena) after the MMA promotion reserved the date.
Alvarez instead fought two weeks later at T-Mobile Arena and secured a victory over Jermell Charlo.
"PBC is thrilled to continue the more than 20-year tradition of championship boxing in Las Vegas on Mexican Independence Day weekend with our friends and partners, MGM Resorts and T-Mobile Arena," a PBC spokesperson told ESPN on Friday.
"It's even more special this year as Canelo Alvarez, boxing's biggest star, will fight Edgar Berlanga on Sept. 14 in what will be the sixth time the Mexican icon has celebrated the holiday weekend in Las Vegas. We wish our friends at UFC the best of luck with their event."
A spokesperson for MGM Resorts International said there was nothing to add to PBC's statement.
Before Alvarez took hold of the revered boxing date (along with Cinco de Mayo weekend), those two Mexican holidays were reserved for Floyd Mayweather (and Oscar De La Hoya prior to that). This year, the September weekend will be shared by both Alvarez and UFC.
That was made possible after Turki Alalshikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, agreed to sponsor UFC 306 as he continues to commercialize Riyadh Season.
"We will eat him," Alalshikh told ESPN about his event competing with Canelo's.
White, time and again, has expressed just how expensive it is to hold an event at the Sphere with its immersive screens and the art direction necessary to take advantage of the venue's audio and video capabilities. The Sphere also boasts the world's highest resolution LED display, one that wraps up, over and around the audience.
That sponsorship money from Alalshikh and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia allowed UFC to become the first live sporting event at the Sphere. White acknowledged last month at the UFC 303 postfight news conference that they've already spent $17 million on the event. He claimed the experience UFC delivers at the Sphere "will never, ever be replicated ... because it costs too much money."
"This is going to be an incredible tribute to the Mexican people for their extraordinary contributions to combat sports," White said.
But now, White and UFC will have to contend with the biggest sports star in Mexico, Canelo Alvarez.
Canelo is expected to cruise past Berlanga, a heavy underdog, and Alalshikh hopes it will help him secure the biggest fight in boxing afterward. That's Canelo vs. Terence Crawford, ESPN's No. 2 pound-for-pound boxer.
Crawford fights Israil Madrimov on Aug. 3 in Los Angeles, the main event of the first Riyadh Season event outside Saudi Arabia. If Crawford is successful and wins a title in a third weight class, Alalshikh will look to match him with Alvarez next year.
"I will give Canelo what I think is a fair price," Alalshikh said. "If he accepts it, he deals directly with me to finish the deal. I don't want anyone in the middle. I guaranteed Crawford a big fight, I want Canelo for Crawford and Crawford wants Canelo. But if Canelo is crazy [with his financial demands] I will still guarantee Crawford any fight he wants."
Alalshikh has delivered five boxing events since he took hold of the boxing industry in October with Tyson Fury-Francis Ngannou. His biggest boxing match was the Oleksandr Usyk-Fury undisputed heavyweight championship fight in May.
Alalshikh and White staged the first UFC event in Saudi Arabia in June.
- Mike Coppinger, ESPN Boxing Insider
Monday, 29 July 2024
MALAYSIA ENDS CHINA'S PARIS BADMINTON WINNING STREAK
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| Malaysia's Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei handed China its first badminton defeat at the Paris Games after beating gold medal favourites Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping 17-21, 21-15, 21-16. ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images |
China suffered its first badminton defeat of the Paris Olympics on Monday, when mixed doubles favourites Feng Yanzhe and Huang Dongping were upset by Malaysian duo Chen Tang Jie and Toh Ee Wei in the opening session of group play.
The country has long dominated Olympic badminton, winning 47 medals, or more than double the combined tally of Indonesia and South Korea, the second- and third-most successful teams. In 17 group stage matches in three days in Paris so far, it has now been defeated once, while in Tokyo, China lasted four days before losing a match.
Chen and Toh won 17-21 21-15 21-16 against Huang and Feng.
"I am happy we overcame them and gave them a good fight," Toh said. "They played a very good game and they really pushed us to the maximum."
Huang, the reigning mixed doubles Olympic champion who played in Tokyo with former partner Wang Yilyu, said she wasn't too upset because they are still at the group stage.
China's second mixed doubles team in the tournament avenged their compatriots shortly after, making quick work of Korea's Kim Won-ho and Jeong Na-eun to win 21-13 21-14.
The day should have started with India's men's doubles darlings Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy, ranked world number three, playing Germany's Mark Lamsfuss and Marvin Seidel, but the match was canceled after Lamsfuss withdrew from the Games due to a knee injury.
- Reuters
KIM PAN-GON EARNING ULSAN HD JOB IS TESTAMENT TO WHAT HE ACHIEVED IN MALAYSIA, HONG KONG
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| Kim Pan-Gon was previously best known in South Korea for his technical role with the Korea Football Association, where he played a major role in the appointment of Paulo Bento -- under whom they reached the round of 16 at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. JUNG YEON-JE/AFP via Getty Images |
On Sunday, just over a week after he had abruptly vacated his role as Malaysia coach, Kim Pan-Gon was announced as the new man in charge of South Korean giants Ulsan HD.
It always seemed his likeliest destination once rumours started swirling in South Korea, even though there were murmurings that a return to Hong Kong was potentially on the cards.
With no disrespect to the Hong Kong national team vacancy, that was never likely to be on the cards.
Malaysia are on par with, if not superior to, Hong Kong, even though both had made excellent strides in recent times having ended long waits to return to the AFC Asian Cup earlier this year. The FIFA world rankings suggest as much with Malaysia sitting 134th and Hong Kong 25 places lower.
But Ulsan, who have been looking for a new man in charge since Hong Myung-Bo was jettisoned to the South Korea national team, is a far different story.
They have been the dominant force in South Korean football in the past couple of years although their overall haul of four K League 1 titles still pales in comparison to more traditional powerhouses like Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, FC Seoul and Pohang Steelers.
They are also one of the biggest clubs in all of Asia, having won the AFC Champions League twice, as recently as 2020.
Still, the biggest motivating factor for Kim -- which also is the strongest testimony to what he has achieved to earn this job -- is the fact that his marks the first opportunity he has to take on a top job in his native country.
Having had a decent playing career that saw him feature for Ulsan and also have a brief spell with Jeonbuk, the 55-year-old has had quite the unconventional coaching journey which started where he decided to hang up his boots -- in Hong Kong.
He had a stint as assistant coach with Busan IPark which saw him take over the reins in a caretaker capacity for a period of time but, prior to the Malaysia job, Kim's managerial experience largely came in Hong Kong -- first with club teams Hong Kong Rangers (then Buler Rangers) and South China, before taking charge of the national team on two separate occasions.
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| After a successful spell in charge of Malaysia, Kim Pan-Gon has returned to his native South Korea to take on the Ulsan HD job that was recently vacated by national hero Hong Myung-Bo. Lintao Zhang/Getty Images |
Kim did subsequently have another assisting role in the K League with Gyeongnam FC and, after his second spell with Hong Kong, then had a technical role at the Korea Football Association.
All were testament to his undeniable coaching acumen and yet a top job at one of South Korea's bigger teams still seemed a fantasy.
Those were usually reserved for former national team heroes with stellar credentials and reputations. The likes of Hong Myung-Bo, Hwang Sun-Hong and Kim Do-Hoon, who had all played at the FIFA World Cup.
Having never featured for South Korea at any level, few in the country had even heard of him.
Then, Malaysia came calling at the start of 2022. Harimau Malaya were 154th in the world at the time.
Under Kim Pan-Gon, they would qualify for the Asian Cup on merit for the first time since 1980 -- having last featured in 2007 by virtue of being the tournament's co-hosts.
While they would ultimately fail to make it out of the group stage back in January, Malaysia caused a real stir when they held giants South Korea to a thrilling 3-3 draw -- a game in which they came from behind to lead and then snatched a point with a dramatic equaliser in the 15th minute of injury-time.
They then won their opening two games in the second round of Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup and looked on course for another major achievement, before falling away and missing out on the third round.
Still, even if he has left them at an untimely moment with the much-coveted ASEAN Championship at the end of the year, Malaysia are now in a significantly better place than where they were when Kim Pan-Gon first took charge, having even reached a high of world No. 130.
And for their former coach, what might have seemed a less-illustrious job is ultimately the one that has earned him recognition -- and vindication for his out-of-the-ordinary path back home.
Kim Pan-Gon has finally found his way to a top job in South Korea -- and with the K League's biggest club at that.
It may have seemed improbable previously, and he still may not be the likeliest of candidates.
Yet, for all that he achieved -- first in Hong Kong and then with Malaysia -- he thoroughly deserves the opportunity.
- Gabriel Tan
EMOTIONAL JOHN RAHM SECURES FIRST LIV GOLF WIN AFTER HATTON S 5-PUTT FINISH
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| Jon Rahm out-lasted Tyrrell Hatton to win his first LIV Golf event and breathe a sigh of relief after what's been a taxing 2024 season. AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES |
Jon Rahm put his hand to his forehead and tried to hold back tears, but some might have escaped.
He battled mixed emotions; his Legion XIII teammate, Tyrrell Hatton, had just three-putted his final hole at LIV Golf’s United Kingdom stop at JCB Golf & Country Club on Sunday. For Hatton, one putt would have won, two would have forced a playoff and anything worse handed Rahm his long-awaited first LIV win.
From 65 feet, 10 inches, Hatton nestled it to about 6 feet away, but the par save missed on the low end and Rahm, who was looking on from off the green, was the winner.
Finally.
“It’s just emotional,” Rahm said. “It hasn’t been the easiest year for our family. Kelley and I have gone through quite a bit, and she has gone through even more, being on bedrest among many other things. She did tell me, our son Kepa said to bring a trophy home in this stretch of golf, and I started to believe it was going to happen at one point today. Maybe not in the last 20 minutes. But at least I can look at them and say I’m bringing one home for them.”
Rahm famously ditched the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in the offseason, a huge feather in the cap for LIV and one giant cold-shoulder to the Tour, which lost one of its biggest stars despite its “Framework Agreement” with the Saudi PIF. But after he went to LIV, Rahm failed to shine on the biggest stages.
“It’s not like I’ve been playing bad, even though a lot of you make it sound like I’m playing bad,” Rahm said at the U.S. Open at Pinehurst last month. “I had two bad weeks. I’ve been top 10 and had a chance to win in most of the tournaments I’ve played, and then unfortunately Augusta and PGA wasn’t my best showings. But yeah, I’m happy. I mean, it’s been a wonderful career so far. And yeah, it hasn’t been the best first half of the year, but there’s been many times where I haven’t had a great start, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great finish.”
Hours after that interview, Rahm withdrew from the U.S. Open with a foot injury, which continued a disappointing major streak for the 29-year-old two-time major champ. After a win (the Masters) and two other top 10s in the majors in 2023, since joining LIV Rahm tied for 45th at the 2024 Masters and was cut from the PGA Championship — the first time he’d failed to make the weekend at a major in five years.
But Rahm was right about one thing at the U.S. Open — he hadn’t been playing that poorly. In the lead up to Pinehurst, and excluding his withdraw due to injury from one event, he finished top 10 in all seven of his LIV starts. Two of those were third-place finishes.
Those strong LIV finishes, however, still don’t garner much attention from the wider golf world. Ratings are not great for LIV events, it remains somewhat difficult to track down the broadcasts and Rahm is essentially in a lose-lose scenario. Despite some marquee names headlining tournaments — Rahm, Hatton, Cameron Smith, Sergio Garcia, Joaquin Niemann, Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson — LIV fields are still small with 54 players, and many of those pros who round out the field are far from household names.
If Rahm wins, it’s because he should have. If he doesn’t, well, he must be in a slump. Besides, the larger golf audience focuses solely on majors, so many aren’t privy to Rahm’s top-10 parade on LIV. And if they are, perhaps they were unimpressed.
After the U.S. Open, Rahm was third at LIV Nashville and then took 10th in Spain, giving him his ninth top-10 in as many starts. A week later he tied for 7th at The Open, by far his best major finish of the year.
“At Nashville and last week, I felt closer to getting to a higher level of golf where maybe there isn’t as many thoughts on my process,” Rahm said at Royal Troon. “Maybe I’m playing a little bit more freely and seeing the ball flight that I want to see more often. Yeah, I’m getting much closer to what it might have been early last year.”
On Sunday, Rahm started the day nine under, three back of leader Andy Ogletree and also a stroke behind Hatton and Smith. But Rahm turned in two under and then made three birdies in a four-hole stretch to start the back nine. As Ogletree faded, it was Rahm, Hatton, Niemann and Smith contending for the title.
Rahm made his lone bogey on 17, and he got in with a four-under 67 to take the clubhouse lead at 13 under. Then he waited for Hatton to finish. Three putts later, Rahm had won.
“Finally got one done,” Rahm said. “You never want to get those feelings to go on for too long, and to get over the hump feels great incredible. It’s been a fantastic week and a fantastic year, and just relieved that it happened.”
- Josh Berhow
F1 NEWS: TOTO WOLFF REACTS TO GEORGE RUSSELL DISQUALIFICATION
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| Jiri Krenek |
The Belgian Grand Prix has ended with a twist as George Russell's much-celebrated win was annulled following a post-race disqualification due to his Mercedes 15 being underweight. The sudden change in race strategy, a shift to a one-stop strategy suggested by Russell himself, is now seen as the pivotal factor behind this penalty. Toto Wolff has now commented on the confirmed disqualification.
Initially, Russell was not set to pursue a one-stop strategy, but during the race, he proposed the change over the team radio. This change involved an extended stint on hard tires and saw Russell facing stiff competition from his teammate Lewis Hamilton, who benefited from fresher tires in the closing laps but was unable to pass him.
The aftermath of the race was heavy with commentary, especially from Mercedes Team Principal Wolff, who addressed the media in the Belgium paddock. Wolff was entirely open in his evaluation of the situation, directly linking the disqualification to the altered race strategy.
"I think it's the one-stop," Wolff pinpointed the blame. "There's no excuse. If it leads to a breach of regulations, then it is what it is. We have to learn from that. As a team, we have more positives today, obviously for George."
Despite the nullification of Russell's win, the disqualification had a silver lining for Mercedes as Lewis Hamilton was promoted to first place. This bittersweet outcome maintained the winner's trophy within the team, although it has impacted their points in the Constructors Standings severely.
Wolff's reaction was emotional, reflecting on the personal impact such a setback has on his young driver.
"That's a massive blow to a driver who had childhood dreams to win these races. That is probably taken away, but it's going to get better," Wolff promised the Briton.
FIA Statement For Disqualification
The Stewards heard from the team representative of Car 63 (George Russell), the FIA Technical Delegate, the FIA Single Seater Director and the FIA Single Seater Technical Director.
Car 63 was weighed on the FIA inside and outside scales with both scales showing the same result of 796.5 kg. The calibration of both scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor.
During the hearing the team representative confirmed that the measurement is correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly. The team also acknowledged that there were no mitigating circumstances and that it was a genuine error by the team.
The Stewards determine that Article 4.1 of the FIA Formula 1 Technical Regulations has been breached and therefore the standard penalty for such an infringement needs to be applied.
Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the Stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits.
Decisions of the Stewards are taken independently of the FIA and are based solely on the relevant regulations, guidelines and evidence presented.
- Alex Harrington
MUHAMMAD ALI HAD NO DOUBT WHO WAS THE GREATEST FIGHTER OF ALL TIME: "I HAVE YO ADMIT IT"
“I say I’m the greatest heavyweight of all time, but pound-for-pound he was the greatest of all time.” Muhammad Ali
An enigma outside and inside the ring, Muhammad Ali captivated fans worldwide with his slick talk and skills to back it up.
The man from Louisville, Kentucky – at that point named Cassius Clay – won gold at the 1960 Olympic Games before turning over to the paid ranks. He won his first 19 bouts before getting a shot at feared Sonny Liston’s heavyweight title and upsetting the odds – despite Liston saying previously he might get locked up for murder if they fought – to win by stoppage in six.
He would go one better in the rematch and finish it in under two minutes, although Liston was plagued with allegations of taking a dive. Ali then defended his championship status a further eight times before being denied a boxing license throughout the country due to his refusal to be drafting during the Vietnam War.
Upon his comeback he would star in such bouts as the Thrilla in Manilla and The Rumble in the Jungle, eventually hanging up the gloves in 1981 with 56 wins from 61 fights and a legacy to be unmatched.
Ali died in June of 2016 and will forever be known as simply ‘The Greatest’, but in a resurfaced interview he was candid about one man in the lower weights earning that tag.
“Pound-for-pound, when they say Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest fighter pound-for-pound, meaning that if I imagine he was a heavyweight fighting the same style he’d be the greatest. I would have to admit. I would have to say yes. I had his fight films. That man was beautiful. Timing, speed, reflexes, rythym, his body – everything was beautiful.
I say I’m the greatest heavyweight of all time, but pound-for-pound I still say Sugar Ray Robinson was the greatest of all time.”
Over a 25 year campaign, Sugar Ray Robinson managed an incredible 91-fight unbeaten streak. The flamboyant pound-for-pound star fought from lightweight up to light-heavyweight, winning world titles at both welterweight and middleweight.
Back in the days when boxers could fight three times in three months, Robinson featured in 201 contests during his career, winning 174 and earning the respect of not just Ali, but Joe Louis, Roberto Duran and Sugar Ray Leonard as well as countless modern-day fighters as the best to ever do it.
- Kerr Furgoson
SAKI KUMAGAI PLAYS CAPTAIN'S ROLE TO PERFECTION AS JAPAN PULL OFF MIRACLE TO BEAT BRAZIL
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| Having only scored twice previously in over 150 caps for Japan, Saki Kumagai showed real mettle under immense pressure with her injury-time equaliser against Brazil -- especially after Japan had missed an earlier penalty in the first half. Alex Gottschalk/DeFodi Images via Getty Images |
For a team who were once champions of the world and Olympic silver medallists in 2012, expectations surrounding Japan were always going to be high in the women's football tournament at the Paris Games.
As fate would have it, the luck of the draw -- as well as how competitive the women's game has become -- meant that Nadeshiko were never going to have it easy despite their proud history.
Having lost to reigning world champions Spain in their campaign opener three days earlier, the Japanese looked headed for a second defeat on Sunday -- trailing Brazil 1-0 as the tie ticked over into injury-time.
Although two of the three third-placed teams in the women's tournament can still qualify for the quarterfinals, Japan were in real danger of missing out especially given their group-stage finale on Wednesday loomed as another testing encounter against Nigeria.
Somehow, not only did Japan come back from the dead, they mustered a full revival with two quickfire last-gasp goals to pull off a dramatic come-from-behind 2-1 win over the Brazilians.
Having spurned a golden opportunity to take the lead just before halftime when Mina Tanaka saw her penalty saved by Lorena, the Japanese then fell behind through Jhennifer's 56th-minute opener.
But as Nadeshiko were awarded a second spot-kick with a minute remaining, this time it was Saki Kumagai who stepped up and made no mistake in finding the back of the net to level the scores.
It was a classic captain's goal and should not have come as a surprise even if Kumagai -- a centre-back by trade -- had only scored twice previously at international level.
She is, after all, Japan's most-experienced player with over 150 caps to her name and a veteran of the highest order, having won nine major European league titles and five UEFA Women's Champions League crowns during her time with Lyon, Bayern Munich and Roma.
If ever there was anyone with the mettle and composure to handle the pressure, it would be Kumagai.
Having equalised at such a late stage of the contest, the Japanese might have been forgiven had they been content to hold on to the solitary point, regroup, and channel all their energies for one final battle against Nigeria.
Yet, there was still time for more drama. Nadeshiko had other ideas.
They are after all a fearless outfit. They showed that when they beat the mighty United States in the final to become world champions in 2011.
Just last year, in the most recent edition of the FIFA Women's World Cup, they pulled off one remarkable victory after another -- including a stunning 4-0 rout of eventual champions Spain -- before ultimately falling short in the quarters.
And with Brazil reeling from what they thought were two points dropped, it soon became all three -- as a misplaced pass from Rafaelle Souza was capitalised on by substitute Momoko Tanikawa with a long-range strike that sealed the unlikeliest of fightbacks.
The job is however far from done.
Nonetheless, depending on how the second Group C tie of the days pans out, Nadeshiko will at least be just three points off the pace in second place or be one of four teams all tied with a victory each.
Either way, the most important thing for them is that they remain in control of their own destiny. Beat Nigeria, and their haul of six points should almost certainly be enough for progress to the last eight, even if it comes as one of the third-placed qualifiers.
Japan are firmly back on the right path to go further at the Olympics.
It might not have been the case if not for a stunning comeback -- inspired by a leader who did not fail to rise to the occasion when she was needed the most.
- Gabriel Tan
Sunday, 28 July 2024
GEORGE RUSSELL STRIPPED OF BELGIUM GP AFTER STEWARDS INVESTIGATION
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| George Russell took the chequered flag, but teammate Lewis Hamilton was promoted to first, with Oscar Piastri second and Charles Leclerc third. SIMON WOHLFAHRT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images |
George Russell was stripped of his victory at the Belgian Grand Prix after his Mercedes car was found to be underweight after the chequered flag.
Teammate Lewis Hamilton was promoted to first place, securing his second victory of the season after his win at the British Grand Prix earlier this month.
Russell's car was weighed after the race and found to be at the minimum weight (798 kilograms), but after fuel was drained from the Mercedes, it was found to be 1.5kg underweight.
The matter was referred to the stewards, who determined Russell's car be disqualified.
"Car 63 was weighed on the FIA inside and outside scales with both scales showing the same result of 796.5kg," a stewards' statement said. "The calibration of both scales was confirmed and witnessed by the competitor.
"During the hearing the team representative confirmed that the measurement is correct and that all required procedures were performed correctly. The team also acknowledged that there were no mitigating circumstances and that it was a genuine error by the team.
"The stewards determine that Article 4.1 of the FIA Formula One Technical Regulations has been breached and therefore the standard penalty for such an infringement needs to be applied.
"Competitors are reminded that they have the right to appeal certain decisions of the stewards, in accordance with Article 15 of the FIA International Sporting Code and Chapter 4 of the FIA Judicial and Disciplinary Rules, within the applicable time limits."
Russell won the race on a one-stop strategy, meaning he made a single set of tyres last 34 laps while others made an extra stop.
The physical wear of the four tyres can account for the car's overall weight loss over a long stint, although teams usually factor that into their calculations before the race.
Another factor unique to the Belgian Grand Prix is that the length of the Spa-Francorchamps lap means drivers do not complete a cool-down lap after the chequered lap and instead turn into the pit lane exit immediately after Turn 1.
The absence of a cool-down lap means drivers cannot pick up discarded rubber on their tyres, which is standard procedure after a race to help replace any lost weight.
"Heartbreaking. ... We left it all on the track today and I take pride in crossing the line first," Russell said in a post on social media after the race. "There will be more to come."
Speaking before the stewards' decision, Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff said his team would have to accept a disqualification if it happens.
"You have to take it on the chin," he said. "If the stewards decide against ourselves, it is what it is, a mistake has happened, or could have happened, and one-two would have been a great result going into the summer break. It wouldn't go any better.
"The positive, the very positive we can take from this race is we had two cars that were the benchmark in this race, with two different strategies. Who would have said that a few months ago? That is really good to see."
Asked if anything was damaged on Russell's car, which might have contributed to it being underweight, Wolff added: "No, I think it's a one-stop that ... you expect loss of rubber, maybe more, but it's no excuse.
"If ... if the stewards deem it to be a breach of regulations, then it is what it is, and we have to learn from that, and as a team, given there are more positives to take, for George, but that's a massive blow for a driver when his childhood dream is winning these races, then to be told it's taken away. But he's going to win many more."
- Laurence Edmondson, F1 Editor
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DEREK CHISORA STUNS JOE JOYCE WITH UNANIMOUS VICTORY
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| Derek Chisora knocked Joe Joyce down in the ninth round. Warren Little/Getty Images |
Derek Chisora beat Joe Joyce via unanimous decision in London on Saturday in a remarkable upset victory following 10 gruelling rounds between two British rivals.
Joyce was knocked down in the ninth round after taking on a barrage of punches throughout the fight he was largely expected to win.
The result leaves Joyce's career at a crossroads after three defeats in his last four bouts.
Chisora, clearly keen for a brawl, came out swinging from the opening bell, but Joyce absorbed everything and continued to come forward.
The inevitable gripping slugfest everyone had anticipated was soon in motion.
By the fourth round as his shots kept coming, the crowd was well and truly on Chisora's back, willing him to bite down on his gum shield and continue. He of course duly obliged.
Whenever it looked as though Joyce may be starting to gain some control, Chisora, 40, came out swinging again and landed clean punch after clean punch.
He proved a tricky target for Joyce, but he was clearly fatigued by round five. The toll was clear as he collapsed onto his stool at the end of round seven, gasping for air.
Chisora was cheered on by undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk, who was barking advice and encouragement from ringside at one stage.
In round nine, the arena stormed to its feet as Joyce was knocked down.
Chisora would have been grateful for the breather more than anything. His experience showed as he danced around the ring to see out the remainder of the bout and score an incredible victory.
In his 10th and potentially final fight at The O2 Arena, there was a warm affection from the London crowd at the end for Chisora, a cult hero of British boxing, as he closes in on 50 professional fights.
Joyce insisted after the fight he will continue, but this was seen as a must win by many.
Chisora, meanwhile, will bask in the glory of his win for some time to come, and will almost certainly want more after another spirited victory.
"I knew he [Joyce] was tough, but Jesus Christ, that guy is tough," Chisora told his post fight news conference.
"For a couple rounds, I was moving back my legs were just all over the place. But, you know, it was just two big guys in there bro. The whole point is to stay up and just keep moving.
"It was beautiful and tough at the same time. Yeah, it was hard."
Asked what Usyk was telling him during the fight, Chisora said: "He was saying 'move, move, move,' but everybody was telling me to move, bro. I wanted to move but my legs didn't want to move. They were like 'nah mother-----.'"
Promoter Frank Warren hailed the efforts of both men and said he'd never seen anything like the clash before.
"So were you entertained or what tonight?" Warren asked his post-fight news conference.
"I didn't think it would go to distance. I thought that obviously the favorite was Joe. [But] you know, it takes two gladiators to create a fight like that. Both of them, you've got to take your hat off to them.
"I thought it was the last two rounds which decided it in Derek's favour, it was a very close fight, but amazing. Look at their ages ... I don't know how Derek does it, I don't know how Joe does it.
"They did not miss at each other at times. Every punch they were throwing was connecting."
Asked what would be next for Joyce after another defeat, Warren said: "It's too soon [to say]. I've said that I felt the loser in this fight would have nowhere to go. But I never predicted or thought it would be a fight like this. I thought it would be competitive, but I didn't think it would be like this million years."
- James Regan
JHONATTAN VEGAS TAKE 3M LEAD AFTER SHOOTING THIRD-ROUND 63
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| AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall |
BLAINE, Minn. -- Jhonattan Vegas birdied six of the final eight holes for an 8-under 63 and a one-stroke lead over Matt Kuchar on Saturday in the 3M Open.
Vegas had a 16-under 197 total at the TPC Twin Cities. The 39-year-old Venezuelan has three PGA Tour victories, the last a successful title defense in the 2017 Canadian Open.
"Just kind of makes you feel like you're doing the right thing and you've just got to keep working hard," Vegas said.
The 46-year-old Kuchar also shot 63, chipping in for eagle from 30 yards on the par-5 18th for probably the largest crowd roar of the tournament. He won the last of his nine PGA Tour titles at the 2019 Sony Open.
"You can really let your focus go, let all the focus that you're carrying on, you can kind of just let that go and know that you're done for the day and you can kind of enjoy the moment a little more than if you've got three or four holes left to go," he said.
Maverick McNealy, with another 63, was two strokes behind. Patrick Fishburn, with yet another 63, was four back at 12 under with Sahith Theegala (66). Theegala won the Fortinet Championship last year for his first tour victory.
"A lot of low scores out there," Theegala said. "I don't know how, still feels hard walking off the 18th green, there's so much water, so many stressful shots. Just hats off to the guys for shooting 64s and 63s, especially on the top of the board."
Four shots back to start the day, Vegas birdied Nos. 5 and 6 and added three more two-birdie bursts on the back nine -- on Nos. 11-12, 14-15 and 17-18. He made a 5-footer on the par-3 17th and tapped in on 18.
Vegas has dominated on the back nine through three rounds. He is even par on the front nine, but 16-under on Nos. 10-18.
"I've just been getting lucky on the back nine and hitting some good shots and making some great putts," Vegas said. "You have to hit your irons really well on the back nine here, which I've been able to do for the past three days," he said.
Kuchar missed the cuts in nine of his first 11 events this year and 11 of 18 overall, with his best finish a tie for 17th at the Charles Schwab Challenge two months ago.
On Saturday, he three-putted for double bogey on the par-3 fourth, then birdied the next four holes. He tapped in for birdie on the 167-yard 17th after a near ace.
"In the air I had a good feeling it was going to be good, not quite as good as it turned out," Kuchar said. "I think it's always a bonus on a tough hole when you get to walk up and tap a birdie in without even having to think about your second shot."
Cam Davis (65), Adam Svensson (66) and Matt NeSmith (70) were five shots back at 11 under.
Second-round leader Taylor Pendrith had a double bogey and four bogeys in a 73 that left him six shots back.
RANKING TOP 10 WOMEN'S TENNIS PLAYER OF THE 21ST CENTURY
We spent last week counting down our list of the top 100 athletes of the 21st century, and two women's tennis players made the list, starting with Serena Williams at No. 2 overall.
We also voted on an overall top 10 for women's tennis. Who else made the list of some of the greatest women's tennis players of the 2000s?
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| Getty Images |
1. Serena Williams
Key accomplishments: 23-time major champion (second most by any player all time), women's record 365 major match wins, 73 career titles (fifth most by a woman in the Open era).
There is little that Williams didn't achieve during her record-setting career, including winning 23 major titles. But it might have been her last one that was the most improbable. She needed to win one more Grand Slam to break the tie with Steffi Graf for most in the Open era (which began in 1968) -- a mark Williams said she had been "chasing for a really long time" -- and remained in the 2017 Australian Open draw even after finding out she was pregnant shortly before competition began. She was in peak Serena form, never dropping a set en route to a final showdown with her sister Venus. She defeated Venus to take sole ownership of the record.
Williams played in four more major finals after her return from maternity leave and a complicated childbirth. She didn't win another title. "The way I see it, I should have had 30-plus Grand Slams," Williams wrote in Vogue in a 2022 essay announcing her impending retirement. "I didn't get there. ... But I showed up 23 times, and that's fine. Actually it's extraordinary." -- D'Arcy Maine
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2. Venus Williams
Key accomplishments: Seven-time major singles champ, five-time Wimbledon champ, 270 major match wins (fifth most by a woman in the Open era), a record 89 career major appearances in singles.
The elder Williams sister burst onto the tennis scene as an enthusiastic and joyful teenager, and likely would have won many more titles if not for the arrival of Serena. While Williams' results have been remarkable, and she has the most major titles among active women on tour, she has been equally influential off the court as a champion for gender equality in tennis and beyond.
While advocating for equal pay at Wimbledon, Williams asked tournament officials at a meeting a simple question: "Would you want your daughter or your sister or your mother or your wife or a loved one to be a woman paid less?" Wimbledon started offering equal prize money for men and women in 2007. Williams called the achievement "the best moment of my career" in 2023. -- D'Arcy Maine
3. Maria Sharapova
Key accomplishments: Five-time Grand Slam champion, No. 1 player for a total of 21 weeks, 36 career WTA titles.
She won Wimbledon at age 17, beating Serena Williams in straight sets in the 2004 final. She was the world No. 1 by 18. She was one of the most marketable athletes in the world while she was still a teenager. And despite all the expectations and pitfalls that come with that, she managed to create a long career for herself, winning five Grand Slam titles, wrapping up a Career Slam in 2012 and finishing 10 seasons ranked in the WTA top 10. A long losing streak to Serena prevented her from racking up an all-timer's résumé -- she lost 19 straight to the GOAT, including eight straight in Slams after her Wimbledon win. But in the Open era, only 10 women have won more Slam titles. -- Bill Connelly
4. Justine Henin
Key accomplishments: Since Jan. 1, 2000: 42 WTA singles titles, 7 Grand Slam titles, Olympic gold singles medal, inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2016.
She felt like a throwback, even in the late 1990s. Standing only 5-foot-5, Justine Henin played a slice-and-dice game with speed, technique, tenacity and an utterly perfect, one-handed backhand. And even as the game was taken over by the power of the Williams sisters, Lindsay Davenport and Amelie Mauresmo, Henin landed plenty of blows. She went 23-26 against those four players, and she was 12-5 in Grand Slam semifinals and 7-5 in finals. Henin finished 2003, 2006 and 2007 ranked No. 1 in the world, and after her surprise retirement in the spring of 2008, brought on by injury and fatigue, she returned in 2010 and immediately made another Slam final as a wild card at the Australian Open. Elbow problems forced her to retire for good the next year, but her presence assured that the top of the women's game had plenty of variety for most of a decade. -- Connelly
5. Iga Swiatek
Key accomplishments: Five-time Grand Slam champion, 20 career WTA titles, current No. 1 player in the world.
The thing about ranking players based on a specific period of time is that it's hard to figure out what to do about someone like Iga Swiatek. She has already won five Slam titles and 10 WTA 1000 events; in the Open era, only Serena Williams and Steffi Graf can top her in bowl categories. She has won as many Slams as Maria Sharapova and Martina Hingis and more 1000s than Monica Seles and Venus Williams. She has definitively earned a spot on this list, but she's also just 23 years old. She's only one Slam title behind where Serena Williams was at 23. She has won as many French Opens (four) as Rafael Nadal, the king of clay, had at the same age. She hasn't even figured out grass yet. Swiatek's trajectory is unlike anything we've seen since Serena on the women's side. She's already a Hall of Famer, but she's only getting started. -- Connelly
6. Kim Clijsters
Key accomplishments: Four-time major champion in singles, 2-time major winner in doubles, 41 career titles, No. 1 in singles and doubles in 2003.
Kim Clijsters had already enjoyed a stellar career -- reaching 12 Slam semis and five finals, winning one -- when she announced her retirement in 2007 and gave birth to her daughter, Jada, in 2008. When she returned to the tour in the summer of 2009, did she ease into her comeback? Not so much. She beat top-10 opponents at each of her first two tournaments back, then beat Venus Williams, Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki to win the 2009 US Open almost out of the blue. She defended her title with a romp over Vera Zvonareva the next year, then won the Australian Open in 2011 too. -- Connelly
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| @bleacherreport-X |
7. Naomi Osaka
Key accomplishments: Four-time Grand slam champion, finished 2019 as No. 1 player in the world.
After floating around the top 50 for a couple of years, Naomi Osaka took the world by storm at the age of 20 in 2018. She won Indian Wells to jump into the top 30. She walloped Madison Keys and Serena Williams by matching 6-2 6-4 scores to win the US Open and move into the top 10. She won the Australian Open the following year to move to No. 1. She won the US Open and Australian Open double again in 2020 and '21, all the while becoming one of the most marketable women in sports history. Battling injury and burnout, she stepped away from the tour and had her first child in 2023. Already a Hall of Famer, she returned in 2024 and nearly beat clay-court queen Iga Swiatek in the French Open. Her second chapter might end up being just as fascinating as her first. -- Connelly
8. Ash Barty
Key accomplishments: Three-time Grand Slam champion, 15 singles titles, women's world No. 1 for 121 weeks.
The 5-foot-5 Australian was the child of golfers and had the hand-eye coordination and athleticism to play any sport in the world. She chose tennis for good after dabbling in professional cricket, surged into the WTA top 20 at age 21, won three Slam titles in a nine-tournament run, finished three straight years at No. 1 ... and then retired after winning the Australian Open, her home Slam, at age 25. Her serve was far bigger than her stature, and she could win matches with either power or defense. She was absurdly well-rounded, she packed a Hall of Fame career into just about a four-year period, and then quit to have a well-rounded life. Always leave them wanting more, right? -- Connelly
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9. Angelique Kerber
Key accomplishments: Three-time major champion, silver medal in 2016 Olympics, 14 career titles.
As former pro player and tennis commentator Andrea Petkovic put it in her Finite Jest newsletter, "If tennis was played from the baseline only, Angie Kerber would have been the greatest female tennis player of all times. I know that because I have played the greatest female tennis player of all times. Sadly for Angie, a serve is required in tennis." Even without an overpowering serve, Kerber rode defense and impeccable movement and anticipation to incredible heights. From 2016 to '18, she won three Slams -- two with finals victories over Serena Williams -- and reached two other semifinals. She finished 2016 ranked No. 1 in the world. After having a child in 2023, she returned to the tour in 2024 and, at age 36, with nothing more to prove, she has scored a couple of top-20 wins. -- Connelly
10. Amelie Mauresmo
Key accomplishments: Two-time major champion, 25 career titles, won Olympic silver in 2004.
Blessed with both power and perfect technique (and a level of knowledge that made her a successful coach for players such as Victoria Azarenka, Marion Bartoli and Andy Murray after retirement), Mauresmo burst onto the scene with a run to the 1999 Australian Open final at age 19. She suffered a number of close calls and heartbreaks, but late in a run of 16 quarterfinals in 19 Slams, Mauresmo finally broke through, winning both the Australian Open and Wimbledon in 2006. She finished four years in the WTA top five and seven in the top 10, and she overcame the ghosts of early failures to eventually retire triumphant. -- Connelly
- ESPN
OLYMPICS: ANDY MURRAY'S FAREWELL COMES ON HIS OWN TERMS
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| Martin Rickett/PA Images via Getty Images |
PARIS -- The final days of Andy Murray's tennis career won't play out like most of the others that came before. It won't involve a singles match, nor is it likely that he will make a stirring run to a final or a classic comeback. His ongoing recovery from a spinal cyst procedure has potentially scuppered his chance to repeat greatness. "My back is still not perfect," he admits. But there will be positive differences, too. This week, for example, he won't be alone.
Instead, he has spent the past few days soaking up the final moments of his career in a six-person apartment that houses Team GB's men's tennis side, including his doubles partner, Dan Evans. Six like-minded guys hanging out and enjoying the athletes' village; it's an experience that the professional tennis circuit rarely offers to it's players. "When you're on your own on the tour, at times it is a little bit lonely," Murray says.
These days in Paris, then, are about reliving memories and making some new ones. Outside of the apartment, there are unique experiences to savour and Murray has been lapping it up. There's an ongoing contest between the six friends to collect as many pin badges as possible and Murray, a gleeful Olympic enthusiast, is winning. "The biggest talking point over dinner is how Andy's been using his fame to an unfair advantage," Evans wrote in a Daily Mail column this week. "Everyone recognises Andy so they ask him for a selfie and he grabs their badge in return. The rest of the guys don't stand a chance."
Winning at the Olympics is not new to Murray. It's why these Games make for the perfect setting for his final farewell to tennis. He is a two-time Olympic men's singles champion, and he has described those wins as the most memorable days of his career. His gold medals from London 2012 and Rio 2016 have bookended the most successful period of his career which included winning the U.S. Open (2012) as well as two Wimbledon titles (2013 and 2016).
"It feels like you're part of something bigger than just yourself or your own sport," Murray says. "I just know when I'm around the other athletes and in the village that it feels different to me. It feels more important."
He admits that tends to happen when you can reminisce over wins rather than heartbreak. That checks out for Murray. His London 2012 triumph changed something in him -- the month before, he stood on Wimbledon's Centre Court and cried after losing the men's final to Roger Federer despite going a set up -- and when he returned and became Olympic champion he was able to tell himself and the rest of the country that he really was ready to win on the big stage.
He claimed victory at the U.S. Open -- his first Grand Slam title - later that summer against Novak Djokovic. He won Wimbledon the following year, the first British man since Fred Perry in 1936. By the time Rio 2016 came around, he had just lifted another Wimbledon title, and he won his second Olympic final, defeating Argentina's Juan Martín del Potro inside four sets.
"The Olympics are really special," Murray says.
This time, his experience is unlikely to be so defined by the final result. He has already shown that in his preparation. Shortly after Wimbledon, where he played doubles alongside his brother, Jamie, he travelled to Greece with his family, as well as 17-year-old Scottish player Charlie Robertson who acted as his hitting partner. "I was there for one week," Murray says. "I trained with him in the mornings there and had a holiday with the family in the afternoons."
The trip was a sign that Murray had one foot out the door. He opened up to reporters on Wednesday, revealing his strategy for what would come next, with his most immediate plans involving spending quality time with his wife, Kim, and his three kids, Sophia, Edie and Teddy.
He aims to get back on the golf course. "I want to become a scratch golfer," Murray says. "That's something that I'll definitely try and do." As for tennis, though, he is unlikely to ever play publicly again after he hears the last "game, set and match" call in Paris.
"I don't see myself playing any of the invitational things or those sorts of events. I would expect that I would still hit some balls and stuff. I still enjoy playing tennis. I love being out there on the court. But when I play sport, I like to compete. I want to be competitive. I don't want to just have a hit and giggle."
Instead, it's more likely that he will find himself up in the coaches box, and he added that he would love to be involved in the next Olympics "in some capacity."
For now though, Murray must say goodbye. This is not the first time he has bid farewell -- he retired briefly in 2019, a painful experience to endure as two hip surgeries forced him away from the sport while he was still at the top of his game. There have been several moments since then when retirement could have been on the cards, but it just didn't feel right.
Murray says it's different now. "I had been struggling with my back through most of the clay court season after the ankle injury. I knew that it was the right time and I'm happy about it now.
"I didn't feel that way a few months ago when I thought this was when I was going to stop. I didn't really want to, whereas now I want to and I know that it's the right time for me, so I feel good about it."
These Games in Paris will close the chapter on Murray's playing career for good. It's another reason why these days will feel different than before.
- Connor O'Halloran
VICTOR WEMBANYAMA FUEL'S FRANCE'S WIN IN OLYMPIC DEBUT
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| "I knew it was going to be a good day," Victor Wembanyama said after sparking France to an win in its Group B opener. Christina Pahnke/sampics/Getty Images |
VILLENEUVE-D'ASCQ, France -- This was Victor Wembanyama's opening ceremony.
No Eiffel Tower, no Celine Dion, no Zinedine Zidane, no Rafael Nadal, no Serena Williams and no floating cauldron required. Just a 7-foot-4 kid with the eyes of the basketball world on him for his Olympic debut.
And he didn't disappoint.
Lighting a torch of sorts for the French gold-medal hopes, Wembanyama had 19 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocked shots, and France opened its run at the Paris Olympics by beating Brazil 78-66 in a Group B game Saturday before a sold-out crowd of flag-waving, song-singing, wave-doing fans who came looking for a show and got one.
"You can't underestimate the power of the crowd, the home crowd," Wembanyama said. "I think it's really going to be the sixth man for this whole tournament."
Did he consider this an opening ceremony?
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Wembanyama said. "It was way better."
Wembanyama -- the NBA Rookie of the Year for the San Antonio Spurs last season -- and his teammates skipped the opening ceremony in Paris on Friday night to rest for their Saturday game. Lille is about an hour from Paris each way by train in ideal circumstances, but the vandalism that disrupted travel Friday would have only added to the transit time, and being out in a downpour for a few hours probably wouldn't have been the ideal night-before-a-game plan going into the Olympics.
So this was his first official Olympic event. He won the tipoff against Brazil's Bruno Caboclo to get the party started, and France -- which trailed by 12 early in the second quarter -- eventually shook off the slow start and found its footing.
Put simply, Wembanyama was why. Brazil was powerless against him.
"I think he did pretty damn good," France guard Evan Fournier said. "He can do so many things that sometimes it's like a burden because he doesn't focus on just one thing."
There was a three-possession display in the second quarter where the 20-year-old Wembanyama would post up almost in the same spot on the right block, wait for the ball, then just go to work.
- The first one: He turned and spun toward the baseline, went airborne, had his head and body well behind the backboard, and used his absurd wingspan to lay the ball in anyway.
- The second one: A couple possessions later, he spun to the middle this time, going over everyone for a left-handed dunk as he tumbled to the floor.
- The third one: He split the difference, turning and going in a straight line for a double-clutched, right-handed dunk punctuated by a big scream after tying the game at 34-34.
It was still close late -- Nicolas Batum's 3-pointer with 1:21 left put France up 10, and an alley-oop dunk by Wembanyama on the next possession sealed the win -- but at least the first victory is out of the way. France next plays Tuesday against Japan; a win there would be enough to clinch a quarterfinals spot.
"It's huge to get the first one," France center Rudy Gobert said. "We have very high expectations for our team, very high goals. We know how each game matters."
The anticipation for Wembanyama was very noticeable throughout Pierre Mauroy Stadium in Lille well before the game. Fans lined up on the rail of the catwalk, jockeying for positions to snap photos of the young star of the host country's Olympic delegation.
Wembanyama didn't waste time providing highlights: about an hour before tipoff, as he was beginning his warmups not long after being greeted by a thunder of cheers and people craning with their phones for a picture or some video, he casually swished a half-court shot.
"I knew it was going to be a good day," he said.
He wasn't wrong.
- Associated Press
FAITH IN YOUTH CONTINUES TO PAY OFF AS JAPAN MARCH ON INTO OLYMPIC QUARTERFINALS
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| Japan booked their place in the Olympic men's football tournament on Saturday with a game to spare after Rihito Yamamoto scrambled home the only goal of the game in the 82nd minute for a 1-0 win over Mali. Koji Watanabe/Getty Images |
Japan are no strangers to going far in the men's football tournament at the Olympics.
Even if they are still to establish themselves among the world's top teams, Japan have finished fourth in two of the past three editions of the Games -- narrowly missing out on a coveted medal in both London and on home soil in Tokyo.
But even with the high standards they have set for themselves in recent times, the Paris Olympics are going better than expected.
With two games down and one still to go in the group stage, Japan are just one of two teams to have already booked their place in the quarterfinals -- alongside newly-crowned European champions Spain.
Granted, the Samurai Blue are hardly slouches considering they are one of Asia's traditional powerhouses and currently sit a creditable 18th in the FIFA world rankings.
Yet, the fact that Japan are the only team in the ongoing men's football tournament to have fielded an entirely under-23 team -- opting against turning to the three allowed overage players -- makes their displays so far that much more impressive.
An opening-day 5-0 rout of Paraguay was followed up by a less straightforward 1-0 win over Mali on Saturday evening.
While the emphatic triumph over Paraguay -- which was aided by an early red card for the opposition -- was a display of cohesion and panache, the victory over Mali perhaps gave a stronger indication over the legitimacy of their medal quest.
On this occasion, they faced a much tougher challenge -- especially without a numerical advantage.
It meant that, even though they still tried -- and, at times, managed -- to play with the same sort of expansiveness that they achieved against the Paraguayans, the contest was not always on their terms.
Mali, with plenty of pace down the wings and a direct approach led by spearhead Cheickna Doumbia, also caused the Japanese far more uncomfortable moments than they had endured in their campaign opener.
And still, Japan passed the test -- although it might have been a far different story if Doumbia had not missed an injury-time penalty.
Goalkeeper Leo Kokubo showed why he could be a pivotal figure -- especially for a team that is constanly looking to be on the front foot -- with a series of fine saves.
In the engine room, captain Joel Chima Fujita and Rihito Yamamoto never stopped trying to initiate the brand of football coach Go Oiwa is asking of them, with the latter eventually emerging as the match-winner with an opportunistic strike with just eight minutes remaining.
The Samurai Blue also showed they have decent depth with the likes of Ryotaro Araki and Fuki Yamada coming into the starting XI, while Kein Sato and Shota Fujio again offered an injection of energy coming off the bench.
For a squad bereft of experienced campaigners, the way they grinded out the result was exactly what will be required come the knockout round -- especially if Japan want to claim a first men's football medal since 1968.
If Tuesday's final round of group-stage action plays out as expected, the Japanese should avoid a clash with Spain and will be confident in their prospects regardless of whether it is Egypt or Dominican Republic they meet in the last eight.
Still, it could very likely be Argentina -- boasting notable names such as Julián Álvarez and Nicolás Otamendi -- that will be waiting if they reach the semis.
If they do have to settle for the third place playoff once again, it could easily be hosts France or Spain vying with them for the bronze medal.
The former, in particular, have two formidable overage attackers with Premier League experience in Alexandre Lacazette and Jean-Philippe Mateta, not to mention young starlets such as Michael Olise, Rayan Cherki and Manu Koné.
Only time will tell if Japan's decision not to bolster their team -- and their medal prospects -- with senior stalwarts of their own will come back to haunt them.
For now, however, their faith in youth is paying off.
- Gabriel Tan
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