Sports
Murray makes stunning start to Olympics with brilliant doubles win
Andy Murray and Joe Salisbury marked themselves out as Olympic medal contenders with a brilliant first-round performance in the men’s doubles at the Ariake Tennis Park on Saturday.
The pair had a tough draw against second seeds and Roland Garros champions Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut but they brushed the French pair aside in a 6-3 6-2 victory.
Salisbury and Murray had never played a match together before but the former is Britain’s best doubles player while Murray also has plenty of experience in the format.
The partnership sparked straight away in spite of brutally hot conditions, and Murray said: “I think we have the potential to be a really good team. I think the result today showed that.
“Doubles is always tricky because sometimes the matches can come down to a few points. I think we were well deserved winners today. We created lots of chances, but not every doubles match is like that.
“I think if we keep the same sort of attitude and everything, prepare diligently, I think we’ve got a chance of doing well.
“But it’s not easy, just because we won that match. We’ve got a tough match next against a German pair (Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz) and we’ll look forward to that one.”
Murray begins his quest for a third straight singles gold medal on Sunday against ninth seed Felix Auger-Aliassime and he is looking and sounding upbeat about his chances in Tokyo.
He said: “I do like the conditions here in terms of how the court plays and everything.
“Obviously not an easy one against Felix but I’ve played well in the practice sets and the practice matches that I’ve had and obviously today was a good one for the confidence.”(dpa/NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially designated Morocco as the host for the 2024 CAF Women’s Champions League finals. The tournament will take place from November 9 to November 23, as announced on CAF’s official website.
Morocco previously hosted the last edition of this prestigious competition. Among the eight teams competing this year is Nigeria’s champions, Edo Queens. The current title holders are Mamelodi Sundowns from South Africa.
The tournament offers significant financial incentives, with winners receiving $400,000 and runners-up taking home $250,000.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi has equaled Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 10 international hat-tricks after scoring three times in a dominant 6-0 victory against Bolivia in a 2026 World Cup qualifier.
In addition to his goals, the 37-year-old forward also provided two assists, showcasing his playmaking abilities. With this win, Argentina solidifies its position in the South American qualifiers, currently leading the table three points ahead of second-placed Colombia and six points clear of their arch-rivals Brazil.
On the same evening, Ronaldo’s Portugal faced Scotland in the UEFA Nations League but was held to a frustrating 0-0 draw, leaving the superstar visibly upset post-match.
Fenerbahce manager, Jose Mourinho, is reportedly planning a January transfer move for Barcelona forward Ansu Fati. After spending last season on loan at Brighton in the Premier League, Fati, now 21, returned to Barcelona but has struggled for game time under new coach Hansi Flick.
Once considered a potential successor to Lionel Messi, Fati’s limited opportunities at Barça have fueled speculation about a possible departure. According to *AS*, Mourinho is keen to bring the Spain international to the Turkish league, offering him the chance for regular football at Fenerbahce.
Fenerbahce’s sporting director, Mario Branco, is expected to initiate discussions with Fati’s representatives soon, confident that the promise of consistent playing time will help secure the forward’s move.
Van Vicker Celebrates 21st Wedding Anniversary: “I Have No Regrets”
Davido Declares ‘Timeless’ His Best Album
‘Adire’ Secures Four Nominations at the Best of Nollywood Awards
-
Business14 hours agoOkpella Monarch: Obaseki Ratified Kingmakers Decision, End 5years leadership Vacuum
-
Banking10 hours agoFree Food Saga: Akpabio quoted out of context-CSO
-
Foreign15 hours agoSci-tech innovation fuels China’s high-quality development
-
Entertainment7 hours agoDavido Declares ‘Timeless’ His Best Album
-
Entertainment7 hours ago‘Adire’ Secures Four Nominations at the Best of Nollywood Awards
-
Business7 hours agoWike Urges Nigerians to Pay Taxes for Improved Social Services
-
Foreign9 hours agoQinling Mountains better safeguarded with comprehensive digital platform
-
Foreign9 hours agoExpressway service station in Shandong achieves carbon neutrality