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Sinner and Djokovic survive first-round scares at Wimbledon
Jannik Sinner survived a major scare and a bloodied foot to open his Wimbledon title defence with a five-set victory over Miomir Kecmanovic, while Novak Djokovic had to dig deep to beat China’s Wu Yibing.
Sinner was pushed to the brink of becoming only the third male defending champion to lose in the Wimbledon first round before battling back to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-2, 6-3 on Monday.
Trailing by two sets to one, the Italian world number one dug deep to win his first five-set match in his last six attempts. afsport.lat
Sinner’s gutsy victory in three hours and 28 minutes was all the more commendable after he injured his right foot in an awkward fall that left his shoe covered in blood.
He let out a shriek of pain and was motionless for several moments before gingerly resuming play.
With two-time Wimbledon champion Carlos Alcaraz still sidelined by a wrist injury sustained in Barcelona in April, Sinner is the clear favourite to become the 10th man in the Open era to retain the trophy.
He is bidding for his fifth Grand Slam title and his first since his maiden victory at the All England Club last year.
But the 24-year-old hasn’t reached a Grand Slam final this year and crashed out of the French Open in the second round, blowing a two-set lead against Juan Manuel Cerundolo as he wilted in the stifling Paris heat.
Ahead of Wednesday’s second-round clash with Portugal’s Nuno Borges, the Italian insisted he would not be affected by his latest fitness concern.
“I’m good. It just seems much worse than it is. I’m actually very surprised that they let me keep playing because my all white outfit turned into a little red! It is just a nail,” he said.
Djokovic keeps title hopes alive
In Alcaraz’s absence, Djokovic, a seven-time Wimbledon champion, is expected to be one of Sinner’s main rivals.
The 39-year-old Serb is chasing an all-time record of 25 Grand Slam singles titles among men and women.
Djokovic would become the oldest man to win a Grand Slam in the Open era if he lifts the trophy on July 12.
Reaching those historic targets will require a significant improvement from Djokovic, who laboured for over three hours in a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4 win over Chinese world number 102 Wu in front of David Beckham and rapper Bad Bunny.
“It was very challenging for me today. I’m feeling happy but not the freshest I guess. It didn’t feel like the first round to be honest,” said Djokovic, who plays Stefanos Tsitsipas in the second round.
Women’s world number one Aryna Sabalenka needed only 65 minutes to rout Serbian qualifier Teodora Kostovic 6-2, 6-3.
Sabalenka is a four-time Grand Slam winner but the Belarusian has never reached the Wimbledon final.
In the second round, the 28-year-old meets American McCartney Kessler.
“Super, super excited to be back. It’s a special place, to play on this beautiful court,” Sabalenka said.
Other results
French Open finalist Maja Chwalinska crashed to a shock 2-6, 7-5, 6-2 defeat against Thailand’s Mananchaya Sawangkaew after suffering an injury on match point.
Just weeks after her fairytale run as a qualifier at Roland Garros, Polish 20th seed Chwalinska was unable to recapture her clay-court magic.
Japan’s Naomi Osaka made a spectacular entrance as she arrived on court in a kimono-inspired dress prior to her straight sets win against France’s Elsa Jacquemot.
Osaka has become known for wearing flamboyant outfits before starting her matches.
The four-time Grand Slam champion’s Wimbledon costume — a ceremonial dress decorated with embroidered cranes and cherry blossom — was another eye-catching choice.
Elsewhere on opening day, Norwegian 11th seed Casper Ruud — a three-time Grand Slam finalist — slumped to a 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (9/7) defeat against Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz.
Canadian third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime beat Alexander Shevchenko in convincing style.
Fresh from winning her maiden Grand Slam crown at the French Open, Mirra Andreeva defeated Poland’s Magda Linette in straight sets.
The 19-year-old Russian, seeded fifth, next faces 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova.
American fourth seed Jessica Pegula breezed past Darja Vidmanova, while two-time Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff thrashed Tamara Korpatsch.
FIFA World Cup: African giants qualify for final 16
Morocco kept Africa’s impressive FIFA World Cup campaign rolling after eliminating European heavyweights the Netherlands on penalties in a gripping Round of 32 clash.
The Atlas Lions battled to a 1-1 draw after extra time before holding their nerve to win 3-2 in the shootout. The victory sends Walid Regragui’s side into the last 16, where they will face Canada for a place in the quarter-finals.
MOROCCO KEEP THEIR COOL IN FIFA WORLD CUP KNOCKOUT
Morocco enjoyed the better of the contest for long spells, dominating possession and asking plenty of questions of the Netherlands’ defence. Achraf Hakimi came closest to opening the scoring early in the second half when his fierce effort crashed against the crossbar.
Also read: CRYSTAL BALL – African team to win the FIFA World Cup?
Despite Morocco’s dominance, it was the Dutch who struck first in the 72nd minute. Wout Weghorst flicked the ball into the path of Crysencio Summerville, who squared for Cody Gakpo to fire into the bottom corner.
Just when it looked like Morocco’s FIFA World Cup dream was slipping away, they found a dramatic equaliser deep into stoppage time. Chemsdine Talbi whipped in a dangerous cross and Issa Diop powered home a towering header in the 91st minute to send the match into extra time.
Neither side could find a winner over the next 30 minutes, although substitute Soufiane Rahimi went agonisingly close before Bart Verbruggen produced an outstanding save to keep the Netherlands alive.
YASSINE BOUNOU DELIVERS AGAIN
The match was eventually settled from the penalty spot, where Morocco once again found their hero in Yassine Bounou.
The experienced goalkeeper produced another shootout masterclass, saving Crysencio Summerville’s penalty, while Quinten Timber and Justin Kluivert also failed to convert as Morocco took control.
With the pressure on, Ismael Saibari confidently buried the winning penalty to spark wild celebrations among the Moroccan players and supporters.
The result also saw Morocco become the first African nation to defeat the Netherlands at a FIFA World Cup, adding another memorable chapter to the Atlas Lions’ impressive tournament record.
Morocco’s victory also continues an outstanding tournament for African football, with nine of the continent’s ten representatives reaching the knockout stages.
The Atlas Lions will now turn their attention to a Round of 16 showdown against Canada in Houston on July 4, with a place in the quarter-finals at stake as they continue their bid to build on the historic semi-final run they achieved at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Doogz’s Bok fire still burns bright
Damian de Allende says his hunger for success remains as strong as ever ahead of Saturday’s Nations Championship Test against England at Ellis Park.
The veteran centre, who will earn his 98th Test cap and 10th against England, has won every major honour in the game with the Springboks, including two World Cups, a British & Irish Lions series and three Rugby Championship titles.
“I’m just as motivated as I was earlier in my career and I would really like to win the World Cup one more time,” the 34-year-old said. “But I know I’m getting older and can’t look too far ahead.
“The most important thing is that I still enjoy my rugby. I feel I can still make a difference.”
RASSIE: England always a great rivalry
While the 2019 World Cup final victory over England remains one of the defining moments of his career, De Allende admits it is the Boks’ remarkable comeback victory over the English at Ellis Park in 2018 that still rings loudest.
“I still get goosebumps when I think about how we turned things around in that game,” he recalled. “It was only our second Test under coach Rassie Erasmus.
“England went 24-3 up and we didn’t really know how to deal with it. I remember us standing under the poles after one of their tries, telling each other we were going to fight back like true South Africans.”
MORE: Siya recalls ‘tough, emotional’ captaincy debut
Only De Allende and captain Siya Kolisi remain in the starting XV from that memorable 42-39 victory eight years ago.
Photo: Warren Little/Getty Images
The post Doogz’s Bok fire still burns bright appeared first on SA Rugby magazine.
Sommet extraordinaire de la SADC : la pression s'accentue sur la transition malgache
Le sommet extraordinaire de la Communauté de développement de l'Afrique australe (SADC), réuni le 29 juin à Pretoria, en Afrique du Sud, adresse un message particulièrement ferme aux autorités de transition malgaches. Dans sa déclaration finale, l'organisation appelle à la libération des prisonniers politiques, à la cessation des arrestations arbitraires visant les dirigeants de l'opposition ainsi que les membres de la Génération Z, tout en demandant le retour des exilés politiques.
Au-delà des principes généraux, la SADC insiste sur la nécessité de respecter le calendrier de la transition, de mener des réformes transparentes, d'engager une véritable concertation nationale et de favoriser la réconciliation entre toutes les composantes politiques du pays.
Elle invite également les autorités à organiser un dialogue inclusif réunissant le gouvernement, le Conseil des Églises chrétiennes et l'ensemble des parties prenantes afin de parvenir à un consensus national durant la période de transition.
L'organisation régionale demande également aux dirigeants de Refondation présidée par le colonel Michaël Randrianirina de respecter les engagements pris en matière de réformes politiques, conformément à un calendrier clair, transparent et largement diffusé dans les langues nationales afin de garantir une large participation populaire et une meilleure acceptation des résultats.
Autre décision majeure, la SADC a décidé d'élargir le mandat de son Comité des sages afin qu'il accompagne désormais la réconciliation nationale, les réformes électorales ainsi que les préparatifs du référendum et des futures élections législatives. Le sommet a également approuvé l'ouverture d'un bureau de liaison permanent de la SADC à Antananarivo, chargé de coordonner et d'assurer le suivi des actions entreprises dans le cadre de son accompagnement de Madagascar.
À la lecture de cette déclaration, le sommet traduit les préoccupations de la communauté régionale face à la situation politique malgache. Sans remettre explicitement en cause les autorités de transition, la décision met l'accent sur des sujets sensibles tels que les libertés publiques, l'État de droit, le respect de l'ordre constitutionnel, la gouvernance démocratique et les arrestations de responsables politiques. Ces recommandations reflètent le constat selon lequel la crise politique demeure profonde et que les garanties d'un fonctionnement pleinement démocratique restent insuffisantes.
L'appel à mettre fin aux arrestations arbitraires visant des responsables de l'opposition et des membres de la Génération Z peut également être interprété comme une reconnaissance des inquiétudes exprimées depuis plusieurs mois par diverses organisations nationales et internationales concernant l'utilisation de procédures judiciaires à des fins politiques. Les proches de l'ancien régime, aujourd'hui engagés dans l'opposition, dénoncent régulièrement ce qu'ils qualifient de poursuites motivées par des considérations politiques, tandis que les autorités rejettent ces accusations et affirment agir dans le strict respect de la loi.
La déclaration de Pretoria suscite déjà de nombreuses réactions sur les réseaux sociaux. Plusieurs soutiens du régime de transition critiquent ouvertement les dirigeants des autres États membres de la SADC, notamment le président sud-africain, leur reprochant de s'immiscer dans les affaires intérieures de Madagascar et les invitant à régler en priorité les difficultés auxquelles leurs propres pays sont confrontés.
Force est toutefois de constater que Madagascar a besoin de préserver sa crédibilité auprès de ses partenaires régionaux et internationaux. La reconnaissance de la transition par les organisations régionales, en premier lieu la SADC puis l'Union africaine, constitue en effet un enjeu majeur pour la stabilité politique du pays, son retour à un ordre constitutionnel pleinement reconnu et la consolidation de ses relations diplomatiques avec la communauté internationale.
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ALG : Mahrez, c’est 84 contributions en 119 matches avec les Verts (Envoyé spécial)
Riyad Mahrez continue d’occuper une place centrale dans le parcours contemporain de la sélection algérienne, en enchaînant les apparitions et en consolidant un registre statistique qui témoigne de son influence sur la durée. En portant son total à 119 sélections, le capitaine des Verts s’inscrit désormais parmi les joueurs les plus constants et les plus utilisés de l’histoire de l’équipe nationale. Au-delà de cette longévité remarquable, l’ailier d’Al-Ahli maintient un niveau de rendement élevé sous le maillot algérien. Son bilan offensif s’élève à 40 buts et 44 passes décisives, soit 84 actions directement décisives, un indicateur clair de son impact dans les résultats de son équipe au fil des années.
Depuis ses débuts internationaux, Mahrez s’est imposé comme un élément structurant du projet des Verts, traversant plusieurs cycles sportifs et générations de joueurs. Son rôle a notamment été déterminant lors de la
conquête de la Coupe d’Afrique des Nations 2019, où il a incarné le leadership technique de la sélection. Aujourd’hui encore, à 35 ans, il conserve une importance stratégique dans le dispositif algérien. Sa lecture du jeu, sa maîtrise technique et sa capacité à faire la différence dans les moments clés restent des atouts majeurs pour le groupe. Entre expérience accumulée et efficacité préservée, Riyad Mahrez poursuit ainsi un parcours international qui renforce progressivement son statut de référence majeure dans l’histoire du football algérien.
-DJO.
L’article ALG : Mahrez, c’est 84 contributions en 119 matches avec les Verts (Envoyé spécial) est apparu en premier sur Foot Afrique.