Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...
I Dig Sports

I Dig Sports

Champions League seeds confirmed for 2019-20

Published in Soccer
Saturday, 01 June 2019 15:16

Liverpool are confirmed as the final seeds for next season's Champions League group-stage draw after lifting the trophy in Madrid on Saturday night.

Jurgen Klopp's side won the biggest prize in European football with a 2-0 victory over Tottenham Hotspur at the Wanda Metropolitano.

The winners of the Champions League automatically slot into Pot 1, which is reserved for the holders of the two European competitions and the champions of the six strongest domestic leagues.

That means Liverpool will join Europa League holders Chelsea among the eight seeds, along with Barcelona (La Liga), Manchester City (Premier League), Juventus (Serie A), Bayern Munich (Bundesliga), Paris Saint-Germain (Ligue 1), Zenit Saint-Petersburg (Russian Premier).

The Premier League will therefore have three teams in Pot 1.

The rest of the teams are seeded based on UEFA's five-year coefficient score for performance in European competition, with the strongest teams in Pot 2 and the weakest in Pot 4. One team from each pot will be drawn into the eight Champions League groups in the draw ceremony on Aug. 29.

Tottenham were in Pot 3 for last season's group-stage draw and had to navigate their way through a tough group that also contained Barca, Inter Milan and PSV Eindhoven. They have a greater chance of a favourable draw this season from Pot 2.

Ajax, if they come through qualifying, will benefit from Chelsea winning the Europa League by taking the spare place in Pot 2.

The teams in Pot 1 are now confirmed, while provisional pots can be drawn up for the others (though the teams in bold are guaranteed to be in that pot) based on the highest-ranked clubs progressing through qualifying.

POT 1: Liverpool, Chelsea, Barcelona, Manchester City, Juventus, Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Zenit St Petersburg

POT 2 (provisional): Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, FC Porto*, Tottenham Hotspur, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli, Shakhtar Donetsk, Ajax*

POT 3 (provisional): Benfica, Dynamo Kiev*, Lyon, Bayer Leverkusen, FC Salzburg, Valencia, Inter Milan, Celtic*

POT 4 (provisional): FC Copenhagen*, Dinamo Zagreb*, Lokomotiv Moscow, Genk, Galatasaray, RB Leipzig, Atalanta, Lille

*denotes must go through qualifying

Liverpool beat Spurs to win Champions League crown

Published in Soccer
Saturday, 01 June 2019 15:08

An early Mohamed Salah penalty and a late strike by Divock Origi gave Liverpool a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur in Saturday's all-English Champions League final as their coach Jurgen Klopp finally got his hands on Europe's biggest prize.

Egypt striker Salah, who had painful memories of last year's final defeat by Real Madrid after suffering a shoulder injury, got his side off to a flying start in Madrid by lashing home from the penalty spot after a handball from Moussa Sissoko.

- Tottenham ratings: Kane, Alli 5/10 in heartbreaker

Tottenham kept their heads after a nightmare opening and came to life when semi-final hat-trick hero Lucas Moura came off the bench but, with Harry Kane lacking sharpness after an ankle injury, another miraculous European comeback proved beyond them.

Liverpool did not produce much of their usual whirlwind attacking football but they were more intelligent and powerful than Spurs and sealed a sixth European Cup triumph with an arrowed finish from substitute Origi in the 87th minute.

The win was sweet redemption for Salah and especially German Klopp, who had suffered defeat on his last six appearances in major finals, including Champions League showpieces with Borussia Dortmund in 2013 and Liverpool last year.

His opposite number Mauricio Pochettino took a bold but ultimately misguided gamble in fielding Kane, who had only returned to full training a week ago after almost two months out with a serious ankle injury and struggled to influence play.

Kane was far from the only player who lacked sharpness in a game of few moments of real quality, a possible effect of both sides not playing any competitive games for three weeks.

Spurs put Liverpool under real pressure in the latter stages as Dele Alli headed over and Son Heung-min and Moura forced impressive saves from Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

Origi, one of Liverpool's heroes in their stunning semifinal second-leg turnaround against Barcelona, then killed the game with a ruthless finish into the bottom corner.

Cyclist sorry for slapping collision-causing fan

Published in Breaking News
Saturday, 01 June 2019 11:51

Cyclist Miguel Angel Lopez has apologized for smacking a fan who knocked him from his bicycle during Saturday's penultimate stage of the Giro d'Italia.

Lopez had hoped to compete for a stage win but was tripped by a fan who was running alongside encouraging him, but collided with another spectator and fell onto the cyclist. As Lopez got back up, he slapped the fan.

"I'm sorry for what happened; I was full of pure adrenaline. But there needs to be more respect for the cyclists," Lopez said.

Lopez was still visibly furious when he crossed the line 18th, 1 minute, 49 seconds behind stage winner Pello Bilbao.

He isn't the first cyclist to fight back at the thought that a spectator crossed the line. In 2011, Alberto Contador gave a small right jab to the face of a fan wearing scrubs who came after the Spaniard with a stethoscope -- an apparent mockery of Contador's ties to doping allegations. During the 2009 Tour of California, Lance Armstrong shoved away a fan who came at him with two giant plastic needles. And in the 2016 Tour de France, Chris Froome punched a spectator in the face after the wig-wearing man got too close for the then-two-time Tour winner.

Another incident with a fan Saturday also cost Primoz Roglic. The Slovenian received a push from a spectator and didn't attempt to push him away and was penalized 10 seconds by the race jury. He ultimately finished 14th in the stage.

Ecuadorian cyclist Richard Carapaz took a huge step toward winning the Giro d'Italia as he preserved his overall lead of 1:54 over Nibali.

The Giro d'Italia ends with a final time trial in Verona on Sunday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Gustafsson retires after submission loss to Smith

Published in Breaking News
Saturday, 01 June 2019 14:18

Anthony Smith's place among the elite light heavyweights in the world is secure.

"Lionheart" went into Alexander Gustafsson's hometown and finished him via rear-naked choke submission at 2:38 of the fourth round Saturday in the main event of UFC Stockholm. It was the biggest win of Smith's 11-year career and arguably his best performance.

Afterward, Gustafsson took his gloves off and left them in the Octagon. He confirmed after the fight that he would be retiring.

"The show is over, guys," Gustafsson said. "... It feels like I don't have it anymore. I have done it for a long time. I'm 32 years old, I have kids, built the life that I wanted thanks to this sport. It feels like I'm getting old. We all have to realize that it's the end of the story."

Smith controlled the majority of the fight. He got the better of the first two rounds with a series of hard left hooks. Gustafsson seemed content to stay on the outside and wait for the action to come to him.

In the third, Gustafsson found his rhythm. The leg kicks he had been throwing began adding up, he landed a hard jab that got Smith's attention and then hurt Smith with a body kick before landing a takedown.

Smith said he broke his left hand earlier in the bout and was trying to work around it. He said in the fourth round he started to adjust.

"I decided to figure it out," Smith said. "I tried to throw a couple of hard body shots after that. I felt [my hand] swelling in my glove. I think a little of it was panic."

Smith took Gustafsson's back in a wild scramble after a Gustafsson takedown attempt failed in the fourth. He managed to flatten Gustafsson out, land ground and pound and cinch in a rear-naked choke for the finish. Smith reminded everyone afterward that he was a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.

Smith (31-14), like Gustafsson, was coming off a loss in a title fight to Jon Jones. This was the Nebraska native's 12th career submission win. Smith, 30, has the most finishes in the light heavyweight division since 2018 with four. He'll keep his top-five ranking.

Gustafsson (18-6) has lost two straight and four of his last six, but all of his opponents have been the very best in the division. He has fought three times for the UFC light heavyweight title and gave Jones the toughest fight of his career in 2013.

Gustafsson has been the best Swedish fighter in the UFC and the promotion's top draw in the country.

"I'm very disappointed," Gustafsson said. "It happened again, I lost in my own home. You know what, it's a sport; it's hard. You do it because you love it.

"... I never did this for the money or anything like that. I did it because I want to be the best, and if I can't be the best, then it is what it is. Now, I'll focus on my kids, I own a gym and have a couple of other projects going on. Let's see what is the next chapter."

For Kawhi, extra fun getting his shots in playoffs

Published in Basketball
Saturday, 01 June 2019 14:58

TORONTO -- When Kawhi Leonard was growing up in Southern California, he dreamed -- like many others -- of having the ball in his hands with the outcome on the line in the biggest of games.

And as Leonard has gone through this playoff run with the Toronto Raptors, leading them to the NBA Finals and to a 1-0 lead in this best-of-seven series against the Golden State Warriors, he has done exactly that.

So has this run with Toronto been the most fun Leonard has had in his NBA career?

"Obviously, it's a lot more fun when you're getting plays called for you and you're able to live your childhood dream in being able to shoot the ball 20 times a game," he said. "The offense is coming toward you, rather than just being out there doing one job. Because when you first come in as a rookie, unless you're like a top-10 player, you're really not going to touch the floor a whole lot, or get the offense run through you.

"That kind of throws you off, or for me just like puts you in a box somewhat. You have to figure out a way to have fun. Like I said, being a child, I didn't envision myself just being in a box in the NBA. But once that time comes, I feel like you're just having more fun and you're able to experience the game and grow as a player, making plays, seeing double-teams and finding other guys.

"It just gets more fun. You're able to do a lot more."

It's safe to say Leonard doesn't have to worry about being stuck in a box any longer. That has been the case for a few years now, after he stunned the basketball world and emerged from relative obscurity -- he was the No. 15 pick in the 2011 NBA draft out of San Diego State -- to become the best two-way player in the sport.

But he was doing that in San Antonio, playing alongside future Hall of Famers in Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, and for arguably the greatest coach of all time in Gregg Popovich. Upon arriving in Toronto by trade this past offseason, the franchise was handed over to Leonard, with the goal of spending the 11 months between when the deal was consummated in late July until this summer -- when Leonard will be an unrestricted free agent -- convincing him Toronto is the place he should stay.

Given how this season has turned out, the sales pitch couldn't have worked better. The Raptors cruised to 58 wins in the regular season and the second-best record in the NBA (behind Milwaukee). Leonard played 60 games, with Toronto working with him diligently to be as healthy as possible come playoff time. And once the postseason arrived, Leonard turned into a world-destroying force, carrying Toronto past the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference semifinals and the Milwaukee Bucks in the East finals -- a performance that has firmly placed him back in the debate of who is the best player in the sport.

Three more wins over the Warriors will make his argument for that top spot close to unassailable. But as Toronto claimed Game 1, Leonard didn't have the same kind of incredible performance he has recreated time and again during this postseason run. His numbers -- 23 points, eight rebounds and five assists -- while great by most standards, were rather ordinary by his incredibly lofty ones, including going 5-for-14 from the field.

That Leonard again was caught on camera limping at times during Thursday's Game 1 -- just as he was during the Bucks series -- was cause for concern in many quarters even after Toronto's win.

The only people who seem unconcerned about the state of Leonard's health, however, are members of the Raptors themselves.

"Yeah, I don't think the leg trouble is much of an issue," Raptors coach Nick Nurse said Saturday.

"And I'm expecting him to play a lot better tomorrow."

Publicly and privately throughout Toronto's playoff run, the same line has been repeated: The talk of Leonard playing through an injury has been overstated by those outside the team.

The concern about Leonard's health is understandable, given he was traded here by the San Antonio Spurs last summer after playing just nine games in 2017-18 due to tendinopathy in his left quad. But his performances during this playoffs have backed up the belief that he's more than capable of playing to the level that's required for Toronto to win the three more games they need to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the first time.

Meanwhile, the Raptors would point to the way Golden State attacked Leonard in Game 1 -- often doing anything it could to ensure he wouldn't beat it -- as a bigger cause for his mundane play than any issues physically.

And given how that attention on Leonard manifested itself across the rest of the court, with Pascal Siakam scoring 32 points, Marc Gasol 20 and Fred VanVleet 15, the Raptors won't be terribly upset if things remain the same.

"I come into the game just trying to win," Leonard said. "If I have my mindset on just trying to score the ball, yeah, it could be difficult. But I'm trying to make the right play out there, and obviously if there are two people on me, somebody is open.

"It's really not about me. If they play defense like that, guys are going to step up and make shots. All I could do is keep making the right play. When I do get a free look, make my shots and go back on the other end and play defense.

"It's just not about me scoring or trying to get my offense off. It's a whole collective group out there playing basketball."

That has been Toronto's ethos throughout its run. And yet, time and again, it has been Leonard at the center of everything the Raptors have done. The days of him being a rookie in San Antonio spending time guarding the best player on the other team, and largely staying out of the way of Duncan, Ginobili and Parker, are long behind him.

Now, after a playoff run filled with multiple iconic moments -- notably his unbelievable series-ending buzzer-beater against the Sixers -- Leonard has yet another chance to add to his growing legacy.

"I feel like I made some big shots in my career before," Leonard said. "I mean, obviously not like the ones now, but it's been fun. I can't complain about my career.

"I had a great time each step of the way. I had fun with my whole journey."

The Raptors hope the next steps in that journey will be three more wins in this series -- and, with them, an NBA championship.

Callum Hawkins on the road to Doha

Published in Athletics
Saturday, 01 June 2019 13:25

World fourth-placer is back in training following his Scottish marathon record run in London

Scottish marathon record-holder Callum Hawkins is ready to step up his preparations for the IAAF World Championships this autumn – and a midnight run in Doha, writes Peter Jardine.

The Kilbarchan AAC athlete ended a 34-year wait for a new fastest time by a Scot over the classic distance when he clocked 2:08:14 to finish 10th in the London Marathon in April.

Allister Hutton’s 2:09:16 mark had stood since 1985 and, after a short break which included his own version of the North Coast 500 road trip around Scotland, Hawkins has resumed training following confirmation of automatic selection for the global event in Qatar.

“I’m selected for Doha and that’s the main target for 2019,” said Hawkins, who was fourth in the 2017 world championships marathon.

“It will be warm out there, of course, but they have put the start of the marathon to midnight to try and help that. The main thing is there won’t be any sunshine because, as I’ve discovered, that can be the worst element!

“I’m racing again next in the Czech Republic in a half-marathon on June 15. It’s an evening start-time but the last time I was there for this race, at the same time of year, it was 27 degrees.”

Hawkins, of course, had collapsed in the final stages of the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games marathon some 12 months prior to exorcising those ghosts with his superb run in London.

“To be honest, it didn’t feel like a huge mental barrier to complete the race in London,” added Hawkins, who helped Scottish Athletics present the Lindsays Trophy for cross country participation to Giffnock North in Glasgow this week (pictured below).

Photo by Bobby Gavin for Scottish Athletics

“I was really just thinking and concentrating more on trying to run fast, rather than just finishing.

“Having said that, I did have a wee wobble at the 40km point and my head just went a bit for a moment. I really just had to grind out the last 2km and get it done.

“However, it was a good run. The last 5km were actually quicker than Mo Farah’s last 5km! His last 1km was definitely faster than mine, though!

“I had come out beforehand and said publicly I was looking to get a new Scottish record and a top 10 finish in London and in the end that’s what happened – even though I took the record by over a minute and I do feel I can go even quicker.

“I don’t know too much about Allister Hutton and I’ve not spoken to him.

“But John Graham, who was second on the all-time list prior to my run, and also with a 2:09, did send me a message prior to London and said: ‘Good luck, that record really needs to be broken as it has been far too long’. I appreciated that gesture.”

In the recovery period after London, Hawkins’ only long run was a car run.

“I had a bit of down time afterwards,” he said. “We took a road trip up to the north of Scotland and it was fantastic – it was something I’d never done and bits of Scotland I’d never seen.

“It wasn’t the exact North Coast 500, more my version of it, because we ended up driving about 1000 miles in five days and the scenery was fantastic. I will go back again at some point but I don’t mean for a run – I’m not quite ready for the ultra running yet!

“Since then it is just a case of easing back into the training; doing a lot of work on the bike first and then some miles. This week is my first session of eight times three minutes a bit faster and we will take it from there. I feel in pretty good shape.”

Hawkins, twice winner of the Lindsays National XC title, isn’t ruling out a return to cross-country action next winter in what could be the countdown to the Tokyo Olympics.

He joined Scottish Athletics chairman and Lindsays chief operating officer, Ian Beattie, in celebrating success for Giffnock North AC in the Lindsays Trophy for the largest aggregate of finishers across three National XC events over the winter.

The Glasgow club, winners in 2016 and 2017, won the accolade back from holders Garscube Harriers after fielding no fewer than 283 finishers.

British number one Johanna Konta says she always believes she can stay "until the very end" at a Grand Slam.

Konta, seeded 26th, is the first British woman to reach the French Open last 16 since 1983.

She will play Croatian 23rd seed Donna Vekic for a place in the quarter-finals on Sunday.

"I have been in two Grand Slam semi-finals, so I know the feeling of wanting to go a step further," the 28-year-old said.

Konta had never won a main-draw match at Roland Garros until this year.

But, after a superb clay-court season where she reached WTA finals in Morocco and Rome, she has continued to build on that form in Paris.

Konta eased past German qualifier Antonia Lottner, then overcame sickness to beat American Lauren Davis before thrashing Slovakia's Viktoria Kumova.

A semi-finalist at the Australian Open in 2016 and Wimbledon in 2017, Konta has now reached the last 16 at all four of the Grand Slams.

Victory over world number 46 Kuzmova means she has won all six of her third-round matches at the majors.

"There is definitely a habitual part of winning," Konta said.

"If you get the chance to win matches back to back you are able to draw a lot of things a little easier than if you haven't had that. I think you trust yourself a bit easier.

"Like I have said over the last number of weeks, I have never doubted my form on clay.

"It's nice to be able to get some reward for the work I have been doing in general, which I think translates to all surfaces."

'You put friendships behind you on court'

Konta will renew her rivalry with 22-year-old Vekic, someone she regards as a friend and who she beat in an enthralling Wimbledon second-round match two years ago.

The Britain won the encounter 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 10-8 in three hours and 10 minutes on Centre Court - although securing victory was not the only memorable moment for Konta.

"I remember the flying ants - I think everybody remembers them that year. I felt like I was part of a David Attenborough documentary," she joked.

And she added: "It was such a great match to be a part of, and I feel very fortunate to have come out the winning end of that. It was special."

Konta and Vekic have equally shared victories from their six previous meetings, although this will be their first match on clay.

"We've had plenty of really great battles and, preceding that one at Wimbledon, we had a really good match in the final at Nottingham where she won.

"I've lost our last two encounters so I'm really looking forward to playing her again.

"We have practised together quite a few times, she's probably one of the girls I know more on tour.

"But you put that behind you when you go on court."

Novak Djokovic is still to drop a set at the French Open after sweeping aside Italian qualifier Salvatore Caruso 6-3 6-3 6-2 to make the fourth round.

The Serb has never lost a Grand Slam match to a player ranked as low as world number 147 Caruso and breezed to victory in two hours and four minutes.

He is three wins away from the final and a possible meeting with 11-time champion Rafael Nadal.

Fifth seed Alexander Zverev withstood Dusan Lajovic's fightback to advance.

The German, who lost to Austria's Dominic Thiem in the last eight at Roland Garros last year, finally prevailed 6-4 6-2 4-6 1-6 6-2.

Serbian world number 35 Lajovic also took Zverev to five sets at Roland Garros last year.

Sixth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas also had to work hard, finally overcoming Filip Krajinovic 7-5 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (8-6) in a match played over two days after bad light stopped play on Friday.

The Greek will play 2015 champion Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round after the Swiss beat Grigor Dimitrov, while Zverev will take on Fabio Fognini following the Italian's 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 4-6 6-1 win over Spanish 18th seed Roberto Bautista Agut.

Djokovic's serene progress into the second week continued as he lost just 19 points on his own serve in his victory over Caruso.

The 32-year-old, who is the Wimbledon, US and Australian Open champion, is bidding to become the first man in the Open era to hold all four Grand Slam titles simultaneously on two separate occasions.

Tsitsipas, who lost to Nadal in the Australian Open semi-finals in January, is another potential final opponent for 15-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic.

The 20-year-old beat Nadal in Madrid last month and won his first clay-court Tour title in Estoril.

His victory over Serbia's Krajinovic makes him the first Greek to reach this stage at Roland Garros since 1936.

Elsewhere, Argentine eighth seed Juan Martin del Potro made short work of Australian Jordan Thompson, racking up a 6-4 6-4 6-0 win in a minute more than two hours.

Last year's US Open runner-up will face Russian Karen Khachanov next after the 10th seed's 6-1 6-4 6-3 win over Martin Klizan.

Fourth seed Dominic Thiem once again needed four sets to beat his opponent. The Austrian, who beat Tommy Paul and Alexander Bublik with similar scorelines in the previous two rounds, overcame Uruguay's Pablo Cuevas 6-3 4-6 6-2 7-5 to book a meeting with home-crowd favourite Gael Monfils. The Frenchman was a 6-3 6-2 6-3 winner over compatriot Antoine Hoang.

Naomi Osaka says her French Open exit was "probably the best thing that could have happened" and that she was suffering headaches from the "stress" of being the top seed.

Her bid for a third Grand Slam in a row ended with a 6-4 6-2 third-round defeat by unseeded Czech Katerina Siniakova.

The US Open and Australian Open champion was playing in her first Grand Slam as world number one.

"I feel like there has been a weight on me," the Japanese 21-year-old said.

"In this tournament I have had a feeling that was different to the other Grand Slam tournaments.

"Usually, I find it very freeing and fun but this time I was kind of tense the entire time.

"I think I was overthinking this calendar Slam."

Osaka made 38 unforced errors as she lost in one hour and 17 minutes to world number 42 Siniakova on a stunned Court Suzanne Lenglen.

"It is incredible, it is something I can't believe, I'm so happy," Siniakova said after reaching the last 16 of a Grand Slam singles for the first time.

The 23-year-old right-hander is ranked as the world's leading women's doubles player and won that competition at the French Open last year alongside fellow Czech Barbora Krejcikova.

"Roland Garros brings out my best and I hope it will continue," she added.

Siniakova will play 14th seed Madison Keys for a place in the quarter-finals after the American came through a testing encounter with 20-year-old Russian Anna Blinkova 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-4.

'It hasn't been the happiest of times'

Osaka became the world's leading player after following up her maiden Grand Slam win at September's US Open with victory at the Australian Open in January.

At Roland Garros she has talked candidly about how she has felt the stress of competing in her first Slam as the top seed.

Osaka dropped the first sets in her opening two matches before fighting back to beat world number 90 Anna Karolina Schmiedlova and two-time Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka.

This time, against Siniakova, it did not happen.

"I had this headache, but I didn't feel tired," she said.

"So I'm thinking, the headache is just my stress."

She also said she felt nervous but did not want to blame that for the way she played.

"I know that's because everything is sort of new. I have played the French Open before but not in this situation," she added.

"So it hasn't been the happiest of times.

"It's weird but I think losing is probably the best thing that could have happened.

"For me, the calendar Slam is something that I have wanted to do forever, but I think I have to think 'if it was that easy, everyone would have done it'.

"I have to keep training hard and put myself in a position again to do it."

'If disappointment goes from 1-10, then I'm 100'

Despite her shock defeat, she will remain the world number one after nearest challengers Karolina Pliskova, Angelique Kerber and Kiki Bertens also made early exits in Paris.

On a sun-baked Court Suzanne Lenglen, Osaka looked subdued with the backing of the French crowd unable to rouse her.

Siniakova broke for a 5-4 lead and sealed the opening set with her second set point, then broke twice more on her way to winning the final five games as Osaka fell apart.

A double fault on break point at 4-2 in the second set summed up her troubles, drawing gasps from the spectators and leaving Siniakova with the chance to serve out for the match.

More errors from Osaka's racquet - a wild backhand whacked well long, a weak forehand into the net then another backhand wide - brought up two match points for her Czech opponent.

And she only needed one as Osaka hit another forehand past the baseline.

Siniakova jumped up into the air with both fists clenched, turning and screaming in delight at her box, before Osaka greeted her at the net while nodding in appreciation of the performance.

"If my level of disappointment goes from one to 10, I'm at a 100 right now," Osaka said.

"I don't want to say I feel depressed, but I do. I think it's a natural part of life, especially if you train super hard for moments like these, and then you don't perform how you want to.

"I feel like saying that 'I'm depressed' is a very strong statement. Because I felt that way before, and it's not as extreme as that.

"So I would just say I'm very disappointed in how I played, and I wish I could have done better."

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller

And so Naomi Osaka's remarkable run has come to an end - this was her first defeat in a Grand Slam since 7 July last year.

She had opportunities against Siniakova, but the Czech player defended superbly and Osaka simply made too many errors.

The world number one has made great progress on clay this year - enough to suggest that with her power and mindset she is very capable of becoming a Roland Garros champion one day.

But here she felt the pressure, some of it self-imposed. Very aware of the ranking number next to her name, and unable to block out thoughts of a calendar Grand Slam, this time the 21-year-old was not able to conjure up another comeback.

Williams stunned in French Open third round

Published in Tennis
Saturday, 01 June 2019 12:21

Three-time champion Serena Williams was stunned in the French Open third round by unseeded American Sofia Kenin.

Williams, 37, was seeded 10th but lost 6-2 7-5 to her 20-year-old compatriot, who was at times booed by the crowd.

The defeat means Williams' quest to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles continues.

"I'm so happy with this win - obviously you can tell with these emotions," a crying Kenin told the crowd on Philippe Chatrier.

"Playing against Serena, you have to fight for every point."

Williams' defeat followed the shock exit by world number one Naomi Osaka a few hours earlier and leaves only three top-10 players in the women's draw.

Earlier in the day, defending champion Simona Halep enjoyed a straightforward 55-minute victory, beating Ukraine's Lesia Tsurenko 6-2 6-1 to reach the last 16.

World number 35 Kenin will play Australian eighth seed Ashleigh Barty in the fourth round, while Halep faces unseeded 18-year-old French Open debutant Iga Swiatek.

Kenin booed en route to victory

Kenin, who received a walkover in the second round after Bianca Andreescu withdrew, was fired up from the outset and has now won 11 of her last 13 matches against compatriots.

But the crowd became irritated with the young American, booing Kenin as she repeatedly checked ball marks to see whether the umpire had made the right call and even rubbed out one mark with her foot.

After Kenin threw her racquet on the clay in celebration, she exchanged a firm handshake with Williams at the net.

Yet some boos were still audible as Kenin lifted both arms in celebration as she went to retrieve her racquet, although it did not stop her offering thanks to the Chatrier crowd for their "great support".

While it was a mixed response for Kenin, Williams left the court to deafening applause.

Williams struggles from the start

Kenin is in the French Open main draw for just the second time, while Williams was making her 17th appearance. But the older American looked frustrated from the very beginning of the match.

Williams saved four break points in her second service game, but stumbled as Kenin played a drop shot and the 23-time Grand Slam champion was broken on the fifth attempt.

The world number 10 had break point in the next game, but failed to convert and was then broken again by her compatriot, who held serve to win the set.

Kenin started strongly in the second set, immediately breaking Williams' serve.

Though Philippe-Chatrier showed their support for the 2002, 2013 and 2015 champion, Williams failed to win four break points, but was successful with the fifth to level things at 3-3.

Momentum then swung Williams' way momentarily, as she served three aces to hold in the next game.

But her opponent got another break at 5-5 and, though Williams had break point in the final game, Kenin kept her composure to seal victory.

Women's draw blown wide open

Williams's exit means only three of the top 10 seeds are left in the draw, highlighting the unpredictable nature of the women's singles game.

That is contrasted with the fact all of the men's top 10 seeds have reached the last 16, only the third time this happened after the 1969 French Open and the 1970 Australian Open.

The top half of the women's draw has been blown wide open by the defeats for Williams and top seed Osaka on Saturday.

Third seed Halep, Australian eighth seed Ashleigh Barty and American 14th seed Madison Keys are the only seeded players left in that half.

Barty enjoyed a 6-3 6-1 win against Germany's Andrea Petkovic to reach the last 16, while 17-year-old Amanda Anisimova remains the youngest player in the draw after beating Irina-Camelia Begu 7-6 (8-6) 6-4.

Britain's Johanna Konta, who plays Donna Vekic on Sunday, is in the other half of the draw, which also contains seventh seed Sloane Stephens and 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza.

Williams loses another chance as she chases Court

Three-time French Open champion Williams has won fewer of her 23 Grand Slam titles at Roland Garros than she has at the Australian Open (seven), Wimbledon (seven) and US Open (six).

So, coupled with the fact she appeared to be hampered by her movement against Kenin, it is perhaps unsurprising she fell early as she continues to chase the 24th Grand Slam singles title that would draw her level with Australian Court's all-time record.

After giving birth to daughter Olympia in September 2017, Williams made her Slam return at last year's Roland Garros and pulled out before her scheduled last-16 match against old foe Maria Sharapova with an injury.

Yet she returned to the grass a few weeks later with a run to the Wimbledon final, German 11th seed Angelique Kerber spoiling her comeback at the All England Club with a 6-2 6-2 win.

Another chance beckoned at the US Open in September, yet she suffered another defeat in the final - this time in more controversial circumstances against Japan's Naomi Osaka as she accused the umpire of being a "thief" in dramatic scenes.

Four months later she returned to the Australian Open, where she missed four match points in a quarter-final defeat by Czech Karolina Pliskova.

Analysis

BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller

Sofia Kenin is having a fine year, and at the age of just 20 and with her illustrious compatriot at the other end of the court, showed great composure to serve out the match.

Williams, it has to be said, was a long way from her best.

Her movement was way below par, the legacy of a knee problem and a reduced schedule which saw her complete just eight matches in the eight months leading into Roland Garros.

Wimbledon starts exactly a month today. Williams says she hopes that will prove enough time to get her back into the form required, but knows she need matches, and hinted she might even consider playing a warm-up event in the lead up to the Championships.

Soccer

Ronaldo helps Pioli to debut win; Toney scores 2

Ronaldo helps Pioli to debut win; Toney scores 2

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsCristiano Ronaldo opened the scoring as Al Nassr defeated Al Ettifa...

Madrid learn schedule for 1st Intercontinental Cup

Madrid learn schedule for 1st Intercontinental Cup

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe first edition of the annual FIFA Intercontinental Cup for club...

Sources: Rose Bowl among venues for FIFA CWC

Sources: Rose Bowl among venues for FIFA CWC

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, is among the venues selected...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Sources: Griffin, 21, mulls NBA future after buyout

Sources: Griffin, 21, mulls NBA future after buyout

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Houston Rockets reached terms on a buyout with forward AJ Griff...

Raptors forward Brown undergoes knee surgery

Raptors forward Brown undergoes knee surgery

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsToronto Raptors forward Bruce Brown underwent arthroscopic surgery...

Baseball

D-backs get Gurriel back in boost to playoff push

D-backs get Gurriel back in boost to playoff push

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMILWAUKEE -- Lourdes Gurriel is back to assist the Arizona Diamondb...

Braves reinstate 2B Albies after 2 months on IL

Braves reinstate 2B Albies after 2 months on IL

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsThe Atlanta Braves returned three-time All-Star second baseman Ozzi...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated