Despite being unable to beat a top-40 player for the first time, Fearnley looks likely to consolidate his place in the top 100 after a fine week in the Swedish capital.
Stepping up to the top-level ATP Tour, Fearnley won two qualifying matches before beating tricky Frenchman Corentin Moutet in the first round of the main draw to reach the last 16.
The three victories in Stockholm came on the back of two successive titles on the Challenger Tour, which is the tier of events below the main tour.
Fearnley hopes to earn a spot in the qualifying draw for the upcoming ATP indoor event in Swiss city Basel next week.
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His aim over the coming weeks is securing his place in the top 100 and earning direct entry into January’s Australian Open as a result.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, Britain’s Harriet Dart lost 6-3 6-2 against Denmark’s Clara Tauson in a WTA 250 event in Osaka, Japan.
Dart, 28, reached a career-high of 70th last month and is looking to finish an encouraging season strongly.
Diego Lopes may or may not find himself in a UFC championship fight later this month.
The fan-favorite Brazilian will serve as the official backup for the UFC featherweight title fight between champion Ilia Topuria and former champ Max Holloway on Oct. 26 at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi. This means Lopes (26-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC) has been training and will weigh in for the bout, just in case either headliner is forced to withdraw from the bout.
So who would Lopes rather face in an ideal scenario: Topuria or Holloway?
“I definitely would rather fight with Ilia for the undisputed title. That would be amazing,” Lopes told MMA Junkie in Spanish. “We’ve also really analyzed everything. We’ve sat down to analyze both fighters. People might take this the wrong way and say, ‘No, I don’t believe him,’ but I think for me, a fight against Topuria would be a better matchup for my style.
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“It’s a fight that suits me. Against Max, it’s a fight where we have to mount a more complex strategy with no errors. With Topuria, as well, I’m not saying no, but I think against him things would be more favorable because I like to exchange and clash, and I hit hard. I’m capable of knocking out people. And since Ilia throws with everything and I throw with everything, we can say it’s a shootout and let’s see who falls first. So the fight against Ilia definitely suits more my style.”
Lopes previously told MMA Junkie that his dream fight would be against Holloway (26-7 MMA, 22-7 UFC). However, under this scenario, if he were to fight Holloway it would likely be for an interim title, given that Topuria (15-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) is the champion. This makes a potential fight with Topuria a better choice.
Lopes’ services won’t be needed if both fighters make weight and stay on course. If the fight does go down, Lopes sides with the former champion.
“I’m still giving an edge to Holloway due to all the experience he has in that octagon and all the fighters he’s faced,” Lopes said. “He’s also never been knocked out, but we know anything can happen, and Ilia has power in his hands. However, I’m still giving the advantage to Max.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 308.
Check out the Hablemos MMA YouTube channel for Spanish-language videos and interviews with MMA Junkie’s Danny Segura.
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella, 27, but the Italy midfielder is also on the radar of Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
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Arsenal are following the progress of Red Bull Salzburg and Slovenia forward Benjamin Sesko, 21, as they begin to plan for next summer’s transfer window. (Football London), external
Crystal Palace are not willing to entertain any offers for 26-year-old Senegal forward Ismaila Sarr in January. (Football Insider), external
Manchester United have added Turkey boss and former Italy striker Vincenzo Montella, 50, to their shortlist of potential candidates to replace Dutch boss Erik ten Hag, 54, at Old Trafford. (Ajansspor – in Turkish), external
Ten Hag will have to oversee an immediate improvement in results and performances at Manchester United if he is to keep his job beyond the next international break. (Mirror), external
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Manchester United are lining up midfield replacements for Denmark international Christian Eriksen, 32, as well as Brazil international Casemiro, 32. (Football Insider), external
United are also clear favourites to sign Netherlands midfielder Frenkie de Jong, 27, if he leaves Barcelona next summer. (Fichajes – in Spanish), external
Real Madrid are considering a January move for 18-year-old England youth international Josh Acheampong, with Liverpool, Newcastle and Tottenham also interested in the Chelsea right-back. (Independent), external
THOMAS TUCHEL vowed he will toughen up England to win the World Cup.
The nation’s first German coach swept into Wembley yesterday claiming English physicality is crucial to ending the painful 60-year wait to be world champions again.
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Thomas Tuchel believes he can lead England to World Cup gloryCredit: Getty
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Gareth Southgate was a nearly-ran in his eight years in charge of the Three LionsCredit: EPA
Former Chelsea boss Tuchel made his Blues side horrible to play against as they won the Champions League, Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup within 18 months.
Tuchel, 51, said: “We should play an attacking style of football and try to emphasise a physical side of the game — because this is what English football is all about.
“This is what excites our supporters and what suits the players, who are from the best league in the world.
“We have a group of young, hungry players and are desperate to win a title, so we have all the ingredients.
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“We should try to implement this into our style of play.
“It’s important to have clear messages and not overcomplicate. And to find a clear structure where we can demand certain things from the players and where we can also show their full potential.
“This is then my job to find this structure and then demand it from the players.”
Tuchel, out of work since leaving Bayern Munich in the summer, has signed a £7.5million, 18-month contract.
He said: “We can spell it out very clearly why we are here and what we want to achieve. We are not shy of it.
“It’s not a gamble so let’s judge it when we have done it. If we decide it was a failure, we will not continue.
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“If we decide it was not a failure then we will continue. Let’s see.
“I am already excited. It suits my passion to push this group of players and to be part of this federation, which has such a strong record in recent tournaments and to push it over the line and put a second star on the shirt.”
Tuchel’s energetic style took Chelsea to the summit of club football, with players like defensive hardman Antonio Rudiger at the heart of his team.
He now wants to embrace the physicality of the Premier League and turn it on our rivals.
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ANDY DILLON: Thomas Tuchel has all the ingredients to become a classic England manager – tactical nous, drive and a tangled love life
By Andy Dillon
THOMAS TUCHEL possesses all the ingredients to become a classic England manager.
Tactical nous, drive, energy, experience – a tangled love life.
English football should welcome back the most explosive, dynamic, charismatic and impossibly tall and gangly coach to have lit up the Premier League.
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Chelsea’s colourful former boss has been leading a settled life in Munich of late.
Far enough away from ex-wife Sissi but close enough to see his two daughters.
Walking his dog in the streets in the east of Germany’s most fashionable city, residing in the posh Bogenhausen area. Living relatively quietly with his Brazilian girlfriend.
Tuchel is a vastly different personality to the man who led England quietly but assuredly to the brink of World Cups and European Championships.
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An excitable nature can make him hard to handle for those seeking calm and who like to impose their way on a manager they view very much as an underling.
Under Gareth Southgate, England reached the semi-finals at least in three of the last four major tournaments but are still waiting to add to the 1966 World Cup triumph.
And Tuchel, going into his first job as an international coach, added: “We cannot only focus on the results, we cannot hide behind a certain style of play which does not give us results. It has to go hand in hand.
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“They have to be balanced and our style of play has to bring results.”
Tuchel spent last season at Bayern Munich alongside Harry Kane.
The pair enjoy a close relationship. But Tuchel did not talk to England’s 68-goal record scorer before taking the plunge with the Three Lions.
He said: “I did not speak to Harry. I didn’t speak to Gareth.
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“Normally, I never do this. I get my own feeling, I get my own point of view and let it sink in and reflect on it.
“You know how highly I think of Harry and how much I fought to bring him to Bayern Munich.
“He is already on his way to being a legend in English football.”
On Wednesday the world’s leading MMA promotion announced that UFC 312 is set to take place on Feb. 9 at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.
Australia has become a staple of the UFC’s annual rotation in the past few years with the promotion recently holding UFC 305 at the RAC Arena in Perth.
This is the UFC’s first trip to Sydney since UFC 293 in September of 2023. That evening played host to one of the greatest upsets in UFC history when Sean Strickland put on a masterclass performance to take the UFC middleweight title from Israel Adesanya.
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Overall this is the promotion’s seventh trip to Qudos Bank Arena and comes just one week after the UFC heads back to Riyadh for its second ever trip to Saudi Arabia.
At this time no fights have been announced for UFC 312, though there is already speculation that the event could be headlined by a featherweight title fight between former featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski and the winner of the upcoming main event between Ilia Topuria and Max Holloway at UFC 308.
Dutchman Wesley Plaisier beat Josh Rock 8-7 in a thrilling final at Players Championship 28 in Wigan to win his first PDC title.
Rock led 4-3 after a 111 checkout before Plaisier put the finishing line in sight by winning four of the following six legs to lead 7-6.
A 112 checkout from Rock forced a decider but the Englishman wasted six match darts as Plaisier wrapped up the win with double tops.
The 34-year-old is just the fourth player to win a PDC ranking title without holding a PDC Tour card.
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“It’s unbelievable,” Plaisier said.
“Every game is tough, but the final was a really hard game. I was hoping and praying I would get another chance.
“I’ve been playing well all year and this is the crown to top it off.”
Plaisier finished runner-up at two Players Championship events in July, losing to Ross Smith and Jonny Clayton in the respective finals.
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He won seven matches in total, beating Matt Campbell, Ritchie Edhouse, Florian Hempel, Krzysztof Ratajski, Jose de Sousa and Danny Noppert, before wrapping up his remarkable run with victory against Rock.
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