Sports
Madison Keys makes ‘blacked out’ admission after beating Iga Swiatek to reach Australian Open final
Madison Keys has admitted she feels as though she ‘blacked out’ during her Australian Open win over Iga Swiatek on Thursday.
The American is through to the second Grand Slam final of her career after a 5-7, 6-1, 7-6 (10-8) victory at the Rod Laver Arena.
Keys was delighted after her triumph, with the 29-year-old set to face Aryna Sabalenka on Saturday.
And she’s now revealed that she felt like she ‘blacked out’ at one point in the match due to the intense nature of the clash.
Madison Keys has admitted she feels as though she ‘blacked out’ during her Australian Open win over Iga Swiatek on Thursday
REUTERS
“I’m still trying to catch up to everything that is happening, I’m in the finals,” she said.
“That match was such high level and she [Iga Swiatek] played so well and I just felt like I was fighting to stay in it.
“I then ran with the second [set] and the third was just a battle and to be able to be standing here and be in the finals is absolutely amazing and I’m so excited that I get to be here on Saturday.
“I feel like even though I lost the first set I was playing some better tennis at the end of it and that I had a little bit of momentum going into the second set.
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“To be able to run with that second set and really just be able to settle was really nice.
“In the third set it was so up and down and there were so many big points and break point chances that neither one of us got.
“I feel I blacked out at one point and I was just there running around so just to be able to stay in it and stay fighting, and then a ten-point tie-breaker for an extra dramatic finish.”
Keys will have to be at her brilliant best in order to topple Sabalenka.
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The world No 1 beat Paula Badosa, her close friend, to reach the final of the competition.
And Keys has admitted she’s looking forward to facing Sabalenka, despite her rival’s obvious quality.
“I think at the end we were both battling some nerves and really just pushing each other and it came who can get this final point and who can kind of just be a little bit better than the other one, and I’m happy it was me,” she continued.
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Madison Keys was too strong for Iga Swiatek in their Australian Open clash on Thursday
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“There will definitely be some big hitting [against Sabalenka] and definitely not a lot of long points.
“But she’s obviously going for her third Australia Open and I’m excited to get to play her.
“I’m really excited for the challenge and I don’t know, Saturday is very far ahead in my brain right now.”
Madison Keys will meet Aryna Sabalenka in the final of the Australian Open on Sunday
REUTERS
Should Sabalenka go all the way this winter, she’ll emulate Martina Hingis by winning three Australian Open titles in a row.
Keys and her final opponent have met five times over the years, with Sabalenka winning four of those clashes.
The 29-year-old’s sole Grand Slam final appearance came back in 2017 when she lost to Sloane Stephens.
Ryan Reynolds has revealed how he sent teasing WhatsApp messages to Tom Brady and David Beckham during Birmingham City’s victory over Wrexham last September.
The Wrexham co-owner shared details of the playful exchange ahead of tonight’s League One clash between the two sides at the Racecourse Ground.
While Brady and Beckham were present at St Andrew’s for Birmingham’s 3-1 win, Reynolds watched from afar, engaging in what he now admits was overzealous banter with the sporting legends.
Speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast, Reynolds confessed to sending messages mocking both sports stars’ physical attributes.
Tom Brady and David Beckham were in attendance to watch Birmingham and Wrexham in September
GETTY
“I was s— texting both of them, mostly failing bone structure and age-related sort of material,” Reynolds said.
The Hollywood star expressed regret about his messages, adding: “It wasn’t my finest moment and I hate that they’re both kind people in real life.”
Tonight’s match sees Reynolds’ Wrexham host Brady’s Birmingham City at the Racecourse Ground.
Reynolds, who initially expressed uncertainty about his attendance, has suggested he might be present for the League One fixture.
“It is definitely on the cards,” the Wrexham co-owner said regarding his potential appearance at tonight’s match.
Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have had great success with WrexhamPA
The previous encounter between the sides in September ended in a 3-1 victory for Birmingham City, with both Brady and Beckham watching from the stands.
Beckham has previously shown support for Reynolds’ involvement in football, having attended Wrexham’s FA Trophy final against Bromley at Wembley in May 2022 as Reynolds’ guest.
The former England captain has praised Reynolds and co-owner Rob McElhenney’s impact on the Welsh club.
Drawing from his experience with Inter Miami, Beckham said: “It takes people like Ryan and Rob to give it that bit of air.”
Reynolds revealed his fellow co-owner McElhenney might be even more competitive when it comes to facing Brady.
“Would I love to beat Tom Brady at sports? The answer is an emphatic yes. Would Rob? Maybe more so,” Reynolds said.
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Tom Brady holds a minority stake in Birmingham
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The Wrexham owner added: “Rob has a skosh more rabies about it all and about everything, but God bless it. It’s great.
“We’re very clear that we’re Canadian and American and we balance each other beautifully.”
Aston Villa are eighth in the Premier League and ninth in the Champions League, so their season is hardly a disaster – they just look a little bit flat at times.
Their striker situation is something that Villa boss Unai Emery has got to sort out because he put Jhon Duran on to play with Ollie Watkins in the second half against Monaco, and they are not playing well together
I don’t know if that is an ego thing, where both strikers want to be the main man, but they both need to have a think about what benefits the team.
As a former striker myself, I know how other strikers want to be fed, and how to have an understanding to create situations, but that does not seem to be happening – Watkins and Duran are not connecting or clicking, which is a worry.
For a partnership to work, you have got to understand your role in the team and how sometimes one of you has got to sacrifice yourself.
Believe it or not, I was pretty good at realising that, where I was in the pecking order, and how to adapt my game. There are people out there who would say I was unselfish and a team player, and I wouldn’t argue with that.
I know there is a different view because I listen to my old strike-partner Alan Shearer speaking to Erling Haaland about how you have to be single-minded in front of goal.
You do, you have to be selfish when it comes to taking chances. But football is a team game and sometimes you have to be prepared to adapt and roll your sleeves up – Shearer always did it – and try to play roles that you don’t necessarily want to play, for the good of the team.
When Aston Villa’s squad is stretched and a little bit fatigued, Watkins and Duran should be capable enough, and have enough understanding of how to feed each other, because strikers know how to do it.
Not doing it is a bit of a blot on the copybooks of both players. They are both very talented players, but they need to work this out for the good of the team. Maybe Emery needs to whack some Brazilian music on in training to sort them out?
Seriously, though, this is a crucial time in Villa’s season and I think they will get past West Ham.
Graham Potter’s side were jammy when they beat Fulham last week, but I don’t see them being lucky enough to beat Villa.
Sutton’s prediction: 2-1
Jamie’s prediction: Villa obviously have the potential to do damage but I just feel like Potter has got something to prove in his first month. 1-2
Prince William met with former Liverpool legend, Sir Kenny Dalglish, and former Everton stars Ian Snodin and Graham Stuart, as he showed off his football skills in a friendly match.
William, a livelong Aston Villa fan, admitted Liverpool FC were playing “amazing well”.
He added: “The way [Liverpool] are playing at the moment they’re going to steamroll everyone this season.”
Prince William told the football legends to “ignore” his football skills as he participated in a friendly match.
Prince William showed off his football skills in a friendly match
PA
The interaction occurred during William’s visit to the Tiber centre to meet members of the Tiber Young People’s Steering Group where he described the group as “fantastic”.
The project, comprised of 14-18-year-olds, aims to ensure that local community members are provided with opportunities that bring positive change in their lives and within their local environment.
The group led the design of a new complex, which is now nearing completion, by raising funds through the Youth Investment Fund.
The community centre will have a function suite, outdoor event space, education rooms, a café, and changing rooms for the on-site football pitch.
Prince William met with former Liverpool legend, Sir Kenny Dalglish, and former Everton stars Ian Snodin and Graham Stuart
PA
Prince William was given a tour of the facility upon arrival and met with several young people working for the group, which has helped more than 200 people since its creation in 2005.
Before his engagements today, William was last sighted in Monaco attending an away fixture for his beloved Aston Villa.
The game marked Villa’s penultimate league phase game in the UEFA Champions League, in which the Birmingham-based side lost 1-0.
It is the only time Prince William has publicly left the UK in 2025.
Prince William visited the Tiber centre to meet members of the Tiber Young People’s Steering Group
PA
The royal decided to support Aston Villa as a schoolboy, a club that, at the time, were fighting for a place in the European Cup.
He looked frustrated as his boyhood side lost to AS Monaco 1-0.
The prince also attended Villa’s historic return to the European competition at the start of the season, where they beat Bayern Munich on UK turf, 1-0.
William is also regularly seen taking in England games at Wembley and watching his team from the VIP box at Villa Park.
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Sports
Ronnie O’Sullivan pulls out of another event as snooker hiatus continues after German Masters withdrawal
Ronnie O’Sullivan has withdrawn from a second snooker event in consecutive days, with his team announcing he will not participate in this weekend’s exhibition match in Helsinki.
The seven-time world champion’s latest withdrawal comes just one day after pulling out of next week’s German Masters tournament.
Both cancellations have been attributed to medical reasons, though specific details about O’Sullivan’s condition have not been disclosed.
The exhibition match was set to feature O’Sullivan against fellow snooker legend John Higgins in the Finnish capital.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has had a tough start to the yearPA
The exhibition match had been scheduled for Saturday in Helsinki, where O’Sullivan was due to face four-time world champion Higgins.
The high-profile encounter will now need to be rescheduled for a later date.
O’Sullivan’s team moved quickly to inform fans of the cancellation, releasing a statement expressing their regret over the situation.
In a statement, O’Sullivan’s team said: “We are really sorry to have to cancel the event in Helsinki this weekend. We will work with the promoters to find a date to reschedule a show when Ronnie is feeling better.”
The team thanked fans for their understanding regarding the late cancellation.
Ronnie O’Sullivan will be taking a break from snookerPA
The statement suggests O’Sullivan’s team are committed to ensuring Finnish fans will get to see the match at a future date once the player has recovered.
No specific timeline has been provided for when, or if, the exhibition match might be rearranged.
O’Sullivan claimed a hectic schedule prior to the Triple Crown event last week led to his decision not to play at the Alexandra Palace. “I’ve obviously been on this three-week trip, away playing, and I think I just exhausted myself,” he said.
“There was a lot of pressure while I was away and the build-up of all that kind of got too much.
“I lost the plot on Thursday and snapped my cue so that’s unplayable, so I just knew at that moment in time, the right decision was not to play.
“It’s such a big tournament I felt whoever was going to come in should at least have a couple of days’ notice.”
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Ronnie O’Sullivan revealed he has been struggling in recent weeksBBC
It’s unclear where O’Sullivan will play next as he failed to make it through to the next stage of the Champions League.
He’s been included in the field for the Welsh Open, which gets underway on February 10.
Rodrygo scores his second goal of the night to put Real Madrid 2-0 up against Red Bull Salzburg thanks a “brilliant” assist from Jude Bellingham.
Sports
Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou gets another lifeline with Hoffenheim win as Europa League fate decided
Ange Postecoglou’s impressive record in cup competitions for Tottenham this season continued on Thursday night with a difficult 3-1 win away to Hoffenheim.
Spurs had lost just one of their 10 cup matches in all competitions prior to the match against Hoffenheim.
But they headed into the match low in confidence following another disappointing Premier League defeat.
Pressure has been mounting on Postecoglou to turn things around at the north London club with Tottenham currently 15th in the table.
Ange Postecoglou has a strong cup record
REUTERS
However, the Europa League has been an opportunity for Spurs to build up some confidence and a trip to Germany offered them a chance of sealing their Europa League fate.
A defeat to Hoffenheim would have made things difficult for Tottenham heading into the final game of the league phase.
But their big stars stepped up when it mattered for Tottenham with James Maddison and Son Heung-min getting on the scoresheet to give them a 2-0 advantage going into the break.
Tottenham’s lack of confidence was evident in the second half though as they invited pressure onto the makeshift backline with Brendon Austin making his European debut in goal.
Momentum was building for the home side and it was only a matter of time until they halved the deficit through Anton Stach.
Son then bagged his second of the game to restore Tottenham’s two-goal lead with 13 minutes remaining.
But there were still nerves on show in the latter stages with Hoffenheim scoring a second in the 88th minute.
Tottenham managed to hold on for a valuable win, moving them up to fourth in the table with just one game remaining.
Their tally of 14 points is also enough to ensure they make it through to the next round, although there’s still some work to be done to finish inside the top eight.
Son Heung-min scored twice
REUTERS
Tottenham face a favourable fixture at home to IF Elfsborg next week where a win will make sure they finish inside the top eight.
Spurs are still seen as the favourites to go all the way and win the Europa League – ending their long wait for silverware.
And despite their woeful Premier League form, the cup competitions have offered Postecoglou a lifeline for his job.
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Tottenham are up to fourth in the table
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Thankfully for the Spurs boss, three of his next five fixtures are in cup competitions which could ultimately play a huge role in his future.
They hold a 1-0 advantage over Liverpool heading into the Carabao Cup semi-final second leg next month.
And Spurs face a tricky FA Cup fourth round tie away to Aston Villa just a few days after.
For now, attention will turn to this weekend’s fixture against Leicester where Tottenham willl be desperate to pick up all three points.
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Sports
Andy Murray shows true colours with gesture behind the scenes as Novak Djokovic coach at Australian Open
Andy Murray has not been shy in putting his ego to one side and fully stepping into his coaching role with Novak Djokovic at the Australian Open.
The announcement of Murray teaming up with Djokovic in his first coaching role since retiring from the sport caught many by surprise.
While the two tennis stars were close growing up, they had spent the following two decades competing against each other at the highest level.
Now Murray was set to step into Djokovic’s corner and help the Serb clinch a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title Down Under.
Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have been a force to be reckoned with this year
Reuters
There’s been some lighthearted moments caught on camera with Djokovic and Murray hitting with one another on the practice courts.
But it’s also been clear to see that the pair have kept things strictly professional when it matters most.
It was only a few months ago when Murray brought his own tennis career to an end and he’s not let his own status get in the way of some of the more mundane coaching tasks.
Former world No 4 Sam Stosur noted how ‘serious’ Murray was taking the role when she saw him at the tournament earlier on.
“When I saw Andy walking through the corridors with all Novak’s racquets, taking them to the stringer, you could see he is taking this job very seriously,” she said.
It’s unclear if Murray will continue as Djokovic’s coach beyond the Australian Open, but the former world No 1 has certainly left his mark.
Djokovic has been full of praise for Murray’s influence throughout the Australian Open.
The Serbian superstar embraced his temporary coach in a warm exchange immediately after his win over Alcaraz.
Andy Murray retired from tennis in the summerPA
Djokovic explained afterwards that the gesture was a way to thank his former rival for being in his corner.
“I felt to do it in the end of the match,” Djokovic said.
“I feel more and more connected with Andy every day. We face challenges every single day. People don’t see that obviously.
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Novak Djokovic is through to the semi-finals of the Australian Open
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“I mean, we try to make the most out of every day and grow together. He’s been as committed to my career and this tournament as he can be.
“So it was kind of a gesture of appreciation, respect for him, and the fact that he’s out there, and he doesn’t need to be. He accepted to work with me. He’s giving all his support to me, to the whole team, and trying to make it work.
“This was a huge win for all of us, including Andy and myself, you know, for the relationship.
“Yeah, that’s why I went to him, because I just felt very grateful that he’s there.”
Those who know him say he is not a captain in the Vincent Kompany mould, someone who would roll up their sleeves and head to the trenches.
Walker, 34, is a people person, a joker, a wind-up merchant. Not too intense, a 1990s-style player still cutting it in the 2020s. He looks out for his team-mates and makes the dressing room atmosphere a positive one. When youngsters perform their media duties, he wants to know how they have done.
In delivering his pre-final message in Turkey, Walker was effectively saying ‘winning this competition has been my dream, I have looked after you guys, now you owe me a favour in return’.
It is the reality for most right-backs that their abilities tend to get overlooked.
Gary Neville was an outstanding player in his own right. But what carried him to eight league titles and 85 England caps was the unselfish way he overlapped first David Beckham, then Cristiano Ronaldo, over and over, without getting the ball.
Walker is not Trent Alexander-Arnold. He cannot spray pinpoint passes around the pitch. Ultimately, he is not the player Guardiola felt could be the inverted full-back the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich coach wanted.
What Walker had was blinding pace and an insatiable competitive streak.
These attributes were presumably overlooked when a Tottenham official, reflecting on the player’s £50m move north in 2017, said his club felt they had struck a good deal because Walker was not an ‘absolute top player’ and they still had Kieran Trippier.
Six league titles and 93 England caps suggests Tottenham got their assessment wrong.
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