Djokovic ‘overwhelmed’ after ‘greatest rival’ Nadal’s retirement

Djokovic ‘overwhelmed’ after ‘greatest rival’ Nadal’s retirement
Rafael Nadal of Spain (L) and Novak Djokovic of Serbia pose with their trophies after their final match of the ATP Tennis Open match in Rome on May 3, 2009. (AFP)
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Updated 11 October 2024
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Djokovic ‘overwhelmed’ after ‘greatest rival’ Nadal’s retirement

Djokovic ‘overwhelmed’ after ‘greatest rival’ Nadal’s retirement
  • He clashed 60 times with Djokovic, who edged their rivalry 31-29
  • “He remains the greatest rival that I ever had,” said Djokovic

SHANGHAI: Novak Djokovic said Friday he was “overwhelmed” by the news of Rafael Nadal’s retirement and called the Spaniard “the greatest rival that I ever had,” but said he has no plans to stop.
Nadal announced Thursday that he will step back from tennis after the Davis Cup finals in November, ending his 22 Grand Slam-winning career.
He clashed 60 times with Djokovic, who edged their rivalry 31-29.
“He remains the greatest rival that I ever had. He has impacted me a lot as a player, my development, he has inspired a lot of people around the world,” said Djokovic, speaking after he beat 19-year-old Jakub Mensik in three sets to progress to the Shanghai Masters semifinals.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion said that the news had come as a shock despite the Spaniard’s struggles with injury.
The 37-year-old Serb is now the last man standing from tennis’s golden era, with Roger Federer retiring in 2022, and Andy Murray calling it quits this year too.
“I’m playing, you know, still keep going... but part of me left with them, that’s for sure,” mused Djokovic.
“The era of the four musketeers, so to say, the four of us and all the rivalries we had was incredible,” he said.
“I’m a bit overwhelmed, to be honest, but, you know, I still have the desire to play.
“Fighting against a 19-year-old for two and a half hours on the court is something that still drives me... and I try to get the best out of myself.”


Jokic’s 56 points not enough as Nuggets fall to Wizards

Jokic’s 56 points not enough as Nuggets fall to Wizards
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Jokic’s 56 points not enough as Nuggets fall to Wizards

Jokic’s 56 points not enough as Nuggets fall to Wizards
  • The Serbian big man added 16 rebounds and eight assists but it was all to no avail as Washington, buoyed by 39 points from Jordan Poole, won for the first time since Oct. 30
  • Ja Morant scored 32 points with nine rebounds and nine assists to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 127-121 victory over the reigning champion Celtics

LOS ANGELES: The Washington Wizards withstood a 56-point explosion from Denver star Nikola Jokic to beat the Nuggets 122-113 on Saturday and snap their 16-game NBA losing streak.

Jokic, who won his third NBA Most Valuable Player award last season, posted a career scoring high — surpassing a 53-point performance in Game 4 of the 2023 Western Conference semifinals against Phoenix and a 50-point regular-season best against Sacramento in 2021.

The Serbian big man added 16 rebounds and eight assists but it was all to no avail as Washington, buoyed by 39 points from Jordan Poole, won for the first time since Oct. 30.

Poole made a career-high nine of Washington’s 16 three-pointers while the Nuggets connected on just five of their 24 attempts from beyond the arc.

Justin Champagnie scored 23 points and Jonas Valanciunas added 20 points and 12 rebounds for the Wizards, who were without a string of key players including Kyle Kuzma, Malcolm Brogdon and Saddiq Bey.

Washington seized control early against a Nuggets team without five regulars, including Aaron Gordon, Jamal Murray and Dario Saric who were all ruled out hours before the game.

They outscored the Nuggets 36-29 in the first quarter and led 69-57 at halftime.

Jokic went for broke in the third in a bid to turn things around, connecting on nine of an astonishing 20 shot attempts and scoring 23 points as the Nuggets whittled the deficit to six points going into the final period.

The Wizards pushed their lead back to 13 early in the fourth with Jokic getting some rest on the bench, and Denver couldn’t get the deficit below five points the rest of the way.

“Hearing some MVP chants was kind of cool when the MVP (Jokic) was on the floor,” Poole said of the cheers of Washington fans when he went to the free-throw line in the closing seconds.

Meanwhile, Evan Mobley scored a career-high 41 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the league-leading Cleveland Cavaliers in a dominant 116-102 victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

Mobley set the tone with 23 points in the first quarter, when he made five of his six three-pointers and the Cavs pushed their lead to as many as 22 before taking a 63-52 advantage into halftime.

“He didn’t hit the rim on the threes,” teammate Caris LeVert said of Mobley’s effort. “They were all swishes, like the first four or five... it was definitely a sight to see.”

Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland added 18 points apiece for the Cavs and Jarrett Allen added 11 points and 10 assists as Cleveland improved to 21-3.

In Boston, Ja Morant scored 32 points with nine rebounds and nine assists to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 127-121 victory over the reigning champion Celtics.

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 27 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Grizzlies, who fended off the Celtics’ fourth-quarter comeback bid.

Boston took the lead for the first time early in the final period, going up 97-94 on Payton Pritchard’s three-pointer.

Memphis regained the lead for good with 8:25 remaining, pulling away after Boston cut the deficit to one on a Jayson Tatum basket with 4:34 to play.

Jrue Holiday scored 23 points to lead six Celtics players to score in double figures. Pritchard and Jaylen Brown scored 22 apiece while Tatum was just shy of a triple-double with 17 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.

There were several triple-doubles elsewhere, however.

Dallas guard Luka Doncic posted his second triple-double in as many games with 30 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists in the Mavericks’ 125-118 victory over the Raptors in Toronto.

Kyrie Irving added 29 points and Klay Thompson scored 20 as six Mavs players reached double figures to secure a seventh straight victory.

Detroit’s Cade Cunningham scored 29 points with 10 rebounds and a career-high 15 assists as the Pistons beat the New York Knicks 120-111.

Cunningham recorded his fifth triple-double of the season, third-most in the NBA this season behind Jokic’s nine and the seven of LeBron James.

Jalen Brunson scored 31 points and handed out 10 assists to pace the Knicks, who saw a four-game winning streak end.


LA Galaxy strike early, hold off New York Red Bulls 2-1 to win their record 6th MLS Cup championship

LA Galaxy strike early, hold off New York Red Bulls 2-1 to win their record 6th MLS Cup championship
Updated 08 December 2024
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LA Galaxy strike early, hold off New York Red Bulls 2-1 to win their record 6th MLS Cup championship

LA Galaxy strike early, hold off New York Red Bulls 2-1 to win their record 6th MLS Cup championship
  • Greg Vanney: I’m just so proud of this group after the challenges that we (had) and the way they bounced back and competed as a group
  • Galaxy nursed their lead through a scoreless second half to raise their league’s biggest trophy for the first time since 2014

CARSON, California: Joseph Paintsil and Dejan Joveljic scored in the first half, and the LA Galaxy won their record sixth MLS Cup championship with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.

After striking twice in the first 13 minutes of the final with goals from their star forward, the Galaxy nursed their lead through a scoreless second half to raise their league’s biggest trophy for the first time since 2014.

MLS’ most successful franchise struggled through most of the ensuing decade, even finishing 26th in the 29-team league last year. But the Galaxy turned everything around this season with a high-scoring new lineup that finished second in the Western Conference and then streaked through the playoffs with a playoff-record 18 goals in five games to win another crown.

“I’m just so proud of this group after the challenges that we (had) and the way they bounced back and competed as a group,” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “We spent a lot of energy at the start, but I’m just so proud of these guys. They’ve cemented themselves as legends in this club.”

Sean Nealis scored for the seventh-seeded Red Bulls, whose improbable postseason charge ended one win shy of their first Cup championship. With the league’s youngest roster, New York fell just short of becoming the lowest-seeded team to win MLS’ playoff tournament under first-year German coach Sandro Schwarz.

“I love these guys,” Schwarz said. “Some guys, they are crying. In the big picture, that’s a start. Sometimes when you lose the final, it’s tough, but you use this experience to create the next energy, the next intensity.”

The Galaxy won this title without perhaps their most important player. Riqui Puig, the playmaking midfielder from Barcelona who ran their offense impressively all season long, tore a ligament in his knee last week in the Western Conference final.

Puig watched this game in a suit, but his teammates hadn’t forgotten him: After his replacement, Gaston Brugman, set up LA’s opening goal with a superb pass in the ninth minute, Paintsil held up Puig’s jersey to their roaring fans during the celebration.

“I was really waiting for this moment,” said Paintsil, who scored his 14th goal of an impressive season. “I’m much more, 10 times faster than them, and Gaston saw the space. ... It was really a good thing. We did it for Riqui, and we did it for our family that came, and our supporters.”

Just four minutes later, Joveljic sprinted past four New York defenders and chipped home the 21st goal of his outstanding year as the Galaxy’s striker.

Brugman was named the MLS Cup MVP after a commanding performance in midfield. The Uruguayan hadn’t started a match for the Galaxy since Oct. 5, playing only as a postseason substitute before the final.

Galaxy goalkeeper John McCarthy made four saves to win his second MLS title in three seasons. He was the MVP of the 2022 MLS Cup Final for the Galaxy’s crosstown rival, Los Angeles FC.

Nealis beat McCarthy in the 28th minute when he volleyed from LA’s penalty area.

The second half was lively, but scoreless. Red Bulls captain Emil Forsberg hit the outside of the post in the 72nd minute, while LA’s Gabriel Pec and Galaxy substitute Marco Reus nearly converted chances a few moments later.

The ball got loose in the Galaxy’s penalty area in the third minute of extra time, but two Red Bulls couldn’t finish.

After Galaxy owner Phil Anschutz received the MLS Cup that bears his name because of his steady financial support of the league during its shaky years, Galaxy captain Maya Yoshida carried the trophy onto a stage filled with his teammates for a celebration amid fireworks and confetti.

The Galaxy extended their lead over DC United (4) for the most MLS Cup championships in league history. The Red Bulls remain one of three original MLS franchises never to win the title, along with FC Dallas and the New England Revolution.

Vanney became the fourth coach to win an MLS title with two clubs. He lost three MLS Cup Finals as a Galaxy player, but won it as Toronto’s coach in 2017.

The Galaxy finished 17-0-3 this season at their frequently renamed suburban stadium, where the sellout crowd of 26,812 for the final included several robust cheering sections of Red Bulls supporters hoping to see their New Jersey-based club’s breakthrough.

Just last season, the Galaxy’s own supporters boycotted the team at certain home matches, fed up with years of mismanagement and no progress. But the club famous for employing global stars from David Beckham and Zlatan Ibrahimovic to Robbie Keane and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández swiftly rebuilt itself into a contender this season by spending big to get lesser-known young talents.

The Galaxy signed Pec from Brazil and Paintsil, a Ghanaian playing in Belgium. The duo combined with incumbent Serbian striker Joveljic to form a potent attack that could outscore almost any MLS opponent.

But the Galaxy also relied heavily on Puig, their Catalan catalyst and one of MLS’ best players. Puig stayed in last week’s game after injuring his knee, and he even delivered the decisive pass to Joveljic for the game’s only goal.


Thomas seizes one-shot lead over Sheffler at Hero World Challenge

Thomas seizes one-shot lead over Sheffler at Hero World Challenge
Updated 08 December 2024
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Thomas seizes one-shot lead over Sheffler at Hero World Challenge

Thomas seizes one-shot lead over Sheffler at Hero World Challenge
  • A victory on Sunday wouldn’t count as a 16th US PGA Tour title, but it would be a welcome payoff for Thomas’s recent work

MIAMI: Justin Thomas fired six birdies in a six-under par 66 on Saturday to grab a one-shot lead over world number one Scottie Scheffler heading into the final round of the Tiger Woods-hosted Hero World Challenge golf tournament.
Thomas, who started the day two strokes behind halfway leader Scheffler, started applying pressure with four birdies on the front nine at Albany Golf Club in the Bahamas.
A 47-foot birdie putt at the 14th put him atop the leaderboard at 16-under and he made a three-foot birdie at the 16th to reach 17-under 199 through 54 holes in the unofficial event.
“I’m driving it great,” Thomas said. “I’ve had a lot of confidence with it. I feel like I’ve been able to put myself in some pretty good spots going into the green.
“I’m still not taking advantage of some of them as much as I would like, but that’s golf and we’re always going to say that,” added Thomas, who hasn’t won on the US PGA Tour since he claimed his second PGA Championship title in 2022.
A victory on Sunday wouldn’t count as a 16th US PGA Tour title, but it would be a welcome payoff for Thomas’s recent work.
“I’ve been progressing nicely, been working on all the right things,” he said. “(I) feel like I’ve been seeing signs of improvement, which is what you want and that’s all I can do.”
Scheffler, whose eight titles this year included a second Masters green jacket and Olympic gold, had four birdies and a bogey in his three-under par 69.
His 16-under par total of 200 put him one clear of South Korean Tom Kim, who flirted with a 59 on the way to a 10-under par 62 for 201.
“I think it was decent,” Scheffler said. “I had a stretch at 13, 14, 15 where I felt like I lost a shot or two there, but outside of that I did a lot of really good things today.”
With increased winds making things tougher, Scheffler called Kim’s 10-under round “pretty serious golf.”
Kim opened with four straight birdies and rolled in a 19-foot birdie at the seventh and a 23-footer at the ninth.
That was the start of a three-birdie burst, that included a 39-foot putt at the 10th.
A sub-60 round looked possible after Kim made three more birdies at the 14th, 15th and 16th — rolling in a 22-foot putt from off the green at 16 to keep a sub-60 round in sight.
But he fell back with a double-bogey at the par-three 17th, where his tee shot found the greenside bunker and his second shot hit the slope and rolled back into the trap.
Kim produced one final flourish, however, holing out from a greenside bunker for birdie at 18.
“I felt like I did a lot of smart things,” Kim said. “Obviously I chipped it really good. I putted really well, did a lot of good things to keep my momentum going.”


Root reaches century as England set NZ mammoth 583

Root reaches century as England set NZ mammoth 583
Updated 08 December 2024
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Root reaches century as England set NZ mammoth 583

Root reaches century as England set NZ mammoth 583
WELLINGTON: Joe Root posted his 36th century before England declared on day three of the second Test Sunday, setting an enormous target of 583 for New Zealand to win.
Captain Ben Stokes made the declaration 30 minutes after the resumption, with his team having reached 427-6 in their second innings.
They rapidly added 49 to their overnight score in blustery conditions, allowing time for Root to complete a classy ton, before being dismissed for 106.
Stokes was not out 49 off 42 balls, with the pair having put on 100 for the sixth wicket from just 13.2 overs.
Root reached three figures with a spectacular reverse lap shot which flew over wicketkeeper Tom Blundell’s head off paceman Will O’Rourke.
The 33-year-old was dismissed later in the same over, edging a catch to Blundell, prompting an immediate declaration.
Stokes survived one chance when he blasted a straight drive back at seamer Matt Henry, who couldn’t grasp the ball.
The Black Caps have nearly three days to win the match but their chances are very slim given the historic difficulty of chasing even modest fourth-innings totals on New Zealand soil.
England lead the three-match series after winning the opening Test in Christchurch by eight wickets.

Bellingham and Mbappe strike as Real Madrid beat Girona

Bellingham and Mbappe strike as Real Madrid beat Girona
Updated 08 December 2024
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Bellingham and Mbappe strike as Real Madrid beat Girona

Bellingham and Mbappe strike as Real Madrid beat Girona
  • Bellingham opened the scoring before half-time and set up Arda Guler for Madrid’s second, before Mbappe produced a clinical finish for their third

GIRONA, Spain: Jude Bellingham inspired champions Real Madrid to a comfortable 3-0 victory at Girona on Saturday in La Liga, with Kylian Mbappe also on the scoresheet.
Los Blancos cut the gap on league leaders Barcelona to two points after the Catalans drew 2-2 at Real Betis, with Madrid having played one fewer match.
Bellingham opened the scoring before half-time and set up Arda Guler for Madrid’s second, before Mbappe produced a clinical finish for their third.
Both Bellingham and defender Ferland Mendy were replaced with apparent knocks in the second half, adding to Madrid’s injury concerns ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash at Atalanta.
With Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo sidelined, Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti selected Bellingham and Brahim Diaz in support of Mbappe.
The French forward has been the focus of criticism in recent weeks and recently missed two penalties for Madrid, struggling to find the form which made him a star with Paris Saint-Germain and his country.
Girona, who ran Madrid close for the Spanish title for much of last season before eventually finishing third, started the stronger and Bryan Gil fired wide, with Donny van de Beek lashing over.
Madrid settled into the game and, keeping the hosts at arm’s length, began to create chances of their own.
Paulo Gazzaniga saved Brahim Diaz’s fierce drive from the edge of the box as the champions clicked into gear.
Bellingham broke the deadlock after 36 minutes when Diaz’s cross was blocked and the ball fell kindly to the England international, who fired home through a crowd of players.
After a quiet first half, early in the second Mbappe broke through and fired wide, although the striker had handled the ball to control it and if he had scored it would not have stood.
Madrid kept pushing and Gazzaniga saved well from Aurelien Tchouameni’s header from Luka Modric’s free-kick.
Los Blancos got their second in the 55th minute when Bellingham threaded through a fine pass for Guler, who rolled the ball home.
Bellingham hobbled off after sustaining an apparent knock in a challenge before Mbappe rattled home Madrid’s third.
After Thibaut Courtois saved well from Yaser Asprilla, Madrid burst forward on the counter-attack.
Modric sprang the French forward, who finished with aplomb from a tight angle on the right side of the area, across Gazzaniga into the bottom corner.
Madrid beat Girona 3-0 at Montilivi and 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu last season and this victory was another which showed their superiority over the Catalan minnows.
Ancelotti will hope they can carry some momentum into the vital Champions League visit to Atalanta, for which Vinicius is expected to return from injury.
Girona, eighth in La Liga after a poor start to the season exacerbated by a host of injuries, welcome Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday.