Ten Hag Wants Maguire to Replicate England Form at United

Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Quarter Final - England v France - Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar - December 11, 2022 England's Harry Maguire looks dejected after the match as England are eliminated from the World Cup. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Quarter Final - England v France - Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar - December 11, 2022 England's Harry Maguire looks dejected after the match as England are eliminated from the World Cup. (Reuters)
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Ten Hag Wants Maguire to Replicate England Form at United

Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Quarter Final - England v France - Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar - December 11, 2022 England's Harry Maguire looks dejected after the match as England are eliminated from the World Cup. (Reuters)
Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Quarter Final - England v France - Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor, Qatar - December 11, 2022 England's Harry Maguire looks dejected after the match as England are eliminated from the World Cup. (Reuters)

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag said center back Harry Maguire had a really good World Cup and urged him to replicate his England form at the club when the Premier League restarts.

Maguire lost his first-team spot for United in August but the 29-year-old started every game for England in Qatar, where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by France.

"It's clear he is good enough to play at the highest level," Ten Hag said at United's training camp in Spain.

"He had a period in Manchester where he performed badly and then, of course, there are difficulties. For England, he has good games almost all the time.

"We want him to bring that back to Manchester with him so he can bring it on the pitch for United.

"I think he had a really good World Cup. He was really consistent. When he is playing with his confidence like now, he is a massively important player for us and that is what everyone expects."

United return to action on Dec. 21 with a home League Cup tie against Burnley before hosting Nottingham Forest in the league on Dec. 27.



Kyrgios to Team up with Djokovic for Brisbane International Doubles

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 14, 2023 Australia's Nick Kyrgios during a practice session. (Reuters)
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 14, 2023 Australia's Nick Kyrgios during a practice session. (Reuters)
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Kyrgios to Team up with Djokovic for Brisbane International Doubles

Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 14, 2023 Australia's Nick Kyrgios during a practice session. (Reuters)
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 14, 2023 Australia's Nick Kyrgios during a practice session. (Reuters)

Record 24-times Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic will team up with former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios to play doubles at the Brisbane International, the Australian said.

The pair, who have developed a friendship after once being at loggerheads when Kyrgios labelled Djokovic "boneheaded" and a "tool", will use the Dec. 29-Jan. 5 ATP 250 event as a warm-up for next month's Australian Open.

Djokovic and Kyrgios have faced each other three times on the ATP Tour, with the Australian winning the first two encounters in 2017 before losing in four sets in the 2022 Wimbledon final.

In a post on Instagram on Monday, Kyrgios shared a picture of their meeting at Wimbledon, writing: "Doubles at Brisbane. See y'all there".

Organizers of the Brisbane International did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.

Kyrgios, who is also scheduled to play in the Dec. 19-22 World Tennis League exhibition event in Abu Dhabi, has played just one singles tour match in the last two years due to knee, foot and wrist injuries.

He is set to make his competitive singles return in Brisbane and will play at the Australian Open with a protected ranking of 21st, where he will also be reunited with Thanasi Kokkinakis in the men's doubles.

Kyrgios and Kokkinakis, dubbed the "Special Ks" as juniors, claimed their only major title in 2022 at Melbourne Park.

The 2025 Australian Open will run from Jan. 12-26.