Siniša Mihajlović, Soccer Player and Coach, Dies at 53

Former Serbian soccer player and coach Siniša Mihajlović poses for photos ahead of the UEFA Champions league match between Red Star and SSC Napoli in Belgrade, Serbia, 18 September 2018. (issued on 16 December 2022). (EPA)
Former Serbian soccer player and coach Siniša Mihajlović poses for photos ahead of the UEFA Champions league match between Red Star and SSC Napoli in Belgrade, Serbia, 18 September 2018. (issued on 16 December 2022). (EPA)
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Siniša Mihajlović, Soccer Player and Coach, Dies at 53

Former Serbian soccer player and coach Siniša Mihajlović poses for photos ahead of the UEFA Champions league match between Red Star and SSC Napoli in Belgrade, Serbia, 18 September 2018. (issued on 16 December 2022). (EPA)
Former Serbian soccer player and coach Siniša Mihajlović poses for photos ahead of the UEFA Champions league match between Red Star and SSC Napoli in Belgrade, Serbia, 18 September 2018. (issued on 16 December 2022). (EPA)

Siniša Mihajlović, a former standout soccer player in his native Serbia and then Italy who became a popular coach in Serie A, has died after a long battle with leukemia. He was 53. 

Mihajlović’s family announced Friday that he died in a Rome hospital. 

Mihajlović had most recently coached Bologna for 3 ½ years, becoming a sentimental favorite of fans and players alike for his desire to remain on the job even after he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2019. 

Players sometimes gathered under Mihajlović’s hospital window when the coach was receiving treatment. 

He was fired by Bologna in September. 

A full-back and free kick specialist, Mihajlović was on the Red Star Belgrade team that won the European Cup in 1991. He also won Serie A as a player with Lazio in 2000 and was on the Inter Milan team that was given the 2006 Serie A title after Juventus was stripped of the honor for the Calciopoli match-fixing scandal. 

“The Serie A league is deeply pained by the death of Siniša Mihajlović,” the Italian league tweeted. “His pure class as a footballer and coach, his strength and his humanity are an example that leaves an indelible void in Italian and world soccer.” 

Mihajlović also coached Catania, Fiorentina, Serbia’s national team, Sampdoria, AC Milan and Torino. 



Eala Makes History for Philippines by Reaching Eastbourne Final

Philippines' Alexandra Eala reacts on match point after beating France's Varvara Gracheva in their women's singles semi-final tennis match on day five of the Lexus Eastbourne International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, southern England, on June 27, 2025. (AFP)
Philippines' Alexandra Eala reacts on match point after beating France's Varvara Gracheva in their women's singles semi-final tennis match on day five of the Lexus Eastbourne International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, southern England, on June 27, 2025. (AFP)
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Eala Makes History for Philippines by Reaching Eastbourne Final

Philippines' Alexandra Eala reacts on match point after beating France's Varvara Gracheva in their women's singles semi-final tennis match on day five of the Lexus Eastbourne International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, southern England, on June 27, 2025. (AFP)
Philippines' Alexandra Eala reacts on match point after beating France's Varvara Gracheva in their women's singles semi-final tennis match on day five of the Lexus Eastbourne International tennis tournament in Eastbourne, southern England, on June 27, 2025. (AFP)

Alexandra Eala became the first Filipino to reach a WTA Tour final as she beat fellow qualifier Varvara Gracheva 7-5 2-6 6-3 at the Eastbourne Open on Friday, while lucky loser Jenson Brooksby will meet holder Taylor Fritz in the men's final.

Left-hander Eala, ranked 74th in the world, edged a tight first set before losing five games in a row in the second as the match appeared to be slipping away.

But the 20-year-old regrouped in the decider and survived a tough seventh game before breaking her French opponent's serve to lead 5-3. She then enjoyed a love service game to seal victory.

In Saturday's final she will face 19-year-old Australian Maya Joint who beat Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova 7-5 6-3.

It will be the youngest Eastbourne final since 1981 when Tracy Austin faced fellow American Andrea Jaeger.

"I'm super happy because that was a tough match and there were some really tough moments," an emotional Eala, who is based in Mallorca and trains at the Rafa Nadal Academy, said on court.

"It was tough physically and mentally because she is a tough player and also came from qualifying."

Eala's run will not have gone unnoticed by Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, who has been drawn to play her in the first round at the All England Club next week.

Krejcikova reached the quarter-finals at Eastbourne but withdrew with a thigh injury on Thursday.

Joint continued her impressive run as she reached her first WTA final on grass, coming from 5-3 behind in the opening set against Pavlyuchenkova to take control.

"I'm very excited," the 51st-ranked Joint said on court. "I've learned to love playing on grass this week."

Three-times champion Fritz overcame Spanish sixth seed Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3 3-6 6-1 and will now face fellow-American Brooksby after the lucky loser beat French fourth seed Ugo Humbert.

Fritz broke the Spaniard's first service game as he comfortably won the first set, and while Davidovich Fokina fought back to force a decider, the American broke twice in the last set to reach the final for the fourth time.

Brooksby won his first ATP title in April at the US Men's Clay Court Championship, where he began as a wildcard in the qualifying rounds and his 6-7(7) 6-4 6-4 win over Humbert sees the American make it to another final.

"I think it's a lot less pressure when you don't expect to be in the main draw and get the opportunity," Brooksby said.

"You just want to make the most of it."

Humbert came from 5-3 down to win the opening set on a tiebreak, before Brooksby bounced back despite the Frenchman's battling spirit.

The American took a 3-0 lead in the next two sets and Humbert drew level on both occasions, but Brooksby clinched both sets with a break of serve.