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Van Dijk ‘Ready’ to Start for Liverpool at Newcastle

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Everton - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 13, 2023 Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Everton - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 13, 2023 Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
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Van Dijk ‘Ready’ to Start for Liverpool at Newcastle

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Everton - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 13, 2023 Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Everton - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - February 13, 2023 Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk during the warm up before the match. (Reuters)

Liverpool center back Virgil van Dijk is on track to start at Newcastle on Saturday after sitting out for nearly six weeks with a hamstring injury.

The Netherlands captain hasn't played since early January though he was on the bench against Everton in a 2-0 win that Liverpool hopes will reboot its top-four hopes in the Premier League.

Reds manager Jurgen Klopp was asked Friday if van Dijk is ready to start against fourth-place Newcastle. He replied: “I think so, yeah.”

“Yesterday, he looked absolutely ready. I think today he will look the same and then we make a decision,” Klopp said at a press conference.

Liverpool is in ninth place but has played at least one game fewer than most of the teams above it.

Real Madrid visits Anfield on Tuesday night in the Champions League round of 16.

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Swiatek Weathers Rain Break with Puzzles to Reach Semis, Top Seed Pegula Also Advances

Poland's Iga Swiatek takes a selfie after her match against Russia's Ekaterina Alexandria in their quarterfinal match at the WTA tennis tournament in Bad Homburg, Germany, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP)
Poland's Iga Swiatek takes a selfie after her match against Russia's Ekaterina Alexandria in their quarterfinal match at the WTA tennis tournament in Bad Homburg, Germany, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP)
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Swiatek Weathers Rain Break with Puzzles to Reach Semis, Top Seed Pegula Also Advances

Poland's Iga Swiatek takes a selfie after her match against Russia's Ekaterina Alexandria in their quarterfinal match at the WTA tennis tournament in Bad Homburg, Germany, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP)
Poland's Iga Swiatek takes a selfie after her match against Russia's Ekaterina Alexandria in their quarterfinal match at the WTA tennis tournament in Bad Homburg, Germany, Thursday, June 26, 2025. (AP)

Fourth seed Iga Swiatek solved crossword puzzles during an hour-long rain interruption on Thursday but kept her focus to earn a 6-4 7-6(5) victory over Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova and reach the Bad Homburg Open semi-finals.

The Pole, who is playing her only grasscourt tournament in the run-up to Wimbledon which starts next week, struggled at times and had 37 unforced errors against Alexandrova before setting up a semi-final against second-seed Jasmine Paolini.

"I think today was all about adjusting to the conditions because it was super windy," Swiatek said. "On one hand to be intense on the other hand being safe."

"Ekaterina is a tough opponent. I have lost against her before. She can play amazing tennis and her flat shots really fit the grass so I am happy I am through."

She won the first set after breaking Alexandrova twice but the match was interrupted midway through the second set with rain starting to fall.

Swiatek said she kept focused by solving crossword puzzles during the break and it seemed to work as she held serve throughout the second set to clinch the tiebreak and face Paolini next. Swiatek currently leads Paolini in their head-to-head 4-0.

The Italian, a Wimbledon finalist last year, recorded her fourth win over Beatriz Haddad Maia in as many meetings with a 7-5 7-5 victory.

It was also her first win over the Brazilian in straight sets as the Italian reached her fourth semi-final of the season.

Top-seed Jessica Pegula joined her in the last four after needing three sets to edge past fellow American and fifth-seed Emma Navarro 6-4 1-6 6-3.

Pegula will face 20-year-old Czech Linda Noskova who outplayed third-seed Mirra Andreeva 6-3 6-3.