Zamalek Fire Entire Coaching Staff After Latest Defeat

Football - Lusail Super Cup - Al Hilal v Zamalek - Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar - September 9, 2022 Zamalek coach Jesualdo Ferreira with Ahmed Sayed Zizo. (Reuters)
Football - Lusail Super Cup - Al Hilal v Zamalek - Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar - September 9, 2022 Zamalek coach Jesualdo Ferreira with Ahmed Sayed Zizo. (Reuters)
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Zamalek Fire Entire Coaching Staff After Latest Defeat

Football - Lusail Super Cup - Al Hilal v Zamalek - Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar - September 9, 2022 Zamalek coach Jesualdo Ferreira with Ahmed Sayed Zizo. (Reuters)
Football - Lusail Super Cup - Al Hilal v Zamalek - Lusail Stadium, Lusail, Qatar - September 9, 2022 Zamalek coach Jesualdo Ferreira with Ahmed Sayed Zizo. (Reuters)

Egyptian football champions Zamalek are under pressure to appoint a new coach - and fast - after firing all of their interim coaching staff in the aftermath of their latest defeat.

Zamalek, who two weeks ago sacked Portuguese coach Jesualdo Ferreira for the second time in two months, lost 3-2 against Al-Masry on Tuesday, despite having led by two goals after 21 minutes.

The club remains in fifth place in the league, 11 points behind rivals Al-Ahly, who also have three games in hand.

Zamalek has taken an axe to the side which won the title last year by six points, and has benched four players for the rest of the season in addition to ripping up the coaching leadership team.

"Club President Mortada Mansour and board members decided to kick all coaching staff out of the club. They... will not be allowed to enter again," Zamalek member board Gamal Abdel-Hamid told his club TV channel.

The club did not name the four players who it said would not feature for the rest of the season.

German Heiko Herrlich is favorite to take over the coaching role and could be unveiled as early as later on Wednesday.



Noval Djokovic Beaten by Big-serving Reilly Opelka in Quarterfinals of Brisbane International

Serbia's Novak Djokovic looks on during his match against USA's Reilly Opelka at the Brisbane International, in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic looks on during his match against USA's Reilly Opelka at the Brisbane International, in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher)
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Noval Djokovic Beaten by Big-serving Reilly Opelka in Quarterfinals of Brisbane International

Serbia's Novak Djokovic looks on during his match against USA's Reilly Opelka at the Brisbane International, in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher)
Serbia's Novak Djokovic looks on during his match against USA's Reilly Opelka at the Brisbane International, in Brisbane, Australia, Friday, Jan. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher)

Novak Djokovic was beaten 7-6 (6), 6-3 by big-serving Reilly Opelka in the Brisbane International quarterfinals on Friday.

The 37-year-old Djokovic was playing his first tournament of the year. The 24-time Grand Slam champion is preparing for the Australian Open, which starts on Jan. 12 and which he has won 10 times.

“Amazing tennis, Reilly. Absolutely deserved,” Djokovic wrote on Instagram.

Opelka served 16 aces — including one to finish off each set — to earn one of the biggest wins of the American’s career.

“I was just focused on my spots,” Opelka said. “If I hit them, it’s hard to get them back. If there’s anyone that can, it’s him, The AP reported.

“We have nothing to lose coming in against him. He’s the greatest player ever,” Opelka added. “So you end up playing more free and you take a lot more risk. If you play your normal level or even above a normal level, he’s going to win every time. So it’s tough in his position because he gets guys that are good players that they roll the dice. And on a on a day like this when a lot of things go my way that’s how it works out.”

New coach Andy Murray will join Djokovic in Melbourne.

Opelka achieved a career-high ranking of No. 17 in Feb. 2022 before undergoing hip surgery later that year to remove a benign tumor. He’s now No. 293.

“It was tough. A lot of uncertainty, a lot of doubt,” Opelka said.

In the semifinals, Opelka will face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, who beat Jakub Mensik 7-5, 7-6 (5). The other semifinal will feature Jiri Lehecka against Grigor Dimitrov.

Lehecka beat Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 6-4 and Dimitrov advanced when Jordan Thompson retired while Dimitrov was ahead 6-1, 2-1.