Kompany Says He Did Not Expect to Lead Burnley to Promotion in First Season

Burnley's Belgian manager Vincent Kompany applauds supporters ahead of kick-off in the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on March 18, 2023. (AFP)
Burnley's Belgian manager Vincent Kompany applauds supporters ahead of kick-off in the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on March 18, 2023. (AFP)
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Kompany Says He Did Not Expect to Lead Burnley to Promotion in First Season

Burnley's Belgian manager Vincent Kompany applauds supporters ahead of kick-off in the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on March 18, 2023. (AFP)
Burnley's Belgian manager Vincent Kompany applauds supporters ahead of kick-off in the English FA Cup quarter-final football match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north-west England, on March 18, 2023. (AFP)

Burnley manager Vincent Kompany said he did not expect to lead the Lancashire club to promotion to the Premier League in his first season in charge, but having achieved that return to the top tier he said his side are now aiming for more.

Burnley secured automatic promotion to the Premier League with seven games to spare after Friday's 2-1 victory at Middlesbrough ensured Kompany's side will finish in the second-tier Championship's top two.

They make their return to the top flight after one season, having been relegated on the final day of the 2021-22 campaign, in which they finished third-bottom.

Kompany, appointed in June 2022, said he had not dreamt of this outcome.

"It's Easter, there are seven games to go, and we are already celebrating," Kompany told Sky Sports. "We didn't expect this. We wanted to experience it one day, but we had a different timing on it. Quicker is better sometimes.

"Days like today happen more than you think, we found a way it was not easy at all. But somehow this season we also ended up on the good end of the game.

"There is a belief in the team, and it is still a team that can improve and that is the exciting part. They're like kids, they're celebrating like kids and that's fun to see."

Club chairman Alan Pace said the promotion came as a "complete surprise".

"Vincent and I spoke during the summer and talked about it in great length. We gave ourselves two to three years ... What you're seeing is a lot of magic coming together," Pace added.

Burnley need 11 points from their last seven games to win the Championship title, while 13 points will see them become the first Championship team to rack up more than 100 points since Leicester City in 2013-14.



Novak Djokovic Breaks a Tie with Roger Federer for Most Grand Slam Matches in Tennis History

 Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match against Portugal's Jaime Faria. (Reuters)
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match against Portugal's Jaime Faria. (Reuters)
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Novak Djokovic Breaks a Tie with Roger Federer for Most Grand Slam Matches in Tennis History

 Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match against Portugal's Jaime Faria. (Reuters)
Tennis - Australian Open - Melbourne Park, Melbourne, Australia - January 15, 2025 Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates winning his second round match against Portugal's Jaime Faria. (Reuters)

Novak Djokovic added yet another record to his lengthy list, breaking a tie with Roger Federer for the most Grand Slam matches played in tennis history by reaching 430 on Wednesday at the Australian Open in what was a tougher-than-expected second-round victory.

Djokovic improved to 379-51 for his career at major tournaments, a .881 winning percentage, by defeating 21-year-old Portuguese qualifier Jaime Faria 6-1, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-2 in a match briefly interrupted by light rain before Rod Laver Arena's retractable roof was shut.

“Grand Slams, of course, they are the pillars of our sport. They mean everything for the history of the sport. ... Definitely the most important tournaments,” Djokovic said. “I’m just blessed to be making another record, I guess, today.”

Oh, yes, Djokovic already holds so many marks, many of which used to belong to Federer — who went 369-60 during his 429 Slam matches, a .860 winning percentage — and there are more on the horizon.

As it is, Djokovic has won the most Grand Slam singles titles of any man, 24, ahead of Rafael Nadal's 22 and Federer's 20 (those other two members of the Big Three are now retired). The 37-year-old Serb has spent more weeks at No. 1 in the rankings than any other player. He's played in 37 Slam finals, six more than Federer's old record. And so on and so on.

Consider, too, what could possibly await for Djokovic.

A title at the end of the 15 days at Melbourne Park would be his 25th at a major, a number never reached by any man or woman. It would also be his 11th at the Australian Open, equaling Margaret Court for the most. It would make him the oldest man in the Open era — which began in 1968 — to collect a Grand Slam singles trophy (Ken Rosewall was about six months younger when he won the 1972 Australian Open).

And it would be Djokovic's 100th tour-level tournament title, a nice round number behind only Jimmy Connors' 109 and Federer's 103 in the Open era among men.

Not everything has gone perfectly this week in Australia for Djokovic in his first tournament working with former on-court rival Andy Murray as his coach.

Both of Djokovic's matches so far came against a young player making his Grand Slam debut. And both times, he was pushed to four sets.

In the first round, it was against Nishesh Basavareddy, a 19-year-old American who turned pro only last month and is ranked 107th. In the second, it was Faria, who is ranked 125th, giving him a bit of a hard time, especially during a four-game run in the second set.

“He was playing lights-out tennis. ... I had to weather the storm,” Djokovic said. “I think I responded very well in the third and, particularly fourth, (sets).”