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Tennis-Nadal to Skip US Open, Plans to Return at Laver Cup

20 July 2024, Sweden, Bastad: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles semi-finals of the Swedish Open. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa
20 July 2024, Sweden, Bastad: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles semi-finals of the Swedish Open. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa
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Tennis-Nadal to Skip US Open, Plans to Return at Laver Cup

20 July 2024, Sweden, Bastad: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles semi-finals of the Swedish Open. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa
20 July 2024, Sweden, Bastad: Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal celebrates after defeating Croatia's Duje Ajdukovic in the men's singles semi-finals of the Swedish Open. Photo: Steffen Trumpf/dpa

Rafael Nadal has decided not to participate in the US Open due to concerns about his fitness, the Spaniard said on Wednesday while adding his next event will be the Laver Cup in late September.

For Nadal, who won the most recent of his four US Open titles in 2019, this marks the second consecutive year he has sat out the year's final Grand Slam.

"Writing today to let you guys know that I have decided not to compete at this year's US Open a place where I have amazing memories," the 38-year-old Nadal said in a post on X.

"I will miss those electric and special night sessions in NYC at Ashe, but I don't think I would be able to give my 100% this time."

Nadal added that his next event will be the Sept. 20-22 Laver Cup in Berlin.

The 22-times Grand Slam winner competed at the Paris Olympics where he lost to eventual champion Novak Djokovic in the second round of the singles competition and reached the quarter-finals of the doubles with Carlos Alcaraz, Reuters reported.

"Rafa is a tremendous champion and he will be missed during the 2024 US Open by the fans and all those associated with the tournament," US Open Tournament Director Stacey Allaster said in a statement.

"We wish him all the best and look forward to having him back at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center."

The 38-year-old former world number one has fallen to 159th in the rankings after struggling for two years with injuries and against Djokovic at the Olympics suffered one of his worst losses in a 6-1 6-4 defeat.

Nadal sat out the Australian Open in January after suffering a small muscle tear during his comeback from a long injury layoff and in May crashed to his earliest French Open exit when he lost in the first round.

The Spaniard skipped Wimbledon to prepare for the Paris Olympics where the tennis event was played on the clay courts at Roland Garros where he celebrated 14 French Open titles.

 

 

 

 

 

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Sports

Arsenal Face Acid Test of Premier League Title Mettle at Man City

Football - Carabao Cup - Final - Arsenal v Manchester City - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - March 22, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola embraces Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after winning the Carabao Cup. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Carabao Cup - Final - Arsenal v Manchester City - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - March 22, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola embraces Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after winning the Carabao Cup. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Arsenal Face Acid Test of Premier League Title Mettle at Man City

Football - Carabao Cup - Final - Arsenal v Manchester City - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - March 22, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola embraces Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after winning the Carabao Cup. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Carabao Cup - Final - Arsenal v Manchester City - Wembley Stadium, London, Britain - March 22, 2026 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola embraces Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta after winning the Carabao Cup. (Action Images via Reuters)

The destiny of the Premier League title is at stake on Sunday as Arsenal aim to halt an alarming slump and hold off the charge of Pep Guardiola's Manchester City.

Mikel Arteta's Gunners still hold a six-point advantage at the top of the table, but have wobbled across all competitions in recent weeks to put their quest for a first league title in 22 years at risk.

City's victory when the sides met last month in the League Cup final has sparked a run of just one win in five games for Arsenal.

That also included a FA Cup exit to second-tier Southampton and a crucial home defeat to Bournemouth last weekend to give City fresh hope in the title race.

Arsenal are the only English side still standing in the Champions League but even progressing to the semi-finals was underwhelming as they squeezed past Sporting Lisbon 1-0 over two legs.

Jaded by a brutal schedule, the leaders have also been hindered by injury.

Bukayo Saka is set to miss the trip to the Etihad Stadium, while captain Martin Odegaard and first choice full-backs Jurrien Timber and Riccardo Calafiori are doubts.

Yet, Arteta is attempting to focus his players on the opportunity that awaits rather than the fear of another shot at the title slipping away.

"We see this as a big opportunity for us," said Guardiola's former assistant at his pre-match press conference.

"We have earned the right to be in this position and to be challenging, with an opportunity to win, against arguably the best team and best manager this league has ever seen."

Arsenal have finished second in each of the past three seasons and history could be about to repeat itself.

In both the 2022/23 and 2023/24 seasons, City reeled in the Gunners after Arsenal began the campaign stronger.

City's early exit from the Champions League has given them a free week to prepare and Guardiola's men have been gaining momentum as Arsenal have faltered.

Since lifting the League Cup, City have thrashed Liverpool 4-0 to reach the FA Cup semi-finals and Chelsea 3-0.

"If you could buy confidence in a supermarket we would buy it immediately. It is one of the most important aspects," said Guardiola about his side's sudden upturn in form.

"The reality is there are seven games left in the Premier League and that is the decisive moment."

Indeed, City are just nine games away from matching their own achievement seven years ago of being the only English side to win the domestic treble.

They are big favorites to add the FA Cup to the League Cup, with Southampton to come in the last four next weekend.

And they control their own destiny in the title race.

Victory over Arsenal and Burnley in midweek will take City top of the table for the first time this year.

"We all know the importance of this game. It's like a final," said City striker Erling Haaland.

"It's probably the biggest and the best game there will be, so hopefully it can be an amazing game."

Sports

‘Pure Joy’ for Matarazzo After Copa Del Rey Triumph

Real Sociedad's head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo celebrates after winning the Copa del Rey final soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad in Seville, Spain, Saturday, April. 18, 2026. (AP)
Real Sociedad's head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo celebrates after winning the Copa del Rey final soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad in Seville, Spain, Saturday, April. 18, 2026. (AP)
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‘Pure Joy’ for Matarazzo After Copa Del Rey Triumph

Real Sociedad's head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo celebrates after winning the Copa del Rey final soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad in Seville, Spain, Saturday, April. 18, 2026. (AP)
Real Sociedad's head coach Pellegrino Matarazzo celebrates after winning the Copa del Rey final soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Real Sociedad in Seville, Spain, Saturday, April. 18, 2026. (AP)

Real Sociedad coach Pellegrino Matarazzo was elated after his side defeated Atletico Madrid to win the Copa del Rey on Saturday, making him the first American coach to claim a major trophy with a club from Europe's top five leagues.

La Real triumphed 4-3 in the shoot-out following a pulsating 2-2 draw after extra-time, to win the trophy for only the fourth time in the club's history.

When Matarazzo was appointed in December the Basque team were hovering above the relegation zone, but he has driven them up the table and now to cup glory.

"It's probably the first (major trophy) for an Italian-American," said Matarazzo, a New Jersey native born to Italian immigrant parents.

Matarazzo said it was not until Pablo Marin's decisive penalty in the shoot-out hit the back of the net that he could really begin to take anything in.

"That was the moment where I realized this is real. It's happening," said the coach.

"You visualize success and you believe in it and you trust the players, but until you cross the finish line you don't really have the feeling that what is happening (is happening), and then it happens.

"And with that penalty, it took a couple of moments to realize, but it's just pure joy."

Matarazzo insisted the team's success over the past few months was not just down to him but the daily work that everyone put in, and the quality of the players he has available.

"We have fantastic players, unbelievable players on this squad with unbelievable character," he said.

"(Behind the success is) the daily work and the commitment that we all have to this team and for this club."

Real Sociedad's players, many of them who came through the club's youth system, were also overjoyed.

"I've never walked on water but it has to be like this," said Real Sociedad striker Mikel Oyarzabal, who scored a penalty to put his team 2-1 up before half-time.

"It's tricky to win a trophy with the team of your life. After this my career is complete and I can die happy."

- 'Leave my mind blank' -

Oyarzabal netted from the spot in the 2020 Copa del Rey final to win it for his club but it was without fans in the stadium because of the global pandemic.

This time around it was Pablo Marin who converted the decisive penalty in the shoot-out.

"I tried to leave my mind blank, calm and serene," he said.

"To be able to live through this with these wonderful people is incredible."

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone, who last led his team to the Copa del Rey in 2013, rued the opportunities his side wasted to win the game before penalties.

"The chances didn't want to go in," said the coach.

The Rojiblancos still have a chance to lift a trophy this year -- they face Arsenal in the Champions League semi-finals, a competition they have never won.

However, Simeone said he needed time to absorb the defeat in Seville.

"I'm not thinking about Arsenal, what happens today hurts me a lot. We needed to win and we couldn't win," said Simeone.

Sports

Cobolli Downs Zverev to Set Up Munich Final with Shelton

Flavio Cobolli of Italy in action during his semi-finals match against Alexander Zverev of Germany at the BMW Open tennis tournament in Munich, Germany, 18 April 2026. EPA/ANNA SZILAGYI
Flavio Cobolli of Italy in action during his semi-finals match against Alexander Zverev of Germany at the BMW Open tennis tournament in Munich, Germany, 18 April 2026. EPA/ANNA SZILAGYI
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Cobolli Downs Zverev to Set Up Munich Final with Shelton

Flavio Cobolli of Italy in action during his semi-finals match against Alexander Zverev of Germany at the BMW Open tennis tournament in Munich, Germany, 18 April 2026. EPA/ANNA SZILAGYI
Flavio Cobolli of Italy in action during his semi-finals match against Alexander Zverev of Germany at the BMW Open tennis tournament in Munich, Germany, 18 April 2026. EPA/ANNA SZILAGYI

Flavio Cobolli ended top seed Alexander Zverev's Munich Open title defense on Saturday as the Italian breezed past the world number three in straight sets to book his place in the final against Ben Shelton.

Fourth seed Cobolli downed the home favorite 6-3, 6-3 in just under 70 minutes in their semi-final meeting.

The 23-year-old's blistering performance put paid to Zverev's hopes for a record fourth title on the red dirt in Munich.

"It was one of my best matches ever against one of my biggest friends on tour," AFP quoted Cobolli as saying.

"I'm a little bit shy when I play with a big player, but today I played one of my best performances and I'm really happy."

Cobolli edged ahead of Zverev when he broke the German to love in the fourth game of the first set.

Zverev struggled to make inroads on Cobolli's serve over the course of the match, and when the world number 16 pounced on his opponent's first service game of the second set the writing was on the wall for Zverev.

Two punishing crosscourt forehands followed up by a crisp volley to finish off game seven secured Cobolli a double break and gave him the chance to serve for the match.

But Zverev hit back immediately as he secured his first break points of the encounter, converting at the second time of asking to halt his opponent.

A brilliant forehand on the run handed Cobolli match point in the next game and when Zverev framed a deep return the match was decided.

Cobolli advances to his second final of the season, where he will look to add to the title he picked up in Acapulco in February.

Shelton, who later Saturday beat qualifier Alex Molcan 6-3, 6-4, will be the man standing in Cobolli's way as the American seeks to go one better than last year when he lost the Munich title match to Zverev.

Second seed Shelton broke in the sixth game of the first set to get his nose in front against the 166th-ranked Slovakian and then secured a crucial second break of the match to go 5-4 up in the final set.

The 23-year-old was on form with his serve as Molcan managed to engineer just one break point across the two sets, which Shelton saved.