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Arsenal Moves up to Second in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Ipswich

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, left, kicks the ball ahead of Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium in London, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, left, kicks the ball ahead of Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium in London, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
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Arsenal Moves up to Second in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Ipswich

Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, left, kicks the ball ahead of Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium in London, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, left, kicks the ball ahead of Everton’s Vitaliy Mykolenko during the English Premier League soccer match between Arsenal and Everton at Emirates Stadium in London, Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Arsenal moved up to second place in the Premier League with a 1-0 home win against Ipswich on Friday.

Mikel Arteta’s side is six points behind leader Liverpool, which has a game in hand.

Second-bottom Ipswich had won two of its last three away games but was up against it from the start at the Emirates.

The visitors did not have one touch in the Gunners’ box during the first 45 minutes and, although Ipswich showed signs of life after the break, it was Arsenal which continued to dominate the game, marshaled by Declan Rice in midfield, The AP reported.

Kai Havertz got the only goal midway through the first half when he knocked in a cross from Leandro Trossard.

Havertz, Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus all had chances but none of them could add to Arsenal’s tally.

“It’s so tough, every team is tough to break down," Havertz said. "They fight for each other and at the end we’re very proud for the win.”

Arsenal is a point above third-place Chelsea and two points clear of season surprise team Nottingham Forest in fourth.

Seagulls and Bees share the points on south coast Brighton had most of the chances but could not find the net in a 0-0 draw with Brentford that extended the south coast club’s winless run to six league games.

It was a frustrating night for the home side and especially Julio Enciso. The Paraguay striker had a host of opportunities to score but couldn’t make them count.

Along with Southampton, Brentford has the worst away record in the league with seven losses and two draws and it was easy to see why in this toothless performance.

Brentford had an early goal from Yoane Wissa ruled out for offside and, although it came a bit more into the game in the second half, it failed to pressure Icelandic goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson, who made his Premier League debut eight minutes before halftime when Mark Flekken went off with a thigh injury.

One bright spot for the home side was the return of winger Solly March. He came on as a late substitute to make his first appearance for Brighton since injuring a knee against Manchester City 14 months ago.

The result leaves Brighton in 10th place with 26 points, one spot and two points ahead of the Bees.

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Sports

Harrison and Skupski Win Australian Open Doubles Title in 1st Major Together

Christian Harrison (L) of the USA and Neal Skupski (R) of Great Britian pose with the winners trophy after winning the men’s doubles final against Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans of Australia on day 14 of the 2026 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 31 January 2026. EPA/JOEL CARRETT
Christian Harrison (L) of the USA and Neal Skupski (R) of Great Britian pose with the winners trophy after winning the men’s doubles final against Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans of Australia on day 14 of the 2026 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 31 January 2026. EPA/JOEL CARRETT
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Harrison and Skupski Win Australian Open Doubles Title in 1st Major Together

Christian Harrison (L) of the USA and Neal Skupski (R) of Great Britian pose with the winners trophy after winning the men’s doubles final against Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans of Australia on day 14 of the 2026 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 31 January 2026. EPA/JOEL CARRETT
Christian Harrison (L) of the USA and Neal Skupski (R) of Great Britian pose with the winners trophy after winning the men’s doubles final against Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans of Australia on day 14 of the 2026 Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Australia, 31 January 2026. EPA/JOEL CARRETT

Sixth seeds Neal Skupski and Christian Harrison defeated Australia's wildcard pairing of Jason Kubler and Marc Polmans 7-6(4) 6-4 to capture the Australian Open men's doubles title on Saturday in their first Grand Slam event as a team.

The British-American duo's victory at Rod Laver Arena gave Harrison his first Grand Slam title and marked Skupski's fourth in doubles and mixed doubles, though his first outside Wimbledon.

The partnership is remarkably fresh, as the pair started playing together only two weeks ago in Adelaide after training for a week together in Baton Rouge in December.

"We obviously started playing together in Adelaide two weeks ago now," Reuters quoted Skupski as saying.

"We didn't know obviously how it would go. It seems to be going pretty well so far!"

With the roof closed at Rod ⁠Laver Arena due to the rain, the match began at a fast pace under the lights and proved to be an entertaining affair, as the opening set went with serve until Harrison and Skupski broke for a 4-2 lead.

But with the raucous Australian fans firmly behind them, Kubler and Polmans - wearing his trademark legionnaire hat - broke Harrison's serve and consolidated it to level the set at 5-5 before forcing a tiebreak.

They were neck-and-neck in the ⁠tiebreak at 4-4 until the British-American duo inched ahead and took the opening set when Skupski smashed an emphatic overhead shot at the net to silence the home fans.

In the second set, Harrison and Skupski broke Polmans' serve early for a 3-1 advantage and they did not look back despite a determined fightback from the Australian pair.

They made it 5-3 on Skupski's serve when Harrison smashed a volley at the net to put the pressure back on the Australians, who managed to keep them at bay by saving a championship point on serve.

But Harrison proved indomitable at the baseline on his own serve as they served for the title.

Although they ⁠failed to convert another championship point, they sealed the title at the third time of asking when the American fired an ace down the middle.

The victory brings another Grand Slam trophy into the Harrison household after his elder brother Ryan, also his coach, won the French Open doubles title in 2017.

"My parents are back home, and I remember I was with them when I watched my brother win the French Open on TV and they were emotional wrecks. So I know they're probably doing the same right now," Harrison said.

"Thanks to my partner, without you it's not possible. I was so excited to just get on the court with you. In some tight moments, I knew your experience was going to help pay off in the end and it did. It was fun to battle in this match together."

Sports

Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai Win Australian Open Women's Doubles Title

Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China pose with their trophy after defeating Anna Danilina, right, of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China pose with their trophy after defeating Anna Danilina, right, of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
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Elise Mertens and Zhang Shuai Win Australian Open Women's Doubles Title

Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China pose with their trophy after defeating Anna Danilina, right, of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Elise Mertens of Belgium and Zhang Shuai, left, of China pose with their trophy after defeating Anna Danilina, right, of Kazakhstan and Aleksandra Krunic of Serbia in the women's doubles final at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia, Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Elise Mertens marked her return to the No. 1 ranking in women's doubles by combining with China's Zhang Shuai to win the Australian Open title on Saturday.

Back together after four years apart as a team, Mertens and Zhang trailed 3-0 and 4-1 in the first set but rallied to beat Anna Danilina of Kazakhstan and Serbia's Aleksandra Krunic 7-6 (4), 6-4. Mertens and Zhang led the final set 5-0 before withstanding a comeback attempt when Danilina and Krunic won four straight games.

Currently ranked No. 6 in doubles, Mertens, who won the Wimbledon doubles title last year with Veronika Kudermetova, will return to the No. 1 ranking after the Australian Open.

That will mark the Belgian player's 40th cumulative week as No. 1 in doubles and was guaranteed regardless of the outcome of the Melbourne Park final Saturday.

The win Saturday was Mertens' sixth Grand Slam doubles title, including 2021 and 2024 at Melbourne Park. Zhang now has three, including the 2019 Australian Open and the 2021 US Open.

It was their first Grand Slam trophy as a team, having lost the 2022 Wimbledon final in their last appearance together.

“This is like cherry on the cake,” The Associated Press quoted Mertens as saying. “We paired up as a team very last-minute . . . this was our first tournament back together. In the second round we saved three match points, so that kind of took us to another level. An unbelievable two weeks."

Mertens reached the fourth round of women’s singles at Melbourne Park this year before being beaten by eventual finalist Elena Rybakina.
Zhang says she and Mertens adapt well.

“We know how to play finals, we know how to win finals,” Zhang said. “We are both very calm. If something doesn't work . . . we always adjust.”
 

Sports

Fulham Sign Man City Winger Oscar Bobb

Norway winger Oscar Bobb (Reuters)
Norway winger Oscar Bobb (Reuters)
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Fulham Sign Man City Winger Oscar Bobb

Norway winger Oscar Bobb (Reuters)
Norway winger Oscar Bobb (Reuters)

Fulham signed Norway winger Oscar Bobb from Manchester City for a reported fee of £27 million ($37 million) on Friday.

The 22-year-old has joined Marco Silva's side on a five-and-a-half-year deal, which reportedly includes a 20 percent sell-on clause.

A graduate of City's youth academy, Bobb had slipped down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium after the arrival of Ghana forward Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth earlier in January.

"It feels great to be here. I had a great day meeting everyone and I am very excited," Bobb told FFCtv.

"I have always known Fulham to be a good club, with good players and a great stadium."

Bobb sought insight from Norway teammate Sander Berge before the move to Craven Cottage.

"I spoke to Sander, my good friend, and I spoke to the manager and he explained what the system's like and how the lads are and how the club is. He (Silva) seemed lovely, so it was an easy decision basically," AFP quoted him as saying.

Fulham, who visit Manchester United on Sunday, are seventh in the Premier League.