Federer Match-worn Outfit Expected to Fetch $35,000 at Auction

FILE - Switzerland's Roger Federer hits a forehand to Croatia's Marin Cilic during the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, File)
FILE - Switzerland's Roger Federer hits a forehand to Croatia's Marin Cilic during the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, File)
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Federer Match-worn Outfit Expected to Fetch $35,000 at Auction

FILE - Switzerland's Roger Federer hits a forehand to Croatia's Marin Cilic during the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, File)
FILE - Switzerland's Roger Federer hits a forehand to Croatia's Marin Cilic during the men's singles final at the Australian Open tennis championships in Melbourne, Australia, on Jan. 28, 2018. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara, File)

Looking for an "inexpensive” way into the lucrative sports memorabilia market? One of Roger Federer's match-worn outfits might be your ticket.
Not just any shirt and shorts, of course. An online auction that started Wednesday is offering a Federer outfit from his winning run at the 2018 Australian Open. That was his 20th and final Grand Slam title.
The Nike-made outfit is “expected to achieve up to $35,000,” Prestige Memorabilia said. Both items are signed by the Swiss great, who retired one year ago. Bidding closes Oct. 8, The Associated Press reported.
A mint condition Mickey Mantle baseball card sold for $12.6 million in August 2022. That broke a record for the most expensive auctioned piece of sports memorabilia set a few months earlier, when the shirt worn by Diego Maradona when he scored the controversial “Hand of God” goal against England in the 1986 World Cup went for $9.3 million.



City Need Reinforcements after Not Making Summer Signings, Says Guardiola

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
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City Need Reinforcements after Not Making Summer Signings, Says Guardiola

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

Manchester City need to invest during the January transfer window due to injury problems and a faltering Premier League campaign, manager Pep Guardiola said on Monday, acknowledging it may have been a mistake to rule out signings in the summer.

City's title defence looks all but over after six league defeats has left them sixth in the standings and 12 points behind leaders Liverpool who have a game in hand.

Guardiola's side have missed Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder Rodri, who ruptured knee ligaments in September, and have suffered injuries to defenders John Stones and Ruben Dias.

"In the summer the club thought about (signings) and I said: 'No, I don't want to make any signings," Guardiola told reporters ahead of Tuesday's league game at Brentford.

"I relied a lot on these guys and thought I can do it again. But after the injuries maybe we should have done it."

City have not made a significant signing in January since the arrival of Aymeric Laporte for 57 million pounds ($69.67 million) from Athletic Bilbao in 2018.

Guardiola could not confirm whether a deal has been done to bring in Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov.

"The club didn't announce anything. I don't know," he said.

"Rodri is impossible but the other ones (injured players) I want back. If it would have happened I wouldn't be going to the transfer window this season. Absolutely not.

"We would not be in the position that we are but we struggle all season. It's not just Rodri, we have a lot of problems in the back four. That is the reason why the club is thinking we might do this transfer."

 

WALKER'S FUTURE

 

After City's 8-0 FA Cup win over Salford City on Saturday, Guardiola revealed that Walker had asked to leave the club, but the manager had no update on the situation and the right back could be in the squad at Brentford.

"No news. I'm not going to add anything, no more news. I only have Brentford on my mind," Guardiola said.

"We will decide this afternoon after training."

The cup win was a third consecutive victory for City, a welcome return to form after Guardiola's side had previously won only once in 13 matches in all competitions.

"We won three games. Before it was impossible to win one," he said.

"Now we won three, and that helps us. But the reality is we won against a team in the last game for the difference of the Premier League and League Two (fourth-tier), the badges of both teams, and many reasons we should win.

"We have to wait to see if we are who we are. The mood is better. Tomorrow we have an enormously difficult game."

Brentford, who lost 1-0 at home to Championship (second-tier) bottom side Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, are 11th in the standings, seven points off City.