Dortmund Snaps Winless Streak in Bundesliga as Union Berlin Stops Losing

Dortmund's English forward #43 Jamie Bynoe-Gittens celebrates scoring the 3-2 goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between BVB Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Dortmund, western Germany on November 25, 2023. (AFP)
Dortmund's English forward #43 Jamie Bynoe-Gittens celebrates scoring the 3-2 goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between BVB Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Dortmund, western Germany on November 25, 2023. (AFP)
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Dortmund Snaps Winless Streak in Bundesliga as Union Berlin Stops Losing

Dortmund's English forward #43 Jamie Bynoe-Gittens celebrates scoring the 3-2 goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between BVB Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Dortmund, western Germany on November 25, 2023. (AFP)
Dortmund's English forward #43 Jamie Bynoe-Gittens celebrates scoring the 3-2 goal during the German first division Bundesliga football match between BVB Borussia Dortmund and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Dortmund, western Germany on November 25, 2023. (AFP)

English teenager Jamie Bynoe-Gittens scored one goal and set up another Saturday as Borussia Dortmund fought back to beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-2 and snap a three-game winless run in the Bundesliga.

Dortmund, which drew with Eintracht Frankfurt and then lost to lost Bayern Munich and Stuttgart, was seemingly on its way to a third straight defeat with Gladbach leading 2-0 after 28 minutes.

But Marcel Sabitzer pulled one back two minutes later, Bynoe-Gittens set up Niclas Füllkrug to equalize two minutes after that, and Füllkrug returned the favor for Bynoe-Gittens to score just before the break.

It was his first league goal of the season on his fourth appearance.

The 19-year-old Bynoe-Gittens was only playing as Dortmund made two late changes with forwards Karim Adeyemi and Sébastien Haller dropping out through illness.

Donyell Malen sealed the win on a counterattack in injury time.

UNION RELIEF

Kevin Volland scored for Union Berlin to salvage a 1-1 draw against Augsburg – ending the team’s nine-game losing run in the league in what was its first match since a coaching change.

There were tributes to former coach Urs Fischer and assistant Markus Hoffmann before the game. Successors Marco Grote and Marie-Louise Eta – the first female assistant coach in the 60-year history of the Bundesliga – endured a frustrating match before Volland scored in the 88th minute.

The former Germany forward fired inside the right post after Robin Knoche – who had a penalty saved – headed on a free kick from Josip Juranović.

But it was an uncertain start from Union, harassed by the visitors’ constant pressing. Kevin Behrens went closest for the home team.

Then Robin Gosens was penalized for a challenge on Augsburg’s Arne Engels, though it seemed both were going for the ball. Referee Florian Badstübner stuck to his decision after a VAR check and Ermedin Demirović converted the penalty to a chorus of whistles in the 40th.

Union had the chance to equalize from another penalty awarded after a VAR check, but Augsburg ’keeper Finn Dahmen saved Knoche’s spot kick.

Volland's late goal – his first for Union – came as a relief.

“It’s an important step in the right direction,” Grote said.

LEVERKUSEN KEEPS WINNING

Bayer Leverkusen returned to the top with a 3-0 win at Werder Bremen. Leverkusen leads by two points from 11-time defending champion Bayern Munich after 12 rounds.

Leverkusen had a slice of fortune when Bremen’s Olivier Deman scored an own-goal while attempting a clearance in the ninth, and Jeremie Frimpong grabbed the visitors’ second goal before the break. Álex Grimaldo sealed the win in the 76th.

Leverkusen has won every Bundesliga game this season apart from its 2-2 draw with Bayern in Munich in the fourth round.

REFEREE INJURED

Stuttgart beat Frankfurt 2-1 away in the late game thanks to two goals from Deniz Undav – in the first minute and just before the break.

Referee Felix Brych matched Wolfgang Stark's record for Bundesliga games as he took charge of his 344th, but he was unable to finish it because of a knee injury and had to be replaced at the break.

Many of Frankfurt's ultra fans left their places before kickoff to protest what they say was heavy-handed treatment by police.

Also, Wolfsburg beat Leipzig 2-1 and Freiburg drew with Darmstadt 1-1.



Veteran Monfils Exits to Standing Ovation on Australian Open Farewell

Gael Monfils of France acknowledges to the crowds after losing his Men’s Singles first round match against Dane Sweeny of Australia at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2026. (EPA)
Gael Monfils of France acknowledges to the crowds after losing his Men’s Singles first round match against Dane Sweeny of Australia at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2026. (EPA)
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Veteran Monfils Exits to Standing Ovation on Australian Open Farewell

Gael Monfils of France acknowledges to the crowds after losing his Men’s Singles first round match against Dane Sweeny of Australia at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2026. (EPA)
Gael Monfils of France acknowledges to the crowds after losing his Men’s Singles first round match against Dane Sweeny of Australia at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 20 January 2026. (EPA)

French entertainer Gael Monfils was bundled out of the Australian Open in the first round on Tuesday in a brave farewell to a tournament he has lit up so many times.

The 39-year-old, one of the most colorful and popular players in men's tennis, battled all the way but Australian qualifier Dane Sweeny prevailed 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 6-4, 7-5 in an epic lasting nearly four hours.

There was an on-court presentation and standing ovation afterwards for Monfils, who said: "Somehow it is the finish line, but thank you so much for an amazing ride.

"I have a lot of great memories here."

Monfils, who has won 13 ATP titles in a career stretching back to 2004, said in October that this year would be his last in tennis.

Launching his 20th Australian Open campaign, Monfils outlasted Sweeny, who is 15 years his junior, in an attritional first set.

Roared on by a partisan full house at Melbourne Park, Sweeny fought back to seize the second set and level an enthralling match.

Monfils, now ranked 110 but who rose to six in the world in his pomp, looked to be struggling physically in glaring sunshine.

The French veteran was frequently bent over double between points, one hand on his left knee and the other using his racquet to stay upright.

He alternately grimaced and grinned.

Monfils saw a trainer after losing the second set but still trudged out for the third, and was soon broken on the way to losing the set.

In a raucous party atmosphere, Monfils summoned reserves of energy from somewhere to race into a 4-1 lead in the fourth set, only for Sweeny to peg him back.

Sweeny clinched on his first match point before collapsing to the court.

He faces American eighth seed Ben Shelton in round two.

Paris-born Monfils has never won a Grand Slam but he has frequently gone deep in the biggest tournaments, including making the quarter-finals in Melbourne in 2016 and 2022.

Monfils married Ukrainian player Elina Svitolina in 2021 and they welcomed a daughter, Skai, a year later.


Morocco's Igamane Suffers ACL Injury

Morocco's forward #07 Hamza Igamane reacts as he misses his penatly during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) semi-final football match between Nigeria and Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat on January 14, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
Morocco's forward #07 Hamza Igamane reacts as he misses his penatly during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) semi-final football match between Nigeria and Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat on January 14, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
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Morocco's Igamane Suffers ACL Injury

Morocco's forward #07 Hamza Igamane reacts as he misses his penatly during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) semi-final football match between Nigeria and Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat on January 14, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)
Morocco's forward #07 Hamza Igamane reacts as he misses his penatly during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) semi-final football match between Nigeria and Morocco at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat on January 14, 2026. (Photo by FRANCK FIFE / AFP)

Lille striker Hamza Igamane suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in Morocco's Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal, the Ligue 1 side announced on Monday, casting doubt over his participation in this year's World Cup.

The 23-year-old was on the bench ‌for the ‌final, which Senegal ‌won ⁠1-0, before ‌coming on in extra time as the sixth substitute. He lasted seven minutes before going off injured, leaving Walid Regragui's side to finish the match with ⁠10 men.

"Tests carried out on the ‌player have unfortunately confirmed ‍a serious ‍injury. Hamza Igamane has indeed ‍suffered a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee," Reuters quoted Lille as saying in a statement.

"Hamza will be unavailable for several months," it added, with ⁠the injury coming five months before the 2026 World Cup, where Morocco will face Brazil, Scotland and Haiti in Group C.

Igamane, who joined Lille from Rangers in the close season, has scored nine goals in 21 games for the French ‌side in all competitions.


Precision-Serving Former Finalist Rybakina Powers on in Melbourne

Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina signs autographs after her victory against Slovenia's Kaja Juvan in their women's singles match on day three of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 20, 2026. (AFP)
Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina signs autographs after her victory against Slovenia's Kaja Juvan in their women's singles match on day three of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 20, 2026. (AFP)
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Precision-Serving Former Finalist Rybakina Powers on in Melbourne

Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina signs autographs after her victory against Slovenia's Kaja Juvan in their women's singles match on day three of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 20, 2026. (AFP)
Kazakhstan's Elena Rybakina signs autographs after her victory against Slovenia's Kaja Juvan in their women's singles match on day three of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne on January 20, 2026. (AFP)

Former finalist Elena Rybakina warned Tuesday if her serve was firing she would be a threat at the Australian Open, after reinforcing her title credentials with a comfortable first-round victory.

The fifth seed, who lost the 2023 final in three tough sets to Aryna Sabalenka, sent Slovenia's Kaja Juvan packing 6-4, 6-3 with her serve proving a potent weapon.

Rybakina won 83 percent of her first-serve points to keep up her record of safely negotiating the first hurdle at every Grand Slam since the 2022 US Open.

"No matter who is on the other side, if the serve is going, then it's perfect," she said after routinely racing to 40-0 leads and holding to love three times.

"Of course, little things (to work on) on the serve. Maybe adjust, be better in the first few shots of the rally, then we will see how it's going to go.

"But I'm happy with the serve, it really worked today."

It was her second serve that truly separated her from Juvan, winning 10 of 18 points behind it and not facing a break point until the final game of the match.

Rybakina, who won Wimbledon in 2022, faces France's Varvara Gracheva next.