Egypt Goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy Ruled Out of Africa Cup with Dislocated Shoulder

 Egypt's goalkeeper #16 Mohamed El Shenawy reacts during a press conference at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan on January 17, 2024 on the eve of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations football match between Egypt and Ghana. (AFP)
Egypt's goalkeeper #16 Mohamed El Shenawy reacts during a press conference at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan on January 17, 2024 on the eve of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations football match between Egypt and Ghana. (AFP)
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Egypt Goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy Ruled Out of Africa Cup with Dislocated Shoulder

 Egypt's goalkeeper #16 Mohamed El Shenawy reacts during a press conference at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan on January 17, 2024 on the eve of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations football match between Egypt and Ghana. (AFP)
Egypt's goalkeeper #16 Mohamed El Shenawy reacts during a press conference at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan on January 17, 2024 on the eve of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations football match between Egypt and Ghana. (AFP)

Egypt’s hopes of a record-extending eighth Africa Cup of Nations title have suffered another blow after goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy was ruled out by a dislocated shoulder.

El Shenawy was to travel to Germany for “medical examinations with a doctor specializing in shoulder injuries,” the Egyptian Football Association said on Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter.

It said El Shenawy’s trip to Germany was coordinated with his club, Al Ahly.

El Shenawy was injured on Monday at the end of Egypt’s 2-2 draw with Cape Verde, a result that allowed the Pharaohs to squeeze into the last 16 because Ghana conceded two late goals to draw with Mozambique 2-2 in the other Group B game.

Egypt star Mohamed Salah is also likely out for the rest of the tournament with a hamstring injury from the 2-2 draw with Ghana.



French Veteran Gael Monfils Becomes the Oldest Player to Win an ATP Tour Singles Title

 Gael Monfils of France holds up the trophy after defeating Zizou Bergs of Belgium to win the men's singles of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (David Rowland/Photosport via AP)
Gael Monfils of France holds up the trophy after defeating Zizou Bergs of Belgium to win the men's singles of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (David Rowland/Photosport via AP)
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French Veteran Gael Monfils Becomes the Oldest Player to Win an ATP Tour Singles Title

 Gael Monfils of France holds up the trophy after defeating Zizou Bergs of Belgium to win the men's singles of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (David Rowland/Photosport via AP)
Gael Monfils of France holds up the trophy after defeating Zizou Bergs of Belgium to win the men's singles of the ASB Classic tennis tournament at Manuka Doctor Arena in Auckland, New Zealand, Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (David Rowland/Photosport via AP)

French veteran Gael Monfils became the oldest player to win an ATP Tour title after beating Zizou Bergs 6-3, 6-4 in Auckland on Saturday.

Monfils claimed his 13th tour title 20 years after his first and at the age of 38 years, 132 days. He took over from Roger Federer, who was 38 years, 74 days old when he won the final tour title of his career, the Swiss Indoor title at Basel in 2019.

Monfils currently is ranked 52 and is the oldest player in the history of the ATP Tour to be ranked in the top 100.

Pancho Gonzalez was 44 years, 7 months and 4 days old when he won a Kingston, Jamaica singles title in 1972, prior to the formation of the ATP Tour in 1990.

The Auckland final was delayed on Saturday by a medical emergency in the crowd but Monfils showed the same mixture of aggression and tenacious defense to claim his first title since the Stockholm Open in 2023.

Prior to the start of the Auckland tournament, Monfils spoke about how his love of tennis kept him going.

“I love tennis. I love what I’m doing so of course all the sacrifices you do, they are a little bit easier. When you love something, it’s easier to keep pushing,” he said.

“I’ve been enjoying myself since the first day I played tennis and (at) 60 years old I will still have this joy. Practice, it’s easy. It’s in the DNA. Stay in shape, it’s easy. It’s more the travel.”

After collecting the Auckland trophy, Monfils headed straight to the airport for a flight to Melbourne where he will face Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round of the Australian Open.