Alcaraz Says He Would Pick Paris Olympics Gold Over French Open Crown 

Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz offers a press conference prior to his debut at the IEB+ Argentina Open tennis tournament, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12 February 2024. (EPA)
Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz offers a press conference prior to his debut at the IEB+ Argentina Open tennis tournament, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12 February 2024. (EPA)
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Alcaraz Says He Would Pick Paris Olympics Gold Over French Open Crown 

Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz offers a press conference prior to his debut at the IEB+ Argentina Open tennis tournament, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12 February 2024. (EPA)
Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz offers a press conference prior to his debut at the IEB+ Argentina Open tennis tournament, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, 12 February 2024. (EPA)

Carlos Alcaraz will have the chance to win the Olympic tennis title at Roland Garros this year as well as the French Open crown and while he will be gunning for both the Spaniard said if forced to choose, he would pick the Paris Games gold.

The Olympic tennis tournament will take place in July, a month after the year's second Grand Slam on the same claycourts in the French capital.

"For me, it's a dream to bring a medal to my country and winning gold is one of the greatest things that can happen to you in the world of sport," Alcaraz told reporters in Buenos Aires, where he will defend his title this week.

"This year, if you gave me a choice, I'd say that I will keep the Olympic gold, although I would like to win both. I'm not going to lie."

The 20-year-old won the US Open in 2022 and Wimbledon last year but failed to add to his Grand Slam collection last month after going out in the Australian Open quarter-finals to Alexander Zverev, who won Olympic gold in Tokyo.

While German Zverev leads their career meetings 5-3, Alcaraz said world number one Novak Djokovic and Melbourne Park champion Jannik Sinner were top of the tree.

"I think Djokovic and Sinner are the rivals to beat, there is no doubt, both for me and for everyone," world number two Alcaraz added.

"Zverev also has the winning head-to-head against me, he's a rival I have very much in my mind, but I do think that Djokovic and Sinner are at the top right now."



Haaland Scores Outrageous Goal for Man City in Champions League

Manchester City's Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland (C) celebrates scoring the team's fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League football match between Manchester City and Sparta Prague at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on October 23, 2024. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
Manchester City's Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland (C) celebrates scoring the team's fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League football match between Manchester City and Sparta Prague at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on October 23, 2024. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
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Haaland Scores Outrageous Goal for Man City in Champions League

Manchester City's Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland (C) celebrates scoring the team's fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League football match between Manchester City and Sparta Prague at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on October 23, 2024. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)
Manchester City's Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland (C) celebrates scoring the team's fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League football match between Manchester City and Sparta Prague at the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on October 23, 2024. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Erling Haaland scored an outrageous backheel volley in the Champions League on Wednesday to issue a timely reminder of his own credentials as a potential Ballon d'Or winner.
A day after Vinicius Junior hit a hat trick for Real Madrid, Haaland scored an early contender for goal of the season with his acrobatic effort in Manchester City's 5-0 win against Sparta Prague.
Vinicius Junior is the favorite to win soccer's most prestigious individual prize when it is presented at a gala ceremony in Paris on Monday. But Haaland, who came runner-up to Lionel Messi for last year's award, once again showcased his scoring prowess with two goals as City set a new Champions League record of 26 games unbeaten, The Associated Press reported.
Haaland's volley in the 58th minute at the Etihad Stadium was a moment of individual brilliance. From around six meters and with his back to goal, the Norway striker leaped in the air and flicked the back of his foot to meet Savinho's cross from the right. Connecting powerfully with his heel, the ball shot down into the turf and bounced high into the top corner beyond Prague goalkeeper Peter Vindahl.
“If I tried to do that I’d pull my groin. I don’t know how he did it, I just think it’s just his long legs. He’s a freak isn’t he?” Haaland’s City teammate Phil Foden said. “It shows he has this talent that no one else can do.”
City manager Pep Guardiola said the goal was not normal “for a human” and likened the forward to Sweden great Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
“It’s unbelievable this talent that this guy has,” he said.
Haaland scored his second in the 68th to take his season's total to 13 goals in 12 games in all competitions. His record in the Champions League is now 44 goals in 42 games.
Cristiano Ronaldo is the all-time leading scorer in European club soccer's elite competition with 141 goals. Messi is second on 129. Haaland is 17th and rising quickly.
But he is expected to miss out on this year's Ballon d'Or with Vinicius Junior seen as the man to beat, ahead of Haaland's City teammate Rodri.
Haaland, however, is likely to contend for years to come if he continues his goal scoring exploits, with Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe leading a new generation after Messi and Ronaldo dominated the award for more than a decade.
Neither of those soccer greats, who won 13 titles between them, were nominated this year, appearing to usher in a new era.