Thiago Silva to Return to Brazilian Club Fluminense after Leaving Chelsea at End of the Season

Football - Premier League - Chelsea v West Ham United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - May 5, 2024 Chelsea's Thiago Silva after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Chelsea v West Ham United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - May 5, 2024 Chelsea's Thiago Silva after the match. (Reuters)
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Thiago Silva to Return to Brazilian Club Fluminense after Leaving Chelsea at End of the Season

Football - Premier League - Chelsea v West Ham United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - May 5, 2024 Chelsea's Thiago Silva after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Chelsea v West Ham United - Stamford Bridge, London, Britain - May 5, 2024 Chelsea's Thiago Silva after the match. (Reuters)

Veteran defender Thiago Silva will return to Brazilian club Fluminense after leaving Chelsea at the end of the season.

The 39-year-old Silva said last week he was not extending his contract with Chelsea and Fluminense announced Tuesday that the center back is joining on a free transfer.

The defending Copa Libertadores champion posted a picture of Silva wearing a Fluminense shirt on social media with the text: “The monster is back.”

Silva played for Fluminense between 2006 and 2008. He left for AC Milan in 2009, and three years later joined Paris Saint-German. The Brazilian joined Chelsea in 2020 and won the Champions League the following year.

The defender was in Brazil’s squad for the last four World Cups. He also won the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2019 Copa América with the national team.

Silva is expected to join Fluminense once Brazil’s transfer window reopens in July.



Habib Becomes 1st Lebanese Player in Open Era to Play in Grand Slam Men's Singles Draw

FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
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Habib Becomes 1st Lebanese Player in Open Era to Play in Grand Slam Men's Singles Draw

FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)
FILE - Hady Habib of Lebanon, right, walks by Carlos Alcaraz of Spain during the men's singles tennis competition, at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Andy Wong,File)

Hady Habib isn't likely to find anything too daunting at the Australian Open now that he's become the first Lebanese player in the Open era to reach a Grand Slam men's singles draw.
He advanced through three rounds of the qualifying at Melbourne Park, winning his third match in a tiebreaker 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (8) over Clement Chidekh of France on Thursday to secure a place in the main draw of the tournament that starts Sunday, The Associated Press reported.
It continued a rapid rise for Habib, who made his Olympic debut last year in Paris, running into eventual silver medalist Carlos Alcaraz, a four-time major winner, in the first round. It was two sets he'll long remember.
Late last year, he made history at Temuco, Chile by becoming the first ATP Challenger Tour champion from Lebanon.
The 26-year-old Habib was born in Houston, Texas and moved to Lebanon as a young child, learning how to play there. He returned to the US to pursue a pro career and feels now like he's representing of the spirit of Lebanese people.
“I know it’s just a sport, but I feel like representing Lebanon and sacrificing all the things I had to do to get here, it kind of resembles how our nation has fought back,” Habib told Australia's SBS News this week.
His personal success has come at a difficult time during the war between Israel and Hezbollah.
“Every morning, I was waking up during that challenging time, I was contacting all my family members, my friends, making sure they’re okay,” Habib told SBS News. "My heart’s just shattered to see what’s happening to our country and people.
“It was a hard time mentally for me, knowing that you can’t do anything to help, but I’m glad things are calming down now. Hopefully we’ll find some peace.”
Habib's first-round opponent at Melbourne Park will be determined when all qualifiers are inserted into the main draw.