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Bundesliga Straggler Bochum Fires Coach after 8 Games in Charge and No Wins

Bochum coach Peter Zeidler gestures on the sidelines, during a German Bundesliga soccer match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and VfL Bochum, in Sinsheim, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)
Bochum coach Peter Zeidler gestures on the sidelines, during a German Bundesliga soccer match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and VfL Bochum, in Sinsheim, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)
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Bundesliga Straggler Bochum Fires Coach after 8 Games in Charge and No Wins

Bochum coach Peter Zeidler gestures on the sidelines, during a German Bundesliga soccer match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and VfL Bochum, in Sinsheim, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)
Bochum coach Peter Zeidler gestures on the sidelines, during a German Bundesliga soccer match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and VfL Bochum, in Sinsheim, Germany, Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. (Uwe Anspach/dpa via AP)

Last-place Bundesliga club Bochum has fired coach Peter Zeidler after he failed to win any of his first eight games in charge.

Bochum said late Sunday it was releasing Zeidler and sporting director Marc Lettau from their roles because “conviction is lacking” that the team could avoid relegation from the German top division under their management.

Zeidler, who was hired in June, lost six of the seven Bundesliga games during his tenure and his last game was a 3-1 loss at Hoffenheim on Saturday. Zeidler's only point came in a 2-2 draw with Holstein Kiel, the only other winless team in the league. Bochum also lost to second-division Jahn Regensburg in the German Cup.

Zeidler, who had never previously coached in the Bundesliga, had a tough task from the start with a team which only survived in the Bundesliga last season in a penalty shootout in last season's relegation-promotion playoff.

Bochum has yet to name a replacement for Zeidler. Whoever takes over is likely to have a tricky start as Bochum faces Bayern Munich on Sunday before games against Eintracht Frankfurt, Bayer Leverkusen and Stuttgart.

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Muchova Overcomes Gauff Hoodoo to Reach Stuttgart Semis

Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates winning her quarter-finals match against Coco Gauff of the USA at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, 17 April 2026. (EPA)
Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates winning her quarter-finals match against Coco Gauff of the USA at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, 17 April 2026. (EPA)
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Muchova Overcomes Gauff Hoodoo to Reach Stuttgart Semis

Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates winning her quarter-finals match against Coco Gauff of the USA at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, 17 April 2026. (EPA)
Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic celebrates winning her quarter-finals match against Coco Gauff of the USA at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix tournament in Stuttgart, Germany, 17 April 2026. (EPA)

Karolina Muchova broke through for a first win over Coco Gauff on Friday, eliminating the French Open champion in three sets in the quarter-finals in Stuttgart.

Muchova had never beaten world number three Gauff in six matches, including a loss in the fourth round of this year's Australian Open, but prevailed 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 to reach the Stuttgart semi-finals for the first time.

The 12th-ranked Muchova will face Elina Svitolina for a place in the final.

After ensuring Gauff exited the tournament in the quarter-finals for the third straight year, Muchova said she tried not to let the daunting record impact her preparation.

"It was a great fight. I'm just happy that I finally, finally beat her," Muchova said.

"This was actually our first match on a clay court. On clay we were 0-0 in the matches -- I tried to keep it positive."

Earlier on Friday, fourth seed Svitolina moved past Czech Linda Noskova 7-6 (7/2), 7-5 to book her semi-final spot.

The in-form Ukrainian has now reached five semi-finals this season.

Svitolina told reporters she had re-discovered her fighting spirit after a difficult 2025.

"I had a really difficult end of last year, struggling a bit mentally," Svitolina said. "I think my fighting spirit is back this year. I'm very pleased with that."

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Zverev Fights Past Cerundolo to Reach Munich Semis

Tennis - ATP 500 - Munich Open - MTTC Iphitos, Munich, Germany - April 14, 2026 Germany's Alexander Zverev celebrates after winning his round of 32 match against Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic. (Reuters)
Tennis - ATP 500 - Munich Open - MTTC Iphitos, Munich, Germany - April 14, 2026 Germany's Alexander Zverev celebrates after winning his round of 32 match against Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic. (Reuters)
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Zverev Fights Past Cerundolo to Reach Munich Semis

Tennis - ATP 500 - Munich Open - MTTC Iphitos, Munich, Germany - April 14, 2026 Germany's Alexander Zverev celebrates after winning his round of 32 match against Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic. (Reuters)
Tennis - ATP 500 - Munich Open - MTTC Iphitos, Munich, Germany - April 14, 2026 Germany's Alexander Zverev celebrates after winning his round of 32 match against Serbia's Miomir Kecmanovic. (Reuters)

Top seed Alexander Zverev battled back from a set down to beat Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo on Friday and book a spot in the semi-finals of the Munich ATP tournament.

The three-time Munich champion won 5-7, 6-0, 6-2 and will take on Italy's Flavio Cobolli on Saturday for a place in the final.

Zverev burst out of the blocks and served for a 5-1 lead in the opening set but appeared to suddenly lose his rhythm, winning just one more game as Cerundolo powered back to take the opening set.

As the second set began, and with the support of the home crowd, the 28-year-old found his form as swiftly as he had lost it, bouncing back to win the final two sets while dropping just two games.

"Even in the first set when I was up 4-1, he started playing unbelievable. He started returning unbelievable," Zverev said.

"My first-serve percentage was very high, and he started returning a foot in front of the baseline. So there was nothing I could do, to be honest."

The German came into Friday's match holding a 4-3 career advantage over the fifth-seeded Cerundolo but had never previously beaten the Argentine in three matches on clay.

"Definitely happy to get the win today against Francisco, for the first time on clay," Zverev said on court after the win.

Zverev, whose most recent title came in Munich a year ago, is chasing a record fourth triumph at the tournament, having also won in 2017 and 2018.

On the other side of the draw, American second seed Ben Shelton overcame Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca to keep hopes of a 2025 Munich final rematch with Zverev alive.

Shelton, the world number six, won 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 and will take on either Denis Shapovalov or Alex Molcan in the semi-finals.

The American has never won a clay court tournament, having lost in straight sets to Zverev in Munich a year ago.

Earlier, Cobolli was the first to book a spot in the final four after he defeated Czech Vit Kopriva 6-3, 6-2.

Playing on his favorite surface, the fourth seed won the opening set and cruised to a 5-1 lead in the second. He missed two match points on Kopriva's serve before finishing it off in the following game.

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Iran Women Players Thank Australian Government for Protection

A street lined with Iranian flags in Tehran, Iran, April 16, 2026. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
A street lined with Iranian flags in Tehran, Iran, April 16, 2026. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
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Iran Women Players Thank Australian Government for Protection

A street lined with Iranian flags in Tehran, Iran, April 16, 2026. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani
A street lined with Iranian flags in Tehran, Iran, April 16, 2026. REUTERS/Thaier Al-Sudani

Iranian women's soccer players Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh thanked the Australian government on Friday for offering a "safe haven" and said they wished to resume their sporting careers after rebuilding their lives.

In their first public comments since being granted humanitarian visas, the players said in a statement the compassion and support shown to them had provided them hope for a future where they could live and compete in safety.

"We wish to express our ⁠deepest gratitude to ⁠the Australian government, and particularly Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke, for granting us humanitarian protection and a safe haven in this beautiful country," Reuters quoted them as saying.

Australia initially granted humanitarian visas to six players and one support staff member from ⁠the Iran squad after their Asian Cup campaign in Australia began just as the United States and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran.

Five of the group subsequently changed their minds and decided to return home, leaving only Pasandideh and Ramezanisadeh in Australia.

The duo began training with A-League Women's team Brisbane Roar last month.

"At this stage, our primary focus is on our safety, our health ⁠and beginning ⁠the process of rebuilding our lives," they said.

"We are elite athletes, and it remains our dream to continue our sporting careers here in Australia."

Concerns over the Iranian players' safety surfaced after several players did not sing the national anthem at an Asian Cup match, with Iranian state TV labelling them "wartime traitors".

The rest of the team arrived home in Iran last month via the Turkish border after a fraught return journey from Australia.