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Spurs’ Maddison Says de Zerbi Is the Right Coach for His Game

Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - August 19, 2023 Tottenham Hotspur's James Maddison celebrates after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - August 19, 2023 Tottenham Hotspur's James Maddison celebrates after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)
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Spurs’ Maddison Says de Zerbi Is the Right Coach for His Game

Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - August 19, 2023 Tottenham Hotspur's James Maddison celebrates after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Tottenham Hotspur v Manchester United - Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London, Britain - August 19, 2023 Tottenham Hotspur's James Maddison celebrates after the match. (Action Images via Reuters)

Tottenham midfielder James Maddison on Tuesday praised Roberto De Zerbi as the type of attacking coach that suited his game and said he was "excited" by what lay ahead.

Italy's De Zerbi took over from sacked interim boss Igor Tudor in March when Tottenham were winless in the Premier League in 2026.

He steered them to 17th place and survival with a tense 1-0 win over Everton on the last day of the season and has begun building a new squad with an aggressive summer of spending.

England international Maddison, who missed the majority of last season with a serious knee injury, said in Sydney he was pumped up for the next chapter.

"The manager is very clear, the goal is to be better, to play better football, to be passionate, to be proud to play for this club," said Maddison, who is reportedly set to be named Spurs' new captain.

"I'm still learning the way he plays. But as a player, he's a coach you want to play for because he loves everything with the ball. He's very attacking, and I'm really excited."

The club opened their pre-season tour with an entertaining 2-0 win over A-League champions Auckland FC in New Zealand on Sunday with goals from Dane Scarlett and Richarlison.

They face Sydney FC on Wednesday then meet London rivals Chelsea in Sydney three days later.

"First game of the season, Brentford. It's a big season for us under a new manager. We want to have a successful season," added Maddison of their opening Premier League game on August 22.

"We need to be better than the last couple of seasons. So it's kind of all just preparation leading to that first game.

"We're just stepping up what we've been working on and creating the team, how we want to play and the style we want to play."

De Zerbi's big-money signings so far include midfielders Mateus Fernandes from West Ham and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle. He also raided his old club Brighton for center-back Jan Paul van Hecke.

Full-back Andy Robertson, center-back Marcos Senesi and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka have all arrived on free transfers as the squad takes on a new look.

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Al Ahli Defeats Auckland FC 1-0, Advances to African-Asian-Pacific Cup Final

Al Ahli defeated Auckland FC 1-0 on Wednesday evening in the first round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026. (SPA)
Al Ahli defeated Auckland FC 1-0 on Wednesday evening in the first round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026. (SPA)
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Al Ahli Defeats Auckland FC 1-0, Advances to African-Asian-Pacific Cup Final

Al Ahli defeated Auckland FC 1-0 on Wednesday evening in the first round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026. (SPA)
Al Ahli defeated Auckland FC 1-0 on Wednesday evening in the first round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026. (SPA)

Al Ahli defeated Auckland FC 1-0 on Wednesday evening in the first round of the FIFA Intercontinental Cup 2026, held at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah before a crowd of more than 46,000 fans.

The only goal came in the 63rd minute, scored by Saleh Abu Al-Shamat, the Saudi Press Agency said on Thursday.

With this victory, Al Ahli advanced to the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup final, where they will face African champions Mamelodi Sundowns, the South African side, on September 19.

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Williams Sisters Granted US Open Doubles Wildcard

Serena Williams, left, and Venus Williams, right, both of the United States, wave to the crowd at the end of a women's doubles match against Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, and Peyton Stearns, also of the United States, at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP)
Serena Williams, left, and Venus Williams, right, both of the United States, wave to the crowd at the end of a women's doubles match against Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, and Peyton Stearns, also of the United States, at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP)
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Williams Sisters Granted US Open Doubles Wildcard

Serena Williams, left, and Venus Williams, right, both of the United States, wave to the crowd at the end of a women's doubles match against Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, and Peyton Stearns, also of the United States, at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP)
Serena Williams, left, and Venus Williams, right, both of the United States, wave to the crowd at the end of a women's doubles match against Marta Kostyuk, of Ukraine, and Peyton Stearns, also of the United States, at the Cincinnati Open tennis tournament, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026, in Mason, Ohio. (AP)

Venus and Serena Williams are slated to compete in women's doubles at the 2026 US Open after being granted a wildcard, tournament officials announced Wednesday.

The announcement by the US Tennis Association follows Serena Williams' dramatic return to Arthur Ashe stadium Tuesday when she and mixed double partner Carlos Alcaraz of Spain won their first match before losing in the quarterfinals.

Venus Williams had earlier been granted a USTA wildcard to compete in women's singles, an event Serena Williams is not participating in.

The sisters together have combined for 14 women's doubles Grand Slam titles, including two US Opens. They have also won three gold medals together at Olympics in women's doubles.

The sisters last competed together in New York in 2022 when they lost their opening match to the Czech team of Lucie Hradecka and Linda Noskova.

They dropped their opening match at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month.

The pair had been entered in Wimbledon earlier this summer, but withdrew after Serena suffered an injury in an opening round singles loss.

Sports

English Soccer Star Raheem Sterling Charged with Dangerous Driving after Highway Collision

Raheem Sterling (Reuters)
Raheem Sterling (Reuters)
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English Soccer Star Raheem Sterling Charged with Dangerous Driving after Highway Collision

Raheem Sterling (Reuters)
Raheem Sterling (Reuters)

Former England forward Raheem Sterling has been charged with three offenses including dangerous driving after being involved in a collision on a highway, police said Wednesday.

The charges relate to an incident on May 28 when a Lamborghini was involved in a “single-vehicle collision” on the M3 in southern England, the Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary said in a statement provided to The Associated Press.

The 31-year-old Sterling is accused of dangerous driving, possession of nitrous oxide — also known as laughing gas — for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a sample for suspected alcohol or substance use, said the police force, which added that no other vehicles were involved in the collision and no injuries were reported.

Sterling is due to appear at a magistrates’ court on Sept. 15 for a hearing.

Sterling is currently without a club. He has played for a number of England's top teams — Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal — and was at Dutch club Feyenoord on a short-term deal last season.