Sports

Heartbreak for Ons Jabeur as she loses second Wimbledon final

Published

10 months ago

July 16, 2023

It was another heart break for Tunisian tennis star, Ons Jabeur after she lost her second Wimbledon final in two years following her defeat on Saturday by unseeded Marketa Vondrousova of Czech Republic.

Jabuer, who is seeded sixth in the WTA, lost 6-4, 6-4 to Vondrousova who made history as the first unseeded Grand Slam champion in the open era.

The defeat also means Jabuer’s quest to become the first African woman to win a Grand Slam will have to wait.

Jabeur is also still searching for her first Grand Slam title having also reached the final of the US Open last year, but despite pundits rating her above the 24-year-old Vondrousova, let a volley of unforced errors to mar her chances.

After the game, a tearful Jabeur told journalists she would try and come back stronger next year.

“I will try but this is very, very tough but I’m gonna look ugly in the photos so,” Jabeur said.

“I think this is the most painful loss of my career so. First I wanna say congratulations to Marketa and her team for this amazing win. You are an amazing player and I know you had a lot of injuries so I’m very happy for you.

“I don’t know, it’s just going to be a tough day for me today but I’m not going to give up and I’m going to come back stronger.

“It’s an amazing tournament for me I wish I continued until the end I wanna thnk my team for always believing in me and we’re going to make it one day, I promise you.

“Thank you guys for coming thank you for cheering for me, the energy is amazing. I really appreciate your support, it’s been a tough journey but that’s tennis but I promise I’ll come back one day and win this tournament.”

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Sports

Al Ahly, Esperance to clash in CAF Champions League final

Published

57 mins ago

April 27, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Two of Africa’s club giants, Egypt’s Al Ahly and Esperance of Tunisia, will do battle next month over two legs for the right to be crowned champions of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Title-holders Al Ahly and their long-standing rivals Esperance both booked their places in the final with dramatic semi-final victories over DR Congo”s TP Mazembe and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa respectively on Friday night.

While Al Ahly, winners of five of the last seven editions of the continent’s top draw tournament, with a record 11 in total, overcame TP Mazembe with a 3-0 aggregate victory in the semi-final second leg after a goalless first leg last Saturday, Esperance surprised Sundowns with a 1-0 victory in Pretoria to wrap up a 2-0 aggregate win.

The two-legged final will mark the third encounter between Ahly and Esperance in the Champions League final, with the Egyptians winning in 2012 and the Tunisians triumphing in 2018.

In 2023, the two clubs clashed in the semi-finals with Ahly emerging victorious home and away, securing a 4-0 aggregate triumph.

Esperance who are aiming for a fifth Champions League title, will host the first leg in Rades on May 18, with the return fixture scheduled in Cairo seven days later.

Sports

Former Zambian captain Rainford Kalaba discharged from hospital after near-fatal accident

Published

1 day ago

April 26, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Former Zambian national team captain, Rainford Kalaba, has been discharged from hospital weeks after he was involved in a near-fatal accident where he sustained serious injuries.

The accident which involved a head-on collision between a Mercedes-Benz car in which Kalaba was in, and a truck, had initially sparked fears for his life and has since been in the Intensive Care Unit of the Zambian University Teaching Hospital (UTH).

The good news on the footballer’s progress was released by the UTH Public Relations Officer, Nzeba Chanda, who informed that the Chipolopolo legend has been discharged after showing positive signs of recovery.

“Mr. Rainford Kalaba has been discharged from the UTH-Adult where he was admitted after being involved in a road traffic accident two weeks ago,” Chanda said, adding that Kalaba will continue his recovery at his family home.

According to local media reports, the 37-year-old was a passenger in a Mercedes Benz when it collided with an oncoming truck in the south-eastern Zambian town of Kafue a week and five days ago.

In his active playing days, Kalaba spent the majority of his club career at TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, winning the CAF Champions League with the club in 2015 and the CAF Confederation Cup in 2016.

He also had a spell with clubsides in Portugal including FC Braga, and was a major part of the Zambian squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 under Frenchman, Herve Renard.