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Is Novak Djokovic playing Laver Cup?
Tennis

“I think he might have a chance to beat Djokovic” : Taylor Fritz believes Jakub Mensik can claim maiden ATP Masters title in Miami

“I think he might have a chance to beat Djokovic” : Taylor Fritz believes Jakub Mensik can claim maiden ATP Masters title in Miami Jakub Mensik has had an incredible run at the 2025 Miami Masters. The Czech tennis plater is only one win away from creating history, and claiming his maiden Masters title. However, he has had a huge hurdle to clear, as he faces Novak Djokovic in the finals on Sunday. Jakub Mensik toppled the home favorite Taylor Fritz in the semifinals in a three set thriller. The youngster held his nerve in the final set tiebreaker to book a place in the finals. Taylor Fritz was impressed with the Czech’s impressive serve during the semifinals. He believes that Mensik’s biggest weapon during the finals would be his serve. Although, Novak Djokovic enters the final as the favorite, however, Fritz backs the youngster tp spring up a surprise or two. He believes that Jakub Mensik’s serves are not only powerful, but are very precise. He served 25 aces in the semifinals against Fritz, and gave his opponent only two break point opportunities. “That doesn’t console me, I was unable to play at the necessary level in either of the two tiebreaks, so I feel horrible. His serve is great, it has always been powerful, but now he also places it with incredible precision. It’s also amazing how he has improved in all aspects of his game in a short time, I think he might have a chance to beat Djokovic, it all depends on whether the Serbian can read his serve better than I can,” said Fritz. “Every match I’m getting better and better” : Jakub Mensik Jakub Mensik made his debut on the ATP tour only last year, and has made quite an impression since the start of the year. The Czech tennis prodigy believes that he is getting better with every match. He has already had some big wins this season, which includes the likes of Jack Draper in Miami, and Casper Ruud in Australia. “Of course, I finished (a) few weeks ago my first year on the tour, so actually (I’m) still pretty young. Yeah, that’s just the journey, the thing that I’m feeling. It’s not just one particular match or situation, but it’s all the tournaments, all the matches. Every match I’m getting better and better,” the Czech said. Novak Djokovic has recovered from a sluggish start to the season, and has reached the finals in Miami without dropping a single set. Defeating the Serbian will not be an easy task given that he looks to be back in top form. However, Jakub Mensik can serve well, and play his natural aggressive game, he might be able to give the Serbian a run for his money. Also Read: “We’re in the same part of the draw, so I hope we both reach the semifinals” : Carlos Alcaraz on crossing paths with Novak Djokovic

Tennis

“People awfully quiet that Radacanu is winning now” : Nick Kyrgios calls out critics after Brit’s remarkable run in Miami

“People awfully quiet that Radacanu is winning now” : Nick Kyrgios calls out critics after Brit’s remarkable run in Miami Nick Kyrgios has called out critics after Emma Raducanu’s terrific run in Miami. After her incredible run at the 2021 US Open, Emma Raducanu has consistently struggled with injuries, and form. This has even led to fans and pundits calling her 2021 US Open triumph a fluke. However, there are some promising signs of the Briton getting back to her best. She defeated Emma Navarro in a tight three set battle in the second round, before taking out McCartney Kessler in the third round. Nick Kyrgios has been a huge admirer of Raducanu’s tennis, and has called out the so called critics of the Briton. Her uptick in performance comes after yet another change in her coaching staff. The Briton parted ways with Vladimir Platenik, who was also the seventh coach of her career. The Slovakian only lasted for 14 days in Raducanu’s camp before he was sacked. “People awfully quiet that Radacanu is winning now,’ the Australian wrote. ‘Where all the experts at now? Lol coach’s overrated [sic],” Kyrgios wrote on Twitter. Emma Raducanu storms into Miami quarterfinals Emma Raducanu’s spectacular run continues in Miami, as she took out yet another American in the last 16 on Monday. She defeated Amanda Anisimova in straight sets to progress into the quarterfinals. The Briton has now defeated 8th seed Emma Navarro, and 17th seed Amanda Anisimova in Miami. Prior to the Miami Open, Emma Raducanu could only manage to win one match after the 2025 Australian Open. As far as injuries are concerned, the Briton has remained relatively fit since the start of the year. She was defeated by Moyuka Uchijima in the first round at the Indian Wells Open. She will look to carry on her form, and go all the way in Miami. This will help her accumulate some crucial WTA points, which would be pivotal before the clay court season. Also Read: “We’re in the same part of the draw, so I hope we both reach the semifinals” : Carlos Alcaraz on crossing paths with Novak Djokovic

Formula 1

“The abuse that the poor guy [Gianpiero Lambiase]’s taken and you never write about it” : Lewis Hamilton aims cheeky dig at Max Verstappen

“The abuse that the poor guy [Gianpiero Lambiase]’s taken and you never write about it” : Lewis Hamilton aims cheeky dig at Max Verstappen Lewis Hamilton had a disappointing start to his F1 career with Ferrari, as he finished P10 in his first race in Melbourne. An incorrect strategy pushed Lewis Hamilton down the pecking order, with Charles Leclerc also managing just a P8 finish. Over the course of the race, Lewis Hamilton was heard having some uncomfortable conversations with his race engineer. The Briton has downplayed any sort of issues between himself and his race engineer, Adami. He believes that the issue has been blown out of proportion, as both of them are still getting used to one another. He also placed his trust on Adami, who has worked with two world champions in the past. “I mean, naturally, everyone overegged,” Hamilton is quoted as saying by Sky Sports. “It was literally just a back-and-forth. I was very polite in how I had suggested it. I said: ‘leave it to me, please’. “I wasn’t saying ‘F you’. I wasn’t swearing. So it was just at that point, I was really struggling with the car and I needed full focus on these couple of things. We’re getting to know each other. He’s obviously had two champions or more in the past and there’s no issues between us still.” “Ultimately, we’re literally just getting to know each other,” he added. “So afterwards I’m like: ‘hey bro, I don’t need that bit of information but if you want to give me this, this is the place I’d like to do it’. This is how I’m feeling in the car and, at these points, this is when I do and don’t need the information’. “That’s what it’s about. There are no issues, it’s done with a smiley face and we move forwards.” Lewis Hamilton draws comparisons to Max Verstappen’s heated exchanges with race engineer Lewis Hamilton aimed a jibe at Max Verstappen, stating that the Dutchman has had a history of heated conversations with his race engineer, Gianpiero Lambiase. Lewis Hamilton sympathized with Lambiase stating that he has had to deal with way worse radio calls. However, he believes that the media never made it a point when it was related to Max Verstappen. The seven-time world champion was surprised to see the attention his radio calls were getting over the last week. “Go and listen to the radio calls with others and their engineers, far worse,” Hamilton said. “But unfortunately, you make… the conversation that Max has with an engineer over the years, the abuse that the poor guy [Gianpiero Lambiase]’s taken and you never write about it, but you wrote about the smallest little discussion I had with mine.” In a shocking turn of events, Lewis Hamilton finished on pole in the sprint qualifying in China. The Briton just pipped his former rival Max Verstappen by the barest of margins, as the duo will once again start on the front row. This was a great recovery from Ferrari, after their poor start to the season last week in Australia.

Tennis

“We’re in the same part of the draw, so I hope we both reach the semifinals” : Carlos Alcaraz on crossing paths with Novak Djokovic

“We’re in the same part of the draw, so I hope we both reach the semifinals” : Carlos Alcaraz on crossing paths with Novak Djokovic Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have been placed in the same half of the draw at the 2025 Miami Masters. The Spaniard opens his campaign against David Goffin in the second round in Miami. He could face the 24-time Grand Slam champion in the semifinals, if both of them win their respective matches. Carlos Alcaraz hopes to face Novak Djokovic in the semifinals in Miami. However, he believes there are many matches to win before he can enter the semifinals. The duo last faced off against each other at the Australian Open this year, where the Serbian came through in four sets. Carlos Alcaraz has not been in his best form this season. He was defeated in the semifinals of the Indian Wells by Jack Draper, who went on to claim the title “We’re in the same part of the draw, so I hope we both reach the semifinals. As I said before, these are the matches that attract tennis fans, because I find every match between us a pleasure to watch. But at the end of the day, it’s a Masters 1000. There are still many rounds to think about in the semifinals,” said Alcaraz. Carlos Alcaraz heaps praise on Jack Draper Carlos Alcaraz has heaped praise on Jack Draper, who defeated him in three sets in the semifinals of Indian Wells. The Briton then went on to claim the title, defeating Holger Rune in straight sets in the final. Carlos Alcaraz stated that Jack Draper has evolved as a tennis player, and applauded the level of tennis he displayed at Indian Wells. “He’s playing great tennis at the moment. He played every point with a lot of quality. To me, the most important thing is that he’s grown physically. That’s key for his mind because now his confidence is even higher. In Indian Wells, he played great tennis. His mental level is good enough to play at the highest level throughout an entire match. I think that makes him a tough opponent,” said the Spaniard. Carlos Alcaraz will look to claim his second title of the season at Miami Masters. He was defeated in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open last year, and in the semifinals in 2023. This tournament will mark the Spaniard’s last event before the clay court season.

Formula 1

“With Lewis joining, that chance only got increased” : Carlos Sainz on Ferrari winning the World Championship

“With Lewis joining, that chance only got increased” : Carlos Sainz on Ferrari winning the World Championship Lewis Hamilton announced his mega move to Ferrari last year, as he leaves Mercedes after spending almost over a decade. The Briton will replace Carlos Sainz at Ferrari, who spent four seasons driving alongside his teammate Charles Leclerc. Now, Carlos Sainz will move to Williams, as Lewis Hamilton will partner Charles Leclerc at Ferrari. The Spaniard stated that he had no personal experience racing alongside Lewis Hamilton, however, he believes that the Briton will do well at his new team. Carlos Sainz believes that the credentials Lewis Hamilton brings with him will just add to Ferrari’s strength in the coming years. The veteran has won seven world championship titles, which includes six titles at Mercedes. “I’ve never been team-mates with Lewis, so I don’t know what he’s capable of doing. I’ve never seen his data. I’ve seen Charles [Leclerc] and I know how good Charles is, but I’ve never been team-mates with Lewis,” said Sainz. “And the only way you can more or less evaluate a driver is when you’re their team-mate and you see what they’re capable of doing. “When I judge by results and his background and what he’s achieved, I can only say there is a very high chance that obviously he is going to be competitive at Ferrari.” Carlos Sainz believes that Ferrari can win the world championship Carlos Sainz believes that Ferrari were in a good position to win the world championship during the last couple of years. The Spaniard also believes that Charles Leclerc is well positioned to win his first title in the near future. Carlos Sainz reckons that with the addition of Lewis Hamilton, Ferrari are only going to get stronger, and closer to the world championship title. “I can only say when I left Ferrari, I did feel the team – both Ferrari and Charles – were ready to fight for a World Championship. And with Lewis joining, that chance only got increased.” Lewis Hamilton has struggled over the course of the last three seasons, which has been majorly due to Mercedes’ inability to keep pace with the likes of Red Bull, Ferrari and McLaren. The Briton claimed his first race victory in almost three years at the Silverstone GP last year. He went on to win the Belgian GP as well, which helped him have a respectable season. The seven-time champion will be expecting more from Ferrari this season, as he sets his sight on a record breaking eighth world title. Also Read: “Lewis can’t do that. He’s never been able to do that” : Michael Schumacher’s brother Ralf places heavy criticism over Lewis Hamilton

Tennis

“I would say Nadal would be the one that probably stands out [as] my biggest opponent and biggest rival” : Novak Djokovic

“I would say Nadal would be the one that probably stands out [as] my biggest opponent and biggest rival” : Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic has named Rafael Nadal as his biggest and toughest rival over his playing career. The two players have shared the court on multiple occasions, and have given their fans some memorable matches in the past 15 years. Rafael Nadal announced his retirement from tennis last season, as Novak Djokovic remains the only member of the Big Three to be competing on the tour. Novak Djokovic returns to action at the Doha Open this week after he was forced to withdraw from the Australian Open semifinals owing to a hamstring injury. The Serbian will face the 2021 Wimbledon runner-up Matteo Berrettini in an entertaining first round clash. Ahead of the Qatar Open, Novak Djokovic was asked about his toughest rival till date. The Serbian mentioned that they had to be the likes of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, however if given a choice, he would pick the former. “You probably know the names Federer and Nadal,” he said. “I would say Nadal would be the one that probably stands out [as] my biggest opponent and biggest rival.” Novak Djokovic describes how he started playing tennis Novak Djokovic revealed how he started playing tennis from a very early age. The Serbian stated that he grew up in the mountains, and started playing the sport accidentally at the age of four. “I grew up on the mountains in my country, and that’s where I actually started to play tennis when I was four or five years old,” he said. “It happened by accident, even though in life there are no accidents. Everything happens for a reason. I saw a couple of tennis courts that were being made, and I was helping the workers to make the tennis court. I was, of course, very young and very curious.” “In return for me bringing them drinks and helping them construct the tennis court, I got free hours, when the courts were being made. That’s that’s how I fell in love with this beautiful sport.” Novak Djokovic has achieved almost everything the sport has to offer. He completed his trophy cabinet last season, when he defeated Carlos Alcaraz in the finals of the Paris Olympics to win the Olympic gold medal. The Serbian has been struggling with injuries since the past couple of months, which also hampered his chances of winning his 11th Australian Open title. Novak Djokovic returns to the court once again this week in Doha, as he will look to climb up the rankings in the next couple of months. With as many as five Masters tournaments scheduled for the next three months, the veteran will hope to remain in good shape, as he continues his bid to win a record 25th Grand Slam title. Also Read: “I like the comparison between Novak being injured and beating Carlos” : Patrick Mouratoglou draws interesting parallel between Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner

Lewis Hamilton
Formula 1

Former F1 driver says it would be the “Greatest thing that has ever happened in Formula 1” if Lewis Hamilton wins his eighth WDC title at Ferrari

Former F1 driver says it would be the “Greatest thing that has ever happened in Formula 1” if Lewis Hamilton wins his eighth WDC title at Ferrari Lewis Hamilton announced his sensational move to Ferrari last season, as he joins the Italian team after spending over a decade at Mercedes. The Briton won six world championship titles during his reign at the Silver Arrows, as he now moves to their rivals’ garage. Former Ferrari driver Gerhard Berger explained the rationale behind the Briton’s move to Ferrari. He stated that the veteran needed a new challenge, given that he had spent so many years at Mercedes. Moreover, the Silver Arrows were not really competitive in the last couple of seasons. “I think Hamilton needs new motivation. He has had two problems: the Mercedes has only been a winning car on exceptional occasions, and he has now been in the same team for so long that only a change of scenery will help,” Berger said. However, Berger does believe that the Briton will struggle against Charles Leclerc’s speed at Ferrari. The Monaco based driver has been a part of the Ferrari setup for quite a while, and he will be itching to win his first championship next season. “Finishing fifth is not a result that motivates Hamilton. He’ll have to grit his teeth again at Ferrari and could well be at his best once more. On the other hand, I think he’ll struggle against Leclerc’s speed. It’s going to be a very tight race.” Gerhard Berger backs Ferrari to win at least one title next season Gerhard Berger believes that it would be one of the greatest things in the sport if Lewis Hamilton wins his eighth world championship title at Ferrari this season. He believes that Ferrari were consistently fast last season, and backs them to win at least one championship this season. “Yes. If Hamilton could become World Champion in a Ferrari, it would be the greatest thing that has ever happened in Formula 1 in terms of marketing. I would put my money on Ferrari this season. I can’t say whether Hamilton or Leclerc will win the Drivers‘ or Constructors’ World Championship, but they will win a title. That’s my personal impression,” said Berger. “Ferrari was almost always fast last year, with a few slip-ups. I trust Fred Vasseur to get this volatility out of the system. It took a while, but I think they are very close,” he added. Gerhard Berger places his trust in Fred Vasseur, as he believes he can inspire Ferrari to be world champions once again. He also stated that Ferrari have a great team in place, in terms of both drivers, and the engineering team. Hence, Berger believes that his former team head into the season as one of the favorites. “They are well positioned in terms of engine and chassis and have top drivers. Vasseur makes a good impression. He is calm, thoughtful, always on point, and he delivers.” “That has been the case at all the stations in the motorsport world where he has been so far. It was a good decision by Ferrari to sign him. And it was clear that it would take a year or two for his work to pay off.” “Now I have the feeling that it’s starting to work. I also think it’s great that he got Hamilton. Vasseur will bring Ferrari back to the top.” Also Read: “Lewis can’t do that. He’s never been able to do that” : Michael Schumacher’s brother Ralf places heavy criticism over Lewis Hamilton

Mikel Arteta Arsenal
Football

“We’re going to really go for it” : Mikel Arteta sends a message to Liverpool after closing the gap on the league leaders

“We’re going to really go for it” : Mikel Arteta sends a message to Liverpool after closing the gap on the league leaders Mikel Arteta’s men earned a crucial victory against Leicester City on Saturday. This has helped the Gunners to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool. Arsenal are now just four points behind Liverpool, with their rivals facing Wolves on Sunday. Mikel Merino’s heroics helped Arsenal claim all three points against the Foxes. The match was heading for a 0-0 draw, before the Spaniard scored two goals in the final 10 minutes of the match. Mikel Merino was deployed as make-shift centre forward in the absence of the likes of Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka. The super sub scored a header to give the visitors a lead, and calmly put the ball into the back of the next with his left foot for his second goal. This victory has helped Arsenal to maintain the pressure on Liverpool, who dropped points against Everton last week. “Yes, and it was [important] for us as well. Everything that happened in the last few days, it was a lot of noise to show how much we want it, because regardless of what happens, we’re going to really go for it, that we believe for the resources that we have and the quality of our players and still adapt and be competitive and still win a lot of football matches,” Arteta had said, following their victory over Leicester. Mikel Arteta answers if Mikel Merino can solve Arsenal’s problem up top Mikel Arteta gave his opinion if Mikel Merino could be his go-to striker for the rest of the season. The Spaniard has been facing a huge selection dilemma over the past couple of weeks, with several forwards being sidelined due to injury. Mikel Arteta stated that different players could be used in the false number nine role depending on the situation and player availability. He hopes that they can perform as well as Mikel Merino did against the Foxes. “We’re going to have to share that, we know that. We’re going to have various contexts; sometimes we’re going to have to make a sub because a player isn’t performing, or because the opposition is doing something else, or because someone’s a yellow card, or it’s fatigue, that’s going to restrict what we do really in terms of the personnel. We have prepared for different scenarios then those have to work, hopefully they will work as good as Mikel worked today,” he added. Mikel Arteta further heaped praise on the Spaniard stating that he has a good sense of his positioning, and has an eye for the goal. Moreover, he also mentioned the delivery he received for both of his goals, which were near inch perfect. “I didn’t think that to be fair [on the comparisons to Marouane Fellaini], but Mikel has got that. He’s a goal threat, because he can smell danger, he can anticipate the action, he’s got really good timing to arrive into certain areas and then he obviously has the capacity to execute with that part of his body. He needed the delivery, certainly had that as well and he put it into the back of the net,” said the Arsenal boss. Also Read: “Yes, why not? Arsenal is my home” : Santi Cazorla on a potential return to North London

Formula 1

“I don’t think Lewis will get the same attention at Ferrari” : Bernie Ecclestone

“I don’t think Lewis will get the same attention at Ferrari” : Bernie Ecclestone Lewis Hamilton sent shockwaves through the F1 community, when he announced his move to Ferrari early last year. The Briton spent over a decade at the Silver Arrows, winning six world championship titles. The veteran will now drive alongside Charles Leclerc at Ferrari for the next couple of seasons. F1 legend Bernie Ecclestone has voiced his concerns regarding Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, stating that he will not get the same attention at Ferrari. He believes that Charles Leclerc will be the preferred driver at Ferrari, given that he has already been with the team for so long.  “I don’t think Lewis will get the same attention at Ferrari,” Ecclestone told The Telegraph. “Firstly, the team are happy with Charles Leclerc, his team-mate. Leclerc speaks their language [he’s fluent in Italian], so they’ll be looking after him,” Bernie said. “Even if Lewis does well, there’ll still be a lot of enemies” : Bernie Ecclestone Bernie Ecclestone stated that even if Lewis Hamilton does well at Ferrari, he will have a lot of enemies. The F1 legend stated that the Briton has suddenly arrived into the Ferrari garage, which might not go down well with Charles Leclerc’s team.  “Even if Lewis does well, there’ll still be a lot of enemies, because he has suddenly arrived,” he added. It is interesting to see if Lewis Hamilton can integrate himself into his new team this season. Time and again, the Briton has shown his abilities as a team player, and with experience on his side, he will certainly be an asset for Ferrari. The past couple of seasons have been very challenging for Lewis Hamilton. The British driver has struggled to get victories under his belt, which has been majorly due to Red Bull’s dominance, and Mercedes’ decline in the past three years. However, he will be seeing this move as an opportunity to claim his eighth world championship toilet. Also Read: “Lewis can’t do that. He’s never been able to do that” : Michael Schumacher’s brother Ralf places heavy criticism over Lewis Hamilton     

Tennis

“He has a little mental scar tissue” : Steve Johnson on why Carlos Alcaraz skipped the South American clay court swing

“He has a little mental scar tissue” : Steve Johnson on why Carlos Alcaraz skipped the South American clay court swing Carlos Alcaraz has reached the finals of the 2025 Rotterdam Open, where he will face Alex de Minaur. After achieving the monumental success in 2024, the Spaniard will look to claim his first title of the season on Sunday. Former American tennis pro Steve Johnson believes that the youngster skipped the South American clay court swing this time, owing to an injury he picked up last season. Last year, the four-time Grand Slam champion had to withdraw from the Rio Open owing to the ankle injury he had picked up during one of the matches. The Spaniard has had some troubles with injuries over the past year, hence this could have played on his mind while deciding his schedule for the 2025 season. Carlos Alcaraz is also set to play the Qatar Open next week, as he is likely to take a couple of weeks off before the Sunshine Double in March. “He can be better on one surface like most of us would pick in that scenario! He can win any tournament, any surface, any country, name it but maybe he has a little mental scar tissue, he did roll his ankle down in the south of the golden swing last year. Maybe that’s on his mind. He doesn’t wanna get hurt again which is I would say a silly reason not to go but for him, just doesn’t matter! He has picked his schedule a year ago,” the ex-pro said. “He can play on all surfaces” : John Isner on Carlos Alcaraz John Isner believes that Carlos Alcaraz is equally efficient on all surfaces. Recently, Sam Querrey stated that the Spaniard was unable to adapt on surfaces other than clay, which his former American counterpart disagrees with. “He can play on all surfaces. But I don’t think he’s better on clay than he is indoor hard. I think you’re splitting hairs if you would say one surface is better than the others,” Isner said. Carlos Alcaraz also voiced concerns around players’ well-being earlier this week. He expressed his displeasure over different balls being used at different tournaments, which becomes a big concern for the players. The Spaniard also mentioned that a lot of players had elbow issues last season, which could be narrowed down to the different balls being used. “I think there were a lot of injuries last year, a lot of players with elbow or shoulder injuries. They need to change something. I know they’re going to change it. Every week, practically every week we have different balls, different conditions, so it’s difficult to adapt to it,” he said. Also Read: “I like the comparison between Novak being injured and beating Carlos” : Patrick Mouratoglou draws interesting parallel between Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner

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