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Football

“Social media is merciless and the media lets itself get carried away by it” : Borussia Dortmund CEO puts a hold on all the criticism received this season

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“Social media is merciless and the media lets itself get carried away by it” : Borussia Dortmund CEO puts a hold on all the criticism received this season Although Hans-Joachim Watzke is on the exit ramp as CEO, he has still come out and tried to calm the situation which has been created via the club’s poor start to the season. The club that has one of the largest fanbases in the world has had the image of being second fiddle to heavyweights Bayern Munich for some time now, but even that had gotten into doubts due to their below par performances in recent years. Having not won a league title since 2011, Dortmund have come closer but have failed to go over the line. Just this year the German club found themselves in the Champions League final, which obviously shows progress; but new head coach Nuri Sahin has not been able to extend that momentum since the start of the new season. BVB currently stand at fifth place, a whole ten points below their Bavarian arch rivals who they are about to host next week in the season’s first Der-Klassiker. This has caused a lot of backlash and distrust on Sahin among fans on social media, who believe they are owed better performances after enduring mediocrity for many years, while some have just given up expecting anything significant. But Watzke thinks otherwise, and recently addressed how fans should be more patient. “Solidarity has been replaced by impatience” : Hans-Joachim Watzke During the club’s AGM on Sunday, the outgoing CEO was stern with his belief over the team and the manager, as he described that the club is doing just fine and wanted fans to not get carried away by social media’s influence. “I sometimes have the feeling that solidarity has been replaced by impatience. Are we fighting against relegation? We’ve just come out of the CL final and were millimeters away from the Bundesliga title the year before. We’re more financially stable than the vast majority of clubs.” “I get the feeling that there’s always unrest. Social media is merciless and the media lets itself get carried away by it. And maybe we do too a little. But we can’t do that as BVB. Our strength has always been solidarity. Borussia Dortmund doesn’t mean creating a shitstorm, it means sticking together.” the 65-year-old addressed. One of the criticisms have been the lack of external voices at the club, which some feel is the reason Nuri Sahin still has his job and is going to cause the downfall long-term wise. Even Lothar Matthaus recently wrote about this topic in his column for Sky Sport, suggesting that some ‘outside input’ might be good for the club. “Dortmund does not have an easy environment. You only have to look at the stands. There are people there who all have their own opinions. Matthias Sammer and Hans-Joachim Watzke are two very critical people. Lars Ricken and Sebastian Kehl may hold back a little. Sven Mislintat is also still involved.” “I don’t know yet whether BVB has unity in the stands. They are all people who have made a name for themselves in Dortmund. Maybe too much club history isn’t the right thing either. Some outside input from time to time might not be so bad.” Lothar Matthaus wrote on his column for Sky Sport. But Watzke thinks the opposite, as he loves the idea of having all the important figures of the club come from their own academy. He also believes how other clubs would have the chance to do the same thing. “We are proud that our sporting director, CEO, and coach come from our own academy, Sebastian Kehl has been a Borusse for 23 years. The three of them have won everything. That’s supposed to be bad? That’s Borussia Dortmund! Most clubs would like to have that.” Watzke said. Internal affairs of a club coming out to the public media is never a sign of a stable environment, as proven before by other clubs who have suffered greatly because of it. But Watzke’s stand was one of confidence, who believes in the club greatly and wants fans to have more patience in order to see the best results.

Mikel Arteta Arsenal
Football

“Good player, but, not for Arsenal, no” : Former England international believes Arda Guler might not be the right suit for the Gunners

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“Good player, but, not for Arsenal, no” : Former England international believes Arda Guler might not be the right suit for the Gunners Arda Guler has been one of the biggest young prospects this year, some even comparing his performances at the Euros this year to the prodigy that is Lamine Yamal. The youngster got his breakthrough last year by receiving a transfer call from Real Madrid, but his club career has gotten off to a very underwhelming start. This season especially, the Turkish international has been seen on the bench more often than not, as with the addition of Kylian Mbappe and Endrick this season the Los Blancos are already stacked in attack whereas Carlo Ancelotti does not see Guler reprising a role in the midfield. Due to not receiving enough playing time, there have been reports that Arda Guler might be transferred or either loaned in the upcoming winter window, and the Gunners have been the frontrunners to seek this opportunity of signing a world class young talent, via Spanish outlet Sport. But take this information lightly for now, as Sport has been widely inconsistent with its reports for some time now. But not everyone is convinced that Arda Guler is essentially a good fit at the North London club, as former England international Darren Bent believes the Turkish might not break into Arteta’s strongest eleven just yet. “He won’t fit the squad” : Darren Bent Guler’s usual preferred position is on the right wing or as an advanced midfielder, both of which are occupied by Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Odegaard respectively, who are also one of the best players in those positions. So, it might be tough for the 19-year-old to break into the first team and receive regular playing time, at least initially. “Not for me. You want a grade out of five? He won’t fit the squad. I think he’s a very good player, I saw him at the Euros, very talented. But will you swap one bench for another?” Bent said on talkSPORT’s Insider Gooners podcast. “At Real Madrid he’s not getting the opportunities. Coming to Arsenal there are better options, be it out wide or in the No.10 role. I can’t see that one happening. Good player, but, not for Arsenal, no.” the former Spurs striker added. Maybe the January transfer window will be a good opportunity for the 19-year-old to move on loan for the time being, as LaLiga clubs will be desperate to gain the creative abilities of Guler, while he gets more accustomed to the league. Another high-profile young signing from Barcelona, Vitor Roque, is currently on loan to Real Betis where he is absolutely thriving. And obviously, transferring from Real Madrid to basically any other club can be termed as a downgrade. Also Read: “I think we dominated them, we were the better team in many phases and situations” : Was Mikel Arteta ‘furious’ over the draw at Stamford Bridge?

Virat Kohli
Cricket

“I doubt an overseas player in the last 15 years has come to Australia and played in this fashion” : Ravi Shastri lauds Virat Kohli after iconic ton at Perth

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“I doubt an overseas player in the last 15 years has come to Australia and played in this fashion” : Ravi Shastri lauds Virat Kohli after iconic ton at Perth There is no point left in doubting the abilities of Virat Kohli anymore. Time and again, the veteran batsman has found a way to come back and regain form like no other batsman. And at the age of 36, King Kohli yet again proved his doubters wrong and scored a world class century on day 3 of the first test against Australia. Virat Kohli now has 81 international centuries to his name, and 30 in the longest format of the game. His poor form this year in international cricket has been heavily talked and criticised about, due to the standards he has kept for himself throughout his career. The veteran produced a man of the match performance in the T20 World Cup Final against South Africa, as fans thought that he would continue this momentum in test cricket starting August. Although that was not the case, as Kohli struggled scoring and had only one half-century to his name in five home tests. This changed when India headed to Australia for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy. Kohli has had a knack of scoring against Australia throughout his career, and he has by far been the best overseas player to ever step foot on an Australian pitch. Scoring 100 off 143 balls with eight fours and two sixes, this marked Kohli’s seventh century in Australia, surpassing the legendary Sachin Tendulkar along his way.  “They call him the King” : Ravi Shastri on commentary Former India head coach and an iconic voice of cricket commentary, Ravi Shastri, was obviously pleased to see his captain back in form after a dry spell of matches. Shastri praised the 36-year-old on commentary as he crowned him the greatest overseas player in Australia for the last 15 years. “Seven hundreds in Australia. The big stage, the big ground. One of the bounciest pitches in the world. I doubt an overseas player in the last 15 years has come to Australia and played in this fashion,” Shastri said on Fox Cricket commentary. “He plays two Test matches and he gets two hundreds. You can’t get a better stage and to set up the series.” “They call him the King. To get a hundred in the very first Test match of the series. It is a terrific signal for India. It is ominous from Australia’s point of view. But look at the joy. It’s a popular hundred and I think fans the world over wanted to see this bloke come to Australia and perform again.” the 62-year-old added. India comfortably won the first test at Perth by a whopping 295 runs courtesy of their second innings batting prowess as Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul and Virat Kohli played stellar knocks while Jasprit Bumrah was tidy as ever with the ball. The second test starts on 6 December at the iconic Adelaide Oval. Also Read: “When he’s up, he’s up” : Australian legend Glenn McGrath believes they are the favorites, but have to keep an eye out on Virat Kohli

Formula 1

“It’s not something I have a grudge at all” : Toto Wolff on Lewis Hamilton going ‘behind his back’ during Ferrari transfer

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“It’s not something I have a grudge at all” : Toto Wolff on Lewis Hamilton going ‘behind his back’ during Ferrari transfer Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari broke the internet as it came out so unexpectedly, that too at the start of the new F1 season. The Briton still had a year left on his contract with the Silver Arrows but chose to go a different direction for probably the final chapter of his illustrious career. The news obviously shocked the fans, but it was recently revealed that even Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff did not have much of an idea of his star player moving to the Maranello-based team, until the outgoing Ferrari man Carlos Sainz’s father revealed the situation to him two weeks before. The Austrian was recently asked about whether this move by Hamilton caused distrust between the two, he was empathic enough to put himself in the Briton’s shoes and said he would have also been under pressure to first talk it out to him or other Mercedes officials. “I think when you need to set a standard for yourself and I think it was such a difficult situation for him, because our team wasn’t doing as good as we expected from ourselves, and I think the opportunity came up quickly over the winter and […] he probably didn’t have enough time to say, ‘well how am I tackling this with Toto or with Mercedes.’” Wolff said on ESPN. “So, it’s not something I have a grudge at all. If we could replay it in a better way, which… there is no better way because he was under pressure you know in the summer, in the winter, so maybe we would have had conversations.” the Austrian added. Toto Wolff spares a few words on Lewis Hamilton’s departure While George Russell got the victory at Las Vegas, the seven-time world champion did a great job to come back from a series of poor performances, coming second even when he started at tenth place. With just two races left in his 12-year long Mercedes career, the time is coming for the Briton to say goodbye to the team where he became a worldwide superstar. Toto Wolff also said a few words about Hamilton’s departure, saying how grateful he is for this lengthy partnership. “There is no overwhelming emotion now that this is ending… [but] the last race together will be quite a thing because we had this wonderful partnership for such a long time. But having said that, Lewis is not going to disappear. Lewis is going to be on the grid next year with a Ferrari. We are not losing the person, we are just losing the driver. But we embark on a new future.” Wolff said. Lewis Hamilton will be starting at Ferrari soon, and we could see him in the Italian colours as soon as early February. Also Read: “I heard the bells ringing two weeks before” : Toto Wolff reveals the moment he came to know Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes for Ferrari

Tennis

“It would save us a lot of effort on scheduling” : Nick Kyrgios wants to change a few things regarding Grand Slams

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“It would save us a lot of effort on scheduling” : Nick Kyrgios wants to change a few things regarding Grand Slams After two years with a serious wrist injury, Nick Kyrgios’s long-awaited return is finally upon us as the Australian superstar is almost ready to lace up his shoes. In what appeared to be a career threatening injury, the 29-year-old initially had doubts returning to the game until Novak Djokovic changed his mind. After a few disagreements and public spats during the pandemic, the two have become good mates after the 2022 Wimbledon final as the Serbian encouraged the Australian to return as soon as possible. Kyrgios admitted to The AO Show recently that the 37-year-old’s comments were the reason he has tried to return sooner. “I went to Wimbledon and announced I would be hitting with some of the players there. Novak was there and I hit with him for three days. That’s when I realised I was only starting to serve then and he was like it doesn’t look like you have had surgery, you are moving really well and playing really well.” “That’s when I looked at my team and was like maybe we can return, we’re on the right track. That was probably the turning moment when Novak said that, I was like okay we are doing something right here and gearing for a return.” the Australian explained. It is a shame to suffer such an injury during the prime years of your playing career, but Kyrgios has endured that and will look to start off where he left with his 2022 form. Although, the Australian would want to change a few things around, especially in Grand Slam tournaments. “It’s actually boring” : Nick Kyrgios provides some ideas on how to make Grand Slams more exciting Kyrgios was also asked about what he would change in the current era of tennis, to which he explained how the length of matches in the Grand Slam tournaments are too much, as many have ended after 2am which is obviously a fault in the system that needs to be looked after. “I would make Grand Slams best of three up until the quarter-finals. It would save us a lot of effort on scheduling. The first week’s scheduling gets out of control. I think with both the men’s side playing best of five and the women’s sometimes going long best of three, men’s matching aren’t finishing until like 2 or 3am. It’s not sustainable.” Kyrgios said. The Australian also wants to save time by making matches best of two out of three up until the quarter-finals; and the better players would regardless end up winning. “If you made it best two out of three until the quarter-finals I think you would see some guys break through to the quarter-finals but the better players would end up winning anyway, best of five. That’s what I would immediately change with a Grand Slam. “It would make it more exciting as well, as some of these top players lose a set in the early rounds and it’s right away back against the wall. How many times have we seen one of the best players in the draw lose a first set and think he is going to come back and win anyway? It’s actually boring.” the 29-year-old added. It has been confirmed that Kyrgios has planned to mark his return at the Brisbane International in the 2025 ATP Tour, which will be ahead of the Australian Open. The former world no. 13 won the competition back in 2018, and will look to do the same as fans are excited to finally watch one of the best of this generation back in action soon. Also Read: “He’s a good-looking No. 1 in the world, wins a lot of tournaments” : Daniil Medvedev gives his opinion regarding Jannik Sinner’s popularity in Italy

Virat Kohli
Cricket, Test Cricket

“I never rule great players out” : Sourav Ganguly on Virat Kohli’s poor run in Test cricket

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“I never rule great players out” : Sourav Ganguly on Virat Kohli’s poor run in Test cricket King Kohli has not had the best of times with the bat recently, with some saying that age is the main factor of his decline. The superstar’s slump was also seen to be continued against New Zealand, where he was able to score just 93 runs in an embarrassing whitewash at home. Virat Kohli and India are now in Australia for the Border-Gavaskar test series, and the right-handed batsman will be keen to put some runs on the board as he has not scored a century against the SENA countries (South Africa, England, New Zealand, and Australia) since Perth in 2018. Kohli also played just one test the last time India visited Australia in 2019, as he had to travel back due to the birth of his child. Ahead of the first test, former India captain and commentator Sourav Ganguly addressed the situation about Kohli, believing that he is not too worried about the 36-year-old as he has showed time and again to get back up after a slump. “He is hungry and knows that he has a reputation to keep” : Sourav Ganguly believes Virat Kohli will pick up form against Australia Ganguly highlighted that he never rules out great players. But calling Virat Kohli great would be an understatement, such is the standard he has maintained for himself over the years. Although, after mentioning his insane test record in Australia and how the pitches will help him, he also explained that we are watching an ageing Virat Kohli, not the young one from the past years. “I never rule great players out. He hasn’t had the best of times in Test matches (recently). He arrived in Australia early. He is hungry and knows that he has a reputation to keep. He will be playing on good pitches. He has 6 hundreds in 13 Tests in Australia. I know that was four or five years ago, it was a young Virat Kohli. He is ageing now,” Ganguly said on the Club Prairie Fire Podcast. Dada also talked about a relatable time he had come across with Rahul Dravid, who had not scored an overseas century from 2007 to 2011. But in 2011, when Dravid was in the last stretch of his career, he travelled to England and scored four hundreds in four games, at the age of 38. “I remember the case with Rahul Dravid. He did not score an overseason century between 2007 and 2011. However, he went to England in 2011 and got four hundreds in four games. I was on comms and asked him ‘mate, how long are you gonna play.’ He told me ‘I still feel i can do it’. He opened during that series, if you remember,” the 52-year-old revealed. With India’s first innings done at 150 all out, Kohli unfortunately could only manage 5 runs off 12 balls, before falling short to Usman Khawaja at slip during Hazelwood’s spell. But at the end of day 1, the Aussies are at 67/7 thanks to Jasprit Bumrah once again, who has been India’s best player in recent years and is showing no signs of stopping. For Kohli, there is still time to recover and add to his insane scoring record in the Australian pitches. Also Read: “When he’s up, he’s up” : Australian legend Glenn McGrath believes they are the favorites, but have to keep an eye out on Virat Kohli

Ruben Amorim
Football

“I’m a little bit of a dreamer and I believe in myself” : Ruben Amorim thinks he is the right fit for Manchester United

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“I’m a little bit of a dreamer and I believe in myself” : Ruben Amorim thinks he is the right fit for Manchester United It feels like we say this every year, but this season has been the worst start of Manchester United ever, even more so than last year’s antics displayed by Erik ten Hag. The Dutchman’s sacking was long coming, as he leaves the club on 13th place, eight points away from relegation zone. But the Red Devils have seen a slight improvement in their performances ever since the Dutch manager’s departure, as interim manager Ruud van Nistelrooy did a good job in adding some momentum to the squad. Now comes the Portuguese manager’s turn Ruben Amorim, who has a lot on his plate, just like any other manager who would feel like coming into the lion’s den, as there has been basically no manager (after the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson’s era) whose reputation has not worsened after taking a job with the Red Devils. But Amorim is coming from Sporting CP, who have not lost a game yet and are on the top of the table comfortably. Obviously, the difference of quality in the leagues are visible, but if the Portuguese brings in the same ideology, then things might be turning sunny over in Manchester. “Call me naive, but I believe I am the right guy at the right time” : Ruben Amorim The 39-year-old has signed a two-and-a-half-year contract with the Red Devils, and in his first media conference, his confidence was highly impressive as he made certain things clear. Although, Amorim does believe that he will need some time initially to implement things his way. “I’m a little bit of a dreamer and I believe in myself and I believe in the club, I think we have the same idea, the same mindset and that can help. I truly believe in the players, I know you don’t believe a lot but I do. I want to try new things. You guys don’t think it’s possible, I do.” “Call me naive, but I believe I am the right guy at the right time. I truly believe I am the right guy.” Amorim declared during his first conference as Manchester United head coach. It is also worth noting that Ruben Amorim’s Sporting CP recently beat Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City 4-1 in the Champions League. Even if it does not look like it due to United’s performances in recent years, they are still the club with the most Premier League titles in history, and even if a dynasty cannot be created so soon, the Portuguese understands that he needs to lead the way to at least close in on the coveted title they once dominated. “I know at Manchester United we have to win games. We need a lot of time because it’s a tough league, we have to improve a lot to try to win the title. We have to change the physical aspect of the team. I don’t know how long it will take.” Amorim said. Jose Mourinho comparisons were always going to be followed, due to the same nationality and clubs. But the 39-year-old put a stop to it as he explained how Mourinho was already a Champions League winner even before joining Chelsea, and he is nowhere near that level for now. “I’m different from Mourinho, I remember that time, you looked at Mourinho and felt he could win everywhere. It’s not the same thing. He was European champion, I am not. Football is different nowadays, I think I am the right person for this moment. I am a young guy and I try to use this to help my players.” “Their young guys were [Frank] Lampard and these kind of players, nowadays it’s so much different. I think I’m right for now.” the 39-year-old explained. Ruben Amorim’s first match will be against Ipswich Town, and the Portuguese will look to start things off with a statement win.

Mikel Arteta
Football

Three things we learned from Arsenal’s victory over Nottingham Forest

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Three things we learned from Arsenal’s victory over Nottingham Forest Have the Gunners finally woken up? Arsenal beat current rivals Nottingham Forest in an impressive 3-0 victory at the Emirates. Bukayo Saka yet again was the star of the show as he scored a stunner while substitutes Thomas Partey and Ethan Nwaneri put the seal on the victory. The North London club is now back in the Champions League spots and just one point away from second place. Saka is the main man Unbeaten in five games, Forest’s confidence was sky but it was all extinguished after 14 minutes courtesy of Bukayo Saka’s brilliance up front, as he dribbled past three of the Tricky Trees’s players and shot a diagonal ball which almost went top bins, but it was a goal nonetheless. This makes it four goals and eight assists for the Englishman across all competitions this season, but stats do not do justice to the prolific right winger, who just has so much more to offer. The 23-year-old is definitely living up to his nickname ‘starboy’. Martin Odegaard completes the team Just three minutes into the match, Odegaard reminded everyone why he was missed so much as he helped the Gunners take the lead via a world class assist finished by Mikel Merino’s header which rebounded to Jurrien Timber. Although the goal was later ruled offside, it was a clear indication of the Gunners going all out from the start, as the Norwegian captain ran circles around the defence, while also making 15 successful passes in the final third in just the first half alone. But probably the most important thing Odegaard offers to the team apart from his playmaking is his chemistry with Bukayo Saka. The duo just clicks when together, be it for threading the needle passes or quickly combining for one-two. And we saw this partnership yet again during Saka’s moment of brilliance which led to the first goal. Mikel Arteta is surely glad to have the 25-year-old back to his starting eleven. Much-needed win on Arteta’s 250th game in charge The Gunners last won a Premier League game in early October, and were coming into this matchup winless in their last three games. The Spainard channelled in his inner genius and made five changes to the team which drew against Chelsea previously, while also keeping important players like Kai Havertz, Declan Rice and Gabriel Martinelli on the bench so as to keep them fresh for the upcoming matches. While Odegaard and Saka were the highlight of the show, Thomas Partey did well as the replacement to Rice and also scored a goal. Substitute Ethan Nwaneri was also part of the action as he scored his very first Premier League goal which secured victory. What’s next The Gunners will now travel to Portugal on Tuesday to face the in-form Sporting CP as matchday 5 of the UEFA Champions League takes place midweek. Also Read: “I think we dominated them, we were the better team in many phases and situations” : Was Mikel Arteta ‘furious’ over the draw at Stamford Bridge?

Rafael Nadal
Tennis

“I appreciate the good intentions, but I would have liked something else” : Rafael Nadal’s uncle Toni not too impressed by the Davis Cup farewell

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“I appreciate the good intentions, but I would have liked something else” : Rafael Nadal’s uncle Toni not too impressed by the Davis Cup farewell Rafael Nadal retired from tennis after his final match in the Davis Cup, where he suffered a loss to the Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp as Spain failed to reach the semi-finals of the competition. While losing his final match was obviously not the highlight, the following ceremony for one of the greatest players the sport has ever come across was also lackluster at best, as fans heavily criticised how the farewell was organised on various social media platforms, despite many important people who have been there for the Spainard throughout his career present in the stands like his family and parents. His biggest rivals Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray were also featured in a tribute video for him. But his uncle Toni, who was not present there due to some work he was upheld with in Rome, recently came out and addressed how the whole ceremony did not do justice to the veteran’s career. Toni Nadal would have liked the ceremony to be a bit more grand Toni, who was also Rafael’s former coach, spoke to El Larguero and revealed his unhappiness with the way the whole event was conducted. “It was emotional, obviously, with the support of the public. But I particularly like that there are images. I would have liked to see images of Rafael’s matches at the Davis Cup in Seville, in Madrid, at Roland Garros, Wimbledon… I think it creates more emotion,” Toni explained. “I don’t want to criticize anyone, I would have liked a slightly different event. I appreciate the good intentions, but I would have liked something else,” the former coach added. Toni also mentioned how he would have added more musical effects and images everywhere which would have enhanced the whole farewell altogether and that would have made it much more emotional. “Nowadays you can do much more emotional events by mixing music with images,” “Rafael is a guy whose images convey passion. If they had put some images of this, it would have been more up to par, but I appreciate the intention,” the 63-year-old explained. Reports have been leaked that the 22-time Grand Slam champion’s farewell was initially planned for 22 November, as Spain’s early exit in the tournament was not taken as a consideration. Perhaps a few more days would have been enough for the ceremony to be better, or maybe even on the level of Roger Federer’s retirement in the 2022 Laver Cup, where emotions were running high all the time. While the Davis Cup might not have done justice to the Spainard’s legendary career, it can be said without a doubt that no event however much grand, would have made any difference. Tennis fans and talented youngsters worldwide will always remember the name Rafael Nadal as an icon and inspiration, and in the end that is what matters the most. Also Read: “He’s a good-looking No. 1 in the world, wins a lot of tournaments” : Daniil Medvedev gives his opinion regarding Jannik Sinner’s popularity in Italy

Formula 1

“I should have been on pole but I’m not, so it is what it is” : Lewis Hamilton speaks after yet another disappointing qualification weekend

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“I should have been on pole but I’m not, so it is what it is” : Lewis Hamilton speaks after yet another disappointing qualification weekend To nobody’s surprise, qualification has yet again hindered Lewis Hamilton’s chances in Las Vegas as he will be starting at tenth position on Sunday.  On what was looking like a very promising pole position with the Briton topping both qualifying sessions on Friday while also being the fastest in Q2, it was during Q3 which let down Hamilton’s chances, as his whole lap time was deleted due to mistakes he rightfully admitted was his fault.  While Lewis Hamilton congratulated teammate George Russell for taking the pole position, he believed that he should have been the one instead. “I should have been on pole but I’m not, so it is what it is. C’est la vie, you live to fight another day,” “It is what it is. It’s been a good weekend so far so I’ll give it my best shot tomorrow. Congrats to George.” Hamilton spoke to Sky Sports. This now brings the lead to 17-5 between the Mercedes duo in terms of qualifying ahead of each other, with Hamilton on the bitter side of it. Meanwhile, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz took second place and surprisingly, Alpine’s Pierre Gasly came third. Charles Leclerc, Max Verstappen and Lando Norris soon followed. “I’m really quite far back so I’ll just see what I can do from there” : Lewis Hamilton still has some faith left Car troubles have not left the side of the seven-time world champion just yet, as he revealed how the handling of his Mercedes felt different as compared to other parts of the qualifying rounds. “The car felt different in Q3, and the stability was not there for some reason. But I had it in all the other sessions,” “But ultimately I didn’t put the laps together.” the 39-year-old admitted his mistake. “I’m really quite far back so I’ll just see what I can do from there, degradation is going to be key. We had an eventful race here last year.” Hamilton still has faith going into the race as the underdog. The Briton is once again into the deep end, as starting at tenth is never the first choice for any driver. But still, it is not the end of the world as Hamilton has shown some great speed during Friday’s session. Moreover, we have also already seen the likes of Max Verstappen, who started on grid 17 in Sao Paulo, winning the whole thing in the end. So yes, the seven-time world champion obviously has what it takes but it will surely be a tough race. Also Read: “I heard the bells ringing two weeks before” : Toto Wolff reveals the moment he came to know Lewis Hamilton is leaving Mercedes for Ferrari

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