Trapped In Sports

Menu
Facebook Twitter Youtube

Author name: Sports-admin

Formula 1

“Rwanda is one of my favorite places I’ve been to” : Lewis Hamilton proposes a new circuit for F1 Grand Prix

/

“Rwanda is one of my favorite places I’ve been to” : Lewis Hamilton proposes a new circuit for F1 Grand Prix Throughout the seven-time world champion’s illustrious career, he has been a vocal advocate for his support to Africa, and the longing to reconnect with his African roots. Lewis Hamilton often takes trips to Africa which reflects his interests outside the world of F1, such as his deep understanding for the sustainability of the environment. Africa has had a rich history of motorsport, and the Briton has been doing the needful and being the voice of reason to bring the F1 back there as soon as possible. Lewis Hamilton has also mainly mentioned South Africa to be the first host of an African Grand Prix in the near future. Most recently, Rwanda has expressed the desire to the F1 officials on hosting the first African Grand Prix after more than three decades. The official meeting will take place in September, as this can be a huge turning point in African motorsport history. F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali has also mentioned for it to be a ‘good plan’. Lewis Hamilton expresses his thoughts over potential Grand Prix in Africa ahead of the Dutch GP It is no secret that Lewis Hamilton has a multifaceted connection to Africa, from his personal heritage and conservational efforts to social justice and equality. The Briton once again expressed his desire about hosting a Grand Prix in Africa, ahead of the upcoming Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort. “We can’t be adding races in other locations and continue to ignore Africa, which the rest of the world takes from — no one gives anything to Africa. “I think having a Grand Prix there would really highlight how great the place is and bring in tourism … so why are we not on that continent? The current excuse is maybe there’s not a track that is ready, but there is at least one track that’s ready,” said the 39-year-old (via ESPN). Lewis Hamilton also mentioned his love and respect for Rwanda, a place where he has often visited to promote environmental activism and conservation initiatives. The Briton’s efforts are widely covered by the media and draws more attention to the matter, leading to increased fan engagement. “Rwanda is one of my favourite places I’ve been to. I’ve been doing a lot of work in the background and spoken to people in Rwanda and South Africa. That’s a long project, but it’s amazing that they’re so keen to get it,” said the Briton. The last African Grand Prix was held in South Africa at the Kyalami Circuit in 1993. Although F1 has denied all rumors of an African Grand Prix for the current season, the officials have made it a ‘key target’ for a race to be held in the African continent. It can most certainly be a matter of time as to when the F1 will return to Africa, with Rwanda being the frontrunners. Also Read: “It’s going to be one hell of a second half of the season” : Lewis Hamilton has high hopes for the remainder of the year

Stephen Curry
Featured

“That’s never supposed to happen” : Shaquille O’Neal expresses his disappointment over USA’s inability to dominate at the Olympics

/

“That’s never supposed to happen” : Shaquille O’Neal expresses his disappointment over USA’s inability to dominate at the Olympics Team USA once again brought gold in basketball, making it their fifth consecutive gold medal win in the Olympics. It is not surprising, as the country invented the sport and the NBA is by far the best league in the world where the best players play. But this year, the USA were somewhat ‘forced’ to call upon their very best players, instead of sending a mix of young talent and experienced veterans like in previous years. In a team which consisted of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Anthony Edwards, Bam Adebayo and Tyrese Haliburton, it was a clear indication of them going all out to win the gold. And win the gold they did, but not by convincing fashion to say the least. The USA were usually trailing by a large amount of points during quarters, and if not for the individual brilliance of players like James, Curry and Durant, they would have been knocked out in the earlier stages of the tournament. Due to the standards set by the Americans in basketball, many fans criticized their performance and coach Steve Kerr’s tactics as well. Most recently, one of the biggest personalities in the sport, Shaquille O’Neal admitted he was ‘disappointed’ in the team’s efforts. Shaq opines on USA’s inability to dominate games Ever since USA’s loss against Argentina in the 2004 Olympics held in Athens, there has been widespread circulation and agreement that the world is coming closer to the standards set by USA in basketball. Fast forward two decades later, and it is not unfair to say that European and South American countries have caught on to them. This was clearly showcased during the Paris Olympics, where USA had no breathing room whatsoever and had closer games than expected against South Sudan, Serbia and eventually France in the final. NBA and LA Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal was the latest to criticize USA’s inability to dominate and close games without taking it to the final minutes, even after possessing the best squad in the world. “I’m not even paying attention to the Olympics, I have a dominant personality. I don’t care how you are, whatever. My cousin Kenny just had this argument upstairs. My cousin said, ‘The world is getting close,’ but I don’t think it is. The fact that [USA Basketball won] 97-95, you only beat South Sudan by one [possession]. Come on, bro. That’s never supposed to happen,” said the 52-year-old (via ‘The Big Podcast with Shaq’). The rise in talent outside the USA has been increasing every season with new stars emerging, most notably Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Victor Wembanyama and Giannis Antetokounmpo winning NBA titles, Finals MVPs and All-Star inductions. It is clear that the gap is thinning between USA and other countries, and with James, Curry and KD not part of the USAB in the next Olympics, the USA might not be favorites going into the 2028 Olympics held in Los Angeles. Also Read: Horrible scenes as France and Argentina football quarterfinals ends in a heavy altercation as hosts go through

Tennis

“If he wins the 25th major, I would think that he would leave the game” : Chrissie Evert on Novak Djokovic’s quest for Grand Slam record

/

“If he wins the 25th major, I would think that he would leave the game” : Chrissie Evert on Novak Djokovic’s quest for Grand Slam record Ever since the end of tennis at the Summer Olympics in Paris where Novak Djokovic finally won the gold, there has been a huge debate around social media regarding who the ‘GOAT’ is. This question ultimately narrows down to the ‘Big 3’ – Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. It is true that both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are more ‘liked’ by fans than the Serbian, whether it is due to the Swiss’s attractive playstyle or the Spainard’s immense passion for the game, but when we deep it down, it seems clear that Novak Djokovic has completed the sport of tennis, while also having more majors than both his rivals. The 37-year-old now has the chance to clear any remaining doubts by winning the US Open, which will be his 25th Grand Slam title. Former tennis player Chrissie Evert had a few words to speak about this, but she also believes that the Serbian would retire sooner rather than later, if he eventually wins his 25th at the US Open. Chrissie Evert says it would be a herculean task if Novak Djokovic wins 25th Major title The Serbian does not really have anything left to prove now after winning his final piece of hardware at the Paris Olympics. He is currently tied with Margaret Court at 24 Grand Slam titles, but if winning the 25th is what it takes to solidify his ‘GOAT’ status for good, then rest assured we can see the 37-year-old go all out in this year’s US Open. The American tennis legend also felt the same way as she expressed her thoughts over Djokovic’s final years of professional tennis. “I think if he wins the 25th major, I would think that he would leave the game, he’d break that tie with Margaret Court. I would allow him to retire after that. OK, you have everybody in the world’s permission to retire. That would be epic if he could do that. But he’s a very driven person beyond anybody that I’ve ever seen.” said Court (via Forbes). “It would be Herculean if he wins this tournament and gets to 25. I think hands down he would have to be the greatest male player ever. I think he already is in a lot of people’s minds. To have won the Olympics, for him to come back and find that resilience and find that level of tennis that we haven’t seen the whole year because he hasn’t won a tournament all year except of the Olympics.” the 69-year-old added. “It’s a fairy tale. I believe in karma. This guy has worked his butt off his whole life and put up a lot with the press and being the bad guy with Federer and Nadal, he deserves it all.” the American concluded. Chrissie Evert is not far off her statements, as the Serbian has been ridiculed by the press and been portrayed as the ‘bad guy’ his whole career. Although the thought of Novak Djokovic retiring does not seem plausible at the moment, due to the incredible consistency and determination to be the best that he has shown us throughout his career – from battling it out with his biggest rivals in Nadal and Federer to keeping up with the newest generation of stars in Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, the Serbian has come a long way. Winning major number 25 would be the perfect way to silence his critics, but also saying goodbye to a storied career to say the least. Also Read : “I got into people’s business many times on the court”: Andy Roddick addresses on-court issues at Paris Olympics

Longest match in US Open history
Tennis

Who has won the most matches in US Open history?

/

Who has won the most matches in US Open history? The US Open is one of the oldest and most prestigious tournaments ever held, also being part of the exclusive Grand Slam tournaments. It has been played out on hardcourts since 1978 and held annually on the start of the third week of August, in New York. The tournament, founded in 1881, has also been known to be one of the toughest tournaments to rack up titles, as players have founded it to be quite more challenging than the other three Grand Slams. In the Amateur Era (1881-1967), Richard Sears, William Larned and Bill Tilden have won the title for a record seven times, while in the Open Era (from 1968) no player has won it more than five times, with Roger Federer, Pete Sampras and Jimmy Connors sharing the honor. While on the women’s end, Margaret Coach and Serena Williams have won it seven times each. In retrospect, the players who have won the most matches seem a bit different as to the eventual winners, due to factors such as longevity and number of appearances. Here is the list of players who have won the most US Open matches in the tournament’s history (stats via US Open). Who has won the most matches in US Open history? – Stats Most singles matches won at US Open (men) Most singles matches won at US Open (women) The 2024 US Open (August 19- September 9) and the final Grand Slam of the year has already started, as all the top world ranking players are set to compete, with the main protagonists being the likes of Jannik Sinner, Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev. Meanwhile Novak Djokovic could yet again create history, as the Serb eyes for his fifth US Open title and join the record holders. Novak Djokovic claimed the US Open title last year, as he defeated Daniil Medvedev in the finals to avenge his loss from the 2021 finals. The Serbian comes on the back of an Olympic gold medal in Paris, and will be motivated to claim his first Grand Slam title of the year. Also Read: Most aces served in a US Open match

Most aces served in a US Open match - Ivo Karlovic
Tennis

Most aces served in a US Open match

/

Most aces served in a US Open match The term ‘ace’ refers to a serve so well executed that the opponent is unable to touch the ball or return it, which leads to an immediate point to the server. Aces are one of the most important skills required for a professional tennis player, as it eliminates high risk rallies with the opponent and reduces pressure. In this article, we will have a look at the players who have served the most aces in an US Open match. Many players have mastered the art of ace in tennis over the years, like Serena Williams and Karolina Pliskova leading the front in women’s tennis, while John Isner is referred to as the unanimous ‘King of Aces’ as he has the most number of aces in history (13,748). While Ivo Karlovic, Roger Federer and Goran Ivanisevic are also leaders in this category. But particularly in US Open matches though, one man and woman separates themselves from the rest, with multiple record-breaking aces per match ratio. Here are the top aces served per match for both men and women (as per US Open). Most aces served in a US Open match – Stats Most aces in a US Open match since 1991 (men) Most aces in a US Open match since 1991 (women) As we can conclude, Ivan Karlovic and Serena Williams are the frontrunners in serving aces in the history of US Open matches for men and women. The Croatian and the American have shown dominant performances due to gaining advantage on aces. The 2024 US Open is just around the corner, as top players from around the world gather for the final Grand Slam of the year. Given that the US Open hard courts are often on the faster side, we can expect many aces to be served throughout the tournament. Also Read : “I got into people’s business many times on the court”: Andy Roddick addresses on-court issues at Paris Olympics

Pep Guardiola
Football

“They will be there” : Pep Guardiola believes latest Manchester United signings will bring them more momentum

/

“They will be there” : Pep Guardiola believes latest Manchester United signings will bring them more momentum Media and journalists worldwide love asking Pep Guardiola various questions about the Premier League and his rivals, as the Spaniard’s reputation is massive due to his success in the league and his takes are usually on the front covers of the paper. Most recently, the Manchester City manager was asked about the latest signings of their neighbors. Manchester United have had themselves a busy summer, as INEOS have successfully completed multiple star signings without any issues. They have done a great job with French wonderkid Leny Yoro who was linked with Real Madrid of all clubs, while the signing of the target-man Joshua Zirkzee was wanted by Erik ten Hag at all costs. INEOS were also able to complete one of the deals of the summer in signing both Matthijs De Ligt and Noussair Mazraoui from Bayern Munich, also the understudies of Ten Hag from his time at Ajax. Matchday 1 was a huge step for success for the Red Devils, with Mazraoui playing the full ninety and De Ligt making his debut as well. Joshua Zirkzee was the main attraction, as the Dutchman scored the late winner coming off the bench, sealing a 1-0 victory for United against Fulham. Pep Guardiola shares his thoughts on club rivals The Spaniard was asked about the top four chances of various Premier League clubs this season, to which he gave sensible and informative replies, while also providing background on his takes. “Always at the beginning of the season, the first target is to finish in the top four, people say: ‘Oh, come on’, I say ‘no’. Newcastle are not in Europe, and are going to play one game a week. Newcastle with one game a week this season will be the Newcastle of two seasons ago. Arsenal are not necessary to talk about. Liverpool are not necessary to talk about. I know the signings of United, they are going to take the momentum and they will be there. Tottenham, I’m pretty sure they invest and with the young players and the manager knows better. There are a lot of teams – Chelsea again, the amount of players and their quality and the manager.” said Pep Guardiola (during a press conference). “Six or seven teams will be there and if you drop a little bit, you will be away. This is the reality that I have felt since the first season I arrived here and after we proved to ourselves that we can do it and to try to do it again. It’s simple.” the 53-year-old added. Clearly, the Spainard believes there is much more competition with each season passing by, and with the signings of new players every season, anyone could be a potential game changer. As for Manchester United’s season, Erik ten Hag and co. will certainly hope to be firm in the top 4 race to secure Champions League football once again. Also Read: “They will be there” : Pep Guardiola believes latest Manchester United signings will bring them more momentum

Tennis

“I think we’re making a bit too much of him” : Tennis legend expresses concern over Carlos Alcaraz’s growing hype

/

“I think we’re making a bit too much of him” : Tennis legend expresses concern over Carlos Alcaraz’s growing hype Carlos Alcaraz is undoubtedly the poster boy of this generation of tennis. The 21-year-old has widely been recognized as the next tennis great to have ever played the game. The Spaniard has all the accolades to back up that claim as well. Carlos Alcaraz has won four grand slam titles including five masters 1000 titles already. Most tennis players are not able to achieve such a feat their whole career. But with such immense hype around you at a young age, one will be prone to face a fair-few criticisms. Most recently, Romanian and tennis great Ion Tiriac shared his thoughts on the Spainard, acknowledging his greatness but also expressing concern that too much commercial pressure is being placed on him. Tiriac advised the media and fans to be patient with the Spaniard, and let him grow and develop instead of prematurely capitalizing on his success and pressurizing him for economic benefits. “He’s (Alcaraz) a talented player, he’s sensational, he has incredible leg speed and power, but I think we’re making a bit too much of him, that we already want to reap the economic benefits when we’re only at the beginning of his career, we have to be much more patient, leave him alone because the dollar we earn today is nothing compared to what we can “earn” in a few years,” said the 85-year-old (via We Love Tennis). The Romanian businessman also explained that Carlos Alcaraz should be kept ‘alone’ at this stage of his career, as financial rewards using his name can be reaped later on as well, but so much hype would be of no use if the world no.3 does not improve his abilities and sink into the hype so early. Carlos Alcaraz vows to keep on building himself up It would be a dream for any young tennis player to have a career the Spaniard’s have had up until now. The world no.3 continues to solidify his position as he recently won the silver medal at the Paris Olympics, just two tie-breaking sets shy of winning the gold against Novak Djokovic. Carlos Alcaraz recently spoke up on his achievements so far and aims to build up on it, or else the efforts which made him reach where he is now would not matter. “Obviously it’s a really great start to my career but I have to keep going. I have to keep building my path and at the end of my career I would want to sit at the same table as the big guy. So that’s my main goal, that’s my dream right now,” said the Spainard during a press conference. He will be hoping to climb to the world no.1 spot at the end of this year which is one of his main goals, as he eyes on winning the 2024 US Open. Also Read : “I got into people’s business many times on the court”: Andy Roddick addresses on-court issues at Paris Olympics

Arne Slot
Football

“We should have scored more than two goals” : Arne Slot gives honest assessment after Liverpool debut victory

/

“We should have scored more than two goals” : Arne Slot gives honest assessment after Liverpool debut victory The Reds kicked off their season with a victory over newly promoted Ipswich Town, credits to the goals scored by Diogo Jota and Mohamed Salah. Although, the victory was not as comfortable as it should have been. Ipswich Town were back in the Premier League after 22 years as they performed well in the first half, giving no shots on target to Liverpool and also outperformed them at certain aspects such as duel wins and progressive passes, showing plenty of promise. But the Reds showed their stature in the second half, after key tactical substitutions made by head coach Arne Slot. But the newly appointed Dutchman was not wholly satisfied with the Reds’ performance, and believes they should have done better overall and not waste quality chances. Slot, although after an impressive second-half showing, showed his dissent post-match and wants more from his players.  “I said to them at half-time if you want to win here you have to win your duels and make it a fight. Ibou [Konate] helped us as he won his duels straightaway against the number nine and that gave us ball possession – we should have scored more than two goals,” said the Dutchman (during the post-match press conference). “I have to give credit to Ipswich as they were aggressive and not afraid all over the pitch, they won more second balls and duels in the first half. That’s why it was an equal game. In the second half we won more duels and played the ball in behind. When teams play the risk of playing one-vs-one, when you have Luis Diaz, Mo Salah and Diogo Jota we had to use them – we did that better in the second half,” Slot added. “It’s quite different for all of us, we need to adapt” : Mohamed Salah Jurgen Klopp coached Liverpool for eight long years, and became one of the most important persons in the club’s history, as he marked one of the Reds’ greatest eras. Naturally, his absence can be felt by the whole squad, as the German made them reach the position they are at right now. Mohamed Salah is no different, as he feels the team is ready but needs to adapt quickly to Arne Slot’s playstyle, which is stylistically not that different from the German. In a recent interview with TNT Sports, Salah mentioned about the importance of enjoying the game as well. “It’s quite different. Jurgen was in the team for eight years, he gave everything, now it’s a new manager and new system. It’s quite different for all of us, we need to adapt. We just need to know his way of playing and enjoy the football. We don’t need to put more pressure on him, we just need to play football and enjoy our games. Let’s see in the end.” said the Egyptian. With the first win sealed, the Slot era is up and running. Although Klopp’s ideologies will be shown across the players’ performances throughout the season, it will be up to the Dutchman to utilize and bring out their innate best. Also Read: Injury amidst financial crisis : The latest on the woes surrounding Frenkie de Jong at Barcelona

Mikel Arteta
Football

“We want more” : Arsenal players are keen on lifting the Premier League title

/

“We want more” : Arsenal players are keen on lifting the Premier League title The story of Mikel Arteta as the Gunners manager has been one of improvement season by season. The club has gone from a mid-table team fighting for Champions League spots to a genuine table-topper contender. After two very close misses to none other than Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, the Arsenal players seem to have had enough. There is only one objective for the Gunners this season – win the Premier League title after two long decades of wait. The squad has been strengthened at each position and everything points to season 24/25 finally being the crowning moment of Mikel Arteta and co.’s careers. “I think we had a gathering together with all the club players and the players said to me, ‘We’re going to do it, we want more’. We’re not going to stop here and we want much more. We know how we want to evolve and how the players can evolve. Those margins are huge and we have to fill them,” the 42-year-old said (via Reuters). But actions speak louder than words, as it is up to the Spainard to put on his thinking cap and assess what differences they have to make this season. Not like there are any serious issues or injuries that they have had in past seasons, but the problem is who they are competing with. What can Mikel Arteta do to finally bring home the League title? The better question might be what is left for the Spaniard to do to dethrone the dynasty that has been built by his mentor, Pep Guardiola, since his arrival in 2016. Many managers who are more experienced and qualified than Arteta, have tried but failed to do so, including Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp, Thomas Tuchel, the list goes on. Pep Guardiola has won the last 6 of the 7 Premier League titles, including four consecutively. This type of dominance has never been seen before in the English league since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson. Well, for starters, the left half and left back department will gain massive boosts with the newest signing of the Italian Riccardo Calafiori and the return of the Dutch fullback Jurrien Timber. The signing of Mikel Merino is still on the cards as the Spainard desperately wants the midfielder’s physicality and technical abilities on the ball. Meanwhile, Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, and William Saliba will have to be at their best this season, leading their respective positions. The form of certain players will be key from the beginning of the season, with Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli proving themselves during pre-season. Mikel Arteta will also have to trust the North London club’s promising academy players like Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly to provide something new and different coming off the bench. The Gunners had a record breaking 23/24 season, as they ended their campaign with their most wins (28), most goals (91) and best-ever goal difference (plus-62) in a Premier League season but it was still not enough. They would surely be hoping for City to finally slip up, and with the departure of key forward Julian Alvarez and off-pitch issues like the 115 alleged breaches of Premier League rules, things are off to a great start if you are a Gunners fan. Also Read: “He brings a lot of versatility” : Mikel Arteta pleased with latest Arsenal signing

Botic van de Zandschulp vs Jack Draper Preview, Head-to-Head and Prediction
Tennis

Jack Draper reflects on his sensational comeback against Stefanos Tsitsipas in Cincinnati

/

Jack Draper reflects on his sensational comeback against Stefanos Tsitsipas in Cincinnati Jack Draper has been making waves all throughout this year in the ATP Tour. His upward trajectory in rankings and dominant performances deep into tournaments established the British no.1 as a bona fide young superstar, which was most recently at display when he beat the world no.11 Stefanos Tsitsipas in a major upset. The Briton started slow, but won 12 of the last 17 points, as he fought back from a set down to beat the Greek in a 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 match. Stefanos Tsitsipas, who recently broke his coaching partnership with his father Apostolos, now trails 2-0 against Draper in head-to-head. Regardless, the world no.28 was all praises for the Greek and also sympathized with his loss due to certain court conditions. He also revealed that he himself struggled due to the heat, and hopes the temperatures cool down in his next matches. “I think Stefanos is a big presence on the court, last time we played was a couple of years ago, in these conditions it’s really difficult, the courts are insanely fast, I think they are the fastest courts I have ever played on in my life. The ball travels so fast through the court. It’s hard to play good tennis. The first hour I really struggled, I played a really poor game to start off and that just isn’t good enough against these top players,” said Jack Draper (via Eurosport). “I think my grit, my determination and my attitude won that match today and I am very proud of that.” the 22-year-old added. “Andy’s been such a role model and an inspiration for me” : Draper’s comments on his idol Andy Murray Recently retired Andy Murray has developed to become a huge role model for young tennis fans in the UK and worldwide. His relationship with young players is one of mentorship, support and setting greater standards. Jack Draper has not shied away from citing Murray has his role model as he has grown up in the UK. Earlier in the Paris Olympics, the British world no.1 paid his tribute to Andy Murray as he bid adieu to the sport.  “It was amazing. Andy’s been such a role model and an inspiration for me throughout the years, I think to be at his last event was incredible. Obviously, what he’s done for the sport and done for British tennis, hopefully I can take it forward from here,” said the youngster. “To be a part of the team and to be at his last event, having watched when he was younger, what he’s achieved and stuff, that was really special and a real honour for me. Hopefully, he’s going to stick around and not be a stranger. He’ll still be around and give advice and be a good friend,” Draper concluded. Andy Murray’s contribution towards inspiring younger generations might have been overshadowed by his legacy as a ‘Big 4’ player, but his influence on Briton youngsters like Jack Draper, Cameron Norrie, and Emma Raducanu who have all addressed his impact on their careers will live on forever. Also Read : “I got into people’s business many times on the court”: Andy Roddick addresses on-court issues at Paris Olympics

Scroll to Top