Serena Williams celebrates her Auckland, New Zealand, win with her daughter, Alexis Olympia.
The 38-year-old, who gave birth to daughter Alexis Olympia on September 1, 2017, lifted the trophy at the ASB Classic in Auckland, New Zealand, after defeating fellow American Jessica Pegula 6-3, 6-4. Williams flung back her head in delight and relief after Pegula hit the ball wide on match point. “Oh, it feels good!” said Williams, winner of 23 Grand Slam singles titles. “It’s been a long time. I think you could see the relief on my face. “It’s pretty satisfying just to get a win in the final. “That was really important for me, and I just want to build on it. It’s just a step towards the next goal.”
Williams said she “almost died giving birth.” But she remarkably returned to the WTA Tour six months later in March 2018. Her first appearance had been even earlier at an exhibition match the previous December in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Since her comeback, Williams has played some devastating tennis and reached finals at Wimbledon and the US Open in both 2018 and 2019. But the wait for more silverware has called for Williams to dig deep for self-belief. “You have to be your biggest cheerleader, especially if you’re feeling you’re not doing everything right — or even if you are doing everything right but things aren’t working out for you,” she added. Williams now will prepare for the Australian Open, a tournament she has won seven times, which begins on 20 January. She also announced she will donate her $43,000 Auckland prize to Australian bushfire relief. (CNN)
Simone Biles became the most decorated gymnast in the world championships’ history on Sunday with a gold medal on the balance beam in Stuttgart, Germany on Sunday. The US gymnast won her 25th career world medal at the Artistic Gymnastics World Championships, surpassing Belarusian Vitaly Scherbo’s career total of 23. A four-time Olympic champion, Biles now holds 19 golds. Scherbo, a Belarussian who competed in the 1990s, had been the most decorated gymnast in world championship history.
On Saturday, Biles won the vault by more than half a point, averaging 15.399 for her two attempts. US gymnast Jade Carey won silver and Elissa Downie of Great Britain took bronze. The world vault title is Biles’ second (2018). She also won gold in the event at the 2016 Olympics. Biles also competed in the uneven bars Saturday, finishing fifth. The 22-year-old says she’s preparing for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo — which she has said will be her last Olympics.
The International Olympic Committee made the announcement after a daylong conference in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Milan’s Piazza Del Duomo.zorazhuang / Getty Images
The International Olympic Committee announced Monday that Italy’s bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics has been accepted.
The games will be held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, IOC President Thomas Bach revealed during the announcement ceremony.
After a daylong conference in Lausanne, Switzerland, which included presentations and questioning in closed-door sessions, the IOC selected Milan-Cortina over Swedish rivals Stockholm-Are to host the games.
Italian delegation members celebrate after Italy won the bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympic Games at the meeting of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Monday.Phillippe Lopez / Pool via Reuters
The vote was held at the SwissTech conference center where the IOC had decided in July 2017 that the 2024 Olympics and 2028 Olympics would be held in Paris and Los Angeles, respectively. The announcement Monday about Italy being picked was broadcast on giant screens at the Piazza Gae Aulenti in Milan, as well as in Piazza Angelo Di Bona in Cortina. Piazza Garibaldi in Sondrio, Italy, which is between Milan and Cortina, also broadcast the announcement. A public announcement wasn’t planned in Sweden.
Eighty-three members of the IOC were eligible to vote on the location of the 2026 Winter Olympics, but President Thomas Bach abstained from the vote, leaving a total of 82 votes. However, Bach was able to cast a vote if there was a tie between the two cities. Voters included the Emir of Qatar and Princess Anne of Britain. The Milan-Cortina bid won 47 votes and Stockholm-Are received 34 votes. One voter abstained. “They are two of the richest provinces in Europe. They certainly have the capacity, they have the readiness, they have the finances in order to be able to support the event,” Italy Undersecretary of State Giancarlo Giorgetti said, despite Italy’s debt load being the second highest in Europe behind Greece.
On Monday afternoon, ahead of the announcement, Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte stressed his country’s desire to host the 2026 games. “If I am here today in front of you, it is thanks to the enthusiasm of all Italy. … This is the dream of an entire country, and not only the government but also the regions,” Conte said. Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven said ahead of the vote that he was proud to have been involved in the decision-making process.
“Seriously, I am very proud to be part of this. It’s important to Sweden, we’re a big winter sports nation. We love this, we know how to do this,” Lofven said. Italy has twice scrapped plans for a bid at holding the Olympics in recent years. In 2012, plans for Rome’s bid to host the 2020 Summer Olympics were canned, and another bid for the 2024 Olympics made in 2016 was scrapped after opposition from Rome’s mayor. Italy last held the Olympic games in Turin in 2006. Cortina d’Ampezzo previously hosted the Winter Olympics in 1956. Source NBC news
Franck Fife, AFP | United States’ forward Carli Lloyd celebrates after scoring a goal against Chile during the FIFA Women’s World Cup on June 16, 2019
After opening the World Cup on the bench, Carli Lloyd scored twice during the United States’ second match against Chile, proving she is still a force to be reckoned with. Will it be enough to make the starting-11 against Sweden on Thursday? Lloyd has been a fixture on the United States women’s national team since 2003. But she has seen her role gradually shift in recent years from standout starting player to substitute.
At 36, Lloyd is often described in end-of-career terms. The oldest player on her team, she is also by far its most experienced with more than 270 international appearances. She has competed in two previous World Cup tournaments, leading the United States to victory in 2015 after scoring three goals in the first 16 minutes of the final. She is also a two-time Olympic gold medalist, scoring the winning goals in both 2008 and 2012 playoffs. After 16 years on the national team, this year’s tournament “will most likely be her last world finals,” according to the FIFA Women’s World Cup website. Yet Lloyd has made no secret that she is not content to sit on her laurels.
“I think there would be something wrong if I were satisfied and saying, ‘I’m okay with coming off the bench,’” she told the New York Times in November. Instead, Lloyd has focused on reinventing her game, driven by the same tireless work-ethic that made her a two-time World Player of the Year, in 2015 and then again in 2016. She has transitioned away from her longtime position as centre midfielder to forward, while remaining one of the most prolific scorers in United States history with a total of 113 international goals and counting.
“For me, my most pivotal moments are just rolling the sleeves up, saying, you know, this is another challenge, this is another obstacle, and turning it into a positive,” Lloyd told the US Soccer Federation earlier this month. “I’ve been working these last couple of years to re-find my game, to become better, and I’m just, you know, honestly I’m having fun.” Her tenacity has paid off. After opening the World Cup on the bench, Lloyd was promoted to the starting lineup during Sunday’s game against Chile at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris. She became the first player to score in six consecutive World Cup matches, with goals in the 11th and 35th minutes. She also narrowly missed getting another hat trick, after her penalty kick in the 88th minute sailed wide of the left goal post.
Still, the overall 3-0 win pushed the United States through to the round of 16, ahead of their final group stage match against Sweden at the Stade Océane in the northern French city of Le Havre on Thursday. Lloyd’s strong performance against Chile, however, in no way guarantees her a spot in the starting-11. If anything, coach Jill Ellis’s style this tournament has been marked by her willingness to rotate her players. Lloyd was just one of seven tweaks she made to Sunday’s starting lineup.“In terms of trusting the team, it’s kind of been this big-picture plan for a few months now, in certain rotations we’ve done and how we approach certain games,” Ellis told FIFA Women’s World Cup website after Sunday’s match. “I think what 2015 taught me is you can get suspensions, you can get injuries, you can get all of these things, and the more prepared you are to deal with these things, the better off you’ll be.”
Whatever Ellis decides, Lloyd will be prepared on Thursday. “I know that my ability is there, I know this is my best version of me. I’ve just got to go out there and prove it,” she said after Sunday’s match. “Whether that’s coming off the bench and making an impact, whether that’s starting and getting the opportunity, which I’m grateful for, I’m just trying to make the most of it. I want to win.”
Former Chelsea striker, Chris Sutton has criticised Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho, following the Red Devils’ shock defeat to Derby County in the Carabao Cup third round encounter played on Tuesday night.
County goalkeeper, Scott Carson saved United defender, Phil Jones’ penalty to ensure his team earned a place in the fourth round, winning 8-7 at spot kicks after a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford.
Sutton, however, believes that Mourinho should be shouldering the blame instead of putting it on his players after United were dumped from the competition by Frank Lampard’s men.
Recall that Mourinho had named Phil Jones and Eric Bailly as the cause of his side’s penalty shootout loss to County.
“I don’t like Mourinho unburdening the blame on the players,” Sutton told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“He is the manager. He needs to step up and take responsibility.”
Meanwhile, Mourinho’s men will take on West Ham in their next game on Saturday in the Premier League.
