Sports
Wimbledon: Murray, Serena’s Mixed Double Run Ends
Andy Murray and Serena Williams’ memorable Wimbledon run is over after they lost to top seeds Bruno Soares and Nicole Melichar in the mixed doubles.
Britain’s Murray, 32, and American Williams, 37, have illuminated SW19 with their blockbuster partnership but came unstuck in a 6-3 4-6 6-2 defeat.
The loss means the Scot’s Wimbledon return – almost six months after serious hip surgery – is over.
Now he must decide the next step as he ultimately hopes to play singles again.
On Tuesday, Murray said playing singles at the US Open in September looks “pretty unlikely” as he continues to take his recovery cautiously.
After their exit last Wednesday, the former British number one said: “I think I achieved a lot.
“I got on the court and considering the lack of matches, I did OK. The most positive thing is that my body felt good.”
Williams still has a chance of silverware as she played Czech Barbora Strycova, British number one Jo Konta’s conqueror, in the singles semi-finals yesterday.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion said she has “loved the support” from playing alongside Murray at the All England Club.
“Hopefully I can still have it,” she added.
“I think to play on this stage with Andy, who has done so well here for so many years, is literally just a lifetime experience. I’m so happy that I got to experience it.”
Three-time Grand Slam winner Murray has spoken of his pleasure at being back playing competitively after having a hip resurfacing operation from which no player has returned to singles action.
Few would have thought they would see the 2013 and 2016 champion playing Wimbledon so soon and despite seeing the chance of another title alongside Williams disappear, he will look back on the past month with plenty of positives.
Murray made a winning return by taking the Queen’s doubles alongside Spain’s Feliciano Lopez and has continued to look sharp for this stage of his recovery at the All England Club.
The partnership with Williams, christened by the pair as ‘Mur-rena’, has wowed the Wimbledon crowds but they could not recover after dropping their first set of the tournament against Soares and Melichar.
The Nigeria Football Federation has defended the recent quarter-finals draw for the 2025 President Federation Cup, saying it was conducted in line with best global practices.
A member of the NFF Executive Committee Board, George Aluo, stated that criticism over venues for the quarterfinals was unfortunate.
Going by the fixtures released on Saturday by the football body, Abakaliki FC will take on Nasarawa United in Benin, Wikki Tourists will clash with Ikorodu City in Bwari, Abuja, Akwa United and Kwara United will fight it out in Enugu, just as Area 3, Abuja, will host the encounter between Rangers International and Plateau United. All matches are scheduled for May 3rd for the emergence of semifinalists in a leg affair.
However, there have been criticisms over the Ikorodu United vs Wikki Tourist tie billed for Abuja, with a section of the press saying the venue is skewed in favour of the Bauchi team.
Aluo, also the Chairman of the Nigeria National League (NNL), said: “Some of our media men need better education, and newsmen should not be like the fans out there on the streets. In the English FA Cup, it is always a one-legged pairing that can see a club like Arsenal host Manchester United at home”.
A new contract that will see Act Sports Di Oyibo Limited managing the career of Nigerian teqball specialist, Victor Oyemade, has been signed in Lagos.
The deal gives exclusive rights to Act Sports to manage, and exercise power of attorney over issues relating to the player’s welfare as it concerns his transactions, engagement for professional, promotional, sponsorships, endorsements, and exhibition purposes.
In signing the document, both parties also agreed that proper safeguards would be put in place to protect and promote the player’s interest at all times.
Director of Act Sports, Di Oyibo Limited, Pastor Samuel Robinson Oyibo, excited about the deal, said it would benefit both parties in the area of spreading the message of the sport, as well as laying a firm foundation for his new client’s future.
“Teqball is one of the world’s fastest-growing ball sports, and Victor Oyemade is the face of the sport here in Nigeria and Africa. That is why we are excited about this partnership that gives Act Sports official authorisation to manage his career, just as it will lay the foundation for its rapid growth in our country,” Pastor Oyibo said.
Oyemade was no less excited about the deal, saying it would help his growth in the sport.
Coaches of Nigeria’s U-18 and U-20 women’s handball teams have released their final lists of 14 players ahead of the IHF Women’s Trophy Zonal Phase, which will be held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, that commenced yesterday to end 24th of this month.
The two teams have been training at the Rowe Park Sports Centre, Yaba, Lagos, for close to two weeks and departed for the competition on Thursday.
Coach John Uzor of the national U-18 team has included Omole Joy of Defender Babes and her sister Omole Shola alongside Ojie Princess of Funad Academy alongside right back Faisat Balogun in the mix while Success Duru, Chetachi Ngaodurubie of COAS Babes and Sharon Okonkwo make the cut, amongst other players.
In the U-20 team, Coach Shittu Agboola has largely stuck with the players he has been grooming since their U-18 days. The team is led by Captain Chidera Ogbusimba alongside, her Rima Queens teammates the Samuel Sisters, Amina Mohammed and Joy Peters.
Israel-based Rahima Bello, Kehinde Babatunde of ASPAC HBC of Benin Republic and Esther Mathew, who is also based in Benin Republic, keep their places.
Coach Shittu believes his team will make Nigeria proud just as they did previously at the U-18 level.
“I am really upset that Taiwo Babatunde will not be part of the team for this competition as her school, Yaba College of Technology, insisted that they will not release her for national service because of examinations.
“We did everything humanly possible to secure her release and they didn’t care that it is a national service for the interest of Nigeria and the growth of sports. We have other players who are also students and they got a release from their schools but for no tangible reason, Yabatech refused to release Taiwo despite the fact that we did everything possible to secure her release. It’s sad and I hope the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Sports Commission will work in tandem so that schools will support our goal in making Nigeria proud in sporting events”.