Sports

Novak Djokovic wins record-equaling 20th Grand Slam, beat Matteo Berrettini in Wimbledon final

Published

5 years ago

July 12, 2021

Novak Djokovic equaled the men’s record for most grand slam single’s titles after beating Matteo Berrettini in the Wimbledon final on Sunday.

The world No.1 joins Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal on 20 career grand slams, cementing himself as one of the greatest players in the history of the sport.

After a nervy start, Djokovic recovered to win 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-4 6-3 against his Italian opponent and clinch his sixth Wimbledon title.

Having already won the Australian Open and French Open this year, he needs the Olympic gold medal and US Open title to become the first man to ever win a Golden Slam.

“That was more than a battle. I’d first like to extend my congratulations to Matteo, his family and his team for a fantastic tournament. It was a tough match today,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “From a 7-year-old boy in Serbia constructing a Wimbledon tennis trophy from improvised materials I found in my room to standing here today with my sixth Wimbledon. It’s incredible.”

Berrettini, playing in his first grand slam final, could have been forgiven for being nervous, but it was the veteran Djokovic who looked more shaky at the start.

The 34-year-old started the match with a double fault before surviving a break-point in his first service game.

Berrettini, bidding to become the first Italian winner of a Wimbledon singles title, looked to rely on his powerful serve and booming forehand to settle himself into the match but was broken by Djokovic in his second service game.

The Italian then began struggling for form, missing a couple of easy shots, but discovered his rhythm just in time, breaking back against Djokovic as he was serving for the set.

The mini-victory seemed to give Berrettini a boost and momentum swung in his favor as the crowd got behind the underdog.

The opening set went into a nail-biting tie-break which Berrettini sealed with an emphatic ace.

It was clear Djokovic needed to up his game, and that’s exactly what he did in the second set, breaking the Italian’s serve twice in his first two attempts.

Berrettini didn’t go away, though, once again breaking back when Djokovic was serving for the set, but the Serbian dug deep to level the match.

The third set was more like the final many had expected, with both men producing wonderful tennis much to the delight of the packed stands on Centre Court.

But after an early break, Djokovic once again held on to take a 2-1 lead in the final.

Berrettini continued to put pressure on Djokovic in the final set of the match but the great champion’s experience began to pay off. He dramatically reduced his unforced errors and, as has always been the case, he found a way to win the big points.

“For sure, Novak was better than me. He is a great champion. He’s writing the history of the sport so he deserves all the credit,” Berrettini said during his on-court interview. “I’m really happy with the final. Hopefully it won’t be my last one here or last one in general. It’s an unbelievable feeling.”

In his current form, it seems just a matter of time before Djokovic overtakes Federer and Nadal’s grand slam haul, but the Serbian paid tribute to the two legends of the men’s game.

“They are legends of our sport and they are the two most important players that I’ve ever faced in my career,” he said. “They are the reason I am where I am today. They helped me realize what I need to do to improve and get stronger.”

Djokovic will now head to Tokyo to compete at the Olympics before heading to the US Open.

-CNN

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Osimhen Among Highest-Paid African Footballers in 2026 — See Full List

Published

8 hours ago

March 31, 2026

Trends Admin

Osimhen Among Highest-Paid African Footballers in 2026 — See Full List

The highest-paid African footballers in 2026 continue to earn staggering wages, with stars in the Saudi Pro League dominating the rankings due to lucrative contracts. From Riyad Mahrez to Mohamed Salah, African players remain among the top earners in global football, earning hundreds of thousands of pounds weekly.

Leading the list is Riyad Mahrez, who earns an estimated £827,000–£886,000 per week at Al-Ahli, making him the highest-paid African footballer. He is followed by Sadio Mané, who earns around £630,000–£680,000 weekly at Al-Nassr.

Defender Kalidou Koulibaly earns about £550,000–£590,000 weekly at Al-Hilal, making him the highest-paid African defender. In Europe, Mohamed Salah continues to command massive wages of £350,000–£400,000 per week at Liverpool FC.

Top 10 Highest-Paid African Footballers (2026) – Weekly Salaries

Rank	Player	Club	Weekly Salary
1	Riyad Mahrez	Al-Ahli	£827,000 – £886,000
2	Sadio Mané	Al-Nassr	£630,000 – £680,000
3	Kalidou Koulibaly	Al-Hilal	£550,000 – £590,000
4	Mohamed Salah	Liverpool FC	£350,000 – £400,000
5	Victor Osimhen	Galatasaray	£250,000 – £318,000
6	Franck Kessié	Al-Ahli	£220,000 – £233,000
7	Achraf Hakimi	Paris Saint-Germain	£220,000 – £227,000
8	Edouard Mendy	Al-Ahli	£170,000 – £200,000
9	Iñaki Williams	Athletic Bilbao	~£180,000
10	Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang	Al-Qadsiah	£150,000 – £160,000

The rankings underline the growing dominance of the Saudi Pro League, which now offers significantly higher wages than most European leagues, attracting top African talent. Only a few players, such as Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi, remain among the top earners in Europe.

Osimhen Among Highest-Paid African Footballers in 2026 — See Full List

Sports

Adesanya Vows to Fight On Despite Fourth Straight Defeat

Published

2 days ago

March 29, 2026

Trends Admin

Adesanya Vows to Fight On Despite Fourth Straight Defeat

Nigerian-born mixed martial artist Israel Adesanya has reaffirmed his determination to continue competing at the highest level, insisting that recent setbacks will not define his legacy.

Adesanya suffered another defeat in the octagon on Saturday night, losing to American contender Joe Pyfer via second-round technical knockout at a UFC Fight Night event in Seattle.

The contest began on a promising note for the former middleweight champion, who displayed his signature precision and movement in the opening round. Adesanya controlled the distance effectively and dictated the pace of exchanges, raising hopes of a return to winning form.

However, the tide turned in the second round as Pyfer absorbed the early pressure and began to assert his physical advantage. The American closed the distance with powerful strikes before securing a crucial takedown. From a dominant position on the ground, he mounted Adesanya and unleashed a series of heavy blows, forcing referee Herb Dean to stop the fight.

The victory marks a significant milestone for Pyfer, while extending a challenging run for Adesanya, who has now suffered four consecutive losses. His recent defeats include bouts against Sean Strickland, Dricus du Plessis, and Nassourdine Imavov.

Despite growing concerns about his future in the middleweight division, the 36-year-old remained defiant in his post-fight comments, emphasizing his unwavering fighting spirit.

“I’ll keep coming back again and again. I’m not leaving this sport. You can’t stop me,” Adesanya declared, adding that defeat would not diminish his enduring belief in himself.

While questions continue to mount over his next steps, Adesanya’s resolve suggests he is far from ready to step away from the sport that has defined his career.

Adesanya Vows to Fight On Despite Fourth Straight Defeat

Sports

Super Eagles Edge Iran 2–1 in Antalya Friendly

Published

4 days ago

March 27, 2026

Trends Admin

Super Eagles Players

Super Eagles Edge Iran 2–1 in Antalya Friendly

Nigeria’s senior national team, the Super Eagles, began their March international break on a winning note with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Iran in an international friendly at the Antalya Stadium in Turkey on Friday, March 27.

The three-time African champions made a bright start, asserting their dominance early in the encounter. Winger Moses Simon opened the scoring in the sixth minute after latching onto a swift counterattack, evading his marker before slotting a low shot into the bottom-left corner.

Nigeria continued to press forward, creating several chances and maintaining control for much of the first half, though they were unable to extend their lead before the break.

The Super Eagles doubled their advantage shortly after the restart. In the 51st minute, Ademola Lookman provided a precise through pass to Akor Adams, who calmly finished to make it 2–0.

Head coach Eric Chelle utilized the friendly to test new options, handing debuts to Emmanuel Fernandez and Chibuike Nwaiwu, who came on for Semi Ajayi and Igoh Ogbu respectively. Later substitutions saw Paul Onuachu, Chidera Ejuke and Fisayo Dele-Bashiru introduced in place of Samuel Chukwueze, Moses Simon and Akor Adams, while Frank Onyeka also featured late on.

Iran reduced the deficit in the closing stages, setting up a nervy finish, but Nigeria held firm to secure the victory.

The match marked Nigeria’s first outing since finishing third at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and comes after the disappointment of missing out on World Cup qualification following a penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo.

Friday’s encounter was only the third meeting between both nations. Nigeria previously defeated Iran in a 1998 friendly, while their group-stage clash at the 2014 FIFA World Cup ended in a goalless draw.

The Super Eagles will now shift focus to their next friendly fixture against Jordan on Tuesday, also scheduled to take place in Turkey.