Sport

Emma Raducanu says she’s a ‘stronger and better player’ following opening victory of 2023 in Auckland

She's backing up those New Year's resolutions already.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 3rd January 2023

Tennis star Emma Raducanu has kicked off 2023 with her first victory in the ASB Classic, promising that she is feeling “stronger and better” than ever.

Starting the New Year in style with a 2-1 comeback against 17-year-old Czech prospect Linda Fruhvirtova, Raducanu closed the second and third sets by 6-4 and 6-2 with a number of impressively played points.

Still only 20 herself, the world number 78 seed enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame following her massive US Open win in 2021 at the age of just 18, but suffered from injury issues throughout the following year.

However, the Canadian-born Brit now believes she is “a stronger and better player” than when she took the major tournament by storm. Here’s hoping she’s right.

Back in December, Raducanu told lifestyle magazine SheerLuxe, “my biggest goal in 2023 is to be more injury free. I just want to stay healthier for longer.”

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After bursting onto the scene at the iconic New York and becoming the youngest British woman to reach the last 16 in the Open Era, breaking into the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) top 200 and being named world number 10, 2022 ended up being a largely a frustrating stop-start campaign.

She admitted that given “the demands of the tour, going from having no training or stamina to being thrown into competing at the top level”, her body has struggled, a recurring wrist injury plaguing most of the year and cutting the 2022 season short in October.

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Now though, under the new coach Sebastian Sachs — the 30-year-old German who led Belinda Bencic to her Olympic gold last year — she’s looking faster, fitter and fine form.

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Her win against Fruhvirtova is her first official tour match in three months and it looks like the new training regime is working out so far.

Here’s hoping she says fit and healthy for 2023 and especially come Wimbledon. We’d love to see her progress even further and give the UK another name to cheer on.

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Featured Image — Emma Raducanu (via WTA/LTA)

Sport

Tyson Fury says he hasn’t spoken to his wife in ‘three months’ whilst preparing for Usyk rematch

Danny Jones Danny Jones Tyson Fury hasn't spoke to his wife Paris for three months preparing for Usyk 2 rematch

Tyson Fury says hasn’t spoken to his wife Paris for three whole months while preparing for the much-anticipated Oleksandr Usyk rematch.

The Manc fighter is set to face the Ukrainian counterpart in the ‘Undisputed’ sequel, simply dubbed Fury vs Usyk 2, which will result in one unified heavyweight champion of the world.

Usyk’s victory over the Wythenshawe-born boxer back in May saw him take that title for the first time since 1999 (the only man to have done so in the four-belt era) but with the rematch nearly upon us, Fury could be set to steal that title away from him.

With that in mind, the pressure has clearly been on ever since he lost the first bout and, according to Tyson himself, he hasn’t spoken to his wife Paris Fury for virtually a quarter of a year as part of his immensely strict training camp.

Speaking to TNT Sports ahead of the match this weekend, he claimed: “I haven’t spoke to Paris in three months – not a word. [I’ve] not spoke to anyone, I haven’t been on my phone.”

Explaining that he simply removed all distractions to get his head in the right space ahead of the title decider, ‘The Gypsy King’ has been known to isolate himself from the rest of the world before a big fight in the past, but cutting contact with your spouse of 10 years and partner for nearly two decades is wild.

The 36-year-old went on to detail that in order to give himself the best shot at winning, he couldn’t keep switching between “beast mode to dad mode to wife mode” and so on.

In separate interviews with other outlets ahead of the highly-awaited rematch, Fury has made various other big claims about what boxing fans can expect from his own performance, including an admission that he needs to be “more focused this time and not do as much showboating” in the ring.

Nevertheless, he also assured the media that he isn’t a quitter and has promised he will not just “f*** up” his 37-year-old opponent but “retire” him. Usyk, on the other hand, has warned he will be a different challenge than the last time the two faced each other, predicting a knockout victory too.

Having downed Tyson more than once the last time around, he’s understandably confident of his chances.

Bold words from the pair of them, indeed, but this is all just part and parcel of the usual pre-fight build-up; all we really know is that Usyk won the previous face-off and Fury is the one with the point to prove.

While younger brother Tommy Fury recently had to pull out of his scheduled fight against Darren Till, during which tensions seriously boiled over during the first press conference, it looks as though there is no risk of more cancellations and any more ‘will they won’t they?’ antics between these two at least.

The rematch, or ‘Fury vs Usyk 2: Undisputed’ to give use its full title (the latest in Saudi Arabia’s growing fight scene and live sports programming as part of Riyadh Season) takes place this Saturday, 21 December, with the two set to clash once again from 10:25 GMT.

Who do you think will emerge victorious from this one and, more importantly, when do you think we’ll see the third and ‘final’ fight when they inevitably demand a trilogy?…

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Featured Images — paul62_2017 (via Flickr)/Netflix (via screenshot)

Sport

A Manchester City fan has died after a medical incident at Manchester derby

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Manchester City has confirmed one of its supporters has died after a medical incident at the derby match. Credit: The Manc Group

A Manchester City fan has tragically passed away after a medical incident at the Manchester derby yesterday.

The club has confirmed that one of the club’s supporters died after collapsing during the match against Manchester United.

They wrote: “Manchester City are aware of the tragic news that one of our supporters passed away following a medical incident at yesterday’s match.

“The thoughts of everyone at the Club are with their family and friends at this incredibly difficult time.”

Man City and Manchester United faced off at the Etihad Stadium yesterday, with Man United eventually taking the win thanks to a 90th-minute goal by Amad Diallo.

An eyewitness told the Manchester Evening News they saw the fan being administered CPR at around 4:10pm.

People have been leaving tributes to the Manchester City fan, who has not yet been named, online.

One person wrote: “RIP that city fan. No one should go to a football match and not come home again. RIP”

Another said: “An important reminder amongst all the squabbling over yesterday’s result is that the football isn’t everything. Thoughts are with his family, RIP blue.”

Someone else posted: “Rip blue. Thoughts are with your family and friends at this sad time.”

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Featured Image – The Manc Group

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