CELEBRITY
SERENA WILLIAMS EYES US OPEN FINAL
Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka renew their rivalry on Thursday (Sept 10) when they go head-to-head in the semi-finals to determine who is mother superior at the 2020 US Open.
Williams, chasing a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam singles title, takes on unranked Azarenka, seeking a first tennis major trophy in seven years, for a spot in Saturday’s final.
“Can it get any better?” Azarenka asked Wednesday after booking her place in the last four with a 6-1, 6-0 demolition of 16th-seeded Belgian Elise Mertens.
“For me, it can’t. I’m so excited about this. It’s an amazing opportunity to play against a champion, somebody who I respect a lot, who is my friend,” added the two-time Slam winner.
Williams was forced to dig deep to secure a 4-6 6-3 6-2 US Open quarter-final victory over unseeded Bulgarian Tsvetana Pironkova on Wednesday.
Williams, a six-times champion in New York, struggled with Pironkova’s slice forehand early and was at risk of her earliest US Open exit in 14 years until she used her experience to find a way back against a resurgent Pironkova.
“I’m happy to be standing here… because at one point I was pretty close to not being here,” Williams said during the on-court winner’s interview. “I keep fighting and that’s one thing that I am super excited about is I never give up.”
Williams defeated Azarenka in the final of the US Open in 2012 and 2013. Azarenka’s last Slam title came at the 2013 Australian Open, when she retained the crown she had won a year earlier.
Her last appearance in the final of a tennis major was her US Open defeat to Williams that same year, which she lost in three sets.
Azarenka also suffered an agonising loss in 2012, when she served for the match at 5-3 in the third set only to lose 7-5.
The 31-year-old Belarusian is enjoying a fairytale run at the US Open after claiming last month’s Western and Southern Open tune-up event in New York.
Both Azarenka and Williams are looking to win their first Slam since becoming mothers.
It has been more than three years since Williams won her 23rd title at the 2017 Australian Open – when she was already pregnant with daughter Olympia.
Williams has come close since, reaching four major finals only to come away empty handed, and needs one more to match Margaret Court’s record of 24.
Azarenka became a mother in December 2016. A custody battle over her son has disrupted her career in recent years but she is up to 27th in the world rankings.
Williams and Azarenka are the last remaining mothers in the draw after nine started the tournament.
Only three women – Belgium’s Kim Clijsters, Court and fellow Australian Evonne Goolagong – have won Grand Slam singles titles in the Open era after having children.
In Thursday’s other semi-final, fourth seed Naomi Osaka takes on 28th-seeded American Jennifer Brady.
Japan’s Osaka, 22 is hunting her second US Open after lifting the trophy in 2018. Brady, 25, is competing in her first Grand Slam semi-final.
Osaka, of Haitian and Japanese heritage, has been wearing different masks honoring victims of racial injustice and police brutality throughout the tournament.
She has already donned face coverings bearing the names of Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin and George Floyd.
On Tuesday during an appearance on ESPN, Osaka was played video messages from the mother of Martin and the father of Arbery, who thanked the tennis star for her activism. She later revealed the words of gratitude had moved her to tears.
“I often wonder if what I’m doing is resonating and reaching as many people as I hope,” she wrote on Twitter.
“That being said, I tried to hold it in on set but after watching these back I cried so much. The strength and the character both of these parents have is beyond me. Love you both, thank you.
- AFP, REUTERS
Former England soccer captain David Beckham and actor Gary Oldman were knighted in King Charles’ annual birthday honours list on Saturday, while sculptor Antony Gormley was made a Companion of Honour.
Beckham, 50, joined Manchester United as a trainee in 1993, going on to make almost 400 appearances for the club where he won a string of titles and cups.
He subsequently played for Real Madrid, LA Galaxy, and Inter Milan, as well as captaining his country 58 times and making 115 appearances.
His marriage to fashion designer and former Spice Girl Victoria Beckham in 1999 cemented a celebrity status which went far beyond his sporting exploits.
Oldman, 67, started his career on the stage, where he was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company, before rising to prominence in film. He won the best actor Oscar for playing Winston Churchill in the 2017 drama “Darkest Hour”.
He also had roles in the “Dark Knight Trilogy” and the “Harry Potter” movie series and more recently starred in the TV spy drama “Slow Horses”.
Other famous names receiving honours included damehoods for musical theatre star Elaine Paige, novelist Pat Barker and ceramics maker Emma Bridgewater.
Roger Daltrey, lead singer of rock band the Who and a patron of the Teenage Cancer Trust, received a knighthood for services to charity.
More than 1,200 people received honours for their achievements, with a particular focus on those who had given their time to public service, the government said.
King Charles’ official birthday will be celebrated with the annual “Trooping the Colour” military parade in London on Saturday. His actual birthday is on November 14
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
One of three judges in Diego Maradona’s closely scrutinized homicide trial in Argentina resigned on Tuesday amid a scandal triggered by the alleged filming of an unauthorised documentary, bringing uncertainty to the future of legal proceedings.
The high-profile trial over the death of soccer star Maradona began on March 11 in the South American country where the World Cup winner is still revered.
-Reuters
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
For the third year in a row, and the fifth time overall, Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest-paid athlete.
But at age 40, the Portuguese soccer superstar is reaching new highs.
Over the past 12 months, counting both his playing salary at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr and his off-field business endeavors, Ronaldo collected an estimated $275 million before taxes and agent fees—the third-best year by an active athlete ever measured by Forbes.
On that all-time list, Ronaldo is surpassed only by boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $285 million in 2018.
And when it comes to the 2025 leaderboard, Ronaldo has a $119 million advantage over No. 2, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.
The League of Wealthy Sportsmen
The gap is especially impressive considering that Curry’s $156 million total is also a record for his sport, beating the NBA mark of $128.2 million set last year by LeBron James.
And there are plenty of other eye-popping paydays among this year’s 10 highest-paid athletes, starting with James, who notched a personal-best $133.8 million to land at No. 6. Meanwhile, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (No. 4, $137million) and New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (No. 7, $114 million) broke records for the NFL and MLB.
Combined, the 10 highest-paid athletes brought in $1.4 billion, up slightly from last year’s $1.38 billion and the largest total since Forbes began ranking athlete earnings in 1990.
This year is also only the second time, after 2024, that every member of the top 10 made at least $100 million.
In fact, heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk ($101 million) and golfer Jon Rahm ($100 million) reached the milestone, too, without managing to crack this list.
For the third year in a row, and the fifth time overall, Cristiano Ronaldo is the world’s highest-paid athlete.
But at age 40, the Portuguese soccer superstar is reaching new highs.
Over the past 12 months, counting both his playing salary at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr and his off-field business endeavors, Ronaldo collected an estimated $275 million before taxes and agent fees—the third-best year by an active athlete ever measured by Forbes.
On that all-time list, Ronaldo is surpassed only by boxer Floyd Mayweather, who earned $300 million in 2015 and $285 million in 2018.
And when it comes to the 2025 leaderboard, Ronaldo has a $119 million advantage over No. 2, Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry.
The gap is especially impressive considering that Curry’s $156 million total is also a record for his sport, beating the NBA mark of $128.2 million set last year by LeBron James.
And there are plenty of other eye-popping paydays among this year’s 10 highest-paid athletes, starting with James, who notched a personal-best $133.8 million to land at No. 6. Meanwhile, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (No. 4, $137million) and New York Mets outfielder Juan Soto (No. 7, $114 million) broke records for the NFL and MLB.
Combined, the 10 highest-paid athletes brought in $1.4 billion, up slightly from last year’s $1.38 billion and the largest total since Forbes began ranking athlete earnings in 1990.
This year is also only the second time, after 2024, that every member of the top 10 made at least $100 million.
In fact, heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk ($101 million) and golfer Jon Rahm ($100 million) reached the milestone, too, without managing to crack this list.
World’s Highest-Paid Athletes 2025
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
How Joao Pedro brace sends Chelsea into Club World Cup final
Former Fluminense player, Joao Pedro, downs club and Fires Chelsea into Club World Cup Final
Trump to attend Club World Cup final, FIFA opens office in Trump Tower
- OBITUARY6 days ago
BREAKING: Nigerian Goalkeeping Legend Peter Rufai is dead
- Nigerian Football5 days ago
Football Agent John Shittu Demands Retraction and ₦250 Million Damages from Samson Siasia Over Bribery Allegation
- WAFCON4 days ago
Nigeria, Tunisia Set for High-Stakes WAFCON 2024 Clash in Casablanca
- OBITUARY6 days ago
Peter Rufai looked lean when I last saw him, says mourning NFF President, Gusau
- OBITUARY4 days ago
Peter Rufai and I, Ike Shorunmu, pays tribute to late mentor
- OBITUARY5 days ago
Family issues statement on Peter Rufai
- IMMEMORIAL5 days ago
Peter Rufai’s Death Adds to Long List of July Tragedies in Nigerian Football
- WAFCON3 days ago
WAFCON 2024: At last, Super Falcons break opening match losing streak