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The Serbian announced Murray as his new coach just on the same day that Rafa Nadal retired from tennis. Roddick has a strong opinion on that matter.

It’s been two weeks since Rafa Nadal hung up his racket and bid farewell to tennis after a career of many, many successes. His farewell at the Copa Davis in Malaga was not exactly one of the most glamorous after Spain was eliminated in the quarterfinals. However, that day had to be special and unique, the day of the retirement of one of the greatest legends of tennis. Yet, his ‘goodbye’ was not the only weighty news on that November Tuesday. Novak Djokovic almost simultaneously announced that Andy Murray would be his new coach, a piece of news that caught everyone off guard.

So, what’s the deal with that? Well, some believe that it wasn’t the right time to take the spotlight away from Rafa on such a special day this late year of 2024. For instance, Andy Roddick didn’t hesitate to weigh in, clearly showing his great displeasure at Djokovic’s poor choice of day and time to announce such tremendous news. “I get that memes are fun, but there’s nothing about this that is a joke. I don’t think it’s a vanity project,” expressed Roddick on his podcast “Served with Andy Roddick.”

Rafael Nadal

“There was no reason why it was necessary to announce this”

Looking at it with perspective, perhaps Nole could have waited a bit for the storm of Nadal’s farewell to pass. And not only to give the Spaniard his moment but also for himself. “Hey, is the attention fun? Is the scandal fun? Is it fun to know that you can create a storm in the tennis world and override any story? Oh, oh, oh! Rafa retires this weekend? Should we dominate the headlines at the end of that week?,” Roddick ironically remarked. Thus, it’s clear that for the former U.S. number 1, the Serbian didn’t time it right, as “there was no reason why it was necessary to announce this, none.”

Rafael Nadal did not get the career end he deserved, says Mark Petchy, but he thinks it’s a matter of time before a new send-off comes the Spaniard’s way.

Nadal officially retired at the Davis Cup Finals this year while representing Spain. It was a relatively meek end for a career that scaled such incredible heights, and it came after a bleak last couple of years with injuries.

The 22-time Major winner battled foot, hip, and abdominal injuries for the final two years of his career and was never able to string enough matches together to make anything like an effective comeback.

Such a glorious career definitely deserved a more storied end, but Petchy says that’s just the nature of sports.

“Unfortunately, these are not Hollywood scripts,” Petchy told Betway. “At the end of the day, they’re real-life stories.

“The ending wasn’t quite what everyone who witnessed his triumphs would have wanted but I genuinely believe that they’ll be another send-off that will magnify just how great he’s been.

“I would imagine they’ll be another rapid tribute that will feel more meaningful to all of us in terms of what he has done to our lives, not just to tennis, but to everybody’s lives. It has been phenomenal to watch somebody that changed the game.”
Rafael Nadal

Nadal will now ponder his next move, something he appears to be doing largely from the golf course in his native Mallorca.

He has been tipped to follow Andy Murray into coaching, but for now he is happy to just sit back and appreciate all he has achieved.

“The reality is that it has been some difficult years, these last two especially,” he said ahead of his final match in October. “I don’t think I have been able to play without limitations. It is obviously a difficult decision, one that has taken me some time to make.

“But in this life, everything has a beginning and an end, and I think it’s the appropriate time to put an end to a career that has been long and much more successful than I could have ever imagined.

Coco Gauff Shares Heartfelt Tribute to Grandparents After They Receive ‘Well-Deserved’ Community Award

Just a few days ago, Coco Gauff was spotted enjoying some time with her grandfather, Eddie ‘Red’ Odom. She shared a picture of her grandfather, whose online presence is almost non-existent on social media. Gauff captioned, “Granddad💜,” on the selfie with him. Along with her grandfather’s picture, she also shared a few glimpses of her preparations for Thanksgiving. A few weeks before, she had a sumptuous seafood date with her grandmother, Yvonne Lee Odom. Her grandparents have played a crucial role in her upbringing. Recently, Coco Gauff highlighted an incredible achievement of her grandparents. What was it, though?

Coco Gauff’s grandmother, Yvonne Lee Odom, has weathered quite a few storms in her life. However, she has never hesitated to stand up for herself and the community when it mattered the most. She was the first Black student at Delray Beach’s Seacrest High School. In 1961, during the time of segregation and prejudice, she incurred a ban from a bus carrying white pupils and teachers even asked her not to use the same loos. However, that’s not the end of her inspiring story! Despite being a sprinter and captain of her old school’s basketball team, Odom was cruelly denied the chance to play at the Seacrest, simply because she was Black.

It shattered her dream of a college sports scholarship! However, she never gave up her fight. Now she has finally managed to fulfill all her unfulfilled wishes through her granddaughter. Even her grandfather has played a crucial role in inspiring their granddaughter on her tennis journey. We often see Gauff speaking about their contributions to her life and recently, she was spotted congratulating them on winning the Community Lifetime Achievement Award. The tennis star shared a photo of her grandparents on her IG Story with the caption, “community lifetime achievement award 💜 no one more deserving @yvonne.odom my grandparents >>>.”

Coco Gauff has garnered a reputation for speaking her mind! We’ve often seen her speaking against anti-LGBTQ laws in her home state, Florida. There have also been instances when the tennis star was also spotted demanding racial justice at a BLM rally. She never shies away from taking bold steps and raising her voice on what she feels is right. Is this inspired by her grandparents’ incredible contribution to the community? I mean, who’s her real inspiration?

Well, speaking on this Gauff once revealed, “She’s (grandmother) the sole, or one of the main, reasons why I use my platform the way that I do and why I feel so comfortable speaking out.” Further talking about her battles in her life, Gauff once said, “For her (Yvonne Lee Odom) to go through what she did during that time [makes me think that] putting out a tweet or saying a speech is so easy compared to that. That’s why I have no problem doing the things that I do. She always reminds me that I’m a person first instead of an athlete.

Coco Gauff

Not only that, even during the 2023 BJK Cup, the young American tennis star shared her thoughts on how her grandparents have become a “true inspiration.” Coco Gauff said, “Yeah, my grandmother. Grandparents in general just mean a lot to me. I know a lot of you probably know what my grandmother or grandfather has done for this community regarding racial justice, equality, and equality in general.” What does her grandmother think about Gauff’s incredible rise, though?

“Coco Gauff was destined for greatness” – Yvonne Lee Odom heaps praise on her granddaughter’s incredible rise

Coco Gauff is just 20 years old and has already won 9 titles in her career and guess what? That includes her heroics at the 2023 US Open! The small kid from Atlanta, Georgia, is now a Top 3 player! What does her grandmother think about this rapid rise? Well, during a previous conversation, Yvonne Lee Odom revealed, “Coco, to me, was destined for greatness because as a little girl, she displayed that in many ways. I love you, you know I always say I love you, but do your best.

This year she became the youngest flag bearer ever for the US at the Olympics Ceremony. Coco Gauff also managed to finish the year on a high note by winning the WTA Finals. She has seen a lot of ups and downs throughout these past six years. So what lesson does her grandmother want to teach her life?

You know I’ve always said that because if you do your best, win or lose, I might not care if you win another match, you already made me proud. So always, do your best. Like your grandaddy said, ‘Never say die,’“, said Yvonne Lee Odom. With this season coming to an end, Gauff finally got a chance to spend some time with these people, but with the 2025 season knocking at the doors, she’ll be desperate to catch a big fish next year. Do you think Coco Gauff can win a Grand Slam title in 2025?

Iga Swiatek banned from tennis – will she get a second suspension in 2025?

The shockwaves from Iga Swiatek’s suspension from tennis will come to an end on December 4, but will the punishment be extended after she failed a drug test?

The five-time Grand Slam champion was ranked world No 1 when she provided a sample containing the angina medication trimetazidine in an out-of-competition test on August 12.

In a case that echoes of world No 1 Jannik Sinner’s failed drug test from last March, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted Swiatek’s positive test was a result of contamination of the regulated non-prescription medication melatonin, which Swiatek took for jet lag and sleep issues.

They declared Swiatek’s level of fault was to be at the lowest end of the range for ‘No Significant Fault or Negligence’.

That resulted in a one-month ban for Swiatek, with that decision sparking a huge debate among players who were treated very differently after they also failed drug tests.

Swiatek was provisionally suspended from September 22 until October 4, with the three tournaments the 23-year-old missed attributed to personal matters and a change of coach.

The Pole must serve an additional eight days to December 4 to make up the month, while she also forfeits her prize money from reaching the semi-finals of the Cincinnati Open, the tournament directly following the test.

She gave her verdict in a lengthy video on her social media platforms with an emotional statement.

“I’m finally allowed… so I instantly want to share with you something that became the worst experience of my life,” said Swiatek.

“In the last and a half months I was subject to strict ITIA proceedings, which confirmed my innocence.

“The only positive doping test in my career, showing an unbelievably low level of a banned substance I’ve never heard about before, put everything I’ve worked so hard for my entire life into question.

“Both me and my team had to deal with tremendous stress and anxiety. Now everything has been carefully explained, and with a clean slate I can go back to what I love most. I know I will be stronger than ever.

“I’m leaving with you a long video and right now I’m just relieved it’s over. I want to be open with you, even though I know I did nothing wrong.

“Out of respect for my fans and the public, I’m sharing all the details of this longest and toughest tournament of my career. My biggest hope is that you will stay with me.”
Iga Swiatek

Nick Kyrgios is among those who have expressed their surprise over the verdict on Swiatek, with all eyes not on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as they consider their next move.

WADA challenged the ITIA decision on Sinner and have taken their case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, arguing Sinner should be given a suspension from tennis of between one and two years after he tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance clostebol in March.

Given their stance in the Sinner case, WADA may now be expected to consider a similar appeal against Swiatek’s suspension that could extend her agony over this failed drug test well into 2025.

Yet both Sinner and Swiatek will be encouraged by the comments from Oliver Niggli, director of WADA, during an interview with L’Equipe, as he hinted the players may be victims of improved technology after minuscule amounts of the banned substances were found in their systems.

“Today there is a problem of contamination,” said Niggli. “There are no more (doping cheats) than before, but laboratories are more efficient in detecting infinitesimal quantities of doping substances. We will have to open a working table to understand how to manage this situation.

“The quantities found are so small that it is possible to become contaminated by doing even trivial things.

“I understand the public, who thinks we are naive and that we believe everything. But the reality is different. There is a problem.

“If we wanted to simplify our lives, we could impose new thresholds and not find all these cases. But the real question is: Are we ready to accept microdosing? Where do we stop?

“With thresholds, we wouldn’t have seen all these cases. What we need to understand is whether we are ready to accept microdosing and where it is right to stop. A working table will be created precisely for this type of reflection.”

There can be no denying that tennis has a huge credibility issue with two of its biggest stars now under a huge cloud of suspicion after failed drug tests, with the perception that the sport’s decision makers are showing extreme leniency in their punishments adding to the credibility issue that is now dominating the tennis agenda.

Corretja, on Nadal: “I don’t see Rafa as a coach or advisor for anyone”

The former Spanish tennis player talks about the possibility of a future in Rafa Nadal’s circuit: “I would see him more as an advisor for something big“.

It has been a few days already, although most of the world is still processing the fact that Andy Murray is the new coach of Novak Djokovic. From a historic rivalry on the court, the former British tennis player, who retired last July at Wimbledon with his loved ones, surprises the entire planet by announcing his next adventure: accompanying the Serbian player on the circuit as his coach. This unexpected move raises new questions about possible scenarios that could unfold in the future.

One of those questions is: Can you imagine Rafa Nadal becoming a coach on the circuit in the coming months? Àlex Corretja has hardly any doubts about his answer: “From my point of view, it is impossible, 99.9% impossible, because one can never take anything for granted in life,” confessed the former Spanish player speaking with Eurosport.

“I would see him more as an advisor for something big…”

Rafael Nadal

“It would surprise me a lot. I think he will need some time to think about what he really wants to do. I have the impression that, although he has children and is busy at home, Andy has less to do in his daily life. Rafa lives in Manacor and has his academy, so I don’t see him traveling much. Maybe Andy still wanted to travel, have these experiences. I don’t see Rafa as a coach or advisor for anyone. I would see him more as an advisor for something big like Real Madrid, contributing something to the club by giving some talks,” explained Corretja. “I envision it for a short period of time, three or six months, but not an everyday thing.”

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Corretja, sobre Nadal: “No veo a Rafa como entrenador o asesor de nadie”

Over the weekend, DDG shared a video on Instagram featuring Angel Reese, where he raps along to his newly released song, “WHAT U BAD FOR.” In the clip, DDG stands next to Reese, and fans couldn’t help but notice the height difference between them. DDG himself commented on the situation, joking, “she had heels on, we the same height I swear,” acknowledging the playful exchange about their stature.

Despite the focus on their height, DDG and Reese were actually promoting the track, which also features Real Boston Richey. The song touches on DDG’s recent breakup with Halle Bailey, where he reflects on his son, Halo, and his connection to Bailey. “Thing about Halo mommy, you know that’s my baby forever,” DDG raps, speaking to his love for his child and his ex. However, some listeners felt that a stronger beat could have made the song’s emotional message hit harder.

The breakup between DDG and Halle Bailey has sparked ongoing curiosity, especially after the couple welcomed their son Halo not long ago. While DDG has admitted that he still hasn’t fully moved on, Halle Bailey has remained more reserved, only publicly addressing issues like DDG taking Halo to a Kai Cenat stream without informing her. Despite the drama, both stars have defended each other amid online criticism, always trying to support one another in their personal lives.

The playful height joke might seem trivial, but it seems to have sparked enough attention to bring more focus to DDG’s relationship with Halle, which remains a key emotional thread in his music. Whether this tactic was intentional or not, it’s a reminder of how even lighthearted moments can lead to deeper discussions about a celebrity’s personal life. We’ll see what other antics emerge next in this ongoing saga.

Angel Reese Posts One-Word Reaction to Hailey Van Lith’s Career Game

NCAA women’s basketball star Hailey Van Lith recently led the TCU Horned Frogs to a 76-73 win over NC State, earning an upset victory over the No. 13 Wolfpack.

Van Lith posted her first career 10-assist double-double, finishing the game with 18 points and 10 assists while shooting 8-of-24 from the field.

She took to social media to share a few photos from the game.

“chop wood carry water,” Van Lith captioned the post.

Van Lith’s former teammate with the LSU Tigers, Angel Reese, who currently plays for the Chicago Sky in the WNBA, commented on the post.

Reese agreed with Van Lith’s statement, posting her thoughts on the post in the comment section.

“EXACTLY,” Reese said,

Angel Reese
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JUNE 01: Angel Reese #5 of the Chicago Sky looks on against the Indiana Fever during the first quarter in the game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on June 01, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Reese and Van Lith shared the court together with the LSU Tigers during the 2023-24 season. The two led the Tigers to a 31-6 record which ultimately had them listed as the No. 3 seed in the NCAA tournament.

Following her sole season at LSU (2023-24), Van Lith transferred to TCU, where she’s playing her fifth season of college basketball.

Van Lith started her college career in 2020. She played three seasons with the Louisville Cardinals, transferred to LSU for one season and is now leading the Horned Frogs.

TCU stands at 4-0 on the season under Van Lith’s lead, with wins against the Houston Christian Huskies, New Orleans Privateers, Texas State Bobcats and NC State Wolfpack.

Angel Reese is switching it up with her looks, and her latest doesn’t disappoint.

Today, the Chicago Sky forward took to her Instagram Story to show off her new hairstyle. She posed in the mirror with her hair done in long braids, while wearing a black and pink Barbie sports bra and black shorts.

Also in the photo, Reese showed off her abs, complete with a flashy belly button ring.

The WNBA superstar has been known to show out with her fits, even her most cozy and relaxed ones. But it never hurts to take advice from elders in the fashion game.

Yesterday, Reese dropped an episode of her “Unapologetically Angel” podcast, which featured celebrity stylist Law Roach.

Roach has styled some of the biggest names in entertainment, including Zendaya, Celine Dion, Ariana Grande, and more. During the chat, Roach expressed happiness over the fact that the fashion industry is paying attention to WNBA tunnel fits.

“I like the tunnel fits,” Roach said. “I love the way the fashion industry and designers respecting that now. Because they didn’t used to pay attention to athletes, and now, they’re paying attention to athletes.”

Roach also said that Reese’s dream to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show isn’t too far off. And with her confidence and inventive fashions, we must say we’re in agreement!

Angel Reese Drops 3 Powerful Words After Inspiring 5-Star Talent Architect Major Upset

“When they sleep on you, tuck them in!” Angel Reese had written in her caption while posting on ‘HAPPY REEBOK X ANGEL DAY!!’ three months ago. While many would have thought that the post was done and dusted, there were a million fans who took inspiration from it. And one of them is an NCAA star who as the season started has converted that inspiration into action and upset a team.

After Harvard’s upset over No. 25 Indiana, Harmoni Turner shared that she took a major dose of inspiration from the Chi-Town Barbie which helped her decimate the other team. “Keep sleeping… taking the quote from @Reese10Angel “ when they sleeping on you, tuck em in” great team win! proud of us,’” she stated, and now Reese has reacted to the same. After the quote was tweeted by Harmoni on Friday, Reese reshared the tweet with her three-word message “heard you sis!”

The Harvard Crimson clashed with the Indiana Hoosiers on Thursday in what was their second game of the regular season, defeating them by a 72-68 margin. At one point in time, the Hoosiers led the game with a 60-57 margin which was the largest lead for Indiana. However, Turner played a crucial role as she hit a free throw and then made a jumper that leveled the score. If that wasn’t enough, she assisted Alayna Rocco who got the score to 63-all, and the game went into overtime.

Even during the OT, Turner made a pair of layups before assisting Mona Zaric make a jumper. All this culminated in the Crimson upending the No. 25 ranked Indiana. Notably, Turner had the game’s highest 24 points with 4 assists, 4 rebounds, and 6 steals, assuming the leadership role for her team. She also made 10 out of 17 field goals, thus rescuing the Crimson during crucial moments, and surely Reese was to be thanked for her motivational ideas.

The five-star guard had committed to Harvard in 2019 and from 2021 has been plying her trade with utmost sincerity. It is only a matter of time before she makes a name for herself just like Reese. Meanwhile, Turner isn’t the only star that the Chi-Town Barbie has impacted.

Angel Reese inspires Louisiana girls’ basketball players and more

Angel Reese

When Angel Reese & the Lady Tigers. decimated their opponents one after another, finally clinching the Championship title during the 2022-23 season, it sent waves across Louisiana. Inspired by the exceptional success of LSU, Central High School girls’ basketball coach Krystal Huggins-Flowers credited the Chicago star for having a brilliant season. “You know, pay attention to Angel Reese. Do you see her passion? Do you see her fight?,” Huggins-Flowers remarked on being asked one message she would like to give her mentees. However, that was just the beginning.

Even Central High School senior Ty’Reona Sibley revealed that she was planning for Southeastern Louisiana next year and had an amazing learning experience watching the Lady Tigers. “Just seeing them play the game, work hard, and all they were doing, it helped me to keep going and keep pushing,” Sibley enunciated.

This is not it. The Sky No. 5 understands her reach and has always been forthcoming in ensuring that the young girls know they can look up to her. Back in July, an adorable fan came to Reese and asked what motivated her. The seventh-overall pick did not take a second to respond, “Girls like you. Little girls that look up to me. Being able to wake up every day and know that little eyes are watching me. I hope one day that you can do what I’m doing.”

After inspiring a junior NCAA star, Reese has once again proven that she continues to break barriers in women’s sports. Hopefully, someday all those who emulated her will be playing next to her in the WNBA.

Iga Swiatek confirms whether she will be in attendance when Rafael Nadal retires at the Davis Cup

Tennis players both past and present want to attend the Davis Cup finals to see Rafael Nadal’s last match.

The 22-time Grand Slam is set to bring an end to a remarkable career spanning over two decades.

Nadal has chosen to play his last tournament on home soil and be surrounded by his competitors at a tournament he has won five times in the past.

It is now the hottest tennis ticket in town and thousands want to pay tribute to one of the all-time greats, but will French Open winner Iga Swiatek, one of his biggest fans, be in attendance?

Will Iga Swiatek be at the Davis Cup finals for Rafael Nadal’s farewell?

Rafael Nadal

It is well documented how influential Rafael Nadal has been on Swiatek and her career.

She has praised him on numerous occasions and like many is saddened to hear that the 38-year-old will be retiring soon.

The likes of Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have expressed their desire to be in Malaga to pay tribute to Nadal when he retires, but Swiatek will not be attending.

“I have my vacation scheduled. It’s hard to pick that. It will be impossible to get there anyway as I heard it’s all booked already and the ticket sales are crazy,” the Pole said during her WTA Finals press conference.

“Maybe I will watch it on TV, but I already had a chance to text with Rafa a bit and thank him for everything he’s done. I will be following him anyway, no matter if he’s still playing or not.”

Iga Swiatek posted video tribute to Rafael Nadal after he announced his retirement

Tributes poured in for Nadal after he released a video on social media announcing his retirement.

Swiatek shared a video message online, thanking Nadal for his contributions to tennis and inspiring her.

“You were and still are the biggest inspiration that I ever had in tennis and the reason why sometimes I got extra motivated and kept pushing myself,” she said.

“Thank you for that and thank you for being such an amazing person off the court as well. Your humility is something that is not so often [seen] when you see other athletes succeeding.

“You’re the one that always stayed honest with himself and true to himself. Thank you for being a really good person.”