Joker launches warning from Shanghai and wins with authority
The Serbian Novak Djokovic, former world number 1 (currently No. 4) sent a message to his rivals that he is recovering his usual level of tennis with an expeditious victory against the Italian Flavio Cobolli (No. 30), 6-1 and 6- 2, yesterday in the third round of the Shanghai Masters 1000. The Serbian barely needed one hour and four minutes to get rid of the 22-year-old Italian with an excellent game, with more than 80% of the points won on his serve, without conceding a single break ball and 19 winning points (6 of Cobolli) for 18 errors (26 of the rival). “From the beginning I was clear about the game plan, staying aggressive and trying to take advantage of any short ball to take the initiative of the point,” Djokovic declared after the match, who admitted that his rival paid “a physical toll” after having to play just a few hours after facing the Swiss Stan Wawrinka. AFP
Real Madrid loses against Chelsea at the start of the women’s Champions League
Real Madrid women lost 3-2 on their visit to Chelsea on the first day of the Champions League yesterday, while favorite Lyon started their campaign with a comfortable 3-0 victory against Galatasaray. The match played at Stamford Bridge was quickly put on the ropes for the Madrid team, after an early goal from the German Sjoeke Nusken (3) and another from a penalty converted by the Norwegian guro Reiten (27). Real Madrid closed the gap before the break after a good play on the wing by Olga Carmona, finished by Alba Redondo (39). The Colombian Mayra Ramírez (53) returned the two-goal advantage for the ‘Blues’ with a header, and her compatriot Linda Caicedo cut it back in the final minutes (84). AFP
BOXING
Benavidez will have his first light heavyweight fight in Las Vegas
American fighter David Benavidez announced that he will face David Morrell in a light heavyweight fight. The 175-pound bout will headline a PBC pay-per-view card on January 25 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Benavidez (29-0, 24 KOs) had planned, and indeed had some conversations, to face Jesse Hart on the Dec. 14 undercard of the Gervonta Davis-Lamont Roach title fight, but ultimately settled on a fight. much more convincing. Benavidez has constantly sought to get into the ring with Canelo Alvarez, however the Mexican has not shown any interest in such a matchup, so Benavidez made the jump from 168 to 175 pounds this summer with a decision victory over Oleksandr Gvozdyk. 24 HOURS
