The Tellrhodes Blog

Tom Jomby, Pranjala Yadlapalli win Lagos Open The first leg of the Lagos Open had its final curtain fall on Saturday with Frenchman Tom Jomby and India's Pranjala Yadlapalli clinching the men's and women's titles, respectively. Jomby, who's the tournament top seed, defeated Arthur Rinderknech in the all-French final 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 to claim his first Lagos Open title and 6th career ITF Futures crown. The 27-year-old came into the match without the loss of a set all week and stormed to a 6-3 opening set win. Rinderknech, however, levelled matters, showing quick movements and an array of shots to force a decider, and then stormed to a 3-0 lead in the final set. He, however, wasn't able to see it through as Jomby made a remarkable fightback, winning six games on the bounce to seal victory. In the women's final, which was played earlier, 19-year-old Yadlapalli stunned top seed, Conny Perrin. Perrin, chasing a fourth Lagos Open crown, entered the match the f...

Modric hoping to complete FIFA and UEFA double at Best Awards Luka Modric will hope to beat Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah and add the Best FIFA Men's Player award to his UEFA accolade on Monday. Real Madrid midfielder Modric won the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award after following up Champions League success by inspiring Croatia's run to the World Cup final, picking up the Golden Ball despite defeat to France in Moscow. He will be out to dethrone Ronaldo, who has endured a mixed start to life as a Juventus player following his €112million move from Madrid, where he scored 44 goals in all competitions last season and won the Champions League for the fifth time in his career. Salah secured the Premier League Golden Boot in his first season at Liverpool and also accumulated 44 goals in all competitions as the Reds finished as runners-up in Europe's premier club competition. The trio made the final shortlist ahead of Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi,...

Mbappe three-match ban stands following appeal Kylian Mbappe's three-match suspension will stand, the French Football Federation (FFF) has ruled. Mbappe was sent off against Nimes for clashing with Teji Savanier, shoving his opponent after he was hacked down during the closing stages of Paris Saint-Germain's 4-2 win at the start of the month. Both men were sent off with Mbappe given a three-match ban and Savanier ordered to serve a five-game suspension by the disciplinary committee of the French Professional Football League. Following an appeal, reportedly from the Nimes man, the FFF's appeal commission ruled on Monday that both sanctions will stand. Mbappe has missed victories over Saint-Etienne and Rennes, with the 19-year-old serving the last game of his ban on Wednesday when PSG host Reims. The France forward, who has scored four Ligue 1 goals this season, will be free to return for Saturday's trip to Nice. GB israeloye I. G israelious Twitter. I...

Good day and welcome to sport update with Oye Ronaldo and Messi to sit on panel of new Ballon d’Or award. The pair will form part of a 33-man panel who will judge the game's outstanding up-and-coming young player Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi will form part of a panel that will vote on a new award added to the Ballon d’Or family this year: the Trophee Kopa. Named after Raymond Kopa, the legendary Reims, Angers, Real Madrid and France striker, who won the inaugural Ballon d’Or in 1958, the award will go to the game’s outstanding young player aged under 21. Ronaldo and Messi, though, will not be alone on a panel of illustrious talents. Joining the pair will be all the surviving Ballon d’Or winners, from Luis Suarez, the oldest winner still alive, to the Juventus and Barcelona stars, who have monopolised the individual award for a decade. Furthermore, there will be a Ballon d’Or equivalent for female players. This prize has been welcomed by France internatio...

AFCON QUALIFIERS, Rohr to drop 7 world cup stars,  bring in new faces. Nigeria’s senior national team coach, Gernot Rohr, has indicated that about seven Super Eagles players who made the 23 man squad to the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia may not be invited for the AFCON qualifier against Seychelles. Nigeria will play against Seychelles on September 8. Rohr revealed his plan to bring in some fringe players who could not make the world cup team. Complete Sports reports that the Franco-German has remained in Europe to monitor some players and scout some emerging stars with the view of bringing them into the national team. According to the newspaper, the coach also hinted on his plan to drop some World Cup Eagles because of injuries, loss of form or for tactical reasons. It said the German gaffer would have been in Nigeria to submit his World Cup report, but had to stay back because of the leadership tussle at the NFF. However, Rohr may be in the country next week to ...