The Tellrhodes Blog

Can Serena Williams finally clinch her 24th Grand Slam title? Action at Wimbledon has reached its second week and some of the top seeds are still in contention for both the men's and women's singles title. In the women's field, 37-year-old Serena Williams is on track for an eight Wimbledon title and a record-equalling 24th Grand Slam crown. The great American is also seeking her first Grand Slam title since her Australian Open triumph in 2017, while she was pregnant. She returned from maternity leave in 2018 and made back-to-back Grand Slam finals at Wimbledon and the US Open, losing to Angelique Kerber and young Japanese, Naomi Osaka, respectively. Good for Serena now, the woman who denied her an eight title in last year's final, Angelique Kerber has already been knocked out. Can she now power through? The 37-year-old has come through her section of the women's draw with the loss of just a set. Having defeated Italy's Giulia Gatto-Monticone 6-2, 7-5 ...

Nigeria come up short against South Africa in World Team Cup Qualification in Nairobi The Nigerian Team at the regional qualifier for the ITF’s flagship wheelchair tennis team event failed to seal qualification to the BNP Paribas World Team Cup, which will take place in Israel in May, after they were beaten by South Africa in the men's and women's ties. The South Africans ran out 3-0 winners in the women's tie, with Mariska Venter getting the better of Chituru Nwaozuzu 6-0, 6-4 and Kgothatso Montjane handing Kafayat Omisore a double bagel to go 2-0 clear. Venter and Montjane would join forces in the doubles rubber to claim a 6-1, 6-1 win over Nwaozuzu and Omisore and seal the tie. The South African women's team earned qualification after topping the 1st Pool and defeating the Kenyan team that topped Pool 2, 3-0. It's the first time in three years that Kenya has failed to qualify. The men were also beaten by the same scoreline. Wasiu Yusuf put up a spirite...

Russia's Daniil Medvedev sweeps clean the Sofia Open for 4th career ATP title Daniil Medvedev, on Sunday, claimed his fourth career title on the ATP Tour with a rock solid performance to beat Hungary's Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 6-4 in the Bulgarian capital. It has been a worthy start to the 2019 season for the 22-year-old Russian, with a run final at the Brisbane International and his triumph now at the Sofia Open on either sides of a fourth round finish at the Australian Open in January. The young gun will now move to Holland, with a fifth career title in sight when he opens against Jeremy Chardy at the Rotterdam Open on Monday. Elsewhere at the Open Sud de France in Montpellier, home favourite, Jo-Wilfred Tsonga made light work of his countryman Pierre-Hugues Herbert to claim the title- his first of the fledgling season Post by: Adejoh Isaiah Twitter: @IAZ_eneojo

Noomi Osaka, Novak Djokovic make history at the Australian Open The 2019 Australian Open had its final curtain fall on Sunday in Melbourne Park, with Novak Djokovic outclassing Rafael Nadal  to clinch the title. But before the men's final, was Naomi Osaka's emphatic victory over Petra Kvitova in the women's final on Saturday. Osaka, aged 21, defeated the Czech in three sets to clinch her second straight Grand Slam title and then, became the first Japanese - man or woman - to be ranked number one in the world. She also became the first woman since Jennifer Capriati in 2001 to back up a maiden Grand Slam title with another major title almost immediately. And on Sunday, history beckoned to Novak Djokovic and the Serb responded, more so, brilliantly. The world number one produced a virtually flawless performance to beat Rafael Nadal 6-3, 6-2, 6-3 and claim a record-breaking seventh Australian Open title. Nadal was hoping to become the first man in the Open Era to...

Roger Federer knocked out as Frances Tiafoe comes of age! It's good to be back and there couldn't have been a better timing folks. We are right in the middle of the Australian Open, and the tournament is shaping up rather nicely, with players looking to seal quarterfinal berths. Other have, of course, with some fourth round match-ups decided today, Sunday. In possibly the biggest upset of the day, double defending champion, Roger Federer got knocked out by 20-year-old Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece. Federer had taken the first set after some shotmaking brilliance in a lengthy tiebreaker, but the great Swiss just couldn't contain Tsitsipas afterwards. The young Greek would brush the disappointment aside and put up a sensational performance to take the next three sets, sealing a 6-7, 7-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory. The win also saw him become the first Greek to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam event. Federer, meanwhile, will have to wait for his 100th career sing...

Lagos Open prepares to fire up The city of Lagos is set come under the spotlight as tennis stars from all over the world storm the West African city to jostle for $100,000 in prize money and vital ATP/WTA ranking points at the rebranded Lagos Open International Tennis Championship. The Lagos Open, formerly known as the Governor's Cup, will take place from 1 October to 13 October at the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, where it has been held, save once, since its first edition in 2000. The tournament will be staged in back-to-back weeks with the men's and women's draw attracting $25,000 each. One of Nigeria's foremost tennis competition, the Lagos Open has been graced by some of the most talented youngsters, who have gone on to become global phenomena. Current world No.6, Elina Svitolina, was champion in 2011; Indian superstar, Sania Mirza won the third edition in 2003; Croat sensation, Borna Coric claimed the title in 2013, and Great Britain Fed Cup captain, A...

Novak Djokovic stuns Roger Federer to make history After not only beating the undesirable effects of inclement weather, but also, posting impressive results all week Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer clashed in the final of the Cincinnati Open for the fourth time. For Djokovic, though, it was his sixth final at the event. He had lost all previous five — three to Federer, who, by contrast, had won all eight finals he'd played in. The Swiss maestro was the favourite, he was gunning for an historic eight Cincinnati Open title. Djokovic, had the odds stacked against him. The Cincinnati Open was the only event in all nine ATP Masters 1000 tournaments that Djokovic was yet to clinch. A win would ensure that the 31-year-old Serb achieves the Career Golden Masters. And win did he! The super Serb put up an exceptionally brilliant performance to dispatch Roger Federer in straight sets, winning 6-4, 6-4 to secure his first ever Cincinnati Open title and become the first man in hi...

Rafael Nadal reclaims ATP top spot ahead of Wimbledon as the CBN Senior Open clicks into full gear It's interesting how a lot can change in just a few days. Freshly crowned French Open champion, Rafael Nadal lost the world number one ranking to Roger Federer after the Swiss returned to action to claim the Mercedes Cup in Stuttgart last week. However, on Sunday, 24 June, Rafaeal Nadal reclaimed it after Roger Federer failed to defend his title at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle. Federer not only missed out on what would have been his 99th career title after his loss to Croatia's Borna Coric, he will also miss out on being the top seed heading into Wimbledon. This means Nadal will be world number one and top seed when Wimbledon kicks off in less than a fortnight. Elsewhere in Nairabo, Kenya, the Nigerian team to the Davis Cup, which comprised Joseph Imeh, Christian Paul, Sylvester Emmanuel and Abdulmumin Babalola, despite their impressive performances in the group stage...

Team Nigeria off to blistering start in Davis Cup opener The incredible quartet of Sylvester Emmanuel, Christian Paul, Joseph Imeh and Abdulmumin Babalola got Nigeria off to an excellent start in their bid to secure promotion to Africa Zone Group II as they hammered Rwanda 3-0 at the Nairobi Club in Kenya. 20-year-old Sylvester Emmanuel put the team on the front foot with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Ernest Habiyambere in the first singles rubber, while Nigeria's number one player, Joseph Imeh needed just 48 minutes to wrap up the second singles rubber as he pummeled the Rwandan team captain, Olivier Havugimana 6-0, 6-1. In the third rubber, which is the doubles, Joseph Imeh combined brilliantly with Christian Paul to claim a 6-1, 6-2 win over Hamissi Gatete and Etienne Niyigena, ending the day on a high and atop Pool A. The Nigerian team will next face West African neighbour, Cameroon, who were beaten 2-1 by Benin Republic. In Pool B, table toppers, Kenya secured their sec...

"I am beyond disappointed," Serena Williams says The most anticipated clash of the French Open was called off as Serena Williams had to pull out of the event due to an arm injury. The phenomenal American was billed to play old foe, Maria Sharapova in the fourth round, but announced her withdrawal shortly before the match. “I’ve had issues with the right pectoral muscle to the point where I can’t serve. It’s extremely disappointing,” Williams said during a news conference at Roland Garros. “But also, I made a promise to myself and to my coach and to my team that if I’m not at least 60 percent or 50 percent, then I probably shouldn’t play." "It is hard to play when I can’t physically serve. I’ve never had this injury before, I’ve never felt it in my life and it was so painful." “I’m beyond disappointed. I gave up so much from time with my daughter & time with my family all for this moment. So it’s really difficult to be in this situation.” Ru...

Serena Williams Makes Stylish Return to Grand Slam Action The American great returned to Grand Slam action in many ways than one on Tuesday. Serena, who hadn't played in a Grand Slam event since January last year as a result of her pregnancy, made quite a return in her first round match against Czech's Kristyna Pliskova at the Roland-Garros in Paris. Serena purposefully donned a black Nike catsuit. *insert image* In a post on Twitter, the 23-time Grand Slam champion, said: "Catsuit anyone? For all the moms out there who had a tough recovery from pregnancy—here you go. If I can do it, so can you. Love you all!!" Serena almost died from post-pregnancy complications in September. She also said in a post match interview, "I call it my Wakanda catsuit. I feel like a warrior princess in it. It's cool! Serena, 36, registered a 7-6, 6-4 victory over Pliskova to advance to the second round. She's bidding to become only the fourth player in h...

Well, that didn't take long. Rafael Nadal is back to being the world number one! Before hitting on Rafael Nadal's coldblooded efficiency and superiority, let's have a rundown of activities in Nigeria and with the Nigerian players. Over 160 Juniors headlined the 2018 SNEPCo Junior Tennis Championship in Lagos. The SNEPCo Junior Championships, which is organized by the International Tennis Academy, feature competitions in four categories - Boys and Girls 10 & Under, 12 & Under, 14 & Under and 16 & Under, with the early rounds taking place at the National Stadium Tennis Centre in Surulere. The finals however, will be held at the Ikoyi Club. In the landlocked East African nation, Uganda, the Nigerian trio of Joseph Imeh, Sylvester Emmanuel and Christian Paul all crashed out in their respective singles match at the ITF Futures event holding in the country's capital, Kampala. Joseph Imeh was beaten 6-2, 6-3 of Boris Aguma of Uganda, India'...

Hello folks! I bet a lot of people do not know much about the game of tennis in Nigeria and possibly, around the world. Well, that'll change with time as I'll, steadily, be taking you on quick tours of tournaments in Nigeria and across the globe. Ride here, with me! Today, 16 May, makes it a month Nigeria's capital city, Abuja came under the spotlight as it played host to three ITF Futures event. The ITF Futures is an entry level for professional tennis players. For three weeks, players from all over the world jostled for $75,000 in prize-money and vital ATP ranking points. The three ITF Futures event, the Tombim Abuja Open, the Dayak Tennis Championship and the GSL Open delivered magical moments, plenty of upsets, and an incredible atmosphere. Nigerian players sadly, were no match for their foreign counterparts as they all, save for Thomas Otu in the third week, fell in the first round of each of the tourneys. Exciting times however, are around the corner as t...